MICHAEL SHAIN
Con Ed rate hikes’ future is uncertain
Decision lies with an independent board, following lengthy state review
by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor
The fate of Con Edison’s proposed double-digit rate hikes for 2026 will lie in the hands of the independently operating Public Service Commission, but not before the plan is scrutinized by the state-controlled Department of Public Service.
The utility on Jan. 31 announced its request for gas and electric bill increases of 11.4 and 13.3 percent on average, respectively. If the hikes are approved, a typical residential customer using 280 kilowatt-hours of electricity every month would see his or her bills jump from $103.24 to $117.37. The average residential gas customer’s bill would rise to about $287 from $253.35.
The filing requests the new rates for one year, beginning on Jan. 1, 2026, but Con Ed said it is open to a multi-year settlement. The Chronicle reported Feb. 13 that, as per a company spokesperson, proposed increases have come out over several years in the past.
Con Ed’s filing marked the start of an 11-month commission process during which the company will hear feedback about the plan. The PSC, which regulates the state’s utilities, must approve the request for it to come to fruition.
Gov. Hochul on Feb. 11 wrote to PSC Chair and DPS CEO Rory Christian urging the board to reject the hikes. She also directed the DPS to
conduct a statewide audit of utility company salaries and compensation.
But Hochul officially cannot give orders to the PSC. While the DPS, the PSC’s administrative branch, is under her control, the latter entity acts independently, though the governor appoints its members.
A spokesperson for Hochul told the Chronicle that the DPS and Con Ed will now have a dialogue for up to 11 months. The PSC then must make a decision after the DPS
gives its review.
He added that when the DPS presents its suggestions on a utility’s proposal, the company and the state usually agree to a compromise. However, the utility could also opt to take the state to court.
The PSC reportedly told the New York Post that approved rates are nearly always lower than initially requested.
“At Governor Hochul’s direction, DPS is poring over the utility’s books to identify
ways to cut costs,” a PSC spokesman told the Chronicle via email.
However, Hochul was hardly the only politician to criticize the proposed hikes. Last Thursday, several Congress members, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Bronx, Queens), Nydia Velasquez (D-Queens) and Grace Meng (D-Flushing), wrote their own letter to Christian calling for the rejection of the increases.
“These rate hikes will only make it harder to make ends meet or, worse, lead to devastating shutoffs,” the letter reads.
Some customers and lawmakers on Tuesday rallied outside the utility’s Manhattan headquarters demanding the state to pass the NY HEAT, or Home Energy Affordable Transition, Act, which would cap energy bills for lowincome households.
In a press release for the event, state Sen. John Liu (D-Bayside) said the hikes would impose “tremendous financial hardship” on “cash-strapped New Yorkers.”
“Too many tenants in New York already cannot afford their energy bill, while countless homeowners and small business owners don’t know how they will afford next month’s bill,” Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani (D-Astoria) said in the release.
The revenue from higher rates will go
continued on page 18
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Workers from the 32BJ SEIU union rallied in Manhattan last Thursday to demand a rate freeze in response to Con Edison’s proposed double-digit increases. PHOTO COURTESY 32BJ SEIU
While MTA continues repairs on A train, lack of spots sparks concerns Businesses lament parking congestion
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Residents and business owners in the Coleman Square area of Howard Beach are frustrated since area construction has led to more congestion and parking issues affecting quality of life there.
The MTA’s Rockaway Line Resiliency and Rehabilitation Project aims to repair the A train route over a period of 17 weeks, ending in May. Because of the construction, and many Rockaway residents having to drive to the station to take alternate routes due to the subway’s closure, the surroundings of the Howard Beach-JFK Airport station are cluttered with cars.
According to residents, the unmetered parking spots on nearby streets are full, and the area’s 2-hour metered parking, which is already scarce, has been overwhelmed by vehicles there, unmoving, all day. Business owners are alleging the cars belong to MTA employees, as many of them have safety vests on the dashboard to ward off tickets.
Ray Florio, the manager of Sal’s Food Market at 102-10 159 Road, said his business is suffering as a result.
“I’ve got to call 311 every day,” Florio told the Chronicle.
“There’s nine cars parked across the sidewalk in front of my store, from morning until night. And of course, in front of the station, too.”
He added, “If you drive around, you can look for yellow vests or find bogus permits in the windows.”
Florio said customers have been complaining, with one telling him he tried to patronize the store three times, but could not find parking. If the issue continues, Florio said, “My store is going to be closed.”
“A vest in your window is not a placard.”
—
Councilwoman Joann Ariola
Frances Scarantino, the owner of STARS Community Center at 8 Coleman Square, also said her business has been affected.
“We have a Mommy and Me class on Mondays at nine o’clock,” Scarantino said. “I have [clients] RSVP that they’re coming to the class, and I’ll have say, six people RSVP, and only half of them show up.
And then they’ll send me an email, ‘I’m sorry we couldn’t find parking, and it was just too cold to walk.’”
She said though some residents have defended the situation by saying “nobody owns the streets”
— that’s the point.
“Meaning, if you want to park there for an hour or two, you can’t even do that,” Scarantino said. “If you want to go into a store, if you want to pop into a class with your toddler, you can’t do that because there’s just no parking.”
Both Scarantino and Florio said perhaps the MTA could partner with the nearby Our Lady of Grace Church and have workers use its parking lot during the day. continued on page 19
New charter school could come to HB
Location may open at former site of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Success Academy, the city’s largest charter school network, is in the final stages of getting approval to open a location in Howard Beach, according to a listing on its website.
Howard Beach Middle School would serve grades 5 through 8 and open at 158-20 101 St., the site of the now-defunct Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy. Applications are being accepted for students entering fifth grade.
“We are in the final stages of obtaining final government approval for Howard Beach middle school!” a Success Academy representative told the Chronicle. “This is a result of our ongoing efforts to
secure more excellent educational options in the area. We are very excited as they are great options for our Queens and South Brooklyn families!”
Once the location gets government approval, if it does, families will be notified of the next steps. Success Academy could not answer questions about the school’s capacity or whether the building was bought or would be rented.
Charter schools are public schools but operate outside of the traditional system. The Success Academy website says the school is slated to open this year and interested parents may contact the network.
The Rev. Dominick Dellaporte, the pastor of Our Lady of Grace
Church, on Tuesday told the Chronicle that nothing is official and no contracts have been signed.
“Things are still in negotiations,” Dellaporte said. “But there’s nothing, nothing at all.”
He continued, “I haven’t signed anything. The diocese hasn’t signed anything. They’re waiting for approval; we’re waiting for approval.”
The Diocese of Brooklyn, which includes Queens, did not respond to an inquiry regarding the building.
On neighborhood Facebook groups, the news of a possible charter coming to the site fielded mixed reactions, with many expressing that they would have rather seen a Catholic or private high school at the location.
The old Our Lady of Grace Catholic Academy building, at 158-20 101 St. in Howard Beach, could soon be used for a new Success Academy charter school, pending government approval.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHAIN / FILE
Business owners and residents are frustrated with the newfound parking congestion in the Coleman Square area of Howard Beach, which they attribute to MTA employees parking there while the Howard Beach-JFK Airport A train station undergoes construction. Because of the issue, the owners say their businesses are suffering.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHAIN
Gov. Hochul declines to remove Adams
Proposes new guardrails to protect city government from ‘interference’
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Gov. Hochul last Thursday announced that she will not remove Mayor Adams after he faced numerous calls to resign amid accusations of a quid pro quo with President Trump’s Justice Department.
Though she said she was “deeply troubled” by the situation surrounding the mayor, Hochul said, “My strong belief is that the will of the voters and the supremacy and sanctity of democratic elections preclude me from any other action.”
Instead of removing the mayor, the governor introduced a plan for reform at City Hall that includes safeguards she said will ensure leaders are operating with the city’s best interests in mind, and “not at the behest of the president.”
“There’s a clear line between cooperation and coercion,” Hochul said, adding that the Trump administration had been “aggressive” and will “stop at nothing to exercise control over New York,” using his attempt to end congestion pricing as an example.
General, who will be able to direct the city Department of Investigations.
The mayor will only be able to remove the DOI’s commissioner with the approval of the state inspector general, Hochul said, adding that the measure would protect city investigations from “interference.”
Hochul also has plans to give the city’s comptroller, public advocate and City Council speaker, in this case, Brad Lander, Jumaane Williams and Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica), respectively, “an independent authority to clarify the independent language to commence litigation against the federal government when necessary and using outside counsel.”
“New York is facing a grave threat from Washington.”
— Gov. Hochul
Hochul said she is proposing legislation to create a “special inspector general” for city affairs within the state Office of the Inspector
The city’s Law Department can still initiate legal actions within seven days of any request, Hochul said.
Hochul additionally proposed to expand funding for the state comptroller to be used to examine city oversight.
Hochul said if the measures are enacted they will be effective immediately and expire at the end of 2025, subject to renewal.
She said she has discussed the measures with Speaker Adams, state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) and state Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins (D-Yonkers).
Pols: Cross Bay Bridge toll rebate not at risk
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
As President Trump attempts to put an end to congestion pricing in New York City, the action has left some Queens residents wondering if the toll rebate on the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge, which just marked one year of implementation, could be at risk.
But state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) and Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach), who for years advocated for the rebate, said residents need not worry.
The Queens Resident Program, which enables drivers with E-ZPass accounts registered to a Queens address to receive a 100 percent rebate on the price of the toll when crossing the bridge, was secured with funding from the Outer Borough Transportation Account, which was not contingent on congestion pricing, Addabbo told the Chronicle.
“This rebate provides a respite for families, who can now take trips to the beach or the Rockaways for free,” he said, adding that it would be “wrong” to rescind it and that “prudent measures” would be
Though congestion pricing may meet its end soon, the rebate on the Cross Bay Bridge is not at risk at this time, officials said.
PHOTO BY KRISTEN GUGLIELMO / FILE
taken if that were the case. He said he has alternate ideas for revenue if needed.
“The rebate was not contingent on congestion pricing because, through intense negotiations, the Senator and I obtained the needed funding to make sure this program continues,” Pheffer Amato said in a statement. “Anyone who says differently is purposely spreading misinformation; they’re wrong. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished and we will continue to celebrate year after year.”
“New York is facing a grave threat from Washington,” Hochul said. She stated the Trump administration is trying to use the legal jeopardy facing Adams as leverage to “squeeze and punish” the city due to the president’s frustrations with the felony convictions he received in New York.
“I call it the ‘Trump revenge tour’ and I have to stand in its way,” she said. “As governor, I will be the vanguard against harm to our state and our people. And nothing will stand in our way.
In a Feb. 20 statement, Adams said, “I was elected by the people of New York City and its working-class communities to uphold their values — and that is what our administration has done.”
He continued, “While there is no legal basis for limiting New Yorkers’ power by limiting the authority of my office, I have told the governor, as we have done in the past, that I am willing to work with her to ensure faith in our government is strong. I look forward to continuing those conversations.”
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards in a statement said Hochul has showed “tremendous leadership and maintained an open mind throughout this difficult process.”
“I strongly support her actions today to provide additional state oversight of the current
mayoral administration — actions that I believe represent critical steps toward rebuilding New Yorkers’ shaken confidence in our government and placing our city on more stable footing,” Richards said. “As she said this afternoon, however, these new oversight measures must be temporary, and the historic home rule separation between city and state government should be restored immediately upon the resolution of this crisis.”
