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Eddie Borges: A personal look at the Daily News' highs and lows after Tronc lays off dozens
Tips to keep kids active in the summer months, the borough's best bike trails, and top workout songs to maximize performance
See what's happening this weekend in the borough, plus our weekly crossword puzzle
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Since 1970 July 26 - Aug. 1, 2018 QueensTribune.com
QUEENS EXCLUSIVE
homelessness
Ozone Park
Rages Against Shelter Plan By JON CRONIN
Three Candidates Rise To Top In CUNY Chancellor Search Sources tell Queens Tribune that Queens College President Félix Matos Rodríguez and LaGuardia College President Gail Mellow are on a list of finalists with New York Public Library President Tony Marx.
T
HE NATIONAL SEARCH FOR the next chancellor of the City University Of New York (CUNY) is almost over. According to a handful of reliable sources in higher education, the top-three fi nalists are all New Yorkers, and two of them call Queens their home base. The three top fi nalists vying to become the eighth CUNY chancellor are LaGuardia Community College President Dr. Gail O. Mellow, Queens College President Dr. Félix “Felo” V. Matos Rodríguez, and President and CEO of the New York Public Library Dr. Anthony William “Tony” Marx. In extended conversations with sources, the three were identified as the fi nalists in the process, even though other candidates are still being interviewed. One source familiar with details of the process said the search began five
months ago and confi rmed that “it’s down to the three applicants you have.” Other sources within the central office and CUNY board indicated that “as of right now, there are five persons being looked at and those are the ones that will be interviewed.” All members of the trio of fi nalists are amply qualified, but they bring different styles of management to the role, according to sources. The three were also described as bridge builders within their respective institutions, each with a record of working to develop relationships outside academia to strengthen their respective colleges or the public library system. The fi nal interviews will begin soon, and the information we’ve received is that the decision will be made by midAugust. An announcement is expected 14.0 in. shortly after a decision is made.
“The board is looking for an accomplished leader committed to our students’ academic and career success and affording all low- and middleincome New Yorkers access to a highquality college education tuition-free,” said William C. Thompson Jr., CUNY board of trustees chairperson, in a press release on Feb. 7, at the start of the process. The statement also said the CUNY board of trustees had appointed members to its Chancellor Search Committee and announced the hiring of a highly regarded national executive-recruiting fi rm to help the committee identify topfl ight candidates to succeed Chancellor James B. Milliken, who had formally announced he would be stepping down in November of last year after a muchreported rumored forced resignation. Back in February, Thompson had
also stated, “The new chancellor will embrace the university’s proud history of helping underrepresented and immigrant students succeed, as well as its unparalleled diversity today, and lead CUNY into the future by setting the standard for quality and access in public higher education in the United States.” Currently, Vita C. Rabinowitz is the interim chancellor at CUNY—a post she has held since June 1, 2018. Dr. Rabinowitz was executive vice chancellor and university provost for the past three years. Gerson Borrero is an Editor-at-Large for Ocean Gold Media, the owners and operators of the Queens Tribune. His weekly email newsletter Bochinche covers exclusive scoops and insider tips about New York politics and government.
3.5 in.
HARLEM WEEK STARTS THIS SUNDAY! Join us to celebrate the heart & soul of Harlem. Come out for food, dance, music and more!
SUN / JUL 29 – FRI / AUG 31
Learn more at iloveny.com/HarlemWeek or 1-877-427-5364
Representatives from the city’s Department of Homeless Services (DHS) found themselves in a contentious exchange with Ozone Park residents last Thursday as they discussed plans at a meeting to open a homeless shelter in the community that will house 113 mentally ill men. The DHS took questions from visibly upset community members during a meeting on July 19 that drew approximately 400 people to the basement of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church. Sam Esposito, an Ozone Park resident who lives near the proposed shelter, organized the meeting and gave a 20-minute speech during which he stated that the community is against the shelter as a “commonsense” method of protecting its streets. He believes the shelter will bring homeless people who might defecate in the streets, sleep on their lawns, and burglarize and possibly sexually assault residents. Esposito, who is a retired NYPD officer, said that when a shelter opened on Bedford Avenue in an area of Brooklyn that he patrolled years ago, it brought violence and crime to the area. He said that many crimes in connection with the shelter went unreported. “We did not invest to stay here to live in fear,” he told the packed room. > Continued on page 4
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The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
The Week In Tweets @pwbnyc
@BobHoldenNYC
Don’t tell anyone but the new @hunterspointsth park extension is absolutely amazing
@CoreyinNYC led off the game smacking a homer to left, ran the bases like there was no tomorrow, played a mean 1st base and even came in late to pitch when I ran out of gas. Bring on Room 9 and the Mayor’s office. #TrashTalk
The extension to Hunter Point South opened last month and it is gorgeous. The new boardwalk includes lots of crab grass for a beach like feel and a pier jutting out that looks like the bow of ship. For the LIC waterfront, there is more to come north of the Plaxall Gallery in a new development.
Last Friday, the city council had their summer skip day in Brooklyn. It was confirmed from several sources on Twitter the Speaker Corey Johnson hit a home-run first at bat. Also, after a Village Voice article illustrating that Councilman Bob Holden (D-Middle Village) has been somewhat ostracized by his new colleagues, it is good to see that Holden is starting to have some fun.
@katie_honan
@davidfolkenflik
*yells into the void* “technically Rockaway isn’t a neighborhood just a shorthand way to refer to the peninsula, which actually includes more than a dozen distinct neighborhoods”
Icing on Tronc cake: controlling owner Michael Ferro resigned as chairman after accusations of sexual harassment. Converted $5M annual, three-year “consulting fee” into $15M lump sum & sought to sell stake. Sale fell through. He kept $. It put Tronc in red for 1stQ.
Borough President Melinda Katz often states in her speeches the unique identity of Queens. When asked where one is from residents of the world’s borough will say Forest Hills, Jamaica or Corona. Katz would be proud that the Rockaways native daughter, Wall Street Journal Reporter Katie Honan, continues to rep the borough so hard.
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Follow up tweet:
$15M would probably cover the entire NYDN newsroom as of yesterday for two years, guessing avg of $90K in pay & benefits.
Tronc gutting half the newsroom of the New York Daily News shocked us all this week. NPR Correspondent David Folkenflik, tweeted that the final nail in the newsroom’s coffin was that controlling owner, Michael Ferro was part of the #MeToo movement and took a $15 million parachute when he was forced to leave the company. A follow up tweet explained that the $15 million could have supported that newsroom for another two years.
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PABLO VILLAVICENCIO We are living in a sad time when a hardworking father of two is detained for 53 days simply because he happens to be an undocumented immigrant from Ecuador. Pablo Villavicencio, who worked as a delivery man for a Queens pizzeria, has lived through a nightmare after he was arrested while dropping off a pizza at an Army base in Brooklyn. His story has been a stark example of how current federal immigration policy lacks compassion and common sense. We at the Queens Tribune are proud to say that he won the week after a judge ordered him released on Tuesday. We hope he is enjoying being reunited with his family.
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The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
Getting around Queens is easier than ever, thanks to Uber.
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rom Jackson Heights to Jamaica, Uber helps us move around in our communities and in every corner of the five boroughs.
That’s why the majority of Uber rides are now outside of Manhattan, in areas like Queens. And, in the past year, trips in our borough have nearly doubled. Uber is helping to fill the gaps in transit service, ensuring that no matter where we live in NYC, we can get an affordable, reliable ride within minutes. After all, the City isn’t just midtown Manhattan.
No matter when. No matter where. Uber is there. Learn more at UberConnectsNYC.com Paid for by Uber Technologies, Inc
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Continued from page 1 Esposito said that he is planning a protest in front of the Cedarhurst, Long Island, home of the building’s owner, Asher Shafran. He added that Shafran was hiding behind the LLC—through which he bought the property—and he wants Shafran’s neighbors to know how he makes a living. “There a special place in hell for people like him,” said Esposito, drawing cheers from the crowd. Joslyn Carter, a DHS administrator, told the crowd that the residents of the shelter “do have moral and values,” while Jackie Bray, the DHS’ first deputy commissioner, said that the residents of the shelter are not dangerous, a comment that received boos and hisses from the crowd. State Sen. Joe Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park), Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) and Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Rockaway Park) all referenced the values of the community and that it welcomes those in need, but they noted that the proposed shelter at 85-15 101st Ave. did not belong so close to schools and churches. Miller said that the city had displayed a lack of transparency while choosing the location, and noted the amount of taxpayer money that the shelter’s owner would receive. Addabbo called Mayor Bill de Blasio’s leadership in the homeless crisis “inept.” “You’ve created fear, animosity and frustration that I have never seen in another administration,” he told the DHS panel. “Include us. Like everyone else here, we are being shut out of the process.” Ulrich stated that de Blasio inherited a “safer, cleaner, greener” city from Mayor Michael Bloomberg that had 10,000 fewer homeless people, and that de Blasio’s management has changed all that. Ulrich added that he recommended two sites for the shelter to the DHS—one on Atlantic Avenue that is owned by the city and another behind Jamaica Hospital. Ulrich said he believed that the community would support a shelter for victims of domestic abuse, but not mentally ill men. “They deserve services, they deserve compassion, they deserve shelter, but they don’t deserve it on 101st Avenue,” Ulrich said. Vance Barbour, a member of the Woodhaven Residents Block Association, asked the DHS how many people returned to the shelter system once they left. Bray responded that if a homeless person goes through the DHS system, gets a job and receives financial assistance for his apartment, approximately 2 percent will return to the system. She added that if a former shelter resident leaves the system and moves in with family, the return rate is 10 percent. Lawanna Kimbro, the DHS’ chief program delivery officer, explained that the shelter would be operated in coordination with the 102nd Precinct, and the NYPD would come up with security plans for the site. There would also be 28 security cameras throughout the facility and grounds as well as contracted security officers who would be overseen by the NYPD. There would be two guards at each entrance around the clock, and a minimum of four guards and one supervisor per shift. There would also be a 24-hour hotline for the shelter to address community concerns and immediate issues. One resident asked Bray what should be done if a shelter resident is nude while outside the shelter. Bray answered that the person should call the shelter’s hotline, and audience members scoffed at the suggestion. Lantern, a nonprofit that will manage the site, will offer job counseling, case management, housing placement, and health and wellness services. Off site, shelter residents will be offered educational services, legal services, drug abuse counseling and conflict mediation. The shelter will have a 10 p.m. curfew. The DHS estimates that each adult will be there for one year. Esposito said that he hired a lawyer—E.Christopher Murray of Ruskin, Moscou and Faltischek on Long Island—to represent Ozone Park residents in a lawsuit against the city. On a GoFundMe account, Esposito has raised approximately $12,000 to pay for legal services. He said that any money that is not spent on legal services will go toward the needy families of Ozone Park.
The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
JUDGE ORDERS RELEASE OF ICE-DETAINED PIZZA DELIVERY MAN BY ARIEL HERNANDEZ The Corona man who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a pizza delivery in June was ordered to be released from custody by a federal judge on Tuesday. Pablo Villavicencio, 35, was detained on June 1 while delivering a pizza in Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn. Officers at the scene of the delivery did a background check that found that Villavicencio had been ordered to be removed from the country and sent back to Ecuador in 2010. Villavicencio, who has no criminal record, is married and the father of two children who are United States citizens. Although the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted Villavicencio one month’s stay until July 20, he was held in ICE’s custody at the Hudson County Correctional Facility in New Jersey until his case was heard in federal court. On Monday, the day before Villavicencio’s hearing, Make the Road New York, the Legal Aid Society, elected officials from across the city and immigrants rallied outside City Hall to demand that Villavicencio be allowed to return home. “I want my father not to be over there anymore,” said Villavicencio’s daughter Luciana, 4, at the rally. “I want him to be home every day. I want him to be in my home. When we go to visit, he cries a lot. Tomorrow, I ask that he comes now.” Manhattan Federal Judge Paul Crotty announced at approximately 9 p.m. on Tuesday— following the hearing earlier that morning— that Villavicencio had the right to try to obtain
a waiver to overturn the 2010 order of removal. “The court holds that he indeed does have a right to complete the process of obtaining a provisional waiver and that the government’s deportation of petitioner would contravene that right,” said Crotty. “Although he stayed in the United States unlawfully and is currently subject to a final order of removal, he has otherwise been a model citizen. He has no criminal history. He has paid his taxes and he worked
NURSE KILLED IN SPRINGFIELD GARDENS HOME
FEDS BUST ALLEGED FLUSHING METH KINGPIN
diligently to provide for his family.” After hearing the news, Villavicencio was overcome with emotion as he was reunited with his wife and two children. “I am so happy to be with my wife and my children,” said Villavicencio, kissing his daughters on their heads. Villavicencio thanked his lawyers, the judge, his wife, the organizations that supported him and the media for publicizing his case.
