Senator will submit bill to alienate parkland; Cohen backs park upgrades Liu strikes park deal with casino backers
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
State Sen. John Liu (D-Bayside) announced Sunday that he will introduce a bill in the Senate that could pave the way for approval and construction of Metropolitan Park, which includes a casino, in the parking lot at Citi Field.
Liu, at a press conference, said he will introduce a bill to alienate the parkland on which the parking lot sits, which is necessary before it can be conveyed for private use.
He also has secured a commitment from the project’s supporters to fund “Flushing Skypark,” a pedestrian and bicycle bridge that would span Flushing Creek and connect Downtown Flushing from 39th Avenue and College Point Boulevard to Willets Point.
Metropolitan Park is an $8 billion proposal backed by a consortium that includes New York Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International.
The plan for the 50-acre parking lot also includes a concert venue, hotel, food hall, renovation of the No. 7 subway station at MetsWillets Point and a total of 25 acres of park space spanning both sides of Roosevelt Avenue.
Even if bills from Liu and Assemblywoman Larinda Hooks (D-Corona) pass in Albany, Cohen and his partners still must be granted
COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL IMAGING
one of the three downstate casino licenses expected to be awarded by the state Gaming Commission later this year to follow through on their plans.
“The Flushing community has long aspired to have greater access to our waterfront and the other side of Flushing Creek,” Liu said in a press release issued Sunday. “The Roosevelt Avenue and Northern Boulevard bridges cater
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to vehicular traffic but deter pedestrians and cyclists. The new Flushing Skypark will greatly enhance recreational and transportation options, and I am heartened by the sincere commitment of Steve Cohen and Hard Rock International to making it happen.”
Even if Skypark cannot be built, Liu said, they have committed to paying $100 million for capital improvements to the infrastructure
of Flushing Meadows Corona Park. That funding, however, is still contingent on Metropolitan Park’s approval, a Cohen spokesman said.
As part of the agreement, the nonprofit Waterfront Alliance will monitor progress on the Skypark project.
“Senator Liu has been a champion for infrastructure and a lifelong advocate for Flushing,” Cohen said. “As an organization based in Willets Point, we shared the community’s concerns around connectivity, and recognized that the Skypark would be a great way to bring Queens together. Metropolitan Park is committed to working to make Flushing Skypark a reality. And if for any reason we cannot, then we will still follow through on our commitment to the community by dedicating $100 million to the betterment of Flushing Meadows Corona Park.”
The commitment includes securing all regulatory approvals and the public and private money necessary to complete the project.
“As we continue our commitment to delivering world-class entertainment and hospitality, Hard Rock is proud to invest in and work to the future of Queens with Skypark,” said Hard Rock International Chairman Jim Allen. “We are thankful to Senator Liu for his leadership and we look forward to working to
continued on page 16
New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, front left, and state Sen. John Liu shake on a deal that could clear the way for both the creation of Metropolitan Park and massive infrastructure upgrades at Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
PHOTO COURTESY METROPOLITAN PARK
Suspects target cops at rogue car meet
Latest
Ozone Park incident sees NYPD vehicles vandalized, officers taunted
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Police were mocked and their vehicles vandalized during another raucous illicit car meet in Ozone Park late Saturday into early Sunday morning. Cops are seeking multiple individuals wanted for reckless endangerment and criminal mischief in the matter.
The incident occurred within the confines of the 102nd Precinct, in the vicinity of Rockaway Boulevard and 97th Avenue, at around 12:50 a.m., police said.
A group of individuals recklessly operated multiple cars and vandalized three NYPD vehicles. Authorities said the suspects dented the sides of the police cars and broke multiple vehicle windows using traffic cones. The group fled the location in various directions in multiple vehicles. No injuries were reported. Several people have been charged.
Footage posted to the social media platform Instagram by someone at the meet shows the delinquents surrounding both marked and unmarked police vehicles, jeering and making vulgar gestures at the officers seated inside before throwing a traffic cone on top of one marked vehicle’s windshield. The cops seated inside stare straight ahead, unmoving.
The car meet situation is not unfamiliar for those living in the area, as that location, near Cherry Valley Marketplace, at 84-12 97th Ave., has seen its share of rogue gatherings over the years. The issue recurs every few months, residents say, with large groups gathering to do doughnuts, race and perform other dangerous activities in their vehicles.
But the attack on police is a new factor.
Videos from the incident, centered on Rockaway and 84th Street, were posted to neighborhood Facebook pages and received hundreds of comments, with the majority of respondents outraged at the exhibited behavior.
The Ozone Park Residents Block Association on Monday sent a letter to Mayor Adams, the city Department of Transportation and area elected officials about the matter.
“This past Saturday, March 29, 2025, from approximately 10:00 PM until 1:30 AM on Sunday, a large group of individuals unlawfully took over Rockaway Boulevard between 83rd and 84th Streets. This has been
a worsening trend over the past five years, with each incident growing in scale and audacity,” the letter read.
“We commend the officers of the 102nd Precinct for their diligent efforts in curbing these meets in private lots and parks. However, now that the problem has moved into our streets, they require reinforcements and a coordinated response plan.”
The block association called on city leadership to “take decisive action before this issue spirals further out of control.”
The Cityline Ozone Park Civilian Patrol in a statement thanked the NYPD’s 102nd Precinct for its quick response.
“After the last major incident at this intersection, we wrote to the NYC Department of Transportation calling for permanent traffic-calming infrastructure — including flex-post delineators,” the group wrote. “We renew that call today. This can’t keep happening. And it’s going to take more than just enforcement to stop it.”
U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-Brooklyn, Queens) penned a letter to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and city DOT Commis-
sioner Ydanis Rodriguez to express her concern about the issue.
“These gatherings have increased in frequency and size and continue to pose a clear threat to public safety while undermining the authority of the 102nd Police Precinct,” Velázquez wrote. “It is imperative that we take all necessary steps to implement traffic safety measures at all hours of the day.”
Velázquez called on the NYPD to increase enforcement to deter reckless driving, including targeted crackdowns on illegal street racing
and the possible installation of a sky watch tower, and the DOT to initiative a comprehensive assessment to identify opportunities for improvement.
City Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) updated her constituents about the matter on social media.
“We are aware of the incident in the 102 Precinct last night regarding the car meet up and consequential violent and criminal behavior,” Ariola wrote. “We have been in touch with the 102 Precinct Commanding
Officer and 6 arrests have been made. I will be meeting with Police Commissioner Tisch this week and this is one of the issues I have as a top priority.”
On Sunday morning, Tisch took to her X page to write, “We will not tolerate lawlessness or vandalism aimed at the police. Last night in Queens, we arrested several individuals for crimes that endangered our cops and our streets. Rest assured, we’ll be back soon for the rest of them.”
Cops told the Chronicle that the vehicles involved in the incident traveled through Queens to the Bronx. Three arrests were made there on Sunday, within the 47th and 43rd precincts.
Jordi Montesquieu, 23, of Lawrence, Mass., was arrested for second-degree unlawful fleeing a police officer in a motor vehicle, third-degree criminal mischief, second-degree reckless endangerment and second-degree obstructing governmental administration.
Tyler Newman, 18, of Milford, NH, was arrested with seconddegree obstructing governmental administration.
Tristian Nandram, 18, of Liverpool Street in Jamaica, was charged with third-degree criminal mischief, petit larceny, second-degree obstruction governmental administration and fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1 (888) 57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto nypdcrimestoppers.com, or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577, or by going to @ nypdtips on X.
All tips are strictly confidential. Q
Pedestrian dies in Ozone Pk. collision
A man is dead and two others critically injured after being hit by a truck last week in Ozone Park when the driver lost control of the vehicle.
Police said that last Friday, at around 10:30 a.m., someone reported a vehicle collision involving three pedestrians struck in the vicinity of 87th Street and Atlantic Avenue.
Further investigation by the NYPD Highway District Collision Squad determined that a 35-year-old male was operating a 2001 Ford Econoline E250, traveling southbound on 87th Street, when he lost
control of his vehicle due to a medical emergency. He struck three pedestrians and caused a collision with two other vehicles.
The driver and the three struck pedestrians were transported by EMS to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. The driver of the Ford Econoline was listed in stable condition. Zhihong Shi, 31, of Staten Island, was critically injured and later pronounced dead. Another pedestrian, a 67-year-old man, was also critical, while a third victim, a 48-year-old man, was stable. Q — Kristen Guglielmo
Police are seeking suspects wanted for their involvement in a raucous car meet in Ozone Park early Sunday that ended with the bad actors taunting the police officers and damaging NYPD vehicles.
PHOTOS COURTESY NYPD, LEFT, AND SCREENSHOTS VIA INSTAGRAM VIDEO / KSOOSTAYOUTSIDE
Students have Q&A with astronauts; learn about plants and life in space RHHS teens get a ‘far out’ experience
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Students of Richmond Hill High School recently had the chance to blast off into a cosmic learning experience when they participated in a Q&A with two astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Part of NASA’s InFlight STEM Downlink program, the students had the opportunity to orbit around fascinating space topics and launch their curiosity to new heights.
They participated in a variety of science, technology, engineering and math workshops to help them formulate questions for the astronauts, including on controlled environment agriculture and astrobotany.
During those sessions, hosted by nonprofit Art Technically, the teens explored NASA’s plant research and learned about hydroponics, aeroponics, LED grow lights and how the space agency is developing food-growing systems for future missions.
“I am so excited to see our students represented in something that they are often left out of,” said Sangmin Pak, a computer science teacher and director of the school’s Academy of Software Engineering, who led its Downlink initiative. “This is just the beginning of creating more opportunities for them to shine.”
Astronauts Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain got right into tackling questions,
many of which focused on plants and food.
A junior at the school, Manisha, asked about difficulties growing plants in space.
“To understand why it’s hard to grow plants in space, you’ve got to think about what plants need on Earth,” McClain said. She noted that
Cops from 102 get recognition
Two officers from the NYPD’s 102nd Precinct were honored with the Cop of the Month title from the Jamaica Rotary Club last Wednesday, March 26, during its monthly meeting at Villa Russo in South Richmond Hill.
The precinct’s Facebook page posted a photo of the policemen, Officers Matthew Weiss and James McAuliffe, with their new
accolades and celebrated the achievement.
“Congratulations to Officers Weiss and McAuliffe on being named Cops of the Month!” the precinct wrote. “Their quick thinking and solid police work led to the arrest of multiple individuals and the recovery of a loaded firearm. Outstanding job keeping our community safe!”
— Kristen Guglielmo
space lacks the sunlight, nutrients in air and soil and the water plants need to grow — so people have to figure out how to create those things artificially.
“But we are doing it. We’re getting better at it every year,” McClain said.
Dylan, a sophomore, asked how food is transported to space, and what would happen if something went awry during its transportation.
“We transport food on multiple different cargo vehicles,” Ayers said. “We’ve got several different types of cargo vehicles that we bring food and science and equipment up on, including some of the crewed vehicles.”
She said they always have extra reserves on board, so if something were to go wrong during a cargo mission, they can start to dig into those.
“NASA’s always got a game plan and a backup plan for things when they fail,” Ayers said.
Seema, a junior, asked the astronauts about maintenance aboard the Space Station.
McClain said maintenance probably accounts for about a quarter of their time.
“Our livable compartment is about 3,500
square feet, so kind of the size of a decentsized house,” she said.
While those of us on Earth can call contractors when there’s an issue with our homes, the astronauts aren’t so lucky.
“We can’t call a plumber or an electrician,” McClain said. “We have to be the plumbers or the electricians. ... So we also do a lot of preventative maintenance. We do a lot of cleaning or changing out items we think are about to fail.”
Serenity, a junior at the school, asked which tasks they enjoy the most in space.
“I’m on about day 10 or 11 in space total, but I’ve done a little bit of maintenance, and a little bit of science,” Ayers said. “I think actually some of the most fun I’ve had so far is working with Anne on a couple experiments in data collection.”
She said their planned experiment for the day was to dilate McClain’s eyes and use an EKG, then measure the data there.
Sophomore student Jazmin inquired about how it feels to see space firsthand, compared to being on Earth. She asked if the experience makes them question how much is still unknown about space.
