Queens Chronicle 07-10-25

TRIGGER TUMBLE

Congestion pricing a success: Hochul

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

Congestion pricing officially turned six months old on July 5, and Gov. Hochul took time out over the weekend to declare the Manhattan tolling program a hit.

“Six months in, it’s clear: congestion pricing has been a huge success, making life in New York better,” Hochul said in a press release from her office. “In New York, we dare to do big things, and this program represents just that traffic is down throughout the region, business is booming, transit ridership is up, and we are making historic upgrades to our transit system. We’ve also fended off five months of unlawful attempts from the federal government to unwind this successful program and will keep fighting — and winning — in the courts. The cameras are staying on.”

Her last sentence has repeatedly been directed to President Trump and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy since before Feb. 21, which was the first of multiple deadlines Duffy has set for the state to end the tolls.

Hochul said it is on a pace to bring in more than $500 million for the MTA this calender year, and that traffic delays and air pollution have been reduced.

Janno Lieber concurred with Hochul’s assessment.

“Congestion relief is a massive success and validation of the initiative keeps pouring in,” Lieber said. “The program is achieving all of its goals in terms of traffic reduction, increased travel speeds, safety, noise reduction and more. And not only is Congestion Relief delivering all the projected benefits — and more — it’s also proving that New York State government can effectively execute major, ambitious initiatives that improve the quality of life in ways New Yorkers notice and appreciate.”

President Trump and his inner circle are hardly the only critics of the plan — a total of nine lawsuits were filed in New York and New Jersey aimed at stopping it.

Zach Miller of the New York Trucking Association said his group still wants changes.

Congestion pricing went into effect on Jan. 5. On top of the $9 for cars entering Manhattan at or south of 60th Street, trucks pay $24 to $32, depending on their size. Drivers without an E-ZPass pay more.

The aim is to set a steady revenue stream for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and to allow it to borrow $15 billion. The one-way toll will go to $12 in 2028 and $15 in 2031.

Hochul also said the past six months have seen an increase in mass transit usage, record business on Broadway and jumps in retail sales, hotel occupancy and commercial office leasing within the tolling zone.

Needless to say, MTA chairman and CEO

“Our objection has never been to congestion pricing or the need to fund public transit,” Miller said in an email. “It has always been about the inequitable treatment of commercial vehicles making essential, non-discretionary trips into the Central Business Zone when ou r customers need them. Commercial vehicles are the only class charged per trip, not per day, and at significantly higher rates. This fundamental inequity went unaddressed in the Governor’s announcement.” Q

A driver in Long Island City heads to the upper deck of the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge and a $9 toll. But Gov. Hochul says that six months into congestion pricing, the benefits already are proving the program to be a success.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON

Shooting victims at record low — NYPD

Queens sees an almost 12 percent drop in overall crime so far this year

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

The city last Wednesday announced record lows in shooting victims in the last six months.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch in a press release said the city saw the lowest number of shooting victims in recorded history, and tied the all-time low for shooting incidents during the first half of the year.

According to NYPD data, from January through June, the city recorded 397 shooting victims, down 24 percent from the same period last year, and 337 shooting incidents, a 23 percent decline from 2024. Shooting incidents were also down 30 percent in June.

Citywide, major crime declined by six percent in the first half of the year, with reductions in six of the seven major categories.

Murders dropped 23 percent, robbery fell 13 percent, grand larceny dropped 7 percent, auto theft fell 4.5 percent and felony assault declined by one percent, the NYPD said.

Tisch said during a press briefing July 1 that subway robberies

have also hit an all-time low for the first half of the year, down 8 percent since last year.

“You would have to go back to 2010 to find a six-month stretch this safe in the New York City subway system, including the pandemic years when ridership was at historic lows,” Tisch said.

Despite the monthly decline, rape remains up 20.5 percent this year-to-date.

In Queens, there was a 11.63 percent drop in overall crime according to NYPD CompStat data through June 29.

Patrol Borough Queens South, which has the NYPD’s 100th, 101st, 102nd, 103rd, 105th, 106th, 107th, 113th and 116th precincts, saw a 7.4 percent decrease in overall crime.

The patrol borough however did see an increase in incidents of rape, with 106 as of June 29, compared to 85 percent at this time last year, a 24.7 percent increase.

Patrol Borough Queens North, the 104th, 108th, 109th, 110th, 111th, 112th, 114th and 115th precincts, had a 14.4 percent decrease in overall crime, but an increase in murder and rape. CompStat shows

13 murders this year to date, and 7 at this time in 2024, an 85.7 percent increase. There were 107 recorded instances of rape as of the end of June, and 105 at this time last year, an increase of 1.9 percent.

Of the precincts in PBQS, the 100th, which serves the southern

portion of Queens on the Rockaway Peninsula, saw the biggest overall decrease in crime year to year at 30.4 percent.

In PBQN, that honor goes to the 110th Precinct, serving Corona and Elmhurst, which saw a 27.3 percent decrease in total crime.

The 113th Precinct, serving the southeastern area of Jamaica, and St. Albans, Hollis, South Ozone Park and Rochdale, was the only one in PBQS that saw a slight uptick in crime, at 1.3 percent.

Similarly, the 111th Precinct, containing Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck, Auburndale, Hollis Hills and Fresh Meadows, was the only in PBQN to increase in total crime, with 1.8 percent.

“In the first six months of the year, New York City saw the lowest number of shooting victims and shooting incidents in recorded history,” Tisch said in a statement. “Records like this don’t happen by chance — they happen because of strategy, precision and the relentless work of your NYPD officers. We followed the data and deployed officers to our Summer Violence Reduction Zones, took down dangerous street gangs driving gun violence and removed more than 2,600 illegal firearms off our streets. Thank you to Mayor Adams for his leadership and making sure this department had everything it needed to produce for New Yorkers.” Q

Two dead, five hurt in fiery Belt crash

BMW slammed into divider, collided with other vehicles, police said

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Two people, including a young mother, are dead and five others were injured following a fiery crash on the Belt Parkway on July 5.

According to the NYPD, at approximately 6 a.m., a BMW 428i, driven by Noah Thompson, 24, was traveling eastbound on the Belt Parkway approaching the Nassau Expressway when Thompson failed to navigate the roadway near Exit 17 at Cross Bay Boulevard.

Thompson’s BMW collided with

the median divider, cops said, and entered the westbound lanes of the Belt, where it crashed into a Honda CRV and a Hyundai Tuscon.

Photos of the scene taken shortly after the crash and later uploaded to social media show the BMW engulfed in flames and the Tuscon, totaled.

EMS transported all three drivers to One Brooklyn Health-Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center, police said.

The operators of the Honda, a 44-year-old male, and the Hyundai, a

Body found at Spring Creek Park

An unidentified deceased man was found on July 6 in Spring Creek Park, according to the NYPD. Police said that at about 8:40 a.m., a 911 caller reported a person in need of aid at 163rd Avenue and 833rd Street in Howard Beach.

Upon arrival, officers observed a male, unconscious and unresponsive, on the shoreline. EMS pronounced him dead on the scene. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the man’s cause of death, police said. Q

34-year-old female, were in stable condition, police said. Thompson was initially listed in critical condition, but later died at the hospital.

Other passengers in the BMW — a 21-year-old female and two males, 25 and 29 — were transported to Brookdale in stable condition.

But Jewel Perez, 22, also one of Thompson’s passengers, succumbed to critical injuries at the hospital, police said.

Perez on a GoFundMe page started by her brother was described as a “loving, energetic mother who dreamed of entering the medical field so she could help others the way she always helped others.”

The fundraiser, at gofund. me/00508204, says Perez leaves behind two children, a 3-year-old and a 1-year-old. Money raised on the page will be used toward funeral expenses and her children’s future needs, according to Perez’s brother.

As of publication, the GoFundMe

raised just over $2,100. There were no arrests, police said, and the investigation remains

by the NYPD’s Highway

A crash on the Belt Parkway at Cross Bay Boulevard on the morning of July 5 resulted in five injuries and two deaths, a driver and one of his four passengers, a young mother. HOWARD BEACH DADS PHOTO / FACEBOOK

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, left, and Mayor Adams on July 1 announced record lows in shooting victims in the first half of the year and decreases in other crime categories. PHOTO BY ED REED / NYC MAYOR

New agency will enforce compliance; Parks Dept. proposes access plan City tackles e-bike safety concerns

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

New York City is cracking down on unsafe and illegal e-bike activity while expanding legal micromobility access in public parks, officials announced this month.

Mayor Adams and Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on July 7 unveiled the new Department of Sustainable Delivery, an enforcement-focused division within the DOT aimed at regulating the growing use of e-bikes, e-scooters and mopeds tied to app-based delivery services.

The department will conduct enforcement against illegal moped, e-bike and e-scooter riding; oversee safety compliance; crack down on reckless riding; and hold delivery apps accountable for setting unsafe expectations for their workers, the city said.

The DSD, backed by $6.1 million in funding from the city’s 2026 budget and housed within the DOT, will hire up to 45 peace officers trained to issue moving violations and enforce commercial cycling laws.

The officers will be unarmed and work in teams, including units on e-bikes, targeting high-risk areas across the city. They will work in conjunction with the NYPD and the DOT’s Vision Zero Street Team.

“Our administration continues to make the safety of every New Yorker our number one priority, and that includes keeping everyone on our streets safe, including pedestrians and bicyclists,” Adams said.

sioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa announced an initiative aimed at adapting the city’s green spaces to accommodate the surge in micromobility use. The agency intends to propose rule amendments to allow the same e-bikes and stand-up e-scooters permitted in city bike lanes to operate on park drives and greenways.

The proposed rule changes follow a two-year pilot that allowed legal e-bikes and scooters in locations such as Manhattan’s Central and Prospect Park loops, and Brooklyn’s Waterfront Greenway. Parks said it will continue collecting public feedback to identify areas for safety improvements and enforcement.

Mopeds and other heavier motorized vehicles will remain banned in parks, the agency said.

The city recently announced a new agency tasked with enforcing proper use of micromobility vehicles, while the Parks Department announced a plan to allow e-bikes and e-scooters on greenways and park drives.

He added that the new department is “yet another step that we’re taking to support delivery workers, keep pedestrians safe, and hold delivery app companies accountable for placing unrealistic expectations on their workers that put New Yorkers in harm’s way.”

PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHAIN / FILE

Adams also renewed his call for the City Council to pass legislation that would empower the city to hold big delivery apps accountable for incentivizing reckless e-bike riding by forcing workers to make unreasonably fast deliveries, and allow the apps’ licenses to be revoked over continued non-compliance.

Four days earlier, on July 3, city Parks Department Commis-

“Our greenways and park drives connect New Yorkers to our citywide network of parks and greenspaces. It’s critically important that our public realm can safely accommodate the diverse ways that New Yorkers get around and enjoy our city’s public spaces,” Rodriguez-Rosa said. “We are focused on improving safety in our parks, and allowing the same e-bikes and e-scooters that are allowed in city bike lanes on our park drives and greenways would make our city safer and more accommodating for pedestrians, cyclists, and e-mobility users alike.”

Ligia Guallpa, the executive director of the Worker’s Justice Project and co-founder of Los Deliveristas Unidos, in a statement said opening up greenways and park drives to e-bikes and e-scooters is a critical step forward.

