Queens Chronicle 07-17-25

PHOTOS

MICHAEL SHAIN

No matching funds for Adams again

Mayor’s campaign team hopeful for future money ahead of election

by Naeisha Rose Editor

The NYC Campaign Finance Board ruled against distributing matching funds to Mayor Adams once again on July 15, at a hybrid meeting that was held in Manhattan and via Zoom, as well as livestreamed on YouTube.

CFB Chair Frederick Schaffer said the group determined that Adams’ campaign failed to demonstrate eligibility for public fund payments at this time, citing outstanding information and documents from November 2024.

Schaffer said Adams failed to respond to the board’s request for information in a timely fashion and to file a Conflict of Interest Board disclosure by deadline. He also said the group has an ongoing investigation into whether Adams’ campaign violated the law.

The mayor was denied about $3.4 million in matching campaign funds back in December for his re-election bid because of a criminal indictment for bribery and other crimes, but that case was tossed months later by a federal judge at the behest of President Trump’s Justice Department.

One allegation against Adams was soliciting illegal donations from Turkish officials.

The Justice Department described the case against Adams to NBC News as a waste of resources, and the mayor told reporters outside Gracie Mansion earlier this year that the accusations were “baseless.”

Adams filed a lawsuit against the board over the denied funds. It was dismissed last Friday after U.S. District Judge Nicholas Garaufis said the board’s first two reasons for denying Adams’ campaign funds were valid, though, the judge did say there is a legal principle that presumes a criminal defendant is innocent until proven guilty regarding the CFB withholding of taxpayers’ money because of the indictment.

Schaffer said Adams’ campaign had requested that the information and COIB disclosure deadline be extended to Aug. 1, but the board’s priority is an equitable and transparent democracy accountable to all New Yorkers.

Schaffer’s motion to deny funds to Adams and other people running for city office, whose names will be released at a later time, was approved unanimously by CFB members Richard Davis, Gregory Camp, Lawrence Moskowitz and Dawn Smalls, along with CFB Executive Director Paul Ryan. A list of people who declined funding will also be released.

“Candidates who have been denied payments today have a right to appeal that decision,” said Schaffer. “In addition, there will be opportunities for campaigns to establish eligibility for matching funds in the coming weeks and months.”

Frank Carone, Adams’ campaign chair, said all that remains for the campaign is to comply with CFB’s document request, which is outside

the protective order signed by the court.

“As I have previously stated, we are grateful for ... Judge Garaufis’s thoughtful decision and knew all along that CFB’s ‘reason to believe’ standard as applied here, was arbitrary and unconstitutional,” Carone said in an email.

“Therefore, we are confident now that Mayor Adams will receive matching funds and therefore be able to bring his record of success for working class New Yorkers and their families for the general election this November 4th.”

Michael Krasner, a former Queens College associate professor from the department of political science, told the Chronicle he found it interesting that the CFB still has an independent investigation into the mayor’s campaign.

Krasner said it’s remarkable that Adams’ campaign has not responded to the CFB’s inquiries.

Brian Browne, an analyst and political science professor at St. John’s University, said because of the investigation, Adams’ campaign must get its house in order sooner rather than later.

“The Adams’ campaign’s non-responses to the board’s repeated inquiries for more campaign information puts the Adams’ campaign at a significant disadvantage,” said Browne via email. “There is no reason to leave any portion of NYC’s generous matching funds on the table, particularly when the CFB just approved about $1 million in new matching funds for Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor leading in the polls.”

The earliest Adams was eligible for matching funds as an independent was July 15, said Browne. “With a handful of CFB meetings

“Well, this is kind of wonderful,” said Krasner. “It illustrates so beautifully the combination of incompetence and corruption that is Mayor Adams’ watchword. This is what he is good at — he is good at being corrupt and he is good at being both of those beautifully ... If you have to characterize his administration, those would be the two things that are most prominent. They are combined beautifully in this judgment by the Campaign Finance Board.”

CONZA | MCNAMARA ESTATE PLANNING ATTORNEYS

EDWARD R. MCNAMARA, ESQ.

CYNTHIA J. CONZA, ESQ.

Mayor Adams, left, was denied matching funds by the NYC Campaign Finance Board. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo did not reapply for funds. COURTESY PHOTO; SCREENSHOT VIA X / @ANDREWCUOMO / FILE

Two legal weed shops OK’d against protocol

OCM granted licenses to applicants prior to community boards’ feedback

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Though Community Boards 9 and 10 voted to oppose two legal marijuana shops in their districts, the state Cannabis Control Board recently granted the applicants licenses — even prior to the boards’ recommendations, seemingly against the Office of Cannabis Management’s own protocol.

Bay Bridge East LLC filed an application for a legal dispensary at 95-31 Jamaica Ave., and on May 19, Community Board 9 sent a letter of opposition to the Office of Cannabis Management regarding the location. Community boards give only an advisory opinion as part of the process.

Sherry Algredo, the board’s chair, explained the group’s decision in the letter.

“The Board received numerous concerns from residents regarding the proliferation of illegal smoke shops already operating in our district and the negative impact these establishments have had on our community,” the letter, which was posted to the board’s social media pages, read.

Algredo added that the board will not support any applications until the illegal operations are shut down.

On July 9, the OCM, in a letter posted by the board to social media, informed the members of the application’s approval. The agency said it referred CB 9’s complaints to its enforcement division for investigation.

“Although your Office’s concerns are well received, they do not pose a specific concern as it relates to the issuance of the contemplated license,” the OCM said.

However, the OCM’s website says the applicant was issued a license on April 3 — prior to receiving feedback from CB 9. The board was unaware of its approval at that time. Bay Bridge East LLC could not be reached for comment.

The OCM’s website states that all the expressed opinions of community boards become part of the record on which the agency makes its recommendation to the Cannabis Control Board to grant or deny an application.

the community board and the voices of the residents we represent.”

McClelland called for the agency to be held accountable for its failure to respect the community engagement process and ensure transparency going forward.

Similarly, CB 10 on June 18 sent an unfavorable opinion to the OCM regarding an applicant, SRCG LLC, at 102-15 159 Road in Howard Beach, but the license was issued on June 13, prior to the board’s deadline to send its comments.

“You don’t just bypass community input.”

— State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr.

Though the OCM’s website lists the location, in Coleman Square, as “non-operational,” the dispensary has a clearance to commence operations from the office, which was shared with the Chronicle.

said the situation is troublesome.

“It’s not just the procedure being bypassed, it is the voice of the people being bypassed,” Addabbo said. He added that he voted against the legalization of cannabis because he saw flaws in the procedure.

“This is problematic,” he said. “You don’t just bypass community input.”

Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park), whose district encompasses both of the dispensaries, said, “This should’ve never gone forward without community board input. Something went very wrong in OCM’s process here.”

Ariola said that it’s unfair to the community that licenses are being granted without giving the boards their opportunity to weigh in.

“My office has reached out to the Office of Cannabis Management to find out why they didn’t follow their own protocols in these

instances,” she said.

Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven) in a statement said the OCM has a responsibility to follow its own regulations, which require careful consideration of community input before issuing a license.

“Local voices matter, and in this case, the Community Board has raised serious concerns that cannot be ignored,” Rajkumar wrote. She said the proposed location is inappropriate, as it’s a high-traffic area for students and families, with places of worship and schools nearby.

“The location does not fit the character or needs of this area,” she said. “It is clear from the community feedback that this business would not serve or enhance the neighborhood. We urge the Office of Cannabis Management to respect community concerns and ensure that these licenses are awarded responsibly — not just rubber-stamped.” Q

On another page on the OCM’s website, at tinyurl.com/yeysn33x, the agency says it will not make licensing determinations within the 30-day notification time window — or 60 days with request and approval of a 30-day extension — for a community board to express an opinion. CB 9’s recommendation was within that deadline.

“It’s both unacceptable and deeply troubling that the Office of Cannabis Management would approve a license before the community board had the opportunity to submit our official opinion,” James McClelland, the board’s district manager, told the Chronicle. He said the action demonstrates a “blatant disregard for established procedures and undermines the role of

Kevin Scott, the owner of that legal shop, CannaFamily Dispensary, told the Chronicle that even though the board voted against his dispensary, the community itself has been welcoming.

“We’re here to run an honest business and be a contributing member of this community,” Scott said. “We’re not here to hurt anybody or cause a nuisance in the neighborhood. We plan on getting involved in the community and being a good neighbor.”

CB 10 Chair Betty Braton told the Chronicle she had reached out to the OCM for explanation once she learned of the application’s approval prior to the group’s feedback, and again just this Monday, but had not yet received a response.

The OCM did not respond to inquiries from the Chronicle by publication time.

State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven)

Pins and Paws in Ozone Park

All are welcome to head to Ozone Park this Saturday for an afternoon of bowling at the Pins and Paws Fundraiser, hosted by Zion’s Mission Animal Rescue.

The event, at Bowl 360, at 98-18 Rockaway Blvd., from 4 to 6 p.m. on July 19, hopes to bring the community together for an afternoon of strikes, spares and second chances. Tickets are $30 for adults, $15 for children, and can be purchased online at zionsmission.org/events.

Zion’s Mission Animal Rescue is a 501(c)3 nonprofit specializing in dogs with a mission of rescuing, rehabilitating,

training and finding loving homes for as many abused and neglected animals as possible.

Every frame bowled helps provide emergency medical care, rehabilitation and loving forever homes for abused, neglected and abandoned dogs, according to Zion’s.

Attendees can enjoy food sponsored by Scott’s Computer Repair LLC, enter raffles, win prizes and meet adoptable animals. All proceeds will benefit Zion’s Mission Animal Rescue. Q — Kristen Guglielmo

Two applications for legal cannabis dispensaries, at 102-15 159 Road in Howard Beach, left, and 95-31 Jamaica Ave. in Woodhaven, were granted licenses before their area community boards were able to give feedback, which, according to the Office of Cannabis Management’s website, is against protocol. PHOTOS BY MICHAEL SHAIN

Bills would address tipping options, payment timelines, working conditions Council OKs delivery worker protections

by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor

Deliveristas could soon see expanded protections in terms of pay, transparency and safety.

The City Council on Monday passed five bills containing new requirements related to delivery workers’ conditions, access to information, tips and more.

“Delivery workers provide essential labor, and it’s critical that our city continues to expand protections that advance their safety, health, and dignity to make our growing delivery sector sustainable,” Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica) said in a statement.

The bills now go to Mayor Adams’ desk for a signature. City Hall is reviewing the legislation, a spokesperson said.

Also awaiting the mayor’s signature is a bill establishing safety requirements for powered bicycles used by contracted delivery workers.

Among the bills passed Monday were three sponsored by Councilmember Shaun Abreu (D-Manhattan). Intro. 737-A would require third-party delivery services for food and groceries to offer a tipping option of at least 10 percent of each order’s price.

Another bill, Intro. 738-A, would require providers to include the option to tip before or at the same time an order is placed.

Those two bills passed by a 37-5 vote.

Los Deliveristas Unidos, a campaign run by

the Worker’s Justice Project that advocates for the city’s app-based delivery workers, said the bills make sure consumers can tip when placing orders, recognizing and valuing deliveristas’ essential labor.

“These bills will make delivery work safer, better paid, and more transparent,” the group told the Chronicle via email.

Intro. 859-A, which passed 42-0, would require contracted deliveristas to receive payment no more than a week after the end of a pay period. Delivery services also would need to provide an itemized, written statement outlining workers’ compensation, and the provider would have to keep those statements for a minimum of three years. They also would have to give workers copies upon request.

“Deliveristas deserve a clear understanding of how their pay is calculated, and customers deserve an easy and transparent way to tip,” Abreu said.

Intro. 1133-A, a bill sponsored by Councilmember Jennifer Gutiérrez (D-Brooklyn, Queens) that passed 35-6 with one abstention, also emphasizes transparency, fairness and better conditions. Under it, all contracted delivery workers would have the same protections as those who deliver food.