The City Council’s Common Sense Caucus, which includes Queens Councilmembers Bob Holden (D-Maspeth), Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) and Vickie Paladino (R-Whitestone), called Hochul’s proposals a “blatant political power grab.”
“We don’t need any more unnecessary bureaucracy in this city, and we certainly don’t need more litigation,” the group said in a press release. “We need strong leadership — which is the opposite of what we are getting from our Governor.”
Meanwhile, Judge Dale Ho, the federal judge in the mayor’s corruption case, delayed a ruling on the Justice Department’s request to dismiss the charges. He instead appointed lawyer Paul Clement to present independent arguments on the motion, according to a document on nysd. uscourts.gov. Briefs will be due on March 7, and if necessary, the court will hold oral arguments on March 14 at 2 p.m.
In his remarks, Ho wrote that “an appointment is appropriate here to assist the court’s decisionmaking. That is particularly so in light of the public importance of this case, which calls for careful deliberation.”
On Wednesday, Adams’ lawyers called for the indictment to be dismissed with prejudice due to “prosecutorial misconduct.”
According to filed court documents, Adams’ lawyers took issue with the leak of the letter from Danielle Sassoon, the former interim U.S. attorney for the Southern District, to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, explaining Sassoon’s refusal to comply with orders to dismiss Adams’ case.
“Only the government actors who wish to see Mayor Adams prosecuted have benefitted from the leak, and only those same bad actors would have had access to the leaked material,” the lawyers wrote. Q
Property tax lien help on 3/4
Homeowners who have fallen behind on their property taxes or water, sewer or other municipal property-related charges may be at risk for being included in a lien sale.
To help those who may need guidance, state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) is hosting a property tax lien help day on March 4, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at his Woodhaven office, at 84-16 Jamaica Ave.
Representatives from Neighborhood Housing Services of Queens will be available to provide one-on-one care to those living in Addabbo’s district.
Appointments are required and can be made by calling Addabbo’s office at (718) 738-1111. Homeowners should bring their state ID; household income information, including the last four paystubs, Social Security award letters and pension award letters; and latest utility bills to the appointment.
“It’s crucial that we come together to support one another and ensure that everyone has access to the help they need to maintain their homes and financial stability,” Addabbo said in a statement. Q — Kristen Guglielmo
Gov. Hochul announced last week that she would not remove Mayor Adams from office, but proposed guardrails and oversight measures.
SCREENSHOT / GOVERNOR.NY.GOV
United against Adams, but that’s about it
Mayoral hopefuls discuss plans at Greater Allen AME Cathedral
by Owen Lavine Chronicle Contributor
Rival candidates spared Mayor Adams no criticism on Sunday during a forum at the Greater Allen AME Cathedral in Jamaica.
The forum was attended by former Assemblymember Michael Blake, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani (D-Astoria), state Sens. Jessica Ramos (D-Jackson Heights) and Zellnor Myrie (D-Brooklyn), Comptroller Brad Lander, former Comptroller Scott Stringer, James Manning, Javon Ross, Von Del Valle and Scott Joyner.
Despite the adversarial nature of the campaign season, Myrie, Blake and Mamdani were spotted laughing and chatting throughout the forum while Ramos and Stringer kept their own banter up.
One thing they could all agree on was Adams, who was repeatedly described as “compromised” and “corrupt.”
The candidates opened the forum talking about how their platforms would help Southeast Queen’s Black population.
Blake hit on his experience in the Obama administration, stating “as the only person [here] who has White House, statehouse and local experience,” he would be able to navigate relations with the Trump administration. Blake said under his mayoralty people would be able to get homes regardless of credit score and have a guaranteed income and universal childcare.
Mamdani took a different tack, leaning on the words of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
“What good is the right to sit at a lunch counter if you cannot afford a hamburger?” Mamdani asked, drawing from a speech King gave in 1968. “This campaign that I’m running is
asking the same question about New York City: What good is the right to live in this city if you cannot afford it, if you cannot afford your rent, or your mortgage, your Con Edison bill or your childcare, your groceries?”
Myrie leaned on his accomplishments in Albany including a bill he introduced that criminalized deed theft, signed into law last year by Gov. Hochul. Myrie has claimed deed theft “is one of the leading causes of Brooklyn’s Black exodus.” He also lauded another bill of his to allow New Yorkers to take gun manufacturers and dealers to court if their weapons end up in the hands of criminals and aren’t properly accounted for.
Manning opened his remarks talking about his armed burglary conviction. While serving his prison sentence he discovered Christianity.
“I know about crime; I know about justice and injustice,” Manning said.
Stringer and Lander both stressed their experience as comptroller in auditing the city’s finances, researching gaps in racial equality and fighting corruption.
Valle, Joyner and Ross all stressed they were “outsider” candidates who had no governmental experience. Manning similarly has no experience in elected office.
Ross’ platform, summarized in his PAIN (pray about it now) acronym, was largely religious, emphasizing his faith.
Valle dissed Mamdani’s proposal to improve the bus system, saying, “I don’t think our buses need more speed; I think we need traffic relief.”
Joyner said he would create a new agency called the “public accountability office,” which would “audit everybody, including the Mayor’s Office, the Comptroller’s Office and
the City Council.”
The Comptroller’s Office already has the power to audit all the offices mentioned by Joyner, which Stringer noted during his remarks later in the forum, when he mentioned an audit he opened into the comptroller’s contracts to see if his office held any with minority- and women-owned businesses.
Moderators Donald Garner and Treasure Brooks questioned the candidates on education, immigration and the economy.
On the topic of education, many of the candidates talked about strengthening public schools, increased mental healthcare for students and providing universal childcare and afterschool programs, as well as paying teachers more.
electronics stay out of the classroom.
Myrie derided the Specialized High School Admissions Test, stating, “You shouldn’t have to be lucky in this city to get a high-quality education.” Manning endorsed a faithbased education system. Ramos stressed vocational programs and streamlining GED access so more people could enter the trades.
The immigration question similarly generated lots of consensus among the candidates.
Fairness and faith are among the topics at a key house of worship.
Blake proposed “dedicated housing for our educators.” Mamdani lamented that cops outnumbered guidance counselors in schools.
Lander and Stringer wanted to ensure
None endorsed President Trump’s mass deportation policy.
Myrie rested his support for sanctuary city laws on Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who upheld them during his tenure, jokingly referring to Giuliani as a “progressive.”
Manning said opposition to immigration was grounded in the changing demography of the United States. Manning contended that as birth rates among white people decline, compared to the number of nonwhite immigrants coming into the country every year, immigrants have been “politicized” and labeled as the “enemies of America.”
Stringer accused Adams of scapegoating immigration spending during the 2022 budget deficit debacle.
Finally, on the question of the economy, the candidates all stressed job creation and affordability.
Mamdani called for 200,000 new affordable housing units to be built and the creation of a city-owned grocery store. Ramos again stressed the need for vocational schools. Manning
called for an investment into poor neighborhoods of $40 billion and raising the minimum wage to $27 an hour. Myrie advocated for more people with criminal records who have maintained good behavior to have their convictions sealed on job applications. Stringer called for more city contracts to be granted to minority businesses. Blake said the minimum wage needs to be bumped up to a “living wage.” And Lander stressed that more city pensions should be managed by women and minorityowned asset managers.
Resident Bill Scarborough, a former state assemblyman, said after the forum that “none of the candidates stood out.”
Scarborough, who was worried City of Yes will “radically change the character of our communities,” said none of the candidates addressed his concerns.
“We don’t want garages turned into homes. We don’t want elimination of parking mandates,” Scarborough added.
And none of the candidates earned his vote.
Geneva Thomas agreed she wanted to hear more about the City of Yes from the candidates.
“You’re building for affordable housing, but affordable for whom?” Thomas asked.
Shirley Greene was interested in Blake’s proposal on giving educators housing.
“He understood that education goes beyond the classroom and that it affects your housing,” Greene said.
Both said they leaned toward Blake, but they want to hear more.
“There’s still more to be seen,” Greene said. Q
Former City Comptroller Scott Stringer speaks at the Greater Allen AME Cathedral, joined by several of his fellow mayoral hopefuls: state Sen. Zellnor Myrie, left, Sen. Jessica Ramos, Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, former Assemblyman Michael Blake, City Comptroller Brad Lander, James Manning, Javon Ross, Von Del Valle and Scott Joyner. PHOTOS BY OWEN LAVINE
Several of the candidates share a light moment before the forum, with Manning standing at ease in front. The event did not exactly fill the pews at the powerhouse Jamaica church, once led by the Rev. Floyd Flake, a congressman.
EDITORIAL AGEP
AG James gets ‘Dashers’ paid
When you tip someone, you expect the money to go to that person. That’s especially true if you’re tipping someone making a delivery. You don’t expect the person who brought your food will have to share the tip with other drivers, and you certainly don’t expect him or her to lose regular pay based on your gratuity.
Yet that’s just what was going on at DoorDash for years, according to state Attorney General Letitia James. And now, as James announced Tuesday, tens of thousands of “Dashers” will get restitution after the company settled with her office for $16.75 million.
The company’s deceptive payment scheme, which the AG’s Office referred to as “wage theft” in one instance, was in place from May 2017 to September 2019, James said (yes, the wheels of justice turn slowly at times). Under the practice, DoorDash would guarantee a certain pay for a given delivery, say $10 for the sake of argument. If the customer did not tip, DoorDash would pay the $10, the office said. But if the person tipped $1, the company would only pay $9, so the delivery person still only got $10. If the custom-
er tipped $5, the company paid $5. And so on. If the tip was $11, DoorDash would only pay $1, its minimum, so the worker would only receive $12.
What a scheme. No wonder it added up to nearly $17 million — at least that’s what James recovered.
A DoorDash spokesperson dismissed James’ announcement as old news: a “years-old matter” involving a “an old pay model.” OK, but the firm wouldn’t have forked over so many millions without reason. Now it’s up to the settlement administrator engaged by the AG’s Office to get the money to the roughly 63,000 delivery people who may be eligible for a cut. That’s only about $266 each on average, but it’s something. The administrator will be in touch with delivery people and payments should begin soon.
Many of us get irked by food delivery people over their wanton disregard for the Vehicle and Traffic Law, and not everyone orders in. But the workers deserve fair pay, with tips on top of their wages, and clear rules on how they earn what. James deserves credit for securing that for the Dashers, along with their missing tips. You might even say she delivered.
Keep the gang database
You can always count on certain elements of our society, including some government officials, to do their best to handcuff the police and help criminals evade the law.
The latest iteration of this inclination is the “demand” that the Police Department destroy its gang database, a valuable tool for investigators trying to solve crimes and even prevent them. Being in the database does not mean a person has been or will be charged with anything; that is dependent on whether he or she commits an offense. It does mean the person could be someone to watch out for, or someone to go to for information when violence happens.
But that’s anathema to people such as City Councilwoman Althea Stevens of the Bronx, chief sponsor of a bill to eradicate this valuable law-enforcement tool, and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, one of the leftists hoping to knock Mayor Adams out of office. Adams has serious problems, but he’s a moderate and a former police captain who views the NYPD as an asset, not an enemy.
Stevens’ bill has 23 co-sponsors, several from Queens. That’s too few for it to pass, but you never know what might happen.
Police need inside information to do their job. If the gang database needs some tweaking, the commissioner can do that. We have gangs in the city who kill and maim without remorse. Kill this bill.