“When our infrastructure supports safe, dignified work for those powering our economy, it benefits everyone—creating a more accessible, sustainable, and worker-friendly city,” Guallpa said. Q

HB playground set for renovation

Walter Ward, next to PS/MS 207, will receive big upgrade

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Howard Beach’s Walter Ward Playground, at 89th Street and 160th Avenue, is set to receive $4.5 million in improvements thanks to budget allocations from Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park).

Ariola’s office said the funding will allow for a comprehensive upgrade to “one of the neighborhood’s most well-used recreational spaces.”

The playground is adjacent to PS/MS 207, the Rockwood Park School, and serves as an outdoor play space for the students there.

The funding will be used toward improving play equipment, safety features and overall park infrastructure.

“This is a major win for Howard Beach families,” Ariola said in a statement. “Walter Ward Playground has served generations of residents, and this investment ensures it will continue to do so for generations to come. Parks are the heart of our communities, and this kind of investment is exactly how we build a stronger and more connected neighborhood.”

Lisa Nevins, the principal of PS/MS 207, said the playground is “in many ways, an extension of our school.”

She said the investment in the playground is also an investment in the school.

“This funding means our children will have a safer, better equipped environment to learn and grow, and I thank Councilwoman Ariola for securing these funds and investing in our students,” Nevins said.

PS/MS 207’s PTA president, Anna Pace, said, “This is great news.”

She added, “The parents in this community have been asking for a renovation of the

playground for some time, and I’m thrilled to learn that it’s finally going to happen. Thank you to Councilwoman Ariola for hearing us and for making this a reality.”

Ariola’s office said the project is slated to be completed by the city Department of Parks and Recreation within a five-year timeframe after the budget for the 2026 fiscal year goes into effect, with an anticipated end date in 2031. Q

Hamilton shore cleanup, 7/19

If you’re looking to enjoy the outdoors and bond with your community while making a difference, roll up your sleeves and head to the Hamilton Beach Park Shoreline Cleanup on July 19, a partnership between the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy and the New Hamilton Beach Civic Association.

From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., in rain or shine, volunteers will help remove trash and debris from the shoreline and surrounding park, all while enjoying the views of Jamaica Bay.

Participants of all ages are welcome, and community service letters will be available upon request.

Volunteers must complete a waiver prior to attendance.

For more information on the cleanup and to complete the waiver, visit jbrpc.org/events.

Gloves, supplies and complimentary snacks and refreshments will be provided.

Volunteers are encouraged to wear weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy, closed-toe shoes, and bring their own water and sunscreen. Q — Kristen Guglielmo

Walter Ward Playground, adjacent to PS/MS 207 in Howard Beach, will receive $4.5 million in upgrades following budget allocations from Councilwoman Joann Ariola. GOOGLE MAPS IMAGE

Report describes filthy conditions, rep calls for adopters and fosters Ridgewood animal shelter still packed

by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor

Overcrowding is still an issue at Animal Care Centers of NYC’s Ridgewood location a year into its operations, with the shelter housing double its capacity of dogs.

The New York Post on Sunday reported packed, filthy conditions at the $75 million site at 19-06 Flushing Ave., which opened last July. The report states that, during a recent visit, several dogs’ cages were not cleaned when the animals returned to them after a walk. The Post also reported that many of the dogs suffer from kennel cough.

Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) said it is “unacceptable” that animals are still living in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions, even though the facility is new.

“We are past sounding the alarm and now demand immediate action to improve staffing, expand capacity, and ensure humane care,” Holden said.

He also called on the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to increase support for expanded spay and neuter services and animal welfare programs.

“It’s time for the ACC to find solutions and stop with the incessant excuses,” the lawmaker said.

But Katy Hansen, the ACC’s director of communications, told the Chronicle that the

Animal Care Centers of NYC’s

overcrowding issues, housing double its capacity of dogs.

Ridgewood location is far from the only shelter to face overcrowding.

“Every shelter in the nation is going through this, and I’m not using that as an excuse, but just to put things in context,”

Hansen said.

“Every shelter is packed with dogs, across the country, and so when you’re doing animal services for a city of 8 million people, it can be hard to keep caught up,”

she continued.

The ACC is doing the best it can, Hansen added, but “animals keep coming in.” She said also that the shelter is still understaffed, though it has job openings and is trying to hire more people.

“The workers at the ACC are doing what they can, but sadly the amount of animals that are coming into their care has been overwhelming,” Councilwoman Joann Ario-

Duo wanted for 23 incidents

Cops seeking two men in citywide robbery pattern

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Police are searching for two unidentified men wanted for their role in multiple robberies throughout the city. Cops say the duo is connected to a total of 23 incidents between April 9 and June 30.

Among the incidents was one on April 29, at approximately 3 p.m., when two unidentified men on a red moped approached a 13-yearold boy in front of 86-42 Forest Parkway in Woodhaven. Police said the duo removed the victim’s necklace and fled southbound on Forest Parkway toward Jamaica Avenue. No injuries were reported.

Then, on May 1 at around 5:30 p.m., a 17-year-old female was walking near the intersection of Cooper Avenue and 71st Place in Glendale when two unidentified men on a red moped stole her necklace. They fled northbound on 71st Place, and no injuries were reported.

The following day, a 13-year-

Cops are seeking two unidentified men, known for stealing jewelry from victims and traveling on a motor scooter, for their roles in 23 different incidents.

old male was walking in front of 82-49 Penelope Ave. in Middle Village when two unidentified men approached him on a black moped. One man displayed a knife and placed the victim in a choke hold, police said, before removing his necklace. The two suspects then fled east on Penelope Avenue, toward Woodhaven Boulevard. There were no inju-

ries reported.

PHOTOS

A few days later, on May 4 at about 12 p.m., a 64-year old female was walking in front of 56-18 69 St. in Maspeth when two men approached her on a black moped and unsuccessfully attempted to steal her necklace. They fled on 69th Street, toward Grand Avenue, and no injuries were reported.

la (R-Ozone Park) said.

The lawmaker has sponsored several pieces of animal welfare legislation. In April, she introduced a resolution to amend state law to ensure a minimum sentence of three years for anyone convicted of aggravated cruelty to animals.

“This is exactly why it is so important for New Yorkers to support their local animal shelters, and adopt or foster if they can,” Ariola said.

Hansen urged the community to consider doing exactly that, and to visit the shelter for themselves. City Hall concurred, encouraging New Yorkers to adopt or foster “these wonderful animals who deserve a good home.”

“We’ve been really open about the fact that we need help. We need adopters, we need fosters,” Hansen said. “I guess that message is just too boring.”

“These animals need good, loving homes, and deserve so much better than these overcrowded conditions,” Ariola said.

“We take the safety of animals in shelter very seriously, which is why we will be taking action to improve our shelter system in the coming weeks to address any areas of concern,” a City Hall spokesperson told the Chronicle via email. Asked for specifics, the spokesperson said City Hall would have more to share soon. Q

J train bag thief wanted

Pursuant to the investigation, police said the four incidents were connected to 19 others, establishing a citywide robbery pattern that occurred within the confines of the NYPD’s 25th, 70th, 72nd, 78th, 79th, 84th, 102nd, 104th, 108th and 110th precincts.

The suspects have been involved in a total of 23 incidents, in which they approach the victims on a motorized scooter, forcibly remove the victim’s jewelry and then flee. Some of the incidents resulted in minor injuries, police said.

The two men were last seen operating a black gas-powered scooter.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577-TIPS (8477), or, for Spanish, 1 (888) 57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto nypdcrimestoppers.com, or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577, or by going to @nypdtips on X. All tips are strictly confidential. Q

Police are searching for a man who they say snatched a bag from an elderly man on a train in Woodhaven on June 20.

man is wanted for grand larceny.

The NYPD said that just before 1 a.m., a male, 68, was standing at the northbound J train platform at the 75th Street-Elderts Lane station when an unknown man snatched a bag of food items from the victim’s hand and fled to parts unknown. No injuries were reported.

The suspect is described as a male with a medium complexion, last seen wearing a red shirt, red hat and camouflage pants.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577-TIPS (8477), or, for Spanish, 1 (888) 57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577, or by going to @nypdtips on X, or on nypdcrimestoppers. com. All tips are strictly confidential. Q

Like many others across the nation,

Ridgewood shelter still faces

PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHAIN / FILE

COURTESY NYPD

This

PHOTO COURTESY NYPD

EDITORIAL AGEP

Adams and Tisch drive historic drops in crime

There was a time, not too long ago, when the reductions in violent crime in the city became so great they were getting difficult to believe. “Murder is down to the levels of the early 1960s” we were told, and soon it was “Murder is at the lowest levels since reliable statistics have been kept.” New York became “the safest big city in the country.”

Then something happened, or a couple of somethings, and the trend was reversed for a few years. Now, the stats are moving in the right direction again, and once again we’re entering territory we haven’t been in for generations.

Mayor Adams and NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch — who both deserve full credit for leading the masterful effort police have engaged in to drive down crime — announced on July 1 that shootings for the first six months of the year are down to the lowest level in “recorded history.”

The number is 337. Just last year, in the same time frame (minus one day) it was 435. So it’s been cut by nearly a quarter — in just one year. It’s down 49.5 percent from five years ago, and down 86.8 percenwt from 32 years ago, the furthest time back that regular NYPD CompStat figures reach.

This is a stunning improvement. It shows what can happen when you have leadership unencumbered by a shady

circle of corrupt advisors, which is what the mayor had before. Between federal investigations and the actions of Tisch, that crew is mostly gone, and the results are apparent.

Commensurate with the drop in shootings, the murder rate is down 23.2 percent so far this year. We had 146 killings through June 29, compared to 190 at the same point last year. Last year’s total came in at 382. This year it could wind up below 300, for the first time since 2018.

This is truly something to celebrate. Many of our readers will remember that in 1990, the city saw 2,262 murders — more than seven times as many as we’re on track for now.

Are you skeptical things have improved that much? We all know cops can pressure crime victims to not report certain incidents in order to drive down statistics. An assault might get recorded as a misdemeanor when it should have been a felony. But you can’t hide bodies. There’s no way we have hundreds of unrecorded murders, or anything like that. Those figures must be right, or darn close.

And just as shootings are at their lowest ever recorded, so are robberies within the transit system, Tisch said. Overall, subway crime fell 6 percent, and that includes a 75 percent drop in shootings, a 67 percent fall in murders, an 8 percent

drop in robberies and a 7 percent fall in grand larcenies. The drop is especially good news as more and more people take public transit, partially as a result of congestion pricing. One big objection to the new Manhattan tolls was that the alternatives were not safe enough, but it appears violent crime is falling dramatically both above and below ground.

“The first six months of 2025 tell a clear story,” Tisch said. “New York City is achieving record-breaking public safety milestones. The numbers speak for themselves.”

Have some more numbers: So far this year the city has seen 1,700 fewer grand larcenies and nearly 1,100 fewer robberies than last year. The NYPD has carried out 42 “gangrelated takedowns,” arresting 322 gang members and associates and recovering 236 illegal guns. Overall, major crime is down 6 percent, and we’re proud to say Queens is leading the way — here it’s down 12 percent, best of the boroughs.

