Forum West 41 October 10

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VOL. 12 • NUMBER 41 • OCTOBER 10, 2013

ALL ABOARD – AGAIN?

Some pols, civic leaders are thrilled the MTA is supporting restoring the rail line that once ran from Rego Park to the Rockaways, but others pan the reactivation as nothing more than a pipe dream. See Story on Page 5 File Photo

Pols Slam City Over Schools Plan Page 10

Fighting Cancer to Honor Her Father Page 23

Health Watch Pages 35

THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 1


2 2 | THE THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 25, 2012


Nonprofit Aiming to Run Glendale Homeless Shelter Details Plans for Facility Wants five-year contract, noted that sex offenders could live there By Anna Gustafson The nonprofit that could operate a 125-family homeless shelter on the border of Glendale and Middle Village detailed its plans for the facility in a letter to elected officials last week, with the group saying it hopes to operate it for five years and that the typical family staying there would be an adult with two children - though the group specified it would not legally be allowed to turn away sex offenders. The Oct. 2 letter to Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills), U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens), state Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach), Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven), and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), which was written in response to a number of concerns the legislators sent to the nonprofit Samaritan Village, stated the city has “a mandate and obligation to provide shelter to any eligible homeless person or family, regardless of criminal background. “The Sex Offender Registration Act does not restrict where a sex offender may live,” the letter continued. Samaritan Village stressed in the letter that it was looking to be a good community partner and with elected officials, civic leaders and residents to address concerns about the proposed facility at 78-16 Cooper Ave. in Glendale

File Photo

A nonprofit has submitted a proposal to the city to turn an abandoned factory in Glendale into a homeless shelter for as many as 125 families.

- a former airplane factory. They noted that they would provide round-the-clock security, as well as a television-monitoring system throughout the premises. The nonprofit also stated in the Oct. 2 document that it aims to land a five-year contract, with the option of renewing for another four years. The group still needs to receive approval from the city Department of Homeless Services to operate the homeless shelter, which would be the largest of its kind in the area and which has been panned by elected officials and civic leaders alike. It ultimately would need the go-ahead from Mayor Bloomberg to open.

Crowley and the Republican running against her to represent her seat in the City Council, Craig Caruana, are fighting the proposal, as are all the elected officials to whom Samaritan Village penned the letter. Civic leaders such as Kathy Masi, president of the Glendale Civic Association, and Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association too have panned the idea. Many of those opposed to the homeless shelter - or “transitional housing” as the city calls it - said the facility would overburden already crowded classrooms and could drive away customers from shops that have

recently opened nearby. “If you place a homeless shelter with 125 families here, where’s the transportation?” Holden said during a protest held against the proposal for the shelter last month. “There are no subways near here… It’s an environmental nightmare - it needs remediation and it’s going to cost a lot. “ W hy not put senior housing there?” Holden continued. “Instead we get this shoved down our throat?” Samaritan Village notified Community Board 5 in August that it had submitted a proposal to the city to operate the shelter, arguing that such a facility is “especially necessary in Queens,” because high costs of living and foreclosures had forced people onto the streets. Crowley said she has tried to work with the building’s owner, Michael Wilner, who could not be reached comment, to entertain proposals from two private companies that would be more “appropriate” neighbors for the area. However, the owner has not been cooperative, according to Crowley. Hevesi and other legislators have noted that one such reason the owner may want to entertain the homeless shelter is because if DHS approves the proposal, the city would pay for remediation costs - a substantial figure because of the site’s former industrial use.

112th Precinct Community Council

MEETING NOTICE

Wednesday, Oct. 16th 7:30 PM at the 112th Precinct

Guest Speaker:

Chief Thomas Chan Captain Conforti will update you on safety concerns and answer questions. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook for updates as well.

For Juniper Valley Bocce Players, A Welcome Change Groundbreaking held for project to construct new court, renovate others

By Anna Gustafson They wake early, some jumping into cars and making the trek from Howard Beach and others leaving the Middle Village homes in which they have lived since moving to Queens from Italy, and, regardless of snow or rain or pretty much anything that may stand in their way, make their way to Juniper Valley Park. There, a group of men - and, often, one woman - spend their days with friends, new and old, playing frequently intense games of bocce - a game that has its roots in the Roman Empire and which is now a favorite pastime in Italy. For hours, they laugh and, good-naturedly, poke fun at one another. As the hours pass, they order pizza and, while cheering as they throw a ball from one end of the court to the other, find themselves engrossed in the stories that inevitably seep into their days. They speak to one another about family, about sons and daughters who have moved away, about times that seem like other lives in home countries halfway across the globe. And, when asked, what draws them to the bocce court in Middle Village every day, they will say, simply, “We love it.” That is why, the bocce players said, they are thrilled that their courts are getting major upgrades - a project for which the groundbreaking was held last Thursday morning. “Right now, there’s damage here - when it

rains, it continues to damage the courts, so we are very happy this will change,” said Paul Mauceli, a Middle Village resident originally from Italy. Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) and Borough President Helen Marshall allocated $850,000 for the project that will result in a new bocce court, reconstruct two existing courts, and install shaded areas, benches, tables, and trees. The construction is expected to be completed this spring. “It will be a more enjoyable place to play this Anna Gustafson/The Forum Newsgroup hugely popular sport,” Crowley said at ThursBocce players from throughout Queens - and beyond - routinely gather at Juniper Valley Park to play the sport that day’s groundbreaking, which was also attended has its roots in the Roman Empire. by Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski, Assemblywoman Margaret Markey (D-Maspeth), Deputy Borough President Barry Grodenchik, and more than a dozen bocce enthusiasts. Lewandowski noted that the groundbreaking symbolized the beginning of a “very important project for all of us.” Rego Park resident Steven Shakarchy, originally from Iran, said the bocce players who congregate daily at Juniper Valley hail from neighborhoods throughout Queens - and even beyond. “We have people from the Bronx, from Mount Vernon, from Howard Beach,” said Shakarchy, who began playing bocce after seeing a Deputy Borough President Barry Grodenchik, second from left, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, Assemblywoman game of it in Corona. “The park is going to be Margaret Markey, and Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski, far right, gather for last week's dead when we can’t be at the court - the only groundbreaking of a new bocce court, as well as renovations to the current courts, at Juniper Valley Park. thing that’s alive here is the people.” THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 3


Do Not Ignore the Signs Domestic violence is something that takes many forms and is often hidden. But there may be some warning signs that can be observed through an outside party. •A partner who harbors unrealistic expectations: Experts say that those who engage in domestic violence are generally perfectionists and expect those around them to reach unattainable goals and their own perfection. Violence may result when things do not go off without a hitch. •A partner who is controlling: When a person insists their victim account for all of his or her time, the relationship may eventually turn abusive. This behavior generally stems from feelings of insecurity and poor self-esteem on the part of the abusive individual, which is then projected to the partner in terms of abusive words or distrust. •Escalating threats: In many cases, domestic violence begins with verbal assaults that may develop into physical threats. Whether the abuse is verbal or physical, it can have profound and long-lasting effects on the victim. For those who observe a person continually brow-beating a spouse or talking badly about him or her, this may be an indication of an abusive relationship. •A partner with a noticeable temper: Sometimes a temper goes hand-in-hand with domestic violence. An individual with a short fuse and a propensity for lashing out with minimal patience in areas outside of his or her relationship may be equally short-fused in the relationship. •A partner who limits access to money, belongings or the car: You may notice your friend or family member continually having to ask permission to use the car or visit with people. Some friends complain about not having access to the checkbook or being kept on a strict budget. While the circumstances do not always indicate a case of domestic violence, they may be warning signs that something is not right. •Hidden bruises or excuses for injuries: Michigan State University's Safe Place indicates that injuries that are covered up and happen with some frequency could be a sign of domestic violence. If someone you know is trying to downplay frequent injuries, it may be a red flag. •Conflict avoidance: Usually those who are in abusive relationships try to avoid conflict and rarely speak up or voice their own opinions. •Personality changes: Withdrawal, inability or not wanting to meet up with friends, loss of enthusiasm, or any other personality changes may be indicative of someone that is being abused.

Barbara Sheehan Loses Appeal

Transferred to medium security prison at Albion By Patricia Adams After the denial of her appeal before the highest appellate court in the state, Barbara Sheehan will likely spend the next three and a half years at the Albion State Correctional Facility in Rochester, New York. Sheehan was acquitted of murder charges in the 2008 shooting death of her husband, former NYPD sergeant Raymond Sheehan, but faces prison time for a secondary gun charge. Sheehan was originally mandated to turn herself in at the end of June, at which time she was sent to Riker’s Island for a short stint before being transferred to Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women for 5 weeks before being sent to Albion as her permanent placement. Albion is a medium level security prison where Sheehan lives as part of a Trauma Unit occupied by formerly battered and abused women. After scoring exceptionally high on prison evaluation screening tests, Sheehan got a position as a nurse’s aide at the facility. Family can visit the prison once a week, on alternating Saturdays and Sundays. A maximum of 5 visitors are allowed each visiting day. But travelling to the prison is a hardship on the family who must drive 398 miles for an average of 7 hours each way and incur the cost of overnight lodging. Flights to the area average $500 per person for the round-trip fare.

Barbara Sheehan

Sheehan has been placed in a section of the prison where other battered and abused trauma unit woman are in residence and has access to an exercise yard and a gym. She is working on keeping fit and restoring her health and has lost a total of over 80 lbs. since her incarceration. Sentenced to 5 years, with what she had served prior and up until now, the remaining time looks to be nearly 3 years and 7 months.

There are options, including a work release program which could find Sheehan in a job 5 days a week and back to a correctional facility for the weekends. Qualifying for the program however can be very difficult and the procedure is stringent and insiders say it doesn’t represent anything“likely to happen in the near future.” Please continue to watch The Forum for exclusive updates on Barbara Sheehan.

It Happens More Often Than You Think The truth about domestic violence in today’s world Domestic violence is a problem that can affect anyone at anytime. Considering victims are usually frightened by their abusers, they often suffer in silence. The Domestic Violence Resource Center says that 1 in 4 women has experienced domestic violence in her lifetime. Estimates range from 960,000 incidents of violence against a current or former spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend to 3 million women who are physically abused by their husbands or boyfriends per year. Men can also be victims of domestic violence at the hands of their female partners, and abuse can occur between same-sex couples as well. However, the Bureau of Justice Statistics indicates that women ages 20-24 are at the greatest risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence. Domestic violence comes in many forms, including physical, emotional and verbal abuse. Many victims of domestic violence are battered into secrecy or are embarrassed that they are being abused and do not share their experiences with others. Others might not even realize that what they are experiencing constitutes abuse. But there are some signs of domestic violence that can be observed, and a third party may be able to intervene. Please see the sidebar The effects of domestic violence certainly go beyond the individual being abused; family, friends and especially children who live in a domestically violent household suffer immensely. for what to look out for as an outsider looking in.

Where There is Help, There is Hope An average of three women in America die each day as a result of domestic violence. One in four women, and one in thirteen men, will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is is available to assist you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

4 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013

Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Or TTY 1-800-787-3224


MTA Report Gives Hope to Residents Crossing Their Fingers for a New Rail Line But others say lack of funding makes proposal obsolete

By Anna Gustafson Supporters of reactivating a rail line that, decades ago, ran from Rockaway to Rego Park were buoyed by the news that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority included rejuvenating the long dormant travel corridor in its plans for the future, while others panned the MTA’s report and said a lack of funding will bar the line’s reactivation from ever becoming a reality. The MTA released its 20-Year Capital Needs Assessment last week, which included the restoration of the Rockaway Beach Rail Line - a plan some elected officials and civic leaders say would give a significant financial boost to the borough and provide public transportation in areas that are sorely lacking it. “This report is a huge step forward, and I will continue to work closely with my colleagues, Gov. Cuomo and the MTA until the Rockaway Beach Rail Line becomes a reality,” Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder said. “The MTA has heard our calls for smart investment in existing right of ways to improve transit infrastructure, create jobs, while helping each family in Queens and across the city in their daily commutes.” A blueprint for the agency’s vision for upcoming infrastructure projects, the plan does not, however, include funding for a project that would inevitably be costly. A number of Queens residents have said they believe the price-tag leaves reactivating the rail line dead in the water and are instead advocating for the area to be transformed into a Queens version of Manhattan’s High Ligh - a park being designated as the “QueensWay.” Travis Terry, of Friends of the QueensWay, said at a Community Board 9 meeting on Tuesday night that “today’s wasted space” along the line once known as the White Pot Junction Line has the potential to be transformed into a 3.5-mile park that would benefit hundreds of thousands of people and would provide an easily accessible bikeway on which individuals could commute to work. “It would significantly improve quality of life,” Terry said after stressing that the MTA did not announce any funding for reactivating the rail line.

File Photo

The train line that once ran from the Rockaways to Rego Park has become overgrown and fallen into disrepair over the past five decades.

The line, which, in addition to Rockaway and Rego Park, traveled through Middle Village, Woodhaven, Ozone Park and Howard Beach. Once owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road, it was sold to the city in 1962 and has since been abandoned and, over the past five decades, fallen into disrepair, its tracks covered by unruly weeds and graffiti. A number of elected officials have thrown their support behind reopening a train between Rockaway and mainland Queens, including Goldfeder and U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-Queens, Brooklyn), both of whom have lamented the lack of mass transportation options available to Rockaway and South Queens residents. A trip on public trans-

portation from the Rockaways to, say, Bayside can take as long as two and a half hours - as can the trip into Manhattan. This, officials and other advocates have said, proves to be a serious economic blow to areas of Queens still struggling after Hurricane Sandy. Philip McManus, who recently founded the Queens Public Transit Committee to fight for, among other things, the reactivation of the Rockaway railroad, said, as others have, that the revival of the line is crucial to the financial well-being of not only the Rockaways and South Queens, but the entire borough because it would open up possibilities for people to quickly travel throughout Queens. “The Rockaway Beach Line will unite Queens socially and economically and reduce commuter travel times and pollution,” McManus said. However, those who are advocating for the QueensWay argue that dialogue about a project that remains unfunded is a distraction from a proposal - the park - that could more easily become a reality because of finances. Terry cited a number of studies while speaking during CB 9 that speak of the benefits of greenways, including one by the Business Council of New York State that reported that such areas are “great ways to boost local economies, improve quality of life and transportation flow, are good for health and our environment and are one of the top desirable commodities to homeowners.” Members of a group named “NoWayQueensWay” also spoke at the CB 9 meeting this week and asked that any proposal, whether it is a park or reactivating the line, leave out the stretch between Park Lane South and Atlantic Avenue because of concerns from area residents. “I’m concerned about my property values; I’m concerned about my quality of life,” said Neil Giannelli, who lives on 98th Street. Dolores Rosato, another resident of 98th Street, said she too wants to see the area around her home removed from a QueensWay proposal - though she stressed she is not against the entire plan for the park, nor for a reactivated rail line. “I’d like you to see the hundreds of beautiful trees that would have to be removed for this Queensway,” Rosato said. “...There’s no way you’re going to convince me this will improve my quality of life.”