MARK WEIDLER President & Publisher
SUSAN & STANLEY MERZON Founders
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LETTERSTO THE EDITOR
After school for all
Dear Editor:
We have universal 3-K and pre-K. It’s time New York City adopted universal after school. Every public school building, an underutilized resource if ever there was one, should host an afterschool program for the neighborhood.
From 3 to 6 p.m., grades 5 to 8 would be accommodated, and from 6 to 9 p.m., bring in the high schoolers. Sports, homework help, chess, little theater, classes for English language learners, computer classes, dance and arts and crafts could be offered.
Local organizations like the Parent Teacher Association, block associations, Police Athletic League and, yes! faith-based groups could be encouraged to manage these centers. Let’s draw liberally upon the ample variety of talents, interests and enthusiasms of our fellow New Yorkers. An all-day summer program, with evening hours for teenagers, might be offered as well.
Perhaps the Department of Education and Parks could collaborate and offer services. Our elected officials and City agencies could provide periodic outreach programs for neighborhood homeowners.
Such a program would keep the kids off the street, improve academic performance and instill community pride. Offer part-time employment and ease the financial burden of childcare (not to mention the guilt and worry many working parents suffer).
Anything that could improve the qualityof-life and foster stability in our communities is worth discussing and further consideration.
Neil C. Giannelli Woodhaven
Name young suspects
Dear Editor:
Re Peter Mastrosimone’s Feb. 20 report “Teen girl shot dead by another youth: police”:
The 16-year-old “alleged killer” of a 17-year-old girl was not named in this story, even though he was charged with manslaughter. Was the decision not to identify him made by police, the Chronicle or both? It was a bad decision, but one made all too frequently to shield the identities of juvenile offenders who commit violent crimes.
News media should publish their names and mugshots so we know who to watch out for when these young thugs return to the streets, which happens often under New York State’s
Raise the Age law. Offenders from 12 to 17 years old who are accused of crimes are usually tried as minors in Family Court, rather than as adults in Criminal Court. They frequently receive a slap on the wrist and are released. Mayor Adams, a former cop, called this process “catch, release and repeat.” Why not change this to “catch, release and reveal”? Young criminals must not be shielded from the consequences of their actions. They should face public recognition and shame, even i f they avoid harsh legal penalties.
Critics may claim that this hardline approach will ruin young offenders’ lives. But they have already ruined their lives by committing violent crimes. We have a right to know who they are in order to protect ourselves. The police and news media have a responsibility to inform us.
Richard Reif Kew Gardens Hills Editor’s note: The suspect’s name was withheld by police, as per NYPD policy.
Dear Editor:
LETTERSTO THE EDITOR
Turn up the HEAT
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie doesn’t even represent us here in Queens, but he’s been holding up a critical bill that would slash the inflated price of energy we’ve been paying.
The NY HEAT (Home Energy Affordable Transition) Act has already been passed twice by the state Senate, but has gotten hung up in the Assembly both times. NY HEAT would simply update our outdated gas pipeline regulations that let gas companies keep building what we don’t need and profiting from it off our backs. We see it in our rising delivery bills. It’s not the price of gas that’s going up, it’s the rate increases the gas companies are getting for doing unnecessary work.
NY HEAT would also cap gas bills for moderate- and low-income families, taking a major load off trying to afford to live in our Queens homes.
Queens Assemblymembers Jessica González-Rojas, David Weprin and Andrew Hevesi are among the many who have cosigned NY HEAT. It’s time for Speaker Heastie to bring the bill to a vote and for Gov. Hochul to sign it and save us money.
Kanwaldeep K. Sekhon Glen Oaks
RIP, Maria D’Aleo
Dear Editor:
Thank you very much for your beautiful tribute to Maria D’Aleo in the Feb. 13 edition (“Longtime Forest Hills cook dies at 52,” multiple editions). She had such a vibrant and outgoing personality; it always cheered me up to see her. It’s very sad to read this news.
Miriam Jacobs Forest Hills
Their letters, my take
Dear Editor:
I would like to comment on some Jan. 30 letters. First, Linda Carlson said Americans don’t smile much when compared to people in Italy (“Save our children, Part II”). Instead of playing outside, American children are on their phones, and the adults no longer have much to smile about.
Debrah Gordon pointed out the value of belonging to the World Health Organization, which combats pandemics, advances vaccine research and prevents the spread of deadly diseases (“WHO exit unhealthy for U.S.”). The era when our leaders helped others and cared about the common good is over.
With RFK Jr. in charge of health care, we can say goodbye to vaccine research. When most children were vaccinated against polio, one mother on my block didn’t allow her daughter to be vaccinated, she contracted polio and later died. Now bird flu has been transmitted from cats to humans, but the CDC isn’t allowed to give us information.
As for Craig Schwab, his letter was aptly titled: “Unhinged, unwarranted.” President Trump is being compared to Hitler because they’re both racist dictators who caused great harm. If Mr. Schwab is still “proud of where we are heading”, he isn’t following the real news. He says Trump is bringing back prosper-
ity. Billionaires will certainly prosper, but what about the rest of us?
Lastly, your editorial, “Mayor Adams should leave the Democratic Party,” says Mayor Adams has the same lead attorney as Elon Musk. How can he afford this? Most of Mr. Adams’ appointees are under investigation, he wasn’t a resident of New York (supposedly living with his son), is really a Republican and is now cozying up to Donald Trump, hoping for a pardon. Something is wrong here, and despite some accomplishments, I doubt he’ll be reelected.
Linda Imhauser Whitestone
Protect Haitians here
Dear Editor:
Haiti is in the grip of a severe humanitarian and human rights crisis. Atrocious massacres of hundreds of innocent civilians are now a regular, frequent occurrence, while food insecurity is rampant.
There is blood on the streets in the hands of gangs that effectively control the county while increasingly exploiting more and more children.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem suddenly rescinding the prior Biden administration’s extension of Haiti’s Temporary Protected Status into 2026 is cutting off a lifeline for Haitians facing a literal life-or-death situation, and would deport over 500,000 currently seeking sanctuary in the United States. This follows the Trump admin cruelly revoking TPS for almost 350,000 Venezuelans facing danger earlier this month, with reported plans for more revocations of similar groups.
TPS is granted to U.S. immigrants who can’t return to their countries because of violence, natural disasters or political upheaval — all of which Haiti sufferers from. Let’s be crystal clear: TPS does not provide a path to citizenship, and rescinding it for countries in need is a cruel, racially motivated decision that violates countless human rights statutes.
I join elected officials across the U.S. and the globe in calling for immediate action to reinstate the TPS for Haiti and all other groups with similar protections, while exploring every legal avenue to save lives and keep our country a beacon of hope and humanity.
Rodneyse
Bichotte Hermelyn NYS Assemblywoman
for the 42nd District Brooklyn
Deal with the devil
Dear Editor:
President Trump, while commenting on ending the war in Ukraine, recently stated, “I make deals, that’s what I do.”
Faust made a deal. This nation needs a leader who values the principles on which this nation was founded, respects the laws of our Constitution and does not define the value of our allies strictly in monetary terms.
The value of those nations whose sons and daughters have shed their blood with ours in coalition battles to preserve and protect our democracies cannot be strictly defined in terms of cash.
Glenn Hayes Kew Gardens
Tolls raised $48.6M in Jan.; lawsuit filed
MTA says first month bodes well for future as Trump orders shutdown
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
In a 51-page lawsuit filed last week, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said it will continue congestion pricing “unless and until a court orders otherwise ...”
On Monday the MTA offered what figuratively could be called Exhibit A to support its vow to not turn off the cameras any time soon.
The MTA Board announced that its toll gantries brought in $48.6 million between Jan. 5 and 31, for a net revenue of $37.4 million after deducting operating costs. Half a billion is expected by the end of the year.
“We are on track for the projected $500 million in net revenue, especially as we get into warmer months when traffic will increase which provides confidence in the forecast,” said Co-chief Financial Officer Jai Patel in a statement issued on the MTA’s website. “All indicators show the program is reducing traffic but also projecting the revenue to be on target for what we had in 4,000 pages of studies and what we were looking at in the fall.”
S“With an initial performance in line with projections, we can confidently move forward with projects that rely on funds from the Congestion Relief Zone,” said MTA Chief Financial Officer Kevin Willens. “We look forward to seeing similar results in the coming months.”
discuss a shutdown plan. President Trump long has been a vocal critic of the new tolling scheme.
On Wednesday, the New York Post reported that the administration had sent the state a letter demanding that the tolls shut down by March 21. Hochul took to the social media platform X to voice her defiance.
“The Trump Administration is once again trying to overrule New Yorkers,” the governor posted. “They’re about to find out what happens when you piss off 6 million New York commuters.”
The MTA claims on page 8 of its suit against Duffy, Federal Highway Administration Executive Director Georgia Shepherd and their agencies that “The Trump Administration’s efforts to ‘terminate’ congestion pricing are unlawful.”
It also states that neither the agreement with the FHWA nor applicable laws or regulations permit the agency to terminate the deal.
The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan. The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority also is a plaintiff.
ixty-eight percent of revenue has come from passenger vehicles.
The revenue announcement came five days after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy notified Gov. Hochul that he was withdrawing approval of the tolling program and would contact her further to
The MTA and TBTA are asking that the court:
• declare the FHWA’s termination to be in violation of the agreement;
• vacate the decision;
• award them legal costs, including attorneys’ fees; and
• order other relief deemed just and proper.
To back their claims, the agencies assert
that they have not consented to termination of the agreement; and that the FHWA cannot support its decision by showing any violation of the agreement by the MTA or TBTA.
The suit also states that contrary to predictions of gloom and doom, businesses, and even Broadway shows, are reporting higher patronage since Jan, 5.
Congestion pricing toll revenue is meant to fund projects approved in the MTA’s 2020-24 capital program including accessibility work at the Long Island Rail Road’s Hollis and Forest Hills stations, modern subway signals, new rolling stock including 44 new dual-mode LIRR locomotives, zeroemission buses and more.
The MTA said 22 percent, or $10.6 mil-
More migrant shelters closing
Two asylum-seeker sites to shutter in Queens
by Naeisha Rose Editor
Amid the fanfare from some local politicians and residents over the pending closure of the migrant tent city at the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens Village, announced Feb. 13, the planned shutdown of five other shelters across the city in the coming months could be lost in the shuffle.
The city said on Feb. 19 there would be a combined net reduction of more than 4,000 beds for asylum seekers at the YMCA sites in Harlem and Jamaica, Austell Place in Long Island City, the warehouse along Ryerson Street and Flushing Avenue in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn and the Candler Building in Manhattan.
Austell Place, a historic 1916 building that was once a printing facility and was last used
as a warehouse for tenant Mitchell’s NY, a newspaper delivery service, according to several real estate sites, is set to close by the end of the summer, said the city.
The warehouse at 29 Ryerson St. near the Brooklyn Navy Yard was the former Mergenthaler Linotype factory, reported the BK Reader. The Sela Group owns the old industrial plant, according to the outlet. The Astoriabased real estate firm intends to convert the space into 470 boutique hotel rooms with penthouse sites on top, according to theselagroup.com.
The Candler Building once housed the former B.B. King’s Blues club, along with other stores and restaurants, according to the New York Post. Yellowstone Real Estate Investments proposed transforming the upper floors of the skyscraper into a hotel last year.
The shelters at the YMCA sites, the Ryerson Street warehouse and the Candler Building are set to close by the end of June, said the city.
