DIAMOND DEBUT
Queens Catholics mourn Pope Francis
Love for one’s neighbor is the late pontiff’s legacy, church leaders say
by Stephanie G. Meditz
Associate Editor
Catholics in Queens and beyond are honoring the life and legacy of Pope Francis, who died at 88 Monday morning after a battle with pneumonia.
The first Jesuit and Latin American pontiff, who had led the church since 2013, he suffered a stroke followed by heart failure, according to the Vatican. Francis had given the traditional Easter blessing at St. Peter’s Basilica the day prior.
“There’s something very poignant about him ... being able to have that last chance to address the crowds that were there and, ironically, offer a word on the Resurrection,” said Msgr. Joseph Calise, the pastor of Maspeth’s Transfiguration Church. “But you could even see there that he was not himself.”
Calise added that although much sadness follows Francis’ death, it is a blessing to know that his suffering is over.
“Even though he was rather sick and you could tell he was tired and a bit weary, I certainly didn’t expect him to pass so suddenly,” said the Rev. Nicholas Colalella of Our Lady of Hope in Middle Village.
Known to many as “the people’s pope,” Francis consistently reached out to the marginalized, and that characterized his papacy. Calise said he opened many people’s eyes to
the need to consider social justice issues, and Colalella said his mark on the church will be his message of love in action.
“He certainly emphasized the fact that without love of neighbor, there’s no genuine love of Christ,” Calise said.
“I think that’s always a good message for people of any faith to hear: our need to be concerned for those who are in trouble.”
Frederick Bedell Jr., a member of Our Lady of the Snows and Grand Knight of St. Anastasia Knights of Columbus Council
No. 5911 in Douglaston, said he knew older people who were “troubled” by Francis’ progressive ideas, but he always felt the changes he made were positive.
Francis famously replied “Who am I to judge?” when asked about a priest purported to be gay in 2013.
“We can judge a behavior, but not a person, and I think that’s going to really be his legacy: loving God’s people,” Calise said.
Colalella said Francis embodied the theological virtue of charity — every year on the
Thursday before Easter, he would wash the feet of prisoners in Rome, emulating the actions of Jesus in the Bible.
“He kind of set the precedent for young priests, for older priests, for bishops, for cardinals to go out into the deep, to reach those people who otherwise wouldn’t have people to bring Christ to them,” said Patrice Legoute, a seminarian assigned to the church of St. Sebastian-Corpus Christi in Woodside.
Even among Queens residents who are not Catholic, Legoute said Francis fostered unity among people from all walks of life.
“He’s made it his vocation, his life’s mission, to bring that healing and comforting name of Jesus to all people,” he said.
Bedell said he wrote a letter to Francis 10 years ago when he had aggressive prostate cancer. Weeks later, he received a letter and prayer card from the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States.
“I did survive the cancer at that time, which was good, so I guess it was because of his prayers,” Bedell said.
Bishop Robert Brennan of the Diocese of Brooklyn, which encompasses Queens, said the late pontiff will always be remembered for his “profound respect for the dignity of all people.”
“Throughout his papacy that spanned 12 years, Pope Francis was committed to
continued on page 14
Our Lady of Grace RC Church Howard Beach
159th
St. Peregrine is the Patron Saint of People suffering from Cancer
3 Days of prayer April 28th, 29th &30th after all Masses Feast Day Thursday, May 1st Mass times 8:30AM & 6:30PM St. Peregrine Oil Blessing after both Masses
0 great St. Peregrine, you have been called “The Mighty,” “The Wonder-Worker,’’ because of the numerous miracles which you have obtained from God for those who have had recourse to you. For so many years you bore in your own flesh this cancerous disease that destroys the very fiber of our being, and who had recourse to the source of all grace when the power of man could do no more. You were favored with the vision of Jesus coming down from His Cross to heal your affl iction. Ask of God and Our Lady, the cure of the sick whom we entrust to you. (Pause here and silently recall the names of the sick for whom you are praying) Aided in this way by your powerful intercession, we shall sing to God, now and for all eternity, a song of gratitude for His great goodness and mercy. Amen.
Our Lady of Grace celebrates a Sunday afternoon Special Needs Mass once a month especially for families with Special Needs Children and Adults.
This particular Mass is a loving and open environment of acceptance and understanding allowing special needs families the opportunity to attend mass together without concern.
Specific prayers and petitions are offered for healing, recovery and thankfulness to caregivers
Sunday’s at 2:00PM May 4th, June 1st, July 6th
THE MONTH OF MAY IS DEDICATED TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Holy Hour
Will be on Monday’s after the 8:30AM Mass. In Honor of the Blessed Mother for the month of May there will be Holy Hour on Fridays from 7:00-8:00PM
May Crowning weekend is May 3rd & May 4th
We will recite the rosary at different locations at 6:00PM on the following dates:
Monday, May 5th at Lenny’s Clam Bar
Monday, May 12th at Howard Beach Firehouse (Crossbay)
Monday, May 19th at Catholic Charities Building 156th Ave. & Crossbay Monday, May 26th in front of Our Lady of Grace church Monday, May 13th is the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima Masses will be at 8:30AM & 7:00PM Procession & Rosary at 6:30PM Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Mother Mass at 8:30AM followed by Holy Hour
After Pope Francis died the day after Easter, when Catholics celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, second from right, said one “couldn’t choreograph it better.” PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON / FILE
The Italian Stallion ...............................$15
Ham Cappy, Pepperoni, Sweet Soppressata, Imported Provolone Cheese, Mortadella, Genoa Salami, Prosciutto Di Parma, Lettuce, Tomato, Olive Oil and Balsamic Glaze
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Homemade Fre sh Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil, Olive Oil, Salt, Black Pepper
The Frank Sinatra .................................$15
Prosciutto Di Parma, Fresh Mozzarella, Olive Oil, Black Pepper and Balsamic Glaze
Genoa Salami, Fresh Mozzarella, Olive Oil, Salt, Black Pepper and Oregano
The Joe Dimaggio.................................$11
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Fresh Mozzarella, Imported Mortadella, Provolone Cheese, Sun Dried Peppers, Olive Oil, Basil, Salt and Black Pepper
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Ham, Sweet Capicola, Fresh Mozzarella, Sun Dried Tomatoes, Balsamic Vinegar, Olive Oil, Salt and Black Pepper
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Mortadella, Burrata, Lettuce, Black Pepper and Balsamic Glaze
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Fresh Mozzarella, Roasted Red Peppers, Pesto Sauce, Black Pepper Drizzled with Olive Oil
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Genoa Salami, Hot Capicola, Pepperoni, Fresh Mozzarella, Sundried Peppers and Spicy Mustard
The Michelangelo ................................$15
Prosciutto Di Parma, Fresh Mozzarella, Sweet Capicola, Roasted Red Peppers, Olive Oil and Balsamic Glaze
The Accountant ....................................$16
Prosciutto Di Parma, Fresh Mozzarella, Arugula with Light Drizzle of Balsamic Vinegar
The Joey G .............................................$11
Oven Gold Turkey, Fresh Mozzarella, Salt, Peppers & Mayonnaise
The CK Royal.........................................$11
Boar’s Head Honey Turkey, American Cheese, Mayo with Crushed Doritos
The Bruiser ............................................$11
Boar’s Head Honey Turkey, Pepper Jack Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Honey Mustard, Jalapeno Peppers
The DeeJay............................................$12
Imported Mortadella, Provolone, Sweet Peppers, Arugula and Olive Oil
The Lappo .............................................$14
Pastrami, American Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, Mayo & Mustard
The Lappo Jr..........................................$16
Prosciutto Di Parma, Burrata, Arugula, Sun Dried Peppers Drizzled with Balsamic Glaze
The Santino ...........................................$13
Boar’s Head Ham, Oven Gold Turkey, Homemade Roast Beef, American Cheese, Lettuce & Tomato
The Dynamic .........................................$16
Ham Cappy, Hot Sopperssata, Mortadella, Sharp Provolone, Arugula, Sliced Hot Cherry Peppers, Balsamic Vinegar & Balsamic Glaze
The Napolitano .....................................$12
Homemade Chicken Salad, American Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato & Mayonnaise on a Pretzel Hero
The Staff’s Choice ................................$13
Cracked Pepper Turkey, Bacon Bits, Cream Cheese & Avocados
The Demo Man ...................................$12
Roast Beef, Monterey Jack Cheese, Onions, Cherry Peppers, BBQ Sauce
The Veggiano ......................................$13
Cooked Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Red Bell Peppers. Provolone, Burrata, Spinach, Basil, Olive Oil and Balsamic Glaze
The Teacher.........................................$12
A pitch-perfect start for American Softball
Nonprofit league, led by Randy Novick, swings into its 14th season
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Play
ball!
American Softball League, a nonprofit sports program for those with autism and other developmental disabilities, kicked off its 14th season last Saturday at Vito Locascio Field, at 149th Avenue and Cross Bay Boulevard, in Ozone Park.
Community movers and shakers made the opening ceremony extra memorable, while Girl Scouts Troops 4615 and 4738 presented the flag, and Kathleen Leon sang a rendition of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Two players in the league, Jason and Johnny, led the crowd in a rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.”
Randy Novick, the founder and CEO of American Softball, gave special thanks to coaches Tina Novick and Sherry Algredo for their assistance.
He told the Chronicle that organizing the league every year is fulfilling.
“I’ve been doing it for so many years,” Novick said. “I just get excited. I’m just so thrilled when I see these adults, these teenagers with autism, try. They want to participate, and they just have so much fun doing this. And you just really see the excitement in their eyes.”
He remarked that the players really gain confidence with time, and said Algredo’s
son, Joseph, for one, has come far.