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149-16 80th Street, Howard Beach THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 5


Promises, Promises Dear Editor: Come November, voters will be asked to go to the polls and vote for our district councilman. It is time to reflect on the accomplishments of our current councilman, Eric Ulrich. As a resident of Ozone Park, I found him to be a very trustworthy and sincere individual. He believes in a better “quality of life” for his constituents. I can personally say that he has accomplished his goals in many ways. Each year since 2009, I have called 311 and asked for help in getting my sidewalk repaired. It was lifted due to the roots of a city-planted tree to the point that no car could park there because the driver could not open his door. Nothing was ever done. Much to my surprise, one afternoon in April of 2012, a crew of men were ripping up my sidewalk and by the following day I had a sidewalk and grass seed spread around the tree base. I found out later that it was not 311 that got this done. Rather it was thanks to the over $1 million that our Councilman Eric Ulrich allocated to the repair of many local sidewalks. I can also say that my neighbors and I participated in his programs of donating toys for children and canned food for families in need. During the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, he arranged to have volunteers drive around our neighborhoods to collect clothes and blankets for those families affected by the hurricane. Many hours were spent collecting and delivering these urgently needed items. Last but not least, it a pleasure to drive along Liberty Ave., 101st Ave. and many other local streets to find that graffiti is a thing of past. Let us remember Eric Ulrich’s fulfilled promises for “quality of life” and re-elect him for our councilman. Madeline Castellano Ozone Park

Repairs Need To Be Made Dear Editor: The Woodhaven Business Improvement District is very concerned with the lack of action since the collapse of the building at 78-19 Jamaica Avenue on April 15, 2013. This collapsed building also dam-

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aged our Woodhaven Senior Citizens Center, which is located next door. The owner, 78-19 Jamaica Avenue LIC, had 42 open building violations at the time of the collapse, which still have not been corrected. During these past 5 months, no action has been taken by the owner to repair or reconstruct this building, other than to build a fence (which is constantly graffiti vandalized). This lack of repair has resulted in the Senior Citizen Center’s elderly members having to vacate the premises due to the dangerous conditions. This Senior Citizen Center is such a necessary service and an asset to our community and was opened for our seniors due to our elected officials funding and support. This is why it is so imperative that the owner of 78-19 be forced to repair their premises complying with all building certifications and codes. If they do not then their building should be demolished. The Woodhaven Business Improvement District and the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation would appreciate your intervention in this dangerous situation. It is very important that we make this our Woodhaven Senior Citizen Center structurally sound and fully repaired. In this way, our elderly once more will have their beautiful meeting place that we all worked so hard to give them. Maria A. Thomson & Mathew Xenakis Woodhaven

Win-Win Situation Dear Editor: The MTA recently released a report with their vision for their next 20 years, and in it they included the idea of rehabilitating and restoring under-utilized rights-of-way throughout NYC, such as the Rockaway Beach Line that stretches between Ozone Park and Rego Park. I'd like to note that many assume that the primary utility of rehabilitating the RBB is to establish a connection between Southern Queens & the Rockaways to Northern Queens, Manhattan and the rest of the city. That is also true. However there is also great benefit for Northern Queens residents who already have the Queens Blvd. line - as well. For a Flushing resident to travel either to the Barclays Center, Park Slope or DownOctober 10, 2013

town Brooklyn, they need to take a long circuitous route through Queens and then overly crowded Manhattan trains, and such a trip would take at least an hour. However, with this link restored, they'd just travel 5 minutes south to Atlantic Ave., and there board the LIRR Atlantic Branch Brooklyn-bound train at the existing good-condition unused Woodhaven station for a 15 minute right straight into the Barclays Center, Downtown Brooklyn or Park Slope, or to transfer to any of the other eleven (!!) trains that meet at Atlantic Ave./Barclays Center. This is a win-win for them too. Asher Schochet Flushing

Ulrich Always Remembers Dear Editor: As the chair of the Lindenwood Alliance, a community based organization in the Lindenwood community, which serves a demographic that consists of multi-family dwellings comprised of two/three family homes, garden apartments, condominiums and cooperative housing, we would like to thank Councilmember Eric Ulrich for being the prime sponsor of Resolution 1808 which called upon Congress to amend the Biggert-Waters Act, and especially for co-sponsoring Resolution 1927 that urges Congress to enact, and the president to sign, a bill, which will amend the Robert T. Staffor Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to provide assistance to condominium's and housing cooperatives damaged by Hurricane Sandy. I know that a great deal of bill numbers and resolution numbers were just mentioned but, what it translates to is that our Councilmember, Eric Ulrich, would not let a bill pass without it benefiting his entire constituency! The damage that was realized by the co-ops and condos throughout the 32nd council district was forgotten by the federal government but not by our councilmember. Thank you, Councilmember Eric Ulrich, for not forgetting that, in addition to the single family dwellings that were destroyed as a result of this tragic storm, there were people in multi-family dwellings that lost their homes as well. Joann Ariola Lindenwood

Fox vs. Facts Dear Editor: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia says the devil has gotten smarter. I wish I could say the same for people who believe in nonexistent entities. Sadly, this fool will continue to have a hand in the course our great nation takes until his heart stops beating and his brain stops functioning...then again. Regarding the government shutdown, or as FOX refers to it, "government slimdown, "GOP supporters want Obama to stop "campaigning". If they stopped watching FOX "news" they'd understand that President Obama is trying to enlighten Americans like them to the fact that the GOP doesn't care about people unless those "people"(corporations) can stuff a huge wad of cash in their pockets. A FOX news poll said 59% of Republicans blame the Republicans in Congress! A Fox

poll! That translates to 100% in reality. The difference between MSNBC and FOX? MSNBC's 'reporters' state statistics supported by facts. Remember facts? They used to matter. Robert La Rosa Whitestone

At The Root Of It All Dear Editor: To better understand why chaos has overtaken Washington, we need to identify the root causes. It all began on Jan. 20, 2009. While Obama and friends were celebrating his first inaugural ball, a secret dinner was being held consisting of several top GOP leaders. Their goal was to destroy the Obama presidency, thus creating root cause 1. The 2010 election set the stage for cause 2. While Democrats

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Op-Ed New York’s Real “Tale of Two Cities” By Bob Turner Bill de Blasio’s “Tale of Two Cities” has one thing in common with Dickens’ original – it’s a gripping, but fictional political tale. The real “Tale of Two Cities” New Yorkers should keep in mind as they prepare to cast their ballot for Mayor on November 5th, is the way New York City struggled to stay afloat amidst poor governance under the last “progressive” Mayor and the devastating effects those policies have had on the less privileged in our beloved city during that time. Enter Bill de Blasio stage left - the protagonist of his own divisive narrative. In de Blasio’s mind ,New York, over the last 20 years have been a nightmare and a majority of New Yorkers have suffered with Mr Giuliani and Mr Bloomberg in Gracie Mansion. Yet, while Mr. de Blasio was supporting Sandinistas and honeymooning in Cuba, he may have been too busy to take notice of the dire circumstances facing our beloved City before their elections. Crime in New York City was so rampant many

New York to survive and rebuild amidst many of our darkest hours. I have no doubt that he will do the same as our Mayor. On top of that, Joe was born in the Bronx, and, as the son of an NYPD cop and the grandson of a New York City firefighter, Joe understands what each and every one of New York City’s five boroughs needs. This personal connection and understanding will allow Joe to carry out his mission of increasing communications within the community. I am casting my vote for Joe Lhota, not only because I fear Bill de Blasio’s divisive and fictitious tale will send our city into a catastrophic social and financial downward spiral, but because I believe Joe Lhota – a New Yorker through and through - will be a Mayor that will lean on his past experience to bolster our future.

didn’t feel safe being out after dark – let alone during the day. Now, today, with the help of New York’s Finest – our city is the safest large city in America. In de Blasio’s New York - the New York Police Department is a barbaric force plundering our neighborhoods with no regard for the law. In the last 20 years, we have opened the door for technological innovation and a new wave of entrepreneurship in this city, but we need to ensure that our city doesn’t handcuff those looking to live here and do business, rather that we provide our businesses and our residents the financial capacity to thrive. In de Blasio’s New York, instead of reviewing our own books and seeing where we can reduce waste and increase the efficiency of our spending, the answer is increasing taxes. Raising taxes on any New Yorker is counterintuitive to what our city needs. New York City already has some of the highest taxes in the nation, increasing them in any capacity would only serve to continue to push out hard working small-business owners, entrepreneurs, and lifelong residents. I remember what poor governance did to this city and the less privileged in the past. I

recognize a wolf in sheep’s clothing when I see one. Bill de Blasio is running on the “say anything, promise everything” platform. Bill de Blasio is seeking the office of the Mayor of New York City; Joe Lhota is seeking the responsibility that comes with the office. If there is any real “Tale of Two Cities” it is the stark difference between the New York de Blasio seeks to create – one of hampering those who risk their lives to protect us and stifling our economy- and the one Joe Lhota seeks to create – a city in which government spending is curtailed through efficient expenditures and allow those who wish to live and work here to continue to do so in peace and prosperity. Voting in this election should not just be a referendum on the dangers of voting Bill de Blasio into office, but an affirmation of Joe Lhota’s unrivaled credentials for the job. It isn’t often that we are presented with a candidate with the level of practical and applicable experience as Joe to take the reins of City Hall and lead New York City through the challenges that will present themselves in the next four years. Joe’s work as Budget Director and Deputy Mayor for Operations allowed

Congress. So, what else is new? Now that I discussed how four root causes brought on this current chaotic crisis, let’s examine how the Tea Party’s destructive performance is playing out. Civil war within the Republican party is lurking from crisis to crisis. This fight is not about power; it’s a generational goal to substitute the power of the federal government with states rights. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), with the help of Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rand Paul (RKY) usurped speaker John Boehner’s GOP House leadership. His, “ideological crusade, to quote President Obama, is to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA) at all costs.” The Cruz control boys have a battle cry: Cut it or shut it! On Oct. 1, 2013, the “Cruz control” dream of destroying Obamacare was launched. The GOP voted to shutdown the government. It appears that a backlash is in the works. Cruz is in for bruisin’. Several GOP leaders led by Rep. Peter King (R-NY) have attached the Texas senator’s motives. How ironic: on the same day of the shutdown, Obama’s ACA insurance exchanges made its debut. Millions of Americans with no health coverage started to enroll. It appears that the dreaded Obamacare, loved by the public, is not only alive and healthy, but it’s ready to join Social Security and Medicare in the Democratic party’s signature legislative hall of fame.

ership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. thing needs to be on the table including government can’t pay its own bills. It is the infamous “third rails” of American a sign that we now depend on ongoing politics — Medicare, Medicaid, Social financial assistance from foreign coun- Security and military spending. tries to finance our government’s reckAny extension of the debt ceiling should less fiscal policies. … Increasing Amer- be matched by corresponding real cuts in ica’s debt weakens us domestically and spending. Promises to cut future spendinternationally. Leadership means that ing over the next ten years will never be ‘the buck stops here.’ Instead, Washing- honored by the next Congress or presiton is shifting the burden of bad choices dent. These so called cuts in spending today onto the backs of our children and currently proposed exist only on paper. grandchildren. America has a debt prob- They represent a simple yearly decrease lem and a failure of leadership. Ameri- in the growth of current spending. At cans deserve better. I therefore intend to the end of the day, Washington will conoppose the effort to increase America’s tinue to spend hundreds of billions more debt limit.” each year than what is collected in tax These words were spoken by then Il- revenues. This shortfall will have to be linois Sen. Barack Obama. They clearly borrowed, increasing our national debt apply even more to President Obama to- by trillions over the next ten years. day. Since taking office in January 2009, Implement “pay as you go” budgeting, the national debt has increased over $5 means testing for all government assistrillion dollars from $11 trillion to $16 tance and sunset provisions for agencies trillion. As you read this letter, Obama and programs that have completed their is proposing raising the debt ceiling by missions. End pork-barrel member item another $1 trillion. Former President spending, stop paying farmers to not Bush needed 8 years to raise the debt grow crops and abolish corporate welceiling by $5 trillion from $6 trillion to fare subsides via tax deductions. $11 trillion. Obama was able to raise the Close down obsolete military bases debt ceiling $5 trillion in only five years. abroad. Reduce United Nations and forWhat's another trillion or two among eign aid to those who offer no support friends? When will this madness stop? when needed. End the wasteful war in Obama and Congress should freeze Afghanistan. Don't start a new war in overall spending by adopting 2008 Syria. spending levels in 2014 funding bills for Have the IRS accelerate the collection all federal agencies. This would cut our of several hundred billion in uncollected spending up to a trillion dollars resulting back taxes owed by deadbeat individuals in the end of borrowing and a real bal- and corporations, along with suspendanced budget. There was no public out- ing billions in future tax refunds to those cry from Democrats in 2008, including who continue failing to pay long overdue our own Sens. Schumer and Gillibrand taxes or student loans. and our Congressional delegation, that Stop wasting billions of dollars on the the sky was falling when the federal bud- war on drugs. get was a trillion dollars less than it is toEveryone needs to do their fair share day. They didn't say that a multi-trillion in bringing the budget deficit under condollar safety net and Social Security, trol. It is time for Uncle Sam to destroy Medicare, and Medicaid were going to its own credit cards. Ordinary American end. The 2008 budget was prior to the families balance their budgets, why can't one-time stimulus American Reinvest- Washington? ment and Recovery Act, TARP, auto industry bailouts, cash for clunkers and Larry Penner Obamacare expenditures. Now everyGreat Neck THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 7

Letters Cont'd were asleep at the switch, the newly create Tea Party express, led by ultra right radicals, campaigned in GOP primaries so as to the rid the Republican party of old moderates. They vowed, if we become the majority, we will destroy Barack Obama’s signature legislation, Obamacare, or shutdown his government! They achieved their goal to rid the GOP party of moderates, as well as winning several key state governments in the Midwest and south. A very important factor in the 2010 election was the constitutional provision which required a census count every 10 years. This is how the formula for dividing the 435 house seats is determined. The census bureau informs state leaders of the number of house seats they are entitled. States like California, Texas and Florida have added many house representatives at the expense of other states who have lost house seats. In addition, state leaders re-drew their C.D.’s based on the census. Here is where major root cause 3 comes into play. Since the GOP won many states in the 2010 election, they invoked Gerrymander, a technique to divide a geographic area into voting districts to give unfair advantage to the party in power. It must be noted that both political parties use this devise. The 2012 and 2012 elections won control of the 112th and 113th house. This action led to root cause 4: a gridlock Congress! An ugly hatred for Obamacare and the Obama presidency brought on open partisan warfare. The traditional spirit of bipartisanship was dead. On Fox news, Sally Kohn said, “Congress took an August vacation without reaching agreements on any major bills.” CNN’s Candy Crowley said, “Every piece of legislation was left undone. The 113th Congress enacted less legislation that the, “good for nothing 80th Congress,” as Harry Truman called it in 1948. The GOP House voted 45 times to repeal Obamacare. A recent Quinnipiac poll revealed that only 10% approve of

Anthony Pilla Forest Hills

How To Balance Our Budget Dear Editor: Can you guess which United States senator spoke these words in 2006? “Mr. President, I rise today to talk about America’s debt problems. The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of lead-


EDITORIAL You are not alone. If there is anything we want to get out there at any time, but especially during October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month - it is that, no matter who you are or who your abuser is, there is a sea of people out there waiting to help you. This month, we will wear purple; we will pray; we will hope; we will remember stories we should never have to know; we will think about a world without abuse and fear. We will stand, and we will say: Let us not forget about domestic violence and the people it hurts. Let us not forget to look for the warning signs of abuse among those we love. Let us not forget to reach out our hands to those who may be suffering. But let us also remember that while there are so many reminders during October that we must continue to work for a world where there are no deaths, no injuries, the violence continues during the rest of the year. And, until we live in a world where we no longer have to remember friends and family who have died, who have been hurt, because of domestic violence, we must continue to do everything we can to create such a place. The number of domestic violence homicides has decreased in the last year. So, it seems as though this work we have been doing - trying to destigmatize domestic violence, putting resources into shelters and other services for victims, making sure the court system properly deals with abusers - has, step by step, been working. But, the numbers remain sobering. About 58 percent of all female homicide victims aged

16 years and older were killed by an intimate partner. One in four women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime. Every year, more than three million children in the United States witness domestic violence in their homes. And these are not just statistics. These are lives. These are people you know. People you go to church or synagogue with. They are mothers and cousins and daughters and sons. They are all ages, and they all have a story that should not be a secret. Most domestic violence incidents are never reported - we must try to change that. We have included in this week’s paper signs of abuse to look out for - as well as resources for anyone who is hurting. And, for those who are suffering, know we are here. We - your friends, your family, a woman a call away on a hotline, another woman at a shelter - are all here for you. There are many resources out there for anyone being abused, but here are a couple more starting places: The New York City Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 621-HOPE (4673). The Queens Domestic Violence Law and Advocacy Project: (718) 657-0424. The National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-SAFE (7233). The New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence: (800) 942-6906. There they are, waiting for you. We all are and we won’t leave until we can all say, once and for all: We are safe. There is no one here who will hurt you.