After the closure of the five sites, there will only be three major locations left housing more than 1,000 residents, said the Mayor’s Office. The city says it was boarding approximately 44,500 migrants as of Feb. 16, with more than 187,200 exiting the system since the beginning of its response to the mass immigration crisis.
The city also announced a mail center will be housed at the new Bronx-based Bruckner shelter, which will absorb single adults from the sites that it announced are closing. Located at East 141st Street and Bruckner Boulevard, the new site, a source of controversy, opened on Feb. 23 and is set to house up to 2,200 men.
lion, came from taxis and for-hire vehicles. Sixty-eight percent came from passenger vehicles, 9 percent from trucks, and 1 percent from buses and motorcycles.
Eighty-five percent of the non-taxi and for-hire vehicles revenue was generated from passenger vehicles and 15 percent from trucks, buses and motorcycles. Ninetyfive percent was generated during peak tolling hours.
Expenses from the program including operating camera infrastructure and customer service amounted to $9.1 million and another $2 million set side for mitigation efforts in places such as the Bronx and Northern Manhattan, which are expected to absorb the bulk of diverted vehicles and pollution. Q
The city’s 16th large-scale migrant relief center, located at the historic Austell Place building in Long Island City, is set to close in the summer. PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHAIN / FILE
MTA Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber celebrated the start of congestion pricing shortly after midnight on Jan. 5. This week, the agency is touting what it now says is a financial, environmental and civic success.
PHOTO BY MARC A. HERMANN / MTA
Young explorers in Richmond Hill embarked on thrilling space adventures during midwinter recess last week, thanks to a NASA-inspired program at the One Stop Richmond Hill Community Center, at 110-08 Jamaica Ave.
Throughout the week, the kids learned about the intricacies of the moon and stars and designed their own constellations and model rockets. Students also enjoyed a visit from a game bus, which parked just outside the facility and offered two hours of fun. Capt. Pratima Maldonado, the command-
ing officer of the NYPD’s 102nd Precinct, also surprised the kids with a visit. She engaged with the students and answered questions. The NASA-inspired week, along with the center’s afterschool program, was made possible through the dedication of teachers Pheonia DeQuoy and Elizabeth Moore, according to a press release from OSRHCC. Such opportunities are free of charge, thanks to funding allocations by Councilmember Lynn Schulman and the city Department of Youth and Community Development. — Kristen Guglielmo
Two separate stages of MTA redesign this summer; large outreach promised New, redrawn bus routes in June, Aug.
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority last Thursday announced that the first phase of the newly redesigned Queens bus network will launch on Sunday, June 29, and the second phase will begin on Sunday, Aug. 31.
In a Feb. 20 press release on the MTA website, the agency said it and the New York City Department of Transportation are jointly commencing a large-scale public outreach effort to advise customers of the upcoming changes.
The MTA said some riders will begin to see brightly colored inserts on buses alerting them that routes will be changing in the summer of 2025 at respective locations.
In an email, the agency said it still is finalizing the lists of routes for each stage. The project was split into two phases due to factors such as the size of the bus network, geography and the need to ensure there are no service gaps.
The summer startups were chosen to minimize the potential of making the changes in bad weather.
The MTA is starting a public education campaign that will include in-person events, distribution of print materials, digital signs and social media posts to provide notice of the changes.
A list of bus routes under their respective start dates will be published on the project webpage at a later date.
the QR code on the signs to learn more about the new routes, new destinations and what the agency says will be the benefits that will serve the nearly 800,000 daily Queens bus riders.
“A majority of Queens commuters rely on public transportation every day, and starting this summer, bus riders will get to experience an enhanced, efficient and modern bus network, holistically designed for the future, not the past,” said city DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “We are proud to support the implementation in partnership with the MTA to deliver enhanced bus service for Queens riders, and we look forward to working alongside the authority on future bus priority projects to improve the quality of life for all New Yorkers.”
“Due to the size of Queens and the number of bus routes, it was important to take this implementation process in two parts,” said NYC Transit Senior Vice President of Buses Frank Annicaro. “Focusing on major corridors and transit hubs, along with routes that will first see changes in June, a few Queens bus riders will begin to see signage at their stops sooner than others.”
New York City Transit and the DOT will begin adding new signs at thousands of bus stops throughout Queens, advising customers that the implementation of the redesigned network will launch this summer.
The MTA also is recommending that customers scan
“To ensure a smooth transition, it’s important for riders to learn of changes coming up as soon as possible,” said NYC Transit President Demetrius Crichlow in the release. “While 84 percent of Queens bus riders will continue to use the same bus stop, there are new routes, expanded hours of operation, greater service frequency and changes in stop patterns — this is the time to learn if and how your commute is changing and tell a friend.”
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Outreach efforts are slated to continue post implementation to provide guidance with the changes in effect. As the effective dates approach, bus riders will receive brochures outlining the redesign and NYCT staff will be deployed to key locations throughout the borough to answer questions. Information on specific outreach efforts will be announced by the agency at a later date.
Detailed information on all new lines and scheduled changes to existing ones can be found on the MTA’s website at tinyurl.com/3r5jmhb9. Q
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s rollout of the redesigned Queens bus network will take place in two stages this coming summer.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON
Bird flu not spreading person to person: doc
Health Dept. reps talk avian virus, RFK Jr., city response at hearing
by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor
With diseases like avian flu on the rise, the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene presented its response strategies at a hearing last Wednesday by the City Council’s Committee on Health and Subcommittee on COVID & Infectious Diseases.
Following an outbreak of bird flu, or H5N1, Gov. Hochul on Feb. 7 ordered the temporary closure of live poultry markets in the city and some surrounding counties.
Asked by Councilmember Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills) about current statistics on the disease, the DOHMH’s acting commissioner, Dr. Michelle Morse, said avian flu has been spreading across the country since 2021. Since 2022, Morse said, 47 wild birds in the city have been infected with the virus, seven of which were tested this year. The virus also has infected dairy cows.
and influenza A and B through wastewater, DOHMH researcher Sudha Reddy said, it does not yet test for H5 viruses, though it plans to.
Influenza in humans also was a concern, with Moya saying the city is experiencing the worst flu season since 2020. He asked about measures to prevent hospitalizations and protect vulnerable groups.
Citing the most recent data as of the hearing, Morse said the number of flu cases in the city over the past week was 16 percent lower than the week prior.
“We’re hoping that we’re past the curve.”
—
Dr. Michelle Morse, acting commissioner, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
But she said there is no evidence that avian flu spreads through person-to-person contact, meaning the general public is at a very low risk. Public health surveillance systems are working to see where the disease is affecting birds and cows, she said.
When the state closed live poultry markets, Morse said, the city gave workers guidance on monitoring symptoms and steps to take if they developed any. Workers also had the opportunity to access preventive treatment.
In his later inquiries about wastewater surveillance, Councilmember Francisco Moya (D-Corona) asked whether it can detect avian flu. While the agency tests for Covid, polio
“We’re hoping that we’re past the curve, but that doesn’t negate the fact that it has been a very flu-dominant respiratory viral season,” Morse said.
The hearing also discussed at length the potential future of public health in the city, given the new federal administration and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent appointment as secretary of health and human services. Kennedy has long expressed skepticism about vaccinations’ safety and efficacy.
When Moya asked how the agency is preparing for potential changes to vaccine schedules, Morse said the city will coordinate with the state, pledging to continue to use science-based observations in its recommendations.
Her statement aligned with a resolution by Councilmember Tiffany Cabán (D-Astoria), which urges the federal government to continue its “scientific, forward-thinking advocacy” and commitment to protecting public health.
Schulman said the United States has begun the process of leaving the World
Health Organization, making it harder to prepare for future pandemics as medical professionals lose access to information.
Morse said also that there were several weeks in which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not release its regular weekly guidance about key public health events, but the updates have since resumed.
There also is $600 million worth of federal funding for the city that Morse said would be crucial for infrastructure in a public health emergency.
“We do expect the federal government to uphold their contracts and agreements with us to continue that work,” Morse said, adding that even if it does not do so, the agency will work to protect New Yorkers’ health.
During the public testimony portion of
the hearing, several attendees expressed support for a resolution calling on the state Legislature to pass a bill to create a licensure process for fiscal intermediaries to continue operating in the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program under Medicaid. They oppose any transition to a single one for the state.
Schulman also had a resolution that was preconsidered. It calls to restore state public health law Article 6 and ensure that the reimbursement rate for public health services is no less than 36 percent, after it saw a decrease in 2019.
She also called on the state Legislature to pass a bill that would eliminate deductibles, copayment, coinsurance or other cost-sharing requirements for asthma inhalers. Q
DoorDashers can get pay restitution
More than 60,000 are eligible for $16.75M settlement: AG Tish James
by Naeisha Rose Editor
More than 60,000 DoorDash delivery workers may be eligible to receive restitution payment from the online food delivery platform, according to state Attorney General Tish James.
On Tuesday, it was announced DoorDash agreed to a settlement amount of $16.75 million with the Office of the Attorney General after it was investigated for allegedly cheating its workers out of tips by offsetting their guaranteed wages with gratuities from customers, said the OAG. Customers who used the app were also encouraged to tip Dashers because they were led to believe the entire gratuity was going directly to the worker.
For example, if a worker was guaranteed $10 for a delivery and received $3 for a tip, DoorDash allegedly paid its Dasher $7, with the balance offset by the gratuity.
“Delivery workers are integral to our communities, working tirelessly to bring food and other essentials directly to our doorsteps in all conditions,” said James in a statement. “DoorDash misled customers who generously tipped and deceived Dashers
who deserved to be paid in full. This settlement returns millions to the pockets of hardworking Dashers and ensures transparency in DoorDash’s payment practices going forward.”
The OAG said people who worked for DoorDash from May 2017 to September 2019 are eligible to file a claim for the settlement. During that period, approximately 63,000 delivery workers made more than 11 million delivery orders with the company. Eligible drivers will be contacted by the settlement administrator via email, mail or text with notices of the settlement and information on how to file a claim.
“Greed — that’s what this case is all about,” said William Medina, a delivery worker and organizer with Worker’s Justice Project and Los Deliveristas Unidos. “A company built on greed that has to steal tips from workers — and customers — to make its revenue and keep its investors happy, that is unjust.”
A DoorDash spokesperson said Dashers always kept 100 percent of tips from orders from the app.
“We remain committed to making sure that Dasher earnings are always fair and transparent, and the allegations settled were related to an old pay model that was retired in 2019,” said the
spokesperson via email. “While we believe that our practices properly represented how Dashers were paid during this period, we are pleased to have resolved this years-old matter and look forward to continuing to offer a flexible way for millions of people to reach their financial goals.”
James said the OAG will continue to protect New York workers from deceptive business practices and ensure workers receive all of the money they’ve earned. Q
Corrections
The Feb. 20 story “S. Jamaica woman fights for memorial” and editorial “Honor Southeast Queens vets” misstated Patricia Wooden’s father’s name. It was George Wooden.
The Feb. 20 story “Trucks won’t lift trash over cars” misstated two elements of current DSNY practice. The shared garbage containers now being used in parts of Manhattan are not the “Empire bins” to come, and while yard waste can go out in clear plastic bags, food waste must be containerized.
We regret the errors. Q
Councilmember Lynn Schulman was one of several elected officials to ask city representatives about the future of public health under the Trump administration. NYC COUNCIL SCREENSHOT
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Open primaries, nonprofit payments top residents’ requests at hearing Charter Commission holds court in LIC
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
Government reform, a potentially deep and wide-ranging subject in New York City, was the subject when the city’s Charter Review Commission hosted a public input meeting in Long Island City on Feb. 24.