“The Space Station — where we’re at right now — it’s huge,” McClain said. “It’s like the size of a football field, and it’s 250 miles off of Earth. So if you were to get in your car and drive straight up, you’d be here in about six hours, if that drive was possible. Now, relatively speaking, when you think about how big the universe is, that means that we’re really, really, really close to Earth.”
She recalled her first space walk.
“I was holding onto the side of the Space Station, I looked down and actually, Earth was the closest thing that I could see. And then I kind of turned around in the other direction, and I just looked at the absolute vast depth of outer space, and I was so humbled by how small we were, how fragile our planet is, how we live on the best planet in the solar system, at least from what I’ve seen, and how much more we have to explore.”
She added, “The moon does not look any closer than it does for you guys when you look out at night. And so the depth of space is something.” Q
Judge drops Adams charges
The federal corruption charges against Mayor Adams were dismissed with prejudice Wednesday, ending the first criminal case against a sitting NYC mayor.
In February, the Justice Department under President Trump directed the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York to dismiss the five counts against Adams, saying the case would hinder his ability to devote attention to tackling illegal immigration. The DOJ sought a dismissal without prejudice, which would allow for potential refiling at a later date.
That request was denied in Wednesday’s
78-page decision by District Judge Dale Ho, in order to ensure the charges cannot be used as leverage against Adams.
Ho added that there is “zero evidence” prosecutors had improper political motives, as some have claimed, and that there is “merit” to the argument that the case should not be dropped, but that the court has no authority to require that it continue.
Adams, during an address Wednesday, thanked his lawyer and said, “This case should have never been brought and I did nothing wrong.”
Q — Kristen Guglielmo
Two astronauts aboard the International Space Station last Wednesday, March 26, answered questions from eager Richmond Hill High School students as part of NASA’s In-Flight STEM Downlink program. PHOTO COURTESY LILY DONALDSON / ART TECHNICALLY
Ghost gun rules will stay, top court says
Queens experts cite support for a decision upholding regulations
by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor
The U.S. Supreme Court last Wednesday voted 7-2 to uphold federal regulations on “ghost guns,” the weapons that are assembled from kits.
Authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch, the decision upheld a 2022 rule that interprets ghost guns to be covered by the 1968 Gun Control Act, which requires those who import, manufacture or deal in firearms to obtain licenses, keep sales records, conduct background checks and mark their products with serial numbers. If the kits lack serial numbers, they cannot be traced to a buyer or manufacturer.
The case challenged whether the kits containing parts to build a firearm could legally be considered guns and regulated as such. The court ruled that, even though the kits require user assembly, they still qualify as weapons.
“Plainly, the finished ‘Buy Build Shoot’ kit is an instrument of combat,” Gorsuch wrote in the decision. “No one would confuse the semiautomatic pistol pictured above with a tool or a toy.
“Of course, as sold, the kit requires some assembly. But a number of considerations persuade us that, even as sold, the ‘Buy Build Shoot’ kit qualifies as a ‘weapon.’”
For Bob Masters, a former executive assistant district attorney in the Queens DA’s Office and counsel to former Queens DA Richard A. Brown, the decision on what constitutes a weapon could lead to legal challenges down the road.
up and about.”
James Vacca, a distinguished lecturer in Queens College’s Urban Studies Department, also noted a spike in the number and availability of ghost guns as technology has developed. He said they jumped from 1,600 recovered by U.S. law enforcement in 2017 to a whopping 19,000 by 2021.
Masters said he has seen articles reporting that the figure went up to 27,000 in 2023.
“It is, I think, a trend that initially was not considered that significant but is plainly something that is of concern to everyone,” he said. He added that Gorsuch himself initially believed lower court rulings that struck down federal regulations on ghost guns should stand.
“To me, that is kind of significant in that although he is, quote-unquote, an originalist, in the way he interprets the Second Amendment, his view of this when you look at certain things is, he’s plainly been influenced by the pragmatics of the complications that these ghost guns create,” Masters said.
He, too, intially was not persuaded that the resources poured into combating ghost guns were worth it, wondering why fighting “make-believe guns” was a priority in the face of so many other firearms.
“A gun in a congested urban area is something that you really have to keep your eye on.”
— Bob Masters, counsel to former Queens DA Richard A. Brown
“What’s a gun? That question is going to come up again and again and again,” Masters said. “I think as technology continues to advance and people become more skilled at being able to use their 3D printers, I think that that question is going to be constantly
“But from looking at the trends, even from the last two or three years and the ease with which these things can fall into hands, it’s a whole new stream of deadly weapons and it’s gotta be managed,” he said.
According to a statement from DA Melinda Katz, Queens County has accounted for 38 percent of all ghost guns recovered across the city since 2021, more than any other borough.
Citing NYPD statistics in an Oct. 15, 2024 op-ed for the Daily News, Katz said the use of ghost guns has skyrocketed in recent years — they made up less than 3 percent of all guns
Man sought for WH burglary
Police are searching for a man who stole around $12,900 worth of belongings from a home in Woodhaven last week.
According to the NYPD, on March 25 at around 1:45 a.m., the unidentified male entered a residence, in the vicinity of 88th Road and Woodhaven Boulevard, through an unlocked bathroom window.
This man is wanted for a burglary.
Once inside, the man pocketed perfume, jewelry, clothes, liquor and an undetermined amount of cash. He fled on foot
“Ghost guns,” which come in kits and must be assembled, will continue to be federally regulated, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last Wednesday.
recovered at crime scenes across the city in 2020, but by the end of 2023, that figure came to 11 percent.
Vacca said federal regulations have brought the numbers down, and he predicts that the manufacture of ghost guns will continue to decline after the ruling.
“The fact that the manufacturers of ghost guns would have to include serial numbers on the kits and perform background checks ... these are important measures,” he said.
Masters noted that the annual manufacture of guns in the United States has close to tripled since 2000. The numbers have spiked since the Covid-19 pandemic struck, as have rates of gun ownership and possession.
“There is a real financial incentive in continuing to manufacture and have these things available,” he said, later explaining that since supply is so difficult to limit, he tended to focus on finding ways to curb demand for guns, especially among young men.
Katz said in a statement that, after seeing the proliferation of ghost guns and the damage they can cause, her office wrote an amicus curiae brief in support of the upheld regulations. It argued that untraceable ghost
guns circumvent traditional background checks, record-keeping procedures and serialization requirements, making them attractive to criminals.
“We are grateful for the Supreme Court decision, and we will continue to target those who bring these dangerous, unserialized weapons into Queens County,” she said.
Vacca said uniform federal regulations such as those upheld by the ruling are part of the solution to combating gun violence, as some states, including New York, have stronger restrictions than others. He noted also that the ruling came at a time in which the federal administration is reviewing existing gun laws.
“The proliferation of illegal guns over the years has caused too many people heartbreak and violence, so this is an important step,” he said. “And the City of New York has made it a priority over the years to get the illegal guns off the streets.”
“A gun in a congested urban area is something that you really have to keep your eye on,” Masters said. “And of course, that’s been, always, a metric that the NYPD examines ... I know I certainly did.” Q
Blood donors sought near you
to parts unknown. No injuries were reported.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577-TIPS (8477), or, for Spanish, 1 (888) 57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto nypdcrimestoppers.com, or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577, or by going to @nypdtips on X. All tips are strictly confidential. Q — Kristen Guglielmo
The New York Blood Center is still seeking donors in the midst of a blood emergency.
To learn more or make an appointment to donate, visit nybc.org. There are several blood drives in Central and Western Queens listed now:
• The Shops at Atlas Park, next to TJ Maxx, 1 to 7 p.m., Friday, April 4, 8000 Cooper Ave. in Glendale; blood drive coordinator Armando Echeverry;
• Queens Borough Hall, atrium, 12 to 6 p.m., Tuesday, April 15, 120-55 Queens Blvd. in Kew Gardens; blood drive coor-
dinator Gina Bittner;
• NYC Department of Design & Construction, atrium, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 16, 30-30 Thomson Ave. in Long Island City; blood drive coordinator Abdonnie Holder;
• Knights of Columbus Chapter 5103, gym, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, April 18, 84-05 78 Ave. in Ridgewood; blood drive coordinator Christopher Russo; and
• Corpus Christi Roman Catholic Church, gym, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, April 27, 31-29 60 St. in Woodside; blood drive coordinator Carolina Ferreira. Q
COURTESY NYPD
PHOTO BY MITCH BARRIE / FLICKR / FILE
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EDITORIAL AGEP
Repave 63rd Drive, and all these other streets
Sorry, Rego Park, we’ve got some bad news. You remember last year, when the city repaved part of 63rd Drive that didn’t really need it and you thought, oh, thank goodness, surely that means that next they’ll do the part that really does need it?
And then you realized that they weren’t going to do it before winter, or maybe you even read that they weren’t in the Queens Chronicle? Because we had our hopes up, too, thinking that if the city was repaving the section from Queens Boulevard to Alderton Street, where the surface was just fine, then the stretch from Alderton to Woodhaven Boulevard, where most of it is an utter disaster, must be next.
But we contacted our friends at the Department of Transportation, and alas, it was not to be. When you hear the old cliche about how dopey the city can be in fixing what ain’t broke and ignoring what actually needs repair, this is a perfect example. The city dumped asphalt into some of the worst potholes a couple months ago, but that’s it.
Then as this year’s paving season began, we tried the DOT again to see if this out-of-place moonscape in a nice, middle-class, mostly residential area between a bustling shopping district on one end and a thoroughfare on the other
will remain a blight. Unfortunately, it will, for the foreseeable future. As per the DOT: “[I]t’s part of a capital project ... and we will be reviewing it for future scheduling,” and “It could be considered for later in the year, but all is TBD.”
Hang in there, Rego Park! We know you want to cross the double yellow line to avoid the potholes, and the street is already a slalom course because of constant double parking, but try to be patient. One day you, too, will have a decent, safe street to drive upon. We just don’t know when.
And the same goes for many other places in Queens. We surveyed some of our City Council members’ offices for locations that are way overdue for repaving.
Lynn Schulman’s office cited many streets in Richmond Hill and South Richmond Hill as in need: 125th St. from Jamaica Ave. to 89th Ave.; 95th Ave. from 102nd St. to 105 St.; 118th St. from Atlantic Ave. to 101st Ave.; 95th Ave. from Lefferts Blvd. to 111th St.; 97th Ave. from 117th St. to 123rd St.; 101st Ave. from 126th St. to Van Wyck Expy.; and 114th St. from Atlantic Ave. to 101st Ave.
Joann Ariola’s added Forest Park Drive on the Woodhaven-Glendale side of the park. Linda Lee’s listed 89th Ave. from Cross Island Pkwy. to Commonwealth Blvd. and 80th
Ave. from 260th to 261st Sts., in the Bellerose-Floral Park area; and 210th Street from Union Tpke. to 82nd Ave. in Hollis Hills. Sandra Ung’s offered Prince St., area side streets and College Point Blvd. in Flushing, north of Northern Blvd. A handful of others we contacted apparently have glassysmooth streets in their area, or they’re too busy co-naming them to worry about their condition. We’re happy for them.
We understand today’s DOT is more focused on social engineering than simple maintenance. It even has a podcast now to further the war on cars. We suggest a change of course. Make road quality job one. Repave these streets, and many others, before sticking another of those dopey plastic posts in the asphalt, before putting another of those miniature bumps in the middle of an intersection. What really saves lives is drivers not being reckless and putting down the phone and putting down the weed when they’re on the road.
Also, whatever streets you do fix up, please don’t wait forever between milling them down to gravel and laying down the asphalt. Councilman Bob Holden’s office noted the lag time on Myrtle Avenue, around Glendale and Ridgewood, as an example, and we’d like to avoid a repeat of that. We look forward to lots of roadwork and detours this year!