“When he first came a few years ago, he was so scared,” Novick said. “But he saw everybody else taking a liking to us, so he tried, and now he hits the ball by himself, and he runs the bases.”
Algredo, who chairs Community Board 9, lauded Novick and the league for its sense of community.
“It’s really amazing,” she said of Novick’s
10th annual AWCWA Industry
work and the progress her son has made.
Novick said the participants make friends with each other, and, though most are older, he endearingly refers to them as “my kids.”
The league is co-ed and plays every Saturday at Vito Locascio Field. For more information, visit americansoftball.org.
Novick said this year’s opening day ceremony was long-awaited.
“We couldn’t play for two weeks because of the rain,” he said. “So the kids, the players, were really looking forward to this. Everybody had so much fun — they all got up, hit the ball, ran the bases.”
Ariola in a statement to the Chronicle said, “American Softball is a fantastic organization, and I’m proud to support its work in our community. Randy and Tina Novick have given so much to this area, creating incredible opportunities for local kids with special needs. It’s always an honor to throw out the first pitch, and I’m looking forward to another great season!”
“It’s always a special moment for me to be able to participate in American Softball’s opening ceremony each year that I can,” Addabbo said in a statement. “I am thankful to Randy and his volunteer coaches for creating this enjoyable sports opportunity for those with special needs and their families, to engage in active recreation and spend quality time together. To witness the smiles on the faces of the players, their families and the coaches is heartwarming.” Q
Also in attendance for the opening day was state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven), Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) and Anthony Lemma, a representative of Assemblymember David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows). At the league’s opening day, elected officials throw the first pitches.
Awards a hit; Resorts World NY’s casino plans Construction women honored in SO Park
by Naeisha Rose Editor
More than 125 people attended an awards event for the Association of Women Construction Workers of America, Inc., at the Hyatt Regency JFK hotel at Resorts World New York in South Ozone Park on March 31 for Women’s History Month.
Guests hailed from as far as Delaware, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Maryland to Brooklyn, Harlem and Long Island, said Jackie Love, the fashion director who led a show with 30 models from all over the Empire State at the event, which also included music by saxophonist Davishmar and deejays Tam Jams and Desert Storm.
Pastor Stephanie Griffin of Seventh Day Sabbath Church of God in Jamaica opened the ceremony with a prayer.
The honorees of the 10th annual AWCWA Industry Awards were Reagan Branch, CEO of Pyramid Health and Safety Solutions, Anya Eydman, chief marketing officer of Energy One Solutions International; Bria Barfield, a Local 3 IBEW “A” journey-wirewoman; Alexis McSween, founder of Bottom Line Construction & Development and Youth Construct, Inc.; and Jennifer Russo, president of Russo Development Enterprise Corp., a contracting business.
Branch received the Joi Beard Award, which goes to
outstanding women in the construction industry who have worked selflessly with AWCWA through the years, said the organization. The Industry Workplace Diversity Award went to Eydman, for moving the needle for women in the sector via diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Barfield, a tradeswoman who has shown outstanding workmanship and has recently gone through a pre-apprenticeship program, received the Industry Workforce Development Award. The Industry Empowerment for Women Award went to McSween, for uplifting women in construction and related industries. Russo received several citations from area elected officials.
Herlema Owens is the president and founder of the AWCWA, and Ameliais More hosted the event.
Love also received citations from area elected officials for her work.
During the event, Resorts World highlighted its Experience Center, which was designed to show off its vision for a state-of-the-art $5 billion space that would include its casino expansion, a 35,000-square-foot conference and entertainment area, a 7,000-seat multi-use arena and approximately 30 new food and beverage options. The casino’s expansion plan is conditional on obtaining one of three downstate gaming licenses that will be awarded by the state. Q
American Softball League, a program for those with developmental disabilities, kicked off its 14th season last Saturday. PHOTO COURTESY SHERRY ALGREDO
Regan Branch, left, Anya Eydman, second from right, and Bria Barfield, right, were some of the women honored at the Association of Women Construction Workers of America Industry Awards last month. The AWCWA was founded by Herlema Owens, second from left. PHOTO BY ALONZO BOLDIN
Outdoor dining gets criticized in rollout
Restaurant owners call for lower costs, transparency in application process
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
The City Council on April 23 released a new report that outlines the legal and policy framework of outdoor dining and its relationship to the current state of Dining Out NYC, the city’s permanent al fresco eatery program, which kicked off April 1 of this year.
Established under Local Law 121 of 2023 as passed by the City Council, Dining Out NYC enables outdoor dining under laws that require procedures and fees for granting public land to private entities. Food establishments participating in Dining Out NYC may operate roadway eatery setups from April 1 through Nov. 29.
More information on the program and the application process can be found online at diningoutnyc.info.
The Council in its report said there have been many issues with the law’s implementation. Restaurants have raised several concerns with the program’s administration, in addition to the timeliness of application approvals.
Complaints include a lack of language accessibility in the application, with it only being available in English and Spanish; inability to receive in-person assistance with applications; and design requirements established by the city Department of Transporta-
tion that have made it difficult for restaurants.
DOT rules reduce sidewalk cafe size requirements to even smaller than what existed prior to the pandemic, the report said, and restaurant owners have complained about a rule that requires them to stabilize roadway setups with water-filled barriers
instead of sandbags.
As part of the review process for Dining Out NYC, the DOT must notify the City Council of new applications. The Council said it observed issues with applications the DOT has reviewed, which can create delays, including multiple applications sent to the wrong community board and council mem-
ber and applications filed with incomplete information.
In October 2024, the DOT said it had received nearly 4,000 applications, the Council’s report said, but in February, the agency said just over 1,000 had been reviewed. Only 67 applicants have received full approvals, according to an X post by Councilmember Julie Menin (D-Manhattan), chair of the Committee on Consumer and Worker Protection.
During a public hearing in the Council chambers Wednesday, restaurant owners echoed the complaints the Council identified, and expressed frustration about the cost of licensing and the lack of transparency.
“Outdoor dining has become a defining feature of our streetscape, but the success of the permanent program hinges on transparency, consistency, and fairness in its implementation,” said Councilmember Selvena Brooks-Powers (D-Laurelton), the chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, in a statement.
She added, “I remain focused on ensuring the Department of Transportation improves the application process and better communicates with restaurant owners and local communities. We must learn from the challenges of the emergency-era program while building a system that is sustainable, equitable, and responsive to all New Yorkers.” Q
Education programs get baseline support
City to annually fund expansion of 3-K and special needs pre-K
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
New York City has committed to annually funding a citywide 3-K expansion and pre-K for students with disabilities, the Mayor’s Office announced last Wednesday after the programs had been eliminated in Mayor Adams’ preliminary 2026 budget draft released in January.
The program investments in Adams’ fiscal year 2026 executive budget proposal will total $167 million, the city said. The city Department of Education said it also will conduct a “strategic realignment” of the federally-funded Head Start Program to expand Early Head Start for younger children.
Other education investments, reflected in the 2026 preliminary budget released in January, include continued support for the Summer Rising academic and enrichment program, including a savings restoration of $20 million for extended hours and $100 million for Friday services to about 30,000 middle school participants; $31 million for Learning to Work, which helps reengage students who have fallen behind to earn a high school diploma and prepare for college and careers; and $17.5 million for expansion of the Pathways program to provide career readiness.
“To truly make New York City the best place to raise a family, we know we must invest in our children’s future, and today, we’re making bold investments in early childhood education — to ensure our youngest students have the tools they need to succeed, and so parents don’t have to choose between earning a paycheck and caring for their children,” said Mayor Adams in a prepared statement.
Some members of the City Council, which must agree with the mayor on a final budget plan by the end of June, were quick to respond.
“While it is positive that Mayor Adams is returning and baselining some of the money withheld from his budget that the Council fought for, he is still cutting tens of millions of dollars from our children,” City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica) said in a joint statement alongside Coun-
cilmembers Rita Joseph (D-Brooklyn) and Justin Brannan (D-Brooklyn). They called for larger investments to be made for educational and childcare programs.
Councilmember Jennifer Gutiérrez (D-Brooklyn, Queens), a member of the Education Committee, wrote on X, “Every year, we do the same tired budget dance with childcare — and every year, we come back with less than the bare minimum. This isn’t a win. We need support and expansion, not to slowly bleed it out with cut after cut. Calling this ‘restoration’ is false.”
Other Queens reps on the Education Committee, Councilmembers Shekar Krishnan (D-Jackson Heights) and Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills) also commended the funding but acknowledged more needs to be done.
“I was very glad to hear that Mayor Adams is baselining some of the early childhood education funding,” Schulman said in a statement to the Chronicle. “While we still need money for many other crucial education priorities, this is a historic and long-overdue investment in our youngest New Yorkers ... This is about more than education; it’s about equity, opportunity, and lifting up working families across Queens and beyond.
Krishnan told the Chronicle, “I commend the Mayor for baselining funding for 3-K and special education Pre-K — a much-needed step to support working families and build a stronger future for our city. However, this investment should have happened years ago. Investing in childcare isn’t a policy win — it’s a necessity that keeps families rooted in New York and gives our children the foundation they deserve.” Q
City and education officials last Wednesday announced a commitment to new baseline funding for citywide 3-K expansion and pre-K for students with disabilities.
PHOTO BY ED REED / NYC MAYOR’S OFFICE / FLICKR
The City Council on Wednesday released a report that outlines the framework and reaction to the rollout of Dining Out NYC, the city’s permanent outdoor dining program.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHAIN
U.S. DOT secretary warns of penalties; cameras are staying on, says Hochul Feds’ new deadline on congestion tolls
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
This time, the deadline is May 21.
With Gov. Hochul on Sunday ignoring a second ultimatum from the federal government to shut off congestion pricing cameras, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Monday sent her a letter giving the state 30 days to comply.
