Queens Chronicle 02-12-26

DRIVE DIVIDE

Mayoral order affirms city’s sanctuary laws

Some Queens pols applaud the move; others say New Yorkers are less safe

by Stephanie G. Meditz Editor

Mayor Mamdani last Friday signed an executive order reinforcing the city’s sanctuary policies, which limit cooperation between local and federal officials on immigration enforcement.

The decree, which Mamdani signed while delivering remarks at the annual Interfaith Breakfast in Manhattan, bars U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from entering city property, including schools, shelters and hospitals, without a judicial warrant. It also requires city agencies to appoint a privacy officer to ensure that New Yorkers’ data is not shared with immigration authorities unless required by law.

The order further establishes an interagency committee to coordinate crisis policy, and requires city agencies including the NYPD, Department of Correction and Department of Social Services to conduct audits of all internal policies guiding interactions with immigration authorities.

“This order is a sweeping reaf-

firmation of our commitment to our immigrant neighbors and to public safety as a whole,” Mamdani said. He also launched a “Know Your Rights” push, giving out nearly 32,000 informational fliers and booklets for faith leaders to share with congregants.

His announcement comes amid tension between civilians and federal officials cracking down on unlawful immigration in Minnesota, where ICE agents killed two American citizens during separate confrontations last month.

Mamdani in his speech spoke of the “moral clarity and integrity” of those in attendance, and referenced religious texts including the Torah, the Bhagavad Gita and the Quran. He quoted the prophet Muhammad in part of his remarks about standing alongside the stranger.

In response, City Councilmember Vickie Paladino (R-Whitestone) said on X, “We have to allow infinity migrants because Islam says so, according to Zohran. This isn’t going to end well.”

make New Yorkers less safe. Councilmember Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills) also noted that the protections in the order are not new, and have existed under both Democratic and Republican administrations.

“At their core, they reaffirm that New York City remains a place for everyone,” Schulman said in a statement.

“As the federal government refuses to stand up to ICE, signing blank checks to continue Donald Trump’s mass deportation agenda, New York City is fighting back,” Councilmember Shekar Krishnan (D-Jackson Heights) said on X. Councilmember Selvena BrooksPowers (D-Laurelton) concurred, saying the Bill of Rights is presently being treated as “fine print you can scroll past.”

For Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park), the executive order is “a lot of talk but little substance.”

“It will get his base riled up, cer-

Paladino said in a separate post that judicial warrants are “irrelevant” in administrative immigration cases, and that mayors cannot “nullify” federal law.

tainly, but most of the things he’s talking about are already covered by New York’s sanctuary laws,” Ariola said in a statement. If anything, she continued, the added restrictions on ICE’s ability to remove dangerous criminals will

“The Constitution isn’t ‘guidance.’ It’s the guardrail. And NYC’s message to ICE is clear: A home is sacred ground in the law,” BrooksPowers said in an X post. “No judge, no warrant, no entry.”

Other New York lawmakers have

continued on page 16

Mayor Mamdani signed an order bolstering the city’s sanctuary status at the annual Interfaith Breakfast last Friday. PHOTO BY ED REED / NYC MAYOR’S OFFICE / FLICKR

Two new houses could come to OZP

Board 10 OKs a request for street demapping for lots near Aqueduct

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

A demapping proposal that would facilitate the construction of two new houses on Bristol Avenue in Ozone Park won Community Board 10’s backing at its Feb. 5 monthly meeting at the Old Mill Yacht Club in Howard Beach, clearing a key step toward a Board of Standards and Appeals approval.

The project area, at 97-49 and 97-51 Bristol Ave., sits just off the Aqueduct Race Track and Resorts World New York City casino, near the A train.

An attorney representing the property owner presented the proposal to the board.

According to city records, the owner is Gheorghe Sita, and the architect for the proposed homes is the Gerald Caliento firm.

“As you’re turning down Bristol and going into Hawtree, there are two lots that are there that are not developed,” the attorney said. “They’re pretty much vacant lots.”

Because the city mapped Hawtree Street but never constructed it, he said, any development on the lots requires BSA action. He stressed the request is procedural.

“The street is actually going through the property,” he said. “Basically the city mapped

these streets, but then they never built them.

So when that happens, you have to go to the Board of Standards and Appeals to get

approval. You’re not asking for any waivers of any zoning rules or anything like that. It’s just a procedure that you have to follow.”

The owner plans to construct two detached, two-family houses, each with a two-car driveway and four dwelling units in total.

The attorney said the homes will be fully sprinklered and built “exactly in line with the zoning,” with new sidewalks installed and street improvements made under a builder’s pavement plan.

Land Use Committee Chair John Calcagnile said the group met with the architect’s office and the owners, reviewed the plans and unanimously favored the application.

“The filing that they’re doing, again, is pretty straightforward,” Calcagnile said, calling Hawtree a typical “paper street” — meaning it’s mapped but not there.

He clarified the purpose of the vote to the board.

“We’re not looking at the design or the zoning or the building code issues on the two detached, two-family houses,” Calcagnile said. “Our opinion and our vote to the Board of Standards and Appeals is simply to say yes or no to the demapping of a street.”

The full board then voted by show of hands to support the BSA action, with no opposition or abstentions recorded. Q

Six Queens Catholic schools set to close

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Seven Catholic elementary schools, including six in Queens, will close in June, according to an announcement Wednesday from the Diocese of Brooklyn.

The schools set to close are:

• Sacred Heart, at 115-50 221 St. in Cambria Heights;

• St. Bartholomew, at 44-15 Judge St. in Elmhurst;

• St. Nicholas of Tolentine, at 80-22 Parsons Blvd. in Jamaica;

• Incarnation, at 89-15 Francis Lewis Blvd. in Queens Village;

• St. Thomas the Apostle, at 87-49 87 St. in Woodhaven;

• St. Elizabeth, at 94-01 85 St. in Ozone Park; and

• Our Lady of Trust, at 1696 Canarsie Road in Brooklyn.

All activities and events at the schools will continue as planned through the end of the school year.

Students and families affected by the closures are encouraged to go online to catholicschoolsbq.org/schooltransitions for more information.

The decision follows an extensive review process that included analysis of enrollment trends, operating costs, capital repair needs and long-term sustainability, considering rising costs of insurance and pension obligations, the Diocese said.

The schools, which serve kindergarten through grade 8, experienced significant enrollment declines since 2019, with

losses accelerating sharply between 2024 and 2025.

The Diocese said the closing Catholic academies are operating with deficits totaling millions of dollars.

“This is an extraordinarily difficult moment for our school communities,” said Deacon Kevin McCormack, Superintendent of Schools. “These schools have served generations of families with dedication and faith. The decision to close them was made only after careful consideration and with great sorrow.”

McCormack said the Diocese will “walk with our families and employees through this process, while continuing to strengthen Catholic education throughout Brooklyn and Queens.” Q

‘Tremendous’ drops in S. Queens crime: NYPD

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

NYPD Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh, the new commanding officer of Patrol Borough Queens South, told Community Board 9 on Tuesday that major crime in the command has continued to fall.

“Last year, we were down in six of the eight major crimes,” McIntosh told the group at Borough Hall. Only grand larceny and rape were up, he noted.

McIntosh added, “You go back 20 years, we’ve never been so low in homicides.”

He said that shootings and shooting victims have seen “tremendous reduction,” especially in the 102nd and 106th precincts.

In 2026 so far, crime in Queens South is down nearly nine percent across the nine precincts, McIntosh said, with increases in only the 101st and 103rd precincts.

He also took a moment to praise Capt. Pratima Maldonado, the commanding officer of the 102nd Precinct.

“She’s doing tremendously,” he said.

Albert Gamarra, the board’s Public Safety Committee chair, asked McIntosh if there is a possibility of keeping “as many [cops] as we can” during the summer months, as the area often sees an uptick in crime during that time. In summer, many officers are relocated to patrol the beach.

McIntosh said deployment is driven by statistics.

“If our crime increases, we will get additional

resources,” he said. “We do what we call a mobile force field, and that will be deployed if we see an issue.”

Board Chair Sherry Algredo told McIntosh she hopes for more cops to address fireworks during the Fourth of July.

“Everybody’s working,” he told Algredo of the holiday. “We give a lot of resources. We have a dedicated 311 car. ... Can we catch everybody? Probably not, but there is a large footprint on the Fourth of July.” Q

Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh, the commanding officer of NYPD Patrol Borough Queens South, visited CB 9 on Tuesday.

A property owner is seeking to build two new homes at 97-49 and 97-51 Bristol Ave., two vacant lots in Ozone Park. GOOGLE MAPS IMAGE

PHOTO BY KRISTEN GUGLIELMO

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A push for a car-free Freedom Drive

Advocates, parents and kids rally to keep roadway closed to traffic year-round

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

The seasonal opening of Freedom Drive in Forest Park to vehicular traffic following a 33-9 Community Board 9 vote in November 2025 has continued to draw backlash.

The roughly 0.3-mile stretch between Myrtle Avenue and Park Lane South reopened to traffic in January after several years as a pedestrian and bike-friendly route following a pandemic-era closure.

Under the compromise, an idea by the city Parks Department that the board supported, the road will close from April through October.

Opponents of the reopening, including advocacy organizations, families, students and community members, last Friday rallied outside PS 66, the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, in Richmond Hill, before marching two blocks to Giovanelli Playground next to Freedom Drive. They urged city officials to keep the roadway closed to cars year-round.

Organizers also sent a letter to Mayor Mamdani, the city Parks Department and the Department of Transportation urging them to reverse what they called a “regressive policy” and to “govern in line with the Mayor’s stated goal to make our streetscapes the ‘envy of the world.’”

At the rally, organized by groups including New Yorkers for Parks, Safer Streets Richmond Hill and Transportation Alternatives, children, families and other advocates braved the cold for their cause. Some parents left mid-rally due to their children’s discomfort over the frigidity.

Speakers said reopening the roadway threatens safety and reduces open space in an area where park access is already limited.

Massiel Lanz, the principal of PS

66, which is located just a short walk from Freedom Drive, said the roadway’s closure allowed the school to use the area for outdoor learning and recreation.

“With the road being reopened, it would take away these opportunities and bring back serious safety risks,” Lanz said.

Resident Kate Mooney, who said she has lived two blocks from the roadway for 38 years, also voiced pedestrian safety concerns now that the road is open to cars.

“I know safety is our primary concern, but this is not a particularly safe situation,” Mooney said.

CB 9 member and PS 66 parent Hillary Dvorkin, who voted against the compromise, said emergency responders had access to the area even when it was closed to traffic.

First responders had to unlock the gates to drive through the roadway while it was closed, but some said at a CB 9 meeting last year that they did not have a key or access code.

“They would continue to have first priority access after the road is closed to cars once again,” Dvorkin added.

Cristal Rivera, another CB 9 member who voted against the compromise, also participated in the rally as president of the PS 66 PTA.

Parents and residents echoed concerns about speeding vehicles and trash accumulation along the roadway.

Andrew Smith, a Richmond Hill resident who started a petition for Freedom Drive to be car-free, said, “We are here today to tell our local elected officials, the mayor and the unelected community board that we do not want to wait until someone gets hurt. ... We want our most precious commodity space given back.”

Throughout the rally, speakers said they felt underrepresented by their elected officials, naming state

Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven), Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven) and Councilmembers Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills) and Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park).

The only elected official to send a representative to the rally was Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr.

Laura Shepard, his transportation and parks liaison, said, “I can’t speak on behalf of the borough president — I came to listen, to hear you out, and I just want to thank you all for being so civically engaged.”

Throughout the rally, speakers had to pause while fire truck sirens blared.

“It should be open for easier access for emergency vehicles to cut through the park. ... I think it was a well thought-out compromise,” she said.

Ariola also addressed the traffic violations.

“They went back to 2014 — and if you check my car and driving record, it has seriously improved,” Ariola said.

“This is not a particularly safe situation.”

— Kate Mooney of Richmond Hill

Addabbo told the Chronicle he supports continued evaluation of the policy.

She encouraged attendees to apply for their community boards.