LEGALLY SPEAKING Hello Friends. My name is Cathy Stanton. I will be doing a series of biweekly editorials starting in the next couple of weeks. By way of introduction, I was born and raised in south Queens. I attended elementary school at Our Lady of Grace School in my hometown of Howard Beach, high school at Stella Maris in Rockaway Beach and college at St. John’s University in Jamaica. My brief foray out of state was to attend law school at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. My grandparents, Daniel and Mary Walsh bought a house in Howard Beach in the early 1940s and raised five wonderful children there. While my grandfather passed, my grandmother, or Nanny as we called her, is 105 years young, still wears makeup and pearls and enjoys traveling to see her children, 24 grandchildren and dozens of great grandchildren. My par-

ents, Bob and Kay raised their own six children in Howard Beach. My siblings and I are comprised of two lawyers, two nurses and two firefighters both who followed in the footsteps of our dad, a NYC firefighter for over 20 years. I am one of the two attorneys in the family and am affiliated with the firm of Pasternack, Tilker, Ziegler, Walsh, Stanton& Romano. My firm has more than eight decades of experience in defending the rights of New Yorkers and getting clients the justice they deserve whether in a workers’ compensation matter, social security disability claim, municipal pension or personal injury matter. I am finishing up my term as the President of the Workers’ Injury Law and Advocacy Group (WILG), which is a national non-profit membership organization dedicated to representing the interests of millions of workers and their families who, each year, suffer the consequences of work-related injuries or occupational illnesses and who need expert legal assistance to obtain medical care and other relief under workers’ compensation programs.

8 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013

I am immediate past president of the Society of New York Workers’ Compensation Bar Association; and current Vice President of the Brehon Law Society of Nassau County which is an organization of Irish-American attorneys and judges dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and freedom in Ireland. We celebrate our Irish heritage and we help each other when we can. I am an avid dog lover and the proud human to two rescue dogs. Most importantly, I am a wife and mother of two beautiful boys. So as my entire 23 year legal career has been dedicated to representing injured workers and their families, it is with that background that I will be submitting a series of editorials regarding aspects of the law that I know best. Additionally I will also answer any questions in my editorial so if you have any topics or questions regarding any of the areas noted above which you would like me to write about, please feel free to contact me directly at cstanton@workerslaw.com. I look forward to hearing from you.


THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 9


FORUM EDUCATION

Queens Pols Call on City to Halt School Co-Locations Say they result in students being treated like 'second-class citizens'

By Anna Gustafson Final attempts by Mayor Bloomberg’s administration to push through last-minute co-locations in Queens schools before he leaves office come January will wreak havoc on the borough’s educational system that has been cracking after years of policies focused on standardized testing and closing large neighborhood high schools, borough legislators and educational leaders said Tuesday. Gathering outside Queens Borough Hall Tuesday afternoon, legislators from all corners of the borough - as well as representatives of various Community Education Councils and civic leaders - denounced the city Department of Education’s proposal to green-light 23 co-locations for Queens schools. Additionally, those at Tuesday’s press conference called on Bloomberg and the DOE to halt all colocations until the new mayor’s administration has come into power. “This is an opportunity for the Department of Education to usurp the next administration,” said Councilman Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans), who organized Tuesday’s event. “They want to make it next to impossible for the next administration to clean their mess up.” Of the 23 co-locations proposed for Queens, the city Panel for Educational Policy - a decision-making board often referred to as a rubber stamp for Bloomberg because it is dominated by mayoral appointees - will vote on seven of the co-locations at its Oct. 30 meeting. One of the plans for South Queens’ District 27 would co-locate a new district high school, known as 27Q314, which would serve students

Anna Gustafson/The Forum Newsgroup

Legislators, civic leaders and education officials gathered outside Queens Borough Hall this week to call on the city to halt all plans to co-locate schools.

in grades nine through 12, in building Q226, located at 121-10 Rockaway Blvd. beginning in the 2014-15 school year. The high school would be colocated with the existing schools, JHS 226, a middle school with students in sixth- through eighth-grades, and JHS 297, a new middle school that opened in September 2013 and will ultimately serve pupils in sixth- through eighthgrades when it reaches capacity. The DOE defended its co-location policy, which results in two or more schools being set up in the same physical building, saying that the new schools that have opened in Queens - and citywide - have been successful. According to the DOE, graduation rates for new schools in Queens are 83.5 percent - an increase over the borough-wide average of 67.6 percent. "A decade ago, we inherited a broken school system that, for decades, failed to graduate even half of its students," DOE spokesman Harry

Hartfield said. "Since then, we've delivered historic highs in graduation rates, lowered drop-out rates by half, and given parents more school options than ever before in city history. A once broken system has been transformed with new, high-performing schools - and those additional options have delivered extraordinary outcomes for children. Our strategy has worked, and with these proposed new schools in Queens, that progress will continue." City Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott - a Cambria Heights resident and Francis Lewis High School alumnus - recently testified before the City Council's Education Committee that by housing two or more small schools inside a single building, the city is able to be more inventive. For example, he said they can create more niche schools that focus on specific areas of interest, such as architecture or television production.

“Instead of focusing on, for example, 3,000 students, a principal can now focus on 300,” Walcott said. However, every legislator, education representative and civic leader who spoke Tuesday said the co-locations have resulted in disastrously unequal scenarios in which the DOE favors students in the new, small schools and gives few resources to pupils and teachers in the school that was originally housed in the building. A number of legislators cited Jamaica High School as an example. After the city decided to close the century-old Jamaica High School, it started operating four smaller schools in it - and, elected officials said, purposely slashed its budget so Jamaica High School could no longer offer any honors or advanced placement courses. “At Jamaica High School, they shut out 1,200 children who wanted to learn but weren’t given the tools to learn,” Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-

Forest Hills) said at Tuesday’s press conference. Former Assemblyman Rory Lancman, a Democratic candidate for termlimited Councilman Jim Gennaro's (DFresh Meadows) seat representing the 24th Council District, said the co-location process at Jamaica High School resulted in students being treated like "second-class citizens." Deputy Borough President Barry Grodenchik said the smaller schools also add mass layers of bureaucracy, with each small school having a principal, assistant principals and other layers of managerial officials. Melinda Katz, the Democratic candidate for Queens borough president, stressed that it was unfair of the Bloomberg administration to make sweeping last-minute changes that could not be easily undone by the next mayor. “I’m not an advocate for co-location, but if you’re a believer in these policies, you can wait two and a half months,” Katz said. The co-locations are, Councilman Mark Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens said, representative of Bloomberg’s policies that have landed the mayor in hot water with many of the borough’s legislators - and parent organizations. “They are frustrated by the Bloomberg administration and what they’ve done to our public schools - how they’ve limited learning by focusing on standardized tests,” said Weprin, a Jamaica High School graduate who has three children in the public school system. “For them to saddle us with these schools that won’t help our students is ridiculous,” Weprin said in reference to the co-located institutions.

Borough’s School Overcrowding Issues Continue UFT survey says Queens’ schools among worst

By Alan Krawitz School overcrowding in Queens, as well as citywide, is a problem that has persisted for years and this year is no exception. A recent survey by the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) said that about 230,000 students or close to 25 percent of the entire school system spent “part or all of their first few weeks of the 2013 school year in overcrowded classes.” The UFT survey went on to pinpoint that nearly 800 of the overcrowded classes were found in three Queens’ high schools: Benjamin Cardozo in Bayside, Hillcrest in Jamaica and Forest Hills High School. Moreover, DmytroFedkowskyj, the Queens Borough Appointee to the Panel for Educational Policy (PEP), said that, locally, overcrowding is especially bad in Districts 24 and 30. “The borough could always use more seats,” Fedkowskyj said. “There are pockets of overcrowding throughout the borough.” Nick Comaianni, president of Community Education Council 24, said that District 24, which includes Glendale, Ridgewood, Middle

Village, Elmhurst, Corona and Woodside, remains the most overcrowded in the city with about 90 percent of the district’s schools being classified as overcrowded or having more students than available seats. A spokesperson for the Department of Education (DOE) said that school registers were still in the process of being adjusted and that it was still too early to determine “exactly” where overcrowded conditions exist in the borough. Regarding the borough’s overcrowding problem, Fedkowskyj said, "We need more seats in some districts, because the demand continues to surpass the supply.” He also stressed the need for enhanced technology in every school “sooner than later in order to give our students the most optimal learning experience." But, technology aside, Comaianni said that two of the biggest contributing factors to the overcrowding problem are illegal tenements, which can house multiple families uncounted by the Census as well as people giving false addresses in order to have their kids attend preferred schools.

10 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013

“Any additional school seats we add can’t keep pace with the population growth in the district,” he said, adding that much of the worst overcrowding exists in the northern part of District 24 including Corona, Elmhurst and Woodside. Other problems, said Comaianni, include the amount of time it takes to site and build new schools. “Many new schools are still years away,” he said, noting that some new schools recently opened include PS 290 in Ridgewood and an extension at PS 87 in Middle Village. “As fast as we build new schools, that’s how fast they are once again overcrowded,” he said. As part of the DOE’s most recent five-year capital plan, 7,000 seats were added to the district yet Comaianni said that even those expansions of capacity were not enough to keep pace with growth in the district. Fedkowskyj, who last year held a parent meeting at Queens Borough Hall with the School Construction Authority, where they presented the current capital plan that was approved by the PEP and City Council before June 2013, said that more seats are still needed

to address chronic overcrowding issues. "While the plan has been ambitious, and the School Construction Authority has done a great job building some wonderful new schools, we still need an increase in the capital plan budget to meet the needs of the Borough," Fedkowskyj said. Overall, the current Capital Plan will add 33,888 seats with total capital improvements for Districts 24 and 27 totaling about $183 million. New schools on the horizon in District 24 include PS 315 in North Corona/Elmhurst, which will add 1,110 new seats with a projected opening in 2015 and IS 311 in North Corona, which will add 785 new seats, slated to open in 2016. In District 27, PS 316 in Ozone Park/Woodhaven will add 444 seats, scheduled to open next year. Comaianni added that building new schools also poses its own set of problems. “Locating buildings for new schools in Queens is a big challenge as the locations have to be approved by the local community boards and space, especially in District 24, is very limited.”


THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 11


On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Howard Beach Columbus Day Foundation, we would like to thank the Howard Beach Community for your support – without you, none of this would ever be possible. Our loyal sponsors could never be thanked enough for their generosity year after year. The foundation and the community are blessed to have them.

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! To Our Dignitaries: Councilman Eric Ulrich, Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder, Senator Joseph Addabbo, Melinda Katz and Joe Lhota

To Our Grand Marshalls: Joann Ariola, Luigi Moccia, Al Perna, and Peter Vallone Jr. To Our Entertainment: Joe Causi, Jack La Sala, Nicky Guida, Chris Maccchio, Vinny Mudugno, Angelo Venuto, Jackie DiMaggio, Carl Alfino, Jimmy Johnson, Julie Fazio and the Fazio Dancers, La Sara, Eve the Clown and Carmine “Pizza Guy” To Our Sponsors: Mecc Contracting Ragtime Gourmet Supermarket Russo´s on the Bay Cross Bay Travel Sonny´s Auto Collison Bruno´s Ristorante All Boro Mason Supply Johnny Christ and the Doves The Italian Marching Band Mike´s Towing N.Y. Daily News Universal Scrap Processing St. Helens School P.S. 207 And To Msgr. Alfred LoPinto from St. Helen's Church, A Very Special Thank You for Offering the Blessing at the Parade 12 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013


Community Board 9 Approves Liberty Avenue Plaza By Anna Gustafson A pedestrian plaza in Ozone Park, along the Queens-Brooklyn border, is expected to be built and open to the public by the end of next week following Community Board 9’s vote to approve the spot that was first proposed by members of the growing Bangladeshi-American community in the area. Every board member at Tuesday night’s meeting approved the pedestrian plaza, except for one individual who abstained. The Bangladeshi American Community Development & Youth Service originally applied for the plaza at the intersection of Liberty Avenue and 101st Avenue near Drew Street - just along the border of Queens and Brooklyn. “I think this is going to have a very positive influence on the community,” Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) told board members prior to the vote. “That part of Ozone Park has changed over the last 10, 20 years, and there’s a very large and growing Bengali community. I’m proud they are taking an active part of that community. Seeing that type of grassroots activism coming directly from the community is wonderful and shows people are assimilating.” The plaza, which will first be temporary in the case that there are problems with it, will

Anna Gustafson/The Forum Newsgroup

City Planner Emily Weidenhof speaks in support of the city's proposal to implement a pedestrian plaza in Ozone Park. Every board member voted in support of the plaza, except for one individual who abstained.

include sitting benches and planters separating the space from the vehicles. Following a presentation by the city Planning Department at the previous CB 9 meeting, City Planner Emily Weidenhof said she and other officials addressed concerns that

arose during that meeting. “We heard concerns as to whether Drew Street residents knew about the plaza, so we have over 39 signatures of residents on Drew Street,” said Weidenhof, who also noted that city officials and police looked at any safety is-

sues in the area. The 102nd Precinct’s commanding officer, Deputy Inspector Henry Sautner, said he had concerns about the plaza - but they were alleviated after speaking to planning officials. “I don’t think it will have that much of an adverse impact on crime,” Sautner said. “Anything that will help with local businesses and beautiful, I support...If it does pass, it will certainly be on our radar.” Weidenhof also noted that the plan received a number of letters of support from area businesses on both the Brooklyn and Queens side. Prior to the CB 9 meeting, the plan had already landed the support of Brooklyn’s Community Board 5. Still, not everyone was convinced, and resident Steven Melmick said he remains worried about safety issues. “There’s a lot of traffic coming from Liberty Avenue,” Melmick told board members. “And what about sanitation issues? ...Who will monitor the vendors that will probably pop up?” CB 9 member David Adorno, however, said he believes the spot will be a great spot for area residents to relax and build community. “There’s absolutely no reason that we should not be going through with this,” Adorno said.

