Queens Chronicle Back to School 2012 by Queens Chronicle

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2012

Samantha Fordell, 8, practices her reading.

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, August 23, 2012 Page 2

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• New Queens schools and additions . . . . . . . . 4 • Confusing “turnaround” high school plan. . . . 5 • Private school tuition keeps rising. . . . . . . . . . 6 Sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph, Brentwood, NY Chartered by the New York State Board of Regents Accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, August 23, 2012 Page 4

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School year will bring more classrooms New buildings, expansions and one charter among those opening in Sept. by Domenick Rafter Associate Editor

aspeth High School is not considered a “new” school. Its life began a few years ago, a few miles away from its namesake neighborhood — in the Queens Metropolitan campus in Forest Hills. But when the Class of 2016 enters its first day of freshman year next month, the most prominent freshman among them will be the building itself. Maspeth High School’s permanent campus at 54-40 74 St. will open its doors on Sept. 6 and the first bell will ring promptly at 8:15 a.m. “We implement an interdisciplinary, college preparatory curriculum that will train our students to become critical thinkers and develop their social and emotional intelligence,” said Principal Khurshid Abdul-Mutakabbir in his letter to parents. In a year where a lot of the discussion surrounding education has been about which schools are disappearing, Maspeth High School is one of a number of new schools, new campuses and new charters that will be opening to educate a new generation of students this September, as the borough of Queens, home to one of the largest school-age populations in the country, struggles to keep up with the growing demand for education. The 1,119-seat building which dominates the Maspeth skyline and can be seen from passing cars on the Long Island Expressway, heralds an era of new schools that will continue through this decade. Since 2003, more than 35,000 seats have been added to the school system in the borough of Queens alone, according to the School Construction Authority. SCA President and CEO Lorraine Grillo said earlier this year that it recognized Queens’

overcrowded school issue and was working to keep up with the problem. “The situation, as you know, in Queens is dire,” Grillo said at a Borough Board meeting at Borough Hall in Kew Gardens in March. “We’ve been working very, very hard to add seats.” Among the newest addition to Queens’ institutions of education is PS/IS 277. The 665-seat school in Downtown Jamaica will ring the bell for the first time on Sept. 6. It will serve grades K through 8 in its new building at 153-27 88 Ave., one block from Hillside Avenue and Parsons Boulevard and steps from Rufus King Park. The new school is meant to help alleviate overcrowding in District 28, which includes Jamaica, South Jamaica, Rochdale as well as Forest Hills, Rego Park and Kew Gardens. PS 29 in College Point will be opening a new extension that will bring an additional 232 seats to the school, which is located at 125-10 23 Ave. In Long Island City, Middle College High School, located within LaGuardia Community College, will add 820 seats this year, according to the DOE. The Eagle Academy for Young Men, an all-boys school in Southeast Queens, will open in September in a new home that would allow the two-year old school to grow. “Moving into a larger facility will allow Eagle Academy to build upon its existing model of improving educational outcomes for our young men of color,” said David Banks, president and CEO of The Eagle Academy Foundation. The academy opened in 2010 and was housed inside the IS 59 building at 132-55 Ridgedale St. in Springfield Gardens until a new permanent home was built. The school’s new campus will be at 171-10 Linden Blvd. in St. Albans, the former site of

Maspeth High School’s 1,119-seat campus off the Long Island Expressway on 74th Street will welcome its first students next month, though the school has been open since 2010 at Queens Metropolitan High School campus in Forest Hills.

The Eagle Academy for Young Men, currently located at IS 59 in Springfield Gardens, above, will relocate to a new campus next month on Linden Boulevard in St. Albans, FILE PHOTOS the former site of the Allen Christian School.

the Allen Christian School, a former private school managed by the Greater Allen AME. Church, led by former Congressman Rev. Floyd Flake. The move will allow the Eagle Academy to expand from just grades six and seven to grades six through 12. “This historic partnership between the New York City Department of Education, the Greater Allen A.M.E. Cathedral of New York and The Eagle Academy Foundation will dramatically increase our ability to serve the community in Southeast Queens,” Banks added. Two schools will be opening as co-located facilities. One will be Wave Preparatory Elementary School in Far Rockaway in the building that housed the now closed PS 215 and the other is PS 110, which will open at 48-29 37 St. in Sunnyside in the building that formerly was St. Raphael’s Roman Catholic school. There is one charter school opening in the borough this September. The Central Queens Academy Charter School will begin operating in the former Montessori

school at 50-33 Junction Blvd. in Elmhurst next month. The school will serve grades five through eight and will focus its education on students from District 24, one of the city’s most overcrowded, and on foreign-born students with limited knowledge of the English language. The DOE said it plans on adding more than 6,000 new seats in the borough of Queens in the next few years including new elementary schools due to open and planned schools for Bayside, Flushing and Howard Beach, where DOE is still searching for acceptable sites. A new elementary school is being constructed in Ozone Park at the site of a former parochial school. Next year, entirely new schools are scheduled to begin accepting students in Long Island City and Corona and PS 87 in Middle Village will add an extension. The latter two schools are located in overcrowded District 24, which will also include a new school planned for Ridgewood. Maspeth High School is Q also in District 24.

PS 29 in College Point will debut its new 232-seat expansion when the school reopens for the 2012-13 school year on Sept. 6.

BTS page 5rev Page 5 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, August 23, 2012

‘Turnaround’ schools given legal reprieve Seven boro high schools will come back after courts kill mayor’s plan by Domenick Rafter

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seven high schools were set to begin life under their new names. August Martin in South Jamaica was to hen the students and faculty left graduation ceremonies in June at become the School of Opportunities at August Martin, Flushing, John August Martin Campus, Richmond Hill Adams, Long Island City, Newtown, Rich- was to be reborn as 21st Century School of mond Hill and William Cullen Bryant high Richmond Hill and Flushing High School was preparing for life named schools, it seemed certain that for a relatively obscure man they would be the last to ever do who may or may not have so. At the time, it was planned been influential in its creation that when the doors reopened over a century ago. in September, the schools would But only days after the 2011have new names and, for the 12 school year came to a close, most part, new staff. an arbitrator, Scott Buccheit, The Panel for Education Poliissued a decision that launched a cy had voted only a few months series of events over the summer earlier to close the seven that led to the ultimate demise schools, and 17 others citywide, of the plan, which the DOE had as part of a program the Departpursued after discussions on a ment of Education called “turnteacher evaluation system colaround,” wherein the schools lapsed over the winter. The evalwould reopen under new names uation system was needed to and with largely new staff in qualify for nearly $60 million in September 2012. federal funding. At graduations during the On June 29, Buccheit, who last week of June, outgoing principals shed tears and students dressed arbitrated the decision between the DOE in their caps and gowns walked somberly and the United Federation of Teachers and at times across stages to accept their diplo- the Council for Supervisors and Adminismas, believing themselves to be the last to trators, the two unions representing teachers and principals and school administragraduate their respective schools. When graduation ceremonies ended, the tors, ruled that the plan violated the city’s contracts with the unions because the renamed and restaffed schools would not truly be “new” schools. The city immediately appealed to the state Supreme Court and the case went before Justice Joan Lobis, who had sent the two sides to arbitration in May in the first place, when the UFT and CSA sued the DOE to put a stop to the plan, which was approved by a narrow vote of the PEP in April. The unions said the turnaround plan was an attempt by the Bloomberg administration to bust them over the failed negotiations on a new teacher evaluation system. The original list of schools affected by the plan was bigger and included Grover Cleveland High School in Ridgewood, which was given an 11th hour reprieve by the DOE. The Eagle Academy for Young Men, currently located at PS 59 in Springfield Gardens, above, will relocate to It was struck from the list a new campus next month on Linden Boulevard in literally only hours before the PEP voted on the plan. St. Albans, the former site of Allen Christian School. continued on page 9 FILE PHOTO Associate Editor

