SOUTH QUEENS EDITION
Serving Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, City Line and JFK Airport
YOUR COMMUNITY
REROUTE
IRS phases out paper checks PAGE2
PATRIOTISM AT THE POST
Woodhaven marks USA’s 250th PAGE8
Museum’s historical photo show examines our nation’s character qboro PAGE25
As Aqueduct Race Track in South Ozone Park prepares for its fi nal weekend of horse racing on June 27 and 28, Empire State Development’s planning process for the soon-to-be vacant site is underway. The agency’s second round of workshops was on Monday and Tuesday, wherein r esidents were encouraged to share their ideal uses for the land.
Dby Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
id you get a letter from the Internal Revenue Service saying your tax return did not provide the necessary banking information to send your tax refund by direct deposit? Even when you didn’t choose direct deposit on your 1040?
You’re not alone.
The letter is legitimate, according to both the IRS and the office of U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Nassau, Suffolk, Queens), because the IRS effective last Sept. 30, began phasing out paper checks.
It is a lack of notice, according to the congressman’s staffers, that has been causing their constituents problems.
“A lot of people are still waiting for paper checks that aren’t coming,” said Justin Connor, Souzzi’s deputy district director of outreach, at the June 8 meeting of Community Board 7 in Whitestone.
Armen Haratunian, a senior aide to Suozzi, told the Chronicle the change was part of an executive order issued by President Trump in March 2025.
“It went into effect last September,” Haratunian said. “From that point forward they would not be issuing paper checks. This was rarely reported, and in practice it would not really go into effect until this year’s filing season.
“But again, there were no major campaigns around it for the IRS to inform people this was the case.”
Taxpayers began receiving letters officially known at CP53E notices, saying that they either did not provide banking information on their 1040 forms, or that their banks have rejected payment.
Many residents were suspicious that it could be the work of
fraudsters trying to access their banking information.
“We received a few calls from constituents asking, ‘Is this real?’” Haratunian said. “I got the letter. I had to ask the IRS if it was actually real.” He said many tax preparers also were caught off guard.
Those who receive the letter are prompted to open an IRS account online and just add the necessary banking information — account and routing number.
“A 24-year-old is able to do that pretty quickly,” he said. “But maybe 95 percent of the people who contacted us were senior citizens, Social Security recipients who might not be
able to do it so easily.”
There are provisions for exceptions, including some that allow for checks as opposed to alternative methods.
As to notice, an IRS representative provided the Chronicle via email with links to a Sept. 23, 2025 press release formally announcing the phase-out effective Sept. 30; as well as three related press releases between last Jan. 8 and 27, the start of the filing season.
The agency included separate links to a page on understanding the CP53E letter and its requirements at tinyurl.com/3c7hc6zw; and options for those without ban k accounts at irs.gov/payments.
“Electronic payments are generally processed faster, cost less to handle, and reduce errors compared to paper payments,” the IRS said in the Jan. 27 press release. “Limited exceptions to electronic payment requirements will be available in specific situations, such as those involving hardship and/or legal or procedural requirements.”
Haratunian did say the change makes sense for Queens, particularly with the large senior population and other factors.
The people contacting Suozzi’s office just would have liked a more robust publicity effort.
“The bottom line is, especially in Queens, the idea is very good, in that there is a lot of mail theft,” Haratunian said. “With people getting their refunds in the mail, I can’t say how many I have had to help with the Treasury and the IRS to get [refunds] reissued because they were stolen out of the mail.
“So in that regard, direct deposit is beneficial. But the way it was handled was poor. The lack of information made it difficult, especially for people who need it the most, people who are seniors and so on.” Q
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by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
The city has earmarked $1.5 billion in capital funding to commit to meeting the state class size mandate, Mayor Mamdani and Schools Chancellor Kamar Samuels announced June 11.
An additional $244 million will be allocated to schools in fiscal year 2027, the city said, to hire teachers.
The funding announcement came alongside a draft plan posted June 10 as part of the state-mandated Contracts for Excellence process, which requires the city to file an annual class size reduction plan.
State lawmakers on June 4 passed legislation extending the law’s timeline by two years, pushing the full compliance deadline from 2028 to 2030.
The citywide compliance target for next school year is 70 percent, following the 60 percent threshold the city exceeded last year, when 64 percent of classes met the caps.
For Queens, the numbers tell a mixed story. The borough posted a 58 percent compliance rate for the 2025-26 school year — the secondlowest among the five boroughs, ahead of only Staten Island. Queens secondary schools fared worst, with 48 percent of classes in grades 6-12 meeting the caps. The Bronx has the highest share of classes in compliance with the size mandate.
District 26, which includes Bay-
side and Glen Oaks, was tied for the lowest compliance rate citywide at 48 percent. District 24, covering Corona and Elmhurst, came in at 63 percent, the highest compliance rate of the Queens districts.
Space remains the central obstacle for meeting the mandate.
According to the city’s analysis, Queens accounts for some of the highest concentrations of schools facing classroom shortages, with Districts 24, 25, 27 and 28 among the citywide leaders in space deficits.
To address the gap, the city and the School Construction Authority in March reviewed more than 600 schools with space shortages and developed individualized plans that blend new construction with smaller fixes, such as room conversions.
Several Queens schools are slated for relief, though the plan says it is “subject to change as projects continue to be identified.”
World Journalism Preparatory School, Flushing High School and Queens High School for Language Studies in Flushing; JHS 202, the Robert Goddard School, in Ozone Park; JHS 157, the Stephen Halsey School, in Rego Park; the Mathematics, Science Research and Technology Magnet High School in Cambria Heights; and IS 61, the Leonardo Da Vinci School, in Corona all appear on the list of room-conversion projects working toward completion between this
September and 2027.
The capital plan also directs “un-sited” funding toward several Queens subdistricts with documented need, including in North Corona, South Corona, Lefrak City, Elmhurst, Beechhurst, College Point, Whitestone, Bayside, Auburndale, Little Neck, Douglaston, Bellerose, Glen Oaks, Howard Beach, Lindenwood, Rego Park, Forest Hills, Kew Gardens
and Jamaica.
The city Department of Education will need to hire between 10,000 and 12,000 additional teachers to reach full compliance, according to the plan’s estimate, including 3,000 to 4,000 special education teachers. A survey of all schools found that the institutions are seeking roughly 6,000 additional teachers to maximize compliance.
The plan has not yet been signed off on by the chancellor or union leaders and could change following a public comment period required under the Contracts for Excellence process.
Samuels in a statement said the plan “represents a major milestone for my administration and is a testament to our partnerships with City Hall, the State, and our Unions. Every child deserves access to a high-quality education and today’s announcement is a meaningful step toward delivering on that promise.”
“For too long, City Hall treated class size as a problem to postpone rather than a promise to keep,” Mamdani said in a statement. “We are meeting this moment with the urgency it demands, and we look forward to working alongside school communities across the city to finally deliver the smaller class sizes our children deserve.”
Following the release of the plan, Mamdani appointed Celeste Ramirez to lead the SCA, replacing Nina Kubota, who held the post since 2021.
Public hearings on the plan will begin on June 25 and conclude on July 28. Families are also encouraged to remain engaged through ongoing public forums, including monthly Panel for Educational Policy and community education council meetings.
continued on page 24
Devices, secured by Ariola, to be stored at volunteer fire department
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Howard Beach) on June 9 secured two flood pumps from the city Department of Environmental Protection to be used to reduce the effects of flooding in Hamilton Beach, one of the most flood-prone neighborhoods in the city.
The pumps, bought with a $210,000 allocation from Ariola, are being stored at the West Hamilton Beach Volunteer Fire Department, and the volunteers are receiving training on how to operate them in the event of an emergency, her office said.
The pumps allow for the movement of stormwater into safe waterways to mitigate street and property flooding.
“Hamilton Beach has been dealing with tremendous tidal flooding for far too long,” Ariola said in a statement. “This flooding has led to people being stuck in their homes, missing work and appointments as they wait for the water to recede. With these pumps in place, however, we can dramatically reduce the amount of time water sits on the streets, and ensure that people can get back to their regular lives as quickly as possible after a flooding incident occurs.”
Nick Spinelli, chief of the WHBVFD, said the staff is working with the DEP, New Hamilton Beach Civic Association and Ariola’s office on an execution plan for how and when the pumps will be deployed.
“We want to make sure that they are
used properly and effectively, and also make sure the logistics are all lined up so they can be utilized to maximum efficiency,” Spinelli said.
Roger Gendron, the civic president, said Ariola’s efforts in securing the pump were a “direct response to repeated flooding in the area, and we sincerely thank her for delivering on that commitment.”
Gendron called on the DEP to ensure the pumps are positioned, maintained and ready to deploy before the next flood comes.
“DEP must follow through, and ensure these pumps are fully operational, properly staffed and ready to protect Hamilton Beach when we need them most,” Gendron said.