“Whether you’re delivering food, groceries, or goods — you deserve the same pay, protections, and oversight,” Gutiérrez said. “These

Police shut down illicit event at Charles Park

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

An unpermitted event at Charles Park in Howard Beach was shut down by U.S. Park Police on Sunday following residents’ complaints.

A large congregation of dozens, who were using open flames, according to witnesses, were gathered in the park and allegedly blocking driveways in the area. One witness said participants were burning candles and chanting.

Residents took to Facebook, including the area Howard Beach Dads page, to post photos and videos of the event.

While it’s unclear exactly what the purpose of the event was, a sign on the grass advertised an upcoming Muslim Ummah of North America event in Pennsylvania.

The Chronicle reached out to MUNA via email for clarification on if it hosted Sunday’s event, but did not receive a response.

Park Police confirmed that the organizer of the gathering was issued a ticket due to lack of a permit, and that the NYPD’s 106th Precinct ticketed illegally parked cars.

Following the unpermitted activities, the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic took to social media to say it has requested a dedicated USPP detail at Charles Park on evenings and weekends, and is awaiting a call with the National Park Service to discuss details. Q

bills create a flexible, future-proof standard that covers all delivery apps, and makes clear that no platform gets to opt out of treating workers fairly.”

Her bill would require the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection to study the working conditions of contracted delivery people and set minimum pay. The provider also would need to share more information with workers before each delivery.

The legislation also would ensure that deliveristas have access to bathrooms, fire safety materials and insulated delivery bags. Enforcement options are set forth in the bill, which would apply to all laws relating to contracted delivery workers.

Intro. 1135-A, sponsored by Councilmember Sandy Nurse (D-Brooklyn), pertains to grocery delivery workers. It passed 36-4 with two abstentions.

“People should get equal pay for equal work, but that is not what’s happening with delivery workers today,” Nurse said. “Intro 1135 will right this wrong by bringing pay parity to tens of thousands of grocery delivery workers who effectively do the same job as their food delivery counterparts, but get paid much less and have fewer protections.”

The legislation would set a minumum pay rate for grocery delivery workers that would meet or exceed the one set by DCWP for those who deliver food. The department could tailor the rate to the circumstances of the workers.

The bill would extend protections to 20,000 grocery app delivery workers who rely on tips while earning as little as $5 to $7 per order, according to Los Deliveristas Unidos. Those wages do not cover their costs or time spent shopping and delivering across the city, the group said.

The most recent deliverista-related bills passed amid a boom in food delivery service apps, such as Seamless and Uber Eats. The Council in 2021 passed bills establishing minimum wages and addressing workers’ conditions.

Legislation also was enacted in May to allow third-party delivery services to charge restaurants an extra 20 percent for enhanced services.

Although the new bills’ passage Monday was

a “historic victory,” Los Deliveristas Unidos said, the fight is not over.

“We will keep pushing for protections against unfair deactivations and lockouts that force workers to risk their safety to meet unrealistic delivery times set by the apps,” the group said. “We will continue working to end the NYPD’s harmful practice of issuing criminal summonses to delivery workers for minor infractions, a policy that makes their jobs even more dangerous.”

Many deliveristas travel on e-bikes, which do not require licenses. Since typical summonses returnable to traffic court are designed for licensed motorists, as ignoring the summons or accumulating enough points could lead to a license suspension, they are ineffective for e-bikes. Police issue summonses returnable to criminal court for certain e-bike offenses.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a May budget hearing that she believes e-bike enforcement must change.

“Our fight will continue until every Deliverista in New York City has the rights, safety, and respect they deserve,” Los Deliveristas Unidos said.

The group joined other activists and elected officials at City Hall Monday for a press conference. Q

Lemonade stand route returns to HB

The neighborhood lemonade stand route is returning to Howard Beach on July 26 and 27, hosted by Howard Beach Dads, an area community group.

During the event, kids in the area host lemonade stands simultaneously. The affair encourages entpreuneurship for neighborhood youth, providing an educational experience with work exposure.

Families who wish to participate should send an email to howardbeachdads@gmail.com with a lemonade stand name, address and the dates and times of operation. For more information and a map of participating households, visit tinyurl.com/57wpk7re. Q

Los Deliveristas Unidos joined City Council members for a rally outside City Hall on Monday, when lawmakers passed a package of worker protections. PHOTO BY GERARDO ROMO / NYC COUNCIL

Dozens of people on Sunday gathered at Charles Park for an event hosted without a permit. PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK / HOWARD BEACH DADS

Area educators mixed on UFT’s support for Democratic nominee Mamdani endorsed by teachers union

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

The United Federation of Teachers’ Delegate Assembly has endorsed Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani (D-Astoria), the Democratic nominee for mayor, in the general election.

“As a union, we have to protect public education, public employees, and public service from attacks from Washington, DC,” UFT President Michael Mulgrew said following the July 8 endorsement.

“We have to make New York City safer and more affordable for working- and middle-class families,” Mulgrew said. “We have to make the jobs of educators and nurses more attractive with better pay and benefits, and retain those already doing the work. We need a mayor who understands the task before us and who will help us get it done. The UFT Delegate Assembly has determined that Zohran Mamdani can be that partner as the next mayor of New York City.”

June’s mayoral primary.

Mamdani, according to the UFT’s resolution, has committed to spending a day alongside UFT members in a public school, and participated in its Spring Education Conference, where he “demonstrated his full knowledge and commitment to our programs and legislative priorities,” the union said.

As mayor, Mamdani, per his campaign website, would ensure public schools are fully funded with equally distributed resources, strong afterschool programs, mental health counselors and nurses, compliant and effective class sizes and integrated student bodies.

The resolution to back Mamdani, a 33-yearold Democratic socialist, was approved by 63 percent of the UFT’s delegates, the New York Post reported. The UFT previously endorsed Mamdani during his campaign for state Assembly, but did not endorse a candidate in

Mamdani also supports an end to mayoral control — the current NYC public schools governance system — and instead envisions strengthening co-governance through the Panel for Educational Policy, school and district leadership teams and community education councils.

The incumbent Mayor Adams and Andrew Cuomo both support mayoral control of schools. Curtis Sliwa’s position could not immediately be determined.

In response to the UFT’s endorsement, Mamdani wrote on X, “We entrust our city’s future to the nearly 200,000 teachers, paraprofessionals, counselors and more of the @UFT.

Mamdani gets more than $1M in funds

by Naeisha Rose Editor

The NYC Campaign Finance Board announced who obtained matching funds on Tuesday during a hybrid meeting.

Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D-Astoria), the Democratic nominee for mayor, received $1,097,653, the maximum public funds payment, said NYC CFB Chair Frederick Schaffer. Jim Walden, a trial lawyer, and independent candidate for mayor, received $135,386. Fellow independents Mayor Adams and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo received no matching funds. Adams was denied funds due to lack of information, failure to file a Conflict of Interest Board disclosure by deadline and an ongoing investigation. Cuomo did not apply for funds.

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa did not meet the threshold for matching funds.

Borough President Donovan Richards received $405,421 for his re-election run.

Queens City Councilwomen Vickie Paladino (R-Whitestone) and Sandra Ung (D-Flushing), who are running for re-election, both received $48,134 in funds.

Councilwomen Linda Lee (D-Oakland Gardens) and Lynn Schulman (D-Forest

Hills), along with Councilman Shekar Krishnan (D-Jackson Heights), are also running for re-election and received $10,374, $193,534 and $28,766, respectively.

Ty Hankerson, the Democrat running for District 28, received $4,697.

Paladino is up against Democratic candidate Benjamin Chou, who received $760 in funds, and Working Families Party candidate Alexander Caruso, who received no matching funds. Ung is up against Conservative Party candidate Steven Wang, who received $44,422. Lee, Schulman and Krishnan are running against Conservative Party candidate Bernard Chow, Republican candidate Jonathan Rinaldi and Conservative and Republican candidate Ramses Frias, respectively, all of whom didn’t meet the threshold for matching funds. Working Families Party candidate Latoya LeGrand, a staffer for Assemblywoman Vivian Cook (D-Jamaica) challenging Hankerson, did not receive funds because she is not actively campaigning.

Councilman Jim Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows) is running unchallenged and did not submit a statement of need for funds.

Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani, at mic, the Democratic nominee for mayor, joined the United Federation of Teachers for a press conference at union headquarters July 9 following their endorsement.

Now more than ever, they need a mayor who recognizes their value and has their backs. I am honored to earn their endorsement.”

According to the New York Post, 90 educators expressed their anger the day following the endorsement during a Zoom meeting held by the United Jewish Teachers and NYC Public Schools Alliance.

But while the union throws its support behind Mamdani, what do the teachers in Queens think?

“The union has my full support in this endorsement,” a Woodhaven educator told the Chronicle under condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. “It’s hardly surprising, for one, that the UFT would endorse the Democratic candidate. But I do think Zohran is the best choice here.”

The elementary school teacher cited Mamdani’s focus on affordability as her main reason for supporting him. She said the alternatives are “unelectable.”

“You have the current mayor, who was scandalized, the [former] governor who was just disastrous and resigned in disgrace, and two long shots,” she said. “It’s really, really clear who the best choice is. I think electing the other two sends a harmful message to bad

Board ruling

continued from page 2

scheduled between now and Election Day, any further pattern of delay, deflect, and defend by the Adams Campaign will have an impact,” he said. “Like Yogi Berra said, ‘It’s getting late early.’”

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who declared that he will run as an independent Monday after losing the Democratic primary to Democratic Socialist Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D-Astoria), did not apply for matching public funds.

Cuomo’s campaign spokesman told the Chronicle via email that there was no applica-

actors who want to get into politics.”

One Forest Hills history teacher, however, told the Chronicle he wouldn’t be voting at all in November.

“I don’t like Mamdani, and I don’t like the rest,” he said. “So I’ll sit this one out.”

Asked to elaborate, the educator said Mamdani “wouldn’t get anything done” because it may be difficult for him to convince the state Legislature to agree to raise taxes on the rich to fund his proposals.

“Just because the UFT endorsed him doesn’t mean I have to vote for him,” the teacher said.

Another instructor refused to comment explicitly on the endorsement, but said she is canceling her monetary contributions to COPE, the UFT’s Committee on Political Education, which fights for funding for public education. Q

The July 3 story “Broad mix of art brings the marginalized forward” partially misidentified one of the exhibit’s artists. She is Ryin Baskin, whose “An Ode to the Block” was on display. We regret the error. Q Correction

tion made for this round of money because there was no active fundraiser as the campaign is focused on next steps.

“That changes today,” said the spokesman. “We suspended funding in May because we maxed for the primary. We’re going to file with $1.1 [million] in the bank.”

During the meeting, Schaffer said that he will be recuse himself from future votes regarding matching funds for Cuomo and that Davis has to recuse himself when it comes to voting for Adams.

The CFB told the Chronicle that Schaffer’s conflict of interest regarding Cuomo is due to his time working at CUNY. Davis has to recuse himself because of an op-ed he wrote about Adams. Q

EDITORIAL AGEP

Pot officials forgot their own rules

We’re used to the state’s Office of Cannabis Management and Cannabis Control Board operating less as a welloiled machine than, well, a group of people concerned with cannabis. Weed, pot, wacky tobacky — spaciness and slacking off are part of the package when you’re talking about marijuana, and those managing its legalization in New York have not disappointed. The process has been a mess since day one.

There was the massive delay in getting legal shops licensed, which fed the proliferation of illegal ones. The first handful of approvals took forever. At one point in early 2023, Albany proudly announced that it had OK’d 30 new licenses at once, bringing the statewide total to 66 — while there were 1,400 illegal smoke shops operating in the New York City alone.

There were broken financial promises, lawsuits from aggrieved groups, leadership tumult and poor staff morale, all of which remain today. A new CCB chair was named just last month.

And now we learn that the OCM is violating its own guidelines in recommending that the CCB grant licenses, by ignoring the time frame it is supposed to observe to hear the concerns of community boards. Those panels, whose role is advisory, are given 30 days to express their opinions on applications — whether a planned shop’s location is really a good place to sell weed —

before the OCM is supposed to make its decision.