“We are ecstatic that Pablo, Sandra and their daughters have finally won justice and will be back together again,” said Javier Guzmán, an organizer for Make the Road New York. “We have stood with this family since Pablo was detained, and we will continue to stand with them always. Pablo winning his freedom tonight is a testament to the power of immigrant families and their allies fighting back against a hateful administration trying to tear them apart. Thousands of New Yorkers—immigrants and non-immigrants alike—have stood up for this family, and together we will continue to resist the attacks from the Trump administration and ICE. We know today and every day that our community is here to stay.” Villavicencio’s case sparked outrage, and city elected officials have taken to social media to reiterate that New York City is a sanctuary jurisdiction where immigrants such as Villavicieno, who have no criminal history, should be welcomed and granted rights. “The order to release Pablo Villavicencio from federal detention is a victory for New Yorkers and for basic human rights, but it shouldn’t be,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “Mr. Villavicencio was held for 53 days and that is 53 days too long. This never should have happened.” City Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Manhattan) said he hopes that Villavicencio’s release “sends a clear message to President Donald Trump.” Reach Ariel Hernandez at (718) 357-7400 x 44, ahernandez@queenstribune.com or @reporter_ariel.
By ARIEL HERNANEZ A nurse was strangled to death last week in her Springfield Gardens home, according to police. At approximately 9:10 p.m. on July 17, Dewayne Stewart, 23, and his father, Kenneth Stewart, discovered the body of Dewayne’s sister, Samantha Stewart, 29, in her apartment, located on 145th Road near 167th Avenue. According to police, Stewart had suffered trauma to her neck and head, and was pronounced dead at the scene. The Queens Tribune reached out to DeWayne and Kenneth Stewart, but was unable to contact them by press time. Dewayne told the Daily News that he believed he encountered the killer on Monday, which was the day that his sister was killed. He said he had called his sister that day, but a man answered the phone and told him that Samantha had left car keys for Dewayne to pick up. When Dewayne arrived at the house, he noticed that the man was “fidgety,” but he didn’t think much about it and left. It wasn’t until Dewayne went back to the home to return the car on Tuesday that he knew something was wrong. No one answered the door, so he left and returned with his father. Dewayne broke in through the window and, shortly thereafter, he and Kenneth found Samantha’s body. According to police, the investigation is still ongoing.
A GoFundMe page created by Kenneth Stewart reads, “Samantha Stewart was a loving, caring, and enthusiastic person. She always filled the room with positivity and excitement. Her smile was contagious and you’d join her to smile and feel so welcomed and comfortable around her.” No arrests have been made in the case. Reach Ariel Hernandez at (718) 357-7400 x 144, ahernandez@queenstribune.com or @reporter_ariel.
Rescino, 22—were also arrested in the bust. “Drug dealers are trying to turn New York into the next methamphetamine wasteland,” said James Donoghue, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “The Eastern District will work tirelessly with our partners on longterm investigations such as this to prosecute those who poison our communities with this
retail distribution. Pineda allegedly protected the operation with threats and violence. During one instance, he allegedly threatened a competing gambling-parlor owner with a gun and referred to a “high-voltage cattle prod” that a co-conspirator could use to collect a debt. At the time of his arrest, law enforcement officers allegedly removed
By NATHAN DUKE A 36-year-old Flushing man and 14 others who allegedly operated a methamphetamine distribution organization out of illegal gambling parlors in Flushing have been arrested, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York said. Anthony “Ant” Pineda, 36, the alleged leader of the organization, was arraigned on July 19 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cheryl Pollak and
“Drug dealers are trying to turn New York into the next methamphetamine wasteland” ordered detained pending trial. An additional 14 defendants—including Queens’ Yunfeng Gao, 33; Ivan Kaleda, 38; Ting Li, 30; Yuan Li, 34; Guanghua Shen, 45; Jin Wang, 33; Joung Hwa Yun, 40; Lu Zhai, 30; Nan Zhang, 32; Min Li, 40; David Haghighy, 33; Steven Torres, 28; Brooklyn’s Si En Li, 45; and San Francisco’s Marco
highly addictive and dangerous drug.” According to the indictments, court documents and statements made in court, Pineda allegedly led a meth distribution organization from gambling parlors in Flushing. He allegedly obtained large quantities of meth in California and transported the drugs to New York for wholesale and
a pound of methamphetamine and approximately $27,000 in cash. Charges against the defendants include possession of and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, firearms trafficking, operating an illegal gambling parlor, extortion and money laundering.
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The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
Council Passes Waste Equity Bill After Years Of Rejection By TRONE DOWD
In March 2017, environmental activists, Southeast Queens residents and elected officials protested against waste inequity and in favor of Intro 495, which aimed to reduce the amount of garbage processed in their neighborhoods.
After years of advocacy from environmental groups, the New York City Council voted July 18 in favor of legislation that would alter the current state of waste management in communities that handle the majority of the city’s waste. The bill, Intro 157, reduces the capacity that private waste companies have to process local garbage, an issue that has primarily been a problem in communities of color, such as North Brooklyn, the South Bronx and Southeast Queens. Combined, the three communities house 26 of the city’s 38 waste transfer stations, which process 75 percent of the city’s total garbage. The bill also incentivizes recycling as a means of inspiring companies to take up cleaner practices. A number of advocate groups, including the
New York City Environmental Justice Alliance (NYCEJA), have pointed out that private waste companies have been allowed to go unchecked in these neighborhoods at the expense of nearby residents. This has resulted in large, noisy garbage trucks’ tearing up roadways, hazardous environmental impacts—such as dangerous and toxic runoff from trucks and processing plants—and pungent air pollution that has ruined the quality of life, particularly during the summer months. In March 2017, the Greater Allen AME Cathedral organized a protest against these issues alongside NYCEJA and residents, who said that the foul smells have worsened asthma symptoms and made it impossible to enjoy outdoor activities.
“Today’s vote on Intro 157 is truly a watershed moment for environmental justice,” said Eddie Bautista, the executive director of NYCEJA. “Our communities have been fighting for relief from waste facilities and truck traffic for decades. Finally, we will see this first critical step toward waste equity, and ensure that local communities—particularly the three most impacted—finally begin to realize some semblance of fair share.” Intro 157 is not the first effort to change these policies. Last year, Intro 495-C, a similar bill to the one that passed last week, failed to garner enough support in the council before being scrapped altogether in December. “Intro 495, there was a carve-out specifically for a transfer station called Metropolitan up in the Bronx,” Priya Mulgaonkar, a policy organizer for NYCEJA, said. “For us, that was a big concession.” Intro 157 no longer contains that carve-out. On the other hand, the capacity cap enacted by Intro 157 is not as steep as Intro 495-C’s proposed cap. According to Mulgaonkar, most of the waste companies use less than half of the capacity they are currently allocated, so the move was more about future-proofing. “We wanted to cut the capacity in half to bring the permits down to the current throughput level with a little bit of wiggle room, but not allow these facilities to keep expanding,” she said. While NYCEJA celebrated the bill’s passage, the organization admitted that it still had a long way to go. “We never saw this bill as a cure-all,” Mulgaonkar said. “It’s very much a first, but critical, step. We’ve been fighting this for over 10 years. Negotiations are bound to happen, but ultimately this sends a really good signal to environmental justice communities that the tides are turning.” With the recent victory under its belt, NYCEJA said that it is now turning its attention toward ensuring that each of the boroughs is distributing waste management equally throughout its
POLICE BLOTTER 102ND PRECINCT
ATTEMPTED ROBBERY
Police are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying an individual in connection with an attempted robbery at a subway station in Richmond Hill on July 6. Around 11:30 p.m., an unidentified individual approached a 34-year-old man on the J train mezzanine platform in the 104th Street subway station and struck him several times on the head with a closed fist, knocking him to the ground. The suspect then demanded the victim’s property, but the victim yelled for help and the suspect fled the scene. No property was taken and the victim refused medical attention. The suspect was described as a five-foot11-inch black Hispanic man who is believed to be 20 to 30 years old. He has dark skin, black hair, a long ponytail and goatee, and was last seen wearing a black T-shirt with large lettering across the chest, black pants and black shoes.
103RD PRECINCT
CUSTODIAL INTERFERENCE
A 24-year-old Jamaica man has been arrested after he is alleged to have taken his 8-year-old daughter without permission, police said. Police located Jerome Pippins, who lives on the Van Wyck Expressway, and his daughter in good physical condition around 8:15 a.m. on July 21. Pippins was taken into custody with charges pending, police said. On July 20, the girl and her mother were inside of their residence when the girl’s father entered the location at approximately 10:10 p.m. and forcibly removed her before fleeing the location on foot.
104TH PRECINCT
GRAND LARCENY
Police said that they are searching for an individual who is wanted in connection with a grand larceny incident that took place in Ridgewood on June 11. Around 8 a.m., a 33-year-old woman inside of a residence at Himrod Street and Fairview Avenue realized that she was no longer in possession of her credit cards. It was determined that the victim’s credit cards were used to make unauthorized purchases on June 10 at various locations throughout Queens and Brooklyn. On June 10 at approximately 3:57 p.m., a man used the woman’s credit card to purchase merchandise at a Macy’s department store, located at 90-01 Queens Blvd. in Elmhurst. The suspect is described as a dark skinned man who was last seen wearing a black and gray baseball cap, black shirt with the words “Three Stripe Life” written on it, black pants and black and white sneakers.
108TH PRECINCT
GRAND LARCENY
Police are asking for the public’s assis-
tance in locating an individual who is wanted in connection with a grand larceny incident at a Flushing subway station on July 13. Around 1:09 p.m., the suspect engaged an 85-year-old woman in conversation near the turnstiles in the 46th Street/Bliss Street 7 train station. The individual then removed the victim’s wallet from her purse before he fled the station. The wallet contained $130 in cash and a debit card. The suspect is described as a Hispanic man who was last seen wearing a white shirt, blue jeans and yellow boots.
Intro 157 is meant to curb hazardous environmental impacts on communities of color—such as dangerous and toxic runoff from trucks and processing plants seen here—which have ruined the quality of life for nearby residents more than a decade.
respective neighborhoods. Intro 157 received nearly universal support from members of the council, including Council Speaker Corey Johnson (D-Manhattan) and members Antonio Reynoso (D-Brooklyn) and Donovan Richards (D-Laurelton). “The passage of Intro 157 is a momentous achievement in the fight for environmental justice and the reform of our city’s private waste-management system,” Reynoso said. “Intro 157 will finally deliver environmental justice to frontline communities and ensure that no other neighborhood suffers the same fate, while setting a historic precedent for the fairshare distribution of burdensome and polluting facilities in the city of New York. This is a first, crucial step toward reforming the city’s commercial carting industry.” Richards agreed, saying, “In recent weeks, the reckless and negligent operations of New York City’s private waste haulers have finally gotten the attention they deserve, including the awful working conditions these companies force on their largely immigrant, Latino and black workforce. We as elected officials can no longer sit idly by. It is high time that we hold the private sanitation companies responsible not only for their awful practices when collecting waste, but also when dumping and processing waste. Intro 157 is the first step towards bringing true accountability to an industry in desperate need of reform.” But while Richards and Reynoso praised the bill, one Southeast Queens councilman argued that the legislation does not go far enough. In an interview with the Queens Tribune, Councilman I. Daneek Miller (D-St. Albans) stated that
Intro 157 didn’t go far enough to address the specific concerns of his community. “This was a very general bill,” Miller said. “There’s a lot more to waste-transfer equity, recycling and environmental justice than what the bill produced.” Miller, who was one of the original advocates on the issue since taking office in 2014, cited that truck traffic and unbearable odors were among the concerns that he argues the bill does little to alleviate. He also pointed out that Queens’ waste capacity vastly outweighs that of the two other communities, Brooklyn and the Bronx. “For decades, Southeast Queens has been disproportionately impacted by poor waste-management policies,” Miller said during a July 18 meeting at City Hall following the vote on 157. “And I have viewed this bill as having the potential to holistically approach this issue and bring justice to an unjust situation. Addressing environmental justice requires broader vision than a focus on only waste management. It requires the creation of investment in our communities. It requires jobs to promote the well-being of the larger community. In that spirit, I believe we can be better than Intro 157. We can encourage investment, we can strengthen our communities, and we can build a more equitable system.” Miller had dropped support of Intro 495-C in December for similar reasons, much to the chagrin of environmental activists. But despite his lack of support for the bill, Miller said that he has kept up a dialogue with his colleagues to get them to understand his concerns. “I am still committed to change,” Miller reassured the Queens Tribune.
ion vacuat e n a e “ I hav ke sure a m l l i w plan. I es too.” o d y l i my fam
3 E N O Z S
QUEEN a r h s Bu
109TH PRECINCT
ROBBERY
Police said that they are searching for an individual who is wanted in connection with a robbery in Flushing on July 18.. Around 10 p.m., four men were inside of an apartment in the vicinity of Prince Street and 37th Avenue when two men, one of whom was brandishing a knife and the other was carrying a gun, gained access to the apartment. One of the suspects ordered the victims to lay on the ground and removed $120 from one of them. One victim began to resist and the other victims began to fight back. During the fight, one of the individuals stabbed a 26-year-old man in the back and fled the scene. EMS transported the victim to Booth Memorial Hospital.