MARK WEIDLER
President & Publisher
SUSAN & STANLEY MERZON Founders
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Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
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LETTERSTO THE EDITOR
Bioswales are vital
Dear Editor:
I appreciated your recent editorial, “No apartments on our golf courses” (March 13), and I absolutely agree that preserving green spaces in Queens is vital — not only for the beauty and recreational opportunities they provide, but for their essential role in flood mitigation. However, I was surprised that the piece didn’t mention the significant green infrastructure already in place across Queens, specifically bioswales.
These small, planted areas — ubiquitous along sidewalks — are there to absorb rainwater, reduce runoff and help prevent the kind of devastating flooding Queens has experienced in recent years. The NYC Department of Environmental Protection has installed thousands of them throughout the borough, especially in flood-prone areas.
As conversations about development and preservation continue, it’s important that we raise public awareness of these efforts. Preserving large green spaces is crucial, but so is expanding and maintaining these smaller, functional green systems that quietly protect our neighborhoods.
Yes, we need to preserve as much green space as possible, but let’s not ignore the “green planning” that is already taking place.
Debrah Gordon Forest Hills
Unwanted artwork
Dear Editor:
Re “New sculpture honors Queens,” March 27, multiple editions:
The Ed Koch Queensboro-59th Street Bridge entrance would have made more sense than the existing installation of the (Toys ’R’ Us) sculpture “Queens,” presently on Queens and Yellowstone boulevards.
Also, Jackson Heights, Jamaica or Flushing would have been more appropriate than Forest Hills as a venue for the sculpture and the message.
Sonia Kludjian Forest Hills
Not poor and not flying
Dear Editor:
Re Linda Carlson’s March 13 letter, “You’re poor if ...”:
I agree with four of her five definitions of poverty, but object to one of them. She said you’re poor if “you can’t take one domestic and one international vacation each year.” Most
people can only afford one vacation a year, and many retirees living on a fixed income, like me, can’t afford even one. But that doesn’t make us poor; it makes us practical.
Since my retirement in 2003, I have taken just two trips outside of NYC, to Philadelphia and Washington, DC, both on Amtrak. I have not flown since 1989 and have no desire to. Flying today is expensive, frustrating and, at times, hazardous. Superman’s greatest power is that he doesn’t have to fly on commercial airlines.
For those who feel that travel is essential, I remind you of Dorothy’s words in “The Wizard of Oz,” after she wakes up in Kansas from her trip over the rainbow to the Land of Oz. She said: “There’s no place like home.”
Richard Reif Kew Gardens Hills
We’ll miss Bob Holden
Dear Editor:
It’s a shame we’ll soon be losing Councilman Bob Holden to term limits. He is one of the sane, responsible leaders who offer solutions to the problems affecting our city, and he looks out
LETTERSTO THE EDITOR
for the average New Yorker. Although he is a Democrat, he would be a viable candidate for mayor on the Republican line. What a shock that would be to the status quo if he won! All those disgruntled Democrats and independents who gave up on the system would vote again and send a strong message to the progressive liberals in the Democratic Party. What a victory that would be!
Thomas and Constance Dowd Oakland Gardens
MIT better than Harvard
Dear Editor:
For decades, Harvard was synonymous with academic prestige, but the Massachusetts Institute of Technology surpassed it as the top university in America. MIT’s commitment to intellectual rigor and meritocracy redefined higher education, while Harvard’s reliance on legacy admissions undermines its academic credibility.
Harvard’s admissions policies prioritize legacy status, recruited athletes and wealthy donors, admitting approximately 25 percent of students lacking exceptional academic qualifications. Roughly 34 percent of legacies are admitted, a rate eight times higher than other applicants. This is viewed as extremely inequitable. It sullies Harvard’s reputation, while aligning it with privilege over merit. Additionally, internal issues like declining applications, financial struggles, deteriorating facilities, inadequate mental health resources, mishandling of anti-Semitism and the resignation of its president over plagiarism further damaged Harvard’s reputation.
In contrast, MIT’s meritocratic admissions process ensures only the most exceptional students are admitted, making it the top choice for the highest achievers. Studies show that 72 percent of those accepted to MIT and Harvard choose MIT. In addition, MIT graduates earn higher starting salaries than those at Harvard. Plus, MIT’s focus on technical expertise and problem-solving best prepares students for today’s job market.
As Harvard’s legacy practices continue, its brand is increasingly viewed as a liability, especially in industries like tech and finance, where employers favor MIT’s rigorous academic standards. While Harvard’s prestige fades, MIT’s emphasis on innovation, intellectual curiosity, meritocracy and academic excellence positions it as the future leader in higher education.
John Hoffman Manhattan
The writer is the founder of Oliver Scholars, a nonprofit college access program that has placed more than 1,500 students, including over 50 at Harvard and 10 at MIT.
A righteous pope
Dear Editor:
On April 2, 2005, Pope John Paul II passed away. He was a righteous and caring person, a kind spiritual leader who accepted all people, all religions and all races, and was not antiSemitic. I remember when he came to NYC and there were massive crowds around to greet him. May his memory be for a blessing.
Cynthia Groopman Little Neck
Our house divided
Dear Editor:
The election of President Trump has caused much angst to the progressive Democratic community. His decisive and overwhelming victory was a repudiation of the policy of the progressives to label the electorate as deplorable, garbage, fascists and Nazis. Donald Trump was impeached, indicted and referred to as a dictator, fascist, rapist and Hitler. This vitriol was excessive and far more intense than a policy debate or a disagreement about a constitutional issue. The intensity of hatred for Trump was matched on Election Day by the voters’ repudiation of the progressive Democrat policies.
I am confused by the hostility of friends and family who are so hate-filled they agree with opinions they would never express as their own. Among them: criminals are caught and released because stopping them is a violation of their rights; if a man pretends to be a woman, you must pretend with him and allow him to compete in women’s sport events; people who have never owned slaves should pay slavery reparations to people who have never been slaves; people who have never been to college should pay the debt of students with big loans; and it is reasonable to make tampons available in high school bathrooms for boys.
No matter what I say or how I vote, something contrary to my beliefs has invaded our nation and everything is changing. It may come to pass that civil debate is no longer possible. States may secede and it may be necessary to separate and coexist in parallel universes. Titanic America has hit an iceberg and Trump must do more than just rearrange the deck chairs.
Ed Konecnik Flushing
Evildoers will pay
Dear Editor:
President Trump invited Ukrainian President Vlodymyr Zelenskyy to the White House, then he pointed out the way he was dressed. Trump did not understand it because President Zelenskyy was wearing a robe of honor, respect, dignity and truth while mourning with a heavy heart the men, women and children who are being murdered in Ukraine.
Putin, the mass murderer, and North Korea, which Trump knows well, are bombing the elderly and children while Trump wants to pick the bones of the dead and dying, wanting their money and minerals. What a disgrace. That’s not what America stands for. Americans love and stand with Ukraine. And God loves and stands with our brothers and sisters in Ukraine.
Trump said Putin is innocent. That is a lie straight from the pit of hell. The world knows it and God knows it. For the love of money is the root of all evil. Even the money speaks out and tells us in God we trust. If you don’t believe me, ask Judas when you see him, when you see him with the gold melting in his pockets. Hitler and murdering evildoers, Putin and thieves will reap what they sow: the fiery pit where there will be an eternal gnashing of the teeth. All in the twinkling of an eye. Jesus is coming soon.
Eternity, your choice. Smoking or nonsmoking? Albert Ross Glendale
Neighbors of Queens jail demand answers
Maintenance, height, parking, cost raised at second design workshop
by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor
City agencies last Thursday held a design workshop at Borough Hall for the Queens jail, one of four facilities slated to replace Rikers Island, but not without hearing some loud, clear concerns.
Attendees from the Kew Gardens Civic Association interjected several times as representatives explained the latest design updates, demanding answers to questions about several aspects of the plan.
“You really don’t like having transparency, do you?”
KGCA Vice President Adam Whiteman said, when the design team told members they could ask questions after the presentation. “You don’t give the community a chance to ask questions at the time they’re confused.”
At the request of Community Board 9 Chair Sherry Algredo, the members were permitted to ask some questions publicly, rather than just in breakout groups.
Citing the design plan to extend Borough Hall Park, Whiteman asked which agency will be responsible for maintaining the space when the jail opens. When told that was not a design question, he asked who designed the park.
One representative said the design team will be responsible only for the streets and sidewalk right around the jail, and the Department of Correction will maintain the landscape and streetscape. When another agent said she believes the Borough President’s Office will handle the park and Whiteman asked if the cost will come out of his budget, the design team said it could not comment.
addressed the height and scale of the facility compared to high-rises around it. KGCA members said that, in previous renderings, the facility appeared shorter than it should when compared to neighboring buildings of known heights, such as the 27-story Silver Towers apartment complex.
Rowe said the jail will be located at the bottom of a “fairly significant” hill and that there are other buildings around it of a similar size and scale. Under a 2019 Uniform Land Use Review Procedure application, the facility may be up to 195 feet, with 40 feet of clearance on top for utilities.
“Somebody should really take a walk through what they’re talking about.”
— Renee Levine
Whiteman also raised the issue of street parking. The jail design includes 100 accessory parking spaces below grade for “authorized vehicles.” He added that there are an additional 600 spots in the garage, “which nobody uses,” meaning “everybody’s going to be parking on the streets.”
In the presentation, architect Tom Rowe
KGCA President Dominick Pistone later said in a breakout session that it was his understanding that the jail would have 19 stories, but city agents no longer say so.
“All of a sudden it’s nine stories, and you do it by this magic of redefining a story as being 20 feet high instead of 10 feet high,” Pistone said, while also reiterating his opposition to high-rise jails altogether. “It’s still 195 feet overlooking the neighborhood.”
After accounting for utilities on top, the
jail could plausibly be up to 235 feet tall, and Pistone said he has “never seen them successfully hidden.” A DDC spokesperson told the Chronicle via email that utilities usually are placed on top of buildings. Designers also have said they intend for the building to appear and actually be as small as possible.
“We never really got a satisfactory answer as to why, when everybody’s building low-rise jails, we’re still building highrise jails,” Pistone said.
Also discussed in breakout groups was the very notion of borough-based jails. Pistone said the borough-based jails were intended to house people who live locally, but that is “wrong” because trials take place in the same borough as the offense, regardless of where a person lives.
Additionally, all the women incarcerated on Rikers Island, a figure that is now more than 400, will be transferred to the Queens facility when the complex closes.
“I don’t see how this decreases the traffic that you already have coming from Rikers,” he said. He later added that the plan does not align with the concept of borough-based jails detailed by the original Rikers commission chaired by former state Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman.
Pistone also cited traffic concerns, both from cars and public transportation, predicting “a mess on Queens Boulevard.”
“This is not going to help, not unless visiting hours are not during rush hours,” he said, suggesting that they be scheduled from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Whiteman also asked if the furniture inside will be ordered by the design team or the DOC, and representatives said the groups worked together to determine that. The jail’s $3.9 billion budget is all-inclusive and accounts for the furniture, according to designers. But Whiteman previously told the Chronicle that, after financing, the facility could cost upwards of $6 billion.
Architects relayed some of the feedback received following the breakout sessions. Among them were questions of where dropoff for visitors might be, and whether the street is wide enough for that in addition to passing cars.
Attendees also asked how buses will transport people in custody to the jail — they use city roads, and the team said it can share urban design diagrams of vehicular circulation at the next workshop, which is set for the third quarter of 2025.
Architects said they will follow up about questions of maintenance, who will install seasonal plantings and what the operating budget to maintain the proposed greenery would be. They said also that they heard from attendees that many requests, including those about ADA accessibility and balancing openness and privacy for residents, had been incorporated into the design.
The design team said it will present its plans to the people incarcerated on Rikers Island, when asked by Pistone.
Asked for comment, CB 9 Land Use coChair Sylvia Hack cited the Lippman Commission, which said the jails should not be placed in residential communities.
Kew Gardens resident Renee Levine also told the Chronicle that the plan to build the jail is “nonsense,” lamenting its proximity to PS 99.
“Somebody should really take a walk through what they’re talking about,” Levine said. Q
Meng Hot Foods Act gets bipartisan boost
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) is one of the sponsors of a bipartisan, bicameral effort on Capital HiIl to pass the Hot Foods Act, which would permit the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to cover hot and prepared food purchases.