Yet, as the Chronicle reports this week in the exclusive story “Two legal weed shops OK’d against protocol,” in most print editions and at qchron.com, a pair of dispensaries in South Queens were approved before the relevant community boards got a say. That makes a mockery of the process. It appears deceitful and a waste of time for the boards, whose members are volunteers giving their time to maintain and improve their communities.

James McClelland, district manager for CB 9, called it “unacceptable and deeply troubling.” State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr., who wisely voted against the 2021 bill legalizing pot, said, “it is the voice of the people being bypassed.” Others agreed.

This affront to the boards is, however, of a piece with others that have nothing to do with the OCM. The mayor and City Council recently teamed up to rezone areas citywide to create more housing density. Ballot propositions under consideration to possibly go before the voters in November would remove even more building projects from community oversight.

Though they lack legal power, community boards serve an important role in shaping decisions. The city should not try to weaken them, and state officials should not be ignoring them outright. Being a space cadet whose job is to push pot is no excuse.

Fire safety first

There are a number of reasons for the city to not go ahead with its plans for bike lanes on 31st Street in Astoria. It probably will anyway, because it has that blanket answer to everything — safety! — saying two people were killed and 11 badly hurt in crashes on the stretch over five years.

Most of the reasons not to do it, the myriad disruptions to everyday life and commerce and the existence of better options, are laid out by the 54-member 31st Street Business Association. But this week we report on a group that has its own safety concerns: the Uniformed Firefighters Association.

It’s already hard to get a ladder up to a high window when there’s a subway running over the street, as on 31st. It’s even harder when bike lanes push parked cars off the curb. The firefighters are very concerned. They wouldn’t have to be, if the city would only rein in its ideology and drop the plan.

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Dear Editor:

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

Hail to the piece

Congratulations to Stephanie Meditz on her very comprehensive article about the Stop The Steal For Real “Queens Says to Kings” Rally/ March on June 14 (“Queens cries ‘No kings’ in Forest Hills,” June 19).

We appreciate the coverage and the thoroughness and accuracy of your reporting. Thank you for spending time with me and the other organizers to clarify the details so your readers would get a complete view of the event. Also, putting us on the Central Queens edition’s front page with a great shot of our rally at the courts was really wonderful. Dr. Ida Messana Forest Hills

Animal care crisis

Dear Editor:

Thank you for the article on the Queens Animal Care Center (“Ridgewood animal shelter still packed,” July 10, multiple editions).

I was there like two weeks ago, along with animal rescue people during the Department of Health board meeting. I didn’t see anything to the effect that a reporter from another news outlet, albeit a supposed adopter, would want to oust the shelter.

This is the reality. People of this city would like all the animals to be adopted, and not be killed, as if there’s a drove of adopters coming

into the shelter. Meanwhile, no one is coming into the shelter during the summer, when dropoffs are high and adoptions are low. This is common all over the country. Not even animal fostering is happening.

I myself just bought the ACC a large crate to accommodate a saved animal. Right in the middle of kitten season, there’s no one helping them out. So they double the number of dogs to save, but you need room.

People dump just before summer, and don’t adopt until maybe after Labor Day. People move into the city and find the apartments are not accommodating pet owners. Were any of these animals that are dumped into our city’s shelter system ever spayed or neutered? Of course not.

Does the public realize that 20 animal care bills were introduced by the state Senate this year, only to be voted down in the Assembly?

Not even Peanut the Squirrel got a reprieve.

And what about what’s happening now in our city, with owners of dogs letting them kill other people’s animals, and then getting a free pass?

Call your local pols and demand they do something to help animals in NYC!

Joan

Silaco Queens Village

Teach parents English

Dear Editor:

Re Kristen Guglielmo’s June 26 report “City DOE to expand its language services”:

NYC’s Department of Education will communicate with parents in 12 languages, a cumbersome and costly process that I call multilingual lunacy. Instead of wasting time an d money, why not teach parents English?

About 44 percent of students speak a language other than English at home, according to the DOE. The figure may be higher in Queens, where at least 150 languages are spoken, possibly many more. Parents should learn English to help their kids’ education. As a volunteer tutor at PS 164 in Kew Gardens Hills, from 2005 to 2012, I observed that students whose parents spoke English did much better in all subjects than those whose parents did not. The school held English language instruction classes for parents at night.

Earlier generations of immigrants, including my grandparents, learned English as part of their assimilation process. But assimilation was replaced by accommodation, offering government services in several languages, as the DOE

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

now does, discouraging immigrants from learning English. The DOE should encourage more parents to attend English instruction courses and promote those programs aggressively. If it succeeds, it may no longer be necessary to communicate in a dozen languages.

An old Chinese proverb says: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for life.” The DOE hands out fish daily, and its policy is floundering.

Richard Reif Kew Gardens Hills

For a better boulevard

Dear Editor:

While I commend our local elected officials for calling upon the NYC Department of Sanitation to step up its cleaning of Queens Blvd. medians, the problem and need are much larger than this (“Keep Queens Blvd. medians clean: pols,” July 10, multiple editions).

We need an ongoing system of tree planting, tree maintenance and tree watering, along with barrier maintenance and bike lane collapsible bollard replacement by the NYC Department of Transportation. Over time, excessive areas of impermeable medians should be reconstructed with more vegetation and seating. While Queens Boulevard will never look like Eastern Parkway, it could be a whole lot nicer.

Steve Strauss Forest Hills

E-bike fire tragedy

Dear Editor:

Yuet Kiu Cheung did not migrate to America to be incinerated on the Fourth of July, 2025.

She intended supper at Singas Famous Pizza, a franchisee, on Kissena Boulevard near Cherry Avenue in Flushing. But Ms. Cheung, 76, became the first 2025 NYC fatality directly related to an e-bike, illegally inside the premises, that became a blowtorch, blocking her escape.

Thanks to the heroism of FDNY 273/129, one of three adjacent stores was spared but two others are at least temporarily closed.

Ms. Cheung cannot be collateral damage at the altar of the restaurant industry’s greed nor that of the on-demand delivery apps DoorDash, Grubhub and Uber Eats. That cabal, that unholy cartel that exploits delivery workers, reducing them to killing machines, must be unmasked and held accountable. The soul of Ms. Cheung cries out to be released from the indignity of her death.

Let’s do a political autopsy. Members of the Queens delegation to the NYS Assembly coauthored the legislation to legalize e-devices throughout the state. Now federal regulations of lithium-ion batteries must be resourced and strengthened. Similarly FDNY fire marshals’ authority to seize and sanction e-bikes impermissibly kept within public places of business must be increased.

Finally, “Yuet’s Law” must be enacted by the NYS Legislature, ensuring that any business owner or employee harboring or charging an e-bike within a public commercial establishment will be subject to civil fines and potential criminal jeopardy.

Let’s fully, fairly and finally acknowledge, in the words of the late jurist Benjamin N. Cardozo, almost a century ago, that as before a car, and now an e-bike, is “an inherently dangerous instrument.”

Frances Scanlon Flushing

Hypocrites for Cuomo

Dear Editor:

The primary election is over and the people have spoken: Zohran Mamdani is the choice of NYC registered Democrats to lead our great city for the next four years. The corrupt current Mayor Adams chose not to run in the Democratic primary, as he had no chance of winning, given his corruption in office, and his obeisance to the corrupt Trump administration.

Mamdani ran a bold, visionary street-smart grassroots campaign, easily defeating the corrupt, heavily financed former governor, who was forced to resign in disgrace after multiple credible accusations of sexual harassment, including lewd language, groping and kissing, from 11 female staffers and associates.

As a grandfather of four young women, I have a long memory and was therefore shocked to learn how many of our Queens elected officials had endorsed the accused serial sexual abuser. Cuomo’s primary endorsers included Congressmembers Greg Meeks and Tom Suozzi; state Sens. Joseph Addabbo Jr., Jessica Ramos, James Sanders and Toby Ann Stavisky; and state Assemblymembers David Weprin, Clyde Vanel, Alicia Hyndman, and Stacy Pheffer Amato.

In fact, Congressmember Suozzi, as well as Sens. Ramos, Sanders and Stavisky, all called for the former governor’s resignation in 2021, before endorsing him in 2025 (“Calls for Cuomo to resign continue to rise,” March 15, 2021, qchron.com).

It will be interesting to observe the enlightenment of these hypocritical career Democratic politicians in the run-up to the upcoming mayoral election.

Robert Keilbach Queens Village

A plan for the aging

Dear Editor:

Gov. Hochul’s final Master Plan for Aging marks a major step forward for New York State and demonstrates true national leadership. As one of only a handful of states to undertake such a comprehensive analysis, New York is taking a holistic approach to the needs of its rapidly growing older adult population.

The plan builds on New York’s legacy as the nation’s first age-friendly state, reaffirming our commitment to ensuring that older adults, caregivers, people with disabilities and future generations can thrive in inclusive, supportive communities. Developed with input from more than 350 stakeholders — including Selfhelp — the master plan addresses the core issues facing older New Yorkers, outlining both immediate and long-term strategies so residents can age with dignity, independence, and security.

This initiative recognizes the demographic realities facing our state and sets a vision for

needs

adults through

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

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vative, coordinated solutions. The master plan not only supports the aging on pace philosophy but also recognizes the diverse ways individuals want to live and contribute.

Selfhelp applauds Gov. Hochul’s leadership and the collaborative effort behind the master plan. By prioritizing the well-being of older adults, New York is ensuring it remains a great place for people of all ages to live life to the fullest.

Stuart C. Kaplan Chief Executive Officer

Selfhelp Community Services Manhattan

Congestion overcharging

Dear

Editor:

I see the MTA is on the way to collecting $500 million for congestion pricing tolls in 2025 (“Congestion pricing a success: Hochul,” July 10). Part of the reason is because the agency overcharges drivers and refuses to correct its errors.

I never received my $3 crossing credit for entering the congestion zone via tunnel on May 25. On June 5, I chatted online with a customer service rep, who had no authority to do anything except open an official inquiry with a case number. When the agency didn’t respond back, I followed up again via online chat on June 28 and learned that the inquiry had been closed without corrective action or even notifying me. In true bureaucratic fashion, the office did open another official inquiry. All over $3. Multiply that by millions of trips and we have a potential multimillion-dollar fraud by the MTA. How many thousands of drivers are being shortchanged in a similar manner? The MTA needs to come clean about its mistakes instead of stonewalling consumers with valid complaints.

Scott Avidon Kew Gardens

I’ve got holiday plans

Dear

Editor:

This year July 4 was a Friday. After reading the Declaration of Independence, I fired up the grill, cracked a cold one and turned on the Mets-Yankees game. Family and friends stopped in, and a good time was had by all. Unsurprisingly, many of my guests were delighted at having a three-day weekend. This won’t happen again until 2031. I’m retired, so I have 52 three-day weekends a year. But the question remains, why can’t “July 4” be a Monday holiday like Memorial Day?

With a little rebranding, “July 4” could become Independence Day, and be observed on the first Monday in July. This may sharpen our focus on the Declaration of Independence, which is the real reason we celebrate. That done, let’s turn to Veterans Day. It’s observed on Nov. 11 because of the 1918 Armistice. That train left the station more than 85 years ago with Hitler’s invasion of Poland. Is there some other historical or patriotic significance to Nov. 11 I’m unaware of?

Back in the 1970s, Veterans Day was the fourth Monday in October. I say we honor our veterans on the first Monday after the first Sunday in November.

And while we’re tinkering with the calendar, let’s combine Veterans Day and Election Day. Self-government should have a national holiday also. And what better way to honor our veterans than actively participating in the democratic process they fought to defend?

Neil C. Giannelli Woodhaven

The real genocide

Dear Editor:

In the July 3 issue, Jason Fitzsimmons wrote that Israel is committing genocide and war crimes against the people of Gaza (“These are war crimes,” Letters). He has the facts totally backwards.