But among the 40 or so speakers, the subject discussed most often was switching to open primaries for city elections.
The issue addressed in the most detail and with the most passion was the call to reform the system by which the city pays nonprofit organizations after granting contracts for things ranging from homeless shelters to criminal defense lawyers.
Leaders of several nonprofits said they often get contracts on short notice, and cannot be paid until the city certifies the deal. One speaker said that upon receiving bills, if the city approves 85 percent of the charges and has questions about the remaining 15 percent, the nonprofit is not paid until the entire amount is resolved.
“Some nonprofits in my district were waiting three years,” said Councilwoman Julie Won (D-Sunnyside), whose district hosted the meeting at the headquarters of the city Department of Design and Construction.
Won said the delays very often have an impact on the city’s most vulnerable, includ-
there is need for a serious overhaul to regulations and procedures that can allow the city to go a year or longer before paying nonprofits for social services.
ing minority and low-income residents.
The first panel of speakers included Lauren Siciliano, chief operating officer of the Legal Aid Society; Michelle Jackson, executive Director of the Human Services Council of New York; and Frederick Shack of Urban Pathways, which focuses on housing and essential services.
“We have to pay for attorneys, paralegals,
Howard Beach man dies in boat accident
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Howard Beach resident
Cecilio Javier Adames was among those killed in a boating accident near the Ambrose Channel on Sunday that left three dead, one in critical condition and one missing.
At noon on Feb. 23, the Coast Guard received a notification from the NYPD about a vessel taking on water near Breezy Point, according to the former agency’s press release.
The Coast Guard said it deployed three rescue boats from its stations in New York and Sandy Hook, and an MH-65 helicopter from its station in Atlantic City, NJ. NYPD Harbor and Aviation units, FDNY Marine units, the New Jersey State Police and Sandy Hook Pilots also assisted in the response.
The capsized vessel, a 30-foot-long Grady-White, left from a dock in Howard Beach, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Five people who were on the boat were recovered near the entrance to the
Ambrose Channel and transported to area hospitals.
Four of the five rescued were unresponsive, the Coast Guard said. Three, including Adames, were confirmed dead, and one of the boat’s passengers, Vernon Glasford, 52, of the Bronx, was still missing as of Wednesday. The search for him was suspended Monday.
Adames’ family could not be reached for comment. His daughter, Alisha, told The New York Times she was supposed to join her father on the trip, but decided not to due to the cold.
A GoFundMe, titled “Help Bring Javier Adames Home to Rest,” had garnered $7,739 in contributions as of Wednesday. It can be found at gofund.me/1c985a82, but at press time said donations were disabled.
The cause of the accident is unknown.
The Coast Guard said it is coordinating with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation regarding next steps of the investigation. Q
rent,” Siciliano said, explaining that late reimbursement can make it hard to hold onto people unless an organization can tap its own resources or borrow money.
Shack said the deck is stacked against nonprofits.
“There’s no accountability to meet their obligations,” Shack said. “The city has no consequences for failure to pay.”
Jackson said at one point recently, her member organizations were owed a collective $350 million by the city, requiring them to take out a total of $87 million in loans — with $6 million in interest tacked on.
“And if Fred has a shelter and hasn’t gotten paid, he’s not going to close it,” Jackson said, alluding to Shack. “The city takes advantage of that.”
Numerous supporters of open primaries pointed to the more than 1 million registered voters who do not identify with a particular party and so are shut out on primary day, in a city where in many cases the winner of the Democratic primary is all but assured of winning the general election.
Several, like Sarah Prinsloo, joining on Zoom from Manhattan, said open primaries would force candidates to reach out and listen to a more diverse sampling of the electorate.
“Not just the vocal minority of either party,” she said.
Yiatin Chu of Whitestone, founder of the Asian Wave Alliance, said from a Queens perspective, it would make it easier for new citizens to vote in primaries.
The 13-member commission can recommend changes to the City Charter, which would be subject to a referendum. Information and future meetings can be found at tinyurl.com/3dbw5sdt. Q
Future of Con Ed rate hikes
continued from page 2
toward investing $21 billion for infrastructure over three years, Con Ed says. Hochul has made significant investments in that cause, including a $1 billion plan to combat climate change.
While Queens Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Grech understands concerns about higher rates, he said investments in infrastructure will be necessary, given the state’s climate goals.
New York aims to reach 70 percent renewably sourced energy by 2030 and a zero-emission electric grid by 2040.
Developments coming to Queens, such as the New York City Football Club’s stadium at Willets Point, also will require more power, Grech said. A Con Ed press release states that its investment would include a substation complex in eastern Queens to accommodate projects such as the JFK Airport redevelopment.
“Delivering electricity is not as simple as flipping a switch, although everybody seems to think that you flip a switch and there should be no additional cost,” he told the Chronicle. “There are infrastructure needs that have to be taken care of, and that’s what this is all about.”
Grech acknowledged that businesses will take a “big hit” if the hikes are approved, but said programs such as those offered by the New York State Research and Development Authority, or NYSERDA, could help miti-
gate costs.
Some workers also have demonstrated outrage at the proposal. Members of the 32BJ SEIU union joined contracted Con Ed workers with Nelson Service Systems, city Comptroller Brad Lander, Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and Assemblyman Harvey Epstein (D-Manhattan) last Thursday for a rally to demand a rate freeze.
“Rate hikes like what Con Ed is proposing place strain on our membership, too many of whom are already struggling to keep the lights on while balancing the soaring cost of basic needs like rent and food,” the union’s executive vice president, Denis Johnston, said in a press release.
Sergio Centeno of Jackson Heights, an office cleaner for Con Ed’s headquarters, also lamented the would-be costs.
“My Con Edison electricity bills are sometimes close to $200,” Centeno said in the release. “They make billions of dollars off customers but essential workers — like me — who clean and maintain their offices have to work two jobs just to support their families.”
While everyone feels the pain of inflation and no one wants to pay higher bills, Grech said, investments in infrastructure will prove to be crucial.
“We can’t let the utilities out there fall apart and not have the infrastructure in place to deliver for the next 30 to 50 years,” he said. Q
Cecilio Javier Adames GOFUNDME PHOTO
Councilwoman Julie Won on Monday told the city’s Charter Review Commission that
PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON
Parking in Coleman Square
continued from page 4
Residents have taken notice, too.
A post on the Howard Beach Dads Facebook page, a neighborhood group, reads, “I don’t want to sound ungrateful.
This big MTA job of fixing the A line tracks from Howard Beach to Broad Channel has caused some unseen issues with parking. The workers have taken up every single parking spot from 159th Rd to Coleman Square. The small businesses have taken the brunt from this.”
Some commenters agreed that the lack of parking is causing difficulties.
“They are parking wherever they want,” one resident wrote. “No rules apply to them.”
However, others seemed not to mind.
“I’d much rather have A train work properly,” said another response. “They are there to do their job, leave them be.”
Asked about the situation, Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) told the Chronicle she had been in touch with the MTA, which said the employees should be abiding by parking rules in the area.
“You know, a vest in your window is not a placard,” Ariola said. “It’s not a license to park anywhere.”
She said the employees also have the option of leaving their cars at the Resorts World NYC casino parking lot, at 110-00 Rockaway Blvd. in South
Ozone Park, as the company agreed to allow commuters to park there to access the A train at Aqueduct-North Conduit Avenue.
“They can take the train the one stop to the Howard Beach station to work,” Ariola said.
Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach), whose office is a short walk from the Howard BeachJFK Airport station, told the Chronicle in a statement, “At my insistence the MTA has reaffirmed to all their workers that meters must be paid and all parking regulations must be followed.
“In addition, I spoke with the NYPD and they will be increasing patrol in that area to issue tickets or tow vehicles that are illegally parked and taking up spots. Illegal parking will not be tolerated — especially not at the expense of our local businesses.”
MTA spokesperson Kayla Shults in a statement said, “The MTA was made aware of this situation and reminded transit workers that they are expected to pay for metered parking, follow all parking regulations, and be considerate of community members and business owners during this 17 week outage.”
The NYPD did not respond to multiple inquiries asking if officers from the 106th Precinct had been to the affected area or ticketed vehicles there. Q
Back-to-back wins for the girls
The Howard Beach girls have done it again! The St. Helen Catholic Academy’s fifth grade girls’ basketball team won the CYO Brooklyn and Queens Diocesan novice championship.
In a showdown at Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School in East Elmhurst on Sunday, Feb. 23, the girls outplayed their opponents with a solid 21-11 victory.
It was the team’s second consecutive win after their first in 2024, proving their
dominance on the court.
Seen here celebrating the big win are Coach Gina Panteleone, top left, Avabella Saverino, Kaitlyn Ortiz, Emma Demichael, Coach Bryan Ortiz, Allison Prosser, Siena Trocchia, Mikaylah Buscomi and Coach Isaac Ortiz.
In the front are Elle Panteleone, left, Jett Rivera, Alexandra Carrion, Valentina Coppola and Gabriella Rosa. Lia Queliz was unavailable. — Kristen Guglielmo
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Pols seek security for SNAP recipients
Bills in Albany, DC, would add card chip technology, replace stolen funds
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
Elected officials representing North and Northeast Queens at the city, state and federal levels are joining forces to combat the growing problem of criminals who steal food benefits from low-income residents by skimming their Electronic Benefits Transfer cards at store checkouts.
State Sens. John Liu (D-Flushing) and Kristen Gonzalez (D-Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens) are co-sponsoring legislation that would change state-issued EBT cards from their present magnetic strip technology to the chips used in bank cards and credit cards, which are considered less susceptible to skimming.
The cards are used to access food benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, the successor to food stamps.
Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas (D-East Elmhurst) is the lead sponsor on companion legislation in the Assembly, with cosponsors including members Nily Rozic (D-Fresh Meadows), Zohran Mamdani (DAstoria) and Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills).
In Washington, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) soon will introduce a bill that would restore funds to repay people whose money is stolen, money that right now has
been stripped from the federal budget.
Meng’s bill also would assist states such as New York to transition to chip technology.
“Families who rely on SNAP are already struggling,” Councilwoman Sandra Ung (D-Flushing) said in a press release following
a Feb. 14 press conference called to increase awareness of the thefts. “And when their benefits are stolen, they suffer twice — first by losing their food assistance and again by being forced to choose between hunger and hardship.”
The gathering took place at the Flushing Library. Ung was joined by U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, Assemblyman Sam Berger (D-Flushing), and representatives of the nonprofit community and law enforcement.
“Few things are more despicable than taking food out of the mouths of hard-working families,” Meng said. “But over the past few years, that is what criminals have been doing here in Queens and across the nation.”
Berger called for more than strengthening protections at the government’s end.
“These criminals are not modern-day Robin Hoods, stealing from the rich to help the poor,” he said. “Instead, these thieves are taking bread out of the hands of the hungry, and must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Liu did not attend the gathering, but made his views unmistakably clear in comments accompanying the others.
“The most straightforward way to stop EBT skimming is to upgrade New York’s magneticstrip EBT cards with encrypted magnetic chips,” Liu said. “This proven anti-theft technology is already used in credit and debit cards nationwide, and there is no reason EBT cards should not have the same protection.”
The problem has been pronounced in Northern Queens. Back in December the
continued on page 21
B SPORTS EAT
Cohen’s fan frustration
by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor
Mets owner Steve Cohen met with the media for an informal Q&A at the team’s Port St. Lucie, Fla., spring training headquarters. He was asked about the Mets ranking a belowaverage 18th in home attendance in 2024.