102nd Precinct Commanding Officer Says Focus Remains on Forest Park Safety After Rape $22K reward for catching rapist

By Anna Gustafson The commanding officer of the 102nd Police Precinct, Deputy Inspector Henry Sautner, said he and his officers are doing everything they can to keep Forest Park safe and catch a rapist who attacked a 69-year-old jogger in the Forest Hill section of the park at the end of August. “We are maintaining a presence at the park on a 24/7 basis,” Sautner said at the Commu-

File Photo

Police have released this sketch of the man they say is wanted in connection with the rape of an elderly jogger in Forest Park.

nity Board 9 meeting Tuesday night. While the precinct cannot keep as many officers as it was able to immediately following August’s sex attack, Sautner said his precinct has been conducting two to three operations a week in the area, “with the goal being eyes and ears in the park.” “For four to six weeks, there was an increase in personnel,” Sautner said. “Unfortunately those resources can’t be maintained.” Since the end of August, police have been searching for a stun-gun wielding man who they say raped the elderly jogger around 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 26 in the section of the park near 72nd Street and Union Turnpike. Police believe the individuals is linked to at least five other sexual assaults in the area since 2011. NYPD officials said the perpetrator is also wanted for attempting to rape a 23-year-old female jogger near Union Turnpike and Metropolitan Avenue on March 29 of this year. He is also wanted for attacks in November of 2012, when he allegedly touched with his genitals a 40-yearold woman jogging with her dog near Park Lane South and Myrtle Avenue around 9 p.m. According to police, he tried to rape a 13-year-old girl walking near Park Lane South and Myrtle Avenue, and he also allegedly attempted to fondle a 34-year-old female while she walked near Park Lane South and Woodhaven Boulevard. And in 2011, police said the man attempted to rape a 54-year-old jogger.

Anna Gutafson/The Forum Newsgroup

102nd Precinct Commanding Officer Henry Sautner said at this week's Community board 9 meeting that officers continue to focus on safety efforts at Forest Park following the rape that occurred in the park in August.

Police are offering a $22,000 reward for the arrest, indictment and conviction of the person responsible. The perpetrator is described as a white man who is between the ages of 30- and 40-years-old, stands at about 5-foot-10 with a thin build, and has short hair, police said. Anyone with information should contact the NYPD at (800) 577-TIPS. Following these attacks, residents said they

have grown increasingly concerned about the lack of lights around Forest Park. Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association President Ed Wendell said the city needs to keep the park lights on far longer than they currently do, considering many joggers go out before dawn and the area is frequently pitch black. The civic leader noted that conditions in the park have been reported for weeks but the area remains problematic.

THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 13


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HAVE YOU SEEN THIS BOY?

Time For A New Car? Whether Buying or Leasing, You Need To Think Outside The Box

Police are seeking the public’s help in locating a 14-year-old Avonte Oquendo. Avonte is autistic and mute. He lives in Rego Park and has been missing since Friday. Surveillance video shows him running from the Center Boulevard School at 1-50 51st Avenue

in Long Island City at around 12:45 p.m. Friday. Avonte is 5 foot 3 and 125 pounds and was last seen wearing a gray striped shirt, black jeans and black sneakers. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS.

SUNDAY,

OCTOBER 13 AT 6:30 PM

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If you have ever purchased or leased a new vehicle then you have had your experience “in the box.” That’s the name given to the office of the finance guy at the auto dealership. He smiles, sits you down in front of his desk where you can see pictures of his wife and kids and all his sales awards. In front of him sits a large pile of documents—he’s so nice he has them all X’ed off where you need to sign and when you ask him about all the paperwork he says “don’t worry about that, just sign here.” But it’s not all the paperwork that really signals danger here—it’s the fact that the finance guy is really a magician. That’s right— as soon as you stepped into “the box” with him, he made the great deal you discussed with your salesman less than five minutes ago, disappear into thin air. And that’s just the beginning. Starting to sound familiar? We thought so. But have no fear. You can start thinking outside the box. Fortunately, there is an alternative to dealing with sales pressure and false promises that can easily overcome the average consumer. City Leasing of NY is currently serving consumers throughout the New York-Tristate area by bringing them professional service along with the lowest possible prices in both new auto sales and leasing—all in the comfort of your home. A fairly new type of enterprise on the business horizon, auto leasing firms have captured their market share very quickly. Joseph Scopo, owner of City Leasing of NY explains why. “Consumers now have a tremendous edge in getting the car of their choice,” says Scopo. “We have access to the same manu-

facturer’s inventory that dealerships do only without the tremendous overhead costs they [dealerships] incur.” But savings on the sticker price or the monthly leasing payments are not the only benefits of doing business with City Leasing of NY. A full range of additional services make them an even more inviting prospect for car buyers. The company offers a full range of DMV services associated with the purchase or lease of your new vehicle and when it comes time to bring back your leased vehicle, the company will have you completely prepared for a hassle free return. They also process difficult early lease terminations and handle tricky negotiations. And City Leasing of NY offers referral services for auto insurance and all body repair and also offers a full line of auto accessories. The process is simple. You can go online to any car manufacturer and use the build your car feature. At the end of making your choices simply email the screen to City Leasing of NY and you’re on your way. Their professional sales staff will match your request to the best purchase/lease price for the car, take care of financing, handle the DMV transactions, secure your vehicle and deliver it to your door for no extra charge. No one wants to pay more than they have to. At City Leasing of NY, you don’t have to. Whether it’s saving on the purchase price or reducing a monthly lease payment, let us deliver your ticket to riding in style. City Leasing of NY is located at 159-51 102nd Street, Howard Beach. You can reach them by phone at 718.323.CARS (2277), fax at 718.323.7700 or by email at cityleasingny@gmail.com.

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18 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013


Queens Celebrates Vince Lombardi's Legacy in Boro Football great's family presents plaque to St. Francis Prep

By Michael Florio The Pro Football Hall of Fame, along with Allstate Insurance Company, honored Vince Lombardi - an athlete who became one of the country’s most feted and successful coaches - on Wednesday, Oct. 2 at his alma mater, Saint Francis Preparatory School. Lombardi, the man for which the National Football League championship trophy is named, was honored as a “Hometown Hall of Famer.” St. Francis Prep, located in Fresh Meadows, was given a Vince Lombardi plaque that was unveiled by Lombardi’s grandson, John Lombardi and George Verasof the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enterprises. “This is really an exciting event. You got all these kids, faculty, and coaches from St. Francis, where my grandfather went to school,” said John Lombardi. “I think [Vince Lombardi] would be humbled that he was honored this way.” Also at the ceremony was former St. Francis Prep Terrier and current Rutgers University head football coach, Kyle Flood. “There’s no doubt that he had some core beliefs that I have taken with me my entire career,” Flood said. “He believed in the idea of excellence. Excellence is not an act but a habit, was something he said to his players and I say to mine till this day.” After playing football at St. Francis Prep until graduating in 1933, Lombardi, who grew up in Brooklyn, went on to play at Fordham University until he graduated in 1937. He started

Michael Florio/The Forum Newsgroup

Rutgers football head coach Kyle Flood, left, and John Lombardi honor Lombardi's grandfather, Vince Lombardi, at the famous coach's alma mater, St. Francis Preparatory School, last week.

in the NFL in 1941 as the offensive coordinator of the New York Giants and later took over as head coach of the Green Bay Packers in 1959. He led them to win six division titles and five NFL championships in eight years. He also led them to victory in Super Bowl I and II. “I think one of the things that made my grandfather successful is he had an amazing drive. As my father would say, ‘He had a drive like I had never seen,’ ” said John Lombardi. “He had this ability to push himself and consequently push others around him.” Every speaker spoke about Lombardi’s abil-

ity to get the most out of all his players. “If you were doing the best you could with what God gave you, then you were okay with him - but if you were slacking or not living up to your potential, then I felt sorry for you,” said John Lombardi. “He made you better, probably better then you ever thought you could be.” “His inspirational words have personally encouraged me throughout my career and my life,” said Kevin Spann, an Allstate agent from Middle Village. Spann cited two of Lombardi’s most popular quotes: “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only

thing,” and, “It’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get back up.” St. Francis Prep’s head football coach for the past 61 years, Vince O’Connor, also spoke at the ceremony. “Honoring Vince Lombardi and high school football is something we really enjoy,” he said. The Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Lombardi family presented the plaque to St. Francis Prep to commemorate where the legendary coach’s football career began. “Here, Vince Lombardi took his first steps to the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” said Veras said of St. Francis Prep. The Lombardi family is hopeful that the plaque will inspire students every time they see it. John Lombardi shared a story about his grandfather’s last year playing for St. Francis Prep, when the team’s only loss was to Erasmus Hall High School. Erasmus Hall’s team was led by quarterback Sid Luckman, who later went on to make the pro football hall of fame. “After that loss, my grandfather realized that football was his life’s pursuit and he would go after it with every fiber in his being,” he said. Lombardi wants the students of St. Francis Prep to take the same approach. “My message to you is to find out what that is. Once you do find it, go after it with everything you got and don’t settle for second best,” he said. “I would ask that you let this [plaque] inspire you to find that one thing and go after it with everything you have.”

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For Queens Businesses, A Haven is Born in Ridgewood Resident launches event to support area vendors - everyone from bakers to jewelers By Zainab Akande “It’s funny because people think I have an office,” says Sarah Feldman, a jewelry designer and creator of the Ridgewood Market, a monthly gathering of area vendors who sell their handmade goods — a classic artisan flea market. Feldman, 25, works mostly from home, save for market weekends when she heads down to the Greater Ridgewood Youth Counciland manages more than 70 vendors with a regular turnout of anywhere from 400 to 600 customers — mostly Queens residents and Brooklynites. First debuting in April 2013 at Gottscheer Hall, the Ridgewood Market was the first of its kind in the neighborhood. “The arts scene is developing and underappreciated,” Feldman said. She wanted to give Ridgewood an outlet for its budding creativity. Described as an “Autumn Weekend Event” on the flier Feldman printed for September 2013, the most recent market took place on Sept. 28 and 29. That Saturday, Feldman was a vision of canary yellow in a lace-trimmed dress complete with a matching flower crown — not unusual for her preferences for hoop skirts and Victorian-era fashion. She mingled with vendors, made signs and directed newcomers to the basement of the Greater Ridgewood Youth Council. A few vendors were setting up tables outside the

Sarah Feldman, 25, created the Ridgewood Market this year to create a place where Zainab Akande/The Forum Newsgroup small businesses - everything from jewelry Sarah Feldman, right, spends time with some of the hundreds of area residents who have makers to bakers - could showcase their begun to flock to the Ridgewood Market wares and services.

building. Items ranging from children’s toys, spices, balloon pumpkins and original art to wine cork magnets were put on display for sale. When she has time, Feldman sells her own jewelry at the market. Items from her online store have been sold in Hong Kong, Greece, Italy, Australia, the United Kingdom and most recently, Singapore. She primarily makes plastic double-sided earrings with picture prints inside. One of her best sellers is a pair with President BarackObama’s image. Feldman’s boyfriend, Neil Myers, an architect, who has known her for three

years, designed the market’s room layout. “I’m Sarah’s right and left-hand man,” Myers, 34, said jokingly. True to his words, Feldman said she had to leave the market on by noon on Saturday. U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) invited her to the “Make It In America” Expo in Glendale, a showcase of borough businesses — and Myers was designated to take over operations in his partner’s absence. Personal chef Shena Williams, 38, said she was new to vending and felt grateful to Feldman for the opportunity to show off her skills. A former resident of the Glendale/Ridgewood area,

she traveled from the Bronx. “I don’t like the commercialism of restaurants,” she said, thankful the market grants her exposure on a more personal basis. Henry Bayer, a retired resident of Ridgewood in his late 70s, says he always stops by the market whenever possible. “It’s a sickness of mine, coming to flea markets,” he joked. Grace Brigham, 44, a balloon artist, travels all the way from Long Beach to participate in the Ridgewood Market. “It’s really fun, what Sarah’s doing here,” Brigham said. “There are so many good artists. It’s one of a kind.”

Race for Council District 30 Heats Up as Election Nears By Anna Gustafson With less than a month to go before the Nov. 5 general election, the race between Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) and her Republican challenger Craig Caruana is intensifying as the two candidates vying to represent Council District 30 trade barbs - as well as criss-cross the area to garner support for their respective campaigns. Caruana recently issued a press release questioning Crowley’s support of the Knockdown Center in Maspeth. The councilwoman recently spoke in favor of a request from the Knockdown Center - an arts facility that has set up shop in an abandoned factory - for a liquor license from the state, saying the business has been a “good neighbor” who would be able to create jobs if they could expand because of the license. Other elected officials, however, including Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan (D-Ridgewood), have aired concerns about the liquor license, saying it could draw hundreds of drunk patrons to an area with limited public transportation and near quiet residential streets. “All the community leaders, civic associations and elected officials are opposed to it, except Council Member Liz Crowley,” Caruana said in a prepared statement. “Voters wonder why she’s not listening to the community and wants to give this club special treatment. Crowley wants families to pay extra at grocery stores because she says it will reduce plastic bag litter, but she doesn’t think 5,000 drinking clubbers from all

over the city will make a terrible mess in our neighborhood?” The grocery store fee that Caruana cites is in reference to a recently introduced City Council bill that would result in shoppers being charged 10 cents for each plastic or paper bag provided to them in stores in an effort to get individuals to bring reusable bags. The Republican candidate has slammed the fee as essentially a tax that will hurt middle-class families struggling to make it in the city, while Crowley has said she supports the measure because the city pays an estimated $10 million to dispose of 100,000 tons of plastic bags in landfills each year. Crowley’s campaign manager, Joe O’Hern, panned Caruana’s statements, calling them “baseless attacks and unsubstantiated claims.” “Instead of attempting to score cheap political points, Council Member Elizabeth Crowley is committed to creating good local jobs here in Queens and is willing to work with all interested parties to address any concerns,” O’Hern said. In relation to the Knockdown Center itself, Crowley, speaking at a recent Community Board 5 meeting, called the business is an “innovative” place that could give the area’s economy a boost. “They’re building good economic development and could generate jobs locally,” Crowley said at the meeting. She also noted during the meeting that one of the investors in Knockdown, Gina Argento, owns Broadway Stages - a company that employs about 1,500 people at its spot in Brooklyn. Gina Argento has also supported Crowley, donating $2,500 to the councilwoman in March 2013, and

20 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013

another $2,000 in 2011. Her brother, Anthony Argento, also a founder of Broadway Stages, donated $2,000 to Crowley in 2011 as well. In addition to trading barbs, Crowley and Caruana have been traversing the district to speak to a variety of residents before the general election. Crowley issued a press release this week filled with quotes from supporters who praised Crowley’s efforts to, among a variety of topics, fight the closure of Richmond Hill’s Engine Company 294 and work with residents on flooding issues. Residents in the release also said they were pleased with her support for infrastructure projects, parks, libraries and schools. “I am honored to have the support of my neighbors in Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Ridgewood, Woodhaven and Woodside,” Crowley said in a prepared statement. “My first priority is, and always will be, improving the quality of life for families in this district and keeping them safe.” Caruana recently issued a press release detailing a recent speech given at the Juniper Park Civic Association, at which he told residents he would “bring a lot more of your money back into our neighborhoods.” “We rank 46 out of 51 in all of NYC for funding into the district,” Caruana said. “I would participate in participatory budgeting,” Caruana continued. “The idea is that we get more transparency and everyone gets to see how government works and it gets the voters more involved.” During the JPCA meeting, Caruana too said he supports the NYPD’s stop-question-frisk tactic - something which Crowley too has backed.