Since the first moment of its existence in 1948, Israel has been attacked by its neighbors who rejected the United Nations’ twostate solution. Even to this day the phrase “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” calls for the annihilation of the Jews from the region. That sounds like a call for genocide to me.

International law prohibits enemy combatants from hiding among civilians but that is exactly what Hamas fighters are doing. Israel is allowed to attack those fighters. I wonder why Mr. Fitzsimmons does not mention that.

Israel blocked food aid from entering Gaza because Hamas was intercepting the shipments for themselves before giving out the remainder to the civilians. Israel then arranged for the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation to give the food directly to the civilians. Contrary to Mr. Fitzsimmons claim, it was Hamas who attacked the civilians approaching the food aid, not Israel.

I have not even mentioned the war crimes of Hamas regarding the taking and treatment of hostages.

I suggest Mr. Fitzsimmons read real sources of news and not the writers of fiction he seems to be relying on.

Lenny Rodin Forest Hills

Trump’s aide-de-scamp

Dear Editor:

During President Trump’s first term, he complained that he had hired too many stupid people, and he had no Roy Cohn. This term, at least, he has his Roy Cohn in Stephen Miller.

Glenn Hayes Kew Gardens

Republican repercussions

Dear Editor:

As per the horrible GOP budget resolution that was passed, those who voted for it and their families should deal with the same consequence and have only the same medical levels as the people whose assistance was cut.

Stew Frimer Forest Hills

RH kids blast off into space exploration

NASA-inspired summer camp program has students reaching for the stars

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Neighborhood kids rocketed into an unforgettable summer adventure this month during the One Stop Richmond Hill Community Center’s two-week NASA-inspired summer camp.

The center, at 110-08 Jamaica Ave., hosts a variety of free events and programming throughout the year. For the latest, go online to facebook.com/onestoprhcc, call (718) 8493759 or email onestoprhcc@gmail.com.

Students, from July 1 to July 11, delved into space exploration and plenty of creative hands-on learning. From experimenting to crafting, every day was packed with imagination, learning and excitement.

During the program, the young space explorers built and launched their very own mini rocket ships, Joan Bachert, the program director, said in a press release, diving into the science behind propulsion and flight.

The kids also got creative with edible space crafts, including a colorful and tasty solar system that used real fruit to represent the planets in a fun, interactive way.

In one highlight of the program, participants also designed a moon phases toy, helping them visualize how the moon appears to change shape over time. Starry masterpieces, building models and other vibrant arts and crafts helped bring the solar system to life.

The kids also took a bus trip to the Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, LI, where they basked in the planetarium experience, had a guided tour of the museum’s various exhibits and participated in an interactive workshop.

The two-week curiosity-launching camp culminated with a game bus and a pizza and ice cream party for the future space explorers before they blast off into the rest of summer vacation. Q

Paper shredding on 7/26

To help residents securely dispose of personal or medical documents with sensitive information, a free paper shredding event is coming to Howard Beach on Saturday, July 26.

Sponsored by state Sens. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) and Roxanne Persaud (D-Brooklyn, Queens) and Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach), the shredding truck will be stationed from noon to 2 p.m. at the St. Helen Church parking lot, at the corner of 157th Avenue and 84th Street.

Attendees can watch the shredding

process through a small window on the truck. Items not accepted include cardboard, newspapers, file folders and any documents containing metal or plastic. Staples should be removed prior to shredding.

To ensure fair access, there will be a three copy box limit per person to ensure that all participants have the opportunity to shred their materials.

For more information about the event, one may contact Addabbo’s office at (718) 738-1111, or Persaud’s office at (718) 649-7653. Q

Participants in the One Stop Richmond Hill Community Center’s two-week summer camp this month, received a NASA-inspired experience with plenty of out of this world activities to spark their curiosity.

COURTESY PHOTO

NYC migrant arrests shot through the roof, data show

by Haidee Chu and Gwynne Hogan

THE CITY

This article was originally published on July 14 at 5:15 a.m. EDT by THE CITY.

Immigration arrests in and around New York City have rapidly accelerated in recent weeks, according to a new analysis by THE CITY of federal records provided by the Deportation Data Project.

The data, obtained by the group of attorneys and academics through a Freedom of Information Act request, gives the clearest picture to date of President Trump’s efforts to fulfill his vow to deport an unprecedented one million immigrants a year — and how that’s played out in the New York City region.

This year through early June, New York City saw 2,009 overall arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the data shows, about the same level as last year. ICE’s efforts in the first four months of the Trump administration focused on arresting people with criminal convictions or charges, the data shows, and the agency actually made fewer arrests than in the same period in 2024.

But the picture changed dramatically in May, when arrests shot up as masked agents began appearing inside courthouses and at ICE checkins to target people, most of whom have no convictions or pending charges.

The number of ICE arrests jumped 46 percent this May, to 409, up from 281 last year. In the first 10 days of this June, ICE agents in New York City made 495 arrests — more than twice the 247 arrests they made in all of June last year. That’s also nearly seven times the 73 people arrested in the first 10 days of last June.

A spokesperson for the agency, now poised to become by far the largest law enforcement body in American history, didn’t respond to a request for comment.

The dataset includes information about 7,619 arrests from September 2023 through June 10 of this year by ICE’s New York City Field Office, which in addition to the five boroughs also covers Dutchess, Nassau, Putnam, Suffolk, Sullivan, Orange, Rockland, Ulster, and Westchester counties.

Arrests are spiking now — and targeting people with no criminal history

ICE agents in New York arrested 992 people — or 49 percent of all immigration arrests this year — for civil immigration violations.

ICE has increasingly focused on detaining immigrants without a criminal history since May, the data

shows, which confirms what THE CITY and other news outlets have reported on the ground about the administration’s new tactic of targeting immigrants in hallways and elevator banks of immigration courthouses.

The data shows a two-day span in early June in which ICE’s New York office arrested more than 110 people on each day — the highest-one day totals in the nearly two years covered by the data. THE CITY reported on those days that the agency was also arresting people at check-ins conducted at an office across from 26 Federal Plaza, the federal building that houses immigration courts.

While the federal records do not indicate specific locations where ICE arrests occurred, they show that 965 arrests through June were processed at 26 Federal Plaza. The data only goes through June 10, however, and attorneys and advocates who monitor immigration courts say the arrests there have escalated since then, with dozens each day.

Workplace raids that have rattled other cities and states have been rare here, with just five arrests labeled as “worksite enforcement” so far this year.

Overall, more arrests this year have been of people convicted or charged with crimes compared to the same time period last year, though the apparent targeting of people with no criminal records in May and early June suggests that trend is rapidly reversing.

So far this year, the government data shows arrests of people with criminal convictions increased 143 percent to 675 up from 278, while arrests of people with pending criminal charges increased 178 percent to 342 up from 123.

Those numbers have been flipped on their head, however, since ICE started ramping up arrests at courthouses and ICE check-ins in midMay, increasingly targeting people with no criminal history.

The number of people arrested with only civil immigration violations in May soared to 223, compared to 186 of those with criminal convictions or pending charges. The difference is even more dramatic in the

next month, when ICE made 360 non-criminal arrests in the first ten days in June compared to 135 criminal-related arrests.

On the week of June 2 alone, 299 people with only civil immigration violations were arrested. On June 3 and 4, when agents targeted immigrants at mandatory check-ins, ICE arrested 231 immigrants — including 193, or 84 percent, with no criminal records or charges.

Non-criminal arrests also made up 75 percent of the apprehensions on May 28, when masked agents took people from courthouses. Fifty-one of the 68 people arrested that day had no criminal records or charges.

The data does not specify whether the crimes of the people who had been charged or convicted had been misdemeanors or more serious felony offenses.

Meanwhile, the federal Laken Riley act, signed into law by Trump in January, expanded whom ICE can target for mandatory detention to include undocumented immigrants charged, but not convicted, of offenses including theft and burglary.

Deportations have been dipping since April

Sixty-seven percent, or 1,351, of the people who’ve been arrested so far this year have not been deported, the data shows. Overall, ICE has deported 33 percent, or 658, of the people arrested so far this year — compared to the 14 percent, or 284, people it had arrested then deported over the same time last year.

The number of deportations has sharply declined since April, however, even as overall deportations so far this year remain up 132 percent compared to the same period last year.

More than 57,000 people nationally were in immigration detention as of June 29, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, which also publishes ICE data obtained through public records

York City region put into expedited removal proceedings, 170 are waiting for their credible fear interview before an immigration officer, in which they make claims about reasonable fears of persecution or torture if they were to be deported. Another 21 successfully convinced an officer that their asylum claim had merit and thus had their cases returned to immigration court.

Who is being arrested?

requests. That’s the most people detained since at least 2019, when data became available.

Congress has recently allotted another $45 billion for immigration detention under what Trump has dubbed the “Big Beautiful Bill,” as well as $30 billion for arrest and deportation efforts. It’s estimated that the additional funding will allow ICE to open up as many as 125,000 beds — an unprecedented expansion of immigration detention camps.

‘Expedited removals’ are exploding

The Department of Homeland Security can, under a process called an “expedited removal,” circumvent immigration judges and delegate the decision about whether a person is allowed to stay in the country to a low-level immigration officer. Currently in the New York region, 287 people are facing deportation under this process, the data shows — compared with 33 recorded in the same period last year.

The rapid deportation process had previously been used only against people arrested within 100 miles of the border who crossed it within the preceding two weeks. But in January, Trump penned an executive order allowing the administration to apply expedited removal to people anywhere in the country who had crossed the border during a two-year period.

Government attorneys began seeking dismissal for deportation cases for people who have been in the country for less than two years so they could be put in expedited removal proceedings in mid-May — the same time when ICE agents started arresting people inside of New York’s three immigration courthouses after some judges declined to approve the government’s request for dismissals. The spike in expedited removals this year likely accounts for some, but not all, of the courthouse arrests.

Of the 287 people from the New

Immigrants from Ecuador account for the largest number of arrests in the New York City region so far this year, followed by El Salvador and Venezuela. Immigrants from several other countries — including China, Bangladesh, Senegal, Haiti and Mexico — saw notable spikes in arrests compared to the same period last year.

Arrests are increasingly targeting men, who make up 88 percent, or 1762, of the people arrested this year, compared to 60 percent, or 1201, of those arrested last year.

Most of the people arrested by ICE so far this year are in their late 20s or 30s. The average person arrested is 39 years old. The oldest is 73, while the youngest was just 4, and was likely arrested along with a parent.

From Venezuela to NYC to an infamous Salvadoran prison Twelve Venezuelan men arrested in the New York City area, ranging in age from 20 to 37, were deported to El Salvador — where many deportees are being held at the country’s maximum-security megaprison, Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT.

Eleven of those men were sent to El Salvador on March 15, while the other was sent in April. The records do not show where in the country they are being detained.

Nine of the men were deported under Trump’s invocation of Title 50 of the Alien Enemies Act, which had not been used since the second World War until this year. The other three had final orders of removal.

Just two of the 12 men had prior criminal convictions, while six had pending criminal charges. Four of them had neither a conviction nor a pending charge.

THE CITY has reported on several of these cases, including that of the 19-year-old teen Merwil Gutiérrez Flores. Gutiérrez Flores has no criminal record and was arrested by the NYPD but not charged. The NYPD then handed him off to the FBI, which then turned him over to ICE without a criminal conviction. Q

THE CITY (www.thecity.nyc) is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to hardhitting reporting that serves the people of New York.

ICE agents detain a man after he came in for an immigration check-in at a Lower Manhattan court, June 4, 2025. PHOTOS BY BEN FRACTENBERG / THE CITY

Federal agents stand watch outside immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza, June 17, 2025.

Philly stowaway went from JFK to France

Paris Delta flight in ’24

by Naeisha Rose Editor

A Philadelphia woman has been sentenced to time served for stowing away on a Delta Air Lines flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Paris last November.

Svetlana Dali will not be incarcerated as she spent about seven months locked up, which exceeds sentencing guidelines of up to six months for the crime. She also will have one year of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. The government recommended the sentence. She was convicted in May.