But Hochul and Janno Lieber, chairman and CEO of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, appeared unimpressed in their responses.
Duffy’s opening sentence was direct.
“I write to warn you that the State of New York risks serious consequences if it continues to fail to comply with federal law,” Duffy wrote.
He gave the state until May 21 to show cause as to why the Federal Highway Administration should not impose penalties including but not limited to cutting of funding for and approvals of certain projects, with the exception of those involving matters of public safety.
On Feb. 20, the FHWA gave the state until March 21 to comply. Duffy subsequently granted another 30 days in order to help negotiate some sort of agreement.
“President Trump and I will not sit back while Governor Hochul engages in class warfare and prices working-class Americans out of accessing New York City,” said Duffy said in a press release on the U.S. DOT website. “The federal government sends billions to New York — but we won’t foot the bill if Governor Hochul continues to implement an illegal toll to backfill the bud-
get of New York’s failing transit system. We are giving New York one last chance to turn back or prove their actions are not illegal.”
In an email from her office on Monday, Hochul wasn’t budging.
“I received the letter from U.S. DOT
extending their congestion pricing threats once again,” the governor said. “I repeat: congestion pricing is legal — and it’s working. Traffic is down, business is up and the cameras are staying on.”
Lieber, in a statement on the MTA’s website, said on Monday that he is content to let the matter play out in federal court.
“We have received Secretary Duffy’s letter setting yet another new deadline and are evaluating MTA’s legal options, given that the legal issues raised in the letter are already appropriately before a federal judge,” Lieber said. “In the meantime, cameras are staying on, and New Yorkers continue to benefit from the first-in-the-nation congestion pricing program — with less traffic, cleaner air, safer streets and a stronger regional economy.”
Congestion pricing charges most vehicles entering Manhattan at or below 60th Street. The base peak toll for most cars is $9, increasing to $12 in 2028 and $15 in 2031. Trucks right now pay $24 or $32 depending on size. Drivers without E-ZPass pay more. There are overnight discounts.
The state aims are to raise $1 billion a year for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s capital improvement budget and reduce congestion and pollution in Manhattan. The funding will allow the agency to leverage $15 billion in borrowing. Q
CONZA | MCNAMARA
PLANNING ATTORNEYS
CYNTHIA J. CONZA, ESQ.
Georgetown University, B.A.
St. John’s University School of Law, J.D.
EDWARD R. MCNAMARA, ESQ.
Harvard University, A.B.
St. John’s University School of Law, J.D.
Congestion pricing cameras are still in operation on Manhattan’s Second Avenue just north of the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, despite threats of sanctions against the state from U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON
EDITORIAL AGEP
A nice break on trash tix
The Department of Sanitation finally went too far even for City Hall with its “Trash Revolution.” The agency’s issuance of thousands of tickets to residents since April 1 for not separating compostable material from other garbage led to a backlash that led to the administration putting its foot down: No more fines for most folks.
At least not until after the election.
We welcome the development, though the city says it’s temporary. We’ll see. Since this is not a law passed by the City Council and signed by the mayor, a future administration may be able to get rid of it as easily as this one imposed it.
Composting is great, but we don’t believe it should be mandatory. It’s too onerous. Even here in partially suburban Queens, few people have room to store decomposing food waste where it won’t bother anyone. Put it outside and chances are it’ll smell. Keep it inside and your home will smell. Put it in the freezer, they say. Huh? How big is your freezer? A lot of people here live in small apartments, sometimes with small appliances.
They can’t dedicate freezer space to garbage. That also seems really unappetizing, and maybe unwise. If the fines return next year, you can decide whether to risk having a sanitation officer tear into your trash in the wee hours and leave a summons on your door. We’d prefer instead to see Councilwoman Joann Ariola’s bill to stop that get passed. Really, we wouldn’t mind if there were a rebellion against more elements of the Trash Revolution. Small homeowners have to buy the city’s official garbage can so sanitation workers can carry it over to a truck that will slowly lift and empty it. Do you really think those Teamsters are going to waste time on their routes doing that? We don’t. And just wait until the new, immobile “Empire bins” (c’mon, really? They’re plastic dumpsters) get put in the street by apartment buildings. That’s more parking lost — on top of what will be given over to the coming bike sheds and “microhub zones.” How about portable dumpsters instead? We can have a cleaner city without all the new authoritarian rules. Start with more litter tickets.
Rikers Island and reality
We were glad to see reality make an appearance at the recent City Council Criminal Justice Committee hearing on the ill-conceived plan to shutter Rikers Island and build new jails here and there instead. Reality is often on break when this topic is on the agenda. Finally, it appears that just about everyone acknowledges the goal of closing Rikers down in 2027 and transferring its inmates to four new jails, one in every borough but Staten Island, is a pipe dream. The Queens jail, for one, is still being designed. It’ll be built by 2031, according to one official document, 2032 according to another. Who knows?
Let us review: Rikers Island is now holding more than 7,000 people. They earned their places there. The new jails could hold about 4,000. The math doesn’t work. Combine that with the overly optimistic timetable and the naive expense forecasts and you’ve got a recipe for failure, for disappointment, for further embittering people who believed false promises. Yet a former City Council and mayor enacted a law saying Rikers must shutter by 2027. So, the law must be changed to reflect reality. Yet there are still dreamers demanding “decarceration now!” who would deny this. Let them demand, you might say, that doesn’t change reality. But if a 2027 closure is still the law in less than two years, that could give the radicals new grounds to sue, if nothing else. That means more wasted resources that could have gone to rebuilding Rikers. Really, it’s a crime.
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LETTERSTO THE EDITOR
RFK Jr.’s autism talk
Dear Editor:
I have news for the secretary of Health and Human Services: Autistic people play baseball! WORKS Little League launched its Challenger Division almost 20 years ago. Allow me to extend a standing invitation to Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. Come down to Pals Oval any Saturday morning between now and the end of June. You will witness America’s national past time played by some of the most enthusiastic and passionate baseball players in the five boroughs.
The competition is fierce. The players go full tilt. But it never rises to the level of the president’s war of each against all. Despite what your boss says, Mr. Kennedy, people can be competitive without being cruel.
So, next time you find a bear carcass, Mr. Kennedy, and dump it in Central Park as a joke, pencil in a visit with the Challenger Division, as well. It might do your soul some good.
In closing, Mr. Kennedy, let me just say, you are a putz.
Neil C. Giannelli Woodhaven
Fight airport noise
Dear Editor:
I suppose Northern Boulevard is now officially part of LaGuardia Airport — the new
Westin Flushing LaGuardia Airport Hotel is located at 35-36 Leavitt St., aka Northern Boulevard, Flushing.
When will people on the ground exposed to hours on end of repetitive aircraft noise caused by low-altitude flights from LGA be treated as fairly as airline passengers? Airlines fret over the “passenger experience” — why isn’t the health and well being of people on the ground treated with the same consideration? The Federal Aviation Administration is responsible for passenger safety and airport efficiency. New York State is responsible for our health and well being.
I hope the Westin Hotel has no outside amenities because nobody will be sitting outdoors. Outdoor soccer fields, picnic grounds, food courts, residential, commercial — really? At the foot of LGA Runway 13?
Our communities have been terribly impacted for 13 years and counting with TNNIS departure torture. The FAA did a great job deconflicting airspace between LGA and JFK.
However, was anyone considering the torturous impact to people on the ground? Was anyone thinking about the massive development of Flushing and Willets Point? We need an independent feasibility study of New York airspace so that equitable solutions can be recommended to the FAA and be implemented. New York airspace needs help now.
Remember when summer weather meant enjoying the outdoors? Now, wind direction from the south means concentrated airplane noise and air pollution torture. Hundreds of thousands of people are being negatively impacted and the numbers are growing each year.
If we all work together with a collective voice, change is possible for airport operations and people on the ground. We must find equitable solutions.
R.
Chairperson, LGA Committee/New
Maria
Becce
Yor k Community Aviation Roundtable Flushing
Dear Editor:
LETTERSTO THE EDITOR
Rate-hike rip-off
Re Cynthia Groopman’s April 17 letter: “No Con Ed rate hikes”:
As a retiree living on a fixed income, I share her outrage over Con Ed’s proposed rate hike of 11.4 percent for electricity and 13.3 percent for gas. These hikes will raise the average Con Ed customer’s bill for gas alone to $300 a month, said New York State Sen. Brian Kavanagh (D-Manhattan).
Con Ed says it must raise rates to comply with the state’s climate change regulations and green energy initiatives. But I view corporate greed as the real reason. Con Ed CEO Timothy Cawley earned a total compensation of nearly $15 million in 2024, according to Google AI Overview, despite frequent power outages during last summer’s heat waves. New York State’s Public Service Commission must reject the proposed rate increase.
Con Ed’s 3.4 million customers should be furious but not surprised by the rate hike demand. They should remember the immortal words of President Abraham Lincoln, who said: “You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time. But you can’t Con Edison.” LOL and OMG.
Richard Reif Kew Gardens Hills
I love New York!
Dear Editor:
New York City is the greatest city. I’m so happy here, with all of you. Let’s make this beautiful and bring sunlight to this precious piece of the world. Let’s make magic happen. Let’s seek out love. Let’s find love. Let’s be love. Let’s act from our hearts instead of our fear. I believe in you!
Eva Julietta Tortora Manhattan
The newest Minutemen
Dear Editor:
The daily news is a daily roundup of the worst-tasting medicine that cures nothing. Tom Paine’s historical assessment that “These are the times that try men’s souls,” rings true now.