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, August 23, 2012 Page 6

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or many parents in New York City, the option of private school is an attractive one. Whether it’s the reputation of city public schools, a desire for a religious education for their children or opportunities in sports, private schools are a popular, but often costly, route. Queens private schools have yielded some of the country’s, or perhaps the world’s, most powerful people, including Gov. Andrew Cuomo, an alumnus of Archbishop Molloy High School in Briarwood, and Donald Trump, who attended the prestigious Kew-Forest School not to mention Tina Charles and Sue Bird, members of the USA women’s basketball team that just won gold at the Summer Olympics in London, who both attended Christ the King Regional High School in Middle Village. But the education comes at a price, and one that has increased starkly in recent years. When Christ the King opened its doors in 1968, tuition was $300 a year. Today, the price tag for Christ the King is one of the highest in the city, costing $8,355 a year counting the full tuition and fees.

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Tuition at Archbishop Molloy High School in Briarwood is $8,000 a year in 2012, but the school, which went co-educational in 2000, is one of the most sought after in the borough and has graduated such notable figures as Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Police Commissioner FILE PHOTO Ray Kelly.

For those who start their kids in private school at a young age, the price for 13 years of education from kindergarten through grade 12 could cost almost the same as a year at Harvard University. At other Catholic high schools in the borough, St. Francis Prep in Fresh Meadows and Archbishop Molloy both cost just under $8,000 in tuition for 2012-13, while The Mary Louis Academy is just over $8,000. The tuition at St. Mary Gate of Heaven grammar school in Ozone Park is $3,550 a year for one child of an active parishioner and $3,850 for others. For two children, the tuition is $5,700 and $6,000, respectively, and $7,100 and $7,400 for three children. St. Mel School in Flushing costs $3,950 for one child for parishioners who worship regularly, and $4,950 for what the school terms “non-affiliated” families — those who don’t regularly attend church at the parish. Tuition for three or more children for “non-affiliated” families is nearly $10,000. Those numbers are nearly three times higher than what the tuition was 20 years ago, when the cost for one child at St. Mary Gate of Heaven was around $1,000 in 1994. Kew-Forest tuition runs from $11,350 for half-day pre-kindergarten to $30,500 for grades nine through 12. Academic and sports scholarships are a common way for students to receive a private school education, and schools like Molloy and Christ the King have been noted for producing some of the country’s best athletes. Proponents of private schools say students who attend them often end up going on to notable colleges. The popularity of these institutions has led to a debate over giving tax credits to parents who send their kids to private schools such as Catholic schools and yeshivas. Rep. Bob Turner (R-Middle Village) has been a noted supporter of the idea. “When a parent chooses to send their child to a nonpublic school, they are freeing up capital and opening up a desk for another child,” Turner said at a press conference in March. “Yet even though they no longer use the resources of the public school system, they are still responsible for paying taxes that go toward the public schools and on top of that they have to pay for the tuition of the nonpublic school, in Q essence a double taxation.”

C M BTS page 7 Y K Page 7 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, August 23, 2012

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, August 23, 2012 Page 8

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Old traditions serve as modern solutions St. John’s seeks to offer the world to students, and students to the world by Michael Gannon Editor

t. John’s University, like many colleges and universities, has been forced to confront modern times and a modern economy in which college costs are rising and prospective students are having to make tougher and tougher educational and financial decisions. But according to Karen Vahey, director of admissions at the Jamaica campus, the school has done quite well in these challenging times by sticking to its founding traditions. “Things are looking really good,” said Vahey, less than two weeks before the start of the 201213 school year. “We have an increase in the number of deposits ... the number of people interested in attending,” Vahey said. “And we expect an increase in the average SAT points of our incoming class.” Vahey acknowledged that private college education is expensive — tuition this year will be $34,750 for students who do not live on campus — but that the school’s very origins have led to aid programs that she believes will allow it to let the students and school thrive.

“We were founded in 1870 with the mission of allowing access to education to all,” she said. “We’re still committed to doing that.” She said 97 percent of their students will receive some sort of tuition assistance. And when that is not enough, the school offers financial aid of its own, such as the Ozanam Scholarship program. “It is a $10,000 scholarship in which students are paired with faculty mentors and address issues of social justice,” she said. “It’s a lot of work, but there is a payoff for it.” She said the social justice aspect is a modern application of the tenets of SJU’s founders, the Vincentian Order, which follows in the tradition of St. Vincent de Paul for charity and service to the community. “Our office recently went down to work at the school’s soup kitchen,” she said. “This is a Catholic school, and the school expects service from its students, faculty and staff.” New degree offerings for 2012-13 also are geared, at least in part, to combining academic and professional growth with prudent fiscal decisions. One is a new dual degree program in

Students at St. John’s University’s Jamaica campus will come from all over the world, and many will get to go all over the world to study. PHOTO COURTESY ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY

psychology and criminology and justice that allows a student to secure a bachelor of arts degree and a masters in five years instead of the normal six. The university’s Peter Tobin School of Business also will be offering a dozen combined-degree programs, such as risk management and business administration, which allow a student to get a bachelor’s degree and an MBA.

“It will save the students a full year of tuition,” Vahey said. “And our students will be able to get into their chosen career field with an advanced degree a full year earlier than other students.” The school is in the process of upgrading the appearance of its main entrance and gate on Utopia Parkway, though New York City, Vahey said, will still remain its continued on page 9

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Public school calendar for 2012-13 Sept. 6

Thursday

SCHOOL SESSIONS BEGIN FOR ALL STUDENTS Early dismissal for kindergarten students only. Partial day for PreK. First full day for all kindergarten students. Partial day for PreK. First full day for prekindergarten public school students. Rosh Hashanah (schools closed). Yom Kippur (schools closed). Columbus Day observed (schools closed).

Sept. 7 Sept. 10 Sept. 17, 18 Sept. 26 Oct. 8

Friday Monday Monday and Tuesday Wednesday Monday

Oct. 17

Wednesday

Prekindergarten non-attendance day.

Nov. 6

Tuesday

Election Day, Chancellor’s Conference Day, staff development (students will not be in attendance).

Nov. 12 Nov. 22, 23

Monday Thursday and Friday

Veterans Day observed (schools closed). Thanksgiving Recess (schools closed).