Police get the bulk of the credit. So does the mayor for his leadership. Maybe there are demographic trends at work, too, such as migrant criminals leaving places like the Roosevelt Avenue corridor, or people regaining some more of their sanity as we get further from the Covid crisis. Whatever it is, this is great news for Adams, Tisch and all of us.

MARK WEIDLER

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LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

Bad bus redesign

Dear Editor:

Last week I testified before the “NYC Commission to Strengthen Local Democracy,” venued at the Queens Central Library. At the outset I acknowledged that process is power and that responsive process is accountable power.

I cited the recently introduced Queens Bus Network Redesign, which, no matter how well intended, represents such a colossal failure of government that it undermines democracy itself, not to mention public trust.

Where were local NYC Council members in getting the word out about this once-in-a-lifetime change? Where was the entire Queens County Delegation, state and federal, in communicating block-by-block, route-by-route news of the impending extraordinary change? Where were all the Queens-based community boards?

No question some attention was paid by the three aforementioned groupings, but it clearly was not sufficiently comprehensive and thoughtful to effectively achieve intended goals. Yes, the Queens borough president did yeoman community engagement sessions, as did the MTA. Sadly it wasn’t enough. It’s time to get the MTA assistant director(s) and directors of government and community relations out of their Manhattan offices and into the streets.

What good is a “faster, more reliable, more connected” bus network if you don’t even know where you can board, let alone disembark? Of course there will always be workarounds

required for every new initiative, especially one of this scope, but as it now stands, it’s not moving; it’s stalled and is genuinely stuck in a lane going nowhere.

MTA: this is not going the public’s way. The World’s Borough does not deserve an abysmal bus boondoggle.

Frances Scanlon Flushing

Senior swim shutdown

Dear Editor:

We can all agree that we are living a challenging period in history where negativity and criticism seem to dominate the public discourse. There are individuals and institutions that help mitigate said behavior and bring much-needed levity and happiness to life.

The Flushing Meadow Aquatic Center, even with its imperfections, has provided adults and children alike a venue where joy prevails. The

adult class, which I attend, is mostly seniors from all walks of life who have found a common space that enhances not only their health but their quality of life. The very well attended classes average 50-plus participants per session. Our instructor Consuelo greets everyone with a smile and is the most solicitous of individuals with special needs, making certain they feel comfortable and included, which sets the tone for a wonderful morning.

Unfortunately, on June 20 we were told that we should call the following week as possible schedule changes could take place. Well, since that day all adult and children classes have been canceled, and the calendar for the next couple of weeks states only lap swim.

Queens is fortunate to have such an amazing resource in its midst but, unfortunately, it is so poorly managed. Although this has occurred in the past, I was hopeful that the new management would have better planning skills. I have reached out to the mayor, Queens borough

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

president and parks commissioner, as well as two nonprofit media outlets, but my efforts have fallen on deaf ears.

It is a shame to waste such an amazing resource.

Maria Collier Jamaica Estates Editors note: Since receiving this letter, the FMCP Aquatic Center has closed temporarily. See related story in some editions or at qchron.com.

Musk: still the man

Dear Editor:

In a very well researched letter, Ms. Linda Imhauser concludes that Elon Musk does everything in an effort to increase his wealth and implies that his motivation is self interest (“Musk was investigated,” June 26). As evidence of this, she points out four investigations that have been launched concerning some of his companies.

In our society, a person is innocent until proven guilty. None of the issues mentioned in her letter have led to a conviction of Musk. She conveniently does not mention anything about NeuroLink or Starlink, probably because they’re clearly beneficial for mankind, and therefore do not fit into her preconceived notion that Musk is greedy.

So I stand by my previous conclusion that Musk is a great humanitarian and scientific visionary (“Musk is the man,” Letters, May 22). I should point out that I did not say that he was perfect. Nobody is, and I am sure that being human, he has many flaws. However, no one in the 21st century has done more to advance the human condition than he has.

Before we seek to criticize him, we should ask ourselves what have I done in my life that even vaguely compares to what he has achieved? Please don’t say that if you had his money, you would have done better because you did nothing to achieve his level of wealth.

Michael Gallagher Forest Hills

Don’t believe Trump

Dear Editor:

President Trump gave a master class on how to execute the long con. For all those who were duped by his promises and all you wanted to hear, don’t feel bad. He also conned those who bought and wore his red MAGA hats, some members of his own political party, and the world’s richest man.

What comes next? Nothing but the flip of a fat, extended middle finger in your face.

Glenn Hayes Kew Gardens

Federal funding first

Dear Editor:

(An open letter to “MAGA guys and women”)

I am confused — how are you voting for and supporting President Trump when he has made cuts to training programs for blue-collar workers? I don’t get it.

Stew Frimer Forest Hills

We’re all still here

Dear Editor:

Today, some historical perspective serves as my comfort blanket. We’ve ridden rocky roads before.

Just imagine how half the country felt when the Constitutional Amendment establishing Prohibition was passed in 1920. And how half the country felt when it was repealed in 1933. The institution of Social Security in 1935 terrified some constituencies but here it is, a feature of our society.

The Whiskey Rebellion in 1794 and Shays’ Rebellion in 1786-87, seriously threatened the stability of the new nation; those crises now are only occasionally remembered. Four score and seven years after the founding of the nation, we were in the midst of a civil war that battered and bloodied the nation for four years, 1861-65. A hundred years later, dinner tables became combat zones from 1965 until 1973 during the Vietnam War. But we’re still here. Many of us are.

I hope you enjoyed the Fourth of July. Voice your opinion. Talk to your neighbors. Write letters. Call your elected representatives. March. Vote. Eat ice cream.

Debra Michlewitz Bayside

Constant conflict

Dear Editor:

There has never been a better time for us as Americans to speculate on what is going on in the world than today. No matter the topic, the various theories related to how we wish to interpret what’s happening have their own unique meaning.

In recent years, the political landscape has been influenced by more speculations than ever before in our history. The obvious question these days is no longer based on an acceptance of truth, but more on what narrative best suits our views. If groomed to believe something is what we perceive it to be, nothing can deter us from believing what we want to see and hear. It’s no longer about finding a balance, but rather about embracing the story that best suits our perceptions.

Hearing so many opposing opinions on any number of issues fundamentally eradicates the idea of being well informed. Getting to a place of understanding requires us to take the high road when faced with another person’s anger. How difficult is it to understand we have reached an age of constant conflict?

Those people steadfast in their belief about politics, the environment and the state of the nation truly adhere to narratives that coincide with what they choose to believe. Nothing can be more compelling than a refusal to admit one side of any argument has a single point of view that makes total sense to everyone. Here’s hoping we can all agree the arrival of warmer weather is followed by the promise of summer. Maybe having faith in the inevitable changes of seasons is a good place to start getting on the same path to curing our differences.

Craig Schwab Glendale

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Center busway will be from Queens Village to Briarwood, serves 22 routes Construction starts on Hillside project

by Naeisha Rose Editor

City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced Tuesday that the agency started construction of new bus lanes on Hillside Avenue from Springfield Boulevard in Queens Village to 144th Street near Queens Boulevard in Briarwood.

The agency said the work, which is the first major upgrade in more than 50 years, is designed to deliver faster bus service and shorter waits for over 215,000 daily riders on 22 bus routes along the Hillside corridor. Currently, travel is as slow as 4 miles per hour.

The project, a complement to the Queens Bus Network Redesign, will improve service for 194,000 daily bus riders along 17 MTA bus routes — in addition to 21,000 daily riders along five Nassau County bus routes, while improving connections to four nearby subway lines, the Long Island Rail Road and the JFK AirTrain, according to the agency, which said the buses on Hillside Avenue would be the 18th largest transit system by ridership in the U.S. Buses on the corridor move more passengers than the NJ Transit Rail, The Port Authority Trans-Hudson and the Bay Area rapid transit systems, said DOT.

The Hillside Avenue Bus Priority Project is one of the longest for the agency and brings nearly eight miles of offset dedicated bus lanes, or center lane busways.

About 60 percent of nearby residents take transit to work and 83 percent of Hillside Avenue users are bus riders.

“Hillside Avenue is one of the most important commuting corridors of Queens, but currently features an inconsistent, patchwork design with some stretches of the street offering frequently blocked curbside bus lanes and

other sections without any bus lanes at all,” said Rodriguez in a statement. “Our new design will bring consistent, camera-enforced bus lanes across the corridor while also freeing up curb space to support local shops and their deliveries. We look forward to delivering this project and improving Hillside Avenue for everyone.”

Under the plan, the DOT will eliminate two

of the four travel lanes on Hillside — one in each direction — between the two boulevards, replacing them with center busways. The busways, painted red, will be located between curbside parking and a travel lane.

The city’s plan would also preserve parking spaces unlike busways on Merrick Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue, which many entrepreneurs said have either resulted in their businesses closing or hurting foot traffic.

Regarding bus lane treatments, which will result in new peak curbside access or curbside parking where it currently does not exist, the DOT previously reported that 58 percent of businesses support the proposed design of the bus lane.

The DOT previously said the project will add 650 parking and loading spots.

The Chronicle previously interviewed entrepreneurs, store managers and employees in Jamaica about the center busways and got mixed reactions. While some were pleased to learn about the return of curbside parking, others were fearful of potential traffic jams from removing a traffic lane. Some felt the city was simply pursuing the project to gentrify the area and felt a better use of resources would be adding trees to cool the area.

Last month, there was a heat wave and currently temperatures have ranged from 80 to more than 90 degrees. Q

Keep Queens Blvd. medians clean: pols

Letter to DSNY calls for ‘proactive maintenance’ on the thoroughfare

by Stephanie G. Meditz

Associate Editor

In response to renewed complaints about deteriorating medians on Queens Boulevard, Community Board 6 and area elected officials called for proactive maintenance by the city Sanitation Department.

CB 6 District Manager Christine Nolan, Councilmember Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills), Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills) and state Sens. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) and Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans) on Monday wrote a joint letter to the agency requesting prompt action to clean up the medians from 63rd Drive to Union Turnpike, as well as conduct upkeep on a consistent schedule.

“Given the current state of the Boulevard, we’re hopeful that a proactive response can be coordinated by mid-July, so that our communities may enjoy a safe and well-maintained public space throughout the remainder of the summer,” the letter reads. Volunteers at community cleanups and from organizations such as Friends of MacDonald Park are not qualified or equipped to maintain the medians themselves, it continues.

A DSNY spokesperson told the Chronicle via email that it would clean the medians along that stretch early Wednesday morning on the overnight shift, and it will continue to

monitor and maintain them.

“We appreciate these leaders’ continued advocacy around this important issue,” the spokesperson said.

This is not the first time the medians had seen better days. Residents lamented similar signs of deterioration toward the end of last summer, the letter states, and they were ultimately resolved after they were brought to the agency’s attention.

“DSNY has consistently been one of our most responsive community partners, including how they helped us address this issue last year,” Hevesi said.

But Stephen Melnick of Friends of MacDonald Park said the medians did not get cleaned up until October last year, meaning residents dealt with “a whole summer of that mess.”

Not only that, but issues with the medians go back more than 20 years, he said.

“I live one block from Queens Boulevard and I always noticed that no one was taking care of the medians,” Melnick told the Chronicle, lamenting overgrown weeds and garbage along the stretch from Forest Hills and Rego Park all the way to Woodside.