As Americans staged a second round of nationwide rallies, marches, and demonstrations, we did it in the shadow of the 250th anniversary of our original fight for freedom. On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere made his famous ride to warn his neighbors that a brutal attack on their rights was imminent. On April 19, 2025, Queens residents took action, joining the chants heard across the country. A Minutemensized group of about 50 residents, armed with signs and spirit, populated the intersection of 73rd Avenue and Hollis Hills Terrace.
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng and state Sen. John Liu stood with and addressed the crowd. Sen. Liu loudly declared that the changes we are witnessing do not represent who we are. Rep. Meng shared a list of distressing facts, including the fact that local residents, our neighbors, have lost their federal government jobs, and 40 percent of those people are veterans.
We are watching a whirlwind of irrational, cruel, often illegal policies. The list filled the
Hands-Off signs carried by marchers. Going forward, any one of us could fall afoul of some arbitrary policy and be swept away. Any one of us could be transferred erroneously to a Social Security dead list and lose our hard-earned benefits. The threat is here.
On Saturday, the Bayside demonstrators crowded together, signs held high, waited for the light to change and crossed the street. Then they turned around and did it again. Drivers honked their horns in support. Clearly, we are all on the same side. This is not just news. This is history, and it’s taking place down your block.
Debra Michlewitz Bayside
For academic freedom
Dear Editor:
For many years, our nation’s system of higher education has been the envy of the world. Our colleges and universities have attracted some of the brightest people on the planet.
Now President Trump is striving to demolish this wonderful system by asserting that, to achieve his goal of fighting anti-Semitism on campus, certain decisions to be made by universities, such as what and how to teach, and whom they can admit as students and hire as faculty, will be subject to the approval of his administration. In addition, he is threatening to cancel research funding, revoke tax-exempt status and deport pro-Palestinian activists.
However, a majority of Jewish students, Jewish faculty and the larger American Jewish community reject the president’s linkage of university curricula and peaceful pro-Palestinian protests with campus anti-Semitism. Judaism has always valued education. American Jews admire our universities and respect their academic freedom.
To combat anti-Semitism on campus, universities can strengthen their internal security forces, require students and staff to carry IDs, prohibit facemasks and strictly enforce their rules on student discipline. Jewish organizations on campus, such as Hillel, can explain to the university community what a great shock the surprise Hamas massacre of civilians and abduction of hostages on Oct. 7, 2023, was to Israel and to Jewish people everywhere.
The government of Israel must ensure that this war crime will never be repeated and that the hostages are released. Universities can fight campus anti-Semitism without sacrificing academic freedom.
Theodore Sheskin Flushing
Vote red, New York
Dear Editor:
There have got to be GOP candidates who can run against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Chuck Schumer! Their socialist agenda will destroy New York. Schumer is too old and makes careless mistakes. AOC’s intelligence is questionable.
With Trump at the helm, all Americans will see their pocketbooks and jobs increase. I pray that you New Yorkers see the light and turn your state red.
Peggy Teslow Sioux Falls, SD
By Cynthia J. Conza, Esq.
Placing a loved one into a nursing home or skilled rehabilitation facility is often an emotionally trying experience. The immediate focus is to get your loved one the care they need, but the implications of the high costs of long-term care soon become a reality. Without proper planning the overwhelming expenses of the nursing home can drain family bank accounts and also put the family home at risk.
Medicaid is a federal and state program that will pay for the costs of longterm care. However, income and asset thresholds limit those who are eligible for Medicaid benefits. The best way to qualify for Medicaid and also protect the family home and assets from nursing home costs is through proper planning. A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT) is one the strongest tools available and is a trust that serves
Estate Planning Fundamentals: Medicaid Planning Strategies
two general purposes: the MAPT allows a person to qualify for long-term care benefits from Medicaid while also protecting assets from being depleted if long-term care is needed.
As long as the MAPT is created and assets transferred five years before applying for benefits Medicaid will not impose a penalty for transferring assets and the MAPT’s existence will not impact Medicaid eligibility. When you transfer your home to the MAPT you can retain the right to live in your home for your lifetime and you will retain all of your real estate tax exemptions.
Proper planning will have a significant impact on your ability to protect your assets for your children and beneficiaries. Please feel free to contact me at cynthia@conzamcnamara.com or (718) 845-5555 if you would like to discuss further.
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City agents, Rikers commission at odds
Reps differ on design-build, law change, but agree the jail complex must close
by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor
Despite the consensus among most city leaders that Rikers Island must close, some agency representatives and the Independent Rikers Commission differed on the logistics of doing so at the City Council’s Criminal Justice Committee hearing last Wednesday.
The hearing came a month after the commission’s latest report outlining steps to facilitate closing the jail was released. The City Council in 2019 passed a law requiring that it close by August 2027.
Both the commission and the city say that will not be possible, but there is disagreement as to whether the law should change.
“Only when the required commitment and action is demonstrated along the lines that we have laid out and recommended, at least in our opinion, should an extension be considered or granted,” commission chair and former state Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman said.
However, Deanna Logan of the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice requested that the City Council work with the administration to amend the law for a more attainable timeline. Logan cited a collective duty to ensure “continued habitable facilities” and services for both staff and incarcerated people in the meantime, but she said that can only be done by changing the law and unlocking emergency capital funds.
“Failure to do so will jeopardize all those that must remain on Rikers Island until we can safely close it,” she said.
Lippman in his testimony detailed the commission’s recommendations to shutter the embattled jail complex, which he referred to as “a stain on the soul of our city.” He cited a need to speed up the construction of the four borough-based jails slated to replace Rikers and reduce its population, as well as add psychiatric beds outside the jails and ensure the availability of nearby mental health services.
women on Rikers Island. That figure is now more than 400, but the commission projects that could be cut to about 225.
Later asked by Councilmember Tiffany Cabán (D-Astoria) about the roles of district attorneys and executive policy in the commission’s decarceration goals, Lippman cited the importance of partnership among agents and “meaningful” court appearances and trials.
“It is not unrealistic to think that they can get to 4,500 or so,” he said. “Driving down incarceration and driving down crime are not mutually exclusive.”
The commission in its report also estimated that speeding up cases could reduce the population by 1,200 to 1,600 people within three to five years.
“Driving down incarceration and driving down crime are not mutually exclusive.”
— Jonathan Lippman, Independent Rikers Commission Chair
He also projected that the city will save $2.4 billion per year once the four boroughbased jails open. Their total cost estimate comes to about $15 billion, with the Queens facility accounting for roughly $4 billion. Critics say financing costs would raise that number much further.
Asked how the commission made its savings assessment, Zachary Katznelson, executive director of the Independent Commission on NYC Criminal Justice and Incarceration Reform, said a lower jail population and more efficient designs would reduce the need for staffing and save billions per year.
There are now about 6,000 officers on payroll, Katznelson said, and the commission estimates that roughly 3,250 will be necessary with a jail population of 4,500, at a ratio of 75 officers for every 100 people in custody.
Today’s jail population is more than 7,000. The Queens facility will house all the
Logan said the MOCJ is working to expedite cases — a pilot program in Brooklyn has shown “promising early results,” she said, and the Office of Court Administration intends to implement the new process across the city within the next year. She said also that supervised release and alternatives to incarceration programs divert thousands of people from Rikers every year.
The Queens Supervised Release Program, administered by the New York City Criminal Justice Agency, aims to reduce “unnecessary pretrial detention” and assist those who have been released, according to the organization’s website.
Lippman said also that taking advantage of the design-build concept by tackling multiple tasks at once can speed up the construction of borough-based jails by about a year.
“You can do the work on the outside of the building while you’re finishing the design of the inside of the building,” Lippman said.
But Eduardo de Valle of the Department of Design and Construction was wary,
Richards.
But some maintain that the goal of replacing Rikers with smaller, local facilities is not achievable under the city’s current plans. Some neighbors of the Queens jail have raised a litany of concerns over the past several years, from its high-rise structure to the fact that all the women at Rikers will be transferred there.
A City Hall spokesperson told the Chronicle last month that it is reviewing all recommendations, when asked if it would apply the commission’s blueprint to close Rikers.
The Queens jail facility is slated for completion in 2031, according to the city, but the commission’s report estimates a 2032 end date.
Another pressing issue at the hearing was First Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro’s executive order to allow U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement onto Rikers Island, against which the City Council filed a lawsuit last week.
emphasizing a need to avoid the possible risks of rushing the process.
When Councilmember Sandy Nurse (D-Brooklyn) asked for examples of such risks, de Valle said construction cannot begin prior to receiving the necessary permits and that the city would shoulder the cost of delays if construction were to begin on the building’s foundation before finances are finalized.
But, he said, the city is fast-tracking the process with simultaneous design and construction. He touted Queens’ combined garage and community space building, the city’s first design-build project, stating that it was completed in 22 months.
Among the proposed laws discussed was Intro. 1242, which was inspired by the commission’s recommendation to appoint two designated roles in City Hall for the closure of Rikers. Lippman cited a need for one person who can “make things happen” toward that end and another committed to changing the jail’s culture.
“We need to do a total evaluation and revamping of all of those things — training, policies and procedures, cultural implemenation — before we get to the borough-based jails,” said commission member Stanley
On Monday, a state judge granted a temporary restraining order to block City Hall from “taking any steps” toward allowing ICE to operate in the jail until after a hearing scheduled for Friday morning.
Asked by Nurse about protocols related to ICE’s potential presence in the jail, Chelsea Chard of the Department of Correction said she could not speak on the matter due to ongoing litigation, and she was not privy to any conversations about it prior to the lawsuit. Q
Ridgewood teen shot
Kevin Hernandez, 19, was fatally shot and killed in Ridgewood on Tuesday evening, according to police.
Officers responded to a call of a man shot in front of 1726 George St. at around 5:44 p.m. When they arrived, they saw Hernandez with a gunshot wound to the torso, as per the NYPD.