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
It hosted thoroughbred racing legends, a pope and more than a century of Queens history.
But on June 28, the curtain is coming down on Aqueduct Race Track.
The South Ozone Park course, at 110-00 Rockaway Blvd., will host its final two days of live racing June 27 and 28, closing the book on a 132-year legacy that made it one of the most storied venues in New York City sports history. The site will remain open for simulcasting through Sept. 7, according to the New York Racing Association.
Aqueduct Race Track first opened its gates on Sept. 27, 1894. In the generations that followed, the track known as “the Big A” became a cornerstone of Queens identity and a stage for some of racing’s most iconic moments.
Seabiscuit won the 1937 Brooklyn Handicap there. Secretariat stood in its winner’s circle. Seattle Slew prepped for his 1977 Triple Crown sweep by winning the Wood Memorial Stakes. In October 1995, Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass before a crowd of 75,000. From 1963 through 1967, Aqueduct even hosted the Belmont Stakes while Belmont Park underwent renovations.
The track’s impact on residents throughout the city also cannot be overstated. Families
under 18 get in free. Tickets are available online and at the on-track booth, though organizers warn events may sell out and day-of sales are not guaranteed.
Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the New York Racing Association Foundation, an organization that raises funding for nonprofits, thoroughbred aftercare groups and charitable organizations connected to the sport of horse racing.
The giveaways on offer are as sentimental as it gets. The first 1,000 guests through the doors on June 28 will receive a commemorative container of authentic dirt from Aqueduct’s main track — a piece of history they can take home in a glass jar. All guests will also receive a special edition commemorative program.
Aqueduct Race Track is hosting a final weekend of racing on June 27 and 28 before it closes its doors for good.
often made Aqueduct a tradition, piling in to watch the races, debate the odds and tear up a few losing tickets along the way.
Now, fans have one last chance to make their own memories at the Big A before horse racing operations move to Belmont, and organizers are making sure the track goes out in style.
PHOTOCOURTESYNYRA/FILE
Due to anticipated high attendance and capacity constraints, both closing days are ticketed events.
Details and tickets can be found online at nyra.com/aqueduct/visit/farewell.
Each $5 ticket includes a complimentary commemorative program, plus access to giveaways and souvenirs while supplies last. Kids
A gallery by photographer Henry Kornaros will be on display both days, featuring images of patrons, horses and scenes from across Aqueduct’s history. The gallery is free to view with paid admission.
For those seeking a bite to eat, Longshots, Silks Bar and the Triple Crown Cafe will operate as normal, with Jamaican food and hot dog stands also available on-site.
Free parking will be offered to all guests. Gate open and post times were not yet announced as of press time Wednesday. According to the NYRA website, post times will be confirmed closer to the event. Q
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Housing for seniors, a farmers market, an equestrian center, a Central Park-inspired green space — or maybe a Costco. Those were just some of the ideas South Ozone Park residents floated Tuesday evening for the 100-acre Aqueduct Race Track site as the state kicked off its second round of public workshops on what the property could become.
Empire State Development, New York’s economic development arm, held a virtual session via Zoom on June 16 as part of a four-workshop series aimed at shaping a community master plan for the site.
Racing at Aqueduct will shift to Belmont Park as part of that track’s larger redevelopment, freeing up the state-owned land for the first time in more than 130 years.
The master plan is expected to be completed in early 2027, followed by a public approvals process that includes environmental review and public hearings.
For more information or to submit feedback, one may visit esd.ny.gov/aq.
“There are no approved plans for the redevelopment of the racetrack,” Arshaya Sood of Empire State Developments clarified when asked about the adjacent Resorts World New York City’s involvement. “No entity has been approved to build on the site or develop the site.”
The process is being driven in part by Gov. Hochul’s Executive Order 30, which directs state agencies to identify underutilized properties appropriate for housing development.
The workshop broke into small groups before reconvening to share takeaways, with housing and open space emerging as the dominant themes.
On housing, senior units drew the strongest consensus across all the breakout groups, with participants calling for older residents to be able to downsize without leaving the neighborhood.
Smaller units for young adults, supportive housing, affordable home ownership and income-restricted rentals also surfaced repeatedly. Sood said engineering studies are underway and unit projections would be shared at the fall workshop.
Group facilitator Neil Kittredge described his breakout room’s vision for the site.
“We had several strong voices for doing something that relates to the history of the Aqueduct track with horses — the great history of the Black Cowboys, equestrian therapy, GallopNYC,” Kittredge said. “All these things were mentioned as maybe a great opportunity.”
Another recurring theme was the idea of a large gathering space where the community could come together. Group facilitator Rayna Erlich noted that one participant pointed to a missed opportunity after the Knicks’ championship win.
“For the Knicks win, there was no place in the neighborhood to really celebrate that together as a community,” Erlich said.
One group also touched on economic opportunity alongside recreation.
“We talked about maker spaces, possibly within a community center, that would allow folks to gain skills and use shared equipment,” said Bob Tuttle, the group’s leader.
Sustainability also emerged as a priority. Group facilitator Kristen Wolfe said participants called for “rain gardens and flooding solutions, because in the area, that’s unfortunately a really common thing.”
Stephanie Rosen said her group of community members had interest in a sports field that could be converted into different
A map of South Ozone Park’s Aqueduct Race Track redevelopment project site. Resorts World NYC and the JFK parking lot will not be developed as part of the plan, spearheaded by Empire State Development. SCREENSHOTVIAEMPIRESTATEDEVELOPMENT/ZOOM
sports, such as cricket and soccer, with loops for walking, running and biking.
Some participants also brainstormed the idea for a community garden space that could serve multiple purposes: learning to garden, and selling what was grown to both residents and area restaurants for a farm-to-table experience. Q
State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. partnered with Sail4th 250 to celebrate the United States’ 250th anniversary and honor veterans at Woodhaven American Legion Post 118 on June 13. The event featured live music, refreshments and opportunities to participate in upcoming patriotic activities.
The festivities opened with performances courtesy of Harmony 4 All, right, a nonprofit founded by Joshua and Bianca Quddus to promote music education. A quintet performed the national anthem, followed by a selection of jazz favorites.
Attendees enjoyed sandwiches and salads, and Sail4th 250 distributed free gifts. Guests also had the opportunity to reserve spots for the maritime celebrations at the Port of New York and New Jersey from July 5 through 7. More information can be found at sail4th.org.
“This is fleet week times a thousand,” said Chris O’Brien, president of Sail4th 250 and a Coast Guard veteran, standing with Addabbo at left center.
Sail4th 250 is described on its website as “an official multistate, high-profile international tall ship and government project formed to celebrate the 250th birthday of the United States.”
During the event, attendees watched archival footage from past maritime celebrations. Addabbo also presented Sail4th 250 with a proclamation in recognition of its efforts.
“We are so proud of our country,” Addabbo said. “Yes, it has its faults and its issues. We know that, but we have been through tough times and good times, and we do it together. That’s the bottom line. We can face any challenge, whether on our soil, in our country, in our community, or globally — we face
everything together.”
Post Commander Charles Justino, right at center, encouraged attendees to share information about the American Legion with veterans in need and to contact the post for support.
“We have left the service, but we continue our work because a lot of veterans need help,” Justino said. “No veteran should go hungry. No veteran should be homeless. No veteran should be without a family because we are their family. We are an organization of veterans helping veterans because that’s what we choose to do.”
Addabbo extended his thanks to the American Legion, the veterans and Sail4th 250. The Post’s adjutant, Dominick Pepe, left at center, was recently inducted by Addabbo into the state Senate Veterans Hall of Fame. — Kristen Guglielmo
The New York Knicks are rightly being celebrated today, June 18, with a ticker-tape parade down the Canyon of Heroes in Manhattan. The Knicks, their management and superstar MVP Jalen Brunson in particular — Captain Clutch — all deserve accolades after the fine season and awesome postseason they gave us.
It’s a time of celebration and anticipation in Queens and the rest of the city. World Cup soccer action over in New Jersey has a lot of fans here in the World’s Borough. The wedding of megastar musician Taylor Swift to three-time Super Bowl winner Travis Kelce, rumored to be on July 3 at Madison Square Garden, also has many excited.
You know who seems to be in fourth place in the order of excitement, behind the Knickerbockers, fútbol and the country’s top celebrity couple?
The United States of America.
It’s our country’s 250th anniversary, and you can hardly tell. Especially in New York. We salute Queens state Sens. John Liu and Joe Addabbo Jr. and City Councilwoman Joann Ariola for hosting
events, along with any other lawmakers who are, but Albany and City Hall don’t seem to care much, and the federal government is failing in its responsibility. A commission set up in 2016, called America 250, has done virtually nothing. A rival panel created by President Trump, Freedom 250, has taken the lead but of course is politicized, because all things Trump are politicized. So far it’s given us the lowbrow entertainment of ultimate fighting on the White House lawn. How about some highbrow entertainment, like the same U.S. Marine Band that played walkout tracks there performing a nonpartisan concert with music such as “God Bless America” and “My Country, ’Tis of Thee”?