Melnick said that, in the past, he would pay out of pocket to have them cleaned up twice a year. More recently, he has spearheaded cleanup efforts with his group.

not equipped to do so alone.

“It’s just basically the same, nobody takes care of them,” he said. “So I just threw my hands up.”

Legislation was introduced in the City Council toward the end of last year that would require the city to clean street medians at least once per quarter. It is now with the Council’s Transportation Committee.

A spokesperson for Queens Borough

President Donovan Richards said he plans to sign onto it — the introduction of the bill followed his attention-calling to overgrown medians across the borough.

“Queens Boulevard is named after Queens,” Melnick said. “It’s the main thoroughfare of Queens County. If we can’t keep that nice looking, in order, clean, there’s something wrong.” Q

Area leaders urged the DSNY to maintain medians on Queens Boulevard, stating that volunteers at community cleanups are

COURTESY PHOTO / FILE

An image of the center busway proposed for Hillside Avenue. IMAGE COURTESY DOT

Higher ed gets cuts in the federal OBBBA

New legislation brings changes for nation’s students and their loans

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Education activists believe many students may see new struggles as a result of new federal spending legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law by President Trump last week.

According to Gov. Hochul’s office, as of September 2024, more than 2.5 million children under the age of 18 in the state are enrolled in Medicaid and Child Health Plus. With the bill’s sweeping cuts to Medicaid, some are concerned about the impact on students.

Councilmember Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills), a member of the Education Committee, in a statement said that as a result of the bill’s passing, the ability to get a good education “will be greatly diminished.”

Schulman said, “Out kids get one chance at a good education. ... This budget bill will do a lot of damage to New Yorkers, from a severe reduction of funds for healthcare to taking crucial funds from public schools that help underserved communities and students with disabilities.”

She continued, “At a time when we should be investing in public education, supporting immigrant families, and ensuring every child has the resources to succeed, this bill does the opposite ... I stand firmly with our students, educators, and families in opposing these

short-sighted measures and will work with my colleagues to ensure all students get the education they deserve.”

Councilmember Shekar Krishnan (D-Jackson Heights), also a member of the Education Committee, in a statement said, “To pay for a massive tax cut for the wealthy, Donald Trump and the Republican Party are slashing funding for our children’s education, the healthcare of 1 million New Yorkers’ and SNAP and food assistance.”

Krishnan continued, “They are leaving families hungry and jeopardizing the future of our children. New York City has passed a budget that secures historic victories for children and education — funding the first AAPI history curriculum in public schools, a universal child care pilot program for zero to two years old, and permanent funding for 3-K, PreK, and public school programs, but we cannot protect our children alone. We need a federal government that cares about working-class families more than the interests of billionaires.”

The recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill Act brings changes to student loans, Pell Grants and tax endowments.

been worse,” but acknowledged the cuts could have significant consequences for college campuses, students, their families and how they pay their bills.

some, most significantly, low-income families,” Browne said. “Coming from an administration that wants to eliminate the federal Department of Education, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a mixed bag.”

Dramatic cuts to the Pell Grant program were removed before the bill was finalized, Browne clarified, but students now can be disqualified from receiving Pell Grants based on their student aid index, or if they receive other aid covering their full cost of attendance. Many students use the remainder of their grants to pay for expenses such as transportation, housing and food.

Workforce Pell Grants, however, were introduced for short-term, accredited workforce training programs.

Assemblymember Alicia Hyndman (D-Springfield Gardens), the chair of the Committee on Higher Education, said the OBBBA signals a concerning shift away from educational equity and could lead to a sharp decline in college affordability.

The bill’s biggest educational impacts come in changes to student loans, Pell Grants and tax endowments.

Brian Browne, a St. John’s University political science professor and analyst, said, “From a higher education perspective, it could have

Browne said, “While there are adverse policy outcomes ... the final version is improved from earlier House and Senate proposals.”

He continued, “The legislation will transform the higher education sector, strain universities’ finances and hinder college access for

“One of the most significant changes is the expansion of the college endowment tax,” Hyndman said in a statement.

Instead of a flat 1.4 percent tax, the bill introduced a graduated tax rate, ranging from

continued on page 16

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Lawmakers say BBB Act hurts healthcare

Cancer patients, seniors and the

by Naeisha Rose Editor

President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Act will have a major impact on healthcare.

The budget reconciliation legislation, which was signed into law July 4, will reduce federal Medicaid spending by around $1 trillion, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit research organization that focuses on major national healthcare issues.

The BBB Act mandates that ablebodied adults who are eligible for Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act meet work and reporting requirements; it repeals former President Biden administration’s rule simplifying eligibility and renewal processes; it establishes a moratorium on new or increased provider taxes and reduces existing provider taxes in expansion states; it revises the payment limit for state directed payments; and increases the frequency of eligibility redeterminations for the ACA expansion group, said the KFF. New York State would have about $120 billion fewer federal funds over the course of a decade toward Medicaid.

The National Council on Aging said the law would make life more difficult for older Americans, especially 27 million who already cannot afford their basic living needs.

The NCA said the work requirements for the program harms older Americans who depend on Medicaid for healthcare and cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program under the law will exacerbate senior hunger.

The NCA said one in five older Americans get their health insurance through Medicaid, including 5 million who are enrolled in Medicaid expansion under the ACA.

U.S. Rep. Greg Meeks (D-Jamaica) told the Chronicle the bill is dev-

astating, it benefits no one and will increase federal deficits by $3.3 trillion within the decade. Promises for no tax on tips and reductions to state and local taxes will sunset within four years, while tax breaks for billionaires will be permanent, said Meeks. Meanwhile, nearly 313,000 children, seniors and people with disabilities on Medicaid in his district alone are at risk of losing their healthcare. About 86,000 of his constituents would lose SNAP.

“It’s a reverse robin hood situation,” said Meeks.

The Hill reported that U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) shared Meeks sentiments in a letter to Democratic colleagues ahead of the bill being signed and said, “This is beyond bait and switch — it is a bait and poison-to-kill.”

Meeks said about 60 percent of revenues for hospitals in Queens come from Medicaid. Health centers such as the Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center would have to curtail services.

“The bill undermines the Affordable Care Act, it defunds Planned Parenthood,” said Meeks. About 1.1 million women will be without access to cancer screenings and birth control. “It allows states to impose 90-day lockout of kids who get their healthcare through the Children’s Health Insurance Program and it subjects them to arbitrary periods when they are uninsured.”

The bill cuts retroactive Medicaid coverage, increases co-pays, reduces staffing at nursing homes and hospitals and will leave more Americans in medical debt, said the congressman.

disabled severely impacted by Trump bill

ber of the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Health, said via email that the Big Beautiful Bill is anything but.

“It’s a raw deal for working families and a serious blow to our healthcare system,” said Rajkumar. “This bill guts nearly a billion dollars from Medicaid and kicks almost 12 million people off their health insurance. That’s not reform — it’s a direct hit on the people who need help the most.”

“A big ugly betrayal.”

—Gov. Hochul

“The quality of care will be in great jeopardy,” said Meeks about nursing homes. “Nursing homes get most of their funding through Medicare ... Individuals who are working are going to have to figure out how to take care of their aging parents.”

Jamaica Hospital declined to comment about the bill, as it is still analyzing it. The Chronicle reached out to other area hospitals but they did not respond before press time.

Meeks said his constituents should call his office at (347) 230-4032 if they need help with filing for health insurance now that they will be subjected to more mandatory paperwork.

Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven), a mem-

Rajkumar said more than 7 million New Yorkers rely on Medicaid.

“Hospitals, clinics and frontline providers count on that funding to care for our communities,” said Rajkumar, who says she is willing to fight tooth and nail to stop the cuts from hurting people in the Empire State. “When we weaken healthcare for the many, we all pay the price — no matter our income ... Healthcare is not a privilege for the few — it’s a promise we make to each other. I will not let political games or backroom deals come between you and the care you deserve. This fight is personal — for our families, our communities, and our future.”

Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas (D-East Elmhurst), another member of the committee, said via email that up to 1.5 million New Yorkers could lose their medical coverage.

“The passage of Trump’s latest healthcare rollback is not only deeply tragic, it’s a direct insult to New Yorkers,” said González-Rojas. “Trump’s claim that these devastating cuts will reduce fraud is dangerously

will have ... rippling effects.

“I am angry to see the estimated $8 billion loss in funding for hospitals and healthcare facilities while our communities already struggle with healthcare access,” said Gonzalez. “I am angry to see the cuts to food stamps, which will impact 3 million New Yorkers while our neighbors are going hungry.

“Washington has made its move and we in New York must now make ours. I’m ready to reconvene in the state legislature for a special session to address these cuts. We must pass revenue-raising legislation to mitigate the harm of these cuts and take care of New Yorkers’ basic needs.”

short-sighted. In reality, millions across the country will suffer — and many will die — due to new burdensome paperwork requirements and bureaucratic barriers.

“Cancer patients, older adults, people with disabilities, and critically ill individuals are now at greater risk ... New York State must do all that it can to support and secure access to healthcare and support those most vulnerable. We must brace for the worst — and show up for our neighbors in this moment of crisis.

“These cuts will have reverberating effects on New York, generating a greater economic crisis on the state level and within individual households. We have to fight back. Shame on the Trump administration for prioritizing politics and gambling with our lives.”

Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills) said via email that everyone involved in the passage of the bill, including the president, should be ashamed.

“This is one of the most harmful pieces of legislation against Americans in recent memory,” said Hevesi.

“In New York alone, we’re facing more than $13 billion in cuts to Medicaid ... That includes Queens, where thousands of seniors and working families make up a greater portion of the population than the rest of our state ... our federal and advocacy partners are sickened by the scope of this bill’s damage, and its impacts on healthcare, housing, SNAP, education and basic economic stability.”

State Sen. Kristin Gonzalez (D-Manhattan), who represents part of Astoria and Long Island City and is a member of the state Senate’s Health Committee, said via email that the Republican federal budget

Gov. Hochul said in a statement that the bill is “a big, ugly betrayal” and “it was made possible by New York’s seven Republican members of Congress. They wrote it. They endorsed it. Now they’re cheering it on, selling out the very people they were sent to Washington to represent.

“I’ve been very clear that no state can backfill the massive cuts in this bill or undo the damage Republicans just caused. But my team and I are working closely with the Legislature to brace for the impact and protect as many New Yorkers as possible.”

State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said, “A rollback of this magnitude jeopardizes the stability of health care facilities around the state, strips health insurance coverage from New Yorkers ... As we continue to assess the impacts of the bill the department will remain steadfast in its commitment to protecting the health of all New Yorkers and will work to mitigate the impacts of this law.”

Deputy Mayor Suzanne MilesGustave of the city Health and Human Services said she was deeply disappointed by the passage of the legislation while at a press conference about strides being made to support expectant mothers at the East Harlem Neighborhood Action Center on Monday.

“Access to health care and healthy foods are critical to not just surviving, but thriving, which is our goal here in New York City, especially for pregnant people, new parents, and their children,” said Miles-Gustave. “As we talk about our amazing work to increase access to doula services in New York City, we know doula services are just a piece of the safety net we need to ensure everyone has a safe pregnancy, and the means they need to raise a family.