Dec. 5 Dec. 24, Jan. 1 Jan. 21 Jan. 28

Wednesday Monday through and including Tuesday Monday Monday

Jan. 29 Feb. 6 Feb. 18, 22 March 25, April 2 April 10 May 27 June 6 June 21 June 26

Tuesday Wednesday Monday through Friday Monday through and including Tuesday Wednesday Monday Thursday Friday Wednesday

Prekindergarten non-attendance day. Winter Recess (including Christmas and New Year’s Day) (schools closed — students return to school on Wednesday, Jan.2, 2013). Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day (schools closed) Fall Term ends for high school students. No high school students will be in attendance. Chancellor’s Conference Day for staff development in all high schools. All other students will be in attendance. Spring term begins for high school students. Prekindergarten nonattendance day. Midwinter recess including Washington’s Birthday and Lincoln’s birthday (schools closed). Spring recess (including Good Friday, Easter and Passover), schools closed. Students return to school on Wednesday, April 3. Prekindergarten nonattendance day. Memorial Day observed (schools closed). Chancellor’s Conference Day. Students in all five boroughs will not be in attendance. High school Regents rating day. LAST DAY FOR ALL STUDENTS — All students report.

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Lobis first denied the city a request for a temporary restraining order so it could continue to implement the turnaround plan as it made its way through the courts. That decision came down on July 10 and two weeks later, Lobis officially upheld the arbitrator’s decision, though the city appeared to throw in the towel after the TRO denial. “We have to operate under the principle that the staff who were at the school[s] will be coming back,” Chancellor Dennis Walcott said after the restraining order was denied.

St. John’s tradition continued from page 8

The DOE said the turnaround plan was the least radical of a series of options it had to qualify for federal money after the city and unions failed to agree on a deal on an evaluation system. But the mayor could also punt the issue to the next administration, which will take office on Jan. 1, 2014. For some, like Queens’ PEP representative, Dmytro Fedkowskyj, neither the turnaround plan nor the status quo are acceptable options. Fedkowskyj suggested some other less ambitious options that he said have already been successful and should be explored. “Our school communities deserve a Q plan, not an experiment,” he said.

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biggest recruiting tool. She expects that when final numbers are in for this year they will exceed last year’s enrollment of 15,700 undergraduate students, 5,300 graduate students and 2,763 Professor incoming freshmen. Jeffrey Kinkley “We have students PHOTO COURTESY from 46 states and 110 ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY countries,” she said. “The city is a good selling point for local students who want to stay near home or from anywhere in the country who want to attend a Catholic liberal arts college right in the heart of New York City.” And should The City That Never Sleeps not be quite enough, the school hopes to expand its program that offers freshmen an opportunity to study at its campus in Rome. “We want our students to be students of the world, too,” Vahey said. And not just as tourists. The school recently had faculty and staff head to South Africa to work with children and the sick in some of the poorest areas of the country. In a crossover between international relations and the school’s vaunted athletic program, two university fencers and the fencing team’s head coach, Yury Gelman, represented the Unites States in the Olympic Games in London. The school also will have an expanded reach for study abroad this year, as seven students have been awarded prestigious Fulbright Scholarships. “That is exciting,” Vahey said. The program is named for former United States Sen. William Fulbright of Arkansas, and is meant to promote and assist foreign exchange student programs. An additional new tie with the Fulbright program is Jeffrey Kinkley, a history professor at the university who has been asked to serve on the national Fulbright Selection Committee. Kinkley teaches World and East Asian History as well as Modern Chinese History, Literature and Film. He will be on the committee that screens and reviews applications from students who apply to pursue research and teaching in China. It is the third time he has been asked to serve on the committee. Q

on appeal, and what will happen then is uncertain. The Bloomberg administration only has one more full school year in office, and the city may have already lost out on the $60 million in funding, depending on a number of factors including the results of the November presidential election. A victory by Republican candidate Mitt Romney could change the qualifications or completely eliminate the federal grant money that necessitated the new teacher evaluation system and ultimately the turnaround plan. If the city wins, it could choose to implement the turnaround plan in September 2013; if it loses, it could move forward with an even more ambitious plan.

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continued from page 5

Though lawyers representing the DOE in the case said the city would appeal Lobis’ decision, it opted to scrap the turnaround plan because an appeal will not be heard until after the beginning of the school year, making it impossible to implement the plan before school begins in September. On July 31, in a letter to principals, the DOE confirmed the schools would reopen in the fall with their old names. Staffing, however, was far more complicated. Many of those who were laid off in the spring have opted for new employment, despite the fact that the ruling entitled them to their old jobs. The DOE still expects to ultimately win

Page 9 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, August 23, 2012

‘Turnaround’ plan

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, August 23, 2012 Page 10

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Fall family fun found in Queens Lots to do in the cooler season that will please kids of all ages by Liz Rhoades Managing Editor

he lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer may be coming to a close for youngsters, but do not despair. There are plenty of fall adventures planned in Queens for the entire family. With luck, the weather will remain mild through October and there are a plethora of both indoor and outdoor activities to please all ages. Listed below is a sampling of museums, parks and cultural institutions in the borough that are presenting both educational and fun events. Alley Pond Environmental Center at 228-06 Northern Blvd. in Douglaston, offers nature programs for children and adults. On Sept. 15 there will be an astronomy class from 8 to 10 p.m. Call for details and to register at (718) 229-4000. APEC’s National Estuaries Day Festival will be held on Sept. 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be exhibits, interactive booths and free boat rides on Little Neck Bay. The Parks Department is sponsoring numerous free events this fall, starting out with a back-to-school festival in Forest Park’s Victory Field in Woodhaven on Sept. 6 from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. A similar event will be held at Little Bay Park in Bayside on Sept. 8 from noon to 3 p.m. Both events will have games, crafts and inflatable rides.

The back-to-school festival at Little Bay Park always attracts a crowd to play and FILE PHOTO learn about animals.

The corn maze at the Queens County Farm Museum in Floral Park is a challenge to FILE PHOTO participants and a lot of fun for families.

On Sept. 15, from noon to 3 p.m., a hot- shot family basketball tournament will be held at Lost Battalion Hall Recreation Center, 93-29 Queens Blvd., in Rego Park. A family fun and fitness day will be held there on Oct. 6 when visitors will be able to play basketball, jump rope, play soccer and more. An adaptive sports carnival will be held on Oct. 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Al Oerter Recreation Center, 131-40 Fowler Ave., in Flushing. A Halloween Festival will be featured at Fort Totten Park in Bayside on Oct. 20 from noon to 3 p.m. There will be hay rides, costume contests and a pumpkin patch. For the brave, there will be a haunted lantern tour of the historic Fort Totten water battery on Oct. 26 and 27 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. ARROW Community Center, 35-30 35 St., Astoria will sponsor a haunted house on Oct. 27. Hours have not yet been posted. “Shocktoberfest” will be held on Oct. 30 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Playground for All Children, 111-01 Corona Ave., in Flushing Meadows Park. There will be games, crafts and a costume dance party. The New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Park offers hands-on programs throughout the year. The Rocket Park Mini Golf and the Science Playground are open through Dec. 31, weather permitting. The hall’s World Maker Faire will be held Sept. 29 and 30, a family festival to create and be inspired. Cost runs from $8 to $40. A Halloween event will be held Oct. 27 and