Feldman attended Parsons, The New School for Design and graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in fine artsand no business experience. After college, she was unemployed, only able to find positions as an intern. Feldman eventually worked in retail until she became sick and could no longer work. Her illness kept her at home and without much company—so, she came up with the Ridgewood Social, a project that later gave her the inspiration to begin to Ridgewood Market. The venture, launched in June 2012, uses the power of online networking to promote events where Ridgewood residents can gather and participate in activities ranging from bar crawls and picnics to dating activities for singles within or close to Ridgewood. Hailing from Houston, Texas, Feldman has been a New Yorker since 2006. “Because I moved here, I want to give back to my community,” she said and thinks the same of recent newcomers to Ridgewood who fit the demographic of gentrification — young people from Bushwick, Williamsburg and Greenpoint. She emphasizes that she is a supporter of small businesses and tries to keep the Ridgewood Market as local as possible. As far as future goals Feldman has for her marketplace? “I want to see a pickle vendor,” she said, laughing over coffee at the Europa Café on Madison Avenue.

Ulrich Lands Endorsements from City's Police Unions

File Photo

Three major police unions threw their support behind Councilman Eric Ulrich's re-election campaign this week, saying on the steps of City Hall that the incumbent has been a staunch defender of New York's bravest. The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, the Captains Endowment Association, and the Lieutenants Benevolent Association all endorsed Ulrich, who is running to once again represent the 32nd Council District. "I am truly honored to receive the endorsement of the New York City police unions," Ulrich said. "Contrary to the professional police critics, I have always believed that Commissioner Ray Kelly and the men and women of the NYPD do an outstanding job. I fully support them and want them to have the tools they need, including stop-and-frisk, to fight crime and keep our neighborhoods safe."


Gov Signs Goldfeder Bill to Restore Funding Cuts for Disability Programs

Photo Courtesy NYS Assembly

Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder tours the HeartShare Daycare Center in Lindenwood with Debbie Pafundi, manager of HeartShare Human Service.

Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder’s (D-Rockaway) bill to restore more than $90 million in funding cuts for disability programs was signed by Gov. Cuomo this week, relieving numerous organizations that provide supportive care and services throughout Queens. The restored funding, which comes from the state Office for People with Developmental Dis-

abilities, is expected to be used for communitybased services that provide a wide variety of supportive services for individuals with disabilities and their families. “The services offered by OPWDD are not luxuries but integral services that families depend on every day of their lives,” Goldfeder said in a prepared statement. “These programs dramatically

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improve the lives of people with special needs and, while they never should have been cut from the budget, I am happy to see the funds restored.” Nonprofits working with individuals with developmental disabilities have been hit hard by budget cuts in recent years - and have sustained more than $350 million being carved from their funding over the past few years. William Guarinello, president and Chief Executive Officer of HeartShare Human Services of New York - a nonprofit that runs sites in such neighborhoods as Lindenwood and Richmond Hill - said he was relieved by the restoration. “The threat of significant and widespread cuts to essential services for children and adults diagnosed with developmental disabilities, including autism, ran deep across the community-based service sector, potentially having a devastating impact on voluntary agencies such as HeartShare,” Guarinello said in a prepared statement. “Reduced funding would have prompted program closures, directly affecting thousands of individuals with special needs who rely on the services provided each day by our professional and dedicated staff.” Goldfeder stressed the importance of providing funding to such organizations as HeartShare. “Many of these programs provide around-theclock care and now our children with developmental disabilities no longer have to worry about losing the quality services that they need and rely on,” Goldfeder said. Following the governor’s signing the legislation, a workgroup will be assigned to evaluate the adopted budget. In case of any funding shortfalls, the state budget director will be authorized to deposit sufficient funds to fully restore OPWDD programs.

Queens Salutes Veterans Thousands of residents are expected to descend upon Middle Village for the fourth annual Queens Veterans Day Parade on Nov. 3. The parade, in which hundreds of patriotic citizens will march, will begin at 80th Street and Metropolitan Avenue and proceed west along the avenue to Christ the King Regional High School, located at 68-02 Metropolitan Avenue. A commemorative ceremony will take place at the high school following the parade. "We step off at noon, rain or shine," said parade director Mike Bilski. "Rain never stopped our vets, and it isn't going to stop us." One of the parade's grand marshals will be Julius Freeman, a World War II veteran and original Tuskegee Airman assigned tot he 332nd Fighter Group in France and Germany. Another grand marshal will be Warrant Officer Daniel Wisotsky, who is retired from the U.S. Marine Corps and is a veteran of the Persian Gulf War. Wisotsky, retired from the military in 2001 after 22 years of service. All veterans are welcome to march in the parade. Veterans in the parade will be followed by classic and custom cars. For more information, email ECCAT4t@aol.com or call (718) 894-5954.

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Forest Hills Resident Walks to Fight Pancreatic Cancer By Alan Krawitz Despite losing her father in 2002 to pancreatic cancer, Forest Hills resident JerikaGiwner continues to battle the disease by participating in an annual walk to help raise awareness and funds to fight pancreatic cancer. “Helping to raise awareness is vital in the fight against pancreatic cancer,” says Giwner, who lost her father, Jurek, when he was only 57-years-old. “More people need to know about this deadly disease,” she says. “That’s why I tell people about my experience either in conversations or through my Facebook page to help spread the word and hopefully inspire others to join the fight.” In honor of her father, Giwner, along with thousands of other residents will participate in The Lustgarten Foundation’s 13th annual Long Island Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk to be held on Sunday, October 13, at Jones Beach. The Lustgarten Foundation is the nation’s largest non-profit funder of pancreatic cancer research, whose mission is to support research and raise awareness to ultimately find a cure for pancreatic cancer. According to the foundation,

Photos Courtesy JerikaGiwner

JerikaGiwner lost her father, Jurek, to pancreatic cancer when he was 57 years old in 2002. She is planning on honoring her father by walking to raise awareness and funds to fight pancreatic cancer.

pancreatic cancer is the fourth-leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States and can often go undetected until it’s too late. Moreover, there are no early detection tests, no effective longterm treatments and, unless the cancer is surgically removed in its earliest stages, no cure. Since its inception, the foundation has committed more than $65 million to promising research, according to executive director Kerri Kaplan. “Our very first walk was held on Long Island 13 years ago, and it continues to be the largest of our nationwide, annual walks,” says

Cops Catch Car Burglar By Samantha Geary A keen-eyed Forest Hills resident is responsible for the arrest of a suspect who broke into a car on Burns Street this week. The homeowner observed a male walking down the street and trying the door handles on various cars. A 911 call was made and when police from the 112th precinct arrived a short time later, the perpetrator was quickly located walking around the neighborhood and was in possession of items that had been removed from a vehicle parked on Burns Street. He was taken into custody. Captain Thomas Conforti, Commanding Officer of the precinct, personally questioned the prisoner, asking him why he committed the crime. The suspect responded and said, "I only do this because I am hungry and I need money for food. I don't break windows or damage cars as most of the cars are open anyway." Conforti went on to point out that leaving doors open and valuables exposed is an invitation to be robbed and encourages all residents to safeguard their homes and vehicles always remembering to lock all doors and windows. The captain also used the 112th precinct Community Council Facebook page this week to offer a special thank you to Councilmember Karen Koslowitz for securing NYPD security cameras for the community that officially went into use this week. The 112th Precinct got 13 of the cameras thanks to a grant obtained by Kozlowitz’ office. Conforti said he was very happy with the acquisition and that the cameras will be a vital tool in making the precinct safer. He noted there that, overall, crime in the 112th precinct is down about 7 percent for the year.

JerikaGiwner with her team, "No Factor."

Kaplan, who anticipates more than 7,000 participants, raising more than $1 million for this year’s walk. Giwner, a practicing lawyer who has lived in Forest Hills since 2008, recalls her father as “the most amazing person ever…who would have done anything for anybody.” She also recalls seeing movies with him on weekends or “whenever they could.” But, she also remembers how difficult losing him was. “My father’s passing from pancreatic cancer was devastating to me and our entire family. It was unbearable from the moment he learned he had the disease in February 2002 to

October of the same year when he passed away. He brought such joy to our lives,” Giwner recalls. So, in 2008, Giwner decided to take decisive action to help fight the disease which robbed her of her father by joining the foundation’s Long Island Walk. “I believe people continue to support me in fundraising for the walk, because of the wonderful impact my father had on so many,” she says. “Since we joined the Foundation’s walk, we’ve raised well over $25,000 to date and have more than 20 members on our team. We also are motivated by the fact that all of the money goes directly to research.

Knowing we do this in his honor is a terrific feeling.” Further, the name of Giwner’s walk team, “No Factor,” is a direct tribute to her dad. Giwner recalls that Instead of saying “no problem” her father instead said “no factor.” “Thinking of him saying it always brings a smile to my face and I felt in his honor, it was the best name for our walk team,” she explains. “However, it also signifies that by participating in the walk, our team is helping to make pancreatic cancer “no factor” by raising funds for research to find a cure.” Asked about Giwner’s participation in the walk, Kaplan says it’s essential to help in the organization’s fight against the disease. “We are deeply grateful for exceptionally dedicated individuals like Jerika,” Kaplan says. “They are the reason that we’re able to raise much-needed awareness of pancreatic cancer and raise funds that will go directly to advancing important research aimed at developing early detection tests, better treatments, and ultimately, a cure.” For more information about the walk or to register, please visit www. curePC.org.

Trash Plan Will Make Life 'Unbearable' A company’s plan to nearly triple the amount of garbage it exports daily through Middle Village, Ridgewood and Glendale has landed it in hot water with civic leaders who have for years complained about the rail cars that leave a pervasive stench throughout the area. One World Recycling - a company that processes the garbage in Lindenhurst, Long Island that then travels through Queens by rail cars operated by New York & Atlantic - has applied to the state Department of Environmental Conservation to increase its garbage output from about 370 tons to approximately 1,100 tons. The DEC is expected to rule on the application in about one month. The news has brought area residents and civic leaders instant headaches, and they noted how the rail cars that have moved through the Queens neighborhoods have long made life close to unbearable. According to an Oct. 8 press release from the Civics United for Railroad Environmental Solutions, CURES Chairwoman Mary Parisen received a call from the state DEC in August that informed her that the state agency had received an unsigned letter from her civic group. CURES had not sent the letter - but “whoever did send it, did us all a favor,” the press release states. “The letter stated that putrescible waste was being shipped” in rail cars in which the state had allowed a comingling of commercial waste. Putrescible waste can, for example, include pieces of food, used diapers and pet waste - it is, essentially, the parts of garbage that smell. Through a series of phone calls, Parisen discovered that comingling was occurring - which was the source of the pervasive stench. “There were days when residents couldn’t open their windows, holiday weekends when people couldn’t enjoy a backyard barbeque due to the stench of garbage,” the CURES release says. “NY & A and NYSDEC didn’t even come

Photo Courtesy CURES

Residents have long complained about the stench emanating from rail cars carrying garbage through Middle Village, Ridgewood and Glendale.

clean about the ‘comingling’ when the stench was identified by [Community Board 5 Chairman] Vincent Arcuri, Jr. and Assemblyman Mike Miller,” the release goes on to say. “...They never let on that putrescibles were in the rail cars.” Parisen was beyond dismayed by the news and said in the CURES release that the state DEC “has a duty to protect citizens. “The good idea of using rail instead of trucks went bad during the implementation of [the state’s] solid waste policies,” Parisen continued to say in the release. “These policies have become an environmental burden for communities because appropriate standards and technologies are not being used.”

Parisen urged the DEC to use the company’s most recent permit application as “an opportunity” for it to “clean up this mess.” John Lisi, president of the Daniel Street Civic in Lindenhurst, also slammed One World, saying it has worsened the quality of life in the area. “Residents endure many unresolved safety and quality of life issues that One World creates at its current allowed daily tonnage of 370,” Lisi said in the release. “A permanent increase to 1,100 tons, or anything close to that, will exacerbate problems to unbearable and unacceptable levels,” he continued. One World could not be reached for comment.

THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 23


Standing Together in the Fight Against Breast Cancer

Statistics indicate there will be more than 256,000 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in American and Canadian women this year, and breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women of both countries. Thanks to early detection and treatment advances, survival rates have improved dramatically, but much room for progress remains. As diagnosis and treatment options continue to evolve, medical experts agree that early detection is a key factor in overcoming the disease, and performing a monthly breast self-exam is often vital to detecting abnormalities, including lumps or tenderness, in the breasts that may indicate illness. Take steps to protect yourself against breast cancer during Breast Cancer Awareness Month by initiating healthy lifestyle changes, beginning monthly breast self-exams, and talking to your doctor about the appropriate clinical breast exam and screening mammogram schedule for you.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. These local sponsors join us in raising awareness of the importance of early detection in the fight against breast cancer and the importance of continued support for breast cancer research.