Obviously, he was not happy. He was particularly irked about how Citi Field was a veritable ghost town for a midweek series with the Washington Nationals in September even with the Mets in the thick of the playoff hunt.
Cohen has every right to be peeved. Unlike the previous Mets owners, the Wilpon family, Cohen has spent liberally on talent, both on the field and in the front office. He has been very accessible to the press and to fans. He and his wife, Alex, who is very firsthand when it comes to the consumer experience at Citi Field, have frequently greeted folks entering the ballpark.
That does not mean there were no legitimate reasons for the lagging attendance, especially midweek in September against less-than-marquee opponents. Fans have fresh memories of the September collapse in 2022. Things got worse in 2023 when they sold off name talent at the trade deadline because the odds of making the playoffs were slim. “Hope is not a strategy,” Cohen famously, and wisely, said at the time.
There are also economic and lifestyle considerations. Citi Field parking fees, tickets and
concessions are costly. Disposable income and leisure time are precious commodities. School is back in session in September, so it is hard for families to go to the ballpark. Sports executives often forget many of their customers are on tight budgets. They also frequently fail to understand they are competing with othe r sources of entertainment.
The Mets absorbed their first major injury of the spring even before the first exhibition game was played. Pitcher Frankie Montas, who signed a two-year, $34 million contract as a free agent, even though he bombed with the Yankees and has a career earned run average near 5.00, has a strained lat muscle. He is expected to miss six to eight weeks. Fans should not be surprised if he does not make his Mets debut until after the All-Star break.
Juan Soto thanked Mets infielder Brett Baty for giving him his uniform number (22) by getting him a fully loaded Chevy Tahoe SUV. Soto paid $92,000 for the car. While many are using the term “gift” to describe Juan Soto’s generosity, the IRS will consider it to be earned income. Soto compensated Baty for performing a service. Baty’s 2025 income increased by $92,000.
The good news for Baty is the transaction took place in Florida. He is a resident of Texas. Neither state has an income tax. Q
See the extended version of Sports Beat every week at qchron.com.
Flushing’s finest visit Neir’s
Queens’ favorite mascots, Mr. and Mrs. Met, made the trek from Flushing to Woodhaven on Monday night to visit Neir’s Tavern, one of the oldest bars in the country and believed to be the oldest bar in New York City, at 87-48 78 St. Families and children, decked out in Mets blue and orange, made their way over to the Woodhaven mainstay to meet and greet the dynamic duo, who even participated in the bar’s iconic “GoodFellas Challenge,” above.
“What a spectacular night we had with a visit from none other than Mr. + Mrs. Met for a very special Meet ’n’ Greet right here at historic Neir’s Tavern,” the bar wrote on its Facebook page. “Packed wall-to-wall with cheering Mets fans, our Neir’s family and friends and the entire Woodhaven community gave them the warmest welcome. We are so grateful to the Mets for this opportunity to host our beloved mascots. Let’s Go Mets!!” — Kristen Guglielmo
State Assemblyman Sam Berger, left, city Councilwoman Sandra Ung and U.S. Rep. Grace Meng received support Feb. 14 from community leaders for their plans to protect beneficiaries of food and nutrition benefits from theft.
PHOTO COURTESY NYC COUNCIL
PHOTO BY CARMELA ISABELLA
SNAP safety
continued from page 20
NYPD’s 109th Precinct went on social media to show officers visiting supermarkets, convenience stores and bodegas to alert owners, employees and customers of the dangers and how to protect themselves.
Meng’s office said since the government began tracking EBT thefts, more than 118,000 New Yorkers have reported benefits being stolen, more than twice the number of the next-closest states.
Complicating matters, according to Meng, is that federal funding to compensate theft victims expired last year.
The congresswoman was able to get more funding in a continuing budget resolution last September, but replacement funds have since been stripped from the budget in its latest iteration.
Rozic, who chairs the Assembly Consumer Affairs and Protection Committee, and Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Flushing) supported both bills in their statements.
“No one should have to face hunger because their SNAP benefits were stolen,” Rozic said. “With the expiration of federal replacement funds, many families, particularly older adults, are left without support.”
“[I]t is clear that we must re-fund the benefits replacement program and make systemic improvements to enhance the
Could feds review LL 97?
Paladino asks EPA’s Zeldin to examine green requirements
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
Condominium and co-op owners fighting implementation of Local Law 97 and its potentially draconian penalties just might have an ally in Washington, DC.
Councilwoman Vickie Paladino (R-Whitestone) last week posted on social media that she has written a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin.
Local Law 97 was passed in 2019 with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by the year 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050.
“Two weeks ago I wrote a letter to our new administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Lee Zeldin, to request he investigate the impacts of Local Law 97 in his new position,” Paladino wrote.
Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from Long Island, lost a closer-than-expected gubernatorial race against Gov. Hochul in 2022.
Paladino’s office did not respond to requests for further comment on the letter, including what she hoped would follow any EPA investigation.
A major component of LL 97 sets greenhouse emissions limits for buildings over 25,000 square feet, which, depending on the age of a building, can require costly upgrades
open January 27 – March 10 , 2025
of heating, cooling and electrical systems; and trigger massive fines for failure to comply.
But the square footage regulations do not distinguish between large buildings owned by deep-pocketed Manhattan real estate developers and co-ops and condos that are owned by their residents.
Many co-ops and condo complexes could be forced to rewire buildings to handle anticipated electric loads and replace boilers that are fully functional — and were completely legal until Jan. 1. They face heavy fines, which must be paid by residents, if they are unable to prove they are making demonstrable progress toward upgrading their buildings.
The EPA, in an email last week, acknowledged receipt of Paladino’s letter.
“EPA will assess the letter and will be responding to the Councilwoman,” it said.
Warren Schreiber, copresident of the Presidents Co-op & Condo Council, said he learned of the letter before Paladino went public with it.
“We do know about it,” Schreiber told the Chronicle. “We urged the councilwoman to contact Administrator Zeldin. And we’re very pleased that she did. We don’t know exactly what can be done on a federal level, but we felt it was something that should be brought to his attention.”
Schreiber, president of the Bay Terrace
Section 1 Co-op, said a more recent — and potentially costly — add-on is the demand from the city Department of Buildings that each complex submit a report from an engineer attesting to the square footage of its property by May 1, information he said the city already has.
“They’ve changed the rules in the middle of the game,” Schreiber said. “If we don’t have it in by May 1, there’s a monthly penalty of 50 cents per square foot. For a property like ours, that could be $40,100 a month.”
The PCCC also still has a pending lawsuit that is in state appellate court.
The Department of Buildings has said that it is looking for buildings’ gross floor area, as opposed to the gross square foot figures in the Department of Finance’s tax records.
It also said property owners can request extensions to file through Aug. 29.
Andrew Rudansky, press secretary for the DOB, said the agency is committed to helping property owners reinvest in their own buildings and avoid penalties.
“The purpose of Local Law 97 is to get building owners to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions from our built environment, and the Department will continue to support those who are taking decisive action to file their reports, especially as we build out the first compliance year,” he said via email. Q
Shaken
by Mark Lord
When Flushing residents Rosemary and W. Gordon Innes took center stage last Saturday for the opening night performance of A.R. Gurney’s “The Cocktail Hour,” presented by the Parkside Players in Forest Hills, it marked the eighth time the married thespians played husband and wife onstage.
It’s a mighty impressive feat, especially considering that for the Inneses, who have been touted as the local version of Lunt and Fontanne, acting has been an avocation. He is a 35-year teaching veteran of the NYC public school system, while she is a retired librarian.
Their latest endeavor, a comedy of manners set in the 1970s, had its premiere in 1988. It offers insight in ways both funny and poignant into the world of an upper-class American family.
Gordon is Bradley; Rosemary is Ann. They are joined for a family get-together by their adult children: John is played by Jason Wieder, and Nina is brought to life by Virginia Harmon, both familiar
and
,
Parkside host a Hour’
Parkside Players host a comical ‘Cocktail Hour’
faces on the local community theater scene.
stirred Parkside Players host a comical
John is an editor and playwright who has written a play about the family that might not be the most flattering, causing more than a small amount of upset in his parents.
‘Cocktail Hour’
Thus, artistic pursuits clash with family loyalty, and, as the martinis flow, so do revelations and recriminations.
Real life has proven to be far less dramatic for the stellar couple. According to Rosemary, they met in 1965, introduced by a mutual friend.
“We discussed the love of the theater that we both had,” Rosemary said.
They eventually married. Gordon went on to
direct productions at his local parish, St. Ann’s, for 14 years, including many that featured Rosemary in the cast.
The first show in which they both acted was Neil Simon’s “California Suite,” at Parkside, their longtime theatrical home base, during the 1992-93 season. But they never appeared onstage together; they were in different scenes in an evening comprising several one-act plays.
continued on page 25
King Crossword Puzzle
Judge Jane Bolin led a full-court press in Astoria
by Ron Marzlock Chronicle Contributor
Jane Matilda Bolin was born in Poughkeepsie, NY, on April 11, 1908, to Gaius and Matilda Bolin, the youngest of four children. Gaius was a lawyer, judge and president of the Dutchess County Bar Association. Her mother died on March 5, 1917, at age of 40, a month shy of her daughter’s ninth birthday.
The loss did not hold Bolin back as she became the first black woman to graduate Yale Law School, in 1931. She fought against tremendous discrimination to get there. In February 1933 she married attorney Ralph Mizelle, 15 years her senior. Unlike other woman who took their husband’s names, she always practiced under the name Bolin.
On July 22, 1939, at the World’s Fair, Mayor LaGuardia announced her appointment as judge in Domestic Relations Court (today’s Family Court). She had a boy in July 1941 she named Yorke, and lost her husband two years later in 1943. She later married a minister, the Rev. Walter P. Offutt Jr. Bolin was the first black female judge in the United States. She served in many civic roles and ran for state Assembly as a Republi-
can but lost. In the early 1950s she left her apartment in the landmark 555 Edgecombe Ave. building in Manhattan for a newly built Queensview co-op, at 21-10 33 Road in Astoria. She was mandated to retire at age 70 after more than 40 years at Family Court. She died of natural causes three months shy of her 99th birthday on Jan. 8, 2007, a quiet trailblazer never forgotten by the public. Q
The building where Judge Jane Bolin lived, at 21-10 33 Road in Astoria, as it appears today. GOOGLE MAPS IMAGE; INSET PHOTO VIA WIKIPEDIA
Eagles tribute, Shanghai Circus come to QPAC
by Michael Gannon editor
Lots of theaters can offer an eclectic mix of entertainment over a month or two, and the Queensborough Performing Arts Center in Bayside is no exception.
But March 1 and 2, QPAC is pulling it off in just over 16 hours, with Hotel California, an Eagles tribute band, taking the stage on Saturday night, followed Sunday afternoon by the Grand Shanghai Circus.
In an interview last week, Mark Amsterdam, interim executive director at the center, said he was as excited as any ticket holder.
“Hotel California is the No. 1 tribute band to the Eagles in the country,” he said, referring to the award-winning rock group that has had multiple lineups since 1971, and many, many more hit songs.
The song “Hotel California” was a smash hit from their 1976 album of the same name. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $40 to $55.
Amsterdam is a personal fan of the Grand Shanghai Circus.