On Nov. 26, 2024, Dali snuck onto flight DL264 from JFK to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris without a boarding pass after deliberately bypassing multiple checkpoints at the Queens airport without a ticket.

Once on flight 264, she went straight to a bathroom and hid there with her bags for several hours to avoid detection.

When a flight attendant noticed right before the plane landed, Dali faked vomiting in an attempt to excuse her lengthy stay in the bathroom.

The flight attendant instructed the defendant to take her seat and to provide her name and boarding pass.

After Dali gave two fake names and failed

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was not first time; USAO worried

to produce a boarding pass or ID, the flight attendant became alarmed and instructed her to sit in a seat reserved for flight crew as the plane was minutes away from landing. The bathroom was then inspected for anything suspicious by another flight attendant.

French law enforcement arrested Dali and detained her until Dec. 4, 2024, and officers escorted her to a Delta flight from the Paris airport back to JFK.

Two previous attempts to fly Dali back to JFK on Nov. 30 and Dec. 3, 2024, were canceled because of her disruptive behavior.

Once back in New York, Dali was interviewed for approximately two hours and admitted to being a stowaway, which she conceded was “breaking the law.”

Dali was charged the following day, and on Dec. 6, 2024, was released on conditions that she would wear an ankle monitor and adhere to a curfew, but by Dec. 15 she had cut the device and absconded from her Philadelphia residence.

Within 36 hours, Canadian law enforcement apprehended her near Buffalo, NY, as she attempted to cross the border.

A court order from the Western District of New York had Dali transported to the EDNY in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

On Jan. 15, upon her arrival back to New York, she was detained pending her May 21

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about

copycats

ees checking for tickets at the gate, which she said she did not see.

Dali was able to get past a gate because as the Delta agent was speaking with passengers, she joined a line with other travelers already checked in.

On July 6, Dali filed a letter with eight objections to a Presentence Investigation Report, but was shot down due to her cutting off the ankle monitor; her attempt to escape to Canada; prior acts of hiding in secure zones at Miami International and Bradley International airports in Florida and Connecticut, respectively; previously stowing away in Europe; and her actions possibly leading to several copycats, including one person who died getting caught in a wheel of a flight heading to Hawaii.

trial, in which she defended herself.

During the trial, she perjured herself three times.

The prosecution had prior contradictory statements of Dali saying she was “shivering with fear” throughout her flight to Paris, despite previously stating she was throwing up blood in the bathroom; video evidence of her being turned away from the security line for not having a boarding pass despite her stating it was “incorrect” that she was asked for one; and video evidence of Delta employ-

“Stowaway travel is a serious offense that endangers both the offender and other air passengers,” read the memo. “Deterrence is particularly important in stowaway cases, as publicized incidents encourage copycat behavior that threatens the safety of air travel and undermines the integrity of airport security systems.

“Here, the defendant not only stowed away from JFK to Paris on November 26, 2024, but she also appears to have stowed away to and from Europe on several occassions prior to that ...” Q

Svetlana Dali is seen aboard a Delta Air Line flight after being discovered as a stowaway last November. PHOTO COURTESY U.S. DOJ

UFA has concerns about bike lanes

Firefighters’ union wary of being pushed back under 31st St. tracks

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

The union that represents New York City’s 8,500 rank-and-file firefighters is expressing serious reservations about plans to run a pair of curbside bike lanes underneath a stretch of elevated subway tracks on 31st Street in Astoria.

Firefighter Michael Schreiber, an activeduty member assigned in Astoria, is the elected health and safety officer for Uniformed Firefighters Association Local 94.

“Guys in my company are telling me, ‘This thing is terrible,’” Schreiber, who is with Ladder Co. 116, told the Chronicle in an interview last week.

He said his concerns stem from the present proposal to push parking spaces out from the curb to accommodate protected bike lanes and move parking spaces farther into the roadway between the massive steel support beams for the tracks that carry the N/W line. He hopes the Bravest won’t also be pushed back.

Schreiber said it is hard enough trying to raise an aerial ladder when elevated tracks are involved.

“If you Google it, you can probably find pictures of how we have to back in or go sideways, to get the aerial into a position to reach high enough to be useful. It you’re pushing an aerial out past a bike lane you’re going to

reduce the ability of getting that aerial higher, just because you’re going to be underneath the train.”

The plan would run bike lanes between 36th and Newtown avenues, and the Department of Transportation stresses safety, particularly traffic, cyclist and pedestrian safety, as the primary selling point. Eighteen of the 25 pages in a June report to Community Board 1 dealt completely or partially with the matter in a number of areas.

The lanes also will mark an expansion of the Western Queens bike network.

“NYC DOT is currently discussing feedback with FDNY for the proposed 31st Street redesign, as we do with every street redesign, with the common goal of keeping New Yorkers safe,” said Will Livingston, deputy press secretary for the DOT, in an email. “The proposed, time-tested, protected bike lane design has consistently been shown to reduce deaths and serious injuries among pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists while also allowing FDNY to respond swiftly to emergencies.”

The agency said it shares proposed street designs in a standard review process with FDNY, and that following the June CB 1 meeting, it has taken extra steps to ensure additional feedback from all stakeholders along the project route, including first responders, is considered in the implementa-

Cops arrest two for R’wood parking brawl

by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor

Two women were taken into custody following a physical altercation over a parking spot in Ridgewood last Monday.

Cops said a 21-year-old female victim had been involved in a verbal dispute with several individuals near Putnam and Onderdonk avenues at around 7:30 p.m. July 7. It turned physical when they punched her multiple times about the face and body, causing her substantial pain, according to police. EMS treated the victim on the scene.

Andreea Dumitru, 45, and Sabrina Starman, 21, were arrested and charged with assault following the incident, the NYPD said. A video of the incident posted to Reddit by the user @I_am_Mihnea shows a third individual, a man, also throwing punches.

The victim, Jada McPherson, told Eyewitness News that she was trying to park her car that evening after she came home from work, when a man put a trash can behind her car to save a spot. McPherson said she drove around the block several times, after which the dispute began.

Two were arrested for a brawl over parking in Ridgewood. SCREENSHOT VIA I_AM_MIHNEA / REDDIT

But residents reportedly have long lamented one household trying to save parking spots.

“They always hold up the spot with cones or trash cans in front of their building,” wrote the Reddit user who posted the video. Another user who used to live on the block said the trash cans would sometimes remain in a parking spot for several hours.

Days after the brawl, another video was posted on Reddit of protesters flooding the block in support of McPherson. Q

Uniformed Firefighters Association is concerned that curbside bike lanes on 31st Street in Astoria could hinder aerial ladders in an emergency. The city’s Department of Transportation says proven designs will improve traffic safety and assure access.

tion a final design.

The FDNY, in an email, told the Chronicle that it is reviewing the plan.

A diagram in the DOT report does include renderings showing “channelization” amidst the new parking lanes that the DOT says allows FDNY access.

The agency also said the city has more than more than 600 miles of protected bike lanes, and that emergency response vehicles use them successfully when needed.

Schreiber said he is an avid cyclist.

“I like bike lanes,” he said. But he also said fires can be unforgiving of even small miscalculations, particularly if an aerial can’t get quite close enough to a building, or get out quite far enough from underneath the tracks.

“The angle for a ladder is about 70 degrees optimum,” he said. “Can we get close enough to the building? If not, you’re just not going to able to get elevated or raise it beyond maybe the second floor. Now, we have portable ladders that can reach the third floor, but higher than that ... It’s going to be a rope rescue, which is a highly dangerous, inadvisable last resort.”

Schreiber also acknowledged that driving a rig down a bike lane is an option, but one with a caveat.

“We can go down a bike lane. We can go down the wrong way if we’re given the right of way,” he said. “What does that mean? It means you have the right of way — until you have an accident. Then you don’t have the right of way.”

Schreiber said a better solution wouldn’t force a rig driver, known as the chauffeur in FDNY vernacular, to have to make those decisions.

The DOT is nothing if not direct about its desire to make big changes 31st Street, calling the stretch one of the most dangerous in Queens, with two traffic deaths and 11 severe injuries from 2020 to 2024.

Planners say research shows bike lane designs have been shown to reduce deaths and injuries for all road users, including drivers, by 16.1 percent, for pedestrians by 29.2 percent,

and for senior-aged pedestrians by 39 percent. But on 31st Street, the union is not the only group sounding the alarm.

A number of business owners have told the Chronicle that they are concerned about the loss of parking spaces for their customers, and making it more difficult for them to take deliveries, particularly those who depend on tractor trailers to restock them or bring them materials for manufacturing, with some saying they might have to relocate.

Their coalition, with dozens of members, also expressed concerns about hampered fire and emergency response.

The businesses said they have more than 4,000 signatures backing them; while the DOT said it has more than 3,400 signatures of support, and has incorporated input from more than 50 businesses into its most recent plan.

The DOT said the updated proposal includes truck loading zones on every block of the redesigned stretch of 31st Street exclusively for businesses to load and receive deliveries from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on both weekdays and weekends.

Expanded two-hour metered parking would be designed to increase turnover and customer access. Separate neighborhood loading zones will allow space for package deliveries and personal vehicle loading and unloading. Q

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.

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

The

PHOTO BY WALTER KARLING

Foster parents are needed, per ACS

Queens Council members participate in ‘Day of Action’ to get the word out

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

There are approximately 6,500 children in foster care in NYC right now, according to the Administration for Children’s Services. Foster parents are needed — they can provide a safe, nurturing and loving home environment for children and youth in the system.

The ACS partnered with members of the City Council to get the word out in a citywide Day of Action on July 8.

Foster parents, the ACS said, are provided ongoing support from highly trained staff, in addition to specialized training to meet the needs of children and adolescents.

Foster families who are able to care for sibling groups, teenagers and children with special needs are needed the most. Anyone interested in learning more about becoming a foster parent should call 1 (877) 2676-WISH (9474), 311 or visit nyc.gov/foster.

Among the participants on the ACS’s Day of Action were city Councilmembers Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills), Jennifer Gutiérrez (D-Brooklyn, Queens) and Nantasha Williams (D-St. Albans).

Schulman said that every child deserves a

safe, loving, supportive home.

“Foster parents play a critical role in making that possible,” she said. She thanked Councilmember Althea Stevens (D-Bronx), the event’s prime sponsor, and the ACS for their efforts in raising awareness and added, “Together, we can ensure that every child in New York City has the opportunity to thrive.”

Gutiérrez said becoming a foster parent is one of the most powerful ways to show up for the city’s young people.

“It’s not just about providing a home — it’s about offering stability, love, and a future,” said Gutiérrez. “So many people don’t realize how large the network of care could be — and today is about showing them that they can be part of it.”

Williams said, “Becoming a foster parent is one of the most generous and deeply human things a person can do. It means opening your home and your heart to a child who needs stability, care, and connection.”

She added that the commitment of foster parents deserves both thanks and support through stronger systems, better outreach and a real understanding of what families need to succeed.

DIVISION OF TRAFFIC OPERATIONS INVITATION FOR BIDS

NYCPIN: EPIN: 84125B0021

EPIN:84125B0021 Providing

Equipment Throughout New York City.

before the Bid Due Date, July 21, 2025, no later than 11:00 AM

at https://www.nyc.gov/site/mocs/ passport/about-passport.page and

This procurement is subject to DBE participation goals. The DBE goals for this project are 10%.

Eric Adams, Mayor Ydanis Rodriguez, Commissioner

PUBLIC NOTICE CSX TRANSPORTATION ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

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.

Participants in the Administration for Children’s Services’ Day of Action helped get the word out about the city’s need for foster parents.

PHOTO COURTESY ACS

In Rockaway, a vacation day close to home

The beach can be a fun, ideal ‘staycation’ at home in Queens

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Skip the suitcase and the plane tickets — your summer escape is closer than you think. And you don’t even have to leave the borough for it.

A short train ride, car trip (with a reimbursed toll for Queens residents with an E-ZPass!) or even bike ride away, Rockaway Beach is a haven for those wanting to relax and have some fun in the sun.