Visit NYC.gov/knowyourzone or call 311 to find out what to do to prepare for hurricanes in NYC #knowyourzone
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Around The Borough
The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
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$8M Astoria Heights Playground Debuts Astoria children and their parents joined the city’s Parks Department on Friday to cut the ribbon on an $8 million Astoria Heights playground reconstruction project. The Astoria playground, which hadn’t been renovated in 20 years, was one of 10 parks in Queens that took part in the agency’s Community Parks Initiative. “Astoria Heights Playground, like all of the Community Parks Initiative sites, was long overdue for an update, so we’re grateful to be able to give this space the attention it deserves,” said Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver. “Thanks to an incredible investment of $7.9 million, we’re here today opening a park for all generations to use and enjoy.” The playground features new play equipment for children up to age 15, a spray
shower, a new athletic field for tennis or volleyball, a walking track, new play equipment, picnic tables, new pathways and an accessible ramp. The overall design for the project was based on collaborated feedback from Community Board 1, community residents and IS 10’s students and administration. “Thanks to the capital investment of public dollars, the children and families of Astoria can enjoy the long-anticipated upgrades to Astoria Heights Playground,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz. “The new playground is for the community, by the community, thanks to substantial input on the design from community members and students through the Community Parks Initiative.” - Ariel Hernandez
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FAR ROCKAWAY
Man Pleads Guilty To Animal Cruelty Charges Just a day before his trial was set to begin, a Far Rockaway man pleaded guilty to brutally killing a cat nearly two years ago, and threatening eyewitnesses in an attempt to clear his name. According to the charges, the incident took place on Sept. 30, 2016. The man, 31-yearold Giovanni Olivo of Beach 26th Street, admitted to the crime on Sunday. According to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, Olivo—who was seemingly unprovoked— stabbed the cat and then threw it from his third-floor balcony. Before the animal could escape, Olivo went down to the street and proceeded to stomp it to death while scream-
02
ing aloud, “You’re dead to this world!” The incident was witnessed by several people, including children and neighbors. “This was a cruel and vile act of brutality,” Brown said. “These kinds of acts of aggression toward animals cannot and will not be tolerated.” Olivo was arrested shortly after the incident and had been awaiting trial. In the time since the arrest, Olivo attempted to intimidate a witness from his neighborhood. “Those who are eyewitnesses to criminal acts must be protected from outside interference that might affect their testimony. The defendant is going to jail as punishment for
the vicious killing of a cat and for trying to sway a witness to lie in court,” Brown said. Olivo is set to appear in Queens Supreme Court on Sept. 12 for sentencing on aggravated animal cruelty and third-degree attempting-to-intimidate-a-witness charges. He will be ordered to serve 10 months’ incarceration. Upon his release, he will also be banned from owning pets for five years and required to register with the city’s Department of Health as an animal abuser. The animal abuser registration will prevent Olivo from adopting animals from any of the city’s shelters, rescue groups or pet stores. -Trone Dowd
Astoria Houses Basketball Court’s Ribbon Cutting
charity events and giving back to the neighborhood that has helped it to thrive. “[People] ask, ‘What would George do? How would George help?’ He’s that kind of guy,” Barnwell said. “Many communities have a guy like him, but he’s our guy. He would always ask how he could help. There are tons of stories of him helping out.” O’Neill’s funeral was held on July 23 at 10 a.m. at the Transfiguration Roman Catholic Church in Maspeth. He will be interred at Mount Olivet Cemetery, located at 65-40 Grand Ave. in Maspeth. -Jon Cronin
Members of the Astoria Houses Tenant Association, city Housing Authority (NYCHA), Urban Upbound and the HANAC Cornerstone, along with residents of Astoria Houses, joined Councilman Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria) on Friday to cut the ribbon on a new state-ofthe-art basketball court at the housing development. The basketball court at Astoria Houses now has new asphalt, painted lines, an electronic scoreboard, a shot clock, steel benches and a water fountain. “It’s been a long time coming,” said Claudia Coger, the president of the Astoria Houses Tenant Association. “It’s been a lot of work; it’s been a lot of hands in the pot, but we have arrived.” In September 2017, the Queens Tribune took a tour of Astoria Houses, which was one of the first housing developments to take part in NYCHA’s Next Generation Operations (NGO)
MASPETH
Owner Of Mainstay Eatery O’Neill’s Dies George O’Neill, the longtime owner of O’Neill’s on 53rd Drive in Maspeth, died on July 19. O’Neill died after having been ill and returning from his Florida home. He was the co-proprietor of the bar and restaurant with his sonin-law, Danny Pyle. O’Neill’s father, George Sr., opened the bar on Dec. 5, 1933, which was the the day that Prohibition ended. According to the bar’s website, O’Neill’s did not become a restaurant until the younger O’Neill returned from serving in the Korean War and joined his father in the business. On the restaurant’s Facebook page, the own-
ers posted, “When you walked into O’Neill’s everyone knew him, and he knew everyone right back. He was the best husband, best father, best grandfather and best friend to all. George, you will be missed. You put up a good fight. We love you.” Assemblyman Brian Barnwell (D-Maspeth), told the Queens Tribune that he had gotten to know O’Neill in the past few years. “He was a very nice guy,” Barnwell said. “He always wanted to make sure people were taken care of. He’s a local legend. It’s definitely a big loss for the community.” O’Neill’s is known in the community for its
04
ASTORIA
program. During the tour, Carolyn Jasper— NGO director for Queens/Staten Island—unveiled the already-renovated basketball court, but revealed that the court would receive fiberglass backboards, with scoreboards and a track field surrounding the court. Jasper shared that upgrading the development’s parks and recreational activities helps to keep Astoria Houses’ young tenants “busy and safe.” “In the midst of the negative things happening at NYCHA, I’m glad that we still have advocates like Ms. Coger and Councilman Constantinides who somehow manage to bring a ray of hope to our young people,” said Bishop Mitchell Taylor, the co-founder and CEO of Long Island City’s Urban Upbound. “This newly renovated basketball court and playground will be a beacon of positive activities for the young people in Astoria.” -Ariel Hernandez
Around The Borough
The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
7
07 JAMAICA
Rat-Infested Space Affecting Residents
05 JACKSON HEIGHTS
18th Annual Colombian Parade Jackson Heights was bursting with color— specifically, yellow, blue and red—for its 18th annual Colombian Parade, which ran along Northern Boulevard from 68th Street to 90th Street on Sunday. Along with numerous Colombian families, other residents of ethnically diverse Jackson Heights, Elmhurst and Corona turned out to show support for their neighbors. The celebration featured dancing—including the salsa and cumbia, both of which are traditional Latin/Hispanic genres—as well as Colombian beauty pageant princesses and queens, traditional performance groups, creative costumes and roaring sirens from fire trucks and police cars sporting Colombian flags. The entire boulevard echoed “Que Viva
Colombia,” which translates to “Long Live Colombia.” This year’s guests of honor were Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-Elmhurst), Councilman Francisco Moya (D-East Elmhurst), Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, NYPD Chief Nilda Hofmann and Queens North Assistant Chief Juanita Holmes. City Comptroller Scott Stringer was also in attendance. “I had a wonderful time marching with Queens Borough President Katz in the Colombian Parade,” said Adams. “Our diversity is our strength, and immigrants make us a stronger city where all can thrive and live the American Dream.” - Ariel Hernandez
Jamaica residents are up in arms over a vacant lot that has become overrun by rats. According to community activist Pamela Hazel, the parcel of land, located at Merrick Boulevard and 109th Avenue, has been a problem for local residents. The rodents burrow holes into the soil at the lot and pop up in residential buildings located at 109-15 and 109-25 Merrick Blvd. The city’s Parks Department told the Queens Tribune that the space is privately owned by Royal Realty LLC. According to Hazel, she and other residents called the Queens borough president’s office, Councilman I. Daneek Miller (D-St. Albans)—who represents the district—and 311 about the issue earlier this year with little response. The city’s Department of Health noted that it first inspected the site on July 7 in response to a number of complaints from the community. The lot failed the inspection and was treated with a bait application the same day. A spokeswoman with the Health Department said that the pest issue stems from an overabundance of illegal dumping, which has plagued Southeast Queens for years. “The Health Department takes rat complaints seriously,” she said. “We responded to rat complaints at this address promptly by conducting inspection visits and treating the area. We in-
spected this address twice over the past two weeks and conducted an extermination visit on July 17. We have also scheduled a second extermination visit, and will bait and monitor the area until we see improvement.” She said that both nearby apartment buildings received extermination treatments. The agency will refer the lot to the New York City Sanitation Department (DSNY) for further inspection. Miller said that the lot has long been on his radar. “We’ve had that lot cleaned up every few months,” Miller said. “We would have Wildcat [Service Corporation] come in or Sanitation come in to clean it up.” Miller said that the owner of the property had agreed to develop it, but that promise was never realized. “It’s areas like that that aren’t maintained [and] invite illicit dumping,” Miller said. “In fact, right across the street from there, between IS 8 and the supermarket, is an area people tend to dump as well.” He emphasized enforcement of the area, to which the City Council has already committed. Last month, Miller and his colleagues passed a bill that allows the city’s Department of Sanitation to investigate illegal dumping sites and fine the culprits. -Trone Dowd
08 JAMAICA
Gotti Grandson’s Alleged Illegal Scrapyard 06 ELMHURST
Man Stabbed In Head At Queens Center Mall Four individuals have been arrested and charged with gang assault after allegedly stabbing a man in the head in the food court at the Queens Center Mall in Elmhurst on July 20. The incident occurred at 7:16 p.m. in the mall, which is located at 90-15 Queens Blvd. Police discovered a 27-year-old man with a stab wound to the head and a 26-year-old man with bumps and bruises on his body. Three people were arrested and charged the
next day—Shakema James, 37, and Dorell James, 20, of Salisbury, North Carolina; and Joshua Adams, 21, of Long Island City. Police said that the two victims were in the food court area when a group of men walked over to the duo and began to kick and punch them repeatedly. One of the attackers stabbed a man in the temple. Both victims were taken to Elmhurst General Hospital, where they were listed in stable condition. -Jon Cronin
Another Gotti grandson has landed in handcuffs this year—this one for allegedly operating a junkyard in Jamaica without proper licensing, according to court records. Investigators from the Department of Motor Vehicle discovered that Carmine Agnello, 31, the grandson of famed “Teflon Don” John Gotti, who died in 2002, was allegedly operating LSM Auto Parts and Recycling at 155-11 to 155-17 Liberty Ave. in Jamaica without a license from Jan. 1, 2017, to July 18 of this year. Agnello is known for starring on the cable channel A&E show Growing Up Gotti, which T:14” aired from 2004 to 2005. He was also a contestant on But Can They Sing? on VH1. DMV investigators discovered that Agnello had applied for a license through the DMV to
dismantle and scrap vehicles. Investigators allegedly observed trucks taking vehicles that did not have license plates to the site and saw a claw crane used to lift, move and crush the vehicles. On July 18, DMV investigators and members of the NYPD Auto Crime Division executed a search warrant at LSM Auto Parts, where they had allegedly seen Agnello working, and discovered that he had allegedly been operating without a license since December 2016. According to court documents, Agnello allegedly admitted to investigators that he knew the facility was operating without a license during that time, and that most of his business came from his tow trucks’ bringing in the vehicles. -Jon Cronin
09 LITTLE NECK
North Shore Hardware Closes North Shore Hardware, a longtime family-owned store based in Little Neck, will shut its doors after more than 60 years in business. Michael Steinberg has been the owner of North Shore Hardware since his father retired in 1993. He said that he was sad to close the business. “My customers are like family,” he said. The store has been open at its 252-11 Northern Blvd. location for the past 42 years. It was previously located in Great Neck in the 1950s and then moved to Little Neck in 1975. Steinberg, 73, a Bayside resident since 1950, said that the store retained its customers when they moved the location, but that “the neighborhood and the clientele have changed.” He said that the customers who followed him from the old location no longer shop, and younger shoppers go to Home Depot. “We’ve had a month-to-month lease for 12 or 15 years,” he said. Steinberg said he was told in mid-June when he dropped off the rent with the site’s landlord that he would have to vacate the building by the end of July. Despite low sales, Steinberg said that he would have continued. “If I don’t have money in the store, I don’t take my pay,” he said. He said that a Japanese restaurant known as Shabu Shabu will open in the store’s locale. “They’re taking out the stuff that’s necessary and putting in restaurants,” he added. Steinberg said that customers have been inquiring about the store’s closure. “I love my customers,” he said. “They’re like family. When they come in here, I make them smile, so the shopping isn’t all that hard.” When discussing the closure, Steinberg said that he turns his head to hide the tears. The store’s only other employee, David Mendez, who has worked there for 32 years, has found a new job in Port Washington. “I’ll find something to do.” Steinberg said resignedly. “I love Little Neck. I don’t know how to express how much I do.” -Jon Cronin
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8
Transportation
The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
MOVING THROUGH QUEENS
A look at transportation issues around the borough
VAN BRAMER, NIXON CALL ON MTA TO UPGRADE 7 TRAIN By ARIEL HERNANDEZ Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) stood alongside District 13 state Senate candidate Jessica Ramos and gubernatorial contender Cynthia Nixon in Jackson Heights to call on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to address the needs of 7 train riders. Last week, the Daily News released a report that found half of the 7 train fleet failed inspection last year, causing Van Bramer, a longtime advocate for upgrades to the Main Street-bound line, to blast both the MTA and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “Every single rider of the 7 train deserves to be safe,” said Van Bramer. “The fact that we need to come out and demand better service time and time and time again is part of the reason why I’ve endorsed Cynthia Nixon and Jessica Ramos. Simply put, it is time to change the MTA so that it works for all straphangers.” Earlier this year, Cuomo declared the MTA to be in a state of emergency. However, Nixon stated that he neglected the agency. “Gov. Cuomo has not only ignored the MTA, but raided its budget to pay for his own pet projects. He uses the MTA like an ATM,” said Nixon. “Not only are there serious safety concerns, but delayed service is also devastating to low-income New Yorkers’ financial concerns. Once and for all, it is the governor who controls the MTA and is responsible for its funding—and he has blatantly failed New Yorkers.”