Ragtime Gourmet

Sonny’s Auto Collision

Sizzler

Lenny’s Clam Bar

Ace Hardware

Sofia’s Pizza

24 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013


forum Fun & Games ACROSS 1. Abandon 6. *"One, ___, Buckle My Shoe" 9. Not as much 13. Convex molding 14. *"Have ___ any wool?" 15. Fancy home 16. Chocolate substitute 17. Boy toy 18. Permeate 19. *Like jumping Jack 21. *Jack Horner's spot 23. *Blackbird dessert 24. Bad impression 25. *"He ___ in his thumb, and pulled out a plum" 28. "A ____ of Two Cities" 30. Josey Wales, e.g. 35. Aphrodite's son 37. Email folder 39. "Fear of Flying" author, ____ Jong 40. Swing seat? 41. Levy of 1/10th of something 43. Bypass 44. Painter's helper 46. Mystery writer, ____ Paretsky 47. Ready to serve 48. Relating to nose 50. Gang's domain 52. "Dear" one 53. *"A ____ Old Owl" 55. Tennis shot 57. *Muffet's seat 60. Reflexive me 63. Pilaff, to some 64. Gold of "Entourage" 66. Queen's headdress 68. Declare invalid 69. H+, e.g. 70. Leaf-eating moth 71. Stop depending on 72. Food coloring, e.g. 73. Set to zero

DOWN 1. Elmer to Bugs 2. "Terrible" czar 3. Reality TV star Spelling 4. Walk clumsily 5. Middle-earth dweller 6. *Nursery rhymes audience, sing. 7. *Wednesday's child is full of this 8. "An _____ of prevention..." 9. Trace or outline 10. Hamburg river 11. Insult 12. Self-addressed envelope 15. Moral excellence 20. Minimal 22. Lennon's lady 24. With tooth-like projections 25. *He couldn't keep his wife 26. Dickens's Heep 27. Bodies 29. Luau souvenirs 31. Walked on 32. Prom rides 33. Raspberry or blackberry drupelets 34. *Jack and Jill's quest 36. Witnessed 38. "Through" in a text? 42. Ahead of time 45. Rule-governed 49. Tell tall tale 51. *He went to Gloucester 54. Respectable and quiet 56. Sandy color 57. Fork part 58. Arm bone 59. Roman goat-like deity 60. Part of colliery 61. Falls behind 62. "____ at last!" 63. It has pads and claws 65. Cowboy Rogers 67. Product of creativity

CROSSWORD

SOLUTIONS FROM LAST WEEK'S PUZZLE

SUDOKU

TRIVIA 1. Which nursery rhyme character falls off a wall? 2. "Hickory, Dickory, Dock / The ____ went up the clock. "

3. What kind of pie was Little Jack Horner eating?

4. After Polly puts the kettle on, who takes it off? 5. Who do the Three Blind Mice run after? Answers from Last Week: 1: Mercury. 2: Kilogram. 3: Benjamin Franklin. 4: Gold. 5: Antarctica. THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 25


THE HAPPENINGS Thursday, Oct. 10

Greater Ridgewood Historical Society Harvest Festival

Howard Beach Senior Center Art Class 155-55 Crossbay Blvd. The Howard Beach Senior Center will offer art classes with a certified teacher from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., as well as from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. All individuals age 60 and older are welcome to attend. The center is located on Crossbay Boulevard across from Waldbaums. For more information, call (718) 738-8100.

Friday, Oct. 11

Howard Beach Senior Center Bridge

kin decoration, specialty shopping, games, homemade pies, candy apples, and much more. There will be family activities for all.

‘Zombies Into Action’ Walk for Autism

155-55 Crossbay Blvd. The Howard Beach Senior Center offers a variety of bridge playing experiences. There is supervised bridge on Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and duplicate bridge is offered Metropolitan Avenue, Middle Village 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays from 12:45 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. The Howard Beach Senior Center is now located across from The “Zombies Into Action” walk will go up and down MetroWaldbaums on Cross Bay Boulevard and is open to anyone politan Avenue and end up at Pat’s Sports Bar at 73-13 Metropolitan Ave. 60 or older. The event costs $35 per entry and includes a limited edition For more information, call (718) 738-8100. t-shirt, entry to the Walking Dead Season 4 Premier Party, a Coors Light draft voucher, and the “All the Flesh You Can Eat” buffet. Participants must be 21 years old or over. For those who only want to participate in the walk, the cost is $20. Proceeds benefit the nonprofit Play4Autism, a Middle Village-based organization that works with children with autism and their families. Space is limited. Call Greg at ((718) 894-3400 or visit www.Play4Autism.org for more information.

Saturday, Oct. 12

Historical House Festival

Free Tree Giveaway in Forest Hills MacDonald Park Queens Boulevard and 70th Avenue 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. A total of 150 potted small trees will be available for residents to adopt and plant on their property for free. Those who wish to participate should register online. If you choose not to reserve your tree online, a limited quantity will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. If trees are remaining at the end, you can adopt more than one tree. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ForestHillsTreeGiveaways or email Michael Perlman at unlockthevault@hotmail.com. Kingsland Homestead 143-35 37th Ave., Flushing The Open House NY & Historic House Trust Festival Weekend will be held both Saturday, Oct. 12 and Sunday, Oct. 13 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Individuals may tour the Kingsland Homestead, built in 1785, and visit the gift shop to find out more about the history of the most diverse city in the country.

The Onderdonk House 1820 Flushing Ave., Ridgewood 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. This harvest festival will include free pumpkins for the first 500 children, live music entertainment, face painting, rides, crafts, games, apple pressing for cider, Colonial candle making, tours of the Onderdonk House, refreshments, and a gift shop. Adults’ tickets are $3 each, and children age 12 and under will be free with an adult. For more information, call (718) 456-1776.

Tuesday, Oct. 15

Ozone Park Civic Association Meeting 97-14 135th Dr., Ozone Park 7:30 p.m. All are welcome to attend the Ozone Park Civic Association’s monthly meeting. The event’s guest speakers will be Councilman Eric Ulrich and Lew Simon, who are running for City Council.

Louis Armstrong House Museum Anniversary Bash 34-56 107th St., Corona 6 p.m.

American Legion Luncheon

American Legion Post 118 89-02 91st St., Woodhaven 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. A luncheon honoring the American Legion’s Past Commander and Past President will be held on Sunday, Oct. 13. On the menu will be roast beef, turkey, mashed potatoes, string beans, bread and rolls, beer, wine, and soda. There will also be coffee, tea and cake. Music by “DJ Walter” will be provided and there will be raffles. The cost is $25 per person. Please call for reservations before Oct. 8. Seating is limited. 83-09 157th Ave., Howard Beach 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Call Loretta Phillips at (718) 848-1292 or mail a check The Louis Armstrong Museum will hold its 10-year anniverThe annual fall festival will include pony rides and a petting made out to American Legion Post 118 and send it to Lo- sary in the Garden at Louis’s house. The program will include zoo from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., as well as arts and crafts, pump- retta Phillips at 88-08 Sutter Ave., Ozone Park, NY 11417. a special performance by The Hot Sardines and Creole cre-

Sunday, Oct. 13

St. Helen School Fall Festival

26 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013


We'll show you how to have a good time... Enjoy your community. ations based on Armstrong’s own recipes, which will be prepared by the Cooking Channel’s Tamara Reynolds. During the festivities, the museum will also unveil Louis Armstrong’s life mask, which has recently been restored and will be on display for the first time in the museum’s history. Tickets are $30, $45, and $100 and must be purchased in advance. All tickets include beer and wine, $45 tickets include a limited-edition commemorative print of Louis Armstrong, and $100 tickets include the print plus a one-year museum membership. Tickets may be purchased at https://louisarmstronghouseanniversary.eventbrite.com. For more information, call (718) 478-8274 or visit www.louisarmstronghouse.org.

Friday, Oct. 18

ship and service to the community. Part of the festivities will include live music by John Weber and entertainment by the Original Enzian, aschuplattler dance group. The menu will include a choice of smoked loin of pork or chicken breast, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, applesauce, homemade desserts, wine, beer, soda, and coffee. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Children age 12 and under are $12.50. Make reservations early by calling Elaine at (718) 849-1475.

Thursday, Oct. 31

Halloween Masquerade Ball

Sunday, Oct. 20

Wonderful Woodhaven Street Fair

Job Fair at Atlas Park

Jamaica Avenue from 80th St. to Woodhaven Blvd. 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Woodhaven street fair, sponsored by the Greater Wood80-00 CoooperAve., Glendale 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. haven Development Corporation, will include great food, muState Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. will host his eighth annual job sic, rides, entertainment, and many vendors. All are welcome fair, at which more than 100 potential employers are expected to attend. to attend. The event will take place indoors, although the line to meet with employers may extend outdoors. Business attire is strongly suggested. Participants are encouraged to bring plenty of resuems. The workshop schedule includes a talk, “Elevator Speech/ Selling Yourself at the Interview” at 10:30 a.m., “Effective Interview Strategies” at 11:30 a.m., and “You Think You Know the ABCs, Think Again,” at 12:30 p.m. For more information, call (718) 738-1111 or (718) 497-1630. El Paraiso Tropical 102-11 42nd Ave., Corona 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Latin American Cultural Center of Queens and the Sunday to Remember program will host their “Fa-boo-lous” Halloween celebration, which will include Latin American music The United Methodist Church with the artistic presentation of Francisco Cantilo, dance and 112-14 107th Ave. raffles. The center invites families and seniors to join them in Richmond Hill 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Annual rummage sale is being held on October 18th and 19th. an atmosphere for the entire family. Costumes are optional. The event is free and open to all. Space is limited, however, so please reserve a spot by calling (718) 261-7664 or emailing LACCQ@aol.com. For more information on the Latin American Cultural Center of Queens, visit www.LACCQ.org, Facebook.com/LACCQ or on Twitter at @LACCQ.

Sunday, Oct. 27

Fa-boo-lous Halloween Celebration

Rummage Sale

Saturday, Oct. 19

Kew Gardens Fall Flea Market

Immigrants Rights and Immigrants Wronged

LIRR North Parking Lot 82-60 Austin St., Kew Gardens 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The fall flea market will include the Heavenly Angels Animal Queens Historical Society Rescue, which will be there with dogs and cats available for 143-35 37th Ave., Flushing 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. adoption from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. All of the vendor fees from Join Amy Gottlieb, Program Director of the American Friends the event will benefit the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center Service Committee Immigrant Rights Program, as she disPediatric Department. cusses the steps the AFSC is taking in improving U.S. imThe rain date will be Oct. 26. migration policy that protects the human rights of all people. Gottlieb supervises AFSC's Legal Services, Community Organizing, and Outreach and Education Projects. The AFSC is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the rights of immigrants and refugees. Victory Field in Forest Park

Forest Park Fall Festival

Intersection of Woodhaven Blvd., Myrtle Ave. and Park Dr., Woodhaven 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Councilman Eric Ulrich and the City Parks Department will sponsor a fall festival that includes a variety of family activities, including a pumpkin patch, face painting, games and a Halloween costume contest. All are welcome.

Oktoberfest at Trinity in Middle Village

Tuesday, Oct. 29

St. Helen’s Interfaith Prayer Service

St. Helen’s School Yard 157th Ave. and 83rd St., Howard Beach 7 p.m. St. Helen’s Church and the Secular Franciscans will host a Trinity Lutheran Church candlelight interfaith prayer service to commemorate the first 63-70 Dry Harbor Rd., Middle Village anniversary of Hurricane Sandy. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. All members of the public are welcome, and attendees are Trinity Lutheran Church will hold an Oktoberfest celebration asked to bring a candle. as part of its year-long 150th anniversary celebration of wor-

Russo’s on the Bay 162-45 Cross Bay Blvd., Howard Beach 7 p.m. Bobbi and the Strays, a pet rescue and adoption nonprofit, will hold its masquerade ball on Halloween night. It will include auctions, music, wine and beer, raffles, prizes, dinner, and dancing. Tickets are $100 and costumes are optional. Pre-purchased tickets are required. To purchase tickets, call (718) 845-0779 or (917) 213-9840.

Saturday, Nov. 2

Resorts World Casino Diwali Celebration Resorts World Casino New York City 110-00 Rockaway Blvd., South Ozone Park 7 p.m. Resorts World Casino New York City and Angels Caribbean Entertainment Group of Companies Inc. will host an event celebration DiwaliUtsav - otherwise known as the Celebration of the Festival of Lights. Diwali is a five-day Hindu event that celebrates the victory of good over evil and symbolizes new beginnings. The festival will be held in the casino’s Central Park event space and will include traditional and contemporary live music and dances, Indo-Caribbean fashion display, Indian and Caribbean cuisine, traditional henna paintings, Indian art displays, and children’s activities.

Sunday, Nov. 3

Queens Veterans Day Parade 80th St. and Metropolitan Ave., Middle Village 12 p.m. Hundreds of residents, civic groups and others will participate in the fourth annual Queens Veterans Day Parade to show their love for their country and those who defend it. The parade begins at 80th Street and Metropolitan Avenue and will proceed west along the avenue to Christ the King Regional High School, located at 68-02 Metropolitan Avenue. Following the parade, a commemorative ceremony will take place. For more information, visit www.qvdp.org or www.eccatoysfortots.org.

THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 27


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Legal Notices SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE FORCLOSURE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS Index No. 10944/12 FLUSHING SAVINGS BANK, FSB, Plaintiffs, -againstHAIMNATH RAMSAROOP, IF HE BE LIVING, AND IF HE BE DEAD, HIS EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DISTRIBUTEES, LEGATEES, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, JUDGMENT CREDITORS, RECEIVERS, TRUSTEES IN BANKRUPTCY, TRUSTEES, COMMITTEES, LIENORS AND SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST AND HIS HUSBANDS, WIVES OR WIDOWS, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DISTRIBUTEES, LEGATEES, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, JUDGMENT CREDITORS, RECEIVERS, TRUSTEES IN BANKRUPTCY, TRUSTEES, COMMITTEES, LIENORS AND SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST, IF ANY, AND ALL PERSONS CLAIMING BY, THROUGH OR UNDER ANY OF THEM, ALL OF WHOM AND WHOSE NAMES ARE UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF, THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, KHEAIRA RAMSAROOP, STATE OF NEW YORK, NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD, ROYAL CUTZ BARBERSHOP, Defendants. YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action, and

to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the verified complaint is not served with this summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the plaintiff’s attorneys within twenty days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within thirty days after service is complete of this summons if not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear, or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default, for the relief demanded in the verified complaint. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service hereof. TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: the foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon. Augustus C. Agate, a Justice of the Supreme Court, Queens County, dated September 12, 2013 and filed with the complaint and other papers in Queens County Clerk’s Office, Queens, NY. The object of the action is to foreclose a mortgage recorded in the NYC Registers Office, Queens County, on the 28th day of February, 2005, as CRFN 2005000118235 covering prem. k/a 10251 Jamaica Avenue, Richmond Hill, NY 11418. DATED: September 30, 2013. Harry Zubli, Esq., Atty for Pltf. Harry Zubli Esq. Attorney for Plaintiff 1010 Northern Blvd., Suite 310 Great Neck NY 11021 Telephone: (516) 487-5777 Facsimile: (516) 487-4834

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF Notice of Formation of THEATRE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. BEYOND BROADWAY LLC, Arts. of NAME: 101-19 NORTHERN BLVD., Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY LLC. Articles of Organization were filed (SSNY) on 09/05/13. Office location: with the Secretary of State of New York Queens County. Princ. office of (SSNY) on 09/10/13. Office location: LLC: 116-40 Park Ln. South, D2, Queens County. SSNY has been Kew Gardens, NY 11418. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC designated as agent of LLC upon upon whom process against it may whom process against it may be be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of served. SSNY shall mail process to process to the LLC, 101-19 Northern Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Boulevard, Corona, New York 11368. Albany, NY 12207-2543. Purpose: Purpose: For any lawful purpose. Any lawful activity. 28 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013

161 COLUMBIA STREET LLC, a domestic LLC, filed with the SSNY on 8/8/13. Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 33-01 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City, NY 11106. General Purposes. DATE WRITE LLC, a domestic LLC, filed with the SSNY on 8/28/13. Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: James Swierczewski, 79-17 Pitkin Ave., Ozone Park, NY 11417. General Purposes. Notice of Formation of AB 32ND STREET CORNER, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/24/13. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 34-55 32nd St., Astoria, NY 11106. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Notice is hereby given that license #1273748 has been applied by the undersigned to sell alcoholic beverages at retail in a restaurant under the alcoholic beverage control law at 33-20 31st Avenue, Astoria, NY 11106 for on-premises consumption. Mahapochanahphan Inc. DBA Enthaice Thai Kitchen Notice of Formation of MWB PROPERTIES, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/30/05. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 32-75 Steinway St., Ste. 212, Astoria, NY 11103. Purpose: any lawful activity.