During the rally, Ariola, who vocally supports the road’s reopening, was spotted at a traffic light at Freedom Drive.

“We just saw our beloved elected drive by,” said Mae Francke of Transportation Alternatives, adding that someone ran Ariola’s license plate and found 35 school zone traffic violations.

Ariola during a phone call with the Chronicle acknowledged driving past the rally and said the demonstration reinforced her support for the seasonal reopening.

“What I witnessed was parents with a lot of children crossing the street unsafely, blocking traffic,” Ariola said, adding that she observed emergency vehicles using the roadway while responding to a fire nearby at Jamaica Avenue.

He contacted the city Department of Transportation for safety improvements and Parks to see if reversing the compromise was a possibility, though he said he has not heard back. He noted he raised safety concerns during initial discussions.

“I thought it should have been open maybe just during the summer when school wasn’t in session,” he said. “I would have flipped the opening season, or just do it on the weekends.”

He said the opposition should have voiced its opinions earlier, the way some did at CB 9 meetings.

“In my years of public service, very rarely, if ever, did I see a principal speak out about safety for students,” Addabbo said, referencing Lanz’s testimony during a board meeting last year.

The senator also questioned whether it was “too little, too late” to go back on the compromise.

Schulman, whose district includes PS 66 but not Freedom Drive, supported the compromise in a statement.

“The Parks Department and Community Board 9 worked together to explore options and conduct outreach regarding Freedom Drive and came to a compromise that was overwhelmingly adopted by the Board, and which I support,” Schulman said.

CB 9 Chair Sherry Algredo contacted the Chronicle to reject claims circulating on social media that the board was influenced by elected officials in its vote to support the compromise.

“We respect the right to rally, but we’re appalled by the lies,” Algredo said. “We have had no alliance with [then-Mayor Adams] or any councilmember where we did any favors.”

She added, “Community Board 9 did not vote for or against reopening — we listened to the community and voted for a compromise where it’s open most of the time. We’re not the enemy here.”

Petitions circulating in the community reflect the divide, with one supporting year-round vehicle access garnering more than 300 signatures and another calling for the roadway to remain permanently carfree nearing 1,000 signatures.

A Parks Department representative said the agency communicated with officials to promote public awareness of the opening, added signage to walking pathways and looks forward to welcoming pedestrian users back in April.

City Hall did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Q

Dozens of activists and residents of Richmond Hill, including parents and students of PS 66, the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, last Friday rallied for a permanently car-free Freedom Drive. Community Board 9 in November voted in favor of a city Parks Department compromise to seasonally open the roadway to traffic. PHOTOS BY KRISTEN GUGLIELMO

Richmond Hill resident Andrew Smith, left, and PS 66 Principal Maissel Lanz were among those rallying last Friday for a permanently car-free Freedom Drive.

Storytime at OZP Library

In an effort to promote literacy among youth and love of learning, state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) has partnered with the Queens Public Library for Library Lovers Month with a family storytime event on Feb. 20 at 3:30 p.m.

At the Ozone Park Library, at 92-24 Rockaway Blvd., Addabbo will read a book to children in attendance, followed by playtime and singing. One may visit tinyurl.com/55kteufr for more information.

“Reading opens up new worlds of adventure and education for our young people,” Addabbo said in a statement.

“When an appreciation of books and visiting the library starts early, it is likely to be a lifelong passion.”

Library Lovers Month serves as a reminder to take advantage of the programs and resources available at community libraries. Funding allocated by the senator to the QPL facilitated a variety of programming, including jewelry making, painting, yoga and wildlife interactions.

Addabbo said the QPL is a great community partner and added, “I encourage everyone to visit their local library and familiarize themselves with its offerings.” Q

Freedom Drive a hot topic at CB 9 Lawmaker’s aide pushes back on protesters’ claims

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

The end of Community Board 9’s meeting on Tuesday night turned heated, as attendees clashed on the reopening of Freedom Drive in Forest Park.

The board in November voted in favor of a city Parks Department compromise to open the street to traffic from October through April after it had been closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. During its closure, Freedom Drive was used as an open street for cyclists and pedestrians until it reopened to cars in January.

During a rally in support of a car-free Freedom Drive last Friday, Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park), who supported the road’s opening, was spotted at a traffic light exiting the thoroughfare.

A video of Ariola in her car with her chief of staff, Phyllis Inserillo, was posted to social media.

At CB 9’s meeting at Borough Hall on Tuesday, Andrew Smith, a proponent of keeping the road closed, during the public forum

Phyllis Inserillo, right, the chief of staff for Councilmember Joann Ariola, on Tuesday defended Ariola’s stance on the opening of Freedom Drive to cars and pushed back on claims, including from Community Board 9 member Hillary Dvorkin, left, that the councilmember rushed at protesters last Friday at a rally in her vehicle. PHOTOS BY

said Ariola “drove down Freedom Drive multiple times, posting divisive content to her Instagram account and confronted us in her vehicle while we were crossing the street.”

Some rally attendees have said Ariola “rushed at” protesters in her car. Inserillo pushed back on that narrative.

“The NYPD was here today,” Inserillo said. “Councilmember Ariola would have been arrested if she advanced.”

When someone said a cop put her hand up to stop Ariola’s car

from proceeding, Inserillo said that was because protesters were crossing the street while the light was green.

Smith, from the audience, and CB 9 member Hillary Dvorkin, who was at the protest, disagreed, countering that the incident is on video.

“I have it on video as well,” Inserillo said.

The clip of Ariola at the light can be found in a recap of the rally posted by Smith at instagram.com/ saferstreetsrichmondhill.

Inserillo also told the group that

there were no accidents on the road while it was last open to cars, which Smith and Dvorkin refuted. Board Chair Sherry Algredo had to step in to end the confrontation.

NYC Open Data shows more than 20 accidents on Freedom Drive from 2011 through 2019 — though all but four of them are reported to be at an intersection on either side of the thoroughfare, at Myrtle Avenue or Park Lane South, and not directly on it.

Those who wish to have the road open to cars have argued that it is necessary for emergency response vehicles.

Following the meeting, Inserillo shared a letter with the Chronicle from FDNY Engine 294 Capt. Michael Keighton, who said closing the road would “severely hamper” response times to emergencies, and that its use “can mean the difference between a timely response and a preventable tragedy.”

Inserillo also shared an image of 11 incident tickets Engine 294 responded to within five days, in which firefighters used Freedom Drive to get to the destination. Q

STEAKS & CHOPS

SAUTÉED DISHES

KRISTEN GUGLIELMO

DOE chancellor supports mayoral control, but lawmakers have concerns City Council mixed on school governance

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Mayoral control, New York City’s public school governance system, faced scrutiny Tuesday as members of the City Council’s Education Committee pressed Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels on whether centralized power has truly delivered for students — and how families can reclaim a stronger voice in the system’s future.

Samuels was appointed by Mayor Mamdani, who earlier this year shifted his stance on the school governance model. Though during his campaign Mamdani said he would seek to end mayoral control, he recently said he would ask the state Legislature to extend the policy — and remarked that it could look different.

Under mayoral control, which is set to expire in June, hizzoner appoints a chancellor and several members of the Panel for Educational Policy.

Samuels, speaking before the committee chaired by Councilmember Eric Dinowitz (D-Bronx), defended the governance model as essential to equity and stability.

“Mayoral accountability and family empowerment are not mutually exclusive,” Samuels said. “We need them to operate in tandem to lift our schools to new heights.”

Samuels pointed to gains since mayoral control began in 2002, including higher graduation rates and rising parent satisfaction. He cited the

city’s literacy initiative, NYC Reads, as an example of what centralized governance can accomplish.

But lawmakers, many of whom are allies of Mamdani, challenged the idea that those gains can be tied to mayoral control or that the model adequately shares power with parents and communities.

Councilmember Phil Wong (D-Maspeth), a former Community Education Council president, said members often don’t hear back from the city Department of Education after passing resolutions. CECs give parents the opportunity to support and impact education at the district level.

“No replies, no follow ups. We felt that our voices are not being heard,” Wong said.

Deputy Chancellor Cristina Melendez said responding to CEC resolutions is now codified in state law.

“We’ve also been responding to all of our resolutions, and we’re even creating themes around them and using that information to support our trainings,” Melendez said.

Councilmember Jennifer Gutiérrez (D-Brooklyn, Ridgewood) focused on immigrant families’ safety and trust in schools amid fears of federal immigration enforcement.

She recalled that under the prior administration, principals “felt like they were not being supported, because there was not a centralized

NYC DOE launches annual school survey

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Families, teachers and students in grades 6 through 12 are encouraged to share their feedback in the city Department of Education’s 20th annual school survey.

The survey aims to help school leaders understand what the community thinks about the learning environment in schools and informs improvements.

The questionnaire is available online in 13 languages and open through April 1. Families will also receive a hard copy of it from their school.

One may take the survey online at nycschoolsurvey.org.

According to the DOE, this year the questionnaire has been reformatted to be more concise and user-friendly for young learners, while the family and educator surveys remain “mostly unchanged.”

Parents and guardians will have to enter a lowercase “f” and their child’s nine-digit OSIS, or Open Student Information System, number as the survey code (e.g., f123456789) to complete their unique survey.

Students, on the other hand, will have to

enter a lowercase “s” followed by their OSIS number to access the survey.

OSIS ID numbers can be found on report cards or student ID cards. Families can reach out to their child’s school if unable to locate the OSIS number.

Families with children at early childhood education programs will receive a unique access code from their child’s program, and teachers and staff will receive a unique access code from their school.

Survey results will be shared with school staff in the summer to support planning for the coming school year and will be released publicly later in the year, the DOE said.

Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels in a statement said that as a parent and lifelong educator, he understands the value of hearing from families, students and teachers.

“For two decades, the School Survey has been an essential tool in helping us understand what is working in our schools and where we need to improve,” Samuels said. “I encourage everyone to participate — your feedback directly shapes the decisions we make to build a stronger, safer, and more supporting learning environment for all our students.”

NYC COUNCIL

protocol. They were very unclear on what they could do. They knew what they wanted to do as people with morals, but didn’t feel like they were supported.”

Samuels called schools a “safe haven” and said the agency has been clear to principals about that.

“We have a very clear message and very clear commitment that we are going to stand in defense,” he said.

Deputy Chancellor Danika Rux added that there was a recent training open to all principals in regard to immigration enforcement, and that training for superintendents is ongoing.

Councilmember Shekar Krishnan (D-Jackson Heights) was blunt about his thoughts on mayoral control.

“I think it’s very clear that it is not a perfect system,” he said. “It is not the system that works best. It’s a system we’ve got right now.”

While acknowledging that “centralization works well for certain things” like standardizing reading instruction, Krishnan said it takes away the individual attention each school and district needs, pointing to his district’s experience with an influx of asylum seekers and a shortage of certified bilingual teachers.

“Oftentimes I say sometimes we function as a system of schools, and sometimes we function as a school system,” Samuels said.

He said he’s open to collaborating with the City Council to figure out how to properly impact and invest in the recruitment process.

“Sometimes you have schools not far away from each other experiencing the same challenge, and those parent coordinators may not be connecting,” Samuels said. “We need to make sure that we’re providing more opportunities for that, so that the uniqueness of each school will be addressed outside of the systemic issues.” Q

Queens College, in partnership with the Queens Chamber of Commerce Foundation, announced a new scholarship on Feb. 5 named in honor of former Queens Borough President Claire Shulman.

The scholarship will support undergraduate and graduate students in the college’s Urban Studies Department. Funded with a $48,000 check, the awards will help defray the cost of tuition and assist with internships.

Shulman served as Queens borough president from 1986 to 2002, the first

woman ever to hold the post. She died in 2020 at age 94.

Those in attendance at the ceremony included QCC Foundation President Marian Conway, left; Chamber President and CEO Tom Grech; Borough President Donovan Richards; Shulman’s daughter, retired astronaut Dr. Ellen Baker; Queens College President Frank Wu; Urban Studies Department Chair Melissa Checker; QCC Foundation board member Eileen Auld; and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. — Michael Gannon

NYC Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels on Tuesday testified during the City Council Education Committee’s oversight hearing on mayoral control.