At this point in 1976, the Bicentennial was everywhere — events, newscasts, general conversation. (And yes, the country was politically riven then, too.) Not so now for the Semiquincentennial. We do have tall ships visiting soon, as in 1976, and there are the Macy’s fireworks to look forward to. But it’s clear something is missing. Too bad. It’s two weeks until July 4. Celebrate as best you can.
The first thing to tell members of the Democratic Socialists of America about the New York Police Department is that its dedicated officers are there to protect them, too.
The NYC DSA probably could use that reminder after its members complained on social media about Mayor Mamdani’s plan to add 580 new officers to a police force that is still rebuilding after several years of surging retirements and resignations.
Adding more cops “runs counter to the values of the socialist and working-class movement that elected” Mamdani, the DSA said. True about the socialists, no doubt, but not so much about the working class, people who actually prefer to
live in safe neighborhoods.
Mamdani ran on a police-skeptical platform and has created something called Office of Community Safety, with the goal of having social workers talk emotionally disturbed persons out of committing violent acts, or something like that. But that’s not enough for DSA, whose members apparently believed everything he said he would on the campaign.
But Mamdani is shrewd, and is now listening to the likes of NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, moderating some of his leftist impulses. He told WNYC one reason for more cops is to enhance officer training. Everyone should be glad of that, and we hope to see more such thinking at City Hall.
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Dear Editor:
I do not accept these comments: “The city doesn’t care. They changed the law. Do you think the mayor is going to vote against this project? Do you think the speaker is going to vote against it?” (“CB 7 rejects tower zoning application,” May 7, multiple editions).
I do not accept that community board decisions and votes do not matter. I do not accept that community voices are expressed in vain. It is the responsibility and duty of the mayor, City Planning, City Council and borough president to govern with care and make informed decisions that benefit communities. It is also their responsibility to honor history and respect the work of people who came before them to plan low-density lifestyle choices.
A 10-story mixed-use building on 158th Street and the south side of Northern Boulevard is not wanted and not needed. It is an affront to the history of the community, an insult to the people who worked with city government for decades to make sensible City Planning decisions and the opposite of civic community engagement. I believe the mayor, borough president and City Council will make the right decision and reject the rezoning application in order to modify and scale back this monstrous 10-story insult to the community.
Maria Becce Flushing
Dear Editor:
I am reminded of my father as we approach Father’s Day on June 21. Named Frederick Robert Bedell Sr., he was born on Aug. 1, 1890, and passed away in April 1973 at age 83. My father was a good man and cared for others with kindness and love.
His first wife was named Gertude. They were married for 35 years and had a daughter, Marian. Gertrude passed away in 1941. My father married my mother, Teresa, in 1944. He found love again but did not think he would have a child again, but at age 59 he did when I came along. I was born on his birthday, Aug. 1.
When I was 14 years old, my mother passed away. My father told me to not forget her and said he would stay strong for me. He made me breakfast before school and dinner when I got home in the evening. We did not have a car but he walked me to church on Sunday in Queens
Village. I helped my father by cleaning the house on the weekends.
Above all, my father taught me to show kindness to others, even if I did not get thei r kindness in return. He taught me to respect all people no matter their religion, nationality, race or color.
I ask the many to show love and kindness this Father’s Day to their fathers, and to remember them, both living and deceased. And to all the fathers, have a Happy Father’s Day.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr. Bellerose
Dear Editor:
We’ve all seen the headlines about the soaring cost of living in New York City, but you don’t need a spreadsheet to understand inflation. You just need to walk into any bakery or bagel shop in Howard Beach and try to order a
basic breakfast. When a simple buttered bagel and a coffee at a local storefront starts pushing seven dollars, you know the economic ground is shifting beneath our feet.
Unfortunately, while the price of everything from groceries to home insurance has skyrocketed, the city’s tax policies are stuck in a time capsule.
Right now, the absolute hard income cap to receive the Senior Citizen Homeowners’ Exemption, or SCHE, is locked at $58,399. If a senior homeowner’s modest pension or standard Social Security cost-of-living adjustment ticks even one dollar past that outdated line, they are instantly locked out of critical property tax relief. We are essentially penalizing seniors for receiving the very inflation adjustments meant to keep them afloat.
It makes zero sense. The city recently acknowledged this reality for renters by raising the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption, or SCRIE, income cap to $75,000. Why are middle-class homeowners who have paid into the system for decades being left out in the cold?
Our local representatives — Councilmember Joann Ariola, state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. and Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato — need to bang the drum loudly in City Hall and Albany. We don’t just need minor tweaks to the lower tax brackets; we need the hard income cap raised to $75,000, and we need it indexed to the actual cost of living going forward.
If New York wants to prove it still values the lifelong residents who built neighborhoods like Howard Beach, it needs to stop taxing them out of the homes they spent a lifetime paying for.
Isaac Maya Howard Beach
Dear Editor:
Little Bay Park recently showcased the enhancements provided via several capital improvement projects therein, courtesy of the New York City Parks Department. One of those projects upgraded the soccer field, which was the scene of a tragic fatal stabbing on Thursday, June 11, ironically the opening day of FIFA World Cup 2026.
Public safety concerns in Kissena Park, and by inference all public parks in Queens County, were heightened when the body of 75-year-old Albert Itzkowitz was found along the Kissena Lake shoreline on May 18. The investigation into that homicide remains active.
The delicate balance between preserving a modicum of privacy in a public park whilst also being protected therein can and must be achieved. There are enormous social and environmental (not to mention criminal) justice issues implicated.
The Queens borough president, as an honest broker, must immediately organize a Queens Public Parks Summit, including representatives of the Parks Department, to begin to address and remediate the dire safety situation presently extant within public parks boroughwide. Neither money alone, nor photo-ops, will be a cure-all, but the instant allocation of earmarked emergency resources surely may.
During this United States’ 250th Independence-tide it’s useful to recall Robert Goodloe Harper’s famous 1798 quote: “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute.” Extraordi-
nary amounts of public money are being regularly earmarked boroughwide for public parks but evidently not many cents are being allocated for public safety therein.
The call to leadership must not go without a genuinely effective response.
Frances Scanlon Flushing
Dear Editor:
I became appalled upon hearing of the injuries suffered by retired nurse Melanie Sheer at the wheel of a scooter driver riding on the sidewalk (“E-scooter hurt me badly,” Letters, June 11). Of further alarm was the driver asserting that she could ride the scooter on the sidewalk.
Flouting with impunity the law prohibiting riding such vehicles on the sidewalk, their drivers routinely put pedestrians at risk of severe injury. Appearing suddenly and sometimes at high speed, these vehicles have caused my pulse to quicken as I try to decide whether I should leap off the sidewalk before being hit.
Clearly the current deterrent is not working. Stronger deterrence must be created before more people are maimed — or worse.
Christopher Ammirati Kew Gardens
Dear Editor:
The primary job of government is to protect its citizens, yet it seems that every day there is another assault of a New Yorker by another mentally disturbed person.
Most of the accused have prior records, but a judge usually puts them on supervised release with no bail and no consideration by the judge of the defendant’s dangerous nature.
Every other state has a dangerous standard and New York did until the 2019 reforms nuked it. The PROTECT Act — short for Pretrial Risk Overview for Threat Evaluation, Custody and Treatment — would grant a judge this option, but the state’s legislators buried it in committee last month, where it will never see the light of day.
Where is the compassion for all those maimed and killed?
It seems the legislators are more concerned about not jailing or committing these individuals than the safety of their law-abiding citizens. Speak up, New Yorkers!
Thomas and Constance Dowd Oakland Gardens
Dear Editor:
Southeast Queens has lost a true pillar of our community.
Bishop Dr. Charles L. Norris Sr. dedicated his life to faith, service and uplifting others. Through his leadership at Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church, he became a trusted spiritual leader, mentor, advocate and source of strength for generations of families throughout Jamaica, Queens, and beyond.
Bishop Norris understood that ministry extended beyond the church walls. He showed up for people during difficult times, continued on next page
continued from previous page
encouraged young people, supported families and helped guide the community with wisdom, compassion and integrity. His impact could be felt not only through his words, but through the countless lives he touched personally.
I am grateful for Bishop Norris’ years of service and the legacy he leaves behind. His commitment to faith, community and justice helped strengthen Southeast Queens and inspired so many to lead with purpose and compassion.
On behalf of the 14th Senate District, I extend my deepest condolences to the Norris family, the Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church family and everyone mourning this tremendous loss. May Bishop Dr. Charles L. Norris Sr. rest in eternal peace.