ADULT DISTRIBUTIONS LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/30/2013. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 166-35 20th Road, Whitestone, NY 11357. Reg Agent: Guido Benanti, 166-35 20th Road, Whitestone, NY 11357. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. Yiqi Properties, LLC Arts of Org filed with NY Sec of State (SSNY) on 6/8/10. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 38-21 Main St, #3D, Flushing, NY 11354. General Purposes.

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Legal Notices

Legal Notices Arcfe Group 3, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 4/11/13. Office in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 136-18 39th Ave Ste 704, Flushing, NY 11354. Purpose: General. ASL CLARKSON LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 09/06/13. Office 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: 40-47 Junction Blvd, Corona, NY 11368. Purpose: For any lawful purpose. Pritpal Kaur LLC Arts of Org. filed with NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 8/14/13. Office: Queens. SSNY is design. as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served and shall mail process to 162-03 84th Dr. Flr 1 Jamaica, NY 11432. Purpose: any lawful activity.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: SPANGLISH LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 07/11/13. Office 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 United State Corporation Agents, Inc. 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Purpose: For any lawful purpose. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: 58th FLUSHING REALTY, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/23/13. Office 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, 150-18 58th Avenue, Flushing, New York 11355. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: 3168 35th STREET LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/04/13. Office 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, P.O. Box 575042, Whitestone, New York 11357. Purpose: For any lawful purpose. 159-35 PARTNERS, LLC, a domestic LLC, filed with the SSNY on 8/1/13. Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 162-45 Crossbay Blvd., Howard Beach, NY 11414. General Purposes. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP. NAME: 20-70 STEINWAY STREET FAMILY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP. Application for Authority was filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 08/15/13. The LP was originally filed with the Secretary of State of Nevada on 01/23/01. The duration date is perpetual. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LP upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LP, 23-19 Broadway, Astoria, New York 11106. JFK SOLAR ENTERPRISES LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 8/16/13. Office in Queens Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 32 Cherry Wood Lane, Port Washington, NY 11050. Purpose: Any lawful activity. STANDING WITH GOD L.L.C Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 5/22/13. Office in Queens Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 11175 158th St Jamaica, NY 11433. Purpose: Any lawful activity. Registered Agent Winter Jade Flowers-Olowofela 11175 158th St Jamaica, NY 11433. PYJ REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT LLC, a domestic LLC, filed with the SSNY on 7/5/13. Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Yuval Jacob, 7554 190th St., Fresh Meadows, NY 11366. General Purposes. FMA CONSULTING SERVICES LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/26/2013. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Francisco Arianna, 79-15 35th Avenue, 4F, Jackson Heights, NY 11372. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

TSDNYC, LLC Arts of Org filed with NY Sec of State (SSNY) on 6/10/13. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 142-20 41st Ave, #4H, Flushing, NY 11355. General Purposes. Notice of formation of SOUTH DRIVE MALBA LLC, a limited liability company. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/05/2013. Office located in New York. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC to The LLC, 42-95 Main Street #3, Flushing, NY 11355. Purpose: any lawful purpose. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: FLUSHING ASPHALT RECYCLING, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 08/12/13. Office 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, 120-01 31st Avenue, Flushing, New York 11354. Purpose: For any lawful purpose. Notice of Formation of JEFF BERZON BOOKKEEPING LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 08/22/2013. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC 80-22 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park, NY 11004. Purpose: Any lawful activity. COOKIE MA-ME LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 08/28/13. Office 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: 61-88 Dry Harbor Road, Middle Village, NY 11379. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

CAZZORLA STORES LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 9/20/2013. Office in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 1703 210th St., Bayside, NY 11360. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. Notice of Formation of MAY SQUARED REAL ESTATE LLC. Arts of Org. filed with NY Secy of State (SSNY) on 4/24/13. Office: Queens. SSNY is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to The LLC, 255-07 61st Avenue, 1st Floor, Little Neck, NY 11362. Purpose: any lawful activity. THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 29


OZONE PARK 1 family with 6 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths in heart of Ozone Park. Asking $399K OZONE PARK 79th St. one family brick home with 6 rms, 3 bedrms, 2 baths, full partially finished basement. Asking $375K HOWARD BEACH 1 family cape, 7 rms, 4 bedrms, full bsmnt, 1.5 car gar, pvt driveway, new heat & hw, new floors. CALL NOW! HOWARD BEACH Hi Rise co-op lrg 2 bedrms, updated kitche, 2 new baths. CALL NOW! HOWARD BEACH 5 room, 2 bedroom Garden Co-Op. Must see! Asking $135K

HOWARD BEACH Hi Ranch 60x100 with 10 rooms, 5 bedrooms, 3.5 new bath, new kitchen, new heat and hot water heater. CALL NOW! HAMILTON BEACH 1 family detached 3 rms, living rm, din rm, kit, 1 bedrm, 1 bath, gar, pvt driveway. CALL NOW! HOWARD BEACH Garden co-op with 5 rooms, 2 bedrms, 1 bath and formal dining room. CALL NOW! HOWARD BEACH Hi Rise Co-op 3.5 room, 1 bedroom, 1 bath all new kit, bath completely remodeled, parking available. Asking $108K OZONE PARK Two family,

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30 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013


Community Corner A Trilogy of Decades

Lessons I’ve learned in 30 years By Michael Kamph It seems like it took forever, but I made it. I’m 30 years old. When I woke up this morning, I didn’t feel different. When I looked in the mirror, I didn’t look different. The one thing I did feel was thankful. Thankful that for all the stupid things I’ve done in these first 30 years that taught me some valuable lessons. Over the past few months, I've been compiling these lessons so that I could share them. The original intent of this project was simply to share the lessons that I've learned with others. However, the project also became an interesting exercise in self-discovery and I've learned a lot about myself simply by putting words to paper. These lessons are all based on my personal experiences and not everyone will agree with every lesson, but I hope you are able to take away one piece of advice that will help you in your journey. And sure, there are many more lessons that I have learned, but these are the lessons I felt were most important, for now. SAY THANK YOU 2013, the year I turn 30 years old. When I think about my parents when they were 30 I notice a big difference from myself at 30 and I don’t think I’ve ever given them the credit they actually deserve. I’m going to take this opportunity to give back to them something that they gave to me. When my parents were 30 years old

they had already bought a house. They had two kids (my sister and I) and in another year they would have my other sister as well. They were active in my life at school and outside of school. They served as my cook, my maid, my seemingly endless ATM machine, my chauffeur, and other countless roles that I couldn’t begin to list. But one of the most important roles they served as was my first teacher. And one of the first lessons they ever taught me was to say please and thank you, two small phrases that go a long way. As a kid you see saying these phrases as being polite, and I assure you they still are. But as I grow older, to me, the use of these two small phrases says a lot about a person’s character and their true appreciation for what they are saying. Mom and dad, I want you to know that all of your lessons have stayed with me throughout these first 30 years of my life and I just want to say thank you for everything. The first lesson I want to share comes from my parents: Remember to always say thank you. IT’S OK TO ASK FOR HELP You don't have all the answers. Nobody does. You can't carry the weight of the world. You only have two hands. But, with help, everything becomes a little easier. Even for me, this is a hard one to truly admit, but I’ve acknowledged it and consciously try to remember that I have so many people in my life who are willing to help. Look around you and realize all of the people in your life who are there for you and willing to lend a hand.

KNOW WHERE YOU’RE GOING I still may not have learned how to ask for directions when I’m lost, but I have learned that in order to get somewhere, you need to know where you are going. Case in point, working at my previous corporate job, I was a model employee. Year after year I was moving in an upward direction within my group and it felt great. The only problem was, it was never really what I wanted to do. I was climbing the ladder of success but it wasn’t the right ladder. Fortunately, I realized this before it was too late. I was able to get off the ladder and change my route. Make sure you have a clear direction on where you are going with anything you do in life. Don’t blindly move forward and not know where you are going. Take some time at the start to be sure the path you have chosen will get you to where you want to be. You don’t want to get to the top of your ladder and realize its leaning against the wrong building. BELIEVE YOU CAN FLY Remember the story of Peter Pan? When we were children, he taught us that we could do anything imaginable, even fly. The opportunities were endless. All we had to do was think lovely thoughts and up we could go. But, like in the story, as we get older, we stop believing. We stop seeing opportunity. The things we once dreamed about no longer exist. The dreams are still there but we are too afraid to do it for any number of reasons. Those dreams go unfinished. Don’t let your dreams go unfinished without even trying. Believe again. Believe that you can fly, be-

cause you can. LISTEN There have been many times where people are surprised at the things I remember that they have told me. I tell them it’s because when they talk, I listen. Not a lot of people listen. While you are talking, most people are thinking about what they should say next to promote their opinion. I learn by listening. Learn something new every day by listening. DON’T LOSE YOUR SMILE It’s easy to get into a rut. You do the same routine so often that sometimes it may feel like you are on autopilot. This is when you lose focus. You lose sight of what it is you want. You lose your smile. Life isn’t fun anymore. When this happens, stop. Remember all the great things you want to accomplish and get excited about them. Go do them! Don’t get so far away from them that you forget how it feels to do something you are truly passionate about. Don’t forget who you truly are and what you want. LESS IS MORE Just because you have something to say doesn’t mean it has to be said. THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE ALREADY IN FRONT OF YOU Everything new and exciting becomes old and boring. Don’t get hung up on the thought that new is always better. Slow down and take a moment to take stock and appreciate what and who you already have in your life. *Please note this is an only an excerpt.

THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 31


32 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013


FORUM CRIME

Toddler Killed After Breaking Free From Grandmother

Queens Family Busted for Operating Illegal Hotel

Photo Courtesy District Attorney’s Office

Queens District Attorney Brown sits among the approximately 1,151 boxes of illegal American and Asian cigarettes, which were allegedly seized during an investigation of illegal cigarette trafficking in Queens.

Robert Stridiron/The Forum Newsgroup

The driver of the SUV that struck and killed 3-year-old Allison Liao remained at the scene and was visibly distraught.

Desperate efforts to perform CPR on a 3-year-old baby, struck by a car while out with her grandmother on Sunday around 5:30 p.m., were unsuccessful and the toddler was pronounced dead at Booth Memorial Hospital. Good Samaritan, Rick Hall, 34, rushed to aide the child but the trauma to her small body was just too overwhelming according to doctors Police found the child, identified as Allison Liao, unconscious in the street near the intersection of Cherry Avenue and Main Street. She had gotten away from her grandmother and was struck by a Nissan SUV after it turned off Cherry Avenue onto Main Street. The driver of the car was visibly upset at the scene, where he remained until police took the driver into custody for questioning. A breathalyzer test was negative and no charges have been filed.

The office of the Queens District Attorney teamed up with the Department of Investigation (DOI) and the Department of Buildings (DOB) to bust a Flushing family for turning their two-family residence into a 15-room hotel catering to Asian tourists. But authorities on the case got a bonus when they discovered that a man living in the house next door was discovered to be dealing in illegal, untaxed cigarettes out of his house. Flushing detectives assigned to the DA’s office noticed unusual activity at the house next door – numerous people entering and leaving the premises with suitcases. Upon further investigation it was discovered that the high-traffic house was being advertised as a hotel on Chinese language websites. Detectives on the case discovered numerous building violations, making the premises dangerous to both occupants and, in case of an emergency, first responders. District Attorney Brown identified the defendants as Qiumin He, 55, his wife, Chun Y Tu, 56, and their son, Xiaoshan He, 34, all of 42-03 Saull Street. They have been charged with second-degree reckless endangerment. Their next-door neighbor has been charged with illegally possess-

SULLIVAN’S COURT

ing untaxed cigarettes. According to the criminal charges, during the course of a year-long investigation of a two-family house located at 42-03 Saull Street allegedly operating as an illegal hotel numerous individuals were repeatedly observed entering and leaving the location with luggage. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the location was being advertised on various websites, including “Chinatowninus.com” as a 15-room hotel with double, triple or quadruple occupancy options. Rooms for two people were listed at $60 per night, rooms for three people were $70 per night and rooms for four people were $90 per night. A premium was charged for private bathrooms and the location was touted as being near shopping, subways and gas stations. During the execution of a search warrant on October 3, 2013, approximately 1,151 cartons of illegal cigarettes, both American and Asian brands, were allegedly recovered from inside of the house. The defendants face up to one year in jail if convicted. The fourth defendant was identified as Qinghai Wei, 50, of 42-05 Saull Street. He faces up to four years in prison if convicted.

Q.

A.

My son was recently arrested for a DWI. I know he was wrong but he only had a few beers and was not falling down drunk or asleep at the wheel. He had no passengers in the car and did not hurt anyone or crash the car. He was arrested at a checkpoint where he admitted to having a few beers. At the precinct he blew a .13. I’m hoping this can just be dismissed or reduced since it is his first offense. What should I do to make sure this does not mess up his future job opportunities? He really is a nice boy, never gets in trouble and doesn’t deserve this. - Joan B.

Dear Joan, With the utmost of respect, I think you and your son … need a reality check! Your son made a critical mistake and is being charged with a serious crime. This is not something that will simply go away because your son is a “nice boy”. It is important that you retain competent counsel immediately. This year, across the country 10,840 people will die in drunk-driving accidents. Said another way, every 50 minutes a life will be lost because someone chose to operate a vehicle after they were drinking. The overwhelming majority of those fatalities were not caused by fall down drunks or drivers asleep at the wheel! Drinking and driving is no small matter. The New York State Driving While Intoxicated statute contains various offenses. The least serious is Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI). This can be proven with a blood alcohol concentration between .05 to .07%. DWAI

is a traffic infraction, not a crime. DWAI is an offense to which the more serious charge of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) is sometimes reduced. On a first offense the penalty can be a fine up to $500,up to 15 days in jail, a 90 day driver’s license suspension, mandatory attendance in a multi-week anti-drinking and driving program and several hundred dollars in fines and surcharges from the DMV. Your son is charged with a DWI, which is the offense of operating a car with a blood alcohol concentration .08% or more. This is a criminal misdemeanor punishable on a first offense with a fine up to $1,000, up to one year in jail, a 6 month license revocation, mandatory attendance in a multi-week anti-drinking and driving program, several hundred dollars in fines and surcharges from the DMVand an ignition interlock device -essentially a breathalyzer lock on your cars steering column that you have to pay for.

If the BAC is .18% or higher; if children are in the car or if there was an accident involving, the penalties increase. If the driver holds a commercial driver’s license and the BAC was .04% or higher, that commercial license is suspended for one year. Most District Attorney's Offices will not offer a reduction to the non-criminal offense of a DWAI if the person had a BAC over.13%, if the driver refused to take the breathalyzer test or if there was an accident. As with any criminal charge, the State bears the burden of proving the charge against your son. Due to increased political and social intol-

erance towards those who drink and drive, DWI charges have become more complicated in the past few years and the penalties upon conviction have become more severe. The bottom line… your son is one of the lucky ones whose night did not end in a serious accident or kill him or some innocent victims. I hope this is a wake-up call to him and those who know him, just don’t drink and drive, ever. In the end, this DWI charge can leave your son with a criminal conviction and after legal fees, court fines, DMV penalties and program expenses, cost him as much as $10,000… I bet that $30 cab fare is looking like a real bargain now!