SNAP contains what Meng and other cosponsors call an outdated provision that limits purchases to food that needs to be prepared at home before it is consumed or specifically cold prepared foods.
Meng said in a press release from her office
The Hot Foods Act would remove that prohibition and allow SNAP recipients to use their benefits to buy hot foods such as prepared rotisserie chickens, hot sandwiches, soups and more.
Additional sponsors include U.S. Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Penn.), Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.), Andrew Garbarino (R-Suffolk, Nassau) and Zach Nunn (R-Iowa). In the Senate, it is sponsored by U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).
“Millions of American families rely on
SNAP daily to put food on the table, Meng said. “It simply doesn’t make sense to restrict them from using their benefits to buy hot meals while allowing them to buy the exact same type of meal cold or frozen.”
The congresswoman said the change would give flexibility to working parents, people with disabilities and the many other people who need to put food on the table every day.
Meng’s office said the more than 42 million SNAP participants in the United States include 2.8 million New Yorkers. Nearly 70 percent of them are children, elderly or those with disabilities.
She said the ability to purchase hot and ready-to-eat foods would provide much-needed flexibility to those who rely on the program to supplement their nutrition and dietary needs.
“Outdated restrictions like this ignore the reality many families face,” Garbarino said. “The Hot Foods Act is a commonsense reform that would give families more flexibility to purchase nutritious, ready-to-eat meals.”
First introduced by Meng in May 2023, the legislation has 78 co-sponsors. Q
Kew Gardens civic leaders, including Adam Whiteman, speaking, had probing questions for the Queens jail facility’s design team at a public workshop last Thursday. PHOTO BY STEPHANIE G. MEDITZ
Revel, Con Ed more than double EV chargers; Uber shuttle links Manhattan Airport gets modern ground transportation
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
With the modernization of John F. Kennedy International Airport in full swing, transportation to and from the gateway to New York City also is getting a modern makeover.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey on March 19 unveiled an electric vehicle charging lot with 24 fast-charging stations for the public.
And Uber on March 26 announced four new shuttle bus routes that operate between JFK and Manhattan
The stations, located in the For Hire Vehicle Hold Lot 1 West, were paid for and installed by Revel and Con Edison through the utility’s PowerReady electric vehicle infrastructure incentive program.
The site can be accessed from the Belt Parkway or the Van Wyck Expressway and may be used at any time of day or night. Since the stations’ installation, more than 3,000 individual charges have been made, the PA said Wednesday.
The project brings JFK’s total of EV charging stations to 46, more than doubling the previous capacity.
“As we work toward a cleaner, more sustainable future, expanding access to electric vehicle charging infrastructure is a crucial step in reducing emissions,” said Port Author-
ity Chairman Kevin O’Toole in a press release from the PA. “These fast chargers at JFK are a significant step forward in our broader efforts to support a greener transportation network.”
Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton concurred.
“The Port Authority and its private partners like Revel are leading the charge in building a net-zero future, and this latest expansion of two dozen more fast chargers at JFK is a
major boost in that work,” Cotton said. “More access to electric vehicle charging equipment helps advance our sustainability goals and reaffirms our agency’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.”
“Reliable fast charging at New York’s airports, where rideshare drivers start and end their most valuable trips, will make or break our city’s electrification mandate,” said Frank Reig, co-founder and CEO of Revel.
NYC Taxi & Limousine Commissioner
David Do said the stations are a boon for its drivers, for whom the airports are the largest generator of trips.
Revel also is planning to install the largest public fast-charging lot near an airport in the nation later this year with 48 fast charging ports outside LaGuardia Airport at 90-10 Ditmars Blvd. in East Elmhurst.
Uber, in its press release, said its shuttle seats will cost up to $25 including taxes. Vans run 5 a.m. to 10:45 p.m. seven days a week:
• between the Port Authority Terminal in Manhattan at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue and JFK Terminal 5 with a stop at Grand Central Terminal at Park Avenue and 42nd Street;
• between the Port Authority Terminal and JFK Terminal 4 with a stop at Grand Central Terminal at Park Avenue and 42nd Street;
• between Manhattan’s Chinatown at the corner of Canal and Lafayette streets and JFK Terminal 5 with a stop at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Terminal at Hanson and Ashland places; and
• between Chinatown at the corner of Canal and Lafayette streets and JFK Terminal 4 with a stop at Atlantic terminal.
The vans seat 14, and passengers using their app can reserve up to four seats as much as seven days and as little at two minutes in advance. Drivers will validate a QR code ticket and PIN number prior to boarding. Q
Port Authority contractors allegedly took copper wires from warehouse $70K in property stolen from JFK
by Naeisha Rose Editor
Two men who were contracted to work for the Port Authority could face five to 15 years in prison if convicted for allegedly stealing property worth more than $70,000 from JFK Airport District Attorney Melinda Katz announced March 26.
Anildat Arnold, 46, of South Ozone Park, and Vejai Ramsarup, 54, of Queens Village, were arrested March 22 and arraigned separately on six-count criminal court complaints, each alleging grand larceny in the second degree, four counts of burglary in the third degree and one count of criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree.
“As alleged, these defendants were intimately familiar with the layout of JFK ... and used their access to steal more than 1,100 feet of expensive copper wire meant for important construction projects as the Port Authority rebuilds the airport,” said Katz in a statement.
Port Authority Inspector General John Gay said the agency’s team moved quickly to investigate the theft and apprehend the suspects and it was grateful to the DA’s Office for its partnership in bringing those responsible to justice.
The Port Authority opened an investigation in early February to determine the whereabouts of the missing wire, which was initially stored at a JFK warehouse building within the agen-
cy’s electrical maintenance shop that was locked up and secured by chain-link fencing, said Katz’s office. Investigators had set up video surveillance and spools of copper wire were marked to catch the suspects.
According to the charges, Arnold and Ramsarup, who were wearing their work uniforms, allegedly entered the restricted area four times.
On Feb. 15, they allegedly stole approximately 240 feet of wire; 634 feet was stolen on March 1; 228 feet on March 8; and on March 22, they attempted to get away with 150 feet of wire, according to the charges.
On the last date, at approximately 3:30 p.m., PA investigators were on location watching the two men on a live feed of surveillance cameras as they arrived at the warehouse storage building, said prosecutors. Ramsarup allegedly used a ladder to climb the fence surrounding the storage area and passed cut lengths of copper cable wire to Arnold. Investigators interrupted the alleged culprits, catching them before they could make off with the wire to sell.
PA investigators George Ma, Edward Vallejo and Louis Constantino, along with PAPD Dets. Luis Sanibanez and Nicholas Ciancarelli, under the supervision of Investigative Manager Mia Chang, conducted the investigation.
“We take our responsibility extremely seriously to protect the traveling public and the
infrastructure that supports them,” said Gay in a statement. “A core part of that mission is protecting the resources that keep our facilities up and running.”
Both men were released on their own recognizance, said a spokesperson for the DA’s Office.
Arnold is expected back in court on April 23. Ramsarup is expected back on May 1. Q
John F. Kennedy International Airport in March more than doubled its capacity for electric vehicle charging stations, thanks to a team effort by Revel and Con Edison. PHOTO COURTESY PANYNJ
Copper wire was stolen from this reel over several dates, said the office of District Attorney Melinda Katz. The reel itself is 6 feet in diameter.
PHOTO COURTESY QUEENS DA
FAITH TALK
Pastor Stephen Roser
Stephen Roser is the pastor of Howard Beach Assembly of God Church
Before going to Calvary, Jesus gave a stern requirement, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
His dreadful destiny was to be condemned as a common criminal and be forced to carry His crossbeam from the site of sentencing to the place of crucifixion.
During this Holy Season, we must not miss the full import of His words to us. A Christ follower is to live on a daily basis as though he has been sentenced to death by crucifixion. He is dead to the world that opposes God’s way and must deny himself. Our cross is that difficult thing that we choose to do simply because we are His people. We pick up our own cross for His sake. We choose a hard place, a difficult relationship, a thankless job.
We loan money to people we know will not be able to repay us. When we are passed over for a promotion, we accept it graciously. We do things that we do not have to do because we believe it’s God’s agenda for us.
We say, like Isaiah, “Here am I; send me.”
Where do we see this? Evidently a decent level of church attendance or giving up chewing gum for Lent can’t be the kind of Christianity Jesus speaks of here.
Will you pick up your cross for His sake? Would you be willing to hear the words of an old consecration hymn, “Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go free? No, there’s a cross for everyone. There’s a cross for me.”
Mets owners already drilling, before casino OK’d
by Katie Honan THE CITY
This article was originally published on April 1 at 4:22 p.m. EDT by THE CITY
A state board is still months away from selecting up to three locations for New York City-area casinos but some bidders are rolling the dice as if they’ve already won — with a boost from state lawmakers.
Last month, the owners of the Mets, who want to put an entertainment complex anchored by a casino next to Citi Field, began “exploratory boring” in at least two places to prepare for construction.
THE CITY spotted the heavy drilling in at least two places in the parking lot, which is legally parkland that only the state can authorize for development — currently barring it from being used for the casino plan team owner Steve Cohen has pitched as a major economic boost for Queens.
But his bet could pay off. On Sunday, State Sen. John Liu (D-Bayside) — a former foe of gambling in his backyard — announced he would introduce a bill this week that would allow development on the section of Flushing Meadows Corona Park near Citi Field where Cohen has pitched his “Metropolitan Park” casino project.
A day later, two Bronx lawmakers, state Sen. Nathalia Fernandez and
Assemblymember Michael Benedetto, announced they would introduce an alienation bill this week in the legislature for Bally’s proposed casino at Ferry Point Park.
These two projects are among nearly a dozen vying for one of the downstate casino licenses, which are expected to be announced late this year after the three-member Gaming Facility Location Board makes recommendations to the New York State Gaming Commission.
The Flushing and Thoggs Neck sites are the only ones that require state-level authorization to build on park — known as parkland alienation.
The Mets’s home ballpark and the surrounding parking lots, for example, are technically part of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.
Can’t Beat Em, Join Em’
Liu told THE CITY on Monday he is still opposed to gambling and casinos — last year, he co-wrote an op-ed critical of casinos preying on predominantly Asian communities — but has conceded that they will be built no matter what.
And if billionaire Mets owner
Cohen gets his dream of one of three downstate licenses, Liu’s vision of a pedestrian walkway over Flushing
Creek may come true, too, he said.
“If I really had my druthers I would have voted no against any casino licensing, but the casino licenses are a reality,” he said.
“There’s going to be three casinos nearby anyway and there are lots of people in favor,” he said, adding that Cohen’s team was “vigorous” in their push for his sign-on — even though his district is merely adjacent to the one where the casino would be located.
“The support in my community — notwithstanding my warnings — far outweighs and outnumbers the few who are opposed.”
Liu’s bill would function as companion legislation to the one introduced last month by Queens Assemblymember Larinda Hooks, who does represent the parcel of land that needs to be alienated.
The state senator for the Metropolitan Park parcel, State. Sen. Jessica Ramos, remains opposed to a casino, telling THE CITY on Monday her position hadn’t changed. (Ramos is also a candidate for mayor and spoke about the casino plan on the FAQ NYC podcast.)
“I cannot support a casino in Corona and am a definitive no on any alienation bill that goes against my
Liu agrees to park alienation
continued from page 2
bring this transformative project to life. And should we be unable to, will otherwise commit $100 million to revitalize Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Should it come to fruition, Metropolitan Park will celebrate the rich culture and energy of Queens while creating thousands of jobs and unparalleled experiences for guests and the community alike.”
“New York and Queens are all too familiar with developers who overpromise and underdeliver. That changes today thanks to Senator Liu and the leaders at Metropolitan
Park,” said Waterfront Alliance President and CEO Cortney Koenig Worrall in the press statement. “We are proud to be a part of this important step to improve the accessibility, usability, and climate-resiliency of Flushing Meadows Corona Park.”
Queens Community Board 7 overwhelmingly supported the zoning map changes required for Metropolitan Park. Board
Chairman Chuck Apelian attended Sunday’s press conference, and said in an email that he is just as enthusiastic about the Skypark agreement.