PHOTO BY WILL ALTRISTE /

Shulman

EDITORIAL AGEP

Postal Service must improve

The United States Postal Service is mailing it in.

“We were unable to attempt delivery of your item on February, 5, 2026 at 8:06 pm in FOREST HILLS, NY 11375 due to hazardous or unsafe weather conditions,” the USPS told someone in upstate New York who had sent important official documents to a member of the Queens Chronicle family the prior day via Priority Mail Express. “Your item will go out for delivery on the next business day as conditions permit.”

It’s a far cry from “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds,” which has been the Postal Service’s unofficial creed since it was chiseled onto the James A. Farley Post Office Building in Manhattan more than 100 years ago.

The creed is not a pledge, however. And countless p eople across Queens are seeing the decline of the USPS firsthand. What happened? The mail used to be reliable, didn’t it? We’re not even talking about the rampant theft problem, just issues with regular delivery.

That Feb. 5 message did not come amid snowfall or any other inclement weather. It was a clear evening. The

frozen snow from the big storm was still on the streets, but it was the next day, too, when the delivery finally was made. It was, as we all remember, so cold that there was no change to conditions on the street whatsoever.

Sending the documents via Priority Mail Express cost $33.25. And this was the sender’s second attempt. Back on Jan. 8, the original copies of the same documents had been sent via Certified Mail, with a signature required. The cost was $6.08. Those never arrived.

Calls were made to postal staff, and the best news the sender ever heard was that the envelope was in Brooklyn and had been scanned on Jan. 18. What crack did it slip through next? Who knows? But it’s lost. And the USPS employee who had been helpful at first suddenly wasn’t, and never made the next promised phone call.

Luckily, the state agency that produced the documents was willing to make copies quickly, so they could be resent. If only the USPS were as responsive.

We really hope it can be reformed. Sure, most mail gets where it’s going. But a lot does not, as attested to by stories we cover and letters to the editor we receive.

The latter, of course, most often get emailed.

Free a block of Kissena

Thanks to reports from innocent drivers, told to the city Department of Transportation by Councilwoman Sandra Ung, a traffic camera at Kissena Boulevard and Sanford Avenue will no longer wrongly ticket people. Mostly. It will no longer cite those the DOT admits should not be ticketed, as reported last week in a story you can find at tinyurl.com/26nrj7tr. Those are the people going west on Sanford and making a right onto Kissena. They can go a whole block before being forced to make another right onto Barclay Avenue. This is so buses can get priority in Downtown Flushing, which, admittedly, is incredibly congested. But don’t take Kissena straight up from points south to Barclay! Then you get a ticket. If you want to access, say, the big parking garage on Barclay east of Kissena, you first have to make a right on Franklin Avenue, a left on Union Street, a left on Sanford, a right on Kissena, then that last right on Barclay — and there’s your destination. This is modernity. It’s also an absurdity. Ung will raise some potential bus lane changes with the DOT. We hope they include allowing one more block of car access on Kissena. That would be much simpler and would reduce distance traveled. Why not?

MARK WEIDLER

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LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

NYS eases suffering

Dear Editor:

Gov. Hochul signed the Medical Aid in Dying Act into law. New York becomes the 14th jurisdiction (including Washington, DC) to allow a person the option of MAID.

The act gives a mentally capable adult suffering from a terminal illness the ability to determine when and how life ends. The person can seek a prescription of medication that may be self-ingested to bring about a peaceful death if the suffering becomes too great. The legislation includes strong guardrails: the doctors’ certified prognosis of six months or less to live, the determination that the person is mentally capable as determined by a psychiatrist or psychologist and a five-day waiting period between requesting and receiving the medication. It’s only available to New York residents. The law will go in effect on Aug. 5.

I firmly believe that all people deserve respect for their bodily autonomy and the right to make choices regarding end-of-life care decisions in accordance with their beliefs and personal values. New Yorkers overwhelmingly support MAID by a 72 to 23 percent margin (YouGov poll, 2024). The Legislature and Gov. Hochul have delivered.

Unfortunately, in the last decade, 29 New Yorkers advocates for MAID died waiting for this option. The majority spent their final months, weeks and days of life in intense pain and suffering. Medicine no longer had some-

thing to offer them to ease their agony. This law honors their efforts and memory.

The governor’s showing of compassion and respect for personal choice has given New Yorkers the right to die in peace and with dignity. Hochul said that MAID “gives New Yorkers the choice to suffer less — to shorten not their lives, but their deaths.” I agree. Thank you.

Arelis Torres Elmhurst

Best and worst of times

Dear Editor:

Truer words were never spoken than when Michael Gannon reported Feb. 5 in “Dig-out and freezing temps continuing,” that “plowed and packed snow continues to be piled up along curb, crosswalks, and bus stops.” Add “inaccessible parking spots” to the list.

This is still a current event all over Queens. Snow makes for the best and the worst of times. New York City sledders enjoyed our last snow-

fall but the weather has been a challenge for the rest of us. Life goes on and death doesn’t take a snow day.

Sadly, my friend’s mother passed away amidst our snowy chaos; the lovely lady leaves a wonderful, indelible, long legacy of joy. However, the family needed to plan shiva, the traditional Jewish commemoration of a loved one’s passing, and there was no possibility of visitors’ parking on the street. The family appealed to the Department of Sanitation, the local police precinct and the community board for a snowplow and some shovels without success. However, ice cream is always the answer. They visited the Carvel a block from their home in Floral Park. The owner was happy to help by making Carvel’s plowed parking lot available for the mourning family’s visitors.

As the owner said, “Neighbors help neighbors.” It seems that Queens is still a place with neighbors. Ice cream, anyone?

Debra Michlewitz Bayside

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

This is what we get

Dear Editor:

A Rep. Grace Meng booster and letter writer to the Chronicle from Flushing makes nostalgic reference to Reagan-era Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Tip O’Neill (“Meng and U.S. history,” Feb 5). The legendary speaker made eighties New Yorkers jelly at his prowess in getting gobs of federal money for the “Big Dig” in Boston, perhaps still the biggest public works project in U.S. history. Visiting Boston now, a New Yorker can only marvel at how cars vanish off city streets into underground highways and local buses glide through dedicated subterranean roads.

Well, since then New York has seen party leadership in both houses of Congress go to two local boys, Sen. Chuck Schumer in the Senate and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries in the House. Except, these two jokers couldn’t even get federal money from the Biden Administration for the very costly migrant influx. They did assist in throwing Mayor Adams under the bus as party apostate for daring to complain on his city’s behalf, like Oliver Twist daring to ask for more.

Lately, President Trump has been churlishly holding up dedicated billions for the Hudson River train tunnel, taunting Schumer how the latter has been working for years to get it. So what does Schumer hold out for to end the recent partial government shutdown? Curbs on ICE. Hard-core liberals will be further delighted at his principled rejection of the president’s offer to release the funds in exchange for putting the Trump name on Dulles Airport and Penn Station.

Schumer and Jeffries (two big Brooklyn property-tax system beneficiaries, by the way), products of an exceedingly mediocre political class, are what we deserve.

Edwin Eppich Glendale

Minnesota compromise

Dear Editor:

Re Stephanie Meditz’s Feb. 5 report “City, state pols look to boost sanctuary laws”:

The New York City Council’s decision to override former Mayor Adams’ veto of the Safe Sanctuary Act could increase violent street confrontations. Allowing Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to arrest illegal migrant criminals in city jails means those agents would not have to nab them in the streets, provoking explosive clashes with protesters.

Minnesota state and local leaders took a sensible approach by allowing state prisons and county jails to honor ICE detainers for criminal migrants under an agreement reached with “border czar” Thomas Homan. In return, ICE withdrew some of its forces from Minneapolis. If this agreement had been in effect a few weeks ago, it might have prevented the violent confrontations that resulted in the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

I don’t approve of ICE’s brutal methods under President Trump’s mass deportation program, which is at times, unconstitutional and

Write us! Email your letter to letters@qchron.com

excessive. But it was implemented in response to former President Biden’s immigration program, which was also unconstitutional and excessive. He allowed 10 million migrants to illegally enter our country and remain here, costing NYC taxpayers more than $7 billion. If you condemn tenacious Trump, you must also condemn brain-dead Biden.

Richard Reif Kew Gardens Hills

ICE at Rikers: yea or nay?

Dear Editor:

I believe that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should focus its limited resources on detaining what some people call “the worst of the worst” illegal immigrants and not on randomly taking people off the streets. In that regard, I agree with Rep. Gregory Meeks, Rep. Grace Meng and Borough President Donovan Richards’ opinion on what happened in Minneapolis as the Chronicle reported last week (“Pols denounce ICE actions far and near,” Feb. 5).

What I don’t understand is why city and state lawmakers want New York to be a sanctuary city and not allow ICE to have an office on Rikers Island. A large number of criminals end up committing more crimes when they get out of jail. Why do the lawmakers want to protect these people? It seems ideology is more important than public safety.

We know how Meeks, Meng and Richards feel about ICE’s actions in Minneapolis. I would like them to tell us how they feel about having an ICE office on Rikers Island and why. Who is more important to them — their far left-wing base or the general public? We deserve an answer.

Lenny Rodin Forest Hills

Honor this Black author

Dear Editor:

For Black History Month, I would like to celebrate an African-American author who has been vastly underappreciated in his native country. Frank Yerby wrote 33 bestselling novels and sold 55 million hardcover and paperback books worldwide, with many being translated into foreign languages. He was the first African-American author to make The New York Times best sellers list, which he accomplished multiple times. His short story “Health Card” won the O. Henry Memorial Award. He was the first African-American author to have a book purchased by a Hollywood studio. Three of his novels were made into movies. Most of Mr. Yerby’s books were written in the 1940s and 1950s. Many outsold those written by his more recognized contemporaries. Also, Mr. Yerby was the first African-American author to earn a million dollars in book royalties, and he proved that Black authors had the talent for commercial success that benefited publishers greatly. If not for this fact, many publishers might not have taken the risk to invest in Black authors. Frank Yerby’s writing contributions and accomplishments, which occurred during difficult and challenging times, should be lauded.

Glenn Hayes Kew Gardens

The Desert Experience with the Blessed Sacrament exposed from 7:00pm to 8:00pm EVERY Tuesday from 12:00pm to 1:00pm Holy Hour to the Devotion of the Holy Wounds of Jesus and the Precious Blood

EV ERY Fr iday du r i ng Lent 3 : 0 0pm EVERY Friday during Lent 3:00pm We will recite the Divine Mercy Chaplet in different places in the Parish:

• February 20th - Lenny’s Clam Bar

• February 27th - Fire House at Cross Bay Blvd.

• March 6th - Stop & Shop at Cross Bay Blvd.

• March 13th - Capital One Bank at Cross Bay Blvd.

• March 20th- Howard Beach Subway Station

• March 27th - In front of the Church

EV ERY Fr iday du r i ng Lent EVERY Friday during Lent - Stations of the Cross at 7:00pm with the Devotion of the Divine Mercy in the Church

EV ERY Sat u rday EVERY Saturday after the 8:30am Mass-DEVOTION TO THE SORROWFUL MOTHER.

Thu rsday even i ng Mass Thursday evening Mass will be held at 6:30pm.

March 16th, 17th, and 18th March and 18th Our Lady of Grace yearly Parish Retreat from 7:00pm to 9:00pm conducted by the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal

March 25th at 7: 0 0pm March 25th at 7:00pm Devotion to the Seven Last Words of Jesus Christ Wed nesday, Apr i l 1st : at 7: 0 0pm Wednesday, April 1st: at 7:00pm - Tenebrae

Why I decided to be a living organ donor ESSAY

by Eric Ulrich

A few days ago, I walked into Northwell Hospital and prepared myself for surgery to donate a little more than half of my liver to an old friend from Ozone Park. Antonio Blandino has nonalcoholic cirrhosis and, like so many others with this disease, needed a healthy organ donor to live. After months of testing and screening dozens of other would-be donor candidates, it was determined that I was the perfect match.