Keith Sullivan is a partner with Sullivan & Galleshaw, LLP and an adjunct law professor at Pace University School of Law and Brooklyn Law School and a lecturer for the NYS bar exam. He can be seen frequently providing legal analysis on various national and local networks such as FOX News, CNN, HLN, NBC and MSNBC. You can e-mail your questions for Keith to SullivansCourt@gmail.com. Sullivan’s Court provides general legal information only, is not intended as legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 33


34 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013


Understanding the Stages of Breast Cancer Diagnosis receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, many women instantly want to know their chances for survival. Such a reaction is U pon understandable when receiving a diagnosis of any disease, and especially one as potentially deadly as breast cancer. A breast

cancer patient's prognosis is often linked to the stage of the disease. Stages are used to make breast cancer more understandable to patients and to give them a basis for comparison relative to other patients. As with many diseases, breast cancer is best treated the earlier it is detected, and the various stages of breast cancer can offer some insight into how far along the disease has progressed.

• Stage 0: During stage 0, cancerous cells have not broken out of the part of the breast in which they started or invaded neighboring tissue. The earliest stage of breast cancer, stage 0 breast cancer is considered noninvasive and is often successfully treated. • Stage I: Stage I breast cancer is divided into two subcategories and is an invasive cancer in which cancer cells have begun to invade normal surrounding breast tissue. Stage IA describes invasive breast cancer in which tumors measure up to two centimeters and the cancer has not spread outside the breast or to the lymph nodes. Stage IB is also invasive but does not necessarily feature a tumor in the breast. In such instances where there is no tumor in the breast, small groups of cancer cells no larger than two millimeters are found in the lymph nodes. When tumors are found in the breast, the tumors are no bigger than two centimeters and there are small groups of cancer cells in the lymph nodes.

• Stage II: Stage II breast cancers are divided into two subcategories depending on whether or not there is a tumor in the breast. Stage IIA can refer to invasive breast cancers in which no tumor is found in the breast but cancer has been found in one to three lymph nodes under the arm or in the lymph nodes near the breast. When there is a tumor in the breast during stage IIA, the tumor may be two centimeters or smaller and have already spread to the lymph nodes under the arm or the tumor may be between two to five centimeters but it has not spread to the lymph nodes under the arms. Stage IIB breast cancer may refer to an invasive breast cancer in which the tumor is between two and five centimeters and small groups of cancer cells have been found in the lymph nodes. This stage is also used to describe tumors between two and five centimeters that have spread to the lymph nodes under the arm or near the breastbone, or tumors larger than five centimeters that have not spread to the lymph nodes.

• Stage III: Stage III breast cancers are characterized by two categories, stage IIIA and stage IIIB. During stage IIIA, the tumor is between 2 and 5 centimeters in size and has spread to at least nine underarm lymph nodes. During stage IIIB, the tumor has spread beyond the breast to tissues nearby, such as the skin, chest wall, ribs, muscles, or lymph nodes in the chest wall. • Stage IV: Stage IV breast cancers describe invasive breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to other parts of the body. These organs can include the bones, brain, distant lymph nodes, lungs, liver, or skin. Stage IV breast cancers are often described as "advanced" and could be a recurrence of a previous breast cancer that has spread to other parts of the body.

In Forest Hills, Working to Prevent A Nuclear Iran By Anna Gustafson Just days before Iran was expected to propose limiting its nuclear program in exchange for the United States and European Union scaling back sanctions on it, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mark Wallace told a crowd gathered in Forest Hills that President Obama should not ease the country’s imposed restrictions on the Islamic republic. Wallace, who served as the U.N. ambassador during President George W. Bush’s administration and is now the chief executive officer of the group United Against Nuclear Iran, joined UNAI Executive Director David Ibsen, a former official at the U.S. State Department, for a forum sponsored by U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) at the Forest Hills Jewish Center Monday evening. The forum, titled “Halting Iran’s Nuclear Program,” drew dozens of residents from throughout the borough and focused on the future of Iran’s nuclear weapons program. “None of us should underestimate the importance of economic pressure,” Wallace told the crowd in reference to his message that the economic sanctions on Iran should remain, despite the country’s recent diplomatic push to get the restrictions eased in exchange for its cooperation on halting its nuclear work. According to an Oct. 8 report by the Wall Street Journal, Iranian officials are preparing a serious offer it will unveil during talks in Geneva next week to limit its nuclear program - which Wallace, Ibsen and many others in the U.S. and Europe have said is a blatant pursuit of atomic weapons. Iran has denied this statement, arguing it is an energy program for its citizens.

Mark Wallace, the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and chief executive officer of United Against Nuclear Iran, speaks at a forum sponsored by U.S. Rep. Grace Meng at the Forest Hills Jewish Center Anna Gustafson/The Forum Newsgroup Monday night. A crowd gathered for the forum on the future of Iran's nuclear weapons program.

“It makes no commercial or civilian sense that Iran is enriching uranium to the 20 percent level,” Wallace said, stressing the only reason to do so would be to acquire an atomic weapon. In order to produce atomic weapons, uranium must be enriched to the 90 percent level - which some U.S. officials have said they believe Iran could, based on its technology, reach within months. The potential offer to halt its nuclear program comes from Iran’s new president, Hasan Rouhani, and such an offer, a number of foreign policy experts have said, could break the icy diplomatic relations that the U.S. and Iran have had for decades. The U.S. has imposed some sort of sanctions on Iran since 1979, following the seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.

“President Rouhani campaigned on some sort of nuclear deal,” Wallace said. “...But if he wanted to end his nuclear program, he could’ve done it on his first day in office. Now he’s on his 65th.” Meng, who wasn’t able to attend the forum because she had to be at negotiations in Washington D.C., spoke to attendees via skype and said, “nothing is a higher priority... than assuring Iran does not achieve nuclear capability.” “I don’t oppose our pursuit of diplomacy...but the regime is nothing but duplicitous,” said Meng, a member of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa. “Our government must continue to impose tough sanctions - it’s the sanctions that have drawn Iran to the negotiating table.” THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 35


Catchy Costumes! Throw one of these together and let the fun begin!

Everybody loves Halloween but finding costume—you won’t have to go crazy lookjust the right costume can sometimes be a ing for just the right thing and it’s not going little tricky. Here are some great suggestions to cost you a fortune. that will have everybody taking about your

Self-Portrait

Carry a large, empty picture frame (minus the glass) and hold it in front of your face.

Cat Out of the Bag Wear cat ears. Hold an empty bag or pillowcase. Purr-fection!

Iron Chef

Wear a chef ’s hat and an apron and hold an iron. Bonus points if a friend dresses as your (orange-clogged) competition: Mario Batali.

Bottleneck

Grab an empty bottle from the recycling bin. Tie a string around its neck, then loop it around yours. Complain all night about “traffic on the 501.”

Tickled Pink

Dress from head to toe in rose or fuchsia. Accessorize with a feather boa.

Buccaneer Tape a $1 bill to each of your ears. Now you’ve got a buck an ear.

Pumpkin Pi

Dress in orange. Cut out a pi symbol from black paper (or print one out; type option + p) and tape it to your shirt. Look infinitely more festive.

Halloween Face Painting Kids & Adults

Get transformed by a professional face and body painter as your favorite character!

• Zombies • Witches • Princesses • Special Effects

Call Nancy 646.657.5346 36 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013

Fork in the Road Wear black. Using white duct tape, make a line of dashes (your lane lines) that begins at one ankle and ends at your collar. Fasten a fork along the route.

Split P

Cut out a large p from a piece of colored construction paper, then cut it in half. Tape it to your hoodie so that the zipper appears to slice through it.


St. Helen School

Fallfestival 83-09 157

Ave., Howard Beach

Sunday, October 13 10:00 AM to 6:30 PM • Pony Rides & Petting Zoo (11 AM – 3 PM) • Arts & Crafts • Pumpkin Decorating • Specialty Shopping • Games • Homemade Pies • Candy Apples and much more! Family Activities For All! Come Join The Fun!

Upcoming Events:

Dec. 7th & 8th: Christmas Fair

For Information Please Call 718-835-4155 THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 37


Christ the King High School Hosts Open House

Cleanin' Up Craig Caruana, a civic activist running for the 30th City Council District, joined fellow members of the Juniper Park Civic Association to clean up area by the intersection of 80th Street and 57th Avenue in Maspeth last week. "I've always believed that actions speak louder than words," Caruana said. "You have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and literally clean Photo Courtesy Craig Caruana up your neighborhood. I've enjoyed being involved with Juniper Civic for many years and doing things like this, several times a year."

Free Trees Photo Courtesy of Harisch Studio

CK teachers guiding prospective students on a tour of the school.

Christ the King High School hosted its annual Open House on Sunday, October 6, 2013. CK invited prospective students and their families to visit their facilities and view firsthand the experiences that the high school has to offer. More than 2,200 people visited Christ the King and took tours of the school. Teachers and current and former students were on hand to offer tours and answer questions.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, New York Restoration Project staff, and student volunteers from Maspeth High School's Green Club held a free tree giveaway at Forest Park last weekend. At the event, 100 trees were handed out to area residents. "Planting trees is an easy way to improve

our environment and help enhance property values," Crowley said. "I was proud to sponsor this event with the New York Restoration Project, and I look forward to seeing full grown trees blossom throughout the community." Photo Courtesy NYC Council

“Christ the King High School’s open house provided perspective students and their families to tour our school and view personally the first class programs and facilities our school has to offer,” said Principal Peter Mannarino. “The tremendous turnout of visitors is a testament of the hard work and efforts put in by the faculty and administration to make Christ the King a pillar of academic excellence.”

AUSTIN HOUSE

FREE DELIVERY GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED

718-544-2276

DINER RESTAURANT

72-04 AUSTIN STREET, FOREST HILLS

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

Breakfast Specials 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Daily

Dinner Specials Served Daily

Brunch Specials Available Sat. and Sun.

A LA CARTE PRICES INCLUDE:

COMPLETE DINNER INCLUDES:

Potato & Vegetable, Cup of Soup or Salad, Free Dessert or Beverage Greek Salad $1.50 Extra Snapple, Can of Soda or Herbal Tea $1.00 Extra Cheese Cake, Cherry or Blueberry Pie $1.00 Extra

Cup of Soup and Salad, Potato & Vegetable, Dessert and Beverage Plus A COMPLIMENTARY GLASS OF WINE

DINNER SPECIALS Roast Fresh Brisket of Beef with Horseradish Broiled Veal Chop (2) Broiled Lamb Chops (3) with Mint Jelly ½ BBQ Chicken with Barbeque Sauce ½ Chicken Oreganata Broiled Mediterranean Chopped Steak with Feta Cheese & Fried Onions Broiled Stuffed Breast of Chicken With Spinach & Feta and 2 Stuffed Mushrooms with Crabmeat Roast Duckling with Stuffing & Orange Sauce Broiled Stuffed Break of Chicken With Spinach & Feta

38 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013

$12.50 $17.50 $17.50 $11.30 $11.30

$14.10 $19.10 $19.10 $12.90 $12.90

$11.90

$13.50

$14.30 $13.30

$15.90 $14.90

$13.70

$15.30

Broiled London Broil with Mushroom Gravy Roast Prime Rib of Beef Broiled Romanian Steak With 2 Stuffed Mushrooms with Crabmeat Broiled Salmon Filet Broiled Filet of Blue Fish Broiled Stuffed Filet of Sole With Spinach & Feta Chicken Condon Blue - Grilled Chicken w/ Ham, Melted Swiss & Mushroom Gravy

$17.50 $17.20

$19.10 $18.80

$17.50 $14.20 $12.30

$19.10 $15.80 $13.90

$13.70

$15.30

$13.50

$15.10

Many More Dinner Specials Available


Introducing the neighborhood’s newest destination nail spa!

· Green Tea Pedicure · Reflexology · Dream Manicure & Pedicure · Jelly Pedicure · Color Gels · Bio Gels · UV Gels · All Your Waxing Needs

If comfort, elegance and cleanliness appeal to you, then you’ll appreciate the Nail Tek difference! We commit to exceed our guests’ expectations and to make sure that you will leave our spa pampered, rejuvenated and relaxed! e

Come Experience the Difference!

We use state-of-the-art, hospital grade Tuttnauer sterilization equipment. • All equipment sterilized after every use • All brand new equipment

MANICURE/ PEDICURE SPECIAL

Mon-Sat: 9:30am-7:30pm Sun: 10:00am-6:00pm

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Only

$20.00

718.738.3868

135-15 Cross Bay Boulevard, Ozone Park (Next to Liquor Town)

Woodhaven Smile Center 718-847-3300

Roll Back Fees

Only for month of October Complete Upper or Partial Upper Denture $700 Complete Lower or Partial Lower Denture $700 We Also Do: • Implants • Crowns • Fix Bridges • Root Canals • Cleanings • Fillings • Extractions All for very reasonable fees All Major Credit Card Accepted Weekend Hours Available 86-13 Jamaica Avenue, Woodhaven NY THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013 | 39


Dr. Jean C. Compas MD, FACP Jennifer DiLandro RN, BSN, MSN

Scare your CROW’S FEET Away for Halloween! Bring a friend in for a Boootox® Treatment and get your Crow’s Feet Treatment (10 units) FREE!

FALL SPECIALS Chemical Peel $60.00 Ear Candling $50.00

3-D EYELASH EXTENSIONS $99.00 & up Receive FREE Lattisse® Gift

Hurry In - Offer Expires Halloween!

• Laser Hair Removal • Vein Therapy • Photo Facials

BOOOTOX® THURSDAY SPECIAL Last Thursday of Every Month First 20 Units ONLY $99.00* *Limit 3 times per year

LASER HAIR REMOVAL VALUES Buy a 6-Treatment LASER PACKAGE and

GET 50% OFF

our regular low price

LASER Any Small Area First Treatment

ONLY $15.00

lip, chin, eyebrow or sideburns 40 | THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • October 10, 2013

Dolce Aesthetics NY wants only the best for our clients. We use the gold standard of lasers, the Cynosure Apogee Elite Laser. This Laser is widely recognized as the most powerful and safest laser available. The Elite is clinically proven to be the most effective laser for hair removal, vein therapy and photo facials. At Dolce Aesthetics NY every Laser Specialist is a Licensed Esthetician and Certified Laser Technician with extensive experience in both lasers and skin care. We offer professional services with special attention to each client’s individual characteristics for Dolce-licious skin.

One Syringe

$450*

For the Fine Lines Under Your Eyes ONLY $450* *New Clients Only

LET’S TALK ABOUT… • Eyelash Extensions • Rhino Augmentation • Lip Augmentation • Liquid Face Lift FREE CONSULTATIONS!

Double Syringe (1.5 ml) ONLY $675*

Treatments 20 Units ONLY $150 ($200 VALUE)

1st Area limited to the first 50 clients.

REFRESH YOUR FACE WITHOUT SURGERY • Latisse® • Obagi® Skin Care • Forehead Lines • Crow’s Feet

GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE!

718 DOLCE NY • 718.365.2369

87-47 Myrtle Ave., Glendale NY 11385

dolceaestheticsny@gmail.com dolceaestheticsny.com


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