“The addition of the ‘Flushing Skypark’
neighbors’ wishes,” she said in a statement.
Liu’s bill goes against what’s known as member deference — an informal tradition where the legislator whose district is affected by a project gets to determine its future.
But he said there was enough local support, including the City Council voting unanimously earlier this month to back a city-issued land-use change that would allow casino-related development on the Mets’ parking lot.
Pie in the Skypark
The idea for a “Skypark” pedestrian bridge began under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, as part of the city’s failed bid to host the 2012 Olympics, Liu noted.
In a signed grant agreement between Cohen’s team and Liu shared with THE CITY, the bridge would cross west of 39th Avenue over Flushing Creek, providing pedestrian and cycling access between the bustling downtown Flushing and the new separate development at Willets Point.
Like every promised improvement tied to the casino bid, it only happens if Cohen and Hard Rock receive a casino license.
Even then, the grand design would require approvals from a host of city and state agencies, including the Departments of Transportation, Parks and Environmental Protection, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the grant agreement shows.
If the Metropolitan Park casino complex is built and the Skypark is found to be either not feasible or delayed within six years — and doesn’t secure enough private and public funding — Cohen and company will have to pay out $100 million in annual $10 million installments to Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, the agreement says.
Even without the necessary approvals, Cohen’s casino group has already begun scoping work for future construction.
Last month, construction workers
secured by NYS Senator John Liu makes an already great project, even greater,” Apelian said. “We look forward to the day we break ground on this generational project.”
Liu’s bill appears to be an end run around opposition to Metropolitan Park by state Sen. and mayoral candidate Jessica Ramos (D-Jackson Heights), in whose district Citi Field sits, and who has flatly opposed the casino. Liu’s district includes 12 acres of the project area, according to Cohen’s team.
“My position has not changed,” Ramos said Monday in an email from her office. “I cannot support a casino in Corona and am a definitive no on any alienation bill that goes against my neighbors’ wishes.”
The group Flushing for Equitable Devel-
conducted “exploratory boring” — drilling — on at least two locations in the Citi Field parking lot, with permission from the Department of Parks and Recreation.
The agency released a permit to Langan, an engineering and environmental services firm to test the subgrade composition and foundation costs for any construction, according to a Parks spokesperson.
The drills were gone last weekend, a few days before the Mets’ home opening day.
Some community groups across Queens are still opposed to the proposed Citi Field casino and organized a protest Friday in front of the Flushing branch of the Queens Library.
Rebecca Pryor, the executive director of the environmental group Guardians of Flushing Bay, said at the rally that the promised 20-acre park is “not an investment in public park land.”
Alexis Kaloyanides from Jackson Heights Indivisible said at the rally the casino is portrayed as “an economic engine that’s going to fund all the nice things that we deserve, but [Cohen’s] going to be doing it on the backs of our most vulnerable communities.”
The improvements Cohen has promised as part of the development — like subway station upgrades — could be done “yesterday,” she said.
“Asking our neighbors to fund and further enrich a billionaire so he can further line his pockets is just beyond egregious,” she said.
Karl Rickett, a spokesperson for the project, said it will include a fully public park. “Metropolitan Park is paying to build it and maintain it,” he said. “Metropolitan Park will have to operate and maintain the park to Parks Department rules and specifications.” Q
THE CITY (www.thecity.nyc) is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to hard-hitting reporting that serves the people of New York.
opment and Urban Planning, or FED UP, last Friday organized a protest against Metropolitan Park on the steps of the Flushing Library.
The group’s press release on Sunday recounted some of Liu’s past concerns about a casino.
“By agreeing to introduce legislation to alienate public parkland — despite the site being within the district of Senator Jessica Ramos, who has firmly opposed the casino — Liu is aligning himself with Cohen’s 14 lobbying firms rather than with his constituents,” the group said. “Liu has invited in a billionaire to prey on his own constituents, while displacing working people in Flushing and across Queens.” Q
Neighborhood advocates rally at the Flushing Public Library against the proposed casino next to Citi Field.
A construction crew uses a boring machine in the Citi Field parking as part of Steve Cohen’s casino project, March 28, 2025. PHOTOS BY KATIE HONAN / THE CITY
People are scared of losing their retirement benefits: district leader Residents anxious over Social Security
by Naeisha Rose Editor
About 70 people attended a rally last Wednesday outside the Social Security Administration’s district office in Jamaica.
Leading the rally was Assembly District 29 Part B Democratic Leader Jamal Wilkerson.
People are anxious because of the cuts being made to the agency by the federal government, said Wilkerson.
“You have a lot of folks who are nervous, who are scared that their Social Security benefits could end up getting cut, or delayed,” Wilkerson said to the Chronicle. “They understand there has been a 12 percent layoff to the staff at Social Security. They are nervous, and rightfully so.
“These are folks who have been paying into the system for a very long time, and at the end of the day, they are looking for their Social Security checks. If they are not doled out in a timely manner when they are used to getting them, this could definitely stagnate them on getting food and other necessities they may need to live.”
When it comes to the cost of living, Wilkerson said that a lot of people do not have 401(k) retirement saving plans or pensions.
“What they do have to live off are their Social Security checks,” said Wilkerson.
“Those Social Security benefits are needed to support their daily lives. At the end of their day, that is their income. That is all they may have.”
Wilkerson said the staff cuts have led to people waiting on the phone for two hours or more to speak with a representative from the agency and that’s if the line is even working.
“You also have Social Security offices throughout the country that have been closed down now,” said Wilkerson.
On March 27, the administration posted on its blog that there is no sweeping office closures across the country and that if an office was closed it was temporarily, due to weather, damage or facility issues and would later be reopened when the problem is resolved. However, it did announce the permanent closure of the White Plains, NY, hearing office.
“SSA is committed to providing service where people need help and our local field offices are no exception,” Lee Dudek, Acting commissioner of Social Security, said late last month. “We have not permanently closed any local field offices this year.”
Newsweek reported on March 20 that 47 field offices were expected to be closed in the South and Southeast parts of the country because of reductions made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.
Assembly District 29 Part B Democratic District Leader Jamal Wilkerson, here at a rally outside the Social Security Administration building in Jamaica, said residents are scared of losing their benefits because many don’t have retirement plans.
Musk
according to wral.com.
“He is someone out of touch with reality and would like to see our Social Security system privatized,” said Wilkerson. “It’s not lost on me that someone who is the richest person in the world, who is out here trying to buy elections and run roughshod over the middle class and people, and can afford to live the way he lives — this is someone who does not have our best intention at heart. This is about billionaires and oligarchs who think they can just run things because they have the money ...
“This is supposed to be a nation for the people, by the people ... This is why people are pushing back. At the end of the day, he was not elected to any office, whatsoever.”
Wilkerson belives the thing most at the forefront of people’s minds is how are they going to afford to make a living this year.
“It’s ‘How am I going to live?’” said Wilkerson. “One minute you have a job and the next minute you don’t ... ‘Ten seconds ago, I had a job with the federal government and then my job gets cut off.’ At the end of the day, this whole thing has been a mess when it comes to instituting these cuts and when it comes to calling normal people bureaucrats when all they are doing is trying to earn a paycheck and do what is right for the American people.” Q
PHOTO BY GAIL DOBBINS
First they called it ‘the novel coronavirus’
A brief look back at our early reporting on the growing Covid pandemic
The first mention of Covid-19 in the Queens Chronicle came on Jan. 30, 2020, in a story headlined “Coronavirus fears seep into Flushing.” It began, “While New York has no confirmed cases of the quickly spreading coronavirus, fears of the disease have prompted Flushing Town Hall to cancel its annual Lunar New Year Chinese Temple Bazaar.”
It went on to say that the same day FTH announced the cancellation, Jan. 28, Gov. Cuomo reported sending 10 samples from New Yorkers to Washington, DC, for testing. Seven were negative for the novel coronavirus, while three were pending.
The contagion, scientifically known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2, or SARS-CoV-2, eventually would kill 46,912 NYC residents, according to official data.
One week after that first story, the virus made the front page
for the first time, with the simple headline “Coronavirus fears.”
One month later, following the first diagnosis in the city, the headline on March 5 was “It’s here.”
Days later, St. John’s University became the first school in Queens to close: “Covid-19 shutdown.”
And the March 19 paper had a slew of stories on the rapidly growing crisis and its impact, prompting the “Upside down” headline and photo, with a caption that said, “The world has been turned upside down — so you might as well see it that way.” We did, for a long time to follow.
the lead, sometimes negating something Mayor Bill de Blasio had said the day before, or even the same day.
SARS-CoV-2 SARS-CoV-2 FIVE YEARS LATER
That was the week nearly everything was shut down or greatly curtailed: courts, restaurants, movie theaters. Hospitals struggled to save lives. And Cuomo took
The longest March ever experienced turned into April and the crisis only worsened. The death rate in the city peaked mid-month. Then Cuomo announced that it was easing: “What’s next?” Battles over how to contain the virus continued: “Beachfront propriety,” “Where are the face masks?” and “Shut down.” Hope finally arrived in December with the vaccine: “Magic potion.”
It was at least the end of the beginning.
Find more Covid remembrance stories tagged “SARS-CoV-2: five years later” written throughout March at qchron.com. — Peter C. Mastrosimone
Sports that can compel seniors to get up and move
Discussions about the benefits of sports participation are often rooted in how much young people can gain from playing a team sport. Older adults have much to gain from playing sports as well, and that’s something retirees can keep in mind as they look for activities to fill their time.
A 2018 study published in the journal Biochemistry Research International found that physical activity can be a protective factor for noncommunicable diseases, including heart disease and diabetes, and can even help to delay the onset of dementia. The study also linked physical activity to improved quality of life and mental health. Sports require players to be physically active, so seniors who decide to dust off their athletic gear and play the following sports can reap all the rewards that getting up and moving has to offer.
• Pickleball : The popularity of pickleball has skyrocketed in recent years, with the Sports & Fitness Industry Association estimating there are now roughly nine million pickleball players in the United States. The organization Pickleball Canada reports that nearly 1.4 million Canadians played pickleball at least once per month in 2023, proving that this popular sport transcends borders and offers a great way to socialize with fellow seniors.
• Walking : Accessibility is one of the major benefits of walking. Even seniors with limited mobility can look to walking as a less demanding physical activity that compels them to get out of the house. And the benefits of walking may be more profound than people realize. Preliminary research presented at an American Heart Association gathering in 2023 estimated that walking an additional 500 steps per day, which is equiv-
alent to roughly a quarter of a mile, was associated with a 14 percent lower risk for heart disease, stroke or heart failure.
• Softball : Baseball was the first love of many a sports fan over the years, and senior softball provides a way to maintain or even reignite that passion, all the while reaping the health benefits of sports play. Softball can help seniors maintain their hand-eye coordination and improve their flexibility. But perhaps the most notable benefit o f playing senior softball involves socialization. Senior softball requires being on a team, and the benefits of socialization fo r seniors are numerous, particularly when they play in leagues featuring players from outside their immediate social circle. A 2019 study published in The Journals of Gerontology found that older adults who socialize with people outside their typical social circle were more likely to have higher levels of physical activity and a more positive mood. Such individuals also had fewer negative feelings.
• Golf : Golf provides a range of health benefits that committed players are well aware of. Seniors who play golf, particularly those who walk the course instead of using a cart to get around, can reap the rewards of walking, including improve d cardiovascular health, and even the benefits of strength-training, as carrying a golf bag around nine or 18 holes can build strength that protects bones and reduces the risk of fractures. Traversing a course also helps to burn calories, which can help seniors maintain a healthy weight.
The benefits of sports participation apply to people of all ages, including seniors. P
— Metro Creative Connection
Seniors who walk regularly and play sports, such as pickleball, softball and golf, can reap all the rewards that getting up and moving has to offer.
Correcting the record about Social Security office closings
by Social Security Administration
Recent reports in the media that the Social Security Administration is permanently closing local field offices are false. Since January 1, 2025, the agency has not permanently closed or announced the permanent closure of any local field office.