This is a major surgery, with real risks, and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t the least bit concerned. This decision came from a simple truth that feels impossible to ignore: If I can help save a life, how could I not try?

Most people are familiar with organ donation after death. Fewer realize that living people can donate organs, including a portion of the liver, which has the remarkable ability to regenerate. Even fewer understand how desperately donors are needed.

Sadly, thousands of New Yorkers sit on transplant waiting lists, many of them growing sicker by the day. Some will never get the call that saves their life.

BP Richards sworn in again

Before this experience, I was one of those people who assumed someone else would step forward. A family member? A coworker? Surely there were enough donors. Surely the system would work itself out. What I learned instead is that the shortage is real, and the consequences are heartbreaking. People die not because medicine lacks the ability to help them, but because there simply aren’t enough willing donors.

Meaning to save one life, I saved two.

Throughout the extensive screening process, I questioned (and doubted) whether or not I was making the right decision. I am not related to the recipient, and I will be on the mend for at least a month following the procedure. I prayed for a sign to reassure myself and didn’t expect to receive one until I had my last medical test on the checklist.

When I awoke from what was supposed to be a routine colonoscopy, I was informed that the doctor had removed a large (precancerous) polyp from my intestine. Biopsy results showed tubulovillous adenoma (fragments) with extensive high-grade dysplasia. The gastroenterologist confidently told me that in my effort to save someone else’s life, I had saved my own. I am only 40 years old and, according to him, would not have made it to my 45th birthday. Not exactly the sign I was expecting, but the message was received loud and clear.

I want to be clear: Living donation is not something to be taken lightly. It requires extensive testing, serious commitment, and weeks or months of recovery. Doctors make sure donors are physically and psychologically prepared, and no one is pressured to move forward. At every step, I was reminded that I could change my mind. So why didn’t I?

Because at the center of all the medical language and logistics is a person. A person with a family, with unfinished dreams, with a life that matters just as much as mine. The idea that my body can help give someone more time — to watch their children grow, to return to work they love, to simply wake up without the shadow of illness — is profoundly rewarding.

We live in a time when so much of our public life feels divided and transactional. Living organ donation cuts through that noise. It is an act that asks nothing in return. No recognition is required. No agreement on politics, religion or background. Just one person helping another live.

I am not writing this to encourage everyone to become a living donor. That decision is deeply personal and not right for everyone. I am writing because I didn’t know how possible it was until I learned more. Awareness matters. Conversations matter. Sometimes all it takes is realizing that ordinary people can do extraordinary things.

If you are healthy and curious, consider learning about living donation. Talk to your doctor. Visit a transplant center’s website. Ask questions. Even choosing to be an organ donor after death can save multiple lives.

As for me, I place my trust in a skilled transplant medical team at Northwell and in the astonishing ability of the human body to heal itself. I am doing this with gratitude — for modern medicine, for my loved ones, and for the chance to help another person keep living. Q

Eric Ulrich, a former New York City councilman, lives in Ozone Park.

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards was ceremonially sworn in for a second term at Queens College last Sunday. At top, state Attorney General Letitia James administered the oath of office to Richards. He delivered an inaugural address in which he thanked his parents, Carol and Donovan Sr., seen projected behind him at center. He also recognized slain civil rights activist Andrew Goodman, who attended

Queens College, and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who spoke there in 1965. Numerous elected officials spoke, including Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, above left, and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. Also in attendance were Sen. Chuck Schumer, Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz, city Comptroller Mark Levine and state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. — Stephanie G. Meditz, with reporting by Walter Karling

Eric Ulrich will be a lifesaver for Antonio Blandino, right. PHOTO COURTESY ERIC ULRICH

PHOTOS

S. Jamaica political staffers vie for D 32

Nathaniel Hezekiah III and Latoya LeGrand seek to succeed AM Cook

by Naeisha Rose Editor

Two political staffers from South Jamaica are vying for the seat of Assemblywoman Vivian Cook (D-Jamaica). The District 32 assemblywoman will not seek re-election after 35 years in office.

Nathaniel Hezekiah III, deputy chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Greg Meeks (D-Jamaica), declared his candidacy to represent the district that includes all or parts of Jamaica, Locust Manor, Richmond Hill, Rochdale Village, St. Albans and South Ozone Park on Tuesday. Hezekiah previously served as Meeks’ project manager and community liaison.

a legacy, made many sacrifices and laid a solid foundation for someone like me to come along and serve.”

Cook is a member of the Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic & Asian Legislation Caucus and its task force, the Women’s Caucus and task force and the Criminal Justice Task Force.

Latoya LeGrand, district manager for state Sen. James Sanders Jr. (D-South Ozone Park) and a former constituent services representative for Cook, filed to run on Jan. 21. LeGrand also was a community liaison for state Sen. Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans).

She is also a member of the committees on Codes; Corporations; Rules; Ways and Means; Insurance; Housing; and Majority Steering. LeGrand told the Chronicle via email that she worked for Cook for four years.

“She is a true trailblazer and tireless public servant,” said LeGrand.

As a staffer for Cook, LeGrand addressed drug abuse and secured funding for economic development. She also helped with improving parks, senior services, education and aided constituents with affordable housing.

out her endorsements in the coming days.

“This is a grassroot campaign continuing to build power from ... door-to-door, block to block, neighborhood to neighborhood,” said LeGrand.

LeGrand, an executive member of Community Board 12, and the founder of Projects II Projects, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting underserved communities to critical services, says her work has focused on education advocacy, community empowerment and ensuring families have access to opportunities that improve their quality of life.

Hezekiah said that he stands on Cook’s shoulders and is committed to carrying forward the work the Assembly assistant speaker started after her years of dedication and distinguished service to the community.

“I have a deep respect for Assemblymember Vivian Cook and her historic tenure in the 32nd District,” he said in a statement. “She has built

“I learned valuable lessons during my time, that I will take with me on my journey.,” said LeGrand about her time with Cook.

Hezekiah comes into the race with an endorsement from the Queens County Democratic Organization and the support of Meeks, who is the chair of the organization.

Meeks said Hezekiah is the kind of leader the community needs.

“He understands Southeast Queens because he has spent a lifetime building relationships and serving the community with diligence and integrity,” Meeks said in a statement. “He has the experience, judgment and temperament to represent this district in Albany with distinction.”

Hezekiah said he is committed to keeping Rochdale Village, a co-op facing an increase in carrying charges, affordable; strengthening foreclosure prevention; and protecting tenants, along with Medicaid and SNAP benefits.

“I pledge to ensure the 32nd District remains a strong, respected voice in Albany,” said Hezekiah.

LeGrand said via text that she will be rolling

LeGrand, a mother, told the Chronicle, her leadership will be grounded in service and responsive to the real challenges families face every day.

“I am running for Assembly because our community deserves leadership that is grounded in service and responsive to the real challenges families face every day,” said LeGrand. “As a mother, I have a deep investment in our future and in making sure our children and families have access to strong schools, safe neighborhoods, and real economic opportunity.”

LeGrand says she wants to uplift working families, seniors and young people.

She said, “With faith, integrity, and a deep commitment to service, I am ready to bring the voices of Southeast Queens to Albany.” Q

CONZA | MCNAMARA

PLANNING ATTORNEYS

ESQ.

EDWARD R. MCNAMARA, ESQ.

CYNTHIA J. CONZA,

Nathaniel Hezekiah III and Latoya LeGrand are going to battle it out to succeed Assemblywoman Vivan Cook.

PHOTO BY JUSTICE WILLIAMS, LEFT; COURTESY PHOTO

DA: Man beat his little boy to death

Toddler died days after drunken assault in LIC homeless shelter, complaint says

by Peter C. Mastrosimone Editor-in-Chief

A Long Island City homeless shelter resident beat his 2-year-old son to death in a drunken blackout after the boy’s mother repeatedly warned city government officials that he should never be left in the man’s care, according to a combination of court documents and media reports.

The alleged killer did not even seek care for the mortally injured child, according to the criminal complaint filed against him. Two days later, when he was dropping off his other child at a location in Manhattan, unnamed witnesses saw the toddler’s condition and called police, the document says.

The boy, Maliek Williams, was brought to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in Manhattan, where he clung to life for a couple days but then died. The father, Dayvon Morrison, is in custody and has been ordered to undergo a psychiatric exam, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office. The distraught mother, Cyndy Williams, has lashed out at the system for, she said, not acting on her pleas to keep Maliek away from Morrison.

“My beautiful baby boy was brutally beaten by his father, Dayvon Morrison,” Williams posted on Facebook the day before Maliek died (some punctuation adjusted for print). “My baby is fighting for his life in the ICU. Please, I can’t do anything but pray. I asked for prayer from everyone. I can’t breathe, my baby boy is two years old and the sweetest baby boy.

“I have been fighting so hard for my son — I told the courts, I told ACS, my son is not safe with him. Y’all threatened to take my baby boy away from ME, when all I’ve

been trying to do is protect him.”

She made similar comments in speaking to the media.

“I warned ACS, the courts, NYPD, everybody — I warned everybody!” she said, speaking at a podium hung with the banner of WARM, We All Really Matter, a nonprofit group focused on domestic violence, as seen on a WPIX report. “And now you all can hear me!”

The Administration for Children’s Services told the Chronicle via email, “The death of 2-year old Maliek is a terrible tragedy, and we mourn his loss. Through our intensive review process, we will be reviewing this case to

ensure that we are doing everything possible to keep children safe and families supported.”

The Chronicle had several questions, but the ACS is barred by state law from sharing any information related to its investigations, including whether a family has been involved with the agency.

Morrison was charged with attempted murder in the second degree and assault in the first degree, as per the criminal complaint, but the charges will be upgraded since Maliek has died.

The little boy was beaten sometime after 12:01 a.m. Jan. 30, the criminal complaint says, based upon what his father told investi-

gators. The crime occurred in room 704 of a homeless shelter formerly called the Manhattan View Hotel, located at 37-35 21 St. in Long Island City, where it is sandwiched between a gas station and some auto body shops, across the street from a library and a school parking lot. Surveillance video confirms that Morrison was alone with his son at the time, the complaint says.

Morrison told investigators that he “must have hit the victim but doesn’t remember because he was intoxicated,” and that when he awoke on the morning of Jan. 31, “he observed multiple bruises on the victim’s face but did not seek medical attention at that time.”

He never did.

But he did arrive at 220 E. 102 St. in Manhattan at about 1:30 a.m. on Feb. 2 to drop off his other child with someone, the complaint says. He was there until about 3:15 a.m., when someone called the police about Maliek.

The injuries the boy suffered went far beyond bruises to his face. The complaint against his father cites Dr. Jennifer Shenker of New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell as saying, as written down by a detective, that “the victim is on a ventilator and sustained a blown right pupil, fractured pelvis, laceration to the liver, damage to the brain stem, multiple brain bleeds, and swelling to the brain, among other injuries.

“Deponent is further informed by Doctor Shenker that the victim is currently in likelyto-die condition.”

The prognosis came true soon afterward.

“My baby is gone,” Williams said in a social media post, adding that the time was 10:26 p.m. on Feb. 4. “I have nothing else to say. I’m done.” Q

Message sent to hundreds at school in Jackson Heights; prison is possible DA: Teen threatens ‘all the Jews’ in email

by Peter C. Mastrosimone Editor-in-Chief

A 17-year-old has been charged with making a terroristic threat as a hate crime after emailing hundreds of students at his school a promise to “kill all the Jews,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Feb 4.

The unnamed teen sent the email to several hundred kids at Renaissance Charter School in Jackson Heights on Feb. 2, the DA’s Office said, with the principal there seeing the message at 12:34 p.m.

It promised a bloodbath in less than an hour and a half.

“At 2:00 we will all rise up and kill all the Jews in this school and the city,” the email said. “F*ck Jews.”

The message was sent from the student’s school email account.

The principal contacted the authorities and the defendant, who also lives in Jackson Heights, was arrested at the school by the NYPD, the DA’s Office said. He was arraigned Feb. 3 and faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.