SERVICE CHANGES Due to signal maintenance, ❼ trains at the Vernon Boulevard-Jackson Avenue station will board on the Flushing-bound platform from 12:40 a.m. to 5 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Also, ❼ trains will skip 111th, 103rd, 90th and 82nd streets in Queens from 11:45 p.m. on Friday through 5 a.m. on Monday.
There will be no A trains running to Far Rockaway-Mott Avenue this weekend and no S Rockaway Park Shuttle service at Broad Channel. From Saturday at 12:01 a.m. to Monday at 5 a.m., E trains will run local in both directions between Queens Plaza and 71st Avenue. From 12:01 a.m. on Saturday to 5 a.m. on Monday, F trains will run local in both directions between 21st Street-Queensbridge and 71st Avenue. There will be no J trains between Crescent Street in Brooklyn and Jamaica Center from 3:45 a.m. on Saturday to 10 p.m. on Sunday to allow for station improvements. Also, the platform for Jamaica Center-bound J and Z trains at the 104th Street station will be closed to allow for station rehabilitation. The Broadway and 39th Avenue N and W stations are closed to allow for station enhancements. From 11 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday, there will be no N trains between Times Square-42nd Street and Ditmars Boulevard to allow for track maintenance. Also, R trains will skip Queens Plaza in both directions on Saturday and Sunday to allow for track maintenance.
Reach Ariel Hernandez at (718) 357-7400 x 144, ahernandez@queenstribune.com or @reporter_ariel.
CUOMO: QNS. MIDTOWN TUNNEL RESTORATION AHEAD OF SCHEDULE BY NATHAN DUKE Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday that restoration work on the Queens Midtown Tunnel, which was damaged by Superstorm Sandy, has been completed more than nine months ahead of schedule. Both the Queens tunnel—which connects Long Island City to the east side of Midtown Manhattan—and the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel— which connects Brooklyn’s Red Hook to Manhattan’s Battery Park—were severely damaged by saltwater from the 2012 superstorm. The renovation project overhauled the interiors and exteriors of the two tunnels to improve resiliency, maximize public safety and ease traffic flow. On Friday, Cuomo joined Queens Borough President Melinda Katz and Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Joe Lhota at LaGuardia Community College to provide updates on the restoration projects at the two tunnels. “Superstorm Sandy was a wakeup call about
the urgency to rebuild better, stronger and more resilient,” Cuomo said. “We undertook an unprecedented and expedited transformation of these two iconic tunnels and, in the process, modernized New York’s infrastructure with cashless tolling, saving drivers millions of hours of travel time and creating a transportation system fit for the 21st century.” The MTA’s Bridges and Tunnels implemented long-term mitigation measures at the tunnels, including the installation of 50,000-pound steel floodgates at all tunnel portals that are four feet higher than Sandy’s historic storm surge, refurbished entryways, state-of-the-art traffic control and drainage systems, energy-efficient LED lighting, tiles, fire-rated ceiling boards, drainage gutters, communication systems, pavement and catwalks. Cashless tolling—which uses sensors and cameras on gantries that read E-ZPass tags and take license plate images to ensure that drivers are tolled—has also been implemented at the
tunnels. Safety enhancements that have been installed include radiation-detection equipment and situational awareness and security cameras at each tunnel entrance. And plaza walls at the tunnels were restored and decluttered, removing conduits and unveiling original granite. “Though Hurricane Sandy wrought havoc across Queens and so much of our city, thanks to Gov. Cuomo’s leadership and forward investments, we have come so far since then,” Queens Borough President Melinda Katz said. “With historic commitments, we are better, stronger, more competitive and more resilient to weather any storms that may come our way.” The price tag on the two tunnel restoration projects totaled more than $550 million and was largely funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Reach editor-in-chief Nathan Duke via email at queenstribune@gmail.com.
QUEENS SUBWAY RIDERSHIP DECLINES, AGAIN By MICHAEL GARETH JOHNSON After seeing an increase in subway ridership in 2016, the number of people using the mass transit system has dipped in the last two years, according to a report released by the MTA this week. Through May 2018, ridership had dropped 5 percent. The report found that weekday travel from Queens to Manhattan dropped 2.9 percent, while trips inside the borough declined 6.6 percent this year. The drop in use of the MTA services comes as delays and travel times continue to rise due to ongoing construction projects and general maintenance issues. The report also found that bus ridership declined in the same period, albeit at a slower rate. Travel speeds on buses have increased in recent years, according to the report. At a board meeting on Monday, MTA officials pointed to the rise in ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft as the likely cause for the decline. Annual ridership in for-hire vehicles (FHVs) has risen steadily over the past few years. In 2017, 543 million people took trips in New York City using FHVs, which include yellow taxis as well as livery car and ridesharing services. That was an increase of 63 million over the 2016 estimate of 480 million rides. The report also found that the FHV surge has taken place mostly in lower-income neighborhoods that generally have less access to public
transportation, especially subways. Uber reports that their lowest-cost rides—uberPool, which allows drivers to pick up multiple passengers heading in similar directions—have increased dramatically, especially in the outer parts of Queens. Those rides almost always take passengers to other locations in the outer boroughs, and rarely travel into Manhattan. The MTA also said that faster growth in the outer boroughs and changing work conditions, such as those in healthcare jobs—where the shifts don’t fall within traditional business hours—have contributed to the drop. The report also notes that nationally—and even in some international cities such as London, Paris and Mexico City—subway and bus ridership has declined, in part due to the increasing prominence of ridesharing services.
UBERPOOL STATISTICS FOR THE PAST YEAR: Bayside: Roughly half of trips are uberPool. Elmhurst: More than half of trips are uberPool. Jamaica: Almost two-thirds of trips are uberPool. Maspeth: More than half of trips are uberPool.
9
Development
The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF QUEENS A look at development and its impact on the borough
REGO PARK TO GET 23-FLOOR APT BUILDING By JON CRONIN
An application was filed on July 24 for a mixed 23-floor, 116-unit apartment building on 65th Road off Queens Boulevard in Rego Park, according to the city’s Department of Buildings (DOB). The entire square footage of the lot is 384,625 square feet. According to the application on the DOB website, there will be 136,783 of residential square footage, 24,958 square feet of commercial space and 30,226 square feet dedicated to a community facility. On July 24, five permit applications popped up on the DOB website’s building information search for excavation, foundation, construction, mechanical and plumbing work. The developer, New Hyde Park’s Schuckman Realty Inc., is seeking a zoning variance, but a spokeswoman for the DOB pointed out that not all zoning variances require the project to go through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). If the variance goes through ULURP, it would then go before Community Board 6, the Queens borough president and City Council. The entire approval process would take from six months to a year. The site has been vacant for a couple of years and was previously a one-story strip of stores along Queens Boulevard. “I’m very upset about it,” Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills) said. “They
SANITATION DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES SERVICE CHANGES FOR COMMUNITY BOARD 11
wanted to be R9. I said absolutely not.” Koslowitz explained that the difference between an R9 and R7 is the allowed width of the buildings. “My concern is the infrastructure,” Koslowitz said. “Our schools are overcrowded. I want to sit with them and come up with ideas on how we can help the infrastructure of the community. Maybe they can put a school in the building.” Koslowitz anticipates that the site’s neighbors may be upset since their view of the neighborhood could be blocked by the new building. Koslowitz said she hopes that the building goes through the ULURP project. “That makes me very happy,” she said. “They’re gonna have to come in and see me.” A spokeswoman for the DOB said that the agency has yet to receive a complete application—including zoning diagrams—from the developer. Koslowitz also noted that in the proposal, the building’s floor area ratio (FAR) is 4.79, but the lot is zoned R7-2, which has a maximum FAR of 3.4. She said that the application might change, but it would currently need a zoning variance. Under R7-2 zoning, the building has no maximum height, but has to be within the sky exposure plane, which starts at 60 feet above the street line.
Starting on Monday, July 30, the Sanitation Department will collect organic material once per week on recycling day for residents of Auburndale, Bayside, Little Neck and Oakland Gardens. The Department said the change will allow the Department to become more efficient with both curbside organics and bulk item collection. There will be no changes to trash collection.
OPENINGS AND EXPANSIONS
FEATURED EXPANSION
ZWANGER - PESIRI OPENS OZONE PARK OFFICE
Third from right - Heads of Zwanger Pesiri Radiology Dr. Susan Zwanger-Mendelsohn and Dr. Steven Mendelsohn, Assemblymen David I. Weprin - New York State Assembly, District 24 (D), Assemblyman Michael Miller -New York State Assembly, District 38 (D) and Senator Joseph Patrick Addabbo Jr. New York State Senate District 15 (D) cuts ribbon of the Ozone Park office.
Elected officials including state Senator Joseph Addabbo attended the ribbon cutting event at Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology’s newest facility in Ozone Park this week. The new state-of-the-art building located at 102-34 Atlantic Avenue is the latest expansion for the largest private radiology practice in Long Island, which has been steadily gaining a foothold in Queens and Brooklyn in recent years. “Whenever we cut the ribbon on the opening of a local credible, accessible health care provider, it has a direct benefit to the community and its residents,” said Addabbo. “Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology will provide a wide variety of health and medical exam services to my constituents; I welcome it and the dedicated staff to the district.” The new office provides a host of radiology services including Vida 3T MRI, the newest MRI machine on the market. The facility also offers PET/CT, Nuclear Medicine, Low-Dose CT, Ultrasound, X-ray, 3D Mammography and Bone Density (DEXA) scans. All Zwanger-Pesiri offices are open on evenings and weekends to accommodate working patients.
NYC Health + Hospitals Expands in Jamaica
The NYC Health + Hospitals announced the completion of Phase One of its Emergency Room Expansion Project at its Jamaica facility. The newly configured space adds 6,500 square feet to the ER, bringing total square footage to 16,500. A $2.5 million grant secured by Queens Borough President Melinda Katz helped pay for the project. The entire expansion is expected to be complete by early 2019.
Fitrition Expands To Astoria Senator Joseph Patrick Addabbo Jr. New York State Senate District 15 (D), Dr. Susan Zwanger-Mendelsohn, Dr. Steven Mendelsohn, and Assemblymen David I. Weprin - New York State Assembly, District 24 (D) and Fatena Williams Business Development Associate - The Queens chamber of Commerce.
COMMUNITY LEADERS PROPOSE BAY TERRACE DEVELOPMENT By NATHAN DUKE Members of the Bay Terrace Community Alliance joined state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) and Assemblyman Edward Braunstein (D-Bayside) on Monday to protest a proposed development in Bay Terrace that they cited as an example of overdevelopment. The protest, which drew nearly 200 local residents, was held in front of two properties located at 15-10 and 15-12 215th St. that have already been demolished. The site’s developer and owner have submitted an application to the city’s Department of Buildings for a four-story, 18-unit structure that would include a daycare on the lower level and underground parking. “It’s no secret that a daycare would be utilized in this area, but it should be located in a commercial area with sufficient space for parking
and drop-off and pick-up of the children,” Avella said. “Additionally, a multiple-family structure like this would create a quality-of-life issue for neighbors on this block.” The property is currently under a stop-work order from the city’s Department of Environmental Protection after the agency did not receive an asbestos report for the site. Community leaders said that the development would be significantly more dense than the existing two-family homes on the quiet residential block, and that a daycare center would exacerbate already dangerous traffic conditions on the one-way street. “This sends a clear message to the owner that this is out of character for the neighborhood and we will continue to fight to prevent it from happening,” said Matt Silverstein, the president of the Bay Terrace Community Alliance of the protest.