28 where kids can create edible treats. For more information, call (718) 699-0005. History always comes alive at King Manor, located in King Park on Jamaica Avenue at 153rd Street in Jamaica. It was the home of Rufus King, one of the signers of the U.S. Constitution, who bought the house in 1805 and whose son became governor of New York State. Tour the house and then stay for various fall activities, which are all free. On Sept. 15, from noon to 3 p.m. come

to a Constitution celebration and learn how it was written. Enjoy cake and celebrate freedom. For more information, call (718) 206-0545. The Queens Botanical Garden at 43-50 Main St. in Flushing will host an autumn moon festival on Sept. 30 from 4 to 6 p.m. Families are invited to make crafts, try moon cakes and enjoy cultural programs. A harvest festival will be held on Oct. 14 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It will feature the popular pumpkin patch, workshops, demonstrations and other family activities. Over at the Queens Zoo, also in Flushing Meadows Park, look for a special Boo at the Zoo weekend event for Halloween. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children. For information, call (718) 271-1500. The Queens County Farm Museum at 73-50 Little Neck Parkway in Floral Park is a good bet for family fun, especially in the fall. Start out at the 30th annual Queens County Fair, running Sept. 22 and 23 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. This is a traditional country fair with blue-ribbon competitions in livestock, produce, crafts and more. Participate in the Amazing Maize Maze, a walk through a specially designed cornfield. Admission is $8 for adults; $5 for children. The corn maze will be open through Oct. 28 on weekends from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and until 9 p.m. on Oct. 6 and 13. The cost is $9 for adults; $5 for children. Other October events include Apple Festival on Oct. 7, a Children’s Fall Festival for Halloween on Oct. 28 and a Halloween Haunted House Oct. 26-28. Prices vary, call for details at (718) 347-3276. In November, don’t miss the wildlife weekends at the farm on Nov. 3-4 and 1011, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring birds of prey, frogs and animal shows. AdmisQ sion is $9.

Tom Hurtubise, curator of education at the Queens Zoo, shows a critter to youngPHOTO BY JULIE LARSEN MAHER sters during a special program.

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Back To School/Fall Guide 2012

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Music and comedy fill Queens stages Performers such as Pat Cooper, Rob Schneider and Bejing Opera scheduled by Josey Bartlett Editor

he days are getting shorter, making it an opportune time to utilize your nights and fill them with some big-name performers, who’ll be taking over some of the borough’s professional performance venues this fall. Queensborough Performing Arts Center in Bayside gives some laughs as well as some Grammy and Broadway star shows. First up is Grammy-winning singer Dionne Warwick on Sept. 30 at 3 p.m., performing pop classics such as “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?” and “This Girl’s in Love With You.” Tickets are $45, $41 and $39. Voicing his opinion, whether one wants it or not, is Pat Cooper on Oct. 7 at 3 p.m. Prior to the main act, comedians Jack Fontana and Joe Starr will loosen up the crowd for Cooper’s “comedic anger.” Tickets are $40, $36 and $34. Tony Orlando and Elayne Boosler will entertain audiences

F u n n y m a n R o b S c h n e i d e r, former SNL star and no stranger to Hollywood, performs at the Queensborough Performing Arts Center on Nov. 17. PHOTO COURTESY QPAC

with their music, wit and satire on Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. Orlando is best- known for his five No. 1 records, such as “Knock Three Times” with the group Tony Orlando and Dawn, and hosted a variety show from 1974 to 1976. Orlando’s guest comedian, Boosler, has appeared on “Comic Relief” and “Politically Incorrect.” Tickets are $40, $36, $35 and $34. The Capital Steps know how to get audiences rolling on the ground from their singing spoofs on current politics. Their Oct. 21 show at 3 p.m., “Take the Money and Run for President,” will spoof the 2012 Republican presidential candidate. Tickets are $24 to $39. Next, “Saturday Night Live” veteran and Adam Sandler’s top pal, Rob Schneider, will bring some quirky fun to the stage on Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40, $36, $35 and $34. Last this fall is a roundup of legendary Broadway stars from musicals like “The Wiz,” “Guys and Dolls,” “42nd Street” and “Hello Dolly.” Donna McKechnie, Ken Page and Lee Roy Reams will perform on Nov. 18 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $40, $36 and $34. For Spanish dance theater, look no further than Sunnyside’s Thalia Spanish Theater. This fall for its 35th anniversary season the company will perform two five-week-long shows. The American premier of “Guernica 75,” a flamenco tribute to Picasso’s renowned painting with composer Daniel Casares, will run for 15 performances in September and October from Friday through Sunday. Visit the website for exact dates. For the second show, Thalia teams with the Mestizo Dance Company and Harold Gutierrez’s band for Colombia y Brazil en Carnaval, a dance exploring the traditions of the Carnival holiday. For a more nontraditional look at the performing arts head to The Chocolate Factory in Long Island City. The artistic director of the theater, Brian Rogers, stars as director, choreographer, sound man and lead performer in the art-documentary “Hot Box.” During the film, a very drunk Rogers will project real-time images of himself and another performer, Madeline Best, via a live video feed on Sept. 13 to 15 and 17 to 22 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15.

Mestizo Dance Company will perform a Carnival-inspired show at the Thalia Theater. PHOTO COURTESY THALIA THEATER

Keeping with the unconventional theme, the theater brings the Amsterdam-based American expatriate mime Rob List for a short run from Oct. 4 to 6 at 8 p.m. “Play by Ear” features anticonceptual movement, dance and song. Tickets are $15. Last in their fall roundup is a collaboration with Performance Space 122 to bring Big Dance Theater and Sibyl Kempson for their performance of “Ich, Kürbisgeist” from Oct. 25 to 27, Oct. 31 to Nov. 3 and Nov. 7 to 10, all at 8 p.m. The intimate show combines performance, text and visual design to chronicle five characters living in a harsh world and speaking a tough, made-up language. Tickets are $20 and $15. For traditional music, with an international flair, visit Flushing Town Hall. Along with the theater’s array of professional performances, Flushing Town Hall will celebrate Korean culture with weekly Zen meditation workshops and art and music demonstrations. The Bejing Opera in Flushing will perform a two-part benefit concert on Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. “Romance of the Iron Bow” shows a comical romance outside a tea house, whereas “Home Bound” is about a captured soldier trying to return home. Tickets are $50, $30 and $10. The Sonagi Project brings five Korean musicians led by Chang

Jea Hyo to Flushing on Oct. 19 at 8 p.m. The band’s exuberant performances showcase their modern music, which is based on traditional Korean chants and rhythms. Tickets are $20, $15 and $10. Bring the kids to the family friendly puppetry show “Guyi, Guyi” based on the Taiwanese children’s book about a crocodile accidentally born into a family of ducks on Oct. 20. The play is performed by award-winning puppetry company Periferia Teatro, based in Barcelona. Tickets are $12, $10, $8 and $6. On Nov. 10 Layali El Andalus, Lara Bello and Jarana Beats

exemplify the migration of Latin music around the world from beats influenced by Morocco, Jew ish Sephardic music and Mexican and Arabic culture. There will be an open dance floor. Tickets are $20. Queensborough Performing Arts Center, 222-05 56th Ave., Bayside, (718) 631-6311, qcc.cuny.edu/qpac. Thalia Spanish Theatre,47-17 Greenpoint Ave., Sunnyside, (718) 729-3880, thaliatheatre.org The Chocolate Factory, 5-49 49 Ave., Long Island City, (718) 4827069, choclatefactorytheater.org Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., (718) 463-7700, Q flushingtownhall.org.

