FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
THE WOODSIDE HERALD
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SERVING SUNNYSIDE-WOODSIDE AND LONG ISLAND CITY VOL. 83, NO. 30
Alongside the Speaker, City Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer allocated $3 million for the second year in a row to complete all funding for the new $38 million Hunters Point Library in Long Island City, the first new, non-replacement library to be built in Queens in decades. This funding is for outfitting, furniture, and materials. The design for the 22,000
WOODSIDE, L.I.C., N.Y. FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
square foot Queens Library at Hunters Point will stand as a public building and public park and will bring community-devoted space to the increasingly privatized LIC waterfront. According to the Library’s architect, Steven Holl’s website, the concrete structure of the building is exposed and aluminum painted, giving the exterior a subtle sparkle. A golden-section upturned rect-
OPERATION COOKIE 8,400 cookies to be shared with residents at five New York City homeless shelters
SEE STORY AND MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 4
angle is carved out according to the browsing circuit of movement within the interior of library. Glazed cuts in the façade grant users views toward the city as they move up a series of bookshelf flanked stairs. The main Manhattan view, perpendicular to the internal movement of the library, gives visitors to this small space a dramatic experience. The program’s separation into
children’s area, teen area and adult area can be read in the sculpted cuts of the east face of the building, one façade opening for each area; yet the programmatic divisions are fluid. While the plan is compact, the building section of the new library is open and flowing allowing for the most energy-efficient design and the greatest amount of public green space on the site. On the east entrance side, the
FREE
library faces a reading garden bordered by a low park office pavilion with a bosque of ginko trees. Ascending the stair inside visitors can reach the rooftop reading garden with panoramic views of the city. At night the glowing presence of the new library along the waterfront joins the Pepsi sign and the “Long Island” sign at the old Gantry to become a beacon for this new community place.
SMALL TOWN, BIG SCREEN by Patricia Dorfman
Five Queens residents took top honors out of the impressive 25 selections in the Boulevard Film Festival last weekend, four via anonymous audience vote and one for a distribution prize picked by founder/ programmers Amanda Barker and Matt Carlson of Sunnyside. All five winners received $100 in addition to the honor and prizes ranging from two donated 10-hour sessions of studio time from Spaceworks to distribution from Indiepix. This was the first year of the Boulevard Film Festival, produced by partners Ore, Barker and Carlson’s company, and non-profits Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce, Sunnyside Artists and Thalia Spanish Theatre. “It took a year to do, and we want to do it again next year,” said Carlson. There was no entrance fee, and the pair screened 84 entries. A key crewmember or creative living or working in Queens was an entry necessity. “Next year, we might be able to look further, but we have a lot of
talent right here, making it hard to choose,“ said Barker. Chamber and Sunnyside Artists president Manny Gomez made good use of his idea of a red carpet and “step and repeat” banner at each venue, first at Angel Gil Orrios and Soledad Lopez’s Thalia Spanish Theatre, with technical management by Thalia’s Fabricio Saquicela. The wine at the premiere and award ceremony from
Lowery’s Wine & Liquors improved the mood of all, even of those who did not win. The sweltering heat made indoor venues essential. Saturday evening’s screening was courtesy of Nick Murphy’s Bar 43, with the midnight screening hosted by Padraigh Connolly of the Dog and Duck. Gomez said, “there would have been no way to do this without our wonderful local venues pitching in to help.”
“Muck” creatives Bruce Smolonoff and Emilie McDonld with their daughter Miranda.
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THE WOODSIDE HERALD
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FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
SUMMER HEAT Con Edison encourages its customers to use energy wisely and save money when hot weather envelops the New York City region again later this week.