Leroy Comrie NYS Senator for the 14th District St. Albans
Editor’s note: Bishop Charles Norris Sr. died April 23 at age 99.
Dear Editor:
Why aren’t the Democratic Socialists of America condemning Mayor Mamdani for promoting the ticker-tape parade for the New York Knicks?
The millions of dollars being spent on the
parade could have gone for social services.
Using the theme of “tax the rich,” shouldn’t there be a special tax imposed on the wealthy Knicks players to fund the parade?
And given that over 20 percent of the population of New York City is over the age of 60, shouldn’t the team reflect the demographics of the city and have at least one of the starting five on the Knicks be a senior citizen?
David Soukup Sunnyside
Dear Editor:
It is terrible to celebrate the president’s birthday with a fighting ring or boxing. That is no way to celebrate a milestone birthday. What is wrong with our society?
Cynthia Groopman Little Neck
We want to hear from new voices! Letters should be no longer than 300 words and may be edited. They may be emailed to letters@qchron.com. Please include your phone number, which will not be published.
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Q8 on Monday became the latest bus line to be equipped with Automated Camera Enforcement ticketing technology.
The line is the 63rd in the city to get the cameras, which are used to record and ticket vehicles in violation of bus lane and bus stop regulations.
“The goal of the program is to improve bus service by enhancing compliance with existing traffic rules,” the MTA said in a press release.
The Q8 line runs between the Jamaica Bus Terminal on 90th Avenue between 168th and 169th Streets and the Spring Creek Gateway Mall in Brooklyn.
There will be a 60-day grace period during which drivers will get warnings for violations. Afterward, summonses will be sent out, starting at $50. They can eventually escalate to $250 for repeat offenders.
More than 1,900 buses are now ACEequipped, covering approximately 810 route miles. The MTA said ACE allows buses to run faster, safer, and more reliably.
“When combined with dedicated bus
lanes and street upgrades, the ACE program has helped to improve bus speeds across the full length of ACE-enabled routes, with some segments on ACE routes achieving gains of nearly 30 percent,” the agency said.
The program is administered in partnership with the city’s Department of Transportation and Finance. Once violations are captured by cameras on multiple buses, the resulting video, images, license plate information, location and time stamp details are securely transmitted to DOT for review by city employees and processing. Q
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
This year’s state budget agreement delivered a major victory to Queens’ large co-op community. And elected officials were at Douglaston’s Beech Hills Co-ops Monday to celebrate.
The fiscal year 2027 budget includes a 10-year extension of the J-51 program, a tax incentive that helps offset major capital repairs such as heating systems, plumbing and electrical upgrades.
“J-51 helps offset the +-costs of capital improvements for co-op buildings, helping to ensure that significant costs are not passed down to shareholders,” Assemblyman Ed Braunstein said Monday in a post on his official X feed. “Now, an estimated 1,500 co-op and condo properties citywide are newly eligible. I was proud to lead the charge on this change.”
In a statement from his office last week, Braunstein said the assessment valuation threshold for units has been raised from $45,000 to $60,000, allowing more people to qualify. He thanked Gov. Hochul, state Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-College Point) and Queens co-op residents and advocates for helping to get the legislation through.
“Across New York City, co-ops and condos are facing an aging infrastructure and
agreement.
rising construction costs at the same time,” Stavisky said in the press release. “J-51 helps these buildings make essential repairs without passing the full cost on to residents.”
She and Braunstein said the new law raises the eligibility threshold, indexing it to inflation, and lowers the cost of applying, so more buildings can qualify and keep homeownership affordable.
Bob Friedrich, president of Glen Oaks Village, and Warren Schreiber, president of the
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
A state appellate court has ruled in favor of environmental advocacy groups that have argued that the city does not provide sufficient notice when untreated or partially treated sewage is discharged into waterways.
The opinion was released June 10 by the State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division for the Second Judicial District.
A coalition of environmental organizations was celebrating last week in a press release from the groups Riverkeeper and the Waterkeeper Alliance.
“This is a victory for the health of all New Yorkers and for transparency around environmental hazards,” says Riverkeeper Legal Program Director Mike Dulong. “It’s especially impactful for water users — the fishing, boating, jet skiing and swimming communities. These notifications not only help keep people safe, they also build public awareness about how significantly the sewer system is polluting our waterways.”
The groups said New York City discharges more than 20 billion gallons of
raw sewage and polluted stormwater every year from more than 450 outfalls located throughout the five boroughs, affecting nearly every waterway in the city.
A common cause is when there is enough rainfall to overwhelm portions of the city sewer system that combine stormwater and sewage. When that happens, the excess untreated effluent is discharged into bodies of water such as Flushing Bay.
A spokesperson for Riverkeeper said it is seeking to have the city post notices every time that happens on alert.ny.gov, a state-run emergency notification service that people can sign up for to receive texts or emails of emergency conditions.
“We are still reviewing and evaluating next steps,” a spokesman for the city’s Law Department told the Chronicle in an email.
Other groups hailed the decision.
“This is a major step forward for swimmable waters in New York City,” said Roger Reynolds, senior legal director for Save the Sound. “Failing to accurately notify the public with the best information possible offers not only insult to injury but compounds the initial injury by making it harder to avoid Q
Bay Terrace co-op, serve as co-presidents of the Presidents Co-op and Condo Council.
“It is a big deal and means more middleincome and affordable co-ops, like Glen Oaks Village and Beech Hills, will now qualify for its tax abatement benefits,” Friedrich said in last week’s statement. “By helping our residential co-op communities afford those urgent capital improvement projects, this new J-51 program will keep NYC’s aging residential housing stock in good condition.”
“These tax incentives are a financial lifeline, allowing co-ops to fund critical infrastructure upgrades without passing unsustainable costs onto hardworking shareholders,” Schreiber said.
“This is the type of legislation that may not be the headline-grabbing news flash or the intrigue of a who-done-it crime story,” Friedrich added, “but rather, it’s a story of keeping buildings standing, structurally sound and helping working class communities remain stable and safe.”
Councilwoman Linda Lee (D-Oakland Gardens), said the extension and expansion of the tax break was urgently needed to help co-op and some condominium residents deal with the costly green mandates of Local Law 97 of 2019.
“Since the passage of Local Law 97, residents have expressed concerns about being priced out of their homes due to the expense of necessary repairs and building upgrades,” Lee said.
“These changes will make capital improvements more affordable for many working and middle-class cooperative and condominium communities and help preserve the affordability of home ownership throughout New York City,” added Geoffrey Mazel of Coops & Condos United of New York City. Q
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
Two people had to be rescued from a privately owned seaplane last Saturday morning when it was damaged while taking off from the East River near Whitestone and began taking on water.
The pilot has been identified as Joe Oppedisano of Whitestone, who is the owner of Il Bacco, an Italian restaurant in Little Neck. He also was the pilot in a fatal seaplane crash in the area in 2020, when the plane hit a pier near the Throgs Neck Bridge.
Published and broadcast reports say the cause on Saturday may have been a rogue wave that struck the plane. The New York Post quoted Oppedisano and authorities as saying the wave cracked the aircraft’s windshield.
The FDNY said in a press release that the call came in at 9:26 a.m., triggering what it termed a major technical response. The two men were evaluated by EMS personnel but declined further medical attention.
The plane later was pulled out of the water.
A spokesperson for the National Transportation Safety Board said in an email that the agency is not investigating the incident. The Federal Aviation Administration did not respond to a request for comment prior to the Chronicle’s deadline on Wednesday.
WNBC Channel 4 reported that the passenger rescued Saturday also was on the plane that crashed in October 2020, killing another passenger, Maggie O’Neill, 61.
The Chronicle reported in October 2020 that the plane struck a concrete pier at Riverside Drive and 158th Street near the Throgs Neck Bridge.
The plane broke apart but did not explode or catch fire. Oppedisano and Jose Urena were in critical condition when they were rushed to area hospitals. O’Neill was pronounced dead at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens hospital.
Oppedisano made headlines weeks earlier in 2020 when he led a $2 billion class action lawsuit that within days forced then-Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill de Blasio to greatly relax their blanket, pandemic-related bans on indoor dining at restaurants. Q
The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (“TBTA”) doing business as MTA Bridges and Tunnels, will hold a State Administrative Procedure Act (SAPA) public hearing on proposed changes to 21 New York Codes, Rules and Regulations (NYCRR) Section 1021.2 addressing vehicle limitations and Weighin-Motion violation monitoring. The public hearing will review the public uses, benefits, purposes, and location of these regulatory changes and will give the public an opportunity to comment.
Description of the Projects
TBTA is proposing regulatory changes to address the following:
• Establishing a Weigh-in-Motion (WIM) Violation Monitoring System and setting the rate for a WIM Monitoring System violation for exceeding weight restrictions;
• Changes in vertical clearance requirements on TBTA bridges and tunnels; and
• The toll for vehicles requiring new permits for special handling of over-dimensional and/or overweight vehicles.