“I think a lot of people, especially us in Queens, forget about how lucky we are to have Rockaway Beach right here,” said Leona Martin, 32, a resident of Kew Gardens. “Two summers ago, I didn’t hit the beach at all. And then I went last year and wondered why it took me so long to come back.”

Martin said her favorite thing to do at the beach is settle a few feet from the ocean to relax.

“I put my headphones on, play some music and read books on my Kindle,” she said. “It’s perfect — and then when I’m done for the day, I head to Bungalow Bar for some good eats and a drink.”

“There really is something magical about sitting by the shoreline, breathing in the salt air and taking in the sun on a beautiful summer day.”

To cap off her ideal beach day, Ariola goes to Caracas, at 106-01 Shore Front Pkwy., to enjoy a frozen sangria and live music.

“The best part about Rockaway is that it really does have something for everyone,” she said.

Of course, those wanting to take a dip in the ocean are welcome to do so where swimming is permitted.

Lifeguards are on duty daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and swimming is prohibited outside of those hours and in closed sections.

Make sure to check for closures online at tinyurl.com/45vxjfec before you go.

Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach) said there’s nothing better than a day in Rockaway.

“There’s truly nothing like a summer in the Rockaways.”

— State Sen. James Sanders Jr.

Queens Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park), whose district includes parts of Rockaway, has a similar plan for her beach days.

“My favorite thing to do is pack my bag, grab my beach chair and get a nice spot in the sand by the ocean,” Ariola told the Chronicle.

“We have delicious concession stands, great bars with cold drinks, and water that’s calling out to be swam in (with a lifeguard on duty),” she told the Chronicle via email. “I recommend everyone come down for the day to experience the oasis that’s in their backyard.”

And as relaxing as sitting oceanside can be, there’s more to do at Rockaway Beach than just hanging out by the shore.

Whether you’re lounging oceanside, hopping on a surfboard, casting a line into the sea or riding your bike along the boardwalk, Rockaway Beach has something for everyone.

The city Parks Department boasts a slew of events along the beach and boardwalk throughout the summer, including Zumba classes, jazz concerts, movies under the stars and more. A full list of programming can be found at tinyurl. com/mvksm75p.

Charlie Gomez, 62, of Brooklyn, said he often takes a trip to the beach for fishing. Rockaway allows angling between Beach 12th and Beach 14th streets.

“Usually my son and I go to Jamaica Bay, somewhere along the bridges over there,” he told the Chronicle. “I grew up in Richmond Hill, and my dad used to take me there to teach me how to fish — but when it’s possible, sometimes it’s just nicer to head to the beach.”

He continued, “As a teenager, I’d ride my bike from Richmond Hill to the beach,” Gomez said. “I can’t do that ride anymore, but I still get jealous when I see kids doing that, and along the bike paths on the boardwalk.”

Rockaway is also home to the city’s only legal surfing beaches, according to the Parks Department. Surf beaches are between Beach 66th to Beach 70th streets, Beach 87th to Beach 92nd streets and Beach 110th and Beach 111th streets.

Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson (D-South Ozone Park), who also serves Rockaway, told the Chronicle that the beach is his backyard.

“I love riding my bike along the

boardwalk, stopping by DredSurfer on Beach 17th Street for their jerk wings and especially watching my little sister learn to surf with the Laru Beya Collective,” he said.

State Sen. James Sanders Jr. (D-South Ozone Park) said Rockaway is “the best beach on any coast in the United States.”

He said his best memories include riding his bike down the boardwalk with friends, feeling the breeze and hearing the waves crashing along the shore.

“There’s truly nothing like a summer in the Rockaways, its home, its freedom, and it’s joy,” Sanders told the Chronicle in an email. “I love that people from near and far choose to spend their time here. When you’re at Rockaway Beach, it doesn’t even feel like you’re in New York, it feels like a getaway all its own.”

Alanna DeMarco, 29, said she enjoys a “staycation” in Rockaway once a year.

“I live in Ridgewood,” she said, “But my friends and I started this tradition two years ago — we get a nice room at the Rockaway Hotel and spend a weekend there.”

DeMarco said her trips include a few hours at the beach to start the day, going to the hotel to rest up and then hitting the hotel’s spa, pool and rooftop bar.

“It really feels like a proper vacation getaway, and I look forward to it every year,” she said. “And it doesn’t hurt that it won’t break my wallet.” Q

PHOTOS COURTESY NYC PARKS

Beachgoers take strolls on the boardwalk at Rockaway Beach.

FMCP: the park with a

bit

of everything

From a peaceful bench by the lake to beer in the bleachers at Citi Field

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

If you’re sticking around New York City for the season but still want to get away from it all from time to time, there is a park just a car, train or bus ride away that has more to do in the summer than some cities and towns.

Flushing Meadows Corona Park has hosted two World’s Fairs, five World Series and a nascent United Nations. And you can still see world-class sports or shady trails and gardens, have a picnic or a wedding, or go around Meadow Lake on a boat or bicycle while finding many places for family fun, active or passive recreation and good hot dogs.

Hop off the No. 7 train at Mets-Willets Point and it’s a short stroll to the first stop on the itinerary, the World’s Fair Marina. A major reconstruction project in the offing means a large chainlink fence runs among much of the waterfront for now and small boats don’t; but it still is a pleasant stroll along the Malcolm X Promenade on a temperate day.

Head back south and on either side of the elevated tracks one can find, at the proper times of year, some of the greatest baseball, tennis and soccer players in the world.

The New York Mets have been tenants since 1964 when they moved from the Polo Grounds in Manhattan; and moved from Shea Stadium to Citi Field in 2009. The New York City Foot-

ball Club also is at Citi Field until its new stadium opens up next door in 2027.

Just across Roosevelt Avenue, the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center has hosted the US Open since 1978. The final grand slam tournament of the year runs from Aug. 24 to Sept. 7, with free Fan Week festivities Aug. 18 to 23. You don’t need to be a pro to play tennis at FMCP. Stand in David Dinkins Circle with Billie Jean King on your right and public courts are on your left, with the Unisphere almost

directly before you in the distance.

Head to the Unisphere and you’ll wind up at the entrance to the Queens Museum. It was erected as the City of New York Building for the 1939-40 World’s Fair, and was the first site of the United Nations. Its permanent exhibits include the famous scale model of New York City. Hours and ticket information can be found at tinyurl.com/ydkr9k9u.

Last Saturday there also were two wedding parties using the gardens by the museum as

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backgrounds for formal photos with hikers, bikers and others passing by, and strangers offering congratulations to the happy couples.

If you’re athletically inclined, you might prefer to walk past the tennis courts at Dinkins Circle, take your first left and head east, past rental bikes and carts; a public golf course; soccer, baseball and softball fields; leading after a pleasant walk to the Aquatic Center and the Al Oerter Recreation Center, both open to memberships, though the Aquatic Center presently is closed due to mechanical issues. A bridge replacement project requires some driving detours.

Hours and membership information for both facilities are at nycgovparks.org.

Turn right at Dinkins Circle or head back north from the Queens Museum and you can cross a bridge over the Grand Central Parkway. There you can find the New York Hall of Science — the two space rockets outside make it impossible to miss — and the Queens Zoo. Hours and ticket prices can be found at nysci. org and queenszoo.com, respectively.

Terrace on the Park is next door.

Cross the bridge most Saturdays from 4 p.m. to midnight through the end of October and you can visit the Queens Night Market. Bring your appetite.

Or you might want to set up a family

For a sunny, shady summer stroll or picnic, a workout or world-class professional sports, Flushing Meadows Corona Park can offer a fun way to spend a summer day. PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON

Where to get out on the water this summer,

skill level Queens is all hands on deck for boating

by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor

Those looking to beat the heat on the water this summer need look no further than Queens.

Whether you’ve got a boat of your own or hope to pick up a paddle for the first time, the borough offers plenty of opportunities for you to hone your craft or start enjoying a new, stress-relieving hobby.

Those who wish to take their own kayak or canoe for a spin can do so from several sites across Queens. They are:

• the World’s Fair Marina at Grand Central Parkway and Northern Boulevard in Flushing;

• Francis Lewis Park at Third Avenue and Parsons Boulevard in Flushing;

• the Idlewild launch point at Craft Avenue and Huxley Street in Rosedale;

• Hallet’s Cove on Vernon Boulevard in Long Island City;

• Riis Landing at Rockaway Boulevard and Heinzelman Road in Breezy Point;

• MacNeil Park on Poppenhusen Avenue between 115th Street and

College Place in College Point;

• Hunter’s Point South Park at 56th Avenue and Second Street in Long Island City;

• the Bayside Marina at Cross Island Parkway and Little Neck Bay in Bayside;

• Little Bay Park at Fort Totten;

• Bayswater Park at Beach 35th Street and Norton Avenue in Bayswater;

• North Channel Beach in Gateway National Park on Cross Bay Boulevard, south end of Addabbo Bridge in Broad Channel;

• Riis Landing kayak and canoe launch at 201 Rockaway Point Road in Breezy Point; and

• Bay Breeze Park’s launch site at Beach 88th Street and Beach Channel Drive in Rockaway Beach.

They need only obtain a permit before heading out, which costs $15. Permits may be obtained by mail or in-person at the Passarelle Building in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, across from the outdoor tennis courts. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

One may learn more at nycgovparks.org/facilities/kayak.

no matter your

Permits also are required for power and sailboat launching, which in Queens is only allowed at the World’s Fair Marina in Flushing Bay and the Bayside Marina in Little Neck Bay at free Parks-designated launch sites.

Pedal boat and kayak rentals are available on the northern edge of Flushing Meadows Corona Park’s Meadow Lake. Renting a pedal boat costs $30 an hour, while kayaks

come at an hourly rate of $16, $28 for a half day or $40 for a full day. Double kayaks are $23 per hour, $38 for a half day or $45 for the day.

Rentals are available from 10 a.m. to sunset every day through Sept. 7.

The National Park Service offers kayaking at several locations on Jamaica Bay, including for newcomers. Dates can be found at nps.gov/ gate/planyourvisit/calendar.htm.

First-timers and veterans alike also can head to the Queens Landing Boathouse and Environmental Center for free public paddle sessions every month from late spring to early fall. The remaining dates this year are Aug. 10 and Sept. 14.

Being out in nature goes hand-inhand with learning about it, as Queens Landing also offers environmental education programs.

“To experience New York City by the water is really a treat,” said Hunters Point Parks Conservancy President Rob Basch. When newcomers return from their trip, Basch said, they say they want to go again. One may learn more by visiting hunterspointparks.org/boating.

Queens Landing also has programs for boaters who register with its partner, the North Brooklyn Community Boathouse. Those who go out onto the East River can be mesmerized by views of the city skyline as they float along with the tide, far removed from the city’s crowds.

“You’re seeing the hustle and bustle of New York City, but in an area where there’s no one around you,” Basch said. Q

The Queens Landing Boathouse and Environmental Center welcomes boaters of all levels to its free monthly paddle sessions. PHOTO COURTESY QLBEC

Have a music-filled summer outdoors

SummerStage, Rise Up NYC, JAMS and St. Albans Jazz & R&B festivals are back

by Naeisha Rose Editor

As the summer months heat up, wind down at free outdoor concerts throughout the World’s Borough.

Queens Day is making its way back to Flushing Meadows Corona Park with a headlining performance by the acclaimed hip-hop group The Roots on July 20, from 7 to 10 p.m., adjacent to the Unisphere at Universe Court in Flushing.

The performance by members Questlove and Black Thought is a part of the city’s SummerStage concert series.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to bring Queens Day back to Flushing Meadows Corona Park this year, headlined by ... one of the most legendary bands in the world,” said Borough President Donovan Richards in a statement. “This event is a testament to the vibrant spirit of our borough and our commitment to providing accessible, high-quality cultural experiences for all Queens residents.”

A precursor to the event is a performance by Queens-based artist DJ Rekha, who will be bringing a thrilling fusion of hip-hop, dancehall, jazz and electronic music to FMCP at the Basement Bhangra Beyond festival on Saturday, July 19, starting at 6 p.m.