New Yorkers are advised to follow these money-saving conservation tips: -Set your air conditioning to the highest comfortable temperature. Every degree you lower the thermostat drives up your bill by 6 percent; -To reduce heat and moisture in your home, run appliances such as ovens, washing machines, dryers and dishwashers in the early morning or late at night when it’s cooler outside; -Cook with a microwave or barbecue outside, if possible; -When the AC is running, close doors to keep cool air in and hot air out; -Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed. About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows; -Even when using AC, use ceiling and other fans to provide additional cooling and better circulation; -Turn off AC units, lights and other appliances when not at home and use a timer or smart technology to turn on your air conditioner about a half-hour before arriving home; -Keep AC filters clean; -If you run a business, keep your door closed while the AC is running. Don’t burn through your profits to cool the street; - Replace old appliances with new energy efficient Energy Star appliances. Con Edison offers a variety of energy-efficiency programs for this summer. The Smart AC Program connects customers with smart technology to control their room air conditioners from their computer or mobile device. Replacing an old air conditioner with a new ENERGY STAR unit can reduce energy usage by 30 percent. Con Edison will pay a $30 rebate to customers who buy a new ENERGY STAR air conditioner. Customers can report outages and check service restoration status at www.conEd.com or by calling 1-80075-CONED (1-800-752-6633). When reporting an outage, customers should have their Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether their neighbors also have lost power. Customers who report outages will be called by Con Edison with their estimated restoration times as they become available.Also, download Con Edison’s new free iPhone and Android app, My conEdison, to report and check the status of a power problem, and view the company’s interactive online outage map.
43-11 Greenpoint Ave., Sunnyside, NY 11104 Telephone (718) 729-3772 Marlene Sabba ............................................................... Publisher Sherilyn Jo Sabba ................................................................. Editor CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Patricia Dorfman, Rob MacKay, David Rosasco, Peter Ross CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS Joe Gurrado, Robert Flanagan To Advertise E-mail SSabba@WoodsideHerald.com or call 718-729-3772
FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
THE WOODSIDE HERALD
IT’S IN WESTERN QUEENS! No need to choose between the elements and air conditioning this week, as Queens hosts all kinds of outdoor and indoor fun, such as dance, film, music, poetry, tours, painting, and planting. Here’s the rundown.
July 22, Ulysses’ Gaze, 7pm Screened as part of a retrospective on Greek director Theo Angelopoulos, Ulysses’ Gaze follows a controversial, Greek-born American filmmaker who hunts for reels of undeveloped film shot in 1905 by Macedonian photographers who made the first motion pictures in the Balkans. $15. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Kaufman Arts District.
July 23, Gotham Fish Tales, 1pm This documentary focuses on people who fish in New York City. Free. Greater Astoria Historical Society, 35-20 Broadway, LIC.
July 23, Voyage to Cythera, 3pm; The Weeping Meadow, 6:30pm Screened as part of a retrospective on Greek director Theo Angelopoulos, Voyage to Cythera follows a successful middle-aged filmmaker who looks on as his father returns from exile in the Soviet Union to find his village being expropriated by capitalists who want to turn it into a ski resort. The Weeping Meadow takes place in 1919, after the newly formed Soviet Union has exiled Greeks from Odessa. $15. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Kaufman Arts District.
July 24, Capulli Dance Company, 4pm This group performs Mexican folk dances as part of the Summer Sundays in the Park series. Free. Travers Park, 78th Street between 34th Avenue and Northern Boulevard, Jackson Heights.
July 24, Eternity and a Day, 3pm; The Dust of Time, 6:30pm Screened as part of a retrospective on Greek director Theo Angelopoulos, Eternity and a Day is about a terminally ill widower whose daughter is married to a feckless yuppie. The Dust of Time follows a filmmaker who must make a movie for the international marketplace rather than for art houses. $15. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Kaufman Arts District.
July 26, SummerStage: Black Moon and Smif-N-Wessun, 7pm These Hip-Hop groups perform hits from their debut albums Enta Da Stage and Dah Shinin, respectively. Free. Queensbridge Park, vicinity of Vernon Boulevard and 21st Street, LIC.
July 26, Ska Orchestra, 7pm A Reggae/Ska band performs as part of the Live at the Gantries series. Free. Gantry Plaza State Park, between 49th and 50th avenues along the East River, LIC.
July 27, SummerStage: Dianne Reeves, 7pm This Grammy-winning jazz vocalist shares the stage with DJ Greg Caz, who has been spinning since the 1990s. Free. Queensbridge Park, vicinity of Vernon Boulevard and 21st Street, LIC.