“Access to healthy food and all forms of preventive and emergency care are also critical.” Q

Nursing homes, like the one seen here, will experience cuts to staff under President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Act, said U.S. Rep. Greg Meeks. Hospitals, clinics and health centers will also have cuts. PHOTOS BY NAEISHA ROSE

Greg Meeks at a 2023 press conference at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in Richmond Hill.

Fed transportation cuts could slam NYC

While still early, U.S. House Rep has concerns; Adams: We’ll

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

New York City traditionally counts on a great deal of federal funding to support and expand its massive transportation and infrastructure needs.

But the federal spending bill passed by the U.S. House and Senate last week and signed by President Trump could cause some problems down the road.

U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-Manhattan) is the only New York State representative on either the House or Senate Transportation Committees. And while it is still early in the process, Nadler is preparing for the possibility of a transportation turf war.

“This bill was just signed into law, and the agencies still have to act on it,” a senior Nadler staffer told the Chronicle. “There are no direct funding cuts to New York, but there are some dangers.”

One, he said, is that the reconciliation bill signed by Trump sets topping caps on non-defense spending. With New York City transportation programs and projects relying on non-defense appropriations, those dollars could become less available in the future.

“It’s not just are people competing for slices of a smaller pie,” the senior staffer said. “Capital investment grants are funds that the Second Avenue subway and other projects rely heavily on. So caps could lead to reduced investment grants, and less funding available for transportation. But we’re going to fight very hard for that, and the other cuts in general.”

The cuts also include many parts of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021, also known as the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act, where many programs have had money not yet obligated to a specific project rescinded.

“So while those funds would not technically have been cut from New York City, they could have been available in the future.”

Some places where the city may have to expect losses are funds for low- or no-emission bus programs, EV charging programs and transportation equity programs aimed at remedying past underfunding of transportation in given areas.

Nadler also is said to be gearing up for battle next week on a transportation appropriations bill where he has concerns about Republicans looking to cut more from transit, Amtrak and other programs.

The subject of federal budget cuts to Medicare came up at healthcarerelated press conference hosted by Mayor Adams on Monday. But his answer appeared to cover everything from health to immigrant services

“Whenever we fall short on the

find a way

federal or state level — because we fall short on both levels — whenever we fall short on the federal or the state level in receiving the funding that we deserve, New York is the economic engine for the state and for the federal government,” Adams said in a transcript from his office. “Whenever we fall short, we have to go and find ways to fill the gap. We’ve done that.”

One example he gave was dealing with $7 billion in care and services for migrant and asylum seekers.

“We found ways to ensure that we did not devastate these important programs,” Adams said. “So we don’t control budgets that are passed on the state level, budgets that are passed on the federal level ... So we’re going to do an analysis of the cuts that we are going to be impacted on the federal level, just as we did on the state level, and we’re going to make sure these programs continue to thrive and grow, because we know how important they are.

Gov. Hochul’s office did not respond to requests for comment on potential impacts to the state prior to the Chronicle’s deadline on Wednesday. Q

Proposed federal cuts to transportation grant programs could hamper projects and services in the city and New York State that traditionally rely very heavily on them.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON

City Hall to expand doula care program

One expert in the field says ‘it is a good start’ but compensation matters

by Naeisha Rose Editor

Mayor Adams’ office said the city’s work to improve maternal health outcomes via doula services has been so successful that it plans to expand the program in hopes of extending the lifespan of New Yorkers and reducing maternal mortality rates, especially amongst Black women, by 2030.

Since the Citywide Doula Initiative was launched in 2022, the program has served 3,245 people and there were no maternal deaths for program participants, according to City Hall. Last year alone, the initiative surpassed its goal to serve 1,000 participants giving birth a year and served 1,128 clients.

Additionally, there has been a 25 percent increase in doula coverage for city residents overall from 2022 — the first full year of data collection — to 2024, said the Mayor’s Office. The initiative accounted for nearly half of all doula-attended births in disinvested neighborhoods in 2024 and served a large proportion of women of color, shelter residents, and non-English speakers, resulting in better maternal health outcomes for Black women.

Studies have found that Black, non-Hispanic women were four times more likely to die of a “pregnancy-associated” cause, such as pregnancy complications, and six times more likely to die of a “pregnancy-related” cause, such as postpartum suicide or overdose, than their white counterparts.

About 61 percent of clients were Black or a mixed-race Black person in 2024, 44 percent identified as Hispanic or Latina combined with another race and 22 percent were nonEnglish speaking.

The program also resulted in fewer cesarean and preterm births from 2022 to 2024.

“Expecting a child should be the happiest time of a woman’s life,” said Adams in a statement. Unfortunately, pregnancy and childbirth can be dangerous, especially for Black and Hispanic women in our city, and across America ...We know this type of care works because those who received care from doulas have had less invasive procedures and shorter hospital stays — allowing parents to concentrate on what matters most: the health of the mom and their baby. It is shameful that, in the 21st century, in the greatest city in the world, the color of your skin or where you live still affects your ability to give birth safely — but with our doula program, we are changing that.”

The program is part of the mayor’s $34 million New Family Home Visits Initiative, which offers support to pregnant and parenting families by having trained health workers — such as doulas, nurses, social workers, lactation consultants and community health workers — make in-person or virtual visits to the homes of expectant and new parents. The initiative also connects families to community-based services through the first-ever citywide Coordinated Intake and Referral system, which facilitates equitable access to resources.

Charline Ogbeni, a doula, lactation consultant and the CEO of the Supporting Our Mothers Initiative, a milk depot located at 177-19 120 Ave. in St. Albans, said she supports the program but it also needs to address issues doulas face.

“Essentially, it is a great program, it definitely needs work just like anything,” said Ogbeni. “It is a good start.”

A rockin’ good time on 7/12

Get ready to rock! Queens Rockfest is returning for its seventh year on July 12, and will once again take place at the Forest Park Bandshell, on Forest Park Drive in Woodhaven.

Sponsored by Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven), the free festival kicks off at noon and will run until 8 p.m., featuring area rock bands, including Broken Nails, Entrance, Terror Garden and more.

In addition to good music, the event showcases different food and drink vendors and raffle giveaways. Proceeds will go to the Wounded Warrior

Project, a nonprofit that supports veterans and active duty service members.

For more information on the festival, head to queensrockfest.com.

Rajkumar said she’s proud to host the event once again, and added, “Woodhaven is the new art haven, and Queens is the cultural epicenter of New York. Whether it is the brilliant Rolling Stones covers at Queens Rockfest, or the dazzling paintings by artists in the Woodhaven Art Circle, Queens is a hotbed of the arts.” Q

— Kristen Guglielmo

Blood donors sought near you

The New York Blood Center is still seeking donors amid a blood emergency.

To learn more or make an appointment to donate, visit nybc.org. There are several blood drives in Central and Western Queens listed now:

• Queens Center mall, busmobile on 92nd Street, 12 to 6 p.m., Friday, July

“In the meantime, my mortgage is still due,” Ogbeni said. “All the bills I have to pay are still due. That is a large barrier in providing services and care.”

Ogbeni said that, along with more timely and robust compensation, there also needs to be more equity in the field to provide support for men who want to become doulas, more diversity in terms of language services, such as sign language, more space in hospitals for doulas to work and more extensive training and certifications for people who want to enter the career, which will help clients be more comfortable.

11, 90-15 Queens Blvd. in Elmhurst; blood drive coordinator Kelly Cefai; and

• Greater Ridgewood Youth Council, community room, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday, July 18, 59-03 Summerfield St. in Ridgewood; blood drive coordinator Bob Monahan.

Doulas are struggling to support their own families while helping others start theirs, said Ogbeni.

Ogbeni said providers such as her sometimes have to wait from 60 days to six months to get reimbursed for services and compensation for the non-medical practitioners is not adequate for them to support a family.

A cut to Medicaid due to President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Act further complicates the situation.

“I love the work that I do,” Ogbeni told the Chronicle. “Maternal health is something that needs to be invested in. I am providing services to families, but not necessarily being compensated for my time in a timely fashion.”

Since April, Ogbeni has had 55 interactions with clients, five of whom gave birth and had prenatal and postpartum visits, but she is just now getting compensated for her work.

“The same way that we are showing up and doing the best for maternal healthcare to improve outcomes, we also have to look at the outcomes of the providers,” said Ogbeni. “There were definitely moments where I was like, ‘How am I going to pay my bills?’ Yes, my clients had an amazing birth experience. Yes, none of my clients died in child labor, but we should not be struggling as providers to make ends meet.”

Ogbeni plans to open Birth By Queens and Wellness Center, which she says would be the first mid-wifery-led birth center in the borough, within the next two years.

To learn more about the initiative, visit birthbyqueens.org.

The city said the CDI partnered with 10 community-based doula organizations, trained 148 community members as doulas, provided professional development to more than 500, hosted more than 100 doula-friendly meetings and presentations with a total of 10 hospital partners, matched more than 350 hospitalreferred clients with CDI doulas and distributed more than 1,000 copies of the “Hospital DoulaFriendliness Guidebook,” which helps hospitals improve collaboration between clinical staff and doulas. Q

Chronicle seeks a freelance reporter

The Queens Chronicle is seeking a freelance reporter who is conscientious, reliable and able to turn stories around quickly when needed. The ideal candidate will have a flexible schedule and be able to cover events such as press conferences, protests and art exhibit openings. Knowledge of and interest in government and politics are strong pluses.

Higher ed. cuts

continued from page 13

1.4 to 8 percent. An original bill proposal suggested a 21 percent hike.

Hyndman said a higher tax burden could result in colleges being forced to reduce scholarship offerings, which would impact students who rely on that aid.

Institutions will also be held accountable for their graduates’ success: funding may be slashed if a college or university cannot prove its graduates earn more than someone with just a high school diploma.

Graduate students may face a tougher time financing their education. On top of a a

Applicants should send their resumes and three writing samples to Editor-in-Chief Peter C. Mastrosimone at peterm@qchron.com. Experience is preferred; talent required. Q

lifetime student loan borrowing limit of $257,000, graduate students are now limited to lifetime loan caps of $100,000 for a master’s degree and $200,000 for a doctoral, medical or professional degree.

The federal Graduate PLUS (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students) loan program also was cut.

“This legislation raises serious concerns about college affordability, access for lowincome students, and the financial stability of private institutions serving diverse communities,” Hyndman said.

A CUNY spokesperson told the Chronicle the university is reviewing the legislation and consulting with area officials about its impacts and funding changes. Q

Charline Ogbeni is supportive of the Mayor’s Office expanding doula care, but thinks more work needs to be done in compensating doulas in a timely manner. PHOTO BY SHANTÉ CARLAN

Meng secures funds in Appropriations bill that would support renovations Fighting for repairs to Maspeth firehouse

by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor

Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) doubled down on her push to revamp the FDNY’s Squad 288/HazMat 1 firehouse in Maspeth.

Meng obtained $2 million in Community Project Funding in the 2025 House Appropriations bill that would go toward renovations at the 68th Street building. The money is moving through the legislative process, as per a press release issued Monday.

“We need to ensure that our brave firefighters have the resources they need to keep us safe and save lives, and that includes those at Squad 288/HazMat 1 in Maspeth,” she said.

The funds would go toward replacing the floor of the apparatus, the firehouse’s main space that includes its vehicles, bunker gear, workbenches, tools and equipment.