Drummers from the Sonagi Project performing at Flushing Town PHOTO COURTESY FLUSHING TOWN HALL Hall on Oct. 19.

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Student Advantage Account

Page 13 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, August 23, 2012

Learn at own pace at Queens Library

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he Queens Library has expanded a host of adult training and certification classes during the last six months, and they are gathering momentum this fall season. Federal money allocated through the NYC Connected Communities fund allows the libraries to offer Broadband Technology Opportunities programs for free. The offerings can be taken online or face-to-face at Job Information Centers at the Central Library at 89-11 Merrick Alba Delgado learns valuable computer skills from Blvd. in Jamaica and at the Jose Garcia at the Ridgewood branch of the FILE PHOTO Flushing Library at 41-17 Main Queens Public Library. St. The Long Island City, Far Rockaway and Auburn libraries offer sit- English and apply on the hotel’s Englishonly website. down courses, as well. Libraries can also help adults preparing “Individuals can go back to school in a nonjudgmental, low-pressure way to get an for the Graduation Record Examinations, education and certificate,” Queens Library social services certifications and positions as computer technicians among other serspokeswoman Joanne King said. There are no grades or outside pressures vices. One recent participant got his A+ cerat the library, King said. There are senior- tification, which gives him computer hardspecific classes, which give an older crowd ware and repair knowledge. People of all ages are seeking these serthe opportunity to mingle and learn with vices, King said. their same age group. “There’s a surprising The libraries also offer number of people who one-on-on help for have really good jobs individuals. and are thinking about So what’s offered? an upgrade or change,” There are basic she said. “Also there is computer classes for a perception out there people who know very that young people little about technoloknow how to use comgy. Queens residents have taken these classes since April 2011 — puters, but they know how to use smart phones and maybe don’t know how to use 22,000 people so far. The library offers courses on how to cre- the many business programs.” If there are barriers in the way of ate resumes, search for jobs and how to interview. There are more specialized classes employment such as a lack of childcare or on how to use Photoshop, promote a busi- no easy access to transportation, librarians ness with social media, make business cards can help individuals contact city, community and faith-based organizations that and craft a home budget on Excel. “Public libraries have always excelled in work with the library to let people know basic computer classes, but more recently about their services. For more information individuals should public libraries have moved on to more advanced and intermediate courses,” BTOP call (718) 990-8625. Starting Sept. 10 Queens Library locaCoordinator Tara Lannen-Stanton said. Online courses and free certificates in tions will have new hours. The new schedQuickBooks, Adobe software, and Microsoft ule will include evening hours in every Office are available through the online library, Monday to Friday, and more than database Metrix Learning. Classes are a third of Queens’ libraries will have 24hour self-service checkouts with more offered in Spanish as well. King recalled that a Spanish-speaking coming online in the future. Several of the woman recently visited the Central Library largest libraries will have early morning to get resume help to apply for a maid posi- hours, too. Weekend hours will remain tion at a Manhattan hotel. Bilingual librari- unchanged. The schedule is available at Q ans helped her put together a resume in queenslibrary.org/hours.

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Check out Brooklyn for autumn activities Museums, garden, aquarium, roller coaster and much more by AnnMarie Costella Assistant Editor

id you know Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler, Mike Tyson, Larry King, Richard Dreyfuss and Jay-Z were all born in Brooklyn, or that the famed Brooklyn Bridge — not for sale, by the way — was the largest suspension bridge in the world for 20 years after its completion in 1883? Next time you’re at the movies and chewing on some Twizzlers candy, remember it was developed by the National Licorice Co. in Brooklyn in 1845. The one-time independent city, a rival to New York until the consolidation of 1898, is the most populous of the five boroughs and has been romanticized in countless movies and books and with good reason. Brooklyn has a charm all its own. There is perhaps no bigger proponent of Brooklyn than its borough president, Marty Markowitz. “Brooklyn is the coolest city on the planet. How sweet is is,” Markowitz says in a video on his website. “So visit Brooklyn. We’ve got the best restaurants, the best views, and during the holidays, the best shopping. ... Brooklyn — we’ve got it all. Come visit us.” Do it. One great way to start is by taking a leisurely stroll along the Coney Island boardwalk, which stretches from Corbin Place to West 37th Street, and grabbing a hot dog at the original Nathan’s Famous hot dog stand at 1310 Surf Ave. Then head on over to the nearby New York Aquarium where you can get up close and personal with a wide variety of sea creatures and learn about the diversity of the world’s oceans. The 14-acre site is home to more than 300 marine species from mammals and birds to fish and reptiles. There is a touch pool where you can feel the smooth shell of a horseshoe crab or the many legs of a starfish. There are also tanks filled with mesmerizing, floating jellyfish and one can view the acrobatic stunts of California sea lions during their Aquatheater training demonstrations. This year, the aquarium welcomed Anna, a black-footed penguin chick, to its colony at the Sea Cliffs exhibit. She was the first of her kind to hatch at the aquarium in 15 years. She spent 39 days in an eggshell, closely guarded by her parents, before she emerged. “The New York Aquarium gives visitors a chance to see and learn about wildlife that they might not have a chance to encounter otherwise,” its director, Jon Forrest Dohlin, said in an email. “We help people connect to nature and develop an appreciation of aquatic wildlife and how everyday actions can help protect delicate marine habitats.”

This playful sea otter is just one of the many cute critters at the New York Aquarium. PHOTO BY JULIE LARSEN MAHER/WCS