The office said he was released to the custody of his mother, with Queens State Supreme Court Justice Bruna DiBiase ordering “Intensive Community Monitoring” for him. Accord-

ing to the city Department of Probation:

“The Intensive Community Monitoring Program (ICM) is designed to help young people make good decisions and avoid being sent back to detention facilities. ICM also engages parents or guardians to help monitor the youth while their court case is pending.”

It says “clients” who are in ICM may receive: frequent school and home visits, curfew monitoring, counseling, referrals to court-ordered services and drug testing.

Katz noted in a statement that a majority of hate crimes in New York City target Jews.

“At a time when more than half of all hate crimes citywide are anti-Jewish, we are seeing a dangerous normalization of antisemitism,” the DA said. “Our schools must remain places of safety and learning in the face of this alarming trend. Threats of violence directed at students, particularly those rooted in hate, will be taken seriously and addressed immediately by my office.

“The defendant now faces serious criminal charges for allegedly threatening to kill Jewish students at his school and Jewish New Yorkers across the city. We will continue to act decisively to keep our schools safe and to protect the many

communities that call this borough home.”

Officials and residents alike report a rise in antisemitic incidents since Hamas terrorists launched a sneak attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people outright and taking 251 hostages, many of whom later were slain, and the Jewish state responded with a bombardment and invasion of the Gaza Strip, resulting in an estimated 72,000 Palestinian deaths.

The City Council is eyeing a series of bills to address antisemitism, and a group of northwestern Queens residents recently sent a detailed dossier to the federal government seeking an investigation of widespread graffiti targeting Jews and Israel in their area, including Jackson Heights.

According to the NYPD, there were 545 confirmed hate crimes citywide in all of 2025, and 310 of them were driven by anti-Jewish animus, more than all other categories combined. In January 2026, there were 31 incidents recorded as anti-Jewish hate crimes, compared with 11 in the first month of 2025, marking a 182 percent increase. There were 40 incidents in December 2025.

Police note that the numbers can change as cases are investigated because some may be determined not to be hate crimes after all. Q

Maliek Williams died days after his father allegedly assaulted him. His mother, Cyndy Williams, with him at right, said she warned the authorities about the man. PHOTOS VIA FACEBOOK / CYNDY WILLIAMS

Residents, board members demand ‘transparency’ following burst pipes FoHi co-ops lament flooding, no heating

by Stephanie G. Meditz Editor

After burst pipes at The Fairview co-op in Forest Hills reportedly left nearly 100 residents without heat in the bitter cold, residents on Wednesday joined City Councilman Jim Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows) outside the building to demand “transparency and accountability” from management.

A recent “catastrophic” infrastructure failure at 61-20 Grand Central Pkwy. caused dozens of apartments to flood, as per a press release from Gennaro’s office, and some residents said they got sick due to prolonged exposure to frigid temperatures.

The release says Fairview management has “failed to provide meaningful communication” on the matter, despite repeated outreach — his staff’s request for a town hall was “ignored,” and a scheduled board meeting was canceled.

Gennaro’s office said Wednesday that heat had not been restored in at least two apartments, and three units flooded Tuesday.

“Residents deserve clear answers and honest communication,” Gennaro said in the release. “When families lose heat in the dead of winter — during a weekend when parts of New York City experienced temperatures colder than Antarctica — and apartments continue to flood weeks after the initial incident, silence from management is not an option.”

“Our residents are not asking for anything unreasonable — they are asking for basic information about their homes,” said Patricia Zhou, a Fairview co-op board member. “Families have been displaced, seniors have endured freezing temperatures, and additional flooding continues to occur.

“It is deeply troubling that in the midst of an ongoing infrastructure crisis, residents and even members of the board are struggling to get clear, timely answers.”

used as a warming area for tenants, but also because members were focused on getting the building back to normal.

“We would not have anything to talk about or discuss at that point because we needed to take care of the emergency that was unfolding right in front of us,” Fairview Board President Allan O’Hare said.

Board Treasurer Ellen Yan said that also was why no town hall was held, though she was in touch with Gennaro’s office — it would have pulled resources away from emergency response. But, she said, the board would meet with shareholders to provide updates and next steps once the situation improved.

Heat was restored in every apartment by Saturday, Yan said, but more leaking pipes were discovered Tuesday.

But building manager Luis Mercado said he has been sharing daily updates with residents, sending at least two emails a day to the entire building. Many board members also have been volunteering to knock on doors and make calls, he said.

Management “spared little effort” to address the pipe that broke Jan. 26, he said. Plumbers repaired it within hours, but the stretch of freezing weather caused

problems such as blockages, low pressure and flooding when heating operations resumed.

Mercado said also that the board meeting planned for last Thursday was canceled, partially because the usual space was being

Gregory W. MEEKS

To prevent issues in the future, O’Hare said, the 62-year-old system will be replaced with electric heat pumps for heating and cooling, taking the water circulation system out of service. The co-op will not face Local Law 97 fines under the new system, Yan said. Q

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Honoring the African-American community

Fairview co-op board member Patricia Zhou, at mic with area Councilman Jim Gennaro, said it is “troubling” that residents are struggling to get answers from management after pipes burst last month.

PHOTO COURTESY NYC COUNCIL

QJCC welcomes community support

Group thanks old friends amid troubling times for the city’s Jewish community

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

Barry Grodenchik, president of the Queens Jewish Community Council, was uncharacteristically somber Sunday morning at the group’s annual legislative breakfast.

“If I do not start off with the usual pleasantries, I hope that you will understand,” the former councilman said to a group of more than 200 at the Young Israel of Jamaica Estates synagogue.

The annual event, as usual, brought out government dignitaries including state Attorney General Letitia James, U.S. Reps Grace Meng (D-Flushing) and Tom Suozzi (D-Nassau-Queens), the city and state comptrollers, Council Speaker Julie Menin (D-Manhattan) and a vast array of elected officials from Queens.

But this year, with the single-digit temperature outside a distant second, the speakers were very focused on recent antisemitic incidents including a pro-Hamas rally outside of a Kew Gardens Hills synagogue back in December; the Jan. 27 assault of a rabbi in Forest Hills; the vehicular attack at Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in Crown Heights in Brooklyn a day later; and other acts of violence and vandalism.

“We are definitely not living in normal times,” Grodenchik said. “The Jewish community is in a place in New York City that many people in this room have never known. We need armed guards in our synagogues and schools. And, regrettably, it is necessary that we have police patrols as well.”

But Grodenchik and others also thanked those gathered for always supporting them and the Jewish community. Talking near the end of the program, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz spoke of greeting guests from outside the Jewish community and thanking them for their support.

“They said, ‘We were always here.’ I said, ‘But you still are,’” Katz explained.

Rabbi Mayer Waxman, executive director of the QJCC, briefly touched on recent events in his talk before returning to the topic of the religious, cultural, food assistance and community services the group continues to provide.

He deliberately limited his discussion of antisemitism to drive home that focus.

“[B]ecause while QJCC does advocacy on behalf of the Jewish community, I want to make it clear that QJCC is not at all all about anti-Semitism,” Waxman said. “While of late we are seeing that the world has too many evil people, clueless people or idiots, hellbent on impeding Jews from continuing to do great things on behalf of the Jewish community, the greater community and the world, these people do not define us.”

Menin, the daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors from Budapest in Hungary, took the opportunity to discuss her five-point plan to combat antisemitism with a series of bills introduced on Jan. 29.

They include security buffers around entrances to houses of worship, security provisions and private schools and Holocaust education programs in schools.

“It is an everyday challenge,” Menin said. Unfortunately it is not a new challenge.” She reiterated that buffer zones do not infringe on legitimate rights to peaceful protest.

“Children have the right to enter their schools without threats and intimidation,” the speaker said. “... The right to peaceful protest is sacrosanct. What is not sacrosanct is

Blood drives in S. Queens

The New York Blood Center recently declared a blood emergency and has issued an urgent call for eligible donors. Holiday and winter weather disruptions led to a decline in donations, and in recent weeks, they have dropped nearly 40 percent below what is needed to meet hospital demand.

To make an appointment, one may go online to nybc.org. There are several upcoming blood drives in South Queens:

• Knights of Columbus #197, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 94-04 Linden Blvd. in Ozone Park; blood drive

intimidation and harassment.”

Meng spoke of a $5 million fund that she said a bipartisan bill in Congress recently established to help small religious congregations improve their security.

She also spoke critically of the Jan. 8 protesters in Kew Gardens Hills.

“Antisemitism is not just rhetoric — it risks lives,” Meng said. “And we in Queens and in New York City do not support Hamas. We want every community of faith in our community to celebrate their faith proudly and openly.”

Katz, during her talk, also spoke of the dangers of ignoring rhetoric in regard to her office’s indictment in January of a man for allegedly posting terroristic threats of violence toward Jews. She said if convicted he faces up to 15 years in prison.

“Threats turn into actions,” Katz said.

Former Flushing Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal, now vice president of government relations with the UJA-Federation, also spoke briefly of services provided and his gratitude for community support. James, during her

talk, referenced the social service programs run by the QJCC and other agencies that have faced threats of or actual cuts in federal funding from Washington, DC.

“There have been efforts to stop a lot of these services,” James said. “And when we received an executive order that seemed intended to cut a lot of these programs, it was my office that stepped in, filed an action and stopped them.”

State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli was unequivocally clear on his office’s continued investments of state pension funds in State of Israel bonds, saying the Empire State is the largest state investor in Israel, despite many parties who protest the transactions.

“And soon again [will be] New York City,” called out new city Comptroller Mark Levine.

“It makes sense,” DiNapoli said. “It will be a good move for New York City. We get a good return.”

On the flip side, DiNapoli reiterated state policy of not doing business with companies that boycott Israel. Q

Sanctuary policies reaffirmed

continued from page 2

coordinator Paul Eggert;

• Gurdwara Sikh Cultural Society, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 95-30 118 St. in Richmond Hill; blood drive coordinator Inderjeet Singh;

• Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18 in the private dining room at 89-00 Van Wyck Expwy. in Richmond Hill; blood drive coordinator Elmer Ariza; and

• Holy Child Jesus Church, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 22, in the gymnasium at 111-02 86 Ave. in Richmond Hill; blood drive coordinator Helen Aviles. Q

recently taken steps to bolster sanctuary policies. The Council on Jan. 29 enacted a law by Councilmember Tiffany Cabán (D-Astoria) barring ICE from Rikers Island, and Gov. Hochul introduced legislation to prevent taxpayer-funded resources from being used for immigration enforcement.

U.S. Reps. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) and Gregory Meeks (D-Jamaica) held a press conference at Borough Hall Jan. 29 to denounce what they termed brutality by federal agents. Both lawmakers said they would not vote to fund the Department of Homeland Security without guardrails to rein in ICE.

President Trump last week signed a spend-

ing package that funded the DHS through Feb. 13, amid negotiations about ICE restrictions. Senate Democrats were dissatisfied with a White House proposal made last weekend, and lawmakers seemed no closer to reaching an extension deal as of press time.

“From our streets to our courthouses, immigrant New Yorkers are forced to look over their shoulders in fear,” New York Immigration Coalition President and CEO Murad Awawdeh said in a statement. “Mayor Mamdani’s announcement recognizes his responsibility to defend all residents from abusive immigration enforcement, and our moral obligation to protect our immigrant neighbors from these attacks.” Q

Barry Grodenchik said New York City’s Jewish community is looking at a troubling landscape during the group’s legislative breakfast on Sunday.

The Queens Jewish Community Council and part of the borough’s City Council delegation welcomed Council Speaker Julie Menin, fourth from left, to the QJCC’s legislative breakfast Sunday morning. The group included QJCC President Barry Grodenchik, left, Executive Director Rabbi Mayer Waxman, Councilwoman Shanel Thomas-Henry and Councilmembers Linda Lee, Sandra Ung, Jim Gennaro and Ty Hankerson.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL GANNON

Jewish leaders reflect on Mamdani choice

Wisdom to lead antisemitism office

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

When Mayor Mamdani on Feb. 4 announced Phylisa Wisdom as the new executive director of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, the public reaction was mixed, ranging from praise to outright opposition.