The New York Post reported June 28 that the floor had holes in it until firefighters paid for a new one themselves for fear that someone would get hurt before the city responded. Sewage backups, mold, exposed asbestos and cracked walls and floors are among the other issues plaguing the building. The Post reported that repairs are set to start in the fall.

“Our firehouses have sadly been allowed to fall into deplorable states, but this funding would go a long way towards righting the wrongs at the Squad 288/HazMat 1 house,” said Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park), who chairs the Committee on Fire and Emergency Management.

“Our heroes deserve safe, structurally sound firehouses to go back to when they aren’t saving the lives of their fellow New Yorkers,” Ariola said. “This investment would help give that to the men and women of Squad 288/HazMat 1, and ensure that they can continue protecting the people of Maspeth and beyond for many years to come.”

Meng recently visited the firehouse, where she said she saw the need for the repairs that

During her visit to Maspeth’s Squad 288/ HazMat 1 firehouse, Rep. Grace Meng saw the need for repairs that her Community Project Funding would support. PHOTO COURTESY U.S. HOUSE

the funding would support. She promised to keep pushing it through Congress until it crosses the finish line.

Uniformed Firefighters Association Vice President Robert Eustace said the union appreciates Meng’s efforts to fund the “necessary and long overdue repairs.”

Some have long pushed to designate the 100-plus-year-old firehouse as a landmark. In the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, 19 of its firefighters were killed in the collapse of the World Trade Center, the highest total of any firehouse in the city.

A spokesperson from the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission said the building had not been identified in a citywide survey as a priority for designation based on architectural merit. It also has been less than 30 years since the attacks, the amount of time needed to confer historic significance. Q

138TH ANNUAL

IN HONOR OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL & SAN PAOLINO DI NOLA

Bike boulevard the wheel deal in Astoria

31st Avenue redone for riders and pedestrians from Vernon to Steinway

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

City Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez last week was celebrating the completion of the borough’s most recent cycling- and pedestrian-friendly street makeover.

Astoria’s 31st Avenue has been converted to a “bike boulevard” between Vernon Boulevard in the west and Steinway Street in the east. The DOT said the rationale for the change is to better accommodate cyclists and pedestrians, whom the agency says are the the most frequent users of the street; to have more connections to existing bike lane networks; and improve overall safety in the corridor.

“Thirty-first Avenue’s innovative redesign as a bike boulevard will help protect pedestrians and cyclists, support Open Street operations, and strengthen connections to the 16.5 lane miles of protected bike lanes, and 21 lane miles of standard bike lanes and shared lanes in the area,” Rodriguez said in a press release from his office on July 3. “Streets are public space, and designs like this show that we can reimagine the use of public space to benefit all road users.”

A cyclist crosses 34th Street in Astoria while taking in the summer weather along the newly redesigned 31st Avenue. The bike- and pedestrian-friendly changes run between Vernon Boulevard and Steinway Street.

to function as an open street on weekends from noon to 8 p.m.

The new street design features granite blocks and planters to provide hardened daylighting at intersections while protecting designated pedestrian spaces.

The DOT said traffic diversions at intersections along the new route reverse the flow of one-way traffic to reduce vehicle volumes, noise, and discourage speeding, while maintaining local access and parking for residents, deliveries and pick-ups and drop-offs.

In addition to more signs and signals, the DOT said it is using some that are designed and positioned specifically to be more effective for cyclists.

“New, smaller bike signals are more visible to cyclists by being located at eye-level at the nearside of corners, where they can be easily spotted before cyclists enter intersections, where most crashes occur,” the DOT said. “Additional flashing yield signals and stop signs along the corridor encourage all road users to remain alert and follow all traffic laws.”

A two-way protected bike lane provides an east-west cycling connection from Vernon Boulevard to Steinway Street, resulting in a continuous protected bike route from Astoria to the Queensboro Bridge.

31st Street to 35th Street.

Drivers now must negotiate a road that has been broken up into multiple one-way segments, with eastbound sections running from 21st Street to Vernon Boulevard and

Westbound segments include Steinway Street to 35th Street, 31st Street to Crescent Street, and 21st Street to Vernon Boulevard.

A two-block stretch of 31st Avenue between 33rd and 35th streets will continue

As to the safety factor behind the changes, the DOT said 31st Avenue between Vernon Boulevard and 51st Street saw 243 people hurt, including one person killed and 14 seriously hurt, in traffic incidents from 2019 to 2023. Q

Ridgewood garden drops injunction request

Parks won’t end license agreement amid negotiations, control

by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor

A member of Ridgewood’s Sunset Community Garden has withdrawn a request for a preliminary injunction to prevent the city Parks Department from terminating its license agreement, according to court documents filed Monday.

The court had been set to rule on the injunction when the plaintiff’s counsel, Jonathan Wallace, said he spoke with attorneys from the Corporation Counsel the day prior, according to a transcript of the hearing. Stating that he anticipates finding a resolution, he said he would prefer to set a control date rather than proceed with the injunction.

The judge then requested an off-the-record discussion regarding plans for a potential resolution.

The litigation began after Parks moved to terminate the garden’s license in May, stating that it failed to comply with the rules for community gardens by requiring ideological commitments from members. Among the required commitments is one to interrupt “behavior or rhetoric that expresses all forms of hate,” including homophobia, racism, Zionism and anti-Semitism.

The agency said it had been working with members since last September to address violations, and the garden has said the city falsely

labeled its community agreements discriminatory.

The garden group also said in May that its conflict with Parks centered on the agency’s order to remove a memorial for transgender activist Cecilia Gentili. Parks said the memorial did not qualify for permanent installation and suggested ways for it to remain on display, none of which were accepted. The garden has since been renamed “Jardin de Santa Cecilia” in Gentili’s honor.

The plaintiff and the city agreed to a control date of July 18 to explore a resolution of the matter. Parks will not move to effectuate the termination of the license as negotiations continue.

Attorney Aaron Meyer of Long Island, who works for a Texas firm, said it was a “smart move” to withdraw the injunction request, and he understands why the court would allow it.

But to appear to backtrack is “troubling to a number of us right now,” he said.

“Whether that change of heart was because of the Democratic mayoral primary, whether it was due to other factors, I’m not a mind reader so I can’t say for certain, but they made a smart, tactical move there,” Meyer told the Chronicle Wednesday, stating also that parties “might be looking for the easy way out.”

“What’s troubling is it seems like there might be something else going on,” he said.

date set

“That’s where my particular concern is.”

He later added that looking to find an “expedient solution” is not going to be sufficient and that his team is reserving the right to file an amicus brief or pursue other litigation, if deemed necessary.

“These are community spaces, they’re meant to be community spaces,” he said. “There cannot be any sort of ideological litmus test.”

The garden group did not respond to several emails requesting comment. Parks said it does not comment on ongoing litigation.

A Corporation Counsel spokesperson said the agency is exploring whether the case can be resolved in a manner that is in the best interest of the city.

“You can’t have a public park weaponized to serve ideology, any ideology,” Meyer said. Q

PHOTO BY WALTER KARLING

A member of Ridgewood’s Sunset Community Garden has withdrawn a request for injunctive relief, and Parks will not effectuate termination of its license at this time.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHAIN / FILE

by Kristen Guglielmo

nature-themed literature. Call the refuge at (718) 318-4340 if interested in attending.

and locations, visit jbrpc.org/jamaica-bay-festival.

Whether you’re a budding birder, a bookworm, or just looking for some family fun, Jamaica Bay, part of the Gateway National Recreation Area, has something to pique your interest this month. From beachcombing and nature walks to aviation tours, July is packed with programming. For details on events offered at the bay, head to the National Park Service calendar at tinyurl. com/2z3zkjx2 and enter “Jamaica Bay” in the search bar.

Readers are welcome to join the Jamaica Bay Book Club at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on July 11 and 25, and continuing every other Friday, from 2 to 3 p.m. Participants will read and discuss

Every Sunday in July, amateur birders are welcome to Birding for Beginners at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Bug spray and sunscreen are recommended, and binoculars will be available.

Also on Sundays, at Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field’s Hangar B, attendees can explore restored aircraft and learn about aviation history on a guided tour, from 2 to 3 p.m.

The 8th annual Jamaica Bay Festival, on July 12, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. is a free event sure to provide fun for the whole family. The festival showcases a variety of activities, including kayaking, fishing, surfing, art and nature. For a list of prgrams

Also on July 12, all are welcome to join the National Park Service and Sadhana for Project Prithvi, a monthly beach cleanup, at the North Channel Bridge from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The group will meet at the red brick pavilion in the North Channel parking lot. The cleanup will be cancelled in the event of heavy rain or thunderstorms.

If you’re interested in exploring what the shore has to offer, try beachcombing with a ranger on July 12, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., or July 26, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., at Riis Beach. Attendees will meet at the flagpole between the Rockaway Beach Cooperative and the restrooms at Bay 9.

continued on page 21

h th

King Crossword Puzzle

I HAVE OFTEN WALKED

Lettie Cottin Pogrebin

has the write stuff for women

by Ron Marzlock Chronicle Contributor

Jacob Cottin, a successful attorney, married Cyral Halpern in February 1937. They purchased a corner semidetached English tudor home just constructed at 82-22 167 St. in Jamaica. A daughter, Loretta, was born June 9, 1939. She shared the home with a halfsister Betty, who was 14 years older from her mother’s previous marriage. Loretta graduated Brandeis University and in 1963 married Bertrand Pogrebin, the son of the owner of a New Jersey hat factory, who recently graduated Harvard Law School.

She was blessed with twin girls and a boy. In 1970, she wrote a column for Ladies Home Journal “The Working Woman.”

In 1971 she became one of the founding editors of Ms. magazine. She rejected gender stereotypes. She increased the connection in women’s based media. Pogrebin was a co-founder of the National Women’s Political Caucus and the author of 12 books. Her contribu-

167 Street

tions to women’s advancements is incalculable and cannot be measured.

Sadly, she lost her husband last year in 2024, but at 86, she is still active and makes public speaking appearances.

RT ER O F O U R PROUD SUPPORTER OF OUR LO CA L I N STIT U TI O N S LOCAL INSTITUTIONS

C U LT U R E L A B LI C CULTURE LAB LIC

H O U R C H I L D R E N HOUR CHILDREN

PUBLIC NOTICE CSX TRANSPORTATION ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

H U N T E R S P O I N T PA R KS C O N S E RVA N CY

HUNTERS POINT PARKS CONSERVANCY

J AC O B R I I S S E T T L E M E N T H O U S E JACOB RIIS SETTLEMENT HOUSE

K I D S R I D E C LU B KIDS RIDE CLUB

LI C A R T I ST S LIC ARTISTS

LI C C O M M U N I T Y B OAT H O U S E LIC

CSX Transportation invites bids for the Fremont Industrial Track Upgrade Phase 2 Track 6 Extension project. The project consists of the construction of all improvements necessary to construct and extension of Track 6.

Prior to bidding, the contractor must become familiar with all documents and with the project site. For a bid to be valid, contractor must be represented at the on-site pre-bid meeting to be held 10:00 AM Eastern Time, Tuesday, August 12, 2025 at the Project Site. The approximate project site address is 7416 Grand Ave., Elmhurst, NY 11373. Please notify Shawn Higgins, at Shawn Higgins@csx.com of intent to attend the pre-bid meeting so that Contract Documents may be sent prior to pre-bid meeting.