From time to time, SSA must temporarily close a local field office for reasons such as weather, damage, or facilities issues, and it reopens when the issues are resolved. The agency has announced the permanent closure of one hearing office, in White Plains, NY.
SSA works closely with local congressional delegations before closing any office permanently. The agency also reassigns employees from an affected office to other locations to help communities access in-person services.
“SSA is committed to p roviding service where p eople need help and our local field offices are no exception,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security.
SSA identified for the General Services Administration underutilized office space to ensure the government is spending taxpayer money as prudently as possible. The agency provided GSA a list of sites for termination. Most of these are small hearing rooms with no assigned employees.
Since most hearings are held virtually, SSA no longer needs these underutilized rooms.
Direct deposit and telephone services
Recent reports in the media that Social Security plans to eliminate telephone services are inaccurate. SSA is increasing its protection for America’s seniors and other beneficiaries by eliminating the risk of fraud associated with changing bank account information by telephone.
“We have not permanently closed any field offices this year.”
— Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security
“We have not permanently closed any local field offices this year.”
SSA continuously investigates and analyzes potential threats to strengthen and secure our programs and protect people who receive benefits. Approximately 40 percent of Social Security direct deposit fraud is associated with someone calling SSA to change direct deposit bank infor-
mation. SSA’s current protocol of simply asking identifying questions by telephone is no longer enough to prevent fraud.
If someone needs to change their bank account information on SSA’s record, they will need to either:
Use two-factor authentication with SSA’s
“my Social Security” service; or Visit a local Social Security office to prove their identity.
These methods align with most majo r banks.
All other SSA telephone services remain unchanged P
The Social Security Administration has not closed any field offices so far in 2025. PHOTO BY ILVADEL / FLICKR
Youth to chat with astronaut, learn robotics, cloud tracking and more April lifts off with Space Month at QPL
by Naeisha Rose Editor
The Queens Public Library will be taking guests to infinity and beyond with the launch of its inaugural Space Month series of programs designed to spark curiosity in space exploration and science, technology, engineering and math in youths.
Rita Karl, the QPL’s director of programming and the former education manager for NASA’s Texas High School Aerospace Scholars, told the Chronicle that after a successful solar eclipse program got great feedback last year, librarians expressed interest in having a STEM program at 35 branches.
“Our kids saw the moon’s shadow covering the sun,” said Karl. “It excited the kids and our librarians were interested.”
ARM, a chip manufacturer for AI platforms, donated International Space StationAbove devices, which show the view of Earth from space, to 52 QPL locations. The Explorers Club, a mulitdisciplinary society dedicated to scientific exploration and resource conservation, also donated one ISSAbove unit to the QPL. To find out which branches are using the unit, go online to queenslibrary.org/about-us/locations.
“When we did a survey about who would like to do this, it started out as Space Week,” said Karl. “But it was a lot of branches, so we
made it Space Month.”
There will be nearly 70 interactive activities for children and teens to dive deep into the cosmos throughout the month with the help of scientists, educators and QPL staff at multiple locations.
Guests can also access the QPL blog, which started covering Space Month on April 1, at queenslibrary.org/about-us/newsmedia/blog.
On April 8, space enthusiasts will get the chance to explore the Northern Lights at 4 p.m. at the Central Library, located at 89-11 Merrick Blvd. in Jamaica.
Future engineers will have the opportunity to build a Mars Rover out of Legos and learn about robotic missions to Mars on April 11 at 2:45 p.m. at the North Hills Library, located at 57-04 Marathon Pkwy. in Douglaston, and again on April 22, at 4:30 p.m. at the South Jamaica Library, located at 108-41 Guy R. Brewer Blvd.
The history of the United States space shuttle program will live long and prosper in the minds of youths as they build a Lego shuttle on April 12 at 3 p.m. at the Glen Oaks Library, located at 256-04 Union Tpke.; April 14 at 4:30 p.m. at the Hillcrest Library, at 187-05 Union Tpke.; April 21 at 3:30 p.m. at the Richmond Hill Library, at 118-14 Hillside Ave. and 3:30 p.m. at the Long Island
Park Library and how to explore storytelling and character building using a cosmic, fantastical space opera format on April 17 at 4 p.m. at the Douglaston/Little Neck Library, located at 249-01 Northern Blvd.
Scholars will be paired with citizen scientists at a NASA-sponsored program, GLOBE Clouds, and be trained to track cloud changes with satellite imagery. Sessions will take place April 10 and 17 at 4 p.m. at the Hunters Point Library, located at 47-40 Center Blvd.
“You will be able to help scientists in real time by observing the clouds ...” said Karl. “You can track a lot of different things.”
Snapology, which provides enrichment via STEM and arts programs to engage 4- to 14-year-old youths, will offer educational workshops in Space Robotics on April 14 at 3 p.m. at the Whitestone Library, located at 151-10 14 Road, and Space Science on April 15 at 3:30 p.m. at the Middle Village Library, at 72-31 Metropolitan Ave. At the robotics program, kids will build models that mimic the movement of stars, planets, moons and other astronomical objects. There will also be discussions about the development of space exploration. In the second program, participants will explore key aspects of astronomy while creating models through hands-on activities.
B SPORTS EAT
“Y
Little liftoff in Houston
by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor
For Mets fans, three things are certain: death, taxes and the Amazin’s having trouble winning games against the team from Space City, the Houston Astros. Even during the miraculous season of 1969, the Mets went 2-10 against the Astros, and most of those defeats were lopsided. You could not blame fans for cursing when the schedule came out and the opening series was against the Astros.
But it turned out not to be the worst-case scenario for the Mets, who won the middle game of the series, considering how many times they have been swept in Houston over the past 60-plus years. Although the hitting was paltry, the starting pitching, a question mark going into the season, held up well in its first test of 2025. Clay Holmes, Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning acquitted themselves well, as did the bullpen.
The late Ed Kranepool, the longest-tenured Mets ever, saw his share of the team’s futility against the Astros. The Mets will honor him with a No. 7 patch on their uniforms this season.
Mascot races are a between-innings entertainment staple in Milwaukee, where various folks in sausage costumes compete to cross the finish line first; and in Washington, DC, where likenesses of Abe, George, Thomas and Teddy compete for true presidential glory. The Mets will join them, with the five boroughs repre-
sented by costumed mascots running around Citi Field. Manhattan will be represented by a skyscraper, Bronx by a giraffe (Bronx Zoo reference), Brooklyn by a pizza slice (a Brooklyn Bridge costume would have been more apropos), a ferry for Staten Island, and a replica of a No. 7 subway car for Queens.
At the risk of sounding like a New York snob, mascot races should be relegated to second-tier markets and minor league ballparks.
The World’s Borough should be represented by our most famous symbol, the Unisphere in Flushing Meadow Park, which was constructed for the 1964-65 World’s Fair. Granted, it is more intricate to create, but it would be well worth it.
Citi Field was voted by the readers of USA Today as having the best food of any baseball stadium for the third straight year. Quality food suppliers are the reason. Pat LaFrieda, whose meat dishes have long been a US Open staple, is adding its tomahawk steak and loaded fries this year. New concessionaires, Naz’s Halal Food, and Gyro Jimmy’s, will be selling chicken, beef and lamb gyros.
The Mets will continue to offer a space for popular Queens neighborhood restaurants. Ozone Park’s Arepalicious will occupy it during the first half of the season, while Maspeth’s Thai Tai Eatery gets second-half honors. Q
See the extended version of Sports Beat every week at qchron.com.
City Library, at 37-44 21 St. Children and teens will be able to tour the night sky with a fully immersive planetarium experience and participate in hands-on STEM and arts and crafts activities on April 7 at 4 p.m. at the Howard Beach Library, at 92-06 156 Ave.; April 11 at 4 p.m. at the Flushing Library, located at 41-17 Main St.; April 14 at 2 p.m. at the Forest Hills Library, at 108-19 71 Ave.; April 15 at 4 p.m. at the Central Library; April 16 at 3:30 p.m. at the Peninsula Library, at 92-25 Rockaway Beach Blvd. in Far Rockaway; and April 18 at 3:30 p.m. at the Ridgewood Library, at 20-12 Madison St. Little ones have the opportunity to design a balloon-powered miniature Nano rover that mimics NASA’s larger rovers, and compete in a race to see whose rover performs best on April 16 at 3 p.m. at the Ozone Park Library, located at 92-24 Rockaway Blvd.; April 18 at 3 p.m. at the Astoria Library, at 14-01 Astoria Blvd. and April 19 at 1 p.m. at the Baisley Park Library, at 117-11 Sutphin Blvd. in South Jamaica.
ou will be able to help scientists in real time.”
“We are closing out with a chat with the astronaut Barbara Morgan,” said Karl. Morgan, who is also a teacher, will meet with teens via Zoom on April 23 at 3:30 p.m., at this link: shorturl.at/xNdxe.
—
director, on GLOBE Cloud
Cartoonist and teaching artist Ivan Velez will show teens how to draw anatomies of aliens on April 14 at 4 p.m. at the Baisley
“She was the backup for the [Challenger] mission, worked on and off as a classroom teacher and then she was asked to join NASA and become a regular astronaut,” Karl said.
For more information on Space Month events, visit queenslibrary.org.
“Learning about zero-gravity and learning about how we are going to the moon and someday, perhaps to Mars and other planets is exciting,” said Karl. “It’s the future.” Q
You must separate food scraps
Composting is now the law.
Organic matter from the leaves in your yard to the potato peels on your cutting board no longer can go in the regular trash.
As of Tuesday, the city is enforcing mandatory curbside compost collection.
“Leaf and yard waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper should be set out inside labeled bins (55 gallons or less) with secure lids or in your DSNY brown compost bins,” the Department of Sanitation says online. “You can line your bins with CLEAR plastic, paper, or compostable bags to help keep them clean.
“Extra leaf and yard waste can be put in paper lawn and leaf bag or CLEAR plastic bags. Twigs and branches can be bundled with twine and placed next to bins and bags.
“As of April 1, 2025, leaf and yard waste, food waste, and food-soiled paper separation from trash is mandatory CITYWIDE.”
Those who disobey may be fined $25 the first time and up to $100 later for buildings of one to eight units, and $100 the first time to $300 for larger ones. Q — Peter C. Mastrosimone
For the month of April Queens Public Library is space-themed. PHOTOS COURTESY QPL
Rita Karl, Queens Public Library’s program
by Stephanie G. Meditz
Headwall Theatre Co.’s production of “The Pillowman” at The Secret Theatre at 38-02 61 St. in Woodside is just twisted enough to make you burst out laughing, and then wonder if you should have.
The 2003 dark comedy by Martin McDonagh follows Katurian, a writer of children’s stories in which the characters often meet gruesome, bloody fates. He is questioned by two harsh, sarcastic, buffoonish and ultimately human police officers when they suspect he is somehow connected to brutal crimes in the “real world” of the show’s totalitarian regime.
Against the backdrop of Katurian’s stories, the play’s timeline shifts from real life to the world of fiction, but that line becomes increasingly blurry as the words that are read aloud start to mirror what the audience gradually learns about true events and the writer’s own life.
From beginning to end, the show urges the audience to consider the importance of artistic expression and how far one would go to protect it when it comes under attack.
“It’s about art and what it means in the community and how it can expand and help us, and how it should be open and free for everyone,” director Josh Lombard said.
But even thedarkestofcomediesneedsmomentsoflightnessTwoofKaturi
But even the darkest of comedies needs moments of lightness. Two of Katurian’s stories are brought to life onstage, and Lombard said he wanted them to appear whimsical, childlike and almost cartoonish.
The lighter tone in those scenes contrasts not only with their subject matter, but also the darkness that marks the entire performance. Earnest, yet uncomfortable laughter could be heard for much of the show when the Chronicle reviewed it on March 29, especially at the top of the second act.
Attendees are thrown into what is perhaps Katurian’s most graphic, devastating story immediately after intermission and may be shocked that they cannot help but laugh, even as the horrific events unfold.