Get on board.
The next search for food & beverage partners at the new LaGuardia Terminal B is kicking off! LaGuardia Gateway Partners is excited to launch its next Competitive Solicitation Process (CSP) for select food & beverage concession opportunities at the new LaGuardia Terminal B, now under construction at LaGuardia Airport. These opportunities are located in the central commercial district within the Headhouse – the main part of the new terminal.
For more information on this CSP, visit www.laguardiacentral.com/CSP.
The vitamin store and juice bar that launched in Bayside back in 2016 opened its second store in Astoria earlier this month. The new location is 30-09 Steinway Street, and like the Bayside store it serves fresh juices, smoothies, protein shakes, açaí bowls and other healthy snacks
LGA__Concession_RFP_Queens_Tribune.indd 1
Client: LaGuardia Gateway Partners
7/23/18 4:25 PM
10
Education
The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
Officials promised to update a Giuliani-era agreement between the NYPD and city schools almost a year ago. So where is it?
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In October, city officials said they were on the cusp of announcing changes in the way the city Police Department interacts with schools—an overhaul that began more than three years ago and sparked months of negotiations with advocacy groups. But nearly 10 months later, the city has not announced any revisions to the “memorandum of understanding” that governs police involvement with school security, leaving in place a two-decade-old agreement that has not been altered since Rudy Giuliani was mayor and “zero tolerance” discipline policies were in vogue. Now, police and education officials say revisions won’t be made public until this fall. That timeline infuriated advocates who said they made progress with city officials but have been kept in the dark and fear their recommendations are being ignored. “Here we are three years later without any explanation from the administration,” said Kesi Foster, an organizer with Make the Road New York and the Urban Youth Collaborative who serves on a mayoral task force charged with revising the agreement. “It’s extremely frustrating and disheartening.” As Mayor Bill de Blasio has worked to overhaul school discipline policies, which have reduced suspensions and student arrests, advocates say the outdated MOU is a roadblock. The 1998 agreement gives the NYPD control over school safety agents, a force that rivals Houston’s entire police department in size. The agreement was controversial at the time, with some city officials saying the presence of police made student misbehavior more likely to end in arrests. Mark Cannizzaro, head of the city’s principals union and a school administrator in the 1990s, said it was not unheard of for principals to consider calling the police for incidents as minor as shoving. “There was, at one point, a zero tolerance approach that didn’t make sense,” he said. The current memorandum is a reflection of that era, advocates say, and one of the reasons
students of color are disproportionately likely to wind up in the criminal justice system instead of the principal’s office. It was supposed to be updated every four years, but has still never been revised. De Blasio seemed to agree that the memorandum needed to be reformed, and convened a group of advocates and senior city officials who recommended changes. Among the group’s recommendations, released in 2016, were giving school leaders the lead role in addressing student misbehavior, making it more difficult for school safety agents to place students in handcuffs and ensuring students are informed of their rights before they’re questioned. Johanna Miller, the advocacy director of the New York Civil Liberties Union, said senior officials—including Mark Rampersant, the education department’s director of security, and Brian Conroy, the chief of the police department’s school safety division—participated in the task force and seemed receptive to changes. The group agreed there should be limits to the type of offenses that could trigger police involvement, multiple participants said, excluding offenses such as smoking cigarettes, cutting class and certain instances of insubordination. But when the city presented the group with a draft agreement, many of their recommendations had vanished, according to people who were present during the meetings, some of whom requested anonymity because the city required that participants sign nondisclosure agreements. “They basically eliminated all of the major changes that we made,” Miller said, adding that the group requested another opportunity to change the agreement more than a year ago. “And that was the last we heard of it.” City officials would not comment on why the process has been delayed or key recommendations never made it into the draft agreement. Task force members said they believed education and police department lawyers, who had not participated in the group’s discussions,
played a role in stripping the draft agreement of important changes. An education department spokeswoman acknowledged in an email that “agency lawyers have been involved to ensure the MOU is aligned with existing local, state and federal laws and in the best interest of students and families,” but did not comment on why certain changes were not included. Regarding the nondisclosure agreements, the official said the decision was made “to protect the confidentiality of any shared student data and remain within (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) compliance.” The task force still meets quarterly, although several of its members say they have not received updates and did not know the city planned to release an updated memorandum this fall. “The DOE and NYPD have been working in close partnership to finalize updates to the MOU and ensure that the changes are done correctly in the best interest of students and families,” education department spokeswoman Miranda Barbot wrote in an email. Cannizzaro, the principals union chief, said he has not been informed about potential changes to the agreement, adding that school leaders should have discretion in how misconduct is handled and noted the police play an important role in school safety. “We certainly appreciate their presence—we need their presence,” he said. Some members of the task force wondered whether the selection of a new schools chief has delayed the process, and at their most recent meeting in May, schools Chancellor Richard Carranza stopped by. “He said something to the extent of, he knew it was an issue and was going to put eyes on it,” said Nancy Ginsburg, a lawyer at the Legal Aid Society. Ginsburg stressed that the current memorandum can make it difficult to hold officials accountable since the agreement is vague. “It’s impossible to hold the agencies to anything if there are no rules,” she said.
Free Queens
The Queens Tribune, Thursday 26, 2018
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2018 Music Festival
Ten Free Fun Events This Summer In Queens
By NATHAN DUKE
With summer nearing its halfway point, there are still plenty of fun activities and events taking place in Queens during the next month and a half—and the good news is that a number of them are free. From concerts and outdoor movies to dance performances and a massive dragon boat competition that draws large crowds to Flushing Meadows Corona Park, there are many great ways to get outside and have a good time in the warm summer weather. The Queens Tribune has compiled a list of 10 fun—and free— events taking place in all corners of the borough. Some of the events offer food and, in most cases, you’ll have to break out your wallet for it. But Queens residents will be able to gain entry into all of the events listed below at no cost. So, check out the 10 events we’ve chosen that are being held during the second half of the season—and enjoy the rest of your summer.
Ends Well at 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 12 at Socrates Sculpture Park and King Lear at 7 p.m. in Crocheron Park on Aug. 16 and 4:30 p.m. on Aug. 19 at Socrates Sculpture Park. -------------------------------------------------------------------
Socrates Sculpture Park’s Outdoor Cinema 32-01 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City
This outdoor sculpture park, which has great views of the Manhattan skyline, will host free movie screenings each Wednesday through Aug. 29. Pre-screening performances begin at 7 p.m., and films screen at sundown. The festival’s roster features movies from around the world, and events typically pair cuisine—which attendees must purchase— from the region of the world that matches a particular evening’s movie. The remaining films this summer include Brazil’s Loveling (Aug. 1), Spain’s The Spirit of the Beehive (Aug. 8), Japan’s Tampopo (Aug. 15), Turkey’s Kedi (Aug. 22) and Italy’s The Passionate Thief (Aug. 29).
hosts her annual roster of free performances at various spots throughout the borough. Each concert lasts approximately 90 minutes. Tramps Like Us, a Bruce Springsteen cover band, will play at 6 p.m. on July 29 at MacNeil Park. Then, 1970s act Alive N’ Kickin’ will play Fort Totten at 6 p.m. on Aug. 5, while Lady and the Vamps will perform at Crocheron Park at 6 p.m. on Aug. 11. Dr. K’s Motown Revue will round out this summer’s roster when the group plays O’Donohue Park at 6 p.m. on Aug. 19. -------------------------------------------------------------------
Queensboro Dance Festival
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Katz Concert Series
Queens Borough President Melinda Katz
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National Night Out Against Crime
Aug. 7 at police precincts across the borough The city’s Police Department will hold its annual National Night Out Against Crime— during which local police precincts and members of the community they represent come together for a meet-and-greet and various activities—on the first Tuesday of August. Check your local police precinct to find out the location and time of an event in your neighborhood. Each precinct typically holds its own unique event. This year, for example, a BBQ with festivities will be held at Beach 17th Street and Seagirt Boulevard in Rockaway Beach, while Rochdale Village in Jamaica will host an event near its community center. -------------------------------------------------------------------
28th Annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival Aug. 11-12, Flushing Meadows Corona Park
One of the most hotly anticipated events in the borough every summer, the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival kicks off with an opening-day parade at noon on Aug. 11. Racing will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days of the festival, and this year’s prizes include eight round-trip tickets to Hong Kong. The event’s other events include a main stage showcasing musical artists and dancers from around the world, as well as martial-arts demonstrations and storytellers for children. The festival will also have a large food court serving everything from dumplings to pork buns. ------------------------------------------------------------------
Jamaica JAMS Festival Aug. 3 and 4
Celebrating its 21st year, this annual music festival draws more than 200,000 people to Downtown Jamaica. The festival kicks off with a moonlight performance known as JAMS Under the Stars and includes a rockclimbing wall, antique car show, health and wellness pavilion, and other activities. This year’s performers include Ashley Chambers, The Nubian Gents, and Feminine Fire and Veronica Daeh.
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This six-month festival includes a variety of events and performances throughout Queens neighborhoods and features 26 Queensbased contemporary dance companies that perform various styles. The festival also offers free dance classes, networking events and discussions with artists. The remaining summer performances in the festival include July 28 (noon at Worldwide Woodside), Aug. 4 (12:30 p.m. at Lost Battalion Hall) and Aug. 11 (2 p.m. at Fort Totten).
Every Sunday in August, Rochdale Village— located at 169-65 137th Ave.—will host a free performance from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. near the campus’ flag pole. On Aug. 5, the Greater Springfield Community Church Choir will perform gospel music, while the rest of the month’s roster includes reggae group Tribal Legacy (Aug. 12), R&B group The Mighty Kam Band (Aug. 19) and jazz musicians Impromptu (Aug. 26). T-shirts and refreshments will be available for purchase.
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Shakespeare In The Park
Performances of the bard’s plays will be offered for free in Queens parks through the end of the summer. On Aug. 2, All’s Well That Ends Well will be performed at 7:30 p.m. at Crocheron Park (located at 35th Avenue and Cross Island Parkway), while a production of King Lear will take the stage on Aug. 9 at 8 p.m. at Cunningham Park’s Main Park House (196th Street and Union Turnpike). The rest of the summer schedule includes All’s Well That
Queens Library’s Battle Of The Bands Concert Aug. 4, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The winners of the Queens Library’s fourth annual Battle of the Bands talent showcase— which is co-sponsored by the Kupferberg Center for the Arts at Queens College—will perform during this concert at the George Seuffert Bandshell in Forest Park, located at Woodhaven Boulevard and Forest Park Drive in Woodhaven. -------------------------------------------------------------------
Queens Rock Fest Aug. 25, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Queens residents will be able to rock out at the Forest Park Bandshell on the last weekend of August during this music festival. This year’s lineup includes Damsel Live, DJ Raysa, Ryder, Dave Alvin and Jam Authority, Ophelia’s Pain, Fragmented, The Lousekateers, Kindnesse, Stony Rollers and comedian Greg Kritikos. Food will be available for purchase. For more information, call (848) 469-0435. Reach editor-in-chief Nathan Duke via email at queenstribune@gmail.com.
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Queens Today
THURSDAY 7/26
Honoring The First People Of Queens
Members of the Matinecock tribe explore their history, culture and customs during this event at Flushing Town Hall. Free. 6 p.m. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd. ------------------------------------------------
The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
SPOTLIGHT OF THE WEEK FRIDAY 7/27 TO SUNDAY 7/29
Thunderbird American Indian Mid-Summer Pow Wow
Hip Hop In The Park
Ralph McDaniels presents a family-friendly festival celebrating the four elements of hip hop - emcees, DJs, dance troupes and graffiti art. 3 p.m. Socrates Sculpture Park, 32-01 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City. ------------------------------------------------
Queens Beer Festival
Unlimited samples from Alewife, Big Alice, Bridge & Tunnel, Descendant Cider, Fifth Hammer, Finback, Iconyc, LIC Beer Project, Mikkeller NYC, Rockaway, SingleCut and Transmitter. Admission is $32 to $37. 4:30
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Woodside Worldwide 2018
This festival features music, culture, family-friendly fun, live entertainment, giveaways and games. Free. Noon. 61st Street between Woodside and Roosevelt avenues. ------------------------------------------------
Flushing Town Hall will host a full moon drumming class this weekend.
p.m. Long Island City Landing, 52-10 Center Blvd., Long Island City. ------------------------------------------------
LGBTQ Brazil
All films in this series are New York City premieres that celebrate the Brazilian LGBTQ community. The schedule includes Music for When the Lights Go Out on July 28 at 2 p.m., Sweet Amianto on July 28 at 4:30 p.m., Sol Alegria on July 28 at 7 p.m., Passion of JL on July 29 at 3:30 p.m. and Bixa Travesty on July 29 at 6 p.m. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District. -----------------------------------------------
¡Corónate!