All Pre-bid Meeting attendees are responsible for bringing printed plans and bid documents to their use. There will not be plans or bid documents provided at the Pre-bid Meeting.

All those who attend the Pre-bid Meeting must be properly attired and geared with all necessary protective equipment including hard hat, safety glasses with side shields, laced steel-toed work boots at least 6” high, and hearing protection, no loose jewelry, including rings, may be worn while on Railroad property. No exceptions to these requirements will be allowed.

CSX will receive written sealed bids until the hour of 12 o’clock PM Eastern Time on September 2, 2025 mailed or hand delivered to the office of David Clark, Director Construction Engineering - 19 Depot Street, Walton, KY 41092, for the construction of project designated as “Fremont Industrial Track Upgrade Phase 2 Track 6 Extension.” Prior notice for bid submittal should be sent to David Clark, Director Construction Engineering at David Clark@csx.com.

The childhood home of Ms. Magazine founding editor and activist Lettie Cottin Pogrebin at 82-22

in Jamaica, as it looked in the 1940s. INSET PHOTO BY DANA MEILIJSON VIA WIKIPEDIA

What a wonderful anniversary in Corona

by Michael Gannon senior news editor

Aside from some social media mentions, the leaders at the Louis Armstrong Center in Corona didn’t plan any events to mark the center’s second anniversary on July 6.

Executive Director Regina Bain prefers to focus more on how far the center has come, and where it is headed as her team preserves and expands the legacy of the legendary jazz trumpeter, singer and band leader.

The center serves as an archive, museum and research center, with more than 60,000 artifacts and exhibits and is located at 34-49 107 St., across the street from the Louis Armstrong House Museum, where Satchmo and his wife, Lucille, lived and were part of the neighborhood.

“Two years later we’ve had 50 concerts through the museum, and they’ve been amazing,” Bain said, fondly remembering appearances such as one last fall by the late poet Nikki Giovanni in perhaps her final public appearance before her death.

“We’ve had amazing community programs, including our trumpet learning program,” she said. “Kids 8 to 14 can learn the trumpet. We loan them a trumpet for free. It’s low-cost, and we can do it now that we have indoor space and we don’t have to bother neighbors with trumpet classes.”

Branching out further, the center has started a justice arts music program for those recently released from incarceration.

“Louis Armstrong was incarcerated when he was a young boy,” Bain said. “In the place where he was incarcerated they had an arts program. That’s where he learned to play the trumpet and that helped launch his career. In that tradition we now have justice arts programming inside the new center. What we do is for people who are getting

out of incarceration to help them integrate back into society. It’s all about programming and community.”

She credits programming and community for the Louis Armstrong House Museum receiving the 2024 National Medal for Museum and Library Service from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Bain never ceases to be amazed at those who come from around the block and around the world to visit, particularly those

with personal or emotional ties to his 1967 song “What a Wonderful World,” which would not become a hit in the United States in 1988, 17 years after his death, when it was played before the backdrop of war in the movie “Good Morning, Vietnam.”

A project in the works focuses on the children of Corona who appear in hundreds of photos with the Armstrongs.

“Now these children are now adults in their 60s, 70s and 80s,” Bain said. “We’re collecting their oral histories and memories of what they meant to the community. Many of them didn’t know he was a star. Then just knew him as the uncle from the block who cared about who they were. They told us that things he and Lucille did for them are still with them today.”

“It’s only been two years, but it was 25 years in the making,” Bain said. “There was an article in 1999 in the Queens College Newsletter that said, ‘Across the street from the historic house, land has been purchased.’ And on it, we will build.

“We’re just beginning to dream about what this building can mean to us. It means so much in our country and on our corner, but he was also a global star. So this building gives us an opportunity to bring Armstrong to the world, and world to 107th Street. This tradition, this life belongs on this bock.” Q

Jamaica Bay has your summer plans covered

continued from page 19

On July 13, join a park ranger for a tour of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in an event titled “Jamaica Bay: Refuge for Wildlife; Refuge for People.” From 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., participants will focus on area plants, animals and geography and engage in meditative practices.

The Forts & Dunes Hike at Fort Tilden is a guided nature walk. On July 19, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., and July 27, from 10 a.m. to

Crossword Answers

11:30 a.m., participants will join a park ranger to learn about the history of the site. The program includes walking for about 2 miles on uneven terrain. The meetup location is outside Building 1, on 1 Murray Rd.

Those interested in birding will enjoy the Tree ID for Birders event on July 19, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. A park ranger will explain which birds are attracted to certain plants, and how to identify both. Binoculars will be provided, and water, sunscreen and bug spray are recommended.

Did you know New York has more than 400 species of native bees? Learn more at the “Catch the Buzz About Bees!” event at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on July 20, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

On July 26, climb to the top of Battery Harris East at Fort Tilden for the chance to see birds of all kinds from one of the highest lookout points in the area. From 2:30 to 4 p.m., attendees can enjoy a great view of the ocean, bay and all five boroughs. Binoculars, field guides and a scope will be provided, and the program will be cancelled in the event of rain.

If you enjoy relaxing sunset views, join a

Jamaica Bay is offering a slew of events this month, such as kayaking, above, that are sure to make a splash with nature lovers of all ages. On the cover: Participants enjoy the views.

park ranger on July 28, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., for a Sunset Walk. Attendees will walk to the shoreline and enjoy the sights at the overlook at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.

Following the Sunset Walk, all are welcome to Moth Night, from 8:30 to 9:30

p.m., for an after-hours peek around the pollinator garden and visitor center to see some of the Bay’s moth diversity. Long sleeves and pants are recommended, and flashlights or headlamps are welcome. The Visitor Center will be closed during both the Sunset Walk and Moth Night. Q

Executive Director Regina Bain, here at the opening of the Louis Armstrong Center in 2023, is as excited about the center’s future as she was its start.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON / FILE

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Legal Notices

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT QUEENS COUNTY MUNICIPAL CREDIT UNION, Plaintiff against TRACY WILLIAMS, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Stern, Lavinthal & Frankenberg, LLC, 103 Eisenhower Parkway, Suite 100, Roseland, NJ 07068. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered July 12, 2018 and an Order Extending Time to Set Sale entered May 9, 2025, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at the Queens County Supreme Court, Courtroom #25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on August 1, 2025 at 10:00 AM. Premises known as 177-11 137th Avenue, Springfield Gardens, NY 11434. Block 12991 Lot 42. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Springfield Gardens in the Fourth Ward of the Borough of Queens, County of Queens, City and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $288,935.80 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 708606/2022

F/K/A 6876/14. 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. James S Yoh, Esq., Referee File # 202100026

Notice of Formation of 3308 TWENTY NINTH LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 05/28/25. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 22 Fir Dr., Manhasset Hills, NY 11040. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Legal Notices

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT: QUEENS COUNTY. CHONDRITE REO, LLC (5), Pltf., vs. EXCELLENT DEVELOPMENT I LLC., et al, Defts. Index #707851/2019. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered March 27, 2024, I will sell at public auction on the front steps of the Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, NY on August 8, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. prem. k/a 87-34 169th Street, Jamaica, NY 11432 a/k/a Block 9841, Lot(s) 46 and 48. Approx. amt. of judgment is $1,088,825.35 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. LAMONT RAMSAY BAILEY, Referee. DEUTSCH & SCHNEIDER, LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 79-37 Myrtle Avenue, Glendale, NY. File No. LF-108#102407

PUBLIC NOTICE

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Notice of formation EASTERN GRACE HOLDINGS LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 06/04/2025. Office located in QUEENS. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC, 3808 UNION ST., 11D, FLUSHING, NY 11354 Purpose: any lawful purpose.

A Notice of Formation of Greenwood Group Realty LLC, Art. of Org. filed Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/24/2025. Office location: Queens County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: The LLC, 98-04 35th Ave., Corona, NY 11368. Purpose: any lawful activity.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR GREENPOINT MORTGAGE FUNDING TRUST MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007AR1, -against- ADRIAN RODRIGUEZ, 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 June 26, 2024, wherein U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR GREENPOINT MORTGAGE FUNDING TRUST MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-AR1 is the Plaintiff and ADRIAN RODRIGUEZ, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the QUEENS COUNTY SUPREME COURT, 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD, COURTROOM 25, JAMAICA, NY 11435, on August 1, 2025 at 10:00AM, premises known as 220-25 134TH ROAD, SPRINGFIELD GARDENS, NY 11413; and the following tax map identification: 13098-2. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE FOURTH WARD, BOROUGH AND COUNTY OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 715762/2022. Michele Augusta Baptiste, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/ CLERK DIRECTIVES.

Notice of Formation of 6501 Fresh Pond LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State (SSNY) on 1/22/25. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 65-01 Fresh Pond Rd, Flushing, NY 11385. Purpose: any lawful activity.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS TRUSTEE FOR THE STRUCTURED ASSET MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS II TRUST, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006AR8, -against- JOSE TAVAREZ, 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 March 10, 2023, wherein THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK AS TRUSTEE FOR THE STRUCTURED ASSET MORTGAGE INVESTMENTS II TRUST, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-AR8 is the Plaintiff and JOSE TAVAREZ, ET AL., are the Defendants. I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the QUEENS COUNTY SUPREME COURT, 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD, COURTROOM 25, JAMAICA, NY 11435, on July 25, 2025 at 10:00AM, the premises known as 62-22 BURCHELL ROAD, ARVERNE, NY 11692 and the following tax map identification 16007-9. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE BOROUGH AND COUNTY OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 706209/2014. Steven P. Goldenberg, Esq., as Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/ CLERK DIRECTIVES.

Notice of Formation of AKSH CLOTHING LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/18/2025. 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: AKSHPREET KAUR, 10448 125TH STREET, SOUTH RICHMOND HILL, NY 11419. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

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

The Queens Chronicle reserves the right to alter wording in ads to conform with Federal Fair Housing regulations.

East Rockaway. JUST LISTED! 17 Acorn Rd—$899,000 10 Bulaire Rd—$2,049,000 Gabrielle D’Angelo, Living In Style, 347-870-4230, Keller Williams

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Howard Beach, Sat 7/12, 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/Rockwood Park, Sun 7/13, 1pm-3pm, 163-15 86 St. Custom colonial, 4,000 sq.ft., 61x100 lot. $2,550,000. Call Adam @ Gama Group, 646-725-8791 Lindenwood, by appt, call Janice 718-490-8023, Sat 7/12, 12pm-3pm. 87-10 149 Ave, Unit 5D. 2 BR, 2 Bath condo. C21 Amiable II.

To Advertise Call 718-205-8000

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT: QUEENS COUNTY. HOF I GRANTOR TRUST 5, Pltf., vs. TORRES DEVELOPMENT LLC, et al, Defts. Index #713825/23. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered May 14, 2025, I will sell at public auction in Courtroom #25 of the Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, NY on July 18, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. prem. k/a 150 Beach 27th Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691 a/k/a Section 60, Block 15818, Lot 9. Approx. amt. of judgment is $555,538.84 plus costs and interest. Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale.