To learn more about Queens Day, go online to allianceforfmcp.org.

Black Spectrum Theatre is having its 24th annual Jazz and R&B Festival at St. Albans Park, also known as Archie Spigner Park, Saturday, July 19, from 4 to 10 p.m.

Norman Brown, Marva King, D-Train and Bartlett Contemporaries, along with DJ K-Swift, are set to perform at the park, located at Merrick Boulevard and Sayres Avenue.

“Black Spectrum Theatre is going into its 56th year,” said BST board member Gloria Thomas. “We offer the ... jazz festival to our surrounding community, which comprises of Southeast and Eastern Queens residents. We also have other guests coming from all over the world ... We are honoring the ancestors of St. Albans.”

Those include James Brown, Billie Holiday, John Coltrane, Duke Ellington and Count Basie, said Thomas. People from throughout Europe and Africa have seen the show.

To learn more, visit blackspectrum.com.

Culture Lab LIC, a performing arts venue located at 5-25 46 Ave. in Long Island City, has a variety of musical performances, some of which go beyond the summer months.

“I am delighted with the incredible talent on the summer stage this year!” said Tess Howsam, Culture Lab LIC’s artistic director, via email. “This season a few highlights include, a reunion concert from the cast of ‘The Voice’ (Season 27) on July 19th and you can

also catch bands, ‘John Mervini & The Maulers’ and The King of the World (7/27), Andrea Wittgens, Ryal and Jess Meilman (8/16) and many, many more stacked concerts Saturdays and Sundays through October!”

To see a list of all performances, go online to culturelablic.org/thelot2025.

The Queens Culture & Arts Network, an arts organization based in Astoria, is hosting its last summer event Wednesday, July 23, starting at 7 p.m. at Juniper Park.

Satisfaction: A Rolling Stones Tribute band will perform at the Middle Village park near Juniper Boulevard N. and Lutheran Avenue.

“The lead singer is Chris LeGrand,” Susan Agin, executive director of QCAN, told the Chronicle. “He played Mick Jagger for years in Vegas and decided to take the band on the road.”

Agin says LeGrand has the vocals and mannerisms of Jagger down to a T.

To learn more, visit qcanetwork.org/ events-main.

Cultural Collaborative Jamaica, a cultural center, is hosting its 29th Jamaica Arts & Music Summer Festival Saturday, Aug. 2, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Ahead of the festival is the JAMS Under the Stars event at Rufus King Park, located on 89th Avenue from 150th to 153rd streets, on Friday, Aug. 1, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

On Saturday, upward of 150,000 people are expected to check out live performances, area vendors, a health pavilion, family zone and multicultural events on Jamaica Avenue from Parsons Boulevard to 170th Street.

Vendors, small business and nonprofits interested in participating in the event must email ccjdigitalmedia@gmail.com. To learn more, visit jamaicajams.nyc.

“JAMS is more than a festival — it’s a cele-

FMCP visit

continued from page 20

gathering, party or barbecue in one of the picnic areas throughout the park.

And no matter where you go in FMCP, hot weather and the open topography can sneak up on you. Make sure you’re eating and particularly drinking enough, whether you bring it from home or patronize one or more of the many vendors around.

Make your way back across the Grand Central and head south toward Meadow and Willow lakes and you’ll pass the old New York State Pavilion from the 1964-65 World’s Fair, its observation towers present-

bration of community pride, cultural richness, and the creative heartbeat of Southeast Queens,” said Tyra Emerson, CCJ’s executive director, in a statement. “Bring the whole family and experience the magic of JAMS for yourself!”

R&B star Mya is set to shine at the Rise Up NYC concert series on Sunday, Aug. 17, at Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans, starting at 6 p.m. Bobby V is also set to perform.

Bringing the reggae and soca vibes ahead of Mya’s headlining performance at the park, located at Merrick and Baisley boulevards, are Wayne Wonder, Luciano, Bobby Konders and Jabba, on Saturday, Aug. 16, starting at 6 p.m. Doors open for both performances at 5 p.m.

“Summer is officially here, and it’s time for New York City to ‘Rise Up’ with us as we come together to celebrate the culture and music that make our city so great,” said Mayor Adams in a statement.

To learn more, visit riseupnycconcerts.com Q

ly encased in a cocoon of scaffolding. Right next to it is the Queens Theatre. Its website, queenstheatre.org, offers information on upcoming events.

Cross over the Long Island Expressway and you arrive at placid, picturesque Meadow Lake, where you can stroll around, rent a kayak or paddle boat, or just relax on a bench. If you intend to walk around the whole lake counterclockwise, make sure you are wearing sneakers or boots. The trail toward the southern end of the lake can get muddy and is bordered by thick, high vegetation. Either way you’ll reach Triassic Playground at Jewel Avenue and the Van Wyck Expressway. Willow Lake, with its hiking trails, sits south of Jewel Avenue. Q

Black Thought, left, and Questlove of The Roots are set to perform by the Unisphere on July 20. PHOTO BY ALEX BARANELLO

by Stephanie G. Meditz

Stepup!

Queensboro Dance Festival Dance has shows

Salsa beats and traditional Indian rhythms brought new life to Myrtle Avenue last Sunday as people took to the streets for an afternoon of dance.

Folks of all ages gathered in Ridgewood’s 71st Avenue Plaza to swing their hips and stomp their feet at two free classes and a dance party as part of the annual Queensboro Dance Festival.

and classes all over over

seek to make dance as accessible as possible and foster connections between artists and audiences. Info is at queensborodancefestival.org.

“Community engagement is a super critical component of our programming,” Karesia Batan, QDF’s founding executive director, told the Chronicle.

The festival, now in its 12th season, holds dozens of free events every summer that aim to help Queens dancers grow and find community, from performances to classes to dance parties.

Held mostly in outdoor public spaces, they also

“We feel really strongly about accessibility,” Batan said. “It’s almost really like dance is a medium in which we want people to experience the variety of cultures in Queens.”

Sunday’s attendees warmed up with a flow by Ridgewood’s Daya Yoga Studio.

Long Island City-based Indian classical dancer and educator Aishwarya Madhav then taught the key

comp cal da anima intrica

components of Kuchipudi, one of eight major classical dance styles in India. It focuses on rhythm and animated storytelling through facial expressions and intricate hand gestures.

“M

“My art form, it’s not usually widely known,” Madhav told the Chronicle. “And there are quite a few Indians in Queens. It’s such a big hub for Southeast Asians, so I just felt it was a great exposure in bringing the entire community together.”

Andre Irving of LIC’s Cucala Dance Co. also broke down the footwork and rhythm of New York-style salsa, which originated right here in the city.

Attendees could then show off their new moves at an open dance party to a set by DJ Tahleim, whose style encompasses salsa, funk, hip-hop, R&B,

King Crossword Puzzle

I HAVE OFTEN WALKED

Linda Yaccarino could

tweet

about Kew Gardens

by Ron Marzlock

Chronicle Contributor

Robert P. Yaccarino and Isabel Bartolone married on Oct. 3 1959, ages 21 and 20, respectfully.

Daughter Cathy, aka Kate, was born in 1961. And public records show on Dec. 21, 1963, they were blessed with twin girls, Linda and Lori. Their father became chief of the Nassau County Police Department, his drive for leadership likely influencing his daughters.

Upon graduation from Penn State with a degree in telecommunications, Linda married NCAA hockey player Claude Madrazo, whose family originally hailed from Santander, Spain. She went to work for Turner Entertainment and became a top executive.

The couple settled into a beautiful building at 80-15 Grenfell St. in Kew Gardens. Eventually they moved to Glen Head, LI, in 1995 and Sea Cliff in 2004 to raise their

Parks seeks help in counting NYC’s trees

Four upcoming census events in Queens

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Just as the United States takes stock of the human population every decade, New York City does so for its trees.

Since 1995, the city Parks Department has conducted decadal counts of trees in an event called Trees Count. The fourth participatory inventory is underway.

Participants record the location, size, species and condition of all public street and park trees in New York City. The data is then used to develop new management and operational plans for improved forestation, and helps identify areas where there’s room for more trees, according to the Parks Department.

The agency also maintains a map of the city’s trees at tree-map.nycgovparks.org.

At the events, attendees will be given a tote bag with all materials needed to count trees before receiving a 20-minute training session that covers the basics of tree identification and how to measure and assess. Using a Tree Census app, attendees will split into different zones within a

given park to start counting for approximately one to two hours.

After completing the training, participants are welcome to count trees on their own in smaller parks across the city.

To participate in Trees Count 2025, visit nycgovparks.org/reg/trees-count and sign up for an event. More outings are added regularly.

In 2025’s tree census, there are four upcoming Queens events:

• Rufus King Park in Jamaica on July 18, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Participants should meet at the entrance by 153rd Street and 89th Avenue;

• Queensbridge Park in Long Island City on July 21, from 4 to 6 p.m. Meet at the entrance at Vernon Boulevard and 41st Avenue;

• Astoria Park on July 31, from 3 to 5 p.m. Attendees should meet at the entrance on 19th Street by 24th Avenue;

• Francis Lewis Park in Whitestone on Aug. 2, from 12 to 2 p.m. Meet at the entrance at the corner of Third Avenue and Whitestone Expressway. Q

two sons. After 20 years at Turner, Yaccarino joined NBC Universal in 2011.

On June 6, 2023, she got what she called the opportunity of a lifetime as the CEO of X, the former Twitter, reportedly at $6 million a year with performance bonuses and stock options. On July 9, 2025, she suddenly resigned from the social media platform, speaking only positively of her experience. The media anxiously await the full story. Q

B SPORTS EAT

by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor

Things have not gone well for the Mets since they got swept at Citi Field by the Tampa Bay Rays in a mid-June three-game series. That was the start of a June swoon that also saw them get swept by the Braves in Atlanta and by the woeful Pirates in Pittsburgh.

Losing three straight to the Pirates was embarrassing enough, but being outscored 30-4 was historically humiliating. That led to one of those infamous “players only” meetings that occur when there is no getting around how terrible things have gotten. The Mets proceeded to take two out of three from a good Milwaukee Brewers team, and, even more importantly, did the same against the Yankees right after that.

While the series win against the Bronx Bombers had to mollify Mets fans, it did not mask the fact that most of the pitchers for that series were journeymen who would be perennial candidates for “designated for assignment” by every big-league team.

The good news for the Mets was the fact the Philadelphia Phillies were struggling as badly as they were. Both teams have made an art form of futility batting futility with runners in scoring p osition. When Phillies’ radio play-by-play voice Scott Franzke pointed out that the team had reached 0 for 26 in that category last week during their series with the Giants in San Fran-

cisco, his analyst partner, former Philadelphia shortstop Kevin Stocker immediately exclaimed, “That is inexcusable!” Stocker also pointed out the 15 times Phillies batters struck out in those situations instead of at least making productive outs. Mets fans can empathize.

Much has been made of Mets owner Steve Cohen’s willingness to spend on payroll, but no amount of money can insure against injuries. The club has had to contend with its share.

Lefty reliever AJ Minter was lost early in the year with a season-ending torn lat muscle. Last year’s ace, Sean Manaea, was sidelined until last weekend with an oblique strain, while Frankie Montas missed most of the first half of the season with a similar injury. Kodai Senga has been terrific for the Mets when he has been healthy enough to pitch. He missed most of 2024 with leg issues. He sustained another leg mishap last month, but he was able to pitch last Friday. The Mets’ recent slide coincided with Senga’s most recent injury.

The good news is all the Mets’ projected starters for 2025 are slated to return this weekend. The beleaguered bullpen should be less taxed for the second half. Too many contests have been labeled “bullpen games” because the team has not had a healthy starter. The results have been losses for our Flushing heroes. See the extended version of Sports Beat every

Linda Yaccarino and her husband lived for a time at 80-15 Grenfell St. in Kew Gardens, above. GOOGLE MAPS IMAGE; INSET PHOTO BY SIKARIN FON THANACHAIARY / WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM VIA FLICKR

Serenity now? Find it at Socrates twice a week

by Marlee Wollman qboro contributor

Humans take an average of 22,000 breaths per day. But how many of these are we truly conscious of?