The office was created by Mayor Eric Adams last May in response to a staggering increase of antisemitic incidents in the city. It was tasked to work with city agencies, the court system and others to address the increase in as wide a range as possible.

Jewish leaders who spoke with the Chronicle were mostly reserving judgement, but some also were wary.

Wisdom most recently served as the executive director of the New York Jewish Agenda. Published reports say she considers herself a liberal Zionist, though both she and the New York Jewish Agenda have been criticized for what critics call anti-Israel views.

Speaking with the Chronicle Sunday morning at the legislative breakfast hosted by the Queens Jewish Community Council, City Council Speaker Julie Menin (D-Manhattan) said she was reserving judgment [see separate story in some editions or at qchron.com].

“I don’t know her, and we haven’t met yet,” Menin said, though she added that she expects that to take place soon.

Menin, the first Jewish council speaker and the daughter and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, also declined to comment on the public criticism in the meantime.

Rabbi Mayer Waxman, executive director of the QJCC, also said Sunday he could not yet offer an opinion of Wisdom or her appointment.

“But it is a very important office,” Waxman said. “I hope it is taken seriously.”

Rabbi Jonathan Pearl of the Ashreynu congregation in Astoria made no secret that he is concerned.

“I would say I don’t know much about her,” Pearl said of Wisdom in a Tuesday

phone call. “From what I’ve read I’m not particularly pleased. I’m wary of the mayor because of his stance on Israel and toward Jews, which I find troubling and concerning.

“With the dramatic, dramatic rise in incidents of antisemitism, including in my own community, people are kind of worried. I’m wary of any appointment that he makes because of his terrible stance on Israel, and it could affect Jews in a very bad way.”

Rabbi Meir Pape of the Chabad of Jackson Heights, also reached by phone, declined to comment. Leaders from two other Queens synagogues did not respond to messages left by the Chronicle.

Councilwoman Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills) and Assemblyman Sam Berger (D-Flushing) could not be reached prior to the Chronicle’s deadline on Wednesday.

Speakers at Sunday’s QJCC function said that while Jews make up slightly more than 10 percent of the city’s population, antisemitic acts account for about 57 percent of all reported hate crimes in five boroughs.

Mamdani, in a Feb. 4 press release, said he has found the right choice.

“Phylisa is a respected leader and powerful voice in the fight against antisemitism in New York City, Albany and across the country,” he said. “Day in and day out, across all five boroughs, we will work together to root out antisemitism and build a New York City where Jewish New Yorkers are safe, respected, and free.”

Wisdom called the city a beacon for the Jewish community.

“We will continue to ensure that Jewish safety and belonging remains at the core of this administration’s vision for a more livable city,” she said in the press release.

“In a time of rising hatred and fear, I look forward to embracing this solemn responsibility — both to represent the diverse array of Jewish voices to City Hall in this critical moment, and to demonstrate the power of pluralistic democracy in the greatest city in the world.” Q

Charter Schools are for all students

What are Charter schools?

Charter schools are free public schools open to all students, including students with disabilities and multilingual learners. Charter schools are independent of the New York City Department of Education, which allows them the freedom to try new approaches, respond to commu-

nity needs, and put student learning first. Public charter schools are held accountable for advancing student achievement; if they do not meet their goals, a charter school can be closed.

Charters schools are for all students

Did you know that charter schools are free public schools open to all New York City students? Today, there are 286 of them serving over 150,500 students from all backgrounds, including English language learners and students with special needs. Charter schools don’t select students

based on their academic background. Parents simply fill out a short application and students are admitted through a random lottery. Charters schools serve students from Pre-K through high school and are located in all five boroughs of NYC.

Charters prepare students for college and career

Studies show that New York City has one of the highest performing charter school sectors in the country.

The most recent available testing data shows charter school students consistently passed the state academic tests at higher rates than their district counterparts, especially Black and Latino students.

Charters innovate!

Charter schools operate independent of the NYC Department of Education. This allows them to be more flexible in the ways that they run their schools, design their academic programs and hire staff.

Many charter schools not only emphasize the core subjects of English and math, but also offer arts, science and language programs.

Charter schools often use innovative approaches to learning, such as longer school days and a longer school year, which contribute to stu-

dents’ success in preparation for college and career.

How to apply: Don’t miss the deadline!

The application period starts each October and ends by April 1, so don’t forget to submit your application on time!

There are 3 easy ways to apply to a charter school:

1. You can submit an application through the Common Online Charter School Application where you can apply to multiple schools at once.

Visit nyccharterschools.school mint.net today!

2. You can visit a school of your choice and pick up an application in person.

Visit nyccharterschools.org/ school-search to find charters in your neighborhood.

3. Or you can visit any school’s website and download an application.

Attend a charter school open house Families are encouraged to visit and learn more about charter schools. Check out the Open House Calendar to find events in your area.

Visit nyccharterschools.org/ school-search to find charters in your neighborhood.

— Courtesy nyccharterschools.org

Enrollment process for 2026-27 school year

The Common Online Charter School Application is now open for the 2026-27 school year!

Charter schools accept applications on a rolling basis. If there are more student applications than seats available, charter schools are required to hold lotteries to randomly select students for admission. Students whose names are not selected in the lottery will be added to the school’s wait list and may be admitted as seats become available in the future. Families can expect to receive notification of application status directly from schools through the spring and summer.

Charter schools are free public schools open to all NYC students. Families can apply with one simple application. No tests, interviews, essays or auditions are ever required.

Zeta Charter Schools aTop-3

charter network

One of New York City’s top three charter networks, Zeta combines world-class academics with unrivaled opportunities for students to pursue their interests in special classes and clubs — including chess, music, soccer, and Taekwondo. Zeta’s next-generation model helps students develop confidence and purpose, preparing them for leadership in an evolving world.

In 2026-27, our Elmhurst and Jamaica schools will serve children from kindergarten to second grade and our new Flushing school will serve children in kindergarten to first grade. — Courtesy Zeta Charter Schools

P i c t u r e s Pictures

p e r f e c t perfect

by Michael Gannon

Even on an arctic-cold morning, Mary Pugh of Bayside couldn’t turn away from the windows of a storefront in the Bay Terrace Shopping Center displaying entries in the 25th annual Winter Art Show sponsored by the Bayside Historical Society.

“The sign says these are by students,”Pugh said of the paintings, prints and sketches on display. “They’re terrific.”

She wasn’t the first to stop to admire the display, which also includes sculptures, collages, photographs and more along the entire width of a vacant clothing store.

0 percent of n60artists,” ”

And the students’ work is only about 20 percent of what can be viewed.

Bayside community art show runs art runs all month

“We have submissions from more than 60 artists,” said Laura James, vice president of education initiatives for the BHS, who has supervised the Winter Art Show for the last nine years. “Some of them have more than one work on display. Some of them have been with us for years.” James said she enjoys seeing the mix every year of returning artists and new talent.

Terrace area.

“The only requirement is that you live, work or go to school in Queens,” James said.

The exhibit can be viewed from the sidewalk only. There is no public access inside the gallery.

Photo collections displaying all the show’s selected entries, along with information on the society’s other historical and cultural offerings, can be viewed on its website, baysidehistorical.org.

Submissions are not limited only to the Bayside-Bay

The Bay Terrace Shopping Center is located on the northwest corner of the intersection of Bell Boulevard and 26th Avenue. The art display went up in the windows of the old Express store on Feb. 4 and will remain there for all who want to drop by and take a look through 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 1. It is located near the corner that houses Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen Restaurant and other eateries.

King Crossword Puzzle

I HAVE OFTEN WALKED

Deborah Egerton took a look deep inside in Hollis

by Ron Marzlock Chronicle Contributor

Deborah Threadgill was born in Queens on March 15, 1951, the second child of Walter and Margaret Threadgill. They originally lived in South Ozone Park, but in 1961 moved to 197-13 100 Ave. in Hollis, becoming one of the very first Black families on the block.

Deborah was a model, dancer, pianist and expert baton twirler. She became one of the first Black people to appear in TV commercials for brands such as Clearasil, Listerine and Pepsi-Cola; and on programs such as “The Patty Duke Show” and “The Nurses” back when those positions were not offered to people of color.

Threadgill got married on March 29, 1970, at age 19, to Dr. Sheridon Hale Groves. Things didn’t work out and she got married again, on May 29, 1981, to Dr. Walter Egerton. Her mother’s compassion to those who needed help may have inspired her to get her Ph.D. and become a psychotherapist.

Clock Tower gets a new flag

The American flag atop Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s MediSys annex at Clock Tower Plaza, at 92-10 Atlantic Ave. in Ozone Park, was again replaced thanks to a Feb. 6 donation from state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. Addabbo, above at second from right, presented the flag to Jamaica Hospital supervisor Melissa Mejias, left, practice coordinator Darlene Habe and manager Patrick Rudden. The donation, per Addabbo’s office, honors veterans and marks the 85th anniversary of the United Service Organizations, which was established in 1941 and provides entertainment and support for service members and their families.

The site’s previous flag was donated by Addabbo last August, but harsh weather conditions necessitated replacement.

“I believe that veterans deserve the utmost care and respect as they have made great sacrifices to protect our country,” he said in a statement. “There is no greater symbol of that freedom than the American Flag, which should always be revered and treated with dignity.”

He added that he’s proud to provide a new flag for the site and remind everyone “of the history of our great nation, and to acknowledge the great work of the USO” on its anniversary. — Kristen Guglielmo

apist

childhood home of teen

and

Today Egerton is a spiritual leader and mentor worldwide in politics, business and education. The best-selling author of “Know Justice Know Peace, she teaches Enneagram, a high-quality, accurate personality type system helping thousands of people unlock and find out who they are. She posts inspirational messages and other material every day on Facebook. Q

B SPORTS EAT

Big Red Storm win

by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor

It is not hyperbole to say that last Friday night’s 81-72 win over the University of Connecticut at Madison Square Garden was the biggest regular season victory in years for the St. John’s University men’s basketball team. The UConn Huskies had won 18 consecutive games coming into their matchup with the Red Storm, who were doing well themselves, having won eight straight.

This game held such national interest that Fox broadcast it nationally with former Knicks voice Gus Johnson doing the play-by-play. The always enthusiastic Johnson was clearly happy to be back in New York from the intro. He became emotional when a live photo of the Statue of Liberty was shown.

Fox sideline reporter Allison Williams spoke to Red Storm Head Coach Rick Pitino before the game and asked him the secret for the UConn Huskies’ success. “Well, they have a great offense; they play solid defense; and they are well-coached. Gee, I better leave right now!” Pitino joked. After the game, Williams asked Pitino about his pregame comment. “I am happy I decided to stick around!” he said.

The Red Storm earned their win thanks to a tenacious defense; big man Zuby Ejiofor scoring 20 points; and a clutch three-point shot by Dylan Darling. Free throw shooting long has

been a Red Storm problem, but Bryce Hopkins hit a pair of foul shots to salt the game away in the final minute.

I had a feeling it would be a good night for the Red Storm when the Fox camera crew panned in behind the St. John’s bench to see who was sitting in celebrity row. Sure enough, there was inimitable Mets executive Jay Horwitz smiling and wearing a Red Storm hoodie. It was no Giannis Antetokounmpo, no problem for the Knicks at last Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. After months of rumors, the Milwaukee Bucks held on to their disgruntled superstar. The Knicks, who had won eight straight games at the deadline, did not feel the need to break up their team or discard any future draft picks for the supremely talented but often injured Giannis.

The Knicks did acquire sharpshooting guard and Brooklyn native Jose Alvarado from the New Orleans Pelicans last Thursday. He was needed because Miles “Deuce” McBride will be lost for the rest of the regular season as he recovers from hernia surgery.

The Brooklyn Nets, who are more interested in getting a high position in the 2026 draft than they are in winning games, held on to their best player and most marketable asset, Michael Porter Jr., when no team was willing to part with their top draft picks for him.