EMS transported the Ridgewood resident, who lived on Bleecker Street, to Brookdale Hospital Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased, police said.
No arrests had been made as of press time on Wednesday, and the investigation remains ongoing. Q
Queens on Pope Francis’ death
continued from page 2
efforts to improve the environment, promote unity among people of faith, and make better the lives of the poor and oppressed,” Brennan said in a statement.
Colalella said he told parishioners that the somber period after Francis’ death is also a unique and beautiful opportunity to see the election of a new pope.
“This is a moment of real prayer and reflection for the entire church,” he said, adding that he felt more connected to his faith during the process leading up to Pope Benedict XVI’s election in 2005.
Calise, too, looked to the future, hoping that the next pope shares Francis’ vision of peace, love and justice.
Francis’ funeral will take place on Saturday in St. Peter’s Square in Rome. He will be interred in the Basilica of St. Mary Major.
“Francis really believed that Christ was alive and risen among us,” Colalella said. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he went to God on Easter.
“He’s passing from one life to the next, and what a blessing that is to understand it in that way.” Q
Independent Rikers Commission chair Jonathan Lippman, seen speaking above, last week detailed the group’s recommendations for closing the jail complex.
SCREENSHOT VIA NYC COUNCIL / YOUTUBE
Hoppin’ a blast on the Blvd
It was all smiles, sweets and springtime cheer last Saturday as families flocked to Cross Bay Boulevard and 156th Avenue for the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic’s annual Hop ’n’ Treat event.
The festivities saw area residents and businesses decking out tables full of goodies for excited little ones — and a special hop-in visit from Hunny Bunny, who stole the show.
“Hunny Bunny was so happy to see all the smiling faces at the annual Hop N Treat,” the civic group wrote on Facebook alongside photos of the event. “Wishing everyone a very happy and blessed Easter.” — Kristen Guglielmo
BUSINESS AS SUALU
Clear vision with sharp style at BLVD Optical
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
BLVD Optical, the Howard Beach go-to for designer eyewear at walletfriendly prices, has welcomed a new optometrist.
Dr. S. Awad, a seasoned eye care professional with more than 30 years of experience, is bringing her deep expertise and a warm, community-centered approach to the business.
A graduate of the SUNY State College of Optometry in Manhattan, Dr. Awad offers full-scope eye care, from routine exams to detecting early signs of conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration.
Her exams go beyond the standard vision check, addressing digital eye strain, long-term eye health and even lifestyle guidance for better vision.
“I also recommend the proper type of nutrients the patient should include in their diet for their best long-term ocular health, as well as the best eye exercises a patient may do throughout the day to keep their eye muscles as strong as possible as the years go on,” Dr. Awad told the Chronicle.
A longtime resident of the Rockaways, she’s especially excited to serve neighbors, friends and family in the Howard Beach community.
“Patients are delighted by the great eyewear selection,” she said, adding that BLVD Optical’s sunglasses collection is already a hit with those planning summer getaways.
BLVD Optical is located at 164-42 Cross Bay Blvd. The shop is open Monday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.,
Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed on Saturdays.
The shop is owned by Dmitry Israel, who built the business on the idea that designer eyewear doesn’t have to mean designer rates.
“People are shocked when they see our prices,” Israel said. “They’re realizing that we’re a lot less expensive than any other optical in the area.”
The store boasts frames from the likes of Prada, Gucci, Dior, Balenciaga, Versace — and has deals up to 50 percent off.
“Big is in right now,” Israel said of current eyewear trends. “Especially for ladies — everything is oversized. That’s the new style.”
Among the shop’s most popular promotions is a complete progressive lens package —frames, lenses, and a free exam — for just $249.
For those looking to stock up, there’s a $99 offer for two pairs of glasses with a free eye exam, and contact lens exams are just $95.
BLVD Optical accepts Aetna, CPS, EyeMed, HealthFirst, Medicare, Medicaid, UFT and most local union insurance plans. Promotional deals and sales cannot be combined with insurance plans. For appointments and more information, call (347) 233-2620 or go online to blvdoptical.com.
The shop has been open for more than a year now, and Israel said business has been great.
“I’m most proud of helping people save — and opening their eyes,” he said.
With Dr. Awad now seeing patients, and exclusive unmatched deals, there’s never been a better time to stop by. Q
BLVD Optical, at 164-42 Cross Bay Blvd., has a new optometrist, Dr. S. Awad, inset, on board. The business offers full-service eye exams and both affordable and luxury eyewear at great prices.
PHOTO BY KRISTEN GUGLIELMO, AND, INSET, COURTESY PHOTO
Alleged DWI killer held without bail
Michael Pena faces 15 years in wreck that took the life of Justin Diaz, 23
by Peter C. Mastrosimone Editor-in-Chief
Wearing matching memorial T-shirts, family and friends of Justin Diaz, the Brooklyn man whose promising life was cut short at 23 by an allegedly drunk and high off-duty fireman, honored his memory and pressed their case for justice outside Queens Criminal Court last Thursday.
Inside, the now ex-firefighter, Michael Pena, 28, of Oakland Gardens, had just been arraigned on a 14-count indictment and remanded to Rikers Island, in a reversal of his first court appearance after the Feb. 26 crash, when he was granted bail and later released. He could get up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the top charge.
“First of all, I want to thank the DA’s Office,” Diaz’s brother, Franklin Diaz, said to start a press conference outside the courthouse. “I think they did an incredible job. I’m incredibly happy that they finally took this seriously and they saw how bad of a person Michael Pena is ... He is a dangerous person who never should have been on the streets, and his acts that night that killed my brother, you know, were the worst that could possibly happen, and even then, the maximum of 15 years that he can receive for these charges is
still not enough to bring justice for my brother.”
Pena was under the influence of alcohol, marijuana and cocaine, driving more than three times the speed limit when he blew through a red light and killed Justin Diaz, according to the office of Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
The crash occurred at the corner of Northern Boulevard and 107th Street. Pena was headed east on Northern, Diaz north on 107th.
Diaz had a steady green light. Pena allegedly was going 83 mph. The catastrophic collision, caught on video, destroyed both cars: the defendant’s 2015 Mercedes-Benz S63 coupe and the victim’s 2022 BMW M240.
“Drunk, drugged and reckless driving are dire threats to everyone on our shared roadways,” Katz said in a prepared statement issued with the announcement of the indictment. “As alleged, the defendant made the selfish decision to drink, use drugs and speed down Northern Boulevard at more than three times the posted limit when he slammed into another car, killing the driver. The defendant has now been indicted on serious charges as my office continues to seek justice for the victim and his loved ones.”
At the press conference, Franklin Diaz
Allegedly caught redhanded in red hoodie
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
A 37-year-old man was arrested in Howard Beach last Wednesday after an alleged string of porch piracy petit larcenies.
The first instance, police said, was on March 18, wherein the suspect, Anthony Trotta of Lindenwood, allegedly stole a package containing about $370 worth of car accessories from the front of a residence near 155th Avenue and 79th Street.
On March 26, Trotta allegedly removed a package containing about $360 in clothing, police said, from the front of a residence near of 153rd Avenue and 79th Street.
The third instance occurred April 10, when Trotta allegedly picked up another package from the front of a residence near 133rd Avenue and 82nd Street, containing about $260 worth of clothing and building supplies.
On April 16, in front of a residence near 155th Avenue and 79th Street, the suspect allegedly stole a package of about $60 in clothing.
A Lindenwood man was arrested April 16 for alleged petit larcenies. PHOTO BY PJ MARCEL
spoke of Justin in glowing terms.
“My brother was a great person, a hard worker, just graduated college, you know, was always willing to help anybody, never said no,” he said. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t miss him. I don’t think anyone here doesn’t miss him and think about Justin.”
His comments were echoed by his father, also Franklin Diaz.
“His future was just starting, his career was just starting to excel,” the elder Diaz said. “He had just finished school. Justin was work, home, school, right? He went out, he enjoyed life — in a positive manner.
“He wasn’t the type of person that was reckless. Justin had a future that was stolen, that was snatched, by Michael Pena.”
He noted that his son was going to work when he was killed. He was employed at LaGuardia Airport.
operating a vehicle at unreasonable speed and more, prosecutors said.
He must return to court May 15.
After the crash, the DA’s Office said, “Pena stayed at the scene where a police officer observed a strong odor of alcohol on his breath, watery eyes, slurred speech and he was unsteady on his feet. A breath test indicated that Pena had a blood alcohol content of .156 percent, which is above the legal threshold of .08 percent. He also allegedly had cocaine and marijuana in his system.”
“Justin always was willing to help out the next person, right?”
—
“They called him for overtime and he never said no, because, again, that was the type of person Justin was,” his father said. “Justin always was willing to help out the next person, right? That’s how big- and kindhearted he was.”
Like his son Franklin, he lamented Pena’s possible sentence of 15 years, saying it is not enough for the taking of a life.
father of Justin Diaz
People who want to support Diaz’s family may contribute to a GoFundMe page set up by his aunt Andrea Todaro at tinyurl. com/3rn7wzk4. A prior fundraiser was closed after bringing in nearly $45,000. Support also may be shown to the victim’s loved ones through the Facebook group Justice for Justin Diaz. In one post there, his cousin Candice Giove provided some reporting from the courtroom.
“Justin, we are on our way to getting full justice for you,” Giove said. “Today, the court remanded Justin’s killer. He is now on his way to jail, where he belongs.
Trotta was arrested April 16 at around 9:20 p.m. in the vicinity of 156th Avenue and 78th Street and was found to be in possession of a glass pipe with alleged crack residue, police said.