Liability for Weigh-in-Motion Pilot on the Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Bridge New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law (NYS VTL) was amended in 2025 to authorize the use of WIM technology on the RFK Bridge to safely and efficiently enforce truck weight restrictions and impose fines on violators. The TBTA Board approved the project following a public hearing in October 2025. This change establishes that the liability of a vehicle owner for a violation of Section 385 of the VTL shall be $650 for each violation. Additional late fees will also be applied.
Changes in vertical clearances at the bridges and tunnels
New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law §1621(c) requires that the legal clearance on bridges and tunnels shall be one foot less than the measured clearance. The measured clearance shall be the minimum height to the bridge or structure measured vertically from the traveled portion of the roadway. The revisions to the vehicle limitations are being proposed for adoption to update 21 NYCRR §1021.2 to accurately reflect current clearances and widths at TBTA bridges and tunnels and to meet this requirement.
Changes in toll rate for vehicles requiring special handling
In 2026, TBTA will begin processing permit requests for vehicles requiring special handling (over-dimensional and/or over-weight) using the Highway Oversize Overweight Credentialing System (HOOCS). Vehicles obtaining a permit to cross TBTA structures will pay an additional toll at the rate of $55 or the applicable Tolls by Mail rate, whichever is higher. The language in 21 NYCRR §1021.2 is being revised to amend the toll for vehicles requiring special handling.
Date, Time and Location of the Hybrid Public Hearing
Monday, August 17, 2026
Hearing begins at 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Speaker registration opens at 5:30 p.m. and closes at 6:30 p.m.
MTA Headquarters, 2 Broadway, 20th Floor, William J. Ronan Board Room, New York, NY 10004.
Directions
By Subway: Take the 45 to Bowling Green; RW to Whitehall Street; 1 to South Ferry or JZ to Broad Street.
By Bus: M15, M15 SBS, M20, M55, SIM4C
By Staten Island Ferry: Take the Staten Island Ferry to South Ferry Terminal.
Public Hearing Format
This will be a hybrid public hearing with in-person participation as well as via Zoom’s online platform and conference call feature, with a livestream available on the MTA 2026 Bridges & Tunnels SAPA website mta.info/sapa-hearing
Registering to Speak at the Public Hearing
Those interested in speaking at the public hearing must pre-register. Each registered speaker will have two (2)minutes to speak.
To register to speak you may 1) register online at mta.info/sapa-hearing or 2) call the Public Hearing Hotline at (646) 252-6777 (Telephone agents are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily) or 3) sign up in person at the hearing. Written comments may be submitted and additional information requested through the same options listed above. Registration opens on June 17, 2026, at 6:00 a.m., and closes at 6:30 p.m. on August 17, 2026. All written comments must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on August 27, 2026. Comments will be transcribed and included as part of the permanent record of this hearing.
Additional Ways to Comment or Request Information
By Postal Mail: To submit comments, for additional information or questions about the hearing, letters should be addressed to: MTA Government & Community Relations, Re: TBTA SAPA Public Hearing, 2 Broadway, D16.94, New York, N.Y.10004. By Email: languageaccess@mtahq.org
Accessibility and Language Assistance Services
At the public hearing, American Sign Language and CART Captioning will be available.
For Individuals Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing can use their preferred relay service, or the free 711 Relay Service to connect to the Public Hearing Hotline at (646) 252-6777.
For Individuals Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision can request accommodations on or before July 31, 2026, by submitting a request on-line at mta.info/sapa-hearing or by calling the Public Hearing Hotline at (646) 252-6777.
For those without Internet Access can dial into the hearing by calling the Zoom webinar at (646) 8287666 then enter Webinar ID: 165 136 8526, followed by the pound (#) sign.
For Language Assistance or Other Accommodation: Please submit a request at least 10 business days (July 31, 2026), before the hearing date online, by telephone, postal mail or via email at languageaccess@mtahq.org
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
The NYPD is seeking help in identifying a man wanted in connection with a robbery pattern in Richmond Hill, within the confines of the 102nd and 106th precincts.
The first incident came on May 17, when it was reported to police that about a half hour after midnight, a 47-year-old man was in the vicinity of 112th Street and Liberty Avenue when he was approached by two unidentified men. One slapped the victim in the face and demanded his property.
The men then forcibly removed the victim’s phone and necklace, a total value of about $500, cops said. They then fled on foot, traveling westbound on Liberty Avenue. The victim sustained minor injuries but was not hospitalized.
Then, on June 6 at around 4:30 a.m., cops said a 47-year-old male was in the vicinity of Lefferts Boulevard and 101st Avenue when an unidentified man approached him and said he had a knife.
The perpetrator took about $800 from the victim, cops said, and fled on foot, traveling southbound on Lefferts Boulevard. No injuries were reported.
The final incident occurred June 7, at around 11 p.m., when a 47-year-old man was in the vicinity of 113th Street and 107th Avenue. He was approached from behind by an unidentified man, who snatched a necklace valued at about $7,000, according to the police. The perpetrator fled on foot once more, traveling northbound on 113th Street. No injuries were reported.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577-TIPS (8477), or, for Spanish, 1 (888) 57-PISTA (74782). One may also submit tips by going to crimestoppers.nypdonline.org; or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and entering TIP577; or by going to @nypdtips on X. All tips are strictly confidential. Q
Police are searching for a South Richmond Hill teen who went missing earlier this month.
Cops said it was reported to them that Abegail Taijram, 15, was last seen leaving her residence on 125th Street on June 3, at about 6:30 p.m.
Taijram is described as approximately 5 feet, 3 inches tall. She was last seen wearing a light blue T-shirt, black shorts and black and white sandals.
The NYPD’s media unit sent
Abegail Taijram, 15, has not been seen since June 3, per police. PHOTO COURTESYNYPD
the missing persons notice on June 10. As of Wednesday afternoon, police had no updates on the case. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577-TIPS (8477), or, for Spanish, 1 (888) 57-PISTA (74782). One may also submit tips by going to crimestoppers. nypdonline.org; or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and entering TIP577; or by going to @nypdtips on X. All tips are confidential. Q — Kristen Guglielmo
877-690-5114
The New York Blood Center is calling on donors of all blood types to contribute as the region faces the start of trauma season, one of the most critical times of year for maintaining the blood supply. Collections are down 15 percent, per the NYBC, with supply levels at dangerous lows. To make an appointment, one may visit nybc.org. There are several upcoming blood drives in South Queens: • Knights of Columbus Council 197, 8:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Saturday, June 20, at 94-04 Linden Blvd. in Ozone Park; blood drive coordinator Paul Eggert;
• Sikh Officers’ Association, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 28 at 95-30 118 St. in South Richmond Hill; blood drive coordinator Navdeep Singh;
• Howard Beach Community, 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1, in the cafeteria at 83-09 157 Ave. in Howard Beach; blood drive coordinator Tony Sama; and
• West Hamilton Beach Fire Department and Ambulance Corps, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, at 102-33 Davenport Court in Hamilton Beach; blood drive coordinator John Passarella. Q — Kristen Guglielmo
It’s been my honor to serve the residents of the 23rd Assembly District for the last decade. As I prepare to retire from public service I want to make sure that our local seniors, families, veterans, and first responders are taken care of and continue to get the resources they need and deserve.
That’s why I’m supporting Pesach Osina for State Assembly and I urge you to vote him too!”
Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato
VOTE DEMOCRAT PESACH OSINA THIS TUESDAY, JUNE 23RD! OR VOTE EARLY NOW THROUGH SUNDAY, JUNE 21ST.
by Stephanie G. Meditz Editor
The nostalgic, turreted White Castle near Queens Center mall in Elmhurst is set to shutter next week.
Restaurant manager Elsa Lima told the Chronicle Tuesday that the property at 89-03 57 Ave. has been sold, and the location’s last day of service will be June 24.
Lima said she believes an apartment building will replace it, but she did not know who the new owner is.
“It’s sad,” she said, saying customers are “not happy” White Castle is leaving and have been calling the restaurant about the closure.
Plenty of people feel that way. James McMenamin of Elmhurst posted about the closure in a neighborhood Facebook group Tuesday, and he later told the Chronicle that when he visited the restaurant that day, patrons seemed to be commiserating.
“The iconic location I believe opened about the time of the 39-40 World’s Fair, a familiar recognizable spot on the landscape that evoked nostalgia, in a radically and quickly being altered Queens Blvd.,” McMenamin said.
According to area historian Michael Perlman, the location first opened in 1939 and was rebuilt in 1963 and again in the 2000s. It was renovated about a year ago, and he said it is “senseless to undo that among its longtime cultural history.”