“People are going to see a fun show,” he said. “We’re going to have trapeze artists here! I’ve seen them in the past. They really are sensational. We’re literally going to have people hanging from the ceiling.”
The show starts at 4 p.m. Tickets for the circus also are from $40 to $55.
The quick turnaround, Amsterdam said, won’t present any problems for his technicians and stage crew.
“Hotel California will be leaving here at 11 p.m. on Saturday. The Grand Shanghai Circus will be arriving from Vermont at 11 a.m. Sunday,” he said.
The changeover is, by design, seamless.
Amsterdam said Hotel California will bring its own team of technicians for groupspecific functions.
“The transition is not bad,” he said. “I’m also the theatric stage supervisor here. We have a very good staff. When the circus comes, they are very self-contained. They have their own staff, their own riggers for things like installing the trapeze.”
All will be ready by 4 p.m., with Grand Shanghai’s staff ready to leave QPAC just as they found it once the final curtain falls.
There also will be “Invincible: The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Show” on March 23, followed by Sal “The Voice” Valentinetti, who was featured on “America’s
The Grand Shanghai Circus, left, and the Eagles tribute band Hotel California will lead the Queensborough Performing Arts Center’s charge into spring with back-toback performances on March 1 and 2. Contemporary singers and a Verdi opera also are on the calendar.
Got Talent,” on March 30.
Come April 6, the center will host the Verismo Opera company from New Jersey, which will perform Verdi’s “Madama Butterfly,” in Italian as it was written.
“They’re one of the top touring opera groups in the country,” said Amsterdam. “I can tell you they’re very good, because I’m a professional orchestra conductor, and I know them personally.”
Tickets and information on all the shows in QPAC’s calendar can be found online at qpac.qcc.cuny.edu Q
They’ve got the husband-and-wife act down pat
continued from page 23
They would, however, appear onstage together in the troupe’s two other productions that same season (Parkside traditionally presents three shows each year). The first time happened with the arrival of Oscar Wilde’s social satire “The Importance of Being Earnest,” followed by the comedy-drama “I Hate Hamlet.” It would be another eight years before they would first play husband and wife, in the group’s production of the
Crossword Answers
thriller “Veronica’s Room.”
They displayed their versatility in many other joint appearances including “The Lion in Winter,” in which they portrayed King Henry II and Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Agatha Christie’s classic “The Mousetrap.”
“It’s comfortable,” Rosemary said about playing opposite her husband. “It’s easy. I know him. Especially if we’re playing a couple, it comes naturally.”
“That part doesn’t have to be acted,” Gordon added.
While rehearsing together at home, “We feed each other lines and check each other’s delivery,” Gordon said. While he admitted they “make suggestions,” they never go so far as to direct each other.
In this production, that task fell to another Parkside veteran, Bill Logan, who said he had the show in mind since he first read it five years ago.
“It’s a good, interesting character study,” he said. “I appreciate the blend of humor and drama.”
Performing in “The Cocktail Hour” for The Parkside Players are Virginia Harmon, top left, Jason Wieder and Gordon and Rosemary Innes. The latter play a married couple — and actually are. On the cover: Tension builds onstage. PHOTOS BY
As for directing the Inneses, which he is doing here for the first time, he said their personal relationship never entered the picture.
“They were the best for the roles,” he said.
Remaining performances at Grace Lutheran Church, located at 103-15 Union Tpke. in
Forest Hills, are on Feb. 28 and March 1 and 8 at 8 p.m. and March 2 and 9 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults; or $20 for seniors and students with ID. For details, call (646) 847-9429 or visit parksideplayers.com. Q
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NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS CROSBY GIBRALTAR, LLC; Plaintiff v. GANESH ARORA; et al.; Defendants Attorney for Plaintiff: Hasbani & Light, P.C., 450 7th Ave, Suite 1901, NY, NY 10123; (212) 6436677 Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale granted herein on 8/5/24, I will sell at Public Auction to the highest bidder at the Queens County Supreme Court, located at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on March 28, 2025, at 10:00 AM Premises known as 57-65 75th Street, Queens, NY 11379 Block: 2814 Lot: 93 All that certain plot, piece, or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the County of Queens, State of New York. As more particularly described in the judgment of foreclosure and sale. Sold subject to the terms and conditions contained in said judgment and terms of sale. Approximate amount of judgment: $1,568,659.05 plus interest and costs. Docket Number: 726628/2022 Gerald Chiariello, Esq., Referee
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NOTICE OF SALE
In pursuance and by virtue of a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly granted and entered in and action entitled NYCTL 1998-2 Trust v. Sereth T. Hosty, et al., bearing Index No. 91862011 before the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Queens, IAS Part 6, Justice Tracy Catapano-Fox, on or about February 26, 2024, I, the Referee, duly appointed in this action for such purpose, will expose for sale and sell at public auction to the highest bidder on March 21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., at the Queens County Supreme Court located at 8811 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, New York 11435, the mortgaged premises designated as Block 11190, Lot 37 in the City of New York, County and Borough of Queens, State of New York and known as 223-23 109th Avenue, Queens Village, New York 11429, directed in and by said judgment to be sold. The approximate amount of the judgment is $299,772.53 plus interest and other charges, and the property is being sold subject to the terms and conditions stated in the judgment, any prior encumbrances and the terms of sale which shall be available at the time of sale.Dated: February 20, 2025 New York, New York Richard Gutierrez, Esq. Referee 118-35 Queens Blvd., Suite 1500 Forest Hills, New York 11375 (718) 520-0663
DAVID P. STICH, ESQ. Attorney for Plaintiff 521 Fifth Avenue, 17th Floor New York, New York 10175 (646) 554-4421
PZ REALTY HOLDINGS, LLC,
Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 01/23/2025. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served.
SSNY shall mail process to: Peter Zuccarello, 148-29 Cross Island Pkwy, Whitestone, NY 11357. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
Notice of Formation of EXELTHIOR’S KINGDOM LLC
Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/10/2025
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: RICK D’ANDREA, 31-10 23RD STREET, 3B, ASTORIA, NY 11106. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of Family Policy Insights, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/03/2025. 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 any process to: Laurie C. Maldonado 110-55 72nd Road, Apt #105 Forest Hills, NY 11375 Purpose: Any lawful act or activity which LLC may be organized under the NY LLC Law.
Notice of Formation of SUNAINA & LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/03/2025. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served.
SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: SUNAINA RAO, 7711 35TH AVE, APT 5H, JACKSON HEIGHTS, NY 11372. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
THE PRINCE COMMERCIAL HOLDING LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 01/21/2025. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Jia Shu Xu, 112-15 Northern Blvd., #2, Corona, NY 11368. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
Notice of Formation of WAHOO TREEHOUSE LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/25/2025. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: WAHOO TREEHOUSE LLC, 240-19 JAMAICA AVENUE, BELLEROSE, NY 11426. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF QUEENS. WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE ON BEHALF OF ANTLR MORTGAGE TRUST 2021RTL 1, Plaintiff -against- MESSIAH, INC., et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated December 6, 2024 and entered on December 10, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., in Courtroom # 25, Jamaica, NY on March 7, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, known and designated as Block 13185 Lot 45 Said premises known as 13916 230TH PLACE, LAURELTON, NY 11413 Approximate amount of lien $498,175.58 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 722421/2022. MARTHA TAYLOR, ESQ., Referee Pincus Law Group, PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 425 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, NY 11556
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 March 7, 2025 at 10:00 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- #102061
SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF QUEENS. NYCTL 2021A TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN, Plaintiffs -againstMILDRED RABRY FACINELLI, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein on January 29, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., in Courtroom # 25, Jamaica, NY on March 28, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough of Queens, County of Queens, City and State of New York, known and designated as Block 9177 Lot 130 on the Queens County Tax Assessment Map. Said premises known as 85-65 98 STREET, WOODHAVEN, NY Approximate amount of lien $13,270.52 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 726155/2022. HETTIE V. POWELL, ESQ., Referee Phillips Lytle LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiffs 28 East Main Street, Suite 1400, Rochester, NY 14614
Notice of Formation of IH EGC II LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State (SSNY) on 1/23/25. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o Infinite Horizons, LLC, 142-05 Rockaway Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11436. Purpose: any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of 21245 26 AVE LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/10/25. Office location: Queens County. Princ. office of LLC: c/o Cord Meyer Development LLC, 108-18 Queens Blvd., Forest Hills, NY 11375. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
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SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF SULLIVAN Index No. E2024-410 Date Summons Filed: March 8, SUMMONS HYUNG KEE CHOI 2024 Plaintiff, -against- CHANGHO KIM Defendant. TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANT Changho Kim: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to submit to plaintiff’s attorney your answering papers on this motion within thirty (30) days after the service of this notice where is made in any other manner than personal delivery within the State. In case of your failure to submit answering papers, summary judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the notice of motion. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT. The Plaintiff filed a motion for summary judgment in lieu of complaint. The object of the above captioned action is (1) to renew a lien on real property pursuant to the previous judgment dated January 14, 2011 (Index No. 854/08) and (2) permit Plaintiff to record the deed on the real property located at 123 DeBruce Road, a/k/a 1 DeBruce Road, Livingston Manor, County of Sullivan, State of New York, also identified as being in Section 26, Block 2086, Lot 12.1 (“Property”) without the signature or the social security number of the Defendant and for such other and further relief as to the court may seem just and proper, plus the costs of this motion, upon the ground that this action is based upon a prior judgment pursuant to CPLR 3213. The basis of the venue designated is SULLIVAN County, New York, as it is the county in which the subject real property is located. Dated: February 14, 2025 /s/ Michael Song Attorney for Plaintiff Michael W. Song, Esq. 400 Sylvan Ave., Suite 106B, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632 Tel: 201-568-3136
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SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK – COUNTY OF QUEENS INDEX NO. 720502/2020 FILED: 10/9/2023 SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS
Plaintiff designates Queens County as the place of trial based on the location of the mortgaged premises in this action. Plaintiff’s principal place of business is 5114 Buford Highway NE, Doraville, Georgia 30340. METRO CITY BANK, Plaintiff, -against- DANYAN XING, NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD, NINA CHEN A/K/A RONGBAO CHEN, BICHUN LI, CUIHONG LI, LONGJIN LI, PINGYU LIN, YUECHAO LIN, SHURU LU, AIXIAN SHI, XINGYING SHI, HAILI XUE, SHOUQIANG YAN, LIANMEI YANG, YOUBIN YANG if living, and if dead, the respective heirs at law, next of kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignors, lienors, creditors and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise of any right, title or interest in and to the premises described in the complaint herein, and their respective husbands, wives or widow, if any, and each and every person not specifically named who may be entitled to or claim to have any right, title or interest in the property described in the verified complaint; all of whom and whose names and places of residence unknown, and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained by the Plaintiff, XIUFENG YOU, MEIWEI ZHANG, SHUIXIAN ZHAO, JUNFEI ZHENG, AIFANG CHEN, AIZHAO CHEN, DEFA CHEN, FENGXIN CHEN, JIANXIN CHEN, JIANYUN CHEN, LIYUN CHEN, PEIQIN CHEN, QICHUAN CHEN, RONGFANG CHEN, RONGPING CHEN, RUIZHEN CHEN, SHUPING CHEN, XIUQIN CHEN, XUERONG CHEN, YAN CHEN, YING CHEN, HUIYING CHEN, MINGLIN DONG, YONG DONG, YUMEI DONG, WENJIN GUO, JINRU JIANG, LIN JIANG, MEIZHU JIANG, QIUPING JIANG, XIA JIANG, XUEYING JIANG, YONGSHENG JIANG, YONGXIN JIANG, YUYING JIANG, BIFEN LI, BIYU LI, HAIBIN LI, JIANHUI LI, LIYUN LI, XIUQIN LI, YIZHONG LI, YUBING LI, ZHOU LI, BAORONG LIN, BIJU LIN, DAN LIN, DAN LIN, LIQIN LIN, MEIRONG LIN, QIUQIN LIN, QIURONG LIN, SAIZHEN LIN, SUXIANG LIN, XUEZHI LIN, YUFENG LIN if living, and if dead, the respective heirs at law, next of kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignors, lienors, creditors and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise of any right, title or interest in and to the premises described in the complaint herein, and their respective husbands, wives or widow, if any, and each and every person not specifically named who may be entitled to or claim to have any right, title or interest in the property described in the verified complaint; all of whom and whose names and places of residence unknown, and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained by the Plaintiff, YUYING LIN, ZHIQIANG LIN, QUAO CHEUNG LIN, CUILING LIU, SHUBAO LU, BIZHONG QIU, LANHUA SHAO, BICHAI SHI, BIYU SHI, GUANGXIONG SHI, WANGPING SHI, XIUXIANG WANG, XUEXIAN WANG, BIYING WEI, QIUYING WENG, HUIYU WU, WENYI WU, ZHIYI WU, YIJUN XIAO, SHANFEN XU, JINRONG YANG, YING YANG, BIJIN YE, XUEFANG YOU, YIXIANG YU, BIZHEN ZHANG, JINYU ZHANG, MEIHUA ZHANG, MEIYU ZHANG, MINGQIN ZHANG, QIUPING ZHANG, TIANRU ZHANG, TONGHUA ZHANG, YUHUA ZHANG, BIYUN ZHENG, CAIYING ZHENG, FENG ZHENG, JINYAN ZHENG, MEIJIN ZHENG, MEIYA ZHENG, MINGCHUN ZHENG, QIAOSHENG ZHENG, QIAOYAN ZHENG, SUQIN ZHENG, XIURONG ZHENG, YAN ZHENG, YAYING ZHENG, YUEYING ZHENG if living, and if dead, the respective heirs at law, next of kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignors, lienors, creditors and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise of any right, title or interest in and to the premises described in the complaint herein, and their respective husbands, wives or widow, if any, and each and every person not specifically named who may be entitled to or claim to have any right, title or interest in the property described in the verified complaint; all of whom and whose names and places of residence unknown, and cannot after diligent inquiry be ascertained by the Plaintiff, ZHUOYING ZHU, WENQIN ZOU, XIUYING ZOU, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA O/B/O INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, JANE DOE #1, Defendants. To the above-named defendants: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the plaintiff’s attorneys within twenty (20) days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within thirty (30) days after the service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME IF YOU DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE MORTGAGE COMPANY WHO FILED THIS FORECLOSURE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT, A DEFAULT JUDGMENT MAY BE ENTERED AND YOU CAN LOSE YOUR HOME. SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY OR GO TO THE COURT WHERE YOUR CASE IS PENDING FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON HOW TO ANSWER THE SUMMONS AND PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY. SENDING A PAYMENT TO YOUR MORTGAGE COMPANY WILL NOT STOP THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. This action was commenced to foreclose a mortgage against real property located at 94-39 56th Ave., Elmhurst, NY 11373. Tax Parcel ID No. Block 1901 Lot 31. McCabe, Weisberg & Conway, LLC, Caren Bailey, Esq., Attorneys for Plaintiff, 1 Huntington Quadrangle, Suite 4N25, Melville, NY 11747. (631) 812-4084. (855) 845-2584 facsimile. File #20-303080. HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS IN FORECLOSURE NEW YORK STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE SEND YOU THIS NOTICE ABOUT THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME. IF YOU FAIL TO RESPOND TO THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, YOU MAY LOSE YOUR HOME. PLEASE READ THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT CAREFULLY. YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONTACT AN ATTORNEY OR YOUR LOCAL LEGAL AID OFFICE TO OBTAIN ADVICE ON HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF. SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE The State encourages you to become informed about your options in foreclosure. In addition to seeking assistance from an attorney or legal aid office, there are government agencies and non- profit organizations that you may contact for information about possible options, including trying to work with your lender during this process. To locate an entity near you, you may call the toll-free helpline maintained by the New York State Department of Financial Services at 1-800-342-3736 or visit the Department`s website at www.dfs.ny.gov RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME AT THIS TIME. You have the right to stay in your home during the foreclosure process. You are not required to leave your home unless and until your property is sold at auction pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale. Regardless of whether you choose to remain in your home, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR PROPERTY and pay property taxes in accordance with state and local law. FORECLOSURE RESCUE SCAMS Be careful of people who approach you with offers to “save” your home. There are individuals who watch for notices of foreclosure actions in order to unfairly profit from a homeowner’s distress. You should be extremely careful about any such promises and any suggestions that you pay them a fee or sign over your deed. State law requires anyone offering such services for profit to enter into a contract which fully describes the services they will perform and fees they will charge, and which prohibits them from taking any money from you until they have completed all such promised services. § 1303 NOTICE 16-12-20*
Notice of Formation of FREEZE
SECURITY LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/27/2024 Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, 17506 DEVONSHIRE RD APT 5F, JAMAICA, NY, 11432. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation: HONGXING REGIONAL CENTER LLC Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/03/2025.
Office loc: Queens County. SSNY designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copies of any process served against the LLC to 58-97 57th Street, Maspeth, NY 11378 Purpose: Any lawful purpose or activity
Notice of Formation of IMAGINARY FINISH LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/29/25.
Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207-2543. Purpose: Any lawful activity
Notice of Formation of MGN 137-35 91ST AVE, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/13/25. Office location: Queens County. Princ. office of LLC: 1074 Grand St., Brooklyn, NY 11211. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
For
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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 #: 701241/2022 Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, Not In Its Individual Capacity But Solely As Owner Trustee Of CSMC 2017-RPL3 Trust Plaintiff, vs Natalia Perez As Heir To The Estate Of Ivaldo Nascimento And Bernard Antolin Who Was The Heir To The Estate Of Ivaldo C. Nascimento AKA Ivaldo Nascimento, Unknown Heirs Of Bernard Antolin 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, People Of The State Of New York, United States Of America Acting Through The IRS, New York City Parking Violations Bureau, New York City Environmental Control Board, Unknown Heirs Of Ivaldo C. Nascimento Aka Ivaldo Nascimento 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 John Doe (Those Unknown Tenants, Occupants, Persons Or Corporations Or Their Heirs, Distributees, Executors, Administrators, Trustees, Guardians, Assignees, Creditors Or Successors Claiming An Interest In The Mortgaged Premises.) Defendant(S). Mortgaged Premises: 25-47 123rd Street Flushing, NY 11354 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 Unknown Heirs of Ivaldo C. Nascimento AKA Ivaldo Nascimento Defendants In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Timothy J. Dufficy of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Twenty-Eighth day of January, 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 August 8, 2007, executed by Ivaldo C. Nascimento AKA Ivaldo Nascimento (who died on December 31, 2014, a resident of the county of Queens, State of New York) and Bernard Antolin (who died on January 3, 2019, a resident of the county of Queens, State of New York) to secure the sum of $375,000.00. The Mortgage was recorded at CRFN 2007000469582 in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County on September 12, 2007. The mortgage was subsequently modified on January 23, 2009. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed April 8, 2011 and recorded on May 17, 2011, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2011000178212. The mortgage was subsequently modified on May 19, 2015. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed August 23, 2016 and recorded on January 24, 2017, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2017000031479. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed September 6, 2019 and recorded on September 13, 2019, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2019000296274. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by a corrective assignment executed February 23, 2021 and recorded on March 9, 2021, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2021000086826. The property in question is described as follows: 25-47 123rd Street, Flushing, NY 11354 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: February 5, 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. 84531
SUMMONS Index No. 727371/2023 STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT – COUNTY OF QUEENS BOKF, N.A., Plaintiff, -vs- NURETTIN FIRIK, whether he/she be alive or dead, or the successor in interest, if any, of said defendant who may be deceased, and the respective Heirs at Law, next of kin, distributees, devisees, grantees, trustees, lienors, creditors, assignees and successors in interest of the aforesaid classes of persons, if they or any of them be dead, and their respective husbands, wives or widows, if any, all of whom and whose names and places of residence are unknown to the plaintiff; SALMA SALAZAR A/K/A SALMA SHAKIRA SALAZAR; MARIA SALAZAR; EDWIN SALAZAR; CITIZENS BANK, N.A.; HENG XU; LVNV FUNDING, LLC; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; NEW YORK CITY PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU; UNITED STATES OF AMERCIA; STATE OF NEW YORK; WILLIAM GARCIA; JANE DOE #1-4, individuals whose names remain unknown to the Plaintiff; JOHN DOE #2-3, individuals whose names remain unknown to the Plaintiff; Defendants. Mortgaged Premises: 50-26 46th Street, Woodside, NY 11377 TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT(S): 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 hereof. Your failure to appear or 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, unless the Defendant obtained a bankruptcy discharge and such other or further relief as may be just and equitable. 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 to 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 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. QUEENS County is designated as the place of trial. The basis of venue is the location of the mortgaged premises. Dated: December 18, 2023 Mark K. Broyles, Esq. FEIN SUCH & CRANE, LLP Attorneys for Plaintiff Office and P.O. Address 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800 Rochester, New York 14614 Telephone No. (585) 232-7400 Block: 2295 Lot: 67 NATURE AND OBJECT OF ACTION The object of the above action is to foreclose a mortgage held by the Plaintiff recorded in the County of QUEENS, State of New York as more particularly described in the Complaint herein. TO THE DEFENDANT, the plaintiff makes no personal claim against you in this action. To the above named defendants: The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of HON. TIMOTHY J. DUFFICY Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, dated JANUARY 24, 2025 and filed along with the supporting papers in the QUEENS County Clerk’s Office. This is an action to foreclose a Mortgage. ALL that certain in plot, piece or parcel of land, situate lying and being in the Borough of Queens, City and State of New York Mortgaged Premises: 50-26 46th Street, Woodside, NY 11377 Tax Map/Parcel ID No.: Block: 2295 Lot: 67 of the BOROUGH of QUEENS, NY 11377 84439
REFEREE’S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF QUEENS MIDFIRST BANK, Plaintiffagainst - TRAVIS GREEN, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on July 25, 2024. I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse located at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY, on the second floor in Courtroom 25 on the 28th day of March, 2025 at 10:00 AM. 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. Premises known as 620 Beach 69th Street, Arverne, (City of New York) NY 11692. (BL#: 16029111) Approximate amount of lien $676,203.69 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Index No. 705844/2023. Carolyn Salian Clyne, Esq., Referee. Davidson Fink LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 400 Meridian Centre Blvd, Ste 200 Rochester, NY 14618 Tel. 585/760-8218 For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction. com or call (800) 280-2832 Dated: January 7, 2025 During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6-feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale.
Notice of Formation of New Dawn Mental Health Counseling PLLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State (SSNY) on 1/3/25. Office location: Queens Co. SSNY designated as agent of PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail/email process to: 5027 103rd St, Corona, NY 11368, fcastillo@mhpwq.org. Purpose: practice the profession of mental health counseling.