Our lives are busy and mentally overwhelming. The practice of yoga invites us to indulge in an intentional awareness and focus on breath, allowing body and mind to relax and synchronize into a natural flow. Just as the wind moves over the Earth, rustling trees and shaping environments, our breath sustains the life within us and activates our parasympathetic nervous system, sending calming cues to our bodies.

What better place to alleviate cerebral burdens and sink into decompression through respiration and motion than along the East River on a summer Sunday morning? Luckily, Socrates Sculpture Park has partnered with Astoria Yoga to provide an ideally situated meditative experience for attendees to focus on breath, tranquility, and gentle movement.

For those striving to find some tranquility during the week, Sunset Meditation on Tuesdays, led by a Mindful Astoria mindfulness meditation instructor, provides a selfcare reprieve among an aesthetic setting.

On Sunday mornings, lengthened spines, relaxed jaws and steady breaths gather by the waterfront (weather permitting), against the scenic skyline view at Socrates. On one recent Sunday, a strong turnout of those seeking stillness settled into an hour-long beginner-friendly vinyasa yoga session. The pleasant and knowledgeable instructor calmly facilitated peaceful poses with a gentle and soothing voice, as a steady stream of participants continued to converge at the river’s edge, setting out on a conscious endeavor to align the body and mind with breath. The free event drew a substan-

tial crowd. From dissolving tension into the Earth in child’s pose, to attaining new heights in mountain stance, and a multitude of movements in between, park-goers tuned into the bountiful Earth adjacent to the river, discovering ease and tending to inner peace by way of the restful practice.

The continued reminders to regulate a practice of composed and steady breaths were a welcome remedy to overactive minds. An ambient and meditative soundscape accompanied the supportive guidance, encouraging even deeper therapeutic de-stressing. Tuesdays’ Sunset Meditation class combines mindful breathing with movement and meditation focusing on the moment without any judgment.

Alexa Strautmanis, founder and owner-operator of Asto-

ria Yoga, told us in an email, “I personally love to see everyone coming to move and breathe in community every weekend; dozens and dozens of folks join in, including familiar faces from Astoria Yoga, our neighbors (and their 4-legged friends), local business owners, fans of outdoor art, fellow yoga instructors, and even Queens councilmembers have attended!”

The event is an open atmosphere. Upon approaching the field, there is already a sense of serenity and respite from what lies beyond the space. The ambiance and reclusiveness of Socrates Sculpture Park lend themselves to the practice of yoga, as a quiet enclave surrounded by water and gardens.

“Finding a moment of peace for yourself amidst the hustle of the city — it’s so special,” Strautmanis added.

James, a security officer at the park, described the positive environment cultivated: “It’s a good morning to see all these people get together, all kinds of people here, and enjoying, waiting for the yoga to start. We’ve been here for five, six years. And it’s so beautiful to see it’s still in motion.”

As the yoga class drew to a close, the effects were emphasized by the lasting impressions of the serene sculpture garden. “It’s a beautiful park, as you see. And I try to keep it that way,” James added.

For anyone longing to feel a little more grounded, connected, or simply quieted, Yoga at Socrates and Sunset Meditation provide spaces to return to yourself, one breath at a time. Yoga at Socrates with Astoria Yoga, which will continue to take place each Sunday from 10 to 11 a.m. until September 28, is free and designed for all experience levels. Sunset Meditation with Mindful Astoria, also free, takes place Tuesdays from 7 to 8 p.m. until Aug. 26. Q

Get on your feet with Queensboro Dance Festival

continued from page 23

disco, electro, reggae and Afro-World music.

“We strive to represent a diverse lineup of Queens-based artists at every event,” Batan said. This season’s lineup features a wide range of dance styles, from folkloric to classical to commercial.

The festival welcomes people to become tourists in their own borough, she said. It encourages people to visit spaces they had never seen before and learn about the bor-

Crossword Answers

ough’s different cultural pockets.

Batan started the festival after she realized that the majority of opportunities for dancers that she came across were in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

“Living in Queens and understanding that it’s the biggest borough and the most diverse borough, I just kind of just felt like we were missing information,” she said.

The festival seeks to fill that gap, she continued — it helps Queens dancers find community, resources and opportunities without a lengthy commute.

Batan said it also hopes to demonstrate the borough’s rich arts and culture landscape to public and private funders, citing inequitable distribution compared to the others.

The program also works to support Queens dancers with services such as free and discounted rehearsal space, teaching opportunities, professional development workshops and cultural exchange classes in which they can learn from other artists.

They also receive complimentary photo and video footage from the festival events they participate in.

Queensboro Dance Festival events will

Most QDF events are held in outdoor public spaces to ensure prime accessibility. On the cover: Attendees on Sunday got a glimpse of Kuchipudi, a classical Indian style of dance, in Ridgewood.

take place throughout the summer, with the ticketed season finale to come Sept. 13 at Queens Theatre.

Other upcoming events include a ticketed silent disco at Frank Ottomanelli’s Long Island City Aug. 21. All proceeds support

the festival’s free programming, and tickets are available at tinyurl.com/cdnhb3a8.

“We’re hoping in the bigger vision to be able to contribute to a stronger ecosystem of arts and culture, and especially in dance, in Queens,” Batan said. Q

Yoga practitioners enjoy a sunny Sunday at Socrates Sculpture Park. PHOTO BY MARLEE WOLLMAN

PHOTOS BY ROBIN MICHALS AND, COVER, STEPHANIE G. MEDITZ

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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 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.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME

COURT QUEENS COUNTY WEBSTER BANK, N.A., Plaintiff against LETICIA M. CALUAG A/K/A LETICIA CALUAG, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Margolin, Weinreb & Nierer, LLP, 575 Underhill Boulevard, Suite 224, Syosset, NY 11791. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered June 4, 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 15, 2025 at 10:00 AM. Premises known as 84-92 Homelawn Street a/k/a 84-92 Home Lawn Street, Jamaica, New York 11432. Block 9862 Lot 76. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $137,839.57 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 708473/2023. 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. David I. Weprin, Esq., Referee File # 23-0243

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.

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 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.

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS. NYCTL 2021 A TRUST, and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Collateral Agent and Custodian for the NYCTL 2021 A TRUST, Plaintiffs against WILLIE M. HARVEY, et al. Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated June 5, 2025 and entered on June 12, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, 88 11 Sutphin Blvd., in Courtroom #25, Jamaica, NY 11435, on Friday, on August 15, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. or at such other location in the courthouse that the Court may designate for conducting this foreclosure auction. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Queens, City and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the easterly side of Farmers Avenue, distant 176.92 feet northerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the easterly side of Farmers Avenue and the northerly side of Maple Avenue; THENCE easterly parallel with 105th Avenue 87.49 feet; THENCE northerly at right angles to 105th Avenue 40 feet; THENCE westerly parallel with 105th Avenue 82.83 feet to the easterly side of Farmers Avenue; THENCE southerly still along the easterly side of Farmers Avenue 21.21 feet to an angle; THENCE southerly still along the easterly side of Farmers Avenue 19.05 feet to the point or place of BEGINNING. Block: 10881 Lot: 14 Said premises known as 104 17 FARMERS BOULEVARD, JAMAICA, NY 11412

Approximate amount of lien $33,419.97, through August 22. 2024, plus interest fees & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 717974/2022. BRUCE S. POVMAN, ESQ., Referee Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Attorney(s) for Plaintiffs 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10018

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 212-941-6101, or the New York City Commission of Human Rights Hotline at 718722-3131.

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

JUST LISTED! Howard Beach. 157-11 101 St. Fully renov, 3 BR, 2 baths. Asking $849K, Patricia “Patty” DeNiro, DeNiro Realty, 917-892-9558

JUST LISTED! Rockaway Park. 175 Beach 101 St. Calling all investors! Lot 30.79 x 100, zoning R5D, Quailfied Opportunity Zone. Patricia “Patty” DeNiro, DeNiro Realty, 917-892-9558

Open House Houses For Sale

Lindenwood, Sun 7/20, 2pm-3pm, 87-10 149 Ave, Unit 5D, 2 BR, 2 bath condo w/pvt terrace. C21 Amiable II, 718-835-4700

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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 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.

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT. QUEENS COUNTY. WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS CERTIFICATE TRUSTEE OF BOSCO CREDIT II TRUST SERIES 2010-1, Pltf. vs MARLENE DODD, et al, Defts. Index #724440/2022. Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale entered May 28, 2025, I will sell at public auction on the front steps of the Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, NY on August 22, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. premises k/a 227- 07 108th Avenue, Queens Village, NY 11429 a/k/a Block 11193, Lot 15. Said property located beginning at a point on the Northerly side of 108th Avenue, distant 40 ft. Easterly from the corner formed by the intersection of the Northerly side of 108th Avenue with the Easterly side of 227th Street; being a plot 100 ft. x 40 ft. Approximate amount of judgment is $197,227.03 plus costs and interest.

Sold subject to terms and conditions of filed judgment and terms of sale. RICHARD GUTIERREZ, Referee. HILL WALLACK LLP, Attys. for Pltf., 261 Madison Avenue, 9th Floor, Ste. 940-941, New York, NY. File No. 022721-00029 #102423

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

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.

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 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.

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 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 SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS INDEX NO. 712053/2022 Plaintiff designates QUEENS as the place of trial situs of the real property Mortgaged Premises: 130-19 158TH STREET, JAMAICA, NY 11434 Block: 12273, Lot: 74 MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. LILLIAN OGLESBY A/K/A LILLIAN FULLER; GRACE OGLESBY; CYNTHIA SAUNDERS, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF LELA OGLESBY A/K/A LELA SAUNDERS; SUSAN SAUNDERS ANTHONY, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF LELA OGLESBY A/K/A LELA SAUNDERS; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES OF THE ESTATE OF LELA OGLESBY A/K/A LELA SAUNDERS, 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; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; NEW YORK CITY PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; JANE SAUNDERS, “JOHN DOE #2” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last eleven names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporation, 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 $570,000.00 and interest, recorded on December 29, 2010, in CRFN: 2010000434231, of the Public Records of QUEENS County, New York, covering premises known as 130-19 158TH STREET, JAMAICA, NY 11434. 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: September 26, 2024 ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorney for Plaintiff Eric S. Sheidlower, Esq. 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310 Westbury, NY 11590 516-280-7675

BH 7TH MEMBER LLC.

Notice Rates & Information,

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 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.

For

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 Bar #: 4946430 (631) 969-3100 Our File No.:01-101106-F00

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

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

Jessica will win this Senate primary race

González-Rojas is challenging Ramos

by Peter C. Mastrosimone

Editor-in-Chief

As first reported by City & State, Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas (D-East Elmhurst) has filed with the state Board of Elections to run a primary challenge against state Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Jackson Heights).

Ramos had run in the Democratic primary for mayor, but threw her allegiance to former Gov. Andrew Cuomo before the vote. That disappointed many who believed Cuomo should not be supported due to his alleged inappropriate conduct toward a number of women during his tenure. The claims forced his resignation.

Among those disappointed by Ramos’ move was González-Rojas.

Neither legislator could be reached for comment, and though contact was made with representatives of both, no statements were offered by press time.

The lawmakers’ districts overlap in Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. González-Rojas’ 34th District also includes some of Corona, Astoria and

Woodside and is the more westerly of the two. Ramos’ 13th District includes all of Corona, as well as Citi Field and its environs, and even dips below the Long Island Expressway to include a sliver of Forest Hills and Rego Park.

González-Rojas endorsed state Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D-Astoria) in the primary, which he won handily. The mayoral election is in November. State legislative elections are next year. Q

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Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas, left, and state Sen. Jessica Ramos. COURTESY PHOTO / FILE, LEFT, AND PHOTO BY PETER C. MASTROSIMONE