HELMUT BORCHERT, Referee. DEUTSCH & SCHNEIDER, LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 79-37 Myrtle Avenue, Glendale, NY. File No. LF-440- #102331

INK FOREST LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 02/22/23. 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, 1415 Redfern Ave., Far Rockaway, NY 11691. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of Jun Real Estate Management LLC. Art. of Org. filed Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/30/2018. Office location: Queens County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: The LLC, 67-11 52 RD, Maspeth, NY 11378. Purpose: any lawful activity.

LIC KABAB LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/30/2025. 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, 40-09 21st Street, Unit E, Long Island City, NY 11101. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

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 CWALT, Inc. Alternative Loan Trust 200536 Mortgage Pass-Through Certifi cates, Series 2005-36, Plaintiff AGAINST Juan Pimentel, Leidy M. Pimental, Alexis Cordero, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered May 14, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, on the second floor in Courtroom 25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, New York on July 18, 2025 at 11:00 AM, premises known as 133-12 129th Street, South Ozone Park, NY 11420. 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: 11787, Lot: 42. Approximate amount of judgment $696,327.70 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #705485/2024. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. Frances Yetta Ruiz, Esq, Referee Frenkel Lambert Weisman & Gordon, LLP 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, NY 11706 01-025057-F01 85848

LOTUS COURIER GROUP LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 06/25/25. 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, 101-02 101st Avenue, Apartment 2, Queens, NY 11416. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

NOTICE

OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS TRUST COMPANY, A/K/A M&T BANK, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER WITH HUDSON CITY SAVINGS BANK, Plaintiff AGAINST STEPHANIE D. SINAI; ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered August 22, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, on the second fl oor in Courtroom 25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, New York on July 18, 2025 at 10:00 AM, premises known as 8210 214th Street, Hollis Hills, NY 11427. 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: 7805 Lot: 41. Approximate amount of judgment $909,597.99 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #721068/2021. For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction. com or call (800) 280-2832. Joseph Frank Defelice, Esq., Referee Fein, Such & Crane, LLP 28 East Main Street Rochester, NY 14614 CHJNC396 85894

Notice of formation of GGLL 3 LLC. Art. of Org. filed with NY Sec. of State on 5/23/25. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent for service of process. SSNY shall mail process to 6703 54th Ave., Maspeth, NY 11378. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of ALEXANDRA & CO. REALTY, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/01/2025. 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: ALEXANDRA MAKAREVICH, 68-86 136TH STREET, SUITE #B, KEW GARDENS HILLS, NY 11367. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS

INDEX NO. 716675/2024 Plaintiff designates QUEENS as the place of trial situs of the real property

Mortgaged Premises: 116 -09 14TH ROAD, COLLEGE POINT, NY 11356-0000 Block: 4051, Lot: 31 U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR MERRILL LYNCH FIRST FRANKLIN MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-2 Plaintiff, vs. MOHAMMED SHAMSUL ALAM, if living, and if she/he be dead, 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, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; NEW YORK CITY PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU; NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU; THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, “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. To the above named Defendants YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service. Your failure to appear or to answer will result in a judgment against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. In the event that a deficiency balance remains from the sale proceeds, a judgment may be entered against you. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above caption action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the sum of $572,000.00 and interest, recorded on April 25, 2007, in City Register File Number (CRFN): 2007000213059, of the Public Records of QUEENS County, New York., covering premises known as 116-09 14TH ROAD, COLLEGE POINT, NY 11356-0000. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. QUEENS County is designated as the place of trial because the real property affected by this action is located in said county. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. Dated: June 24th, 2025 ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorney for Plaintiff Matthew Rothstein, Esq. 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310 Westbury, NY 11590 516-280-7675

BH 7TH MEMBER LLC.

Filed 6/9/2025. Office: Queens Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 80-02 KEW GARDENS ROAD, SUITE 605, KEW GARDENS, NY 11415. Purpose: General

Notice of Formation of Bressai LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on May 26, 2025. Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: 2345 100th Street, Floor 1, East Elmhurst, NY 11369. Purpose: to engage in any lawful act or activity.

Notice of Formation of Smart Move Services, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/20/2025 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: LINA RESTREPO, 3553 82 STREET, APT 4E, JACKSON HEIGHTS, NY 11372. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Supplemental Summons and Notice of Object of Action Supreme Court Of The State Of New York County Of Queens Action To Foreclose A Mortgage Index #: 701595/2020 Bank Of America, N.A. Plaintiff, vs United States Of America Acting Through The Secretary Of Housing And Urban Development, New York City Environmental Control Board, Millie J Austin, JR. As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee AKA Rosie Mae Wells, Alice M Walker As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee AKA Rosie Mae Wells, Janice A Diggs As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee AKA Rosie Mae Wells, Veral A Diggs As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee AKA Rosie Mae Wells, Henry J Diggs, JR. As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee AKA Rosie Mae Wells If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, 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 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, Varnel L Diggs As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee AKA Rosie Mae Wells, Jennira S Roundtree As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee AKA Rosie Mae Wells, Curtis Alexander Eley As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee AKA Rosie Mae Wells, Lakeesha Natasha Eley As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee AKA Rosie Mae Wells, Unknown Heirs Of Rosie Lee AKA Rosie Mae Wells If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, 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 Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Real Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Widows, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, New York City Transit Adjudication Bureau, New York City Parking Violations Bureau, United States Of America On Behalf Of The IRS, People Of The State Of New York “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 Subject Property described in the Complaint, Defendant(s). Mortgaged Premises: 118-01 152nd Street Jamaica, NY 11434 To the Above named Defendant: 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 Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Queens. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Henry J Diggs, Jr., Unknown Heirs of Rosie Lee AKA Rosie Mae Wells Defendants In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Tracy Catapano-Fox of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Twenty-Sixth day of June, 2025 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens, in the City of Jamaica. The object of this action is to foreclosure a mortgage upon the premises described below dated April 16, 2008, executed by Rosie Lee AKA Rosie Mae Wells (who died on November 26, 2020, a resident of the county of Wake, State of Florida) to secure the sum of $544,185.00. The Mortgage was recorded at CRFN 2009000260182 in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County on August 18, 2009. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed January 20, 2010 and recorded on February 17, 2010, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2010000054123. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed January 20, 2010 and recorded on February 17, 2010, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2010000054124. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed April 9, 2010 and recorded on May 7, 2010, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2010000154144. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by a gap assignment executed July 31, 2019 and recorded on August 14, 2019, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2019000259681. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed June 3, 2019 and recorded on June 27, 2019, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2019000203029. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed October 8, 2024 and recorded on October 18, 2024, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2024000272507. The property in question is described as follows: 118-01 152nd Street, Jamaica, NY 11434 NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this Foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: July 2, 2025 Gross Polowy LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221 The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 86477

SYNERGY CONSTRUCTION R

LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 5/22/25. Office in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 10207 Roosevelt Ave., 2nd Fl., Corona, NY 11368, which is also the principal business location. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of TECQ, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/28/2025. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: BRIAN MARMOR, 2325 31ST ST., STE 200, ASTORIA, NY 11105. Purpose: any lawful activities

Notice of Formation of TERRA9 CONTRACTING LLC

Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 06/06/2025. 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: TERRA9 CONTRACTING LLC, 4913 70TH STREET, WOODSIDE, NY 11377. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of TRYANGLE MEDIA LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/21/2025. 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: SAMUEL HERRERA, 5409 83RD ST, APT 1, ELMHURST, NY 11373. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS Freedom Mortgage Corporation, Plaintiff, -against- Kevin O. Manley, Steven Torres if living and if any be dead, any and all persons who are spouses, widows, grantees, mortgagees, lienor, heirs, devisees, distributees, or successors in interest of such of the above as may be dead, and their spouses, heirs, devisees, distributees and successors in interest, all of whom and whose names and places of residences are unknown to Plaintiff, Wells Fargo Financial National Bank, Criminal Court of the City of New York, Midland Funding LLC, Capital One Bank (USA), N.A., New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, New York City Environmental Control Board, New York City Parking Violations Bureau, New York City Transit Adjudication Bureau, Board of Directors for Jomar Estates Home Owners Association, Inc., “Jane Doe” (Refused Name), “John Doe” (Refused Name), “John Doe” (Refused Name), “John Doe” (Refused Name), “John Doe” (Refused Name), “John Doe” (Refused Name), “John Doe” (Refused Name), “John Doe” (Refused Name), United States of America-Internal Revenue Service, Defendants Index No. 723309/2024 Filed: June 27, 2025 SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS Plaintiff designates Queens County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the Mortgage premises is situated. TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT(S): 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 attorneys for the plaintiff within twenty (20) days after service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within thirty (30) days after service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure $810,057.00 and interest, recorded in the Office of the Clerk of the County of QUEENS on January 12, 2022, in Book CRFN 2022000018579, Page, covering premises known as 22246 141st Avenue a/k/a 222-46 141st Avenue, Springfield Gardens a/k/a Laurelton, NY 11413. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this Summons and Complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the Mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the Summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your Mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. Dated: Bay Shore, New York January 27, 2025 By: Robert Tremaroli, Esq. Frenkel, Lambert, Weiss, Weisman & Gordon, LLP Attorneys for Plaintiff 53 Gibson Street, Bay Shore, New York 11706

B SPORTS EAT

Joey is top dog again

by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor

One thing that Americans across the political spectrum could agree on is that Joey Chestnut is the greatest hot dog eater of all time. Chestnut won his 17th Yellow Mustard Belt, the most prestigious in sports, by devouring 70 franks at the Nathan’s July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest.

There was some drama going into this year’s contest because Chestnut was not allowed to take p art in the 2024 contest after he signed an endorsement deal with a vegan hot dog brand not affiliated with Nathan’s. Details about how things got resolved have not been released, but my guess is Nathan’s executives realized how much attention Chestnut brings to their event.

Word filtered out three weeks ago that Chestnut would be returning to the riser on Stillwell and Surf Avenues on July 4. The question was whether he would be the unconquerable gustatorial warrior he was after a year off, as well as being 41. While he did not break his previous record of devouring 77 hot dogs in ten minutes, Chestnut may have turned in his best performance ever by consuming 70 franks and beating his nearest rival, 2024 champ Patrick Bertoletti by 24 wieners.

You have to feel bad for Bertoletti who was clearly intimidated having to compete right next to Chestnut. Major League Eating, which is the governing body of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating

Contest, should place an asterisk next to Patrick Bertoletti’s name as the winner of the 2024 contest since Joey did not compete that year.

Multiple Sports Emmy Award winner Jeremy Schaap added prestige to the event by handling the play-by-play chores for ESPN. He was at the top of his game, and clearly having fun, calling Chestnut the Michelangelo of mastication.

While Chestnut understandably gets the lion’s share of the glory at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, Miki Sudo, who has won eleven straight Coney Island contests on the women’s side, is often overshadowed. She deserves the same plaudits.

Francisco Lindor was named the starting shortstop for the National League at next Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Atlanta. This is the first time Lindor will be an All-Star wearing a Mets uniform. He was a fixture at the game when he was playing for Cleveland.

While that is a great honor for him, he might have been better off taking the time off instead of heading down to Georgia for the midsummer classic. Lindor never misses a game. In addition to the fatigue that creates, he suffered a broken toe from a foul ball he hit and that was a factor in the lengthy funk at the plate he endured recently. When Lindor slumps, so do the Mets. That was proven beyond doubt in June. Q

See the extended version of Sports Beat every week at qchron.com