Multiple commenters on McMenamin’s post said the closure marked “the end of an era.” Many of them reflected on their fond memories of the restaurant.
“I’m sad to see this location close,” Jimmy Sarmiento wrote. “I grew up in Elmhurst for the majority of my life, worked at the Queens Center as a kid and partied like a rock star in my clubbing days and WC was the go to at 4/5 am to
“It does not need to be an elegant officially designated landmark to see the need to preserve it, even if it’s on a humble scale,” he said, suggesting that the developer build alongside the structure and cantilever over it instead of demolishing it.
Beau Brent, the lead singer of glam metal band FerreTT who was inducted into White Castle’s Cravers Hall of Fame last year, also is sad to see the joint go. The Elmhurst location was his home base for more than a decade when he lived in Kew Gardens — he even mentions it in a song he wrote lauding the restaurant’s “food for the gods.”
“I love that White Castle, and it’s definitely surprising because it’s always been crowded, every time I’ve been there,” Brent said.
He and his band plan to visit the restaurant one last time after their practice on Saturday.
The most recent documents attached to the White Castle’s address on the Automated City Register Information System were dated in 2020 and filed in 2023, permitting restaurant and drive-thru operations.
3T MRI • MRA • 1.2 OPEN MRI LOW DOSE CT • CTA • FLUOROSCOPY
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The White Castle at 89-03 57 Ave. in Elmhurst is set to close next week, and according to its manager, an apartment building may replace it.
grab those lovely murder burgers!”
GOOGLEMAPSIMAGE
“I remember when I was a kid they would bring your order out to the car with a tray that hung from your window,”
Shawyn Maley commented. “So many belly bomb runs there.”
Some users recalled going on dates there as teenagers. Others referred to the restaurant as a Queens landmark.
Perlman believes the building’s history and architecture merits preserving.
The address did not yield any results on the Department of City Planning’s Zoning Application Portal.
White Castle’s press team responded to the Chronicle’s request for comment and additional information, but did not provide them by press time Wednesday.
McMenamin said that “every month it seems some vestige from the past is closing or being replaced” — Elmhurst’s St. Bartholomew Catholic Academy is set to close, and he went to its final graduation last week.
“It’s hard to keep up with massive change on such a scale, especially when what becomes new presents a blandness and hardly welcoming feeling,” he said. Q
State Sen. John Liu on Monday announced the names of the 13 students who will participate in the reading of the Declaration of Independence on June 28, when Liu hosts a celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary at Francis Lewis High School in Fresh Meadows.
Lewis (1713-1802) was one of four New Yorkers to sign the Declaration.
The selected students are, top, Daniel Gim, left, and Amelia Anwarzai, PS 221, the North Hills School in Douglaston; Gustavo Encalda, Rachel Carson, IS 237 in Flushing; Paris King, Bayside High School; Tyler Kodi,
Chaminade High School in Mineola, LI; Rea Suca, Bayside High School; Claire Chen, Louis Pasteur MS 67 in Douglaston; Anastasia Podolskiy, Francis Lewis High School; and Liam Nikkos Rose, PS 71, the Forest Elementary School in Ridgewood.
Above are Madeleine Kang, left, PS 32, The State Street School in Flushing; Natalie Chen, Nathaniel Hawthorne, MS 74 in Oakland Gardens; Lia Huang, PS 376 in Bayside; and Michael De Leso, St. Andrew Avelino Catholic Academy in Flushing. More information in available from Liu’s office at (718) 765-6675. — Michael Gannon
The Middle Village community came together last Saturday to celebrate cancer survivors and remember lost loved ones at the 23rd annual Relay For Life, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.
As always, the survivors group, above, led the walk around Juniper Valley Park’s track, followed by the caregivers group, at far right.
Margie Varvano of Middle Village, top center, was named
the 2026 survivor spokesperson. She was diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and told the crowd of hundreds that “cancer picked the wrong person.”
Above center, attendees decorated and placed Luminarias, or paper bags enclosing lights to honor those affected by cancer, whether they lost their lives to the disease, are battling it now or have overcome it. Luminarias are lit after dark during a special, emotional ceremony.
The Relay For Life is the ACS’s global flagship fundraiser, and the proceeds go toward cancer research and patient support. As of press time, the Middle Village walk had raised more than $86,000.
Among the event’s sponsors were Maspeth Federal Savings, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, the Kiwanis Club of Glendale, O’Neill’s and the Ridgewood Moose Lodge.
— Stephanie G. Meditz, with reporting by Michael Shain
Built to be modern, the stunning synagogue seems to exist outside of time
by Michael Shain Chronicle Contributor
Much has changed in Astoria over the last few decades. But here and there are places that time seems to have skipped past.
One hundred years have passed since the Astoria Center of Israel opened on Crescent Street, just down the block from Mount Sinai Queens hospital.
Last Sunday, members of the ACI congregation braved a heat wave to return to the synagogue and mark its centennial. Many had moved out of the neighborhood years ago and had not seen one another in decades.
They — along with Rabbi Joshua Rabin and a series of political and spiritual leaders who spoke during the ceremonies — agreed on one thing: ACI hadn’t changed a bit. And that, they said, was a miracle.
The view of the Jewish center from Crescent Street gives little indication of what is inside.
Through a small lobby lined with memorial plaques and posters announcing upcoming events, visitors enter a classic Art Deco synagogue that probably has no equal.
Cantor George Lindenblatt, who recently retired after 50 years as ACI’s cantor, called the sanctuary “a hidden treasure of Jewish life in New York.”
Aside from repairs and routine maintenance, the space has remained largely unchanged since the day it opened in 1926.
At the front are two murals, each three stories high, commissioned by the rabbi who built the center, Rabbi Joshua Goldberg, and painted by French artist Louis Pierre Rigal, who also painted the murals at the entrance to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and designed its mosaic tile lobby floor.
Mitchell Blas, ACI’s unofficial historian, explained that Goldberg wanted — in the midst of the Roaring Twenties — to build a modern synagogue for a modern Jewish community that was beginning to move into western Queens, people eager to leave the Old World behind.
Today’s ACI is a Conservative congregation that rents its sanctuary on Sundays to the Astoria Community Church. Jewish women are also free to wear yarmulkes — the skullcaps traditionally worn only by Jewish men — during Sabbath services.
“A lot has changed in the Astoria neighborhood,” said State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez (D-Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan), the first Hispanic woman to represent the 59th Senate District. “So it’s special to come to a place that hasn’t changed much in the last 100 years.” Q
Support enforcement of Bail Laws ensuring Public Safety in our homes, streets, parks, businesses and neighborhoods. Support Marriage Equality and Universal Marriage; Support Pro-Choice and Women’s Reproductive Rights; I will serve Fairly, Impartially and Faithfully - EVERYONE in our communities: Tenants, Homeowners, Workers, Seniors, Veterans, Disabled, Families, Children, Businesses & Tax Payers
by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor
Knicks fans could finally exhale and celebrate the end of 53 years of frustration Saturday night when their team defeated the San Antonio Spurs by a score of 94-90 to win Game 5 and wrap up the NBA Finals.
While everyone was celebrating all things blue and orange, the architect responsible for turning around the Knicks’ fortunes, team President Leon Rose, was overlooked by most. That is just the way he wants it.
Rose grew up in the Philadelphia suburb of Cherry Hill, NJ. He was an attorney and player agent before joining the Knicks in 2020. He makes legendary recluse Howard Hughes look like an extrovert in comparison. He never speaks to the media. When you win, you can get away with anything. The Mets’ David Stearns must be envious.
It was Rose who signed an obscure free agent named Jalen Brunson, who had spent four years playing for the Dallas Mavericks. Former Mavs owner Mark Cuban said not re-signing Brunson was the greatest mistake of his tenure.
Rose traded two popular players, Julius Randle and Donte DiVicenzo, to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl Anthony-Towns and dealt RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley for OG Anunoby. It is safe to say the Knicks got the better of those trades. The jury is still out on his decision
to trade five No. 1 picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges. He also acquired Josh Hart from the Portland Trailblazers.
His gutsiest call was to fire Head Coach Tom Thibodeau and replace him with Mike Brown, who had been dismissed by other teams. Thibodeau had led the Knicks to the Eastern Conference finals but was unable to go beyond that. Brown took heat from fans for enduring some losing streaks, but his focus was on keeping players fresh for when it really mattered.
The Knicks certainly had the playoff basketball gods on their side. They avoided having to play the Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons, who were upset by the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers, respectively. Those teams were fatigued, and the Knicks swept them. The tougher Spurs had to beat the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in a grueling sevengame series that had to have taken a toll.