He was charged with four counts of petit larceny and seventh degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. A photo of Trotta in the back of a police car showed him wearing a red sweatshirt like the one that appeared in the security footage. Q
Security footage of the incidents posted to the Howard Beach Dads Facebook group showed a man in a hooded red sweatshirt, and residents were told to keep an eye out for the alleged repeat offender.
The elder Diaz later spoke in Spanish, too, as did his mother, Lucia Gonzalez, Justin’s grandmother, who stood at the mic tearfully but held her composure.
Pena, of 220th Street, was charged with second-degree manslaughter, second-degree vehicular manslaughter, second-degree assault, operating a motor vehicle while impaired by use of drugs, two counts of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, operating a motor vehicle while impaired by combined use of drugs or of alcohol and drugs, reckless driving, failing to stop at a steady red signal,
“Queens District Attorney Vivian Gonzalez told the court about his criminal history as a juvenile and multiple run-ins with the law as an adult. Up until the point when he killed Justin, the defendant got away with many things in this world of no consequences.
“How did this happen?”
Services for Diaz were handled by Joseph Farenga and Sons/Antonopoulos Funeral Home in Astoria. Visitation was March 3 and his funeral was the next day at St. Francis of Assisi Parish, also in Astoria. He was laid to rest at St. Michael’s Cemetery in East Elmhurst, one day after the diploma he had just earned from nearby Vaughn College arrived at his home. Q
Michael Pena is administered a test by a police officer after the Feb. 26 fatal crash in which he allegedly was driving drunk. Killed was Justin Diaz, left, 23. The victim was on his way to work when Pena’s car slammed into his. SCREENSHOT VIA FNTV VIDEO; FACEBOOK PHOTO /
Franklin Diaz,
Increased service begins June 29; part of congestion pricing toll deal Bus route upgrades coming to Queens
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
Seven bus routes that serve Queens will be among 16 in the city that will see increased service effective June 29 under a plan announced last Thursday by the governor and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
Gov. Hochul, in a joint statement with MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber, said the move is part of the promise to increase bus service in the outer boroughs as a condition of passing congestion pricing, which went into effect in January.
It is separate from the Queens Bus Redesign, part of which also starts that day.
.The augmented routes include:
• the Q13, which runs between the Flushing-Main Street bus and subway hub and Fort Totten;
• the Q28, which runs between FlushingMain Street and Bay Terrace;
• the Q35, which runs between Rockaway Park/Beach 116th Street and Brooklyn College/Flatbush Avenue;
• the Q43 between the Jamaica Long Island Rail Road station and 268th Street in Floral Park;
• the Q66 between Queens Plaza in Long Island City and Flushing Main Street;
• the Q69 between Queens Plaza in Long Island City and Jackson Heights/82nd street via Astoria; and
• the B26, which runs between Ridgewood and Brooklyn Heights.
“Every New Yorker deserves access to safe, fast and reliable public transit, and I’m investing in our buses and subways so we can deliver better service in every corner of our city,” Hochul said. “We’re taking action to strengthen our transportation infrastructure, bring stations and equipment up to par and create the best experience for every rider.”
“Buses connect New Yorkers to jobs, education, entertainment and everything else the city has to offer. By increasing service on some of the busiest routes in the outer boroughs, we can deliver opportunity and quality of life upgrades to literally thousands of New Yorkers.”
Assemblyman Steven Raga (D-Maspeth) was among the Queens officials praising the changes in the statement.
“Like many New Yorkers throughout the city, I have several constituents who do not live near a train station, resulting in buses to be one of their only modes of transportation,” he said. “The Q66, for example, is a vital bus service that connects my constituents in Jackson Heights and Woodside to neighborhoods all the way to Flushing and Long Island City.”
“Increasing bus services throughout Queens is crucial for ensuring that all New Yorkers have access to reliable and efficient transportation,” said state Sen. Leroy Comrie
The Q13 bus is one of seven lines serving Queens due for more service
according to Gov. Hochul and the MTA.
(D-St. Albans). “These enhancements will reduce commute times and make connecting with essential services easier for our communities.”
Links to maps of all the upgraded routes can be found at tinyurl.com/y9eh8bc6.
Aside from the upgrades announced April 17, the Q13, Q28, Q43 and Q66 will see changes under phase one of the Queens Bus
Network Redesign goes into effect on June 29. The Q35 and Q69 will have redesign changes incorporated in phase two on Aug. 31. Any future change to the B28’s route will be subject to the completion of the Brooklyn Bus Redesign plan later this year.
The changes also include three other routes in Brooklyn, four in the Bronx and two on Staten Island. Q
Julie Won challenges city reps at hearing, defends universal approach NYC DOT not sold on daylighting bill
by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor
Reading the names of people who lost their lives due to traffic crashes, City Councilmember Julie Won (D-Long Island City) discussed her bill on universal daylighting at a Tuesday hearing by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Intended to enhance visibility at intersections, “daylighting” refers to the removal of obstacles next to crosswalks, namely, parked cars. Won’s proposed legislation would prohibit vehicles from parking or standing within 20 feet of a crosswalk at all intersections in the city and require the Department of Transportation to implement barriers at a minimum of 1,000 intersections per year.
“The lack of visibility at intersections across the city makes it incredibly dangerous for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists alike,” Won said, adding that there have been 253 traffic deaths across the city in the last year alone.
Among those was the death of 16-year-old Jael Zhinin in Sunnyside last June.
“As a mother of two children, I cannot attend another press conference or funeral for a child in my district that was killed at an intersection while crossing at their right of way,” Won said.
The City Council passed a 2023 law requiring the DOT to daylight at least 100 intersections per year. Eric Beaton, the DOT’s deputy commissioner of transportation planning and management, said at the hearing that the agency daylit more than 1,000 intersections last year.
However, citing its analysis of zones that are daylit by fire
hydrants or bus stops, the DOT said in a January report that universal daylighting does not have the widespread safety benefits anticipated and may even have negative effects on safety.
While the DOT supports hardened daylighting, or installing physical infrastructure to promote visibility, Beaton said daylighting that does not employ those barriers could cause an increase of up to 15,000 injuries per year if implemented citywide.
Won questioned the agency’s conclusions, stating that the DOT used bus stops and fire hydrants as a “proxy” to conclude that unhardened daylighting can adversely affect safety, while hydrant zones are “chronically blocked” by illegal parking.
“We acknowledge that we cannot know who is parked in any location at any given time,” Beaton said. “We think that will be true under universal daylighting, too.”
He said in his testimony that the DOT would support hardened daylighting at all corners, but cited high costs for a mandate that would cover many locations without histories of injuries.
Asked by Councilmember Selvena Brooks-Powers (D-Laurelton) how the agency determined that hydrant zones are representative of all intersections in the city, Beaton said the agency compared the intersections it studied to other similar locations.
“You wouldn’t want to compare a small residential street with a hydrant to a large arterial without one,” he said.
Also on the agenda was a bill sponsored by Councilmember Nantasha Williams (D-St. Albans) that would require the DOT to establish overnight parking areas for commercial vehicles in industrial business zones. The agency recently launched a one-year pilot program for metered truck parking in three IBZs citywide, including one in Maspeth. Joshua Benson, the DOT’s deputy commissioner for traffic operations, said the agency can tailor daylighting to complement truck parking as it rolls out in more zones. The NYPD also patrols areas for overnight truck parking, Benson added. Q
At a Tuesday hearing, Councilmember Julie Won challenged DOT representatives about the agency’s claim that universal daylighting could have adverse effects on safety.
SCREENSHOT VIA NYC COUNCIL VIDEO
upgrades this summer
PHOTO BY KATHERINE DONLEVY / FILE
THE PRICE OF EGGS HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED, AND RADICAL ACTIVISTS ARE PUSHING A LAW THAT WILL SEND GROCERY PRICES SOARING EVEN MORE!
The average family of four will pay $456 to $732 more per year for groceries.
It’ll be harder to buy everyday food products like cheese, hot dogs, chips and items for school lunches by banning some packaging.
Small businesses that make up the backbone of our communities will be hurt. Join your neighbors and businesses across New York and Tell
King Crossword Puzzle
I HAVE OFTEN WALKED
McCormack was all for life in Queens Village
by Ron Marzlock Chronicle Contributor
Eleanor Cullen was born in the Bronx on Sept. 15 1926. She was the middle child of three daughters born to Irish immigrants William and Nellie Cullen. She went to a dance and met a handsome Irish NYC Patrolman, Francis J. McCormack, and they married soon after, in 1949.
The pair moved to 93-50 210 St. in Queens Village. The family grew, with four daughters, and they moved to Merrick, LI, by the late 1950s.
A founding member of the ProLife Action Committee, McCormack became a national figure in American politics in July 1975 when she filed with the Federal Election Commission to run for president in the 1976 Democratic Party primaries. She ran exclusively on a anti-abortion platform as Ellen McCormack. She was the first female candidate to receive Secret Service protection and qualified for matching funds. She appeared on the ballot in 18 states, capturing 22 delegates at the convention that nominated Jimmy Carter. In
Student films in the spotlight at MMI
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
The NYC Public School Film Festival, a partnership between the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment and the city Department of Education, is rolling out the red carpet at the Museum of the Moving Image on April 29, from 3 to 8 p.m., for its biggest event yet.
Now in its seventh year, the festival spotlights the creativity of student filmmakers and seeks to open doors for potential future careers in the film and television industry.
Residents of the five boroughs get free admission to the festival at MMI, at 36-01 35 Ave., which includes student film screenings, a career and educational expo with film and television production companies, and, for the first time, a panel with information on how to apply to high schools that specialize in arts. Celine Song, an Academy Award-nominated writer and director of “Past Lives” and “Materialists,” will deliver a keynote presentation.
Admission also includes full access to the museum. To register, go online to tinyurl.com/msda6x88.