The

model

actress Deborah Threadgill, later psychother-

and author Dr. Deborah Egerton at 197-13 100 Ave. in Hollis, as it looked in the 1960s. INSET PHOTO VIA WIKIPEDIA / DEBORAH EGERTON

‘Rhythms & Rhymes’ speakeasy honors iconic poet

by Naeisha Rose editor

The weather might be cold and frightful, but there’s a fabulous time to be had with friends and family at the Langston Hughes Community Library & Cultural Center in Corona on Saturday, Feb. 21.

This Black History Month, the library, at 100-01 Northern Blvd., will honor its namesake, from 2 to 6 p.m., with a free “speakeasy” event celebrating the 125th anniversary of his birth, which was Feb. 1.

Shakira Smalls, the library’s executive director, said past acknowledgements of Hughes included jazz concerts, recitals of his poetry and theater performances.

“This year we wanted to do something a little different,” Smalls told the Chronicle.

“We decided to reform our entire cultural center and to create a speakeasy, a Harlem Renaissance vibe.”

To recognize the dramatist, poet, novelist, essayist and civil rights opinion columnist, an iconic figure in the Harlem Renaissance, guests are encouraged to adorn themselves with some flair in 1920s to ’30s attire such as flapper dresses, fedoras and pearls.

“We also want to party and really celebrate his birthday,” said Smalls.

People interested in attending the function, which will have hors d’oeuvres, includ-

“Rhythms

ing vegetarian options, and mocktails, are encouraged to register by searching for “Rhythms & Rhymes: The Langston Hughes Speakeasy” at eventbrite.com.

Smalls said that Hughes started becoming prominent during the height of the Harlem Renaissance at a time when artists and intellectuals like himself gathered at speakeasies, the illicit establishment that sold alcohol during the Prohibition era, to have conversations about their work and the political goings-on at the time.

“It’s really about him being an artist at that time period and then learning that ... how he gathered with like-minded folks and how the speakeasy [was the place] for those intimate conversations at those times,” she said. “Thinking about the current climate of everything and the power of his poetry, we wanted to create a vibe where people are learning and celebrating the impact of his words and how they resonate today.”

The storytelling band Darwin’s Theory

and Deejay Gully will provide the evening’s music, said Smalls. There also will be a spoken-word piece by David Nazario and poetry by David Mills.

“While the jazz band will be playing music from different eras,” during Hughes life, she said, “they also will be sharing some great storytelling about the eras.”

Smalls said Langston Hughes is the only Queens Public Library branch named after a person instead of a neighborhood. It is also the first public institution to name itself after Hughes.

“It was created by the community,” she said. “A group of African Americans in the 1960s saw the need to have a library that had material that reflected their culture as they felt they were unwelcome at local libraries ... so they created their own library, hence Langston Hughes.”

During the process of forming the library, in 1967, the poet passed away from prostate cancer, so the library’s action committee decided to name the branch after him. The library was founded April 26, 1969.

Ten of Hughes’ poems will be inside a gallery near the cultural center.

Some of his works to be showcased include “I, Too,” “Mother to Son” and his most famous piece, “Harlem,” also known as “A Dream Deferred.” Q

Culture, history at 25th annual Winter Art Show

continued from page 21

The firm Cord Meyer, which owns the shopping center, again is sponsoring the space for the display.

Paul DiBenedetto, known to many as chairman of Community Board 11, also is the society’s vice president of buildings. He said some people are surprised initially when learning of the BHS’s dedication to the art show.

“We teach about a lot of local history, like

Crossword Answers

the Bell family, but we also present a lot of programs on the arts and culture,” DiBenedetto said. “Culture is part of our history.”

Another example he cited is its Sunday Jazz Brunch at the BHS Castle in Fort Totten, scheduled for Sunday.

“Clark Terry used to live in Bayside,” DiBenedetto said, recalling the famed jazz trumpeter and composer who died in 2015 at age 94.

He added that having student artists’ contributions also are key to the mission.

“Today’s culture becomes tomorrow’s history,” DiBenedetto said.

James said 20 student works were submitted from Bayside High School.

“We have a great relationship with their art department,” she said.

The selection is eclectic — paintings in just about every identifiable style in oil, water colors and acrylic. They depict land and seascapes; portraits; and colorful tributes to people ranging from music legend Bob Dylan and Mother Teresa to an anonymous blacksmith plying his trade.

There are photographs in both color and black and white, with one set placing the viewer into the mind of a cat contemplating

Laura James and Paul DiBenedetto of the Bayside Historical Society show off selections in this year’s Winter Art Show. On the cover: Several of the scores of works that will remain on display through the end of the month.

a pigeon only inches away, but on the opposite side of a window pane.

A pair of detailed clay and cardboard statuettes pays tribute to the Phantom of the

BY MICHAEL GANNON

Opera and the Invisible Man from the classic Universal Studios horror movies of the same names; while a pair of kinetic sculptures nearby portray decidedly political themes. Q

& Rhymes: The Langston Hughes Speakeasy” will feature poetry, spoken word and live music on Feb. 21. Fedoras and other accoutrements of the 1920s are encouraged.

ARTWORK BY CHARLES LILLY, LEFT, VIA QPL; PHOTO BY MARION POST WOLCOTT / LIBRARY OF CONGRESS VIA WIKIPEDIA

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Notice of Formation of MICHEL LCSW THERAPY SERVICES PLLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/23/2026. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent for service of process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to: 2930 Bayswater Avenue, Far Rockaway, NY 11691. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of GARDEN OF EDEN NYC LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/21/2026. 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: JACOB SMITH, 121-27 194ST, QUEENS, NY 11413. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK (ISLIP) Allison Lending, LLC.; Plaintiff v. NLL Properties Incorporated et al; Defendants Attorneys for Plaintiff: Hasbani & Light, P.C., 450 7th Ave, Suite 1901, NY, NY 10123; (212) 643-6677 Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale granted herein on 12/30/25, I will sell at Public Auction to the highest bidder in EDNYIslip, 100 Federal Plaza, Central Islip, NY 11722. On February 24, 2026 at 10:00 AM Premises known as 109-09 211th Street, Queens Village, NY 11429 and identified on the Queens County Tax Map as Block: 11 Lots: 7-9 All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the County of Queens, City and State of New York. As more particularly described in the judgment of foreclosure and sale. Sold subject to all the terms and conditions contained in said judgment and terms of sale. Approximate amount of judgment: $297,011.18 plus interest and costs. Docket Number: 23cv-9385 Janine T. Lynam, Esq., Referee

Legal Notices

NOTICE OF LEGAL POSTPONEMENT OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, AS OWNER TRUSTEE OF THE RESIDENTIAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES TRUST VIII-A, Plaintiff, vs. ANY UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, DISTRIBUTEES OR SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST OF THE LATE NELSON CANO A/K/A NELSON RODRIGO CANO, IF LIVING, AND IF ANY BE DEAD, ANY AND ALL PERSONS WHO ARE SPOUSES, WIDOWS, GRANTEES, MORTGAGEES, LIENORS, HEIRS, DEVISEES, DISTRIBUTEES, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS OR SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST OF SUCH OF THEM AS MAY BE DEAD, AND THEIR SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, DISTRIBTUTEES AND SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST, ALL OF WHOM AND WHOSE NAMES AND PLACES OF RESIDENCE ARE UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on October 23, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, on the second floor in Courtroom 25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on February 20, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., premises known as 92-21 Winchester Boulevard, Queens Village, NY 11428. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Fourth Ward in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 10736 and Lot 35. Approximate amount of judgment is $515,164.20 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 705735/2018. The original sale was scheduled for January 23, 2026 at the same time and location. Joseph N. Armao, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 230144-1

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, -against- JEAN REED, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on November 24, 2025, wherein JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION is the Plaintiff and JEAN REED, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the QUEENS COUNTY COURTHOUSE 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD., COURTROOM #25, JAMAICA, NY 11435, on 03/06/2026 at 10:00AM, premises known as 21012 94TH AVENUE, QUEENS VILLAGE, New York 11428; and the following tax map identification, -10544-50. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE COUNTY OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 704770/2023. Michael Dennis Benjamin, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENSU.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE IF THE LEHMAN BROTHERS SMALL BALANCE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-2, -against- ERA INTERNATIONAL, LLC, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on December 4, 2025, wherein U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE IF THE LEHMAN BROTHERS SMALL BALANCE COMMERCIAL MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-2 is the Plaintiff and ERA INTERNATIONAL, LLC, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the QUEENS COUNTY COURTHOUSE 8811 SUTPHIN BLVD., COURTROOM #25, JAMAICA, NY 11435, on 03/13/2026 at 10:00AM, premises known as 6626 MYRTLE AVE, GLENDALE , New York 11385; and the following tax map identification, 4-03699-0034.

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE COUNTY OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 700577/2021.

Guy R. Vitacco Jr., Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A AS TRUSTEE FOR MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT SERIES I, -againstCHARLES WALDEN AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF ALBERTA NEWBOLD ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on December 4, 2025, wherein BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A AS TRUSTEE FOR MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT SERIES I. is the Plaintiff and CHARLES WALDEN AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF ALBERTA NEWBOLD, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the QUEENS COUNTY COURTHOUSE 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD., COURTROOM #25, JAMAICA, NY 11435, on 03/06/2026 at 10:00AM, premises known as 120-04 146TH ST., JAMAICA, New York 11436; and the following tax map identification, -12043-14.

ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE COUNTY OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 706825/2014. Stephanie S. Goldstone, Esq.Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/ CLERK DIRECTIVES.

HOUSING. Federal, New York State and local laws prohibit discrimination because of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, familial status or disability in connection with the sale or rental of residential real estate. Queens Chronicle does not knowingly accept advertising in violation of these laws. When you suspect housing discrimination call the Open Housing Center (the Fair Housing Agency for the five boroughs of New York) at 212941-6101, or the New York City Commission of Human Rights Hotline at 718-722-3131. The Queens Chronicle reserves the right to alter wording in ads to conform with Federal Fair Housing regulations.

Legal Notices

On December 19, 2025, the Pennsylvania State Board of Massage Therapy revoked the massage therapy license of Lina Fang, license no. MSG014578, of College Point, New York, for having presented false credentials or documents or made a false statement of fact in support of her application for licensure; had a license suspended, revoked, or refused or received other disciplinary action by the proper licensing authority of another jurisdiction; and failed to provide written notice to the Board within 30 days of a disciplinary action taken against her by the licensing agency of another jurisdiction.

Notice is hereby given that a Summer On Premises (Bar/Tavern) Liquor License, Application ID NA-0371-26-101291 has been applied for by Rockaway Ocean Club West LLC d/b/a Rockaway Ocean Club serving beer, wine, cider and liquor to be sold at retail for on premises consumption in a bar/ tavern for the premises located at 157 Rockaway Beach Blvd., West Rockaway Park, NY 11694

Legal Notices

CACFP BIDS REQUEST

Sealed bids will be received at the Heartshare Human Services of New York office at 330 Jay Street Brooklyn, NY 11201 until 12pm on 2/26/2026 for meals delivered to 1825 Bath Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11214, 8212 151st Ave, Howard Beach, NY 11414 and 115-15 101st Ave Richmond Hill, NY 11419. Specifications for breakfast, snack, and lunch may only be obtained by contacting Michelle Ullaguari at michelle.ullaguari@ heartshare.org. All work will be conducted in strict accordance with bid specifications. Bids will be opened at Heartshare Human Services of New York, 330 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201, and read on February 26, 2026, at 12:00 PM.

Notice is hereby given that a Summer On Premises (Bar/ Tavern) Liquor License, Application ID NA-0371-26-101285 has been applied for by Rockaway Ocean Club Concessions LLC d/b/a Rockaway Ocean Club serving beer, wine, cider and liquor to be sold at retail for on premises consumption in a bar/tavern for the premises located at 157 Rockaway Beach Blvd., Rockaway Park, NY 11694.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS REGAIN CRF FUND 1 LLC, -against- PAMELA P. CARTER, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF GEORGE CARTER, JR, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on November 19, 2025, wherein REGAIN CRF FUND 1 LLC is the Plaintiff and PAMELA P. CARTER, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF GEORGE CARTER, JR, ET AL. are the Defendant(s).