This event is an afternoon of live music, dance, art-making and an opportunity to learn about inspirational causes. 1 p.m. Corona Plaza, 40-04 National St., Corona. ------------------------------------------------
QueensWay Tour With Wildman Steve Brill
Brill and Friends on the QueensWay members walk in Forest Park and show nature’s hidden, edible treasures. 9 a.m. Meet at the northeast corner of Woodhaven Boulevard and Forest Park Drive. ------------------------------------------------
SUNDAY 7/29
Sundays On The Lawn: Heems
This outdoor program presents live music at 3 p.m. after free art-making classes and lawn games at 1:30 pm. Heems is a local Indian-American artist who cut his teeth with the rap groups Das Racist and Swet Shop Boys. 1:30 p.m. Queens Museum, NYC Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park. ------------------------------------------------
Guelaguetza Festival
Music, dance, and crafts from the eight regions of Oaxaca, organized by Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Nueva York. 2 p.m. Socrates Sculpture Park, 32-01 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City. ------------------------------------------------
Young Dancemakers Company
The Young Dancemakers Company will perform at Flushing Town Hall on Sunday.
New, lively and original choreography based on meaningful personal and social themes and an excerpt by a renowned choreographer. 2 p.m. Free with online RSVP. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
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More than 40 Indian Nations match wits in a dance competition with art, crafts, jewelry and food. The 40th annual event is the oldest and largest of its type in New York City. The schedule for the event is July 27 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., July 28 from noon to 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and July 29 from noon to 5 p.m. Queens County Farm Museum, 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy., Glen Oaks.
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SATURDAY 7/28
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Jenny Marino (from the Block) performs top 40 hits on the final night of this ongoing series. Free. 7 p.m. Sgt. Collins Park Triangle, 58th Street and Broadway, Woodside. ------------------------------------------------
Celebrate the Full Moon with a drum circle. Learn Afro-Peruvian rhythms on cajón, cajita and quijade, then jam with the group. $25. 7 p.m. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd. ------------------------------------------------
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Woodside Concert Series
Full Moon Drumming: Perú
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This annual showcase screens such classics as The Sound of Music, West Side Story, Hello, Dolly!, and Cleopatra and will run until Sept. 9. The first film in the series is Stanley Kubrick’s classic 2001: A Space Odyssey on July 26 and 27 at 7 p.m., July 28 at 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., July 29 at 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., Aug. 2 at 7 p.m., Aug. 3 at 7 p.m., Aug. 4 at 2 p.m. and Aug. 5 at 6:30 p.m. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District. ------------------------------------------------
As part of the Passport Thursdays series, the movie Keteke screens on the lawn. This road trip tale involves a couple that wants to deliver its first baby, but a wrong decision finds them in the middle of nowhere. Hilarity ensues. 7 p.m. Queens Museum, NYC Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park. ------------------------------------------------
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See It Big! “2001: A Space Odyssey”
Outdoor International Film Series: Ghana
Crossword
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ACROSS 1 Dye, spice or tanning agent from Rhus plants 6 Lather 10 Hit hard 14 “Enchanted April” setting 15 TX/AR city 17 Femme fatale 18 Favorably influenced 19 Kind of lineup 21 Leftover 22 Wahine accessory 23 Drench 25 Deft 30 Diamond of note 32 Time div. 34 Gas burner 35 Serbian-American inventor and electrical engineer 37 Copper 38 Pinocchio, at times 39 Inferior 40 Overused 41 “---- It Romantic?” 42 Horned goddess 43 Records 44 1994 Peace Nobelist 45 Emcee’s need 46 Goon 47 Con 48 Bad looks 50 Cicatrix 52 Org. for movie makers 55 Volcanic type buried Pompeii 57 Ties up 59 Of the lowest quality 64 Drops 65 Completely healthy 66 Burn 67 Took advantage of 68 Bow trees 69 Cereal killer
Last Week’s Answers
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DOWN 1 Rope fiber 2 Of service 3 Tool used to separate strands of a rope for splicing 4 Bar stocks 5 John Lennon’s first wife 6 Thrills 7 President pro --8 Big show 9 Pledge 10 Feb. quartet, usually 11 Suffers from 12 Unity 13 Crash site? 16 Abbr. after many a general’s name 20 “You’ve got mail” co. 24 Comes out 26 Leans (on) 27 Sat on the Dock of the Bay 28 Really dumb 29 Small open fruit pies 31 French president’s residence 33 Hostelries 35 Cuts back 36 Red fluorescent dye 37 Henhouse 40 Sort 44 Function 47 Battering device 49 Physics units 51 Mentions 53 Start 54 Money in the bank, say 56 Roll call call 58 Arabic commander 59 “Law & Order’’ spin-off, initially 60 --- Master’s Voice 61 Smelter’s grist 62 Clunker 63 Embroider
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The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
Robert Englebright
Health: Fitness
As July winds down, the number of summer days left in 2018 is running out—and so are your excuses for not taking advantage of the warm weather outside and getting some exercise. According to a study by Harvard Medical School, exercising regularly is the most important thing a person can do to remain in good health. Exercising helps to control appetite, boost moods and improve sleep, but also has long-term benefits, such as reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia, depression and various forms of cancer. For an average adult, approximately 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise—such as brisk walking or running—per week should suffice. Strength training that works the major muscle groups— including the legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms—should be performed at least two days per week. This week, the Queens Tribune has put together a series of stories on how to get fit this summer. One of our stories is an informational piece on the best exercises and nutritional practices for children. We’ve also included a list of the most popular songs to which people like to work out and a rundown of some of the best bike-tour routes in Queens. We have also compiled a list of some football, soccer and softball leagues around the borough for which residents can currently sign up. So, check out the Queens Tribune’s special section on getting fit and make getting back into shape your summer resolution. Now is the time. The wait—and weight—is over.
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Health: Fitness
The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
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Health: Fitness
The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
15
KEEPING THE KIDS MOVING By TRONE DOWD
While children often get exercise during the school year due to physical education requirements and recess, the same cannot be said about the summer break. During this annual two-month stretch, youths may find themselves at home with little to do and little motivation to get out of the house. In Queens, there is no shortage of free ways to keep your kids active and healthy during the summer doldrums. CITY PARKS FOUNDATION For those looking for something a bit more organized, the City Parks Foundation has you covered. Working in conjunction with the Parks Department, the City Parks Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to bring engaging activities to parks across the five boroughs, be it through art, education, community building and, most importantly for this list, sports and exercise.
are likely to participate. For more information on Summer Time Sports, call (718) 393-7370. NATURE CENTER ADVENTURE In Bay Terrace’s Fort Totten Park, kids are invited to take part in an educational adventures in the World’s Borough.
SUMMER TIME SPORTS EXPERIENCE Have a son or daughter who loves all things sports? This year, the city’s Parks Department is running the perfect program for your family. The Summer Time Sports Experience program for children, ages 8 to 14, is a continuous program held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday that is aimed at helping youngsters learn both the basics and advanced techniques of various sports, including, volleyball, lacrosse, baseball, basketball, soccer and more. The program takes place 2:30 p.m. at Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Summer Time Sports is a drop-in program, so parents and children are free to decide the weekly programs in which they
Shutterstock.com
Queensbridge Park
While the program isn’t focused on exercise, it is sure to keep your little ones hiking in the sun and meeting new friends for the summer. The event takes place every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until Aug 18. For more information, call (718) 352-1769.
The nonprofit offers five different options, including soccer, golf, tennis, track and field and fitness for kids up to age 17 at more than 350 schools, recreation centers and parks around the city. The best part is that the activities are completely free and available for walk-ins.
SUMMER FUN AT ROCKAWAY BEACH According to the Parks Department, the “Summer Fun” program at Rockaway Beach is one of the more popular pastimes in the borough. Similar to the Nature Center Adventure, Summer Fun focuses less on actual exercise and more on getting your child out of the house and having fun in the sun while they learn, meet new people and burn some calories in the process. Held in collaboration with the Queens Library, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Park Conservancy and Friday of Rockaway Beach, the summer program features lawn games, arts and crafts, a book share program and reading areas as well as designated play areas where kids can run around until their heart's content. The program is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Beach 98th Street and Shorefront Parkway. It will run through Aug. 26.
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For more information on how to get your child involved and what sites in your neighborhood offer these fun and fit programs, visit CityParksFoundation.org.
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Eric Pasqualli / Shutterstock.com
The Nature Center Adventure is another program held by the Parks Department. It offers New Yorkers a chance to slow down and learn how to appreciate the smaller things in the Big Apple’s more natural environments. Activities include scavenger hunts, games, arts and crafts. Get up close and personal with animals and plants while learning from the city’s top Urban Park Rangers.
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Health: Fitness
The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
NOT A GOOD SWIMMING BUDDY. . .
Getting Fit:
A GUIDE TO THE BOROUGH’S BEST BIKE ROUTES By JON CRONIN
The borough of Queens has yet to completely warm up to sharing the road with bicyclists, but this less-intensive physical activity can be easier on those looking to jumpstart their sedentary lifestyle. In an April 2018 article on the Harvard Health Publishing website, Dr. Brendan Everett, a cardiologist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said about bicycling, "I have many patients who bike, and they find it's a great way to get some exercise, especially when the weather's favorable. Cycling may not burn as many calories as jogging over a given period of time, but jogging is difficult for many people.” Dr. Everett also noted that people can set their own pace on a bike as well as choose the difficulty of the terrain on which to ride. The Centers for Disease Control echoed those statements in a post on its website about the relationship between mental health and access to parks and green outdoor community spaces. The center contended that activities such as biking, which elevates the heart rate, can help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes, improve bone density and strengthen muscles, and improve balance for older adults. Biking-infrastructure advocates Transportation Alternatives recommended a few routes in the borough that vary from beginner through advanced, and then on to daredevil, which includes busy roadways.
Biking to Work/Most Safe/Shopping: Queens Boulevard from Forest Hills to the Queensboro Bridge will soon be seven miles of protected bike lanes. Once the Skillman Avenue and Forest Hills sections of protected bike lanes are implemented, there will be seven miles of easy riding between Forest Hills and Manhattan. Morris believes that aside from intersections, this route will be the safest way to get on a bike and get to work in Manhattan. Morris noted that there are shops in commercial areas along this route, particularly the small businesses in Sunnyside.
Beginners / Families / Comfort / Most Safe: 111th Street/Flushing Meadows Corona Park/ Kissena Corridor Park/Cunningham Park/Vanderbilt Motor Parkway/Alley Pond Park: Macartney Morris, an organizer for Transportation Alternatives, said that the route, which starts in the two-way bike lane in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, is “almost all separate from car traffic.” For parents, there will be no stress about kids’ interacting with cars. “The number-one advantage of that route is that you are completely outside of traffic,” said Joby Jacob, an avid biker and eastern Queens resident, who added that the only other people riders will see on the route are runners, walkers and other bikers. “It reminds me of being upstate. Depending on the time of day, you might not see many people. It’s a bucolic experience. If you wave at people, they just say ‘hi.’”
“It’s a super, super quiet lane, except for Astoria Boulevard and a little bit when you hit the BQE,” he said.
Scenic: Start in Flushing and head over Northern Boulevard Bridge to the Flushing Bay Promenade and then to 31st Avenue all the way to the Queens waterfront. Then, head north to Shore Boulevard/Astoria Park/20th Avenue or south to Socrates Sculpture Park, Queensbridge Park or Vernon Boulevard, cutting over to Center Boulevard and Hunter’s Point South Park. Morris pointed out that it’s cramped on the bridge, but riders are separated from traffic. Once you ride past LaGuardia Airport, the neighborhood becomes a quiet, scenic route.
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Bike to the beach: Queens Blvd to Woodhaven Boulevard to Cross Bay Boulevard to the Rockaways (not for the fainthearted); alternatively, a safer route cuts through Brooklyn and takes you back into Queens through Jacob Riis Park via the Marine Parkway Bridge: There are no bike lanes on Woodhaven Boulevard. It is considered a shared lane by the city. There are some fellow riders on this trek but there will be little time for greetings, as riders will need to pay careful attention to the quality of the road and the actions of drivers.
Health: Fitness
The Queens Tribune, Thursday July 26, 2018
17
BEST SONGS TO LISTEN TO WHILE WORKING OUT By ARIEL HERNANDEZ
For many people, listening to music is part and parcel of working out. When you drop by the gym, most people using the exercise machines are typically equipped with earbuds. But have you ever forgone a gym day because
you lost your headphones or left them at home? According to Promax Nutrition, a protein-bar manufacturer and blog, music acts as a stimulant, but also distracts from the physical exertion involved in working out.