The New York Aquarium is located on Surf Avenue and West 8th Street. Fall hours begin Sept. 4 and end Nov. 4. They are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m on weekends and holidays. Admission is $14.95 for adults, $10.95 for children ages 3 to 12 and $11.95 for seniors ages 65 and older. Children under age 3 get in free. For more information, call (718) 220-5100 or go online to nyaquarium.com For those who crave the artistic and cultural, Brooklyn has several museums one can visit. The New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn Heights offers exhibits, tours, film screenings, weekend workshops and more, all centered around celebrating the past, present and future of New York’s transportation network operated by the MTA. The museum, located at Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on weekends from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for children ages 3 to 17 and seniors ages 62 and older. For more information, call (718) 694-1600 or go online to mta.info/museum. The Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden is one of the highlights at PHOTO BY BETTY CROCKER/WIKIPEDIA The Brooklyn the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Museum, which Set on 52 acres in Prospect Heights, the BBG is home to opened in 1897, is the country’s second-largest public art museum, over 10,000 types of plants and is visited by more than a 560,000-square-foot Beaux-Arts 700,000 people annually. The garden is located at 1000 gem containing more than 1.5 mil- Washington Ave. For more information, call (718) 623-7200 lion objects in its permanent collection, or go online to bbg.org. Want to wet your whistle with some quality suds? Come from ancient Egyptian masterpieces to conon down to the Brooklyn Brewery to taste its many varieties temporary art. The Brooklyn Museum is located at 200 Eastern Park- of beer like its classic Brooklyn Lager, Brown Ale, East India way. It is open on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Pale Ale, Pilsner, Pennant and Brooklyn Blast — just to name Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday through a few. You can also take a tour of the facility if you are over Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The suggested admission 21 or accompanied by a parent. Tours are offered Monday through Thursday from 5 to 7 price is $12. For more information, call (718) 638-5000 or p.m., by reservation only, for $8. On the weekends there are visit brooklynmuseum.org Founded in 1899, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum was free tours every hour on the hour from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturthe first museum created specifically for youngsters. It has days and from 1 to 4 p.m on Sundays. The Brooklyn Brewery 30,000 cultural objects and natural history specimens. The is located 79 North 11 St. in Williamsburg. For more informaexhibits also feature hands-on activities and role-playing tion, call (718) 486-7422 or visit brooklynbrewery.com What visit to Brooklyn would be complete without a ride opportunities. Admission is $7.50 per person and free for children under 1 year of age. Hours of operation vary by sea- on the world-famous Coney Island Cyclone roller coaster, an son. The museum is located at 145 Brooklyn Ave. in Crown official city landmark since July 12, 1988? The iconic wonHeights. For more information, call (718) 735-4400 or go to der scream maker was constructed in 1927 at a cost of $175,000 and is made out of wood. brooklynkids.org. Tickets are $8 for the first ride and $5 for each additional Endless beauty and tranquility awaits visitors at the ride. Located at 834 Surf Ave., the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The endCyclone is open through the end of less variety of flowers and plantlife September. Hours of operation are provides the perfect backdrop for an noon to 8 p.m., but vary depending afternoon stroll or family picnic. on crowds and weather. For more One feature not to be missed is the information, call (718) 265-2100. Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden, If you’re still feeling brave after which also features a waterfall, your ride on the Cyclone, check out wooden bridges, stone lanterns and the Coney Island Circus Sideshow, a viewing pavilion. It is the oldest which features a fire eater, a snake and most visited Japanese-inspired charmer and a sword swallower, just garden outside Japan, according to to name a few. It is located at 1208 the BBG website. Surf Ave. and tickets are $10 for adults Also a must-see are the garden’s and $5 for children under 12 years three climate-controlled pavilions. old. Show schedules vary by season. Step through the doors and into a For more information, call (718) 372desert complete with prickly cacti, a tropical rain forest boasting waterfalls The Coney Island Cyclone roller coaster 5159 or go to coneyisland.com. So, after doing all that sightseeing, and streams, or the warm environ- — making Brooklyn residents and visitors will you love Brookyn as much as its ment of South Africa featuring a vari- scream since 1927. Q residents? Fuhgeddaboudit. ety of bulbs. PHOTO BY MTTBME/WIKIPEDIA

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Cooler fall weather is perfect time to learn about Queens on foot by Alan Krawitz Chkronicle Contributor

alking tours can be a great way to learn something new, get some needed exercise or just spend a few pleasurable hours outdoors in the crisp fall air. In Queens, a variety of fall tours are available on diverse themes from nature and history to food and fitness. And, while some tours charge a small fee, many are free. So, take a walk on the wild side this fall and experience some truly unique tours throughout the borough:

Jack Eichenbaum-led tours of Queens A self-admitted “lifelong observer” of New York and other major cities around the world, Queens Borough Historian Jack Eichenbaum says he has gleaned most of his knowledge of the city by way of a career spent in the property division of the city’s Department of Finance. Even more important, Eichenbaum makes it his business to stay current by walking incessantly through all five boroughs. One upcoming walking tour led by him is “Open Flushing,” a look at some highlights of central Flushing’s heavily Asian commerce and character, held in conjunction with the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament on Aug. 26 at 10:30 a.m. On Sept. 29 from 1 to 3 p.m., the focus shifts to the changing fate of Newtown Creek, the scene of a decades-old oil spill and contamination but now the site of hope and new condo developments. Sponsored by the Municipal Art Society. The tour can be

booked online at mas.org/tours/. On Oct. 8, Columbus Day, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Eichenbaum will examine the workingclass neighborhood of Corona and its welcoming Latin American food and culture and more, from the Lemon Ice King to Corona’s Louis Armstrong House Museum. The tour on Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. will focus on the influence the J train has had on neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Queens starting from the beginning of the line’s service around 1888. It’s sponsored by the Municipal Art Society. Book it at mas.org/tours/. Tour costs vary from free to about $40. For more information or to make reservations f o r u p c o m i n g tours, visit geognyc.com, or email Eichenbaum at jaconet@aol.com.

Nosh Walks Nosh Walks founder and author Myra Alperson shares her passion for exploring the city’s diverse and delicious cuisine with a series of walking food tours throughout the five boroughs. Coming up on Sept. 23, at 1 p.m., she’ll be exploring South Asian Jackson Heights, including stops at favorite area restaurants serving some of the best Indian, Pakistani and Afghan food in the borough. Meet at Shaheen Sweets, 72-09 Broadway. The fee is $50.

FILE PHOTO

NYC Parks The city’s parks offer a range of fall activities from leisurely walks to vigorous hikes. On Sept. 29, at 10 a.m., do some bird watching in Forest Park. It’s appropriate for all ages and park rangers will guide watchers to some of the best spots in the park. Meet at the Forest Park Visitor Center at Woodhaven Boulevard and Forest Park Drive in Woodhaven. Bring binoculars and a field guide or ask a ranger to borrow them. Be sure to catch the songbirds at the Alley Pond Park Adventure Center on Oct. 20 at 11 a.m. It’s located at Winchester Boulevard, under the Grand Central Parkway. Plants and animals that inhabit the urban forest can be found in many of the parks’ nature exploration hikes. The hikes, which are a great way to burn calories and reduce stress, range in intensity levels from light, a leisurely stroll on paved roads, to moderate to vigorous, which are long-distance walks with hills and rugged terrain. On Sept. 2, try a moderate hike at Flushing Meadows Park, at 10 a.m. Meet at Mauro Playground, Park Drive East and 73rd Terrace. On Sept. 22, check out a moderate hike at Alley Pond Park at 10 a.m., at the Alley Pond Park Adventure Center. It’s recommended for all hiking programs that participants wear comfortable shoes or boots and pack water and a light snack. The truly adventurous may want to test their physical fitness with a vigorous-level fitness hike on Nov. 10 at Cunningham Park at 11 a.m. Meet at the parking lot on Union Turnpike and 196th

Eating is on the agenda during tours sponsored by Food on Foot COURTESY PHOTO that take in parts of Queens.

Street in Fresh Meadows. Explore military history and the city’s role in major conflicts throughout the region on Oct. 6 at Fort Totten’s tunnel tour. Meet at the Fort Totten Visitor Center at Totten Road in Bayside. On Nov. 3, learn about historic New York’s native Americans at Rockaway Beach at 1 p.m. Meet at Beach 67th Street and the Boardwalk in Far Rockaway. For more information on the parks tours, visit nycgovparks.org. Food on Foot Tours Food on Foot Tours’ International Express tour is not your average food foray. For starters, the popular Queens tour doesn’t disclose its stops so participants are kept in the dark until the actual day of the event. The tour bills itself as a true eating experience and not a sampling tour. It promises to take visitors beyond the tourist attractions to neighborhoods where real New Yorkers live and eat. The tour is accomplished via subway and on foot, and includes eight stops with cuisines from five different nationalities. The Queens tours also include the Orient Adventure. Book early. They fill up fast. Most tours are given on Wednesdays and Saturdays and run anywhere from $30 to $50 but do not include transportation or the price of food. For more information on scheduling or to make reservations for upcoming tours, go online and visit foodonfoottours.com or call (631) 491-0326.