The Knicks’ comeback from 29 points down in Game 4 will forever be part of New York sports lore. Kudos to them for perseverance, but the Spurs were complicit in their own demise with horrible clock management, dumb fouls and needless, low-percentage three-point shots. Charles Barkley rightfully criticized their poor basketball IQ. That would not have happened if Gregg Popovich was still the head coach. Q
See the extended version of Sports Beat every week at qchron.com
Join Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Howard Beach) on June 22 for the official launch of her new office space at 162-38 Cross Bay Blvd., from 3 to 7 p.m. Constituents can greet the councilmember and her staff and enjoy light refreshments.
Ariola’s office will be giving away free compost and free compost kitchen bins during the event, while supplies last. The office is also collecting canned and bagged dog food for Zion’s Mission Animal Rescue.
“This new office is here for you, and I can’t wait to welcome everyone in,” Ariola said in a post on Facebook. “I hope to see you there!” Q
continued from page 4
The plan already has faced heat from some, including from Leonie Haimson, the executive director of Class Size Matters, who in a statement said it was “hugely disappointing and is not a real plan at all.”
“Instead of articulating clear, multi-year strategies to attain specific reductions in class sizes as the law requires, the document is full of boilerplate language, repetition, and a lot of fluff,” Haimson said. “It provides no assurances to parents that Mayor Mamdani was serious about his repeated pledge when running for office that he would lower class size to provide their children with the smaller classes that they need and deserve.” Q
Seniors looking for employment are welcome to head to the Kew Gardens Community Center, at 80-02 Kew Gardens Road, on June 26 for a job fair hosted by state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) in partnership with Queens Community House, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. The entrance for attendees is on 80th Road.
The job opportunities will be tailored to prospective members of the older workforce with tasks that meet their interests and capabilities, Addabbo’s office said. The event is open to job seekers ages 55 and up.
Participation is free for both attendees and vendors. Guests should dress professionally and bring several copies of their resumes to share with potential employers. Prospective employers are still invited to participate as exhibitors at the event. Interested parties can reach Deputy Chief of Staff Sean McCabe at (718) 738-1111 or smccabe@nysenate.gov.
“This event gives employers access to a steady pool of dedicated and experienced workers,” Addabbo said in a statement. “Every person should have the opportunity to work somewhere that acknowledges their abilities and background.” Q
by Marlee Wollman
What counts as American anyway, and who gets to decide?
“The American Imaginary” refuses to settle this quandary at the Queens Museum. Instead, the question cycles through resistance, uneasily at first, before crystallizing tenderly via generationally drifting media. Christina Chan, Annette Parkins and Carlos David Trujillo, each with deep ties to Queens, shaped the exhibition not as any final verdict but rather an outwardly building dialogue. Built from three different curatorial viewpoints, the exhibit gathers photographs from the museum’s collection from the 1800s through 1979.
“Through varied subject matter and across time, the images speak to family lore and nostalgia, contradiction, visibility, migration, fame, intimacy, conflict, and roots,” the museum says on its website.
Much of what appears takes the form of albumen prints and gelatin silver photos.
America is seen through the prism of industrial force in a picture of a huge deck girder departing U.S. Steel’s Gary, Ind., facility. As it traverses a barren landscape, the enormous structure dwarfs its surroundings. While evoking a period when manufacturing was vital to the American selfimage, the photo challenges viewers to consider the people, communities and economic structures that made such undertakings possible.
Arthur Rothstein’s photograph of a pregnant woman standing beside a child in a rough wooden entrance is among the most moving pieces in the collection. A subtle tension between perseverance and uncertainty is created as the girl looks down and the woman’s gaze goes outside the frame. Rothstein’s picture, one of a series of the family from the Great Depression, shows how survival, dignity and a sense of community are still essential to the American narrative.
In Lewis Hines’ “Cotton Pickers,” the lines between work and home life blur into a single picture, depicting a family at the brink of intimacy and labor. The tenderness of family closeness is visceral, and so is the oppression of child labor and sharecropping. A clean linear storyline of Americanness fails to materialize, which in a sense proves a point.
continued on page 27
by Ron Marzlock
Chronicle Contributor
Robert Levine, honorably discharged from the service, quickly married Miriam Abramowitz on Aug. 23, 1945. They knew each other growing up in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn and made their home there, at 2136 East 19 St., Apt 2. They had a daughter, Joan, in March 1947. Robert operated fabric machines for a manufacturer.
In 1952 they moved to 69-35A 186 Lane in Fresh Meadows. Son Charles was born on Oct. 18, 1952. The family next took advantage of the Servicemen Readjustment Act of 1944, the GI Bill, to buy a home, moving to 28 Phipps Lane in Plainview, LI, in 1957.
Robert made a career change and opened up a luncheonette and stationery store. He and Charles worked long, hard hours.
After graduating high school, Charles went to the State University New York at Potsdam. He later said he “majored in rock ’n’ roll and pot and minored in LSD.” He left after two years to tour the country as a guitarist and songwriter.
At age 26, with the advice and encouragement of his first wife, he abandoned his last
The early childhood home of producer and writer Chuck Lorre was at 69-35A 186 Lane in Fresh Meadows, seen here as it looks today.
name, which evoked bad childhood memories, becoming Chuck Lorre. His father had died in March 1976 at age 57 and never knew of the name change.
In the 1980s, Lorre started writing for TV. He created the sitcom “Grace Under Fire” in 1993. After creating his fifth show, “Two and a Half Men,” Lorre was named the “King of Sitcoms.” His next one was the beloved generational comedy “The Big Bang Theory.”
With his creative, obsessive nature, we look forward to more great things to come from Lorre.
by Stephanie G. Meditz editor
The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and there’s never been a better time to get outside and admire all that the natural world has to offer.
With more than 12,600 acres of natural space, the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge has plenty of opportunities to do just that. Among the upcoming programs there this summer are introductory birdwatching events, for those curious to give the everpopular hobby a try, and “Ranger’s Choice” guided walks, where you never know what you might learn.
“The rangers, it is their choice,” said Daphne Yun, public affairs officer for Gateway National Recreation Area, which encompasses the refuge. “Some talk about the natural wonders of Jamaica Bay, some talk a little bit more about the history of Jamaica Bay, the wildlife refuge, but all are enjoyable.”
The Ranger’s Choice walks have recurred for the past several years, Yun said, and they give staff the chance to highlight topics they’re especially passionate about. The next planned installments are Sunday, June 21 and June 28, both at 10:30 a.m.
At Birding for Beginners, which will take place next on June 21 at 2 p.m., attendees
will learn to identify and appreciate the birds at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, one of the largest bird habitats in the northeastern United States. The program runs again Saturday, June 27, at the same time.
Both the Birding for Beginners and Ranger’s Choice events are free and kid-friendly, and no RSVP is required. They may be canceled for extreme heat or thunderstorms. Both programs are set to return in July.
The refuge is managed by the National Park Service as part of Gateway, which is home to more than 325 species of birds. Per the NPS website, the wildlife refuge is a great spot to watch seasonal bird migration and spot resident species.
“A lot of New Yorkers don’t realize what a great resource we have, that there are so many birds in this area,” Yun said. Binoculars will be available at the Birding for
Beginners event, and sunscreen and bug spray are recommended.
At this time of year, Yun continued, different types of ducks and gulls can be spotted at the refuge. Birders also may encounter egrets, tree swallows, warblers and more.
Ospreys are relatively uncommon, Yun said, but they’re around, and they usually nest in the same place with the same mate every year.
“If people don’t know a duck from a seagull, this is a way that they can find out,” she said, later adding that she was never much of a birder, but she learned much more about avians during her 13 years at Gateway.
The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge’s trails and parking lot are open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Its visitor center operates from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday to Monday. One may call (718) 318-4340 to learn more.
“If you’ve not visited the wildlife refuge, it’s mindblowing to realize that you were still in New York City when you were there,” Yun said.
Gateway National Recreation Area has numerous other programs running this summer, including introductory kayaking at Floyd Bennett Field. A full list is under the calendar tab at nps.gov/gate. Q
continued from page 25
The show leans into disjunction, continual shifts and the unresolved, each piece meshing into the archive. For Queens, where culture is always up for debate, reiteration and redefinition, that method is no stranger.
Chan’s approach grows from her work with Asian-American history and diaspora. She gets drawn to places where identity takes shape and faces fierce questioning while keeping a steady focus on New York
City’s built environment; the streets and structures that quietly shape who gets seen and how. In her selections, absence and presence matter, and viewers are faced with the repercussions of what gets pictured and remembered and what gets left out.
Parkins brings a writer’s ear and a community worker’s sensibility, by contrast. Her arrangement of gathered images carries a subdued but insistent energy that guides viewers toward questions of belonging, spirituality and emotional turbulence.
Trujilo’s selections come out of translation and cross-cultural storytelling. As defined by him, the archive is a moving surface where meaning changes depending on how language and context are interpreted and varies based on the viewer and the viewpoint.