When listening to music, you take your mind off the actual workout and physical strain. The music also releases dopamine and opioids, allowing you to feel good and raise your pain threshold. Depending on the tempo of the music, the part of your brain that controls movement becomes stimulated, helping your muscles to move more efficiently. The music can also help to increase your heart rate, reduce your blood pressure, increase your metabolism and energy efficiency, reduce physical and mental stress, and alleviate fatigue during your workout. According to Robert Sewak, PD, the author of Striking the Right Chord With the Music You Choose, “A simple tempo change in music causes the respiration rate to change.” “The sound waves of music enter your ears and turn into pulses or vibrations, which travel to the nerves in the brain,” said Sewak. “The pulses influence the brain, which then translates to the body’s movement.” The Queens Tribune perused various lists of the top songs for working out, and then compiled a list of five songs that were consistently on every list.
list. Considering that scientific studies show that music with upbeat tempos enhances performance, it’s a no-brainer that this rock anthem is number one. “Eye of the Tiger” became a popular motivational song after Rocky III.
1. “EYE OF THE TIGER” BY SURVIVOR The 1982 hit has long been on every workout
4. “MASTER OF PUPPETS” BY METALLICA This 1986 metal song by Metallica is over eight
2. “LOSE YOURSELF” BY EMINEM This 2002 Grammy Award-winning hip-hop song debuted in the biographical Eminem movie 8 Mile. The intensity of the beat in the intro of the song is what makes it the perfect go-to when hitting the treadmill or elliptical, or while weightlifting. The song gets your endorphins racing faster once the hook drops and you feel the aggressiveness of the lyrics. 3. “REMEMBER THE NAME” BY FORT MINOR This 2005 hip-hop song’s opening line makes it a self-explanatory workout tune: “This is 10 percent luck, 20 percent skill, 15 percent concentrated power of will.” The song is about putting all of your energy and power into getting what you want. Not only does the beat cause your body to follow, but the lyrics are all the motivation you’ll need.
minutes long, and is made up of hardcore drumming and ripping guitar chords. It will definitely give you the push you need to get through those burpees or cycling. 5. “LEVELS” BY AVICII If you’re an electronic-music lover, you’re probably familiar with the legendary Avicii. Like all of his songs, “Levels” will get your body moving in all sorts of directions and put you in a happy mood. “Levels” has been played in almost every Zumba class around the world since its debut in 2011. BONUS: My go-to workout song is Jennifer Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud.” The beat gets your body moving, while the lyrics encourage you to live your life the way you want. I like to end my workout with a cooldown to this song. You could either run in place, jog or do some jumping jacks and end with a dance-off by yourself or with a friend. It doesn’t matter; just let yourself go and have fun. Reach Ariel Hernandez at (718) 357-7400 x 144, ahernandez@queenstribune.com or @reporter_ariel.
Movers & Shakers ZOE AGIOS TAKES OVER AS CEO OF HANAC
The Hellenic American Neighborhood Action Committee named Zoe C. Agios its new CEO this week, following the retirement of John Kaiteris, who served as the organization’s leader for 24 years. In a statement, HANAC said Agios was picked to head up the organization because of her broad and deep executive leadership and business experience at such prestigious firms as Prudential and MasterCard, as well as her successful career leading many diverse business lines and complex, large scale projects.
NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS REENLIST
A number of Army National Guard members from Queens have reenlisted for service—including Woodhaven’s Sgt. Brian Toribiogarcia (continuing service with the 107th Military Police Company); Jamaica’s Spc. Junior Torres (continuing service with the 133rd Quartermaster Support Company), Spc. Prospere Antoine (continuing service with Company H, Forward Support Company Infantry, 427th Brigade Support Battalion), Spc. Diego Gomez (continuing service with the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1-258th Field Artillery) and Spc. Thaddeus Wohl (continuing service with the 133rd Quartermaster Support Company); Elmhurst’s Sgt. Chunhei Tsang (continuing service with the 145th Maintenance Company); Rosedale’s Staff Sgt. Marcel Francis (continuing service with the 727th Military Detachment Law and Order); Jackson Heights’ Sgt. Ivan Rodriguez (continuing service with Battery B, 1-258th Field Artillery); South Richmond Hill’s Ogando Mota (continuing service with Company B, 1-69th Infantry); Corona’s Spc. Jianzhi Huang (continuing service with Company D, 1-69th Infantry); Springfield Gardens’ Sgt. Essence McQueen (continuing service with Company
F, Forward Support Company Field Artillery, 427th Brigade Support Battalion); Ridgewood’s Oscar Lopezcohetero (continuing service with Company H, Forward Support Company Infantry, 427th Brigade Support Battalion); Kew Gardens’ Spc. David Scott (continuing service with the Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 1-258th Field Artillery); Astoria’s Sgt. Quentin Davis (continuing service with the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-69th Infantry); Flushing’s Staff Sgt. Gaspar Terri (continuing service with the Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 2-101 Cavalry); and Sunnyside’s Staff Sgt. Timothy Janis (continuing service with the Headquarters, 106th Regiment).
LOYOLA UNIVERSITY DEAN’S LIST
Loyola University Maryland has named a number of Queens students to its dean’s list for the spring semester. To make the list, students must obtain a 3.5 grade point average and complete at least 15 credits. Students who made the list include Belle Harbor’s Jessica Potter and Ann Reinhardt; Breezy Point’s Christian Conlon and Brian GaNun; Douglaston’s Erin Pellegrino; Flushing’s Katherine McKay; Maspeth’s Eoin Tunney; Middle Village’s Ryan Heenan; Ridgewood’s Tara Villaruel; Rockaway Park’s Mary Ellen Woods, James Amodeo and Joseph Savastano; and Queens’ Caroline Adrien.
NATIONAL GUARD SOLDIERS TO TAKE PART IN WARRIOR SUNY ONEONTA COMPETITION DEAN’S LIST Two New York Army National Guard soldiers will represent the northeast at the National Guard’s Best Warrior Competition on July 23 at Fort Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania. Spc. Ilya Titov, an infantryman from Rockaway Park, and Sgt. Quentin Davis, a signal support systems specialist from Astoria, are members of the 1st Battalion, 69th Infantry Regiment. They will compete against 12 other soldiers during the competition. Titov will compete against junior enlisted soldiers in the ranks of private to specialist, while Davis will compete against other sergeants.
DREW UNIVERSITY DEAN’S LIST
Several Queens students—including East Elmhurst’s Brittany Greve, a philosophy major; Howard Beach’s Lauren Monopoli, an environmental studies and sustainability major; and Jamaica’s Lynette Crews, whose major is undecided—to its dean’s list for the spring semester. To make the list, students must obtain a 3.6 grade point average.
A number of Queens students made the dean’s list for the spring semester at SUNY Oneonta. To qualify for the list, students must earn a 3.5 grade point average while carrying a course load of 12 hours. Students who made the list include Bayside’s Keera Borman, Alexis Roman, Nicole Scherer, Brea Mignon, Victoria Jensen and Daniela Gazal; Hollis’ Cassandra Alexandre; Hollis Hills’ Melissa Charney and Kara Siegel; Fresh Meadows’ Cameron Augienello, Jamie Lauer and Karen Chen; Middle Village’s Michal Bugaj and Kathryn Kilichowski; Jamaica’s Vanessa Cruz and Nicolette Wilson; Laurelton’s Shantel Davidson and Shanice Thomas; Howard Beach’s Gina Digiovanni; St. Albans’ Jasmin Espinal; Rockaway Point’s Amanda Gresser; Elmhurst’s Giselle Ibanez; Glendale’s Joanna Jankowski; Rockaway Park’s Emma McCarthy; Bellerose’s Melanie McCord; Whitestone’s Casey McShea; Flushing’s Sophia Monsalve, Kiet Tran, Liana Walter and Samantha Palermo; Far Rockaway’s Arlene Paez; Jackson Heights’ Javier Pintado; Ridgewood’s Jonelle Reyes; Richmond Hill’s Natalie Reyes; Glen Oaks’ Mark Ricky; Woodside’s Laura Williams and College Point’s Yicong Wang.
LEGAL NOTICES
HEALTHY PETS, HAPPY OWNERS A healthy and happy pet doesn’t necessarily mean a happy and healthy owner, but it certainly can improve one’s mental and emotional health. With that in mind, The Queens Tribune interviewed Doctor John Lu, who is a partner and veterinarian at Queens Animal Health in Fresh Meadows. The following question and answer was edited for space and clarity. Queens Tribune: What sparked your interest in working with and treating animals? John Lu: Vets are generally animal lovers before we start with a career as a vet! QT: Would you say your approach to treatment and rehabilitation with animals works well in Queens given the diversity of the borough? JL: Dr. Burton Miller and I have both practiced holistic veterinary medicine, including Acupuncture and Chinese herbs, for 20+ and 30+ years respectively. New Yorkers and Queensites are smart. Our clients work with us to take care of many cases holistically, but not for all cases. QT: Can you describe some of the types of holistic treatments you have done recently? JL: Acupuncture and chinese herbs for herniated disc disease, allergy, liver/kidney problems, arthritis and many other chronic diseases. We formulate many of our own herbal
compounds in-house if the commercial alternative is not available. QT: What percentage of treatments are traditional versus non-traditional? JL: We have about 20% holistic, 80% conventional. QT: Do you take all types of animals, or is there a specific focus area of the practice? JL: Mainly Dogs and cats, some ferrets, rabbits and small rodents, and birds with certain doctors. We don't see monkeys. QT: What is your advice to pet owners out there who are deciding where and how to treat their pets ailment? JL: It is difficult for a client to judge a medical professional's ability to help their beloved pets, I would advise trying to get a second opinion. Dogs and cats don't lie. If whatever the reason your pets not getting better with the current doctor, you need to seek the second opinion.
18
Legal Notices
The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
19
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The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
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Classifieds
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Commentary
The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
23
Don’t Cry For the Daily News BY EDDIE BORGES
A
Leave Transportation Solutions To Experts
T
his past week, Queens became a mini battleground in the race for the Democratic party’s nomination for governor of New York. On backto-back days, challenger Cynthia Nixon and incumbent Gov. Andrew Cuomo held press conferences in the borough to talk about transportation issues—Nixon holding a 7 train presser on Thursday, and Cuomo touting the post-Hurricane Sandy improvements to the Queens Midtown Tunnel. While we welcome the attention to the borough from the people vying to be the most powerful politician in the state, we do want to issue a general point of caution to the candidates: Don’t oversell yourselves. While you are both incredibly smart people who can clearly articulate the many transportation woes facing commuters, it is folly for you to conflate that confidence with suggesting you know how to solve these massive infrastructure hurdles. You can play politics with some issues. Transportation is not one of them. It impacts the lives of millions of people—at least two million in Queens. It’s best that you leave the solutions up to the experts. This advice also extends to the City Council, currently looking at several pieces of legislation to regulate ridesharing in the wake of high-profile tragic suicides by
yellow cab drivers, and a barrage of stories about medallion prices’ falling. Your instinct is correct to want to do something. The problem is, you should do your homework before you start voting. Uber and Lyft have become an integral thread in the elaborate transportation fabric of New York City, which includes trains, subways, buses, ferries, bikes, Zipcars, personal cars, and just sucking it up and walking because that turns out to be the fastest way to get from point A to point B. New Yorkers have wired their brains, with their bank accounts in mind, to make the best choice for themselves personally. Anyone proposing transportation fixes should be cognizant of all this before starting to implement policy. You need to see the forest, not focus on a few trees. If you need help seeing the forest, guess what? There is a bevy of people who have dedicated their lives to studying these issues at the MTA, the Taxi and Limousine Commission, and at advocacy groups and think tanks. We need better transportation solutions as the city continues to grow. But politicians should fight the urge to be the saviors of our transportation woes, and should instead present themselves as conduits for commuter complaints to reach industry experts, who can better craft long-term solutions.