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on Crossbay Boulevard is a birders’ paradise. With more than 330 bird species that visit or live there, the refuge is considered one of the best places in the city for bird watching. There are nature walks almost every weekend or you can trek it on your own. Don’t miss the annual Shorebird Festival on Saturday, Aug 25, when there will be plenty of opportunities to take part in walking tours. For future events, call (718) 318-4340.

Shorewalkers The Shorewalkers is a group that holds walks in the tri-state area. Two fall tours will be held in Queens. They include a Queens waterfront outing on Sept. 30 at 9 a.m., meeting at the northeast corner of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue, outside the Number 7 Flushing train. The group will cover about 15 miles from Flushing to Bayside. Bring lunch and water. For information, call (646) 369-0279. The other tour is called End to End and will explore the major throughfares from Atlantic Avenue in Queens to the Brooklyn waterfront on Oct. 7. Bring lunch. The tour meets at 9:30 a.m. on the southwest corner of 90th Street and the Van Wyck Expressway. It’s about 11 miles. For information, all (718) 478-2430. Shorewalks are free to members, a membership costs $20 a year and a minimum $3 donation from others. For more details, go Q to shorewalkers.org.

Back To School/Fall Guide 2012

Baby and adult great egrets make their home in Jamaica Bay. You may spot some from the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Center.

Tentatively scheduled for Oct. 28 is either a tour of Flushing and Kew Gardens Hills with a sampling of Israeli and Yemeni foods or Southeast Asian foods or, Elmhurst with Thai and Indonesian. Most tours are $44 to $50. Reservations are suggested. For more information or to book a private tour, visit noshwalks.com or call (212) 222-2243.

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Walking tours put spring in your step

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Networks offer few new shows this fall Country music, comic book themes added to otherwise standard mix by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor

he fall doesn’t just mark the beginning of the new school year, it’s also the time when the broadcast networks introduce their new slate of shows, unlike their cable brethren, which roll out new programs throughout the year. Here’s a look at what’s in store from the broadcasters this year.

NBC In the 1950s, a chimpanzee named J. Fred Muggs helped make the “Today” show the morning broadcast icon that it still is today. The Peacock Network, which has been languishing in the ratings for years, is hoping that a capuchin monkey named Crystal can do the same thing for its primetime lineup this fall, as she, along with comedian Justin Kirk, will star in “Animal Practice,” a show set in New York about an unorthodox veterinarian. Also costarring is the wife of Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher, Joanna Garcia. Matthew Perry, who costarred in one of NBC’s all-time biggest hits, “Friends,” returns as a snarky radio sports talk show host in “Go On.” The good news is that the role is tailor-made for Perry. The bad news is that it looks identical to his last effort, “Mr. Sunshine,” which bombed on ABC. It’s not officially a TV season unless there’s a new JJ Abrams-produced series, and this year’s entry is “Revolution,” a post-apocalyptic drama about survivors in the late 21st century coping in a world without electricity. NBC execs are praying that fans of his old series, “Lost,” will quickly become hooked on this show. NBC has had some success, at least as measured by its low expectations, with “Parenthood,” so it’s offering a new sitcom about a trio of young fathers who are friends, “Guys with Kids,” starring Anthony Anderson. If any of these new shows fail to click, NBC is promising to add “Next Caller,” starring the once-hot comedian Dane Cook as a radio shock jock who is forced to take on a new female cohost by station executives. The clip shown at NBC’s Upfront presentation last May did not look very enticing.

Back To School/Fall Guide 2012

CBS

It’s hard to get excited about a new Friday night entry, “Made in Jersey,” about an earthy new associate, newcomer Janet Montgomery, at a stuffy white-shoe law firm that sounds like a TV version of the 1988 Melanie Griffith film, “Working Girl.”

FOX “House” may be history, but “The Simpsons” and “American Idol” remain solid programming tent poles for FOX. Last year, they scored big with Zooey Deschanel’s “The New Girl” and this fall they’re trying to repeat that comedic success with Mindy Kaling’s “The Mindy Project.” Kevin Bacon will make his TV debut this coming January as a detective trying to track down an escaped serial killer he arrested years ago in “The Following,” while this fall Jordana Spiro stars as a surgeon whose family is indebted to organized crime in “The Sopranos”-inspired “The Mob Doctor.” In what seems like an The cast of NBC’s “Revolution,” which will debut this fall. It’s a annual tradition with look at how people cope in a future world without electricity. “American Idol,” there PHOTO BY NINO MUNOZ/NBC will be a change in the CW President Mark Pedowitz is putting most of his chips judges’ chairs as Mariah Carey takes Jennifer Lopez’s seat in an on a “Sex and the City” prequel called “The Carrie even exchange of divas. Steven Diaries.”AnnaSophia Robb — who played Bethany HamilTyler announced that he will be ton, the surfer who lost her right arm to a shark while tackleaving as well. Preceding “Idol” ling the waves, in the 2011 film, “Soul Surfer” — stars as this fall, however, will be the second season of Simon Cow- the younger version of Sarah Jessica Parker’s Carrie Bradell’s “X Factor,” which did not deliver the ratings numbers shaw character. The CW may finally be getting away from its image as a that he promised. Two singers who have had more than their share of personal problems, Britney Spears and Demi destination for 12-year-old girls as it also will have a DC Comics action show, “Arrow,” on its fall schedule. Lovato, will be judges this season. Meryl Streep’s daughter, Mamie Gummer, is the title ABC character of “Emily Owens, MD” a drama about a young While NBC’s woes have long garnered notoriety, ABC doctor who discovers that being a resident in a snooty hoshas also fallen on hard times. “Desperate Housewives” just pital is similar to being low in the social pecking order in ended its run, while “Grey’s Anatomy” is getting very long her high school. in the tooth. Shows like “Castle,” “Happy Endings,” and The CW Network is a joint venture between CBS and “Don’t Trust the B– in Apartment 23” have generated some Time Warner. Rumors are flying that the two entertainbuzz but ho-hum ratings at best. ment behemoths may agree to pull the plug on the CW ABC will be banking heavily on a new drama about a unless there is a dramatic upturn in the Nielsens. tony apartment building with a fancy address whose tenDaytime ants are from another planet unbeknownst to the outside While prime-time shows get the glitz, daytime proworld. “666 Park Avenue” sounds like a bizarre joke about gramming has long been the most profitable part of one-percenters. ABC is offering two series with the networks’ schedules. Talk shows have replaced country music themes. “Nashville,” most soap operas and game shows at ABC, NBC, CBS starring Hayden Panettiere and Con- and FOX. “Survivor” host Jeff Probst will be trying his hand at nie Britton, is a drama about a backbiting musical family in the vein of “Dal- being a talk show host while two veterans of the genre, las,” but with gold albums taking the Steve Harvey and Ricki Lake, will be hoping to duplicate place of oil. Real-life country music past success with new syndicated offerings. The most notable talk show newcomer will be former star Reba McEntire stars as a destitute Nashville entertainer who relocates “Today” cohost and “CBS Evening News” anchor Katie her family to LA’s most famous beach- Couric, who is hoping to have better luck than her predefront community in the hopes of a cessor Jane Pauley had with this format. ABC canceled the long-running “All My Children” to clear real estate for new start in “Malibu Country.” “Katie.”