The curators’ approaches are connected by their common determination to challenge the authority of the archive. The exhibition makes clear that these calls are not neutral; they come plaited with power, history and the habits of perspective. No definitive answer of national identity arrives, and that refusal is the show’s strength. It makes room for uncertainty, for second thoughts, for noticing one’s own assumptions at work.
Images do not just reflect meaning but, on the contrary, manufacture it.
In a moment when belonging gets argued over so loudly and so often, “The American Imaginary” lands as a timely and
necessary reminder that identity is an always shifting and never finished notion, advancing toward what it is becoming. The exhibit is on view at the Queens Museum until Dec. 6. Q
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of Formation of
LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/20/2026. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 24-39 38th St, D2, New York, NY 11103. Legalzoom Usca, Inc.
SUPREME COURT – COUNTY OF QUEENS. FORETHOUGHT LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, Plaintiff -against- ROQUE ESTATE DEVELOPMENT LLC, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated December 15, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., in Courtroom # 25, Jamaica, NY on July 10, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, known and designated as Block 1396 Lot 5. Said premises known as 31-08 85TH STREET, QUEENS, NY 11370
Approximate amount of lien $733,788.47 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 705201/2024. CAROLYN CLYNE, ESQ., Referee DRUCKMAN LAW GROUP PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 242 Drexel Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590 DLG# 39539
Notice of Formation of JMEDDY LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/24/2026. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: NORTHWEST REGISTERED AGENT LLC, 418 BROADWAY, STE N, ALBANY, NY 12207. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of LONG WAY CARRIER LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/03/2022. 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, 144-45 41ST AVE 4K, FLUSHING, NY 11355. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
OF SALE
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME
COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as Trustee for Park Place
Securities, Inc., AssetBacked Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2004MCW1, Plaintiff AGAINST Molly Franklin; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered May 4, 2026, 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, N Y 11435 on July 10, 2026, at 10:00AM, premises known as 107-05 Fern Place, 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 County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 10251 Lot 1. Approximate amount of judgment $481,685.14 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index# 715003/2025. Martha Taylor, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792 Dated: May 14, 2026 For sale information, please visit www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2831 90176
116th Management LLC
filed 2/23/26. Cty: Queens.
SSNY desig. for process & shall mail to: 155-55 116th Rd, Jamaica, NY
11434. Purpose: any lawful.
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF QUEENS, The Bank of New York Mellon FKA The Bank of New York, as Trustee for the certificateholders of the CWABS, Inc., Asset-Backed Certificates, Series 2007-10, Plaintiff, Against Yves-Merry Telemaque; Commissioner of Social Services of the City of New York Social Services District; Discover Bank; Estate of Cleo Veal, by Pub admin of Queens; New York State Department of Taxation and Finance; Bank of New York Mellon, John Doe and New York City Parking Violations Bureau, Defendant(s), Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 06/30/2025, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, in Courtroom #25 of the Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, on 6/26/2026 at 10:00AM, premises known as 116-52 218th St., Cambria Heights, NY 11411, 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 and County of Queens, City and State of New York. Block 11318, Lot 3, The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $885, 433.77 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index # 721638/2019 For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction. com or call (800) 280-2832. Michael A. Cervini, Esq., Referee. SHELDON MAY & ASSOCIATES, Attorneys at Law, 255 Merrick Road, Rockville Centre, NY 11570. Dated: 4/8/2026, File Number: 36774 CA
LE BON PAIN, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 07/01/08. 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, 211-65 Jamaica Avenue, Queens Village, New York 11428. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS CITIGROUP MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST INC., ASSET-BACKED PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-AMC1, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, -againstROCIO CAMPOVERDE, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on April 16, 2026, wherein CITIGROUP MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST INC., ASSET-BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-AMC1, U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE is the Plaintiff and ROCIO CAMPOVERDE, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the QUEENS COUNTY COURTHOUSE 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD., COURTROOM #25, JAMAICA, NY 11435, on July 10, 2026 at 10:00AM, premises known as 130-05 115 AVENUE, SOUTH OZONE PARK , NY 11420; and the following tax map identification: 11656-40. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE BOROUGH OF QUEENS, COUNTY OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 712974/2022. Jerry Anthony Merola, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/ CLERK DIRECTIVES.
Sunnyside, 50-22 40 St, #5E. 1 BR, 1 bath apt. $2,600/mo. Newly renovated, elevator Co-op bldg, brand new carpet, full kitchen, brand new countertops, board approval required. Avail NOW. Call Javier Cortes (347) 200-0315. Capri Jet Realty
Williamsburg, 141 N 8 St, #1R. 2 BR, 1 bath apt. $5,500/mo. Newly renovated, W/D, SS, new kitchen, HWF, decorative fireplace. Avail June 1. Call Theo Eastwind (718) 536-7787. Capri Jet Realty
Williamsburg, 99 Meserole St. #4. 3 BR, 2 bath duplex apt. $4,700/ mo. Fully renovated, shared courtyard, separate kitchen, LR. Cats OK. Avail NOW. Call Agata Landa (914) 255-7284. Capri Jet Realty
Notice is hereby given that an On-Premise Restaurant Full Liquor License, NYS Application ID: NA-0340-25-130358 has been applied for by OTG JFK T5 Venture II LLC serving beer, wine, cider and liquor to be sold at retail for on premises consumption in a restaurant, for the premises located at JFK International Airport Terminal 5 Space 4NC Jamaica NY 11430.
Notice is hereby given that an On-Premise Restaurant Full Liquor License, NYS Application ID: NA-0340-25-136838 has been applied for by OTG JFK T8 Venture LLC serving beer, wine, cider and liquor to be sold at retail for on premises consumption in a restaurant, for the premises located at Terminal 8 B18 Jamaica NY 11430.
Notice is hereby given that an On-Premise Restaurant Full Liquor License, NYS Application ID: NA-0340-25-136846 has been applied for by OTG JFK T8 Venture LLC serving beer, wine, cider and liquor to be sold at retail for on premises consumption in a restaurant, for the premises located at Terminal 8 B12 Jamaica NY 11430.
Broad Channel , Sat 6/20, 12pm-1:30pm, 19W 13th Rd. Newly renov, 2 BR, 1.5 bath. Howard Beach , Sat 6/20, 1pm-2:30pm, 161-24 84th St, 4 BR.
C21 Amiable II, 718-835-4700
Lindenwood, Sat 6/20, 3pm-4pm, 151-20 88th St #2G. 2 BR, 2 bath Co-op. Call Janice, by appt only, 718-490-8023.
Lindenwood, Sat 6/20, 1pm-2 :30pm, 84-29 155th Ave, Apt. 2B. 1 BR L-shaped Co-op. Price reduction. C21 Amiable II, 718-835-4700
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NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE OF CITIGROUP MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2018-RP1, Plaintiff AGAINST BARRINGTON CAMPBELL, ALAIR CHAMBERS, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered April 24, 2026, 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 July 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM, premises known as 251-07 139th Avenue, Rosedale, NY 11422. 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 13617 Lot 5. Approximate amount of judgment $543,392.96 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #704796/2024. Yvette V. Dudley, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 23-004026 90226
Capri Jet Realty was honored and proud to serve as a sponsor of the annual St. Nicks Alliance 5K Run held on June 13th at McCarren Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The event brought together community members, local businesses, families, and supporters for a day dedicated to health, wellness, and raising funds to support the important programs and services provided by St. Nicks Alliance.
Robert Napolitano, Owner and Broker of Capri Jet Realty, takes special pride in supporting this event and the tremendous work that St. Nicks Alliance performs throughout the Williamsburg community.
“Organizations like St. Nicks Alliance are the backbone of our neighborhoods,” said Napolitano. “They provide essential services that strengthen families, empower young people, support seniors, and create opportunities for residents to thrive. We are proud to support their mission and contribute to their continued success.”
For decades, St. Nicks Alliance has been a driving
force in North Brooklyn, offering a wide range of community services including affordable housing initiatives, workforce development programs, youth education and recreation, senior services, environmental programs, and community-building activities. Their dedication has helped improve the quality of life for countless residents throughout Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and surrounding neighborhoods.
Capri Jet Realty recognizes that organizations such as St. Nicks Alliance play a vital role in maintain-
ing strong, vibrant, and successful communities.
Supporting local businesses, nonprofits, and neighborhood organizations is key to the long-term success and growth of Williamsburg and the surrounding areas.
As a local real estate brokerage with deep roots in the community, Capri Jet Realty remains committed to giving back and supporting the organizations that make our neighborhoods better places to live, work, and raise families.
We congratulate St. Nicks Alliance on another successful fundraising event and thank all the runners, volunteers, sponsors, and supporters who participated in making the day a success.
If you know anyone who is buying, selling, renting, investing, or has any real estate needs, contact the professionals at Capri Jet Realty today. Our experienced team is ready to help you achieve your real estate goals while continuing to support the communities we proudly serve.