Myth of Ocasio-ism
I
t’s less than 50 days until the Sept. 13 primaries and we are entering political silly season. Democratic candidates vying for their party’s nomination are tripping over themselves to reinvent or redefine who they are and what they believe. It is hard not to think that much of this is a reaction to the shocking success of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, capturing an unthinkable upset in the 14th Congressional District primary. The problem is this. Ocasio-ism is not a thing. Ocasio-Cortez didn’t win due to some elaborate Democratic Socialism playbook that can be recreated in other parts of New York City. She won because she did herself. She was authentic, hardworking and showed genuine concern for her future constituents. That coupled with undeniable political talent was her success. If you want to take something away from her victory, it shouldn’t be trying to adapt her campaign stump speech passage and verse. It should be emulating her authenticity by articulating how you feel, and what you think is wrong with your district. And tell your personal story, not some superficial tale about how you have always been a Democratic Socialist at heart. In recent weeks, we have seen many traditional Democrats try and suggest that their true selves are uber-progressives and secret supporters of the Democratic Socialists of America for years. This has manifested itself in an aggressive antiIDC posturing, suggesting members of the now-defunct Independent Democratic Conference are more closely aligned to MAGA hat wearing Trumpistas then they are to the working class ideological narrative outlined by Ocasio-Cortez. Jessica Ramos (challenging former IDCer Jose Peralta) and John Liu (in a rematch with former IDCer Tony Avella) are candidates who appear to have been emboldened by
Ocasio-Cortez’s success and tried to paint their opponents as vastly out of touch with “true” Democratic principles and the “energy” of the party. The most egregious example is happening in a heated primary in North Brooklyn, where 27-year-old Colombian-born challenger Julia Salazar has played up her strong ties with the DSA in her campaign against Martin Malave Dilan, yet this week it came out that she was a registered Republican when she lived in Florida roughly a decade ago. Her campaign has spun this by suggesting her political ideology has evolved. If true, she should talk openly about her path, instead of ushering this away as not a big deal. Voters would likely repay her authenticity. Jumping on the phantom Democratic Socialism bandwagon may not a bad political play in a vacuum, but it misses the larger point. You have to be you. Liu was the city Comptroller, one of the most powerful people in the city. It’s laughable to suggest that he is an outsider challenging a long-time incumbent when that incumbent has never held a position half as influential as Liu did for eight years. While in his position of power, Liu spent no political capital on trying to rid the state of the IDC. It wasn’t a priority for him as it is now. Ramos’ campaign is different. She has been fairly consistent in her vision for the district, even before the Ocasio-Cortez upset. But she’s definitely seized on the opportunity to tie herself to the future congresswoman at every chance she gets, while simultaneously suggesting Peralta is caught up in a secret and corrupt game to gain power and influence, when really he is just playing traditional politics. Liu and Ramos may benefit for overselling these differences to voters come September. But we caution them, and other candidates that voters are smart and can spot fake outrage.
lot of people are crying into their beers about the latest round of cutbacks at the New York Daily News, with dozens of reporters, editors, photographers culled in a Monday morning massacre. There is now a sense of inevitability that the city’s hometown newspaper will soon close down. I have mixed feelings. I’m sad that the News abandoned its mission as our hometown paper a long time ago. I’m sad that Tronc, a digital media company, is forced to shutter a newsroom where the editors were so indifferent to its readers that they never considered reflecting the city’s vibrant and ever-changing demographics on its staff. Instead, these editors broke this former jewel of a local newspaper—which once had dedicated borough sections and the largest circulation in the United States—and took different parts from divergent news models to build their own Frankenstein’s monster: a national news website. Stacks of the black-and-white tabloid, wrapped in full-color comics, greeted families after services at the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church when I was a kid growing up in Jamaica, Queens, in the 1960s and ’70s. When my father pulled up the family station wagon in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary, he’d have a copy of the paper waiting for me in the middle of the backseat. On that hump seat, every Sunday, for years, the Daily News was always waiting for me. It was my catechism: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in church, followed by “Dick Tracy,” “Blondie” and “The Family Circle,” in the car on the way home for a late breakfast. Soon the comics weren’t enough to fill this new thirst, and I jumped to the main paper. In the middle of that paper I discovered its once-famous photo section. I can still remember seeing a picture of Bing Crosby riding the subway, just like my dad. I was soon inhaling the news. I also found the sports section. Thank God it was in the back with the classifieds and didn’t get in the way of my enjoying the rest of the paper. Then something magical happened in the 1970s. My mom was strict about bedtime,
even on weekends. But after wearing her out, I won my campaign to stay up to watch The Carol Burnett Show, on Saturday nights, at 10 p.m. One of those nights, my dad got home from work early. He was a waiter at hotels and restaurants in the city. He usually got home around 11:30 p.m., after I went to bed. This night, when he walked in the door, he had a bulldog edition of the Daily News under his arm. It was fascinating to me. It was still Saturday, but my father, a waiter, had a copy of tomorrow’s newspaper under his arm. I went to him. I gave him a kiss. And my dad handed me the paper. It was an automatic gesture. I have several brothers, but they showed no interest in that newspaper. I’m Puerto Rican. I was born in Queens. My parents and their families had been reading the Daily News since they arrived in Manhattan and the Bronx, from the Island, in the ’30s and ’40s. My father was 48 when I was born. He worked two jobs, six days a week. We never threw a ball around. And when he offered to teach me to drive, I told him all I needed was a token and my bicycle to get around the city. I regret not taking that time. But my dad did give me the News. And a whole lot more. I went to bed that night fascinated with the idea that I already knew the next day’s news. That fascination never left me. In 1990, I had the privilege of joining the News as a reporter. It was a thrill to walk into the Daily News Building, on West 42nd Street, past the giant globe in the lobby, to go to work in the newsroom, where Superman’s alter ego, Clark Kent, had a day job, because being a superhero don’t pay the rent in Manhattan. Even more exciting was the influence the paper had back then. There was no Internet. the News had a million subscribers. That was 1,000,000 people who read an actual newspaper printed on ink. It had the largest circulation in the United States. And most of those readers lived in the five boroughs. We didn’t have cell phones then. To report in to the city desk you’d have to call collect from a pay telephone. I was at the News, maybe, three months when I made this call. Me: “Good morning. I’d like to make a collect call.” Operator: “Your name?”
Me: “Eddie Borges.” Operator: “Eddie Borges, from the Daily News?” Me: “Yes.” Operator. “I’ve read all your stories.” I was 26 years old. That’s what it was like to work at the Daily News. Of course, there is a dark side to this story which provides some foreshadowing to this week’s cutbacks. This city is two-thirds minority. It’s a third Hispanic, mostly Puerto Rican, Dominican and Mexican. And nearly a third black. This population had never been properly represented among the people who assigned, wrote, and edited the paper’s news stories or editorials. Even worse, most of the senior editors during my tenure lived on Long Island or in Westchester or New Jersey. This fed a deeply ingrained culture of racial bias at the News. Blacks reporters sued the paper for discriminatory hiring practices at the paper—and won. There were never enough Puerto Rican reporters at the paper to put together a lawsuit. Then there was the troubling coverage of Puerto Ricans. Angelo Falcon, the founder of the Institute for Puerto Rican Policy, told me that the News was once commonly referred to as the Puerto Rican New York Times. The editors had no respect for these readers. When Puerto Ricans were getting killed during riots in Sunset Park in the 1970s, the city editor told reporters there was no news unless a white man was killed. Over the last 30 years, coverage of Puerto Ricans actually got worse. After I resigned from the paper in 1993, a newly hired reporter called me on Sunday night following the Puerto Rican Day Parade. The night editor had him call the Sanitation Department to ask if the streets were dirtier that night compared to after other parades. A couple of years ago, the paper’s parade coverage featured two half-naked women on its front page. As it turned out, those women were nowhere near the parade. More recently, when Alexandria OcasioCortez, a young Puerto Rican woman from the Bronx, won the Democratic Party primary last month against the Irish Catholic Queens County Democratic Party leader, the News’ editorial page did not know how to respond. But then, how could they? That’s what happened to the Daily News.
“Preparation for the Next Life” BY THOMAS MOODY
T
he opening paragraph of Preparation for the Next Life, by Atticus Lish, could be taken for a Bruce Springsteen lyric, such is its brevity of language, precision of detail and stark poetics. In a few lines, Lish’s extraordinary debut novel opens up the stage for a classic American tale of the wayfarer, the drifter, the loner. She came by way of Archer, Bridgeport, Nanuet, worked off 95 in jeans and a denim jacket, carrying a plastic bag and shower shoes, a phone number, waiting beneath an underpass, the potato chips long gone, lightheaded.
There is, however, nothing conventional about the novel, which is a love story, war story, jailhouse story, immigrant story, a story about the smallness of the world and the vastness of Queens. In bare and beautiful language, and with an eye wiped entirely clean of sentimentality, Lish crafts a sense of place that is exhaustive and explicit, it makes strange and foreign what was once familiar and known. In astonishing minutiae, every color, scent, texture, taste of Queens is cataloged. It is the Queens of the marginalized, the underclass, the food workers and day laborers, $40 masseuses, cheap pedicurists, deli workers, street vendors—the people whose work from which we reap our benefits, but whom we rarely see or seldom hear. Preparation for the Next Life gives a voice to these people, and in doing so, gives a voice to the borough of Queens, in its myriad accents. You could do anything—sell toys, oranges, ice in the summer, phone cards so that people could call home. Singapore. Philippines. Yemen. Iraq. Ivory Coast. Salvador. You could give out flyers for all-you-can-eat, compramos d’oro—get a cart and roll it over hill.
The novel opens with Zou Lei, a Muslim woman from a remote part of northwest China who has immigrated to the United States illegally. After traveling north from Mexico, working several grueling, underpaid jobs, staying in Motel 8s, sometimes with six workers to a room, the TV always running to practice English, she is picked up in an immigration sweep and put in jail. No charge, no lawyer, no trial. She loses track of days and is then suddenly released without explanation. She finds her
way to Flushing, where “everyone was illegal just like her.” It is here she meets Skinner, a U.S. Army veteran who has finished his third tour of duty in Iraq. He is battle-scarred from the outside in: After suffering an injury to his back from mortars during a firefight that devastated the rest of his unit, he is sent back twice to the front line. Both times he is stoplossed, a controversial policy that forcibly retains members of the armed forces on active duty beyond their original agreed period of enlistment. With each subsequent month at war, his morale and sanity diminish, mirroring the nation’s diminishing interest and confidence in its involvement in Iraq. When he returns home loaded with alcohol, prescription pills and PTSD, he is as much a stranger in America as Zou Lei. For a month, Skinner bounces around Queens flophouses and dive bars, spending his first night on home-soil in the upstairs of a McDonald’s at the charity of the restaurant’s janitor. Thank you for your service, indeed. Meeting Zou Lei outside her Chinatown noodle shop gives him grounding. Zou Lei, whose father was in the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, is automatically attracted to Skinner’s army fatigues. Love between the two develops. Skinner moves into more permanent digs, the basement of a workingclass Irish-American family’s home in Flushing. Horizons begin to expand as each represents the possibility of salvation to the other’s existential threat: For Zou Lei, her strong American veteran offers her protection from deportation; for Skinner, Zou Lei’s affection is a panacea for the anxiety caused by his trauma. Queens begins to transform before their eyes. When they made it to the rise where Jewel Avenue crossed over the fields and they could see in all directions—the old condominium towers, the sheets of water, the rooftops and the distance—they stopped and looked at it all. They were at the center of a wheel. Skinner put his arms around her. That’s a view, he said.
The story is complicated by the arrival of Jimmy, the son of Skinner’s landlord. After a decade in prison, he has returned home overly aggressive, lazy, antisocial. A Queens native, he’s had numerous stints in Rikers and out-of-state penitentiaries, which have transformed his home into a place as foreign
to his new sensibility as China or Iraq. Rikers could make you deaf. It made him smell. For weeks after his release, he shouted. It turned his volume up. He finds himself in exchanges with other men on the subway or the street who had passed through the jail. In hoarse rattling voices, they shouted about mayhem or the riots or the way it had been worse five years ago before the reforms. They found each other by the way they spoke in public, in the line outside the unmarked entrance in Ozone Park where Jimmy waited with the other offenders, wearing sweatshirts over their heads and blowing vapor in the cold, shuffling upstairs to give his number and get his pills, as part of the terms of his release.
His time locked up taught him to treat everyone with suspicion, and he is especially wary of Skinner, whom he sees as his usurper in his mother’s house. The abrasive presence of Jimmy leaves blemishes on Skinner and Zou Lei’s relationship, and the briefly forgotten hazards begin to resurface. Published in 2015 and set in the middle years of the Bush administration, Preparation for the Next Life confronts issues that are still the most urgent failures of American domestic and foreign policy: immigration, war, prisons, mental health, drugs, poverty. It is writing from the bottom up. With graphic poeticism, Lish gives a portrait to a side of America that has for too long gone unseen. But without an ounce of sentimentality, the novel still manages to provide hope. This is America, after all. Wars can be recovered from, immigrant communities take root and thrive, discrimination is confronted. And where else but America could a story of such diverse origins take place? And where else in America but Queens, as seen through the eyes of Skinner for the first time? Liquor store, groceria, Iglesias de Dios. From somewhere, there was Spanish music. Taillights shot by him and over a bridge. He crossed beneath the highway, in a great tall vault of dark, the steel being knocked by vehicles going over, and climbed pigeonshit-splattered stairs, coming to rooftop level, billboard level— cash for your car—and then he was looking at Manhattan across the black water, a postcard view with all the lights and just the sheer scale of it, the sky violet with energy.
24
The Queens Tribune, Thursday, July 26, 2018
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NEWARK AIRPORT
205 SMITH STREET
COBBLE HILL BROOKLYN
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231-35 MERRICK BLVD
LAURELTON ON-SITE PARKING
JOHN KENNEDY AIRPORT
ZP 625 ROCKAWAY TPKE
LAWRENCE
ON-SITE PARKING
3T VIDA MRI The most modern MRI on the market-Just recently FDA approved 3D MAMMOGRAPHY • LOW-DOSE CT • PET/CT • NUCLEAR MEDICINE ULTRASOUND • X-RAY • DEXA BONE DENSITY
NO WAITING in the office! NO WAITING to schedule appointments! SAME DAY APPOINTMENTS and WALK-INS available! All your records centrally stored and available at all locations!
(718) 732-0222 • (516) 798-4242 • zprad.com