Nearly 150 films were submitted for the
festival from the city’s middle and high school students. A total of 22 short films were selected for inclusion, including “The Lost Sock,” a film by students from Queens’ own Baccalaureate School for Global Education in Long Island City.
“We are so excited to be back celebrating our 7th annual NYCPS Film Festival!” said Schools Chancellor Melissa AvilesRamos in a statement. “These films are a testament to the hard work, innovation, and creativity of our students as they share their stories with the world.” Q
1980 she ran again as the candidate of the Right To Life Party. She was on the ballot in three states and received 32,320 votes.
After her husband of 44 years died in 1993, McCormack moved to Sag Harbor and enjoyed life painting and time with her 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She passed away in Connecticut on March 27, 2011 at age 84.
B SPORTS EAT
Soto, Alonso and Judge
by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor
Last Monday, Juan Soto told New York Post Mets beat writer Mike Puma that he is seeing different pitch sequences as a Met with Pete Alonso hitting behind him than he did last year when he was playing in the Bronx and Aaron Judge followed him in the batting order.
Soto was not complaining or casting aspersions at his new teammate, Alonso. He was merely stating a fact and said that he is adjusting to it.
Soto has not been hitting like an All-Star, but he has not been awful, either, in the first weeks of the 2025 season. He has belted some home runs and has shown patience at the plate by taking more than his share of walks rather than chasing bad pitches.
Nevertheless, any Soto statement concerning Judge and, by default Alonso, is going to cause a media brouhaha. Last Tuesday at Yankee Stadium, reporters swarmed all over Judge prior to the Yankees’ game with the Kansas City Royals. Judge, as always, took the high road and was the voice of reason.
He said Soto is a great player and will be fine with the Mets. He also praised Alonso for the fine season he is having. This really was a case of the media making a mountain out of a molehill.
Judge was also named the captain of Team
USA, which will take part in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. I asked Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who is one of the best players in baseball today, if he expected Judge to lobby him to be part of his team. “I don’t know if I am good enough!” Witt said with a straight face. “I have a feeling they can find a way to squeeze you onto the roster,” I replied. He gave out a hearty laugh and admitted he would love to be part of Team USA.
Former Mets pitcher Seth Lugo, one of the game’s all-time good guys, is now the ace of the Kansas City Royals. Last year he finished second in the voting behind the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole for the American League Cy Young Award.
Lugo left the Mets as a free agent after the 2022 season because he wanted to be a starting pitcher. The Mets’ general manager at the time, Billy Eppler, did not want to give him that opportunity. It is just one of many reasons why Eppler is a former general manager.
I asked Lugo if he chuckled when he heard the Mets signed former Yankees relief pitcher Clay Holmes as a free agent with the intention of turning him into a starter.
“No, I was happy for him,” he replied. “It is difficult for most relievers to get more than one-year contracts these days.”
See the extended version of Sports Beat every week at qchron.com. Q
The NYC Public School Film Festival is returning on April 29. PHOTO BY LOU AGUILAR
The home of Eleanor McCormack at 93-50 210 St. in Queens Village, as it looked in the 1970s, years after she and her family moved to Nassau County. INSET PHOTO FROM STATE OF OREGON DOCUMENT
Diversity and the American Dream in Queens
by Michael Gannon senior news editor
Author Laurence Samuel grew up in Brooklyn and on Long Island. But it was a trip to the World’s Fair 60 years ago that was the genesis for his new book on the last 100 years of Queens history.
In “Queens: A History of the Most Diverse Place on Earth,” Samuel shows that The World’s Borough enjoyed that distinction decades before the slogan was coined.
The 191-page work examines the borough from the end of World War I in 1918 right up to the New York City Football Club’s plans for its stadium in Willets Point. Race, religion, immigration, the real estate industry — including a study of the practice of racial red-lining — two airports and countless factors subtle and large intertwine repeatedly.
“I’m sort of an accidental historian. I came to it later in life ... I started writing books on American culture,” Samuel told the Chronicle. “I was studying American culture, American studies at the University of Minnesota. In the past five years I’ve been very interested in places — their development and environment, and the people who choose to live there and how those places happen.”
He had written books about Long Island
and New York City. He then found that the pull and appeal of Queens made the borough a natural subject.
“I was taken in by the World’s Fair,” he said. “I went there when I was an 8-year-old boy. It was a seminal moment in my life.”
Samuel said he looks for gaps in literature and history and seeks to fill them.
“While there are many books on
Queens, particularly on the 18th and 19th centuries, there was no massive sweep of the last 100 years,” he said.
Never skimping on research — Samuel’s presentation is as deep and detailed as the subject matter is broad — he said some books take time to define direction.
“But with Queens it was just so crystallized,” Samuel said. “It’s a remarkable place
in terms of diversity ... First of all, its close proximity to Manhattan and being part of New York City since 1898 helped a lot. Because folks who couldn’t afford Manhattan or Brooklyn, or who found themselves crowded out of northern Manhattan or the Bronx or Brooklyn found that it was cheaper to live in Queens. There was a lot of open land. It was discovered by developers later than other boroughs. So it got a footing with certain immigrants.”
That, he said planted the seed for future development in the 1940s and ’50s as new groups came over.
“They had friends or relatives in the New York City area. But Queens had more affordable rent.”
Then President Lyndon Johnson in 1965 threw open the Golden Door, allowing immigration from where it had been difficult if not impossible before, with an Asian influx following the Germans, Irish, Jews and Italians from earlier in the century.
Lastly, Samuel wants people to look beyond Queens as just Archie Bunker or a trip to a cemetery or airport.
“That’s out of date,” he said. “Queens changed my view of the world as a kid.”
The book, from Excelsior Editions, is available for $29.95 where books can be bought or ordered. Q
‘Annie Jr.’ will clear away the cobwebs and sorrow
continued from page 23
Thomas Meehan, Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin, and preserves such popular songs as its famous anthem, “Tomorrow,” and “Maybe.” But Icy’s favorite is “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” because “I get to sing with everybody,” a reference to her fellow orphans in the show.
And, of course, all the fans’ favorite characters are here, including meanie Miss Hannigan, filthy rich Oliver Warbucks and
Crossword Answers
faithful Sandy, the lovable mutt.
The production, an outgrowth of the Secret’s Academy, training grounds for youngsters with an interest in the theater, features some two dozen 7- to 16-year-olds, according to the theater’s artistic director, Richard Mazda.
“It’s really a fun musical,” Mazda said. “We could give a lot of parts to our kids.”
The show is directed and choreographed by Georgina Bates, a member of the Academy’s teaching staff working on her first mainstage production. Musical direction is by Miles Messier, another teacher in the drama school.
“It’s a real family affair,” Mazda said.
“We try very hard to get a professional team to do these shows, imparting a high level of how to perform,” he explained. “I hope it rubs off on the kids.”
Performances at The Secret, at 38-02 61 St., in Woodside, are offered at various times May 2 to 10. Tickets are $30; $20 for seniors; $15 for those ages 3 to 17.
For further information, call (718) 4339030 or visit secrettheatre.com.
According to Moon Rakhimova, Icy “started to feel happy on the stage” as a
The orphans of “Annie Jr.” at The Secret Theatre rehearse for the
to run May 2 to 10. On
school last year.
very young child. “Now she can’t live without the theater.”
In fact, Icy would love nothing more than
to become a professional actress.
“It allows me to be other people, to escape to another person’s life,” she said. Q
show, set
the cover: Icy Rakhimova, who will star in the title role, at an event at her
PHOTOS BY RICHARD MAZDA, ABOVE, AND RICHARD SULLIVAN, COVER
Author Laurence Samuel, at left and in front at right, at the World’s Fair in 1965, examines the modern history of Queens in his hew book. COURTESY PHOTO, ABOVE; PHOTO BY PIERO RIBELLI, LEFT
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NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, NYCTL 1998-2 TRUST, AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN FOR THE NYCTL 1998-2 TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. MARIO FRANKLIN, IF LIVING AND IF HE BE DEAD, ANY AND ALL PERSONS UNKNOWN TO THE PLANTIFF, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated March 6, 2025 and duly entered on March 7, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, on the second floor in Courtroom 25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on May 16, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., premises known as 101-02 Springfield Boulevard, Queens Village, NY 11429. 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 10766 and Lot 27. Approximate amount of judgment is $95,297.45 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #721748/2022. Autrey Johnson, Esq., Referee Bronster, LLP, 156 West 56th Street, Suite 703, New York, New York 10019, Attorneys for Plaintiff.
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO NATIONAL CITY BANK, Plaintiff AGAINST ROGER LEE; ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered October 10, 2024, 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 May 23, 2025 at 10:00AM, premises known as 15720 27th Avenue, Flushing, NY 11354. 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: 4868 Lot: 14. Approximate amount of judgment $84,578.26 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #702009/2023. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction. com or call (800) 280-2832. Gregory LaSpina, Esq., Referee Fein, Such & Crane, LLP 28 East Main Street Rochester, NY 14614 PNNYC015 85059
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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 SALE
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, ATLANTICA, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. MINCIA AGARD, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure & Sale duly entered on October 10, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, on the second floor in Courtroom 25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on May 9, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., premises known as 149-63 Weller Lane, Rosedale, NY 11422.
All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements the reon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 13676 and Lot 24. Approximate amount of judgment is $722,827.98 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #726578/2022. Scott H. Siller, Esq., RefereeVallely Mitola Ryan PLLC, 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 165, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff
14319 LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 04/16/2025. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 5030 65th Place, Woodside, NY 11377. Reg Agent: Shahriar Rahman, 5030 65th Place, Woodside, NY 11377. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
50-94 194 STREET LLC.
Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 3/17/25. Office: Queens County. SSNY desig. as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to Danielle Winfield, 23 W. 69 St., Apt. A., NY, NY 10023. Purpose: any legal purpose.