I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the QUEENS COUNTY COURTHOUSE 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD., COURTROOM #25, JAMAICA, NY 11435, on 03/13/2026 at 10:00AM, premises known as 115-92 230TH STREET, CAMBRIA HEIGHTS, New York 11411; and the following tax map identification, -11311-45. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE COUNTY OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 703101/2019. William T. Driscoll, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/ CLERK DIRECTIVES.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS TRUSTEE FOR THE STRUCTURED ASSET MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS II TRUST, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-AR8, -against- JOSE TAVAREZ, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on March 10, 2023, wherein THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS TRUSTEE FOR THE STRUCTURED ASSET MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS II TRUST, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-AR8 is the Plaintiff and JOSE TAVAREZ;, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the QUEENS COUNTY COURTHOUSE 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD., COURTROOM #25, JAMAICA, NY 11435, on 02/20/2026 at 10:00AM, premises known as 62-22 BURCHELL ROAD, ARVERNE, New York 11692; and the following tax map identification, -16007-9. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE COUNTY OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK, Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 706209/2014. Fearonce G. LaLande, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

Notice of Formation of GLOBAL LINK CULTURAL PROGRAM

LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 11/13/2025. 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: ROSSANNA CAMURUNGAN, 7121 AUSTIN STREET, SUITE 202, FOREST HILLS, NY 11375. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, NYCTL 19982 TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN, Plaintiff, vs. ELDER AVE REALTY CORP., ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated December 15, 2025 and entered on December 17, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, on the second floor in Courtroom 25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY on February 27, 2026 at 11:00 a.m., all that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 5137 and Lot 1162. Said premises may also be known as 138-35 Elder Avenue, Parking Garage Unit No. 162, Queens, NY. Approximate amount of judgment is $135,354.64 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index # 711997/2019. Nicole D. Katsorhis, Esq.,Referee The Law Office of Thomas P. Malone, PLLC, 100 Park Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, New York 10017, Attorneys for Plaintif

Notice of Formation of KORTIVA, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/01/2026. 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: CARL CHINATOMBY, 9101 138TH PLACE, JAMAICA, NY 11435. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of Miah Hosting Services LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/12/2026. 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: M M AREFIN HAQUE SHIRAZEE, 191-02 105TH AVE, SAINT ALBANS, NY 11412. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME

COURT QUEENS COUNTY FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION, Plaintiff against ABDOOL ZAHEER RAMJITT A/K/A ABDOOL Z. RAMJITT, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) McCalla Raymer Leibert Pierce, LLC, 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 840, New York, NY 10170. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered December 16, 2025, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at the Queens County Supreme Court, Courtroom #25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on February 27, 2026 at 11:00 AM. Premises known as 110-31 196th Street, Saint Albans, NY 11412. Block 10936 Lot 209. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $562,897.73 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 708334/2024. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 11th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. Referee will only accept a certified bank check made payable to the referee. For sale information, please contact XOME at www.Xome.com or call (844)400-9633. Frances Yetta Ruiz, Esq., Referee File # 23-13993NY

Notice is hereby given that an On-Premise Summer Cabaret Liquor License with 3 additional bars Application ID NA-041726-101237 has been applied for by Rockaway Ocean Club Events LLC d/b/a Rockaway Ocean Club serving beer, wine, cider and liquor to be sold at retail for on premises consumption in a cabaret for the premises located at 157 Rockaway Beach Blvd., East Rockaway Park, NY 11694.

NOTICE OF SALE Supreme Court

County of Queens Nationstar Mortgage LLC, Plaintiff AGAINST Drupatee Rampersad, Rick Rampersad, et al, Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on December 17, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the Queens County Courthouse, 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., Second Floor Courtroom 25, Jamaica, NY 11435 on March 6, 2026 at 10:00 AM premises known as 104-12 121st Street, South Richmond Hill a/k/a Richmond Hill, NY 11419. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the County of Queens, City and State of New York, BLOCK: 9574, LOT: 11. Approximate amount of judgment is $663,104.65 plus interests and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 720229/2024. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www. Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. Richard Gutierrez, Referee FRENKEL LAMBERT WEISMAN & GORDON LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-100156-F00 88522

Notice is hereby given that an On Premises Bar/Tavern Full Liquor License, Application ID NA-0370-25-139015 has been applied for by SSP America JFK T5 LLC serving beer, wine, cider, mead and liquor to be sold at retail for on premises consumption in a Bar/Tavern for the premises located at JFK International Airport Terminal 5, #67IC, Queens NY 11430.

Notice of Formation of SAMMY COLLECTION LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/29/2026. 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: SAMAWIA HANSRAJ, 224-40 BRADDOCK AVE., QUEENS VILLAGE, NY 11428 Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS, WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO WACHOVIA MORTGAGE CORPORATION,against-MICHAEL C. BANKS A/K/A BANKS, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on May 14, 2025, wherein WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO WACHOVIA MORTGAGE CORPORATION, is the Plaintiff and MICHAEL C. BANKS A/K/A BANKS, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the QUEENS COUNTY COURTHOUSE 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD., COURTROOM #25, JAMAICA, NY 11435, on 03/13/2026 at 10:00AM, premises known as 144-45 SPRINGFIELD BOULEVARD, JAMAICA, New York 114133453; and the following tax map identification, -1349022.ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT . PIECE PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVMENTS THEREON SITUATED LYING AND BEING IN THE COUNTY OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 717410/2019. Lamont Ramsey Bailey, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

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Valentine’s Day Sale

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miniature carnations, red roses accented with fresh greenery.

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR CASCADE FUNDING MORTGAGE TRUST HB8, Plaintiff, vs. MARIE CLEMONS AKA MARIE REDD, AS PRESUMPTIVE HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JULIA MARION FAIN, DECEASED; ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on June 2, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, on the second floor in Courtroom 25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on February 20, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., premises known as 111-48 168th Street, Jamaica, NY 11433. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Queens, County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 10205 and Lot 56. Approximate amount of judgment is $498,814.47 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 710033/2019. Judah Maltz, Esq., Referee Greenspoon Marder, 1345 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 2200, New York, NY 10105, Attorneys for Plaintiff

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS, Index No. 706091/2024, Date Filed: 01/21/2026, SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS, Plaintiff designates Queens County as the place of trial based on the location of the mortgaged premises in this action. Plaintiff’s principal place of business is c/o Celink, 3900 Capital City Boulevard, Lansing, Michigan 48906. WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIET Y, FSB, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR FINANCE OF AMERICA STRUCTURED SECURITIES ACQUISITION TRUST 2019-HB1, Plaintiff, -against- MYRA MCCOY A/K/A MYRA MATEJA AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN TO MAMIE I. MCCOY; ANTOINE MCCOY III AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN TO MAMIE I. MCCOY; if living, and if dead, the respective heirs at law, next of kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignors, lienors, creditors and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise of any right, title or interest in and to the premises described in the complaint herein, and their respective husbands, wives or widow, if any, and each and ever y person not specifically named who may be entitled to or claim to have any right, title or interest in the property described in the verified complaint; all of whom and whose names and places of residence unknown, and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained by the Plaintiff; VINCEN T MCCOY AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN TO MAMIE I. MCCOY if living, and if dead, the respective heirs at law, next of kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignors, lienors, creditors and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise of any right, title or interest in and to the premises described in the complaint herein, and their respective husbands, wives or widow, if any, and each and ever y person not specifically named who may be entitled to or claim to have any right, title or interest in the property described in the verified complaint; all of whom and whose names and places of residence unknown, and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained by the Plaintiff, MAMIE MCCOY II AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN TO MAMIE I. MCCOY; CECELIA THAMES AS HEIR AT LAW AND NEXT OF KIN TO MAMIE I. MCCOY; JOHN DOE AND JANE DOE 1 THROUGH 50, INTENDING TO BE THE UNKNOWN HEIRS, DISTRIBUTEES, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, TRUSTEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, AND ASSIGNEES OF THE ESTATE OF MAMIE I. MCCOY, WHO WAS BORN IN 1927 AND DIED ON OCTOBER 14, 2023, A RESIDENT OF QUEENS COUNTY, WHOSE LAST KNOWN ADDRESS WAS 14405 HOLLY AVENUE, FLUSHING, NEW YORK 11355, THEIR SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST IF ANY OF THE AFORESAID DEFENDANTS BE DECEASED, THEIR RESPECTIVE HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, AND SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST OF THE AFORESAID CLASSES OF PERSON, IF THEY OR ANY OF THEM BE DEAD, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE HUSBANDS, WIVES OR WIDOWS, IF ANY, ALL OF WHOM AND WHOSE NAMES AND PLACES, ARE UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT MIDLAND FUNDING LLC; NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA O/B/O INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; “JOHN DOE #1” to “JOHN DOE #10,” the last 10 names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the persons or parties, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the mortgaged premises described in the complaint, Defendants. To the above-named defendants: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the plaintiff’s attorneys within twenty (20) days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within thirty (30) days after the service is complete if this summons is 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 complaint. NOTICE: YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME. IF YOU DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE MORTGAGE COMPANY WHO FILED THIS FORECLOSURE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT, A DEFAULT JUDGMENT MAY BE ENTERED AND YOU CAN LOSE YOUR HOME. SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY OR GO TO THE COURT WHERE YOUR CASE IS PENDING FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON HOW TO ANSWER THE SUMMONS AND PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY. SENDING A PAYMENT TO YOUR MORTGAGE COMPANY WILL NOT STOP THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT INDIVIDUALLY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR FINANCE OF AMERICA STRUCTURED SECURITIES ACQUISITION TRUST 2019-HB1) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. This action was commenced to foreclose a mortgage against property located at 14405 Holly Avenue Flushing, New York 11355. McCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC By: Caren Bailey, Esq. Attorneys for Plaintiff One Huntington Quadrangle, Suite 4N25 Melville, NY 11747 631-812-4084 855-845-2584 facsimile File # 23-301829, HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS IN FORECLOSURE NEW YORK STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE SEND YOU THIS NOTICE ABOUT THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME. IF YOU FAIL TO RESPOND TO THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, YOU MAY LOSE YOUR HOME. PLEASE READ THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT CAREFULLY. YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONTACT AN ATTORNEY OR YOUR LOCAL LEGAL AID OFFICE TO OBTAIN ADVICE ON HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF. SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE The State encourages you to become informed about your options in foreclosure. In addition to seeking assistance from an attorney or legal aid office, there are government agencies and non- profit organizations that you may contact for information about possible options, including trying to work with your lender during this process. To locate an entity near you, you may call the toll-free helpline maintained by the New York State Department of Financial Services at 1-800-342-3736 or visit the Department`s website at www.dfs.ny.gov RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME AT THIS TIME. You have the right to stay in your home during the foreclosure process. You are not required to leave your home unless and until your property is sold at auction pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale. Regardless of whether you choose to remain in your home, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR PROPERTY and pay property taxes in accordance with state and local law. FORECLOSURE RESCUE SCAMS Be careful of people who approach you with offers to “save” your home. There are individuals who watch for notices of foreclosure actions in order to unfairly profit from a homeowner`s distress. You should be extremely careful about any such promises and any suggestions that you pay them a fee or sign over your deed. State law requires anyone offering such services for profit to enter into a contract which fully describes the services they will perform and fees they will charge, and which prohibits them from taking any money from you until they have completed all such promised services. § 1303 NOTICE 16-12-20*

SKF AKADEMI LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 02/02/2026. 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, 11-20 37th Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

ST NURSE PRACTITIONER IN FAMILY HEALTH, PLLC, a Prof. LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 01/23/2026. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The PLLC, 80-46 Kew Gardens Rd, 3rd Fl, Kew Gardens, NY 11415. Purpose: To Practice The Profession Of Nurse Practitioner in Family Health.

Notice of Formation of VELTOR LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the SSNY on December 31, 2025. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: 8330 260TH STREET, GLEN OAKS, NY 11004. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

WE DO MULTIMEDIA LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 01/07/2026. 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, 65-24 162nd Street, Apt 6A, Flushing, NY 11365. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.