“I think it needs that levity for the audience to really accept what the words are, because I think if you play into the dark tones, it’s going to be too heavy,” Lombard said.
continued on page 25
King Crossword Puzzle
I HAVE OFTEN WALKED
Mario Puzo made LIC an offer it couldn’t refuse
by Ron Marzlock Chronicle Contributor
Italian immigrants Antonio and Maria Puzo had seven children living at 358 10 Ave. in Manhattan. Their fifth, Mario, was born on Oct. 15, 1920.
After Antonio was committed to Pilgrim State Hospital on Long Island for schizophrenia, things went from bad to worse. In 1939, mother and children packed up and moved to the New York City Housing Authority’s Queensbridge Houses at 41-08 Vernon Blvd. in Long Island City. Young Mario worked at the New York Central Railroad’s 72nd Street Station, but his real passion was writing.
Puzo fought in World War II and met and married a German girl, Erika Lina Broeske, in 1946. He brought her over to NYC on the SS Salvador Brau on Dec. 21, 1947.
His first short story was published in 1950. He wrote for macho men’s pulp magazines named “Male,” “Men” and “True Action.” He also wrote a Mafia novel that caught the eye of Paramount’s Robert Evans, who wanted to develop it into a movie. Evans offered Puzo $12,500 for the work and another $80,000 if it were made into a completed film. He
urgently needed $10,000 for his gambling debts and accepted the deal. The original title “Mafia” was changed to “The Godfather,” and it was published in 1969. The Academy Award-winning movie was made in 1972 with sequels to follow.
Puzo moved out to Bay Shore, LI, and continued to write scripts and screenplays. He passed at age 78 of heart failure at home on July 2, 1999.
The early home of author Mario Puzo was at 41-08 Vernon Blvd. in the Queensbridge Houses, above, in Long Island City. GOOGLE MAPS IMAGE; INSET PHOTO BY BERNARD GOTFRYD VIA WIKIPEDIA
‘Clark’ reminds us of what’s possible at Mrs.
by Michael Gannon editor
Artist Mark Mulroney had been thinking about Superman and what he has always represented for more than a year, knowing he somehow was the key to expressing his misgivings about how things are going in the country right now.
His show “Clark,” featured at Mrs. gallery in Maspeth through May 10, brings his thoughts to life in more than two dozen works in oil and pen and ink, simple to abstract.
The works depict the Man of Steel’s portrayals from the comic books going back to 1939; George Reeves’ televised hero from the 1950s; and line drawings of Christopher Reeve from the big screen in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Speaking with the Chronicle last week, Mulroney said he prefers not to talk about his work in detail so people can form their own impressions, rather than incorporate his. He said Superman is a good vehicle in this case, not requiring much talking on his part.
“Even little kids know who Superman is, even if not his specific story of coming from Krypton and landing in a meteor,” Mulroney said. “They get it. ‘He’s the guy who flies around saving people. I know this guy.’” Even his abstract oil paintings, in
some cases depicting Superman as battered and bleeding, are instantly recognizable.
“That costume is iconic,” he said.
He had been struggling mightily to pull something together, even discarding several pieces, knowing many were not working but unable to express exactly why.
“I started thinking of this show, started
working on it about a year and a half ago,” he said. “Everything I was working on was not working. It just failed.”
But his wife, Lucy, a writer, said that one of the paintings did work. She also brought up less divided times than the country is now going through.
And phone booths.
“I’d forgotten that Clark Kent used to
change in a phone booth,” Mulroney said.
But her words, now part of the formal introduction to the exhibit on the Mrs. website, made his focus instantly clear.
She said phone booths, once ubiquitous in the country, were things people could count on, offering convenience, safety when you needed to call home for a ride in an emergency, and information. Clark Kent, a reporter (“Remember when people used to read newspapers?”) used them to change before heading selflessly to the rescue (“Remember when people use to help each other?”).
“If you need something explained, give it to a writer,” Mulroney said “So I threw everything away and decided I was just going to use Superman as a metaphor, as a mythological figure who was going to carry the weight of what I wanted to say. I would use his alter ego, Clark Kent, too, as a figure to describe my feelings toward what is happening on the country right now.”
“Clark” is the Connecticut resident’s third show at Mrs., as he has known and worked individually with the gallery’s founders, Sara Maria Salamone and Tyler Lafreniere, since before they were a couple.
The gallery, located at 60-40 56 Drive, is open 1 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Q
Dark storybook endings at The Secret Theatre
continued from page 23
Brian Patterson plays the lead role masterfully, radiating anxiety, confidence and tenderness at exactly the right moments the entire time he is onstage, which is nearly every second of the roughly two-and-ahalf-hour play. It does not take an artist to admire the fervor with which Patterson’s Katurian defends his craft, even as he endures the often torturous interrogation.
Nicholas James Reilly also stuns as Ariel,
Crossword Answers
one of the two officers. Reilly manages a delicate balance between Ariel’s tough-guy facade and underlying empathy such that the audience sees hints of his true self before it is revealed fully.
“I really hope that they question and not judge so easily, because nothing is black and white. Everything has these gray areas,” Lombard said. “Somebody might be aggressive, and you just don’t know why. It’s the trauma that they went through.”
“It’s sort of like, does art imitate life or does life imitate art? And I think the suggestion of ‘The Pillowman’ is, is it both?”
Headwall founder and artistic director
Michelle Orosz said. “It’s leaving it up to the audience to decide.”
Lombard said he had wanted to direct “The Pillowman” for more than a decade, and was grateful to work with the show’s design team to bring his vision to life.
“With Headwall, I think giving people an opportunity to check off their bucket lists and opportunity for firsts is really important for me,” Orosz said, adding that part of why she founded the company in 2018 was to pay forward the support she received.
“And I love Queens so much. It’s where
“The Pillowman” at The Secret Theatre is an ode to free expression. On the cover: The performances of Nicholas James Reilly, left, Brian Patterson and Jonathan Dauermann balance humor and darkness.
I’m raising my kids,” she said. “To have more opportunities for the local Queens community to see another local Queens production is something that’s really important to me.”
Tickets are available on a sliding scale from $30 to $50 each. They may be purchased at headwalltheatrecompany.org. The show will run through April 12, and it is recommended for mature audiences. Q
Superman and his alter ego are the subject of the subjects of “Clark”, an exhibit of artist Mark Mulroney, above left, at the Mrs. gallery in Maspeth.
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PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE G. MEDITZ AND, COVER, LAURA YOST PHOTOGRAPHY
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NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT: QUEENS
COUNTY FRANK BIANCANIELLO and JOSEPH GULOTTA v. ZDE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LLC, et al. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated September 17, 2024 and filed with the Clerk of the Supreme Court, Queens County on October 9, 2024, bearing Index no. 715701/2022, I will sell at public auction on April 25, 2025 at 10:00 am in the second floor, Courtroom 25 of the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11435, the premises known as 25-54 12th Street, Unit 5A, Astoria, NY 11102 (Block: 904, Lot: 1013) and 25-54 12th Street, Unit 5C, Astoria, NY 11102 (Block 904, Lot: 1015). Premises sold subject to filed Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Terms of Sale. Judgment amount $1,031,821.72 plus interest and costs. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with the Unified Court System Safety and Operational Protocols in effect at this time. Auction location and time are subject to revision based on Court policy, current protocols and health conditions. Arthur Nicholas Terranova, Referee. Harry Zubli, Esq., attorney for plaintiff (516) 487-5777.
PUBLIC NOTICE
AT&T proposes to modify their existing facility at new antenna tip heights of 64.5’& 67’on the building at 154-05 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY (20250175). Interested parties may contact Scott Horn at 856-809-1202 or 1012 Industrial Dr, West Berlin, NJ 08091 with comments regarding potential effects on historic properties.
Notice
& Information,
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC, -againstCHITROWTIE GHANESS, ET AL.
NOTICE OF SALE
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on August 6, 2024, wherein NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC is the Plaintiff and CHITROWTIE GHANESS, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at THE QUEENS COUNTY SUPREME COURT, 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD., COURTROOM 25, JAMAICA, NY 11435, on April 25, 2025 at 10:00AM, premises known as 90-23 184TH STREET, HOLLIS, NY 11423; and the following tax map identification: 9905-58.
ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE BOROUGH AND COUNTY OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK
Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 700221/2021.
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
Notice of Formation of DOMX LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/25/2025 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: THE LLC, 8824 242ND ST, BELLEROSE, NY 11426. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, CMG MORTGAGE INC, Plaintiff, vs. JON PHILLIPS, ET AL., Defendant (s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on October 10, 2024 and Order Appointing Subsitiute Referee entered on February 3, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the second floor in Courtroom 25 Queens County Supreme Courthouse located at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, on April 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM, premises known as 119-35 219TH ST, CAMBRIA HEIGHTS, NEW YORK 114112004. 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: 12779, Lot: 8. Approximate amount of judgment is $625,961.89 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 705439/2018. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Mortgagee’s attorney, or the Referee. All parties shall comply with the Eleventh Judicial District’s COVID-19 Policies concerning Public Auctions of foreclosed properties. These policies, along with the Queens County Foreclosure Auction Rules, can be found on the Queens Supreme Court - Civil Term Website (https://www.nycourts. gov/LegacyPDFS/COURTS/11jd/ supreme/civilterm/partrules/ Foreclosure_Auction_Rules.pdf For Sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction. com or call (800) 280-2832. MICHAEL CERVINI, Esq., Referee Roach & Lin, P.C., 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 185, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, -against- JOHN DERGOSITS, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on January 13, 2025, wherein JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION is the Plaintiff and JOHN DERGOSITS, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the QUEENS COUNTY SUPREME COURT, 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD, COURTROOM 25, JAMAICA, NY 11435, on April 11, 2025 at 10:00AM, premises known as 41-33 PARSONS BOULEVARD, UNIT 8A, FLUSHING, NY 11355; and the following tax map identification: 5051-1118. THE UNIT KNOWN AS UNIT NO. 8A (THE “UNIT”) IN THE PREMISES KNOWN AS AND BY 33 PARSONS PLAZA CONDOMINIUM AND LOCATED AT 41-33 PARSONS BOULEVARD, FLUSHING, NEW YORK, 11355 QUEENS COUNTY, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK DESIGNATED AND DESCRIBED AS UNIT NO. 8A IN THE DECLARATION ESTABLISHING A PLAN FOR CONDOMINIUM OWNERSHIP OF THE BUILDING AND THE LAND ON WHICH IT IS ERECTED (HEREINAFTER CALLED THE “PROPERTY”), UNDER THE CONDOMINIUM ACT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK (ARTICLE 9-B OF THE REAL PROPERTY LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK) TOGETHER WITH AN UNDIVIDED 5.2632% INTEREST IN THE COMMON ELEMENTS OF THE PROPERTY (HEREINAFTER CALLED THE “COMMON ELEMENT”). ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE BOROUGH OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 700901/2023. 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.
Edgemere/Rockaway, Sat 4/5, 1pm-2pm, 318 Beach 47th St. Mint cond. Legal 2 fam. 4 BRs, 4 baths (2 over 2). All new kitchen & baths. Pvt dvwy. Asking $729K. Connexion Real Estate 718-845-1136
Howard Beach/Lindenwood, Sat 4/5, 1pm-3pm, 78-07 153 Ave. Bell #2. Greentree Condo Townhouse, 3/4 BR, 2 baths, 2 terr, granite kit, SS appli, Immaculate cond. Asking $519K, Connexion Real Estate 718-845-1136
Howard Beach, elegant brick custom Colonial, 4 BR, 4.5 baths, master BR w/en-suite& 2 BRs & 2nd full bath. Custom KIT, LR, FDR, den. Full finished bsmnt, sep ent, paved yard with IGP w/jacuzzi. Price Improvement
Asking $1,390,000. Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136
Classified Ad Deadline is 12 Noon on Tuesday for Thursday’s paper.