NOTICE OF SALE
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, BLUE CASTLE (CAYMAN) LTD, Plaintiff, vs. VANESSA HOLMES-BENJAMIN, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure & Sale duly entered on March 17, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, on the second floor in Courtroom 25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on May 23, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., premises known as 130-65 227th Street, Springfield Gardens a/k/a Laurelton, NY 11413. 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 12905 and Lot 5. Approximate amount of judgment is $787,660.31 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #711867/2017. Sally Attia, Esq., Referee Vallely Mitola Ryan PLLC, 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 165, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff
590 Quincy Street LLC filed Arts. of Org. with the Sect’y of State of NY (SSNY) on 2/28/2025. Office: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: c/o The LLC, 21-14 Elk Dr, Far Rockaway, NY 11691. Purpose: any lawful act.
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.
SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS Supreme Court of New York, Queens County MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC, Plaintiff, -againstSHIRLENE COULANGES AS HEIR OF THE ESTATE OF HATTYE HOWARD; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF THE ESTATE OF HATTYE HOWARD, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the 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, be included in the following designation, namely: the 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 STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; NEW YORK CITY PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU; NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, and JOHN DOE AND JANE DOE #1 through #7, the last seven (7) names being fictitious and unknown to the Plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or parties, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the mortgaged premises described in the Complaint, Defendants Index No. 705076/2024, Mortgaged Premises: 115-78 227th Street Cambria Heights, NY 11411 Plaintiff Designates Queens County as the Place of Trial. The Basis of Venue is that the subject action is situated 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); the United States of America may appear or answer within 60 day of service hereof; 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. This Supplemental Summons is being filed in pursuant to granted court order dated February 28, 2025 and filed on March 5, 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 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 ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLCAND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.. FRIEDMAN VARTOLO, LLP 1325 Franklin Avenue, Suite 160 Garden City, NY 11530, Attorneys for Plaintiff.
of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, familial status or disability in connection with the sale or rental of residential real estate. Queens Chronicle does not knowingly accept advertising in violation of these laws. When you suspect housing discrimination call the Open Housing Center (the Fair Housing Agency for the five boroughs of New York) at 212941-6101, or the New York City Commission of Human Rights Hotline at 718-722-3131. The Queens Chronicle reserves the right to alter wording in ads to conform with Federal Fair Housing regulations.
Edgemere/Rockaway, Sat 4/26, 12pm-1pm, 318 Beach 47 St. Mint cond. Legal 2 fam. 4 BRs, 4 baths (2 over 2). All new kitchen & baths. Pvt dvwy. Reduced $699K. Connexion Real Estate 718-845-1136
Howard Beach, Sun 4/27, 12pm-2pm, 162-49 95 St. 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 $1,390,000. Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136
Howard Beach, Sun 4/27, 2pm-4pm, 159-29 92 St. Updated Mother/Daughter Hi-Ranch. 5 BRs, 3 bathrooms, Solar Panels, Large above-ground swimming pool, private drive. Jerry Fink Real Estate, Call Richard 347-600-5860
Howard Beach, Sun 4/27 12-2pm, 164-33 97 St. Impeccably maintained mother/daughter style hiranch, 4 BRs, 2 1/2 baths, hardwood flrs & abundant storage space. Walking distance to Charles Park. Jerry Fink Real Estate, 718-766-9175
Howard Beach/Rockwood Park, Fri 4/25, 5pm-6:30pm, 88-12 157 Ave. Center Hall Colonial. 50x100 lot. Generous yard, 3/4 BRs, 3 full baths, walk-in closets in 3 BRs. Lg kitchen w/sliding doors to yard. Fin bsmnt w/high ceilings. Det gar in yard. Asking $1,375,000. Connexion Real Estate 718-845-1136
NEW HOWARD BEACH, Sun 4/27, 2:30pm-4pm, 164-32 88 St. High Ranch. Asking $1,099M. NEW HOWARD BEACH, Sun 4 / 27, 2:30pm-4pm, 159-42 81 St. High Ranch. Asking $1,095M. Call Brina Ciaramella, Sovereign Realty, 917-257-1584
OZONE PARK , Sat 4/26, 12pm-2pm, 85-09 Sutter Ave. 2 family conversion. Asking $779K. OZONE PARK , Sun 4/27, 12-1:30pm, 85-14 Sutter Ave. 3 BR. Asking $729K. Call Brina Ciaramella, Sovereign Realty, 917-257-1584
RICHMOND HILL, Sat 4/26, 12pm-2pm, 104-60 89 Ave. Colonial. Asking $779K, Call Brina Ciaramella,
North Flushing, 1 BR, $1,400/mo. Call 347-658-8999
C M SQ page 30 Y K
QUEENS - INDEX NO.: 706830/2023– SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS. Plaintiff designates QUEENS COUNTY as the place of trial based upon the location of the premises herein described having tax map Block 16313, Lot 31, ROCKAWAY PARK, NY, County of QUEENS – THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF CWMBS, INC., CHL MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH TRUST 2006-19 MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-19, PLAINTIFF, -against- HOWARD KINDLER, if living, and if he be dead, 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 the following designation, namely: the 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 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, SARA SASSON KINDLER, if living, and if he be dead, 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 the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs-atlaw, 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 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 STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; NEW YORK CITY PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU; NEW YORK COMMISSIONER OF LABOR; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; SUNSHINE MCCLEAN, AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF GLORIA E. ZEBRACKI, DAVID KUCHARSKI, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, “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, described in the complaint, 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 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. 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 against you 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. Dated: Syosset, New York, March 4, 2025. Roach & Lin, P.C., attorney for Plaintiff, 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 185, Syosset, NY 11791. Tel: 516-938-3100. To the above-named defendants: The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon. TIMOTHY J. DUFFICY, a Justice of the Supreme Court, State of New York, dated January 21, 2025 and filed with the QUEENS County Clerk together with the supporting papers thereon. This is an action to foreclose a mortgage held by Plaintiff on the premises known as Block 16313, Lot 31, ROCKAWAY PARK, NY, County of QUEENS as described in the complaint on file and commonly known as 148-16 ROCKAWAY BEACH BLVD, ROCKAWAY PARK, NY 11694.
Notice of Formation of CHOICE CLEAN LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/23/2025 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, 137-14 223RD STREET, ROSEDALE, NY 11422. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
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.
NOTICE
OF
SALE
SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF QUEENS LOANDEPOT. COM, LLC, Plaintiff, Against MAGALI GOMEZ A/K/A MAGALI M. GOMEZ, MARCIA GOMEZ, CRISTIAN GOMEZ A/K/A CHRISTIAN GOMEZ, et al, Defendant(s)Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 02/04/2025, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, in the Queens County Supreme Courthouse located at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY, on the second floor in Courtroom 25, on 5/16/2025 at 10:00AM, premises known as 145-46 223rd Street, Springfield Gardens, New York 11413, and described as follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Queens, County of Queens, City and State of New York. Block 13470 Lot 47 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $984,512.45 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 703654/2019 Dana Jenkins, Esq., Referee. MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 MIDLAND AVENUE, SUITE 205, PORT CHESTER, NY 10573 Dated: 3/17/2025 File Number: 19-300397 MB
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC, Plaintiff, vs. MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., ACTING SOLELY AS A NOMINEE FOR COUNTRYWIDE BANK, FSB, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on August 16, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, on the second floor in Courtroom 25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on May 23, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., premises known as 106-07 177th Street, Jamaica, NY 11433. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 10334 and Lot 6. Approximate amount of judgment is $1,274,777.57 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #701502/2021. Lawrence M. Litwack, Esq., Referee Vallely Mitola Ryan PLLC, 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 165, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff
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.
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
HS 11, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/05/16. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 81-52 Little Neck Parkway, Floral Park, NY 11004. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
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.
JFK T1 LUXURY PARTNERS, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 04/04/25. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 540 Rockaway Avenue, Valley Stream, NY 11581. Purpose: 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 Formation of NYC Data Solutions LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 09/05/2024. 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: NYC Data Solutions LLC, 8319 95th AVE, OZONE PARK, NY 11416. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
City puts a pause on composting fines
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
The Adams administration has temporarily delayed the implementation of fines for residents who do not comply with curbside composting regulations, or who just aren’t quite getting it completely right.
The change was announced last Friday following backlash from residents and some elected officials who say the city’s Department of Sanitation has not conducted enough outreach and education so that everyone is clear on just what the regulations require.
While citywide composting with its ubiquitous brown bins began in the fall, it became mandatory on April 1. DSNY inspectors have largely given out warnings.
The Chronicle on April 10 published a story centered on a senior citizen who got a warning on her door, but could not grasp just what she had done wrong from the convoluted language in the notice.
Regulations require that leaves and yard waste, food scraps and food-soiled paper be placed in the brown bin or another that can be sealed and is properly labeled. Fines
begin at $25 for a first offense and increase for repeated violations.
“Make no mistake: Composting continues to be mandatory in New York City,” a spokesperson for the mayor said in an email. “Mayor Adams has led by example on this issue and composts daily, whether he is at Gracie Mansion or at City Hall, but he has also heard from New Yorkers across all five boroughs — including at town halls — who still have questions about this extremely important program. In an effort to facilitate even higher participation, we will conduct additional outreach and education on composting before issuing fines to the most persistent offenders who repeatedly refuse to compost.”
Additional educational materials will be distributed through the end of the year.
Buildings with over 30 units that receive more than four warnings from the DSNY will be fined $100 for now. All buildings must comply by the end of the year.
Any bin measuring 55 gallons or less with a lid can be used for composting.
The DSNY last week reported a recordbreaking 3.8 million pounds of compost collected. Q