The Tiffany Network absorbs digs from comics and rival network executives because even though it has long been the ratings champion, its audience skews older than its competitors. CBS is so strong that even the shows that it has canceled, “CSI Miami,” which starred Forest Hills’ own David Caruso, and a police procedural that took place in Queens, “Unforgettable,” would have been considered smash hits on other networks. “Unforgettable” was a Top 20 show and CBS programmers are promising to bring it back next summer. Coming up on CBS will be a buddy comedy, “Partners,” concerning two childhood best friends, one gay and the other straight. David Krumholtz, who grew up in Forest Hills, is one of the stars. There also will be yet another spin on Sherlock Johnny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes, “Elementary,” which Holmes and Lucy Liu as Watson costars Jackson Heights denizen star in “Elementary” on CBS. PHOTO BY NINO MUNOZ/CBS Lucy Liu as a female Dr. Watson.

CW The lone CW show which draws viewers, “Gossip Girl,” concludes this fall. Last year’s much-hyped Sarah Michelle Gellar vehicle, “Ringer,” flopped so badly that it got canceled. This is a rare occurrence for the CW, considering programs that no one watches such as “Nikita,” “90210” and “America’s Next Top Model” are all coming back.

Late night Jay Leno, David Letterman, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon won’t be facing new competition this year, but Arsenio Hall is planning a syndicated comeback show next September. NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” begins its 38th season but it will do so without stalwart cast members Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis and Andy Samberg, who are devoting their Q time to making films.

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Stock up up on antiques, Stock onone-of-kinds, one-of-kinds, antiques, vintage and new clothing, and everything vintage and new clothing, and everything elseininbetween between atatthethe Outdoor Flea else Outdoorbeing Flea Market held on Sunday, Market held being on Sunday, June 24, August 26 and October 7 from 10:00 am to235:00 pm. July 22, August 26, and September Vendor space is to still5:00pm. available for the August and October dates. from 10:00am Please contact the synagogue for details. Vendor space is still available for the July, August, and September dates. Please contact the synagogue for details. CLASS: HEBREW UPCOMING ADULT EDUCATION

Page 17 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, August 23, 2012

Flushing House CALENDAR OF EVENTS AT

Thursdays, Now through October 4 – 7:30 pm As part of his annual series of education Freeat 6:00 pm Wednesday, Juneat20 Synagogue, Cantor Steven RUSH HOUR CONCERT Pearlson invites you toexperience a different When work ends, come and learn Hebrew. kind of rush hour on Wednesday, June No at knowledge of Hebrew 20 6:00pmwhatsoever by heading overistorequired the for the course. Thursday evenings now through October 4 from 7:30 synagogue to hear a free classicalpm to 8:30 pm. Registration required. The cost is $5.00 per session for non-members musical concert. or prepayment for all classes is $40. For more information, please email cantor@freesynagogue.org or call (718) 961-0030.

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Fall is a good time for hearty recipes Get back in the kitchen to prepare stick-to-the-ribs food for season by Liz Rhoades Managing Editor

e may be in the midst of the dog days of summer but they’ll soon be replaced by cooler temperatures and an uptick in appetites. Now is the time to put together a roster of fall recipes to see you through the season. The Queens Chronicle has compiled a medley of selections from soup to dessert, including an easy cookie recipe that kids will love. Enjoy.

ACORN SQUASH SOUP

SAUCE • 1/4 cup butter, cubed • 1/4 cup flour • 3-1/2 cups 2 percent milk • 2-1/2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese • 1 cup white wine Saute mushrooms in butter until tender. Add garlic and cook one minute longer. Add the artichokes, spinach, one cup wine, salt and pepper and cook over medium heat until liquid is evaporated. For the sauce, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth and gradually add milk. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for one minute or until thickened. Stir in Parmesan cheese and wine. Spread 1 cup sauce into a greased 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish. Layer with three noodles, 1-2/3 cups sauce, 1 cup mozzarella and 1-1/3 cups artichoke mixture. Repeat layers twice. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Serves 12.

ROASTED PORK TENDERLOIN WITH ROSEMARY Acorn squash soup can be topped with crumbled PHOTO BY FAMILY FEATURES bacon.

• 1 small chopped onion • 1/4 cup chopped celery • 2 tablespoons sweet butter • 2 tablespoons flour • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon • 1/2 teaspoon dill weed • 1/4 teaspoon curry powder (optional) • dash cayenne pepper • 2 cups chicken stock • 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk • 3 cups cooked acorn squash, mashed • salt and pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup thawed apple juice concentrate • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard • 1/4 cup rosemary, chopped • 8 garlic cloves, minced • 3/4 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper • 3 pork tenderloins, 1 pound each In a small bowl combine the first five ingredients. Set aside 1/3 cup and cover and refrigerate. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the pork and remaining marinade. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight.

Back To School/Fall Guide 2012

Saute the onion and celery in butter. Stir in flour, bouillon and seasonings. Gradually add chicken stock and condensed milk. Boil for two minutes. Add the squash, salt and pepper. Mix and serve. Serves six.

Then drain and discard marinade. Place pork in a roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Pour the reserved marinade on top. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 160 degrees. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Serves nine.

DOMENICK’S BERRY CHEESECAKE • 1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs • 3 tablespoons sugar • 1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted • 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened • 1 cup sugar • 1 teaspoon vanilla • 4 eggs • fresh berries (suggest raspberries, blueberries and/or blackberries) Heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar and butter and press mixture onto bottom of a 9inch springform pan for the crust. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add eggs one at a time and mix on low speed after each until blended. Then pour mixture into crust. Bake for 50 minutes to one hour or until center is almost set. Cool before removing rim of pan. Place berries as desired on top of the cheesecake until entire top is covered. Refrigerate for at least four hours before serving.

BROWNIE CRACKLE COOKIES • 1 package fudge brownie mix • 1 cup all-purpose flour • 1 egg • 1/2 cup water • 1/4 cup canola oil • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips • confectioners’ sugar

ARTICHOKE MUSHROOM LASAGNA • 1 pound sliced baby portobello mushrooms • 2 tablespoons butter • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 2 14-ounce cans water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped • 1 cup white wine • 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper • 1 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (optional) • 9 no-cook lasagna noodles • 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

Brownie crackle cookies are a cinch to make and kids PHOTO COURTESY TASTE OF HOME will love them.

This vegetable lasagna is sure to be a crowd pleaser. PHOTO COURTESY TASTE OF HOME

In a large bowl beat the brownie mix, flour, egg, water and oil until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 20 minutes. Place confectioners’ sugar in a shallow dish. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into sugar and roll to coat. Place two inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for eight to 10 minutes or until set. Remove from pan to wire rack to cool. Makes 4Q 1/2 dozen.

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Page 19 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, August 23, 2012

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, August 23, 2012 Page 20

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