Legal Notices Legal Notices
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS SUMMONS Index No.: 712497/2022 Plaintiffs designate Queens County as the Place of Trial The basis of venue is the county in which the Property is situated: 173-28 47th Avenue, Flushing, New York 11358 SANTHA KRISHNA, Plaintiff, - againstAMANDEEP KAUR TIWANA, BALJIT KAUR AND PAWANDEEP TIWANA, Defendants. ACTION TO RECOVER REAL PROPERTY 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 Plaintiffs’ attorney 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 failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default of the relief demanded in the Complaint. Dated: June 1, 2022 Long Island City, New York LAW OFFICES OF JOHN F. LAGAN Attorneys for Plaintiff John F. Lagan, Esq. 44-02 23rd Street, Suite 107, Long Island City, New York 11101 (718) 932-2550 jack@laganpc.com
NOTICE
This action is to recover possession of real property, to wit, 17328 47th Avenue, Flushing, County of Queens, New York 11358, in the County of Queens (BBL: Q/5585/19), eject defendants therefrom, declare that Plaintiff is entitled to immediate possession of the Property, and for money damages. The nature of the relief sought is: Ejectment of defendants from the property; judgment granting Plaintiff immediate possession of the property; and money judgment for unpaid rent and use & occupancy, and electric charges through the date of judgment in an amount not less than $68,464.00, plus interest; for damage to the Premises caused by defendants in an amount not less than $1,000.00; for the costs of this action, including reasonable attorney’s fees; and such other and further relief as may be within the power and jurisdiction of this Court, and which to this Court seems just, equitable and proper.
Notice of Formation of EdgeSide LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/20/2024. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 3705 88th Street, Apt C6, Jackson Heights, NY 11372. Purpose: any lawful activities.
Notice of formation of EXPERT SPEAKERS LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 2/23/2025. Office located in Queens County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC to 108-11 95th Avenue, South Richmond Hill, NY 11419. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of ANATOLIKO LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/19/2025. 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: ENTITY PROTECT REGISTERED AGENT SERVICES LLC, 447 BROADWAY 2ND FL. - #3000, NEW YORK, NY 10013. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of OLD HAND BARBERS LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 08/09/2023 Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, 115-06 ROCKAWAY BEACH BLVD, ROCKAWAY PARK, NY 11694. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
Legal Notices
NOTICE
OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS MIDFIRST BANK, Plaintiff AGAINST SIMONE K. ISAACS, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered February 11, 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, New York on April 25, 2025 at 10:00AM, premises known as 220-32 137th Avenue, Springfield Gardens, NY 11413. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 13125 and Lot 28. Approximate amount of judgment $861,881.63 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #717460/2022. Michael A. Cervini, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 22-002535 84834
Notice of Formation of SAS PROPERTY GROUP LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/15/2025 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: SAS PROPERTY GROUP LLC, 3731 73RD ST, APARTMENT 2E, JACKSON HEIGHTS, NY 11372. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of SETSBYLANAH, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/11/2025 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: ALANAH KLEIN, 64-46 AUSTIN ST, REGO PARK, NY 11374. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT QUEENS COUNTY ASPEN PROPERTIES GROUP, LLC AS TRUSTEE OF AG3 REVOCABLE TRUST, Plaintiff against ELAINE HUITT, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Leopold & Associates, PLLC, 80 Business Park Drive, Suite 110, Armonk, NY 10504. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered October 10, 2024, 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 April 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM. Premises known as 18918 Keeseville Avenue, Saint Albans, NY 11412. Block 10440 Lot 9. 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, City and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $116,642.80 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 712333/2020. 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. Michael Cervini, Esq., Referee File # 6918741
Notice of Formation of SUNAINA & LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/03/2025. 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: SUNAINA RAO, 7711 35TH AVE, APT 5H, JACKSON HEIGHTS, NY 11372. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
TRI-STAR HOSPITALITY SERVICES
LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 02/27/2025. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Roy Chi, 250-10 Northern Blvd., #75, Little Neck, NY 11362. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT QUEENS COUNTY
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR VELOCITY COMMERCIAL CAPITAL LOAN TRUST 20182, Plaintiff against BRENDA LANCLOS, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC, 28 Corporate Drive, Suite 104, Halfmoon, NY 12065. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered October 18, 2024, 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 May 2, 2025 at 11:00 AM. Premises known as 117-26 204th Street, St. Albans, NY 11412. Block 12633 Lot 18. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land situate, lying and being in the Fourth Ward of the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $502,457.75 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 715570/2020. 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. Kristen Jean Dubowski, Esq., Referee File # 21-001540-01
Notice of Formation of WAHOO TREEHOUSE LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/25/2025. 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: WAHOO TREEHOUSE LLC, 240-19 JAMAICA AVENUE, BELLEROSE, NY 11426. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
ATM MASPETH LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 3/11/25. Office in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 44-17 54th Dr., Maspeth, NY 11378. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT QUEENS COUNTY QUEST TRUST COMPANY
FBO ELIZABETH HAUG IRA #3101621, Plaintiff against CLARA YRVANIA DIAZ, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Margolin, Weinreb & Nierer, LLP, 575 Underhill Boulevard, Suite 224, Syosset, NY 11791. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered February 19, 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 April 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM. Premises known as 91-52 112th Street, Richmond Hill, NY 11418. Block 9318 Lot 14. 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 $238,421.55 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 714155/2021. 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. Lamont R. Bailey, Esq., Referee File # 20-0966
Notice of Formation of BOOKS TO TAX SOLUTIONS LLC
Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/01/2024 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: NICK TYLIPAKIS, 244-27 61ST AVENUE, DOUGLASTON, NY 11362. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of DOGRU CONSULTANTS LLC
Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/17/2024
Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, 6466 ELLWELL CRES APT 2, REGO PARK, NY 11374. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
Thursday, April 3, 2025
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SUMMONS Supreme Court of New York, Queens County. U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE OF THE TRUMAN 2021 SC9 TITLE TRUST, Plaintiff, -against MARIA ELENA AMMIRATI, COADMINISTRATOR AND HEIR AT LAW AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF STEVEN M. OLDENBUTTEL A/K/A STEVEN MICHAEL OLDENBUTTEL; RUDOLFO EDMUNDO DEYCAZA, JR. A/K/A RUDOLFO EDMUNDO DE YCAZA, JR. A/K/A RUDOLFO E. DE YCAZA, JR., CO-ADMINISTRATOR AND HEIR AT LAW AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF STEVEN M. OLDENBUTTEL A/K/A STEVEN MICHAEL OLDENBUTTEL; AMANDA COSTA, HEIR AT LAW AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF CHRISTINE OLDENBUTTEL A/K/A CHRISTINE COSTA, HEIR AT LAW AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF STEVEN M. OLDENBUTTEL A/K/A STEVEN MICHAEL OLDENBUTTEL; MICHAEL COSTA, JR., HEIR AT LAW AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF CHRISTINE OLDENBUTTEL A/K/A CHRISTINE COSTA, HEIR AT LAW AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF STEVEN M. OLDENBUTTEL A/K/A STEVEN MICHAEL OLDENBUTTEL; CAROL ANNE OLDENBUTTEL, AS HEIR AT LAW AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF STEVEN M. OLDENBUTTEL A/K/A STEVEN MICHAEL OLDENBUTTEL; LOUIS OLDENBUTTEL, JR. A/K/A LEWIS OLDENBUTTEL, JR., AS HEIR AT LAW AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF STEVEN M. OLDENBUTTEL A/K/A STEVEN MICHAEL OLDENBUTTEL; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF THE ESTATE OF CHRISTINE OLDENBUTTEL A/K/A CHRISTINE COSTA, HEIR AT LAW AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF STEVEN M. OLDENBUTTEL A/K/A STEVEN MICHAEL OLDENBUTTEL; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (EASTERN DISTRICT); NEW YORK CITY PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU; “JOHN DOE” AND “JANE DOE” said names being fictitious, it being the intention of Plaintiff to designate any and all occupants of premises being foreclosed herein, Defendants Index No. 708606/2024. Mortgaged Premises: 69-55 78th Street Middle Village, NY 11379 Block: 3798 Lot: 109 TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above captioned action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a Defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service hereof. 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 OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECTIVE of the above captioned action is to foreclose on a consolidated Mortgage to secure $294,000.00 and interest, recorded in the Office of the City Register of the City of New York on August 23, 2005 in CRFN 2005000473705, covering the premises known as 69-55 78th Street, Middle Village, NY 11379. The relief sought herein is a final judgment directing sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the mortgage described above. Plaintiff designates Queens County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the mortgaged premises is located. 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 (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. FRIEDMAN VARTOLO, LLP 1325 Franklin Avenue, Suite 160 Garden City, NY 11530, Attorneys for Plaintiff.
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SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS INDEX # 708929/2024 Property: 255-39 149th Road, Rosedale, New York 11422 Supplemental Summons with Notice of Action to Foreclose a Mortgage Towd Point Mortgage Trust 2017-FRE2, U.S. Bank National Association, as Indenture Trustee, Plaintiff(s), -against- Defendant Mark Gray if living, and if he/she any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or generally or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors; administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; New York City Environmental Control Board, New York City Parking Violations Bureau, Barclay Brown Stone Development LLC, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, AKF Inc., Fundkite and “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest, in or lien upon the premises being foreclosed herein , Defendant(s). WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE 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 20 days after the service of this summons exclusive of the day of service or within 30 days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service hereof. 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 (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. Sheldon May & Associates, P.C. by Ted Eric May, Esq., Attorneys for Plaintiff. 255 Merrick Road, Rockville Centre, New York 11570. Phone: 516-763-3200. File # 39791
SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS–SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF QUEENS – MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC, Plaintiff, -against- LINDA NATALUK KLOOCK, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF THE MARYANNE NATALUK; ANY AND ALL KNOWN OR UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES AND ALL OTHER PARTIES CLAIMING AN INTEREST BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST THE ESTATE OF MARYANNE NATALUK; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; CITIMORTGAGE, INC.; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ACTING ON BEHALF OF DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY - INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; DENNIS NATALUK, Defendants - Index No. 706419/2018 Plaintiff Designates Queens County as the Place of Trial. The Basis of Venue is that the subject action is situated in Queens County. 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 Attorney(s) within 20 days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 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. That this Second Supplemental Summons is being filed pursuant to an order of the court dated February 3, 2025. 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 the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an or der of the Honorable Claudia Lanzetta, J.S.C. Dated: February 3, 2025 Filed: February 7, 2025. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage and covering the premises known as 5818 190th Street, Fresh Meadows, NY 11365. Dated: October 10, 2024 Greenspoon Marder LLP, Attorney for Plaintiff, By: Angelo Regina, Esq., 1345 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 2200, New York, NY 10105 P: (212) 5245000 F: (212) 524-5050 No Service by fax) Service purposes only: Trade Centre South 100 W. Cypress Creek Road, Suite 700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 P: (888) 491-1120 F: (954) 343-6982
Notice of Formation of DEEDESIGNS4U LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/11/2024. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE LLC, 6641 69TH ST APT 2C, MIDDLE VILLAGE, NY 11379. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
“Patty” DeNiro
(917) 892-9558
RICHMOND HILL
95th Avenue, Richmond Hill, NY 11419
Welcome to this legal two-family home, currently being used as a one family. This spacious home is located on an oversized lot that’s 40’ wide and features a long private driveway, two separate entrances on the side lot, and a large backyard. Th is home can easily be put back to a two family layout since all of the rooms are large with an open layout. Currently there are three bedrooms on the top floor, two full bathrooms, an eat-in-kitchen, formal dining room, living room, entry foyer and a full basement with laundry. The new roof was installed in February of 2024. Live in luxury and make this your new home!
DeNiro Realty is a technologically advanced, full-service brokerage specializing in residential sales. Established in 2008, we offer national and international syndication and marketing tools that rival the largest firms. Buying and selling a home is one of the most important financial and sometimes emotional decisions we make in our lives. Give us a call. We look forward to having the opportunity to work with you.
HOWARD BEACH/ROCKWOOD PARK
With Jacuzzi, Large Kitchen in the Rear of Home, With Sliding Doors to Yard. Fin. Basement w/High Ceilings, Detached 2 Car Garage in Yard.
HOWARD BEACH/LINDENWOOD
Greentree Condo Townhouse. 3/4 BRs, 2 Baths, 2 Terraces, Granite Kitchen, S.S. Appliances. Immaculate Condition
$519K