July 27, Rivers and Tides, 7pm A film about British earthworks artist Andy Goldsworthy, who uses twigs, grass, mud, ice, water, leaves, stones to fashion delicate labyrinthine objects that transform over a period of hours or days, or self-destruct within moments of reaching their pinnacle of perfection. Plus, food from Max Bratwurst und Bier and music from Emily Wolf. Free. Socrates Sculpture Park, 32-01 Vernon Blvd., LIC.
July 27, Walk Woodside Avenue, 6pm Take a guided tour with official Queens historian Jack Eichenbaum. Check out Woodside Avenue, which traverses a 19th century cityscape near the LIRR, spans Roosevelt Avenue’s diversity, and ends in the Asian neighborhood in Elmhurst. Expect a recycled trolley terminal structure, a five-story Thai Buddhist temple, Romanian and Burmese churches, a hidden railroad, and an antebellum farmhouse. $15. Meet on the south side of the Northern Boulevard subway stop for the M and R trains. More information at jaconet@aol.com.
July 27, What’s New in Public Art Queens, 6:30pm Kendal Henry from the Department of Cultural Affairs discusses public art and how it is used as a tool for social engagement and civic pride. He also highlights upcoming opportunities that artists can apply for, particularly ones in Queens. Free. Queens Council on the Arts, 37-11 35th Ave, Kaufman Arts District. The “It’s In Queens” column is produced by the Queens Tourism Council with the hope that readers will enjoy the borough’s wonderful attractions.
ST. RAPHAEL CHURCH SUNDAY’S: AUG. 7, SEPT. 11 & OCT. 2 TIME: 9A-3P For possible rain delay, call after 6pm the day before. For more info, phone: 718-729-8957 To Advertise E-mail SSabba@WoodsideHerald.com or call 718-729-3772
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THE WOODSIDE HERALD
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FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
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OPERATION COOKIE Girl Scouts of Greater New York (GSGNY) brought more than 2,000 boxes of cookies to share with women at a homeless shelter in Queens through “Operation Cookie.” They were joined by NYC Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer, representatives from the Department of Homeless Services, and residents of Pam’s Place Shelter. Operation Cookie allows Girl Scouts’ customers to purchase cookies for donation. Donated cookies are then distributed by GSGNY to share with organizations that service the community. Operation Cookie has been part of the GSGNY Cookie Program for 12 years and has distributed over 450,000 boxes of cookies. “Operation Cookie has a double bottom line: it allows our Girl Scouts to continue to build their business skills and gives them, and their customers, the opportunity to make the world a better place by sharing the joy of Girl Scout Cookies with those who would otherwise not be able to get them,” said Girl Scouts of Greater New York CEO Barbara MurphyWarrington. “We are happy to partner with the NYC Department of Homeless Services and give our girls the chance to support individuals and families living at local homeless shelters. We teach our girls the importance of community service and this partnership is a great example.” Previously, GSGNY and Majority Leader Van Bramer have partnered with the Department
of Homeless Services (DHS) by volunteering to serve Thanksgiving dinner to women living at Pam’s Place. This year is the first that DHS and GSGNY have partnered together on Operation Cookie, with a total of five shelters identified to receive these cookie donations. This year’s donations will provide 8,400total boxes of cookies to five homeless shelters in New York City. “We are proud to partner with Girl Scouts of Greater New York and other outstanding organizations across New York City that share our commitment to serving homeless New Yorkers,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks. “Like these young women, we encourage all of community leaders, young and old, to come together in support of homeless individuals and families.” Initially, Van Bramer, who was briefly homeless as a child, connected GSGNY to DHS for Operation Cookie. “Operation Cookie’s partnership with DHS is a true manifestation of the Girl Scout pledge: to be friendly, helpful, considerate, and caring, and to make the world a better place,” said Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer. “The women who live in Pam’s Place are a part of our community—and what better way to show neighborly love than by delivering cookies? I’m pleased to be a part of what I hope is the first of many “cookie drops” here in New York City.”
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Photo Credit: Jeff Reed
FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
THE WOODSIDE HERALD
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SMALL TOWN, BIG SCREEN The winner from Friday was Jesse Allen for “The Clean Up,” a dark comedy about two office cleaners who protect the building’s sole decent businessperson after his “indecent” death. “Boy Wander” by Charles Jimenez was a more lyrical essay, with long, stationary B&W takes of a young boy moving through LIC, played by Jimenez’s young son, who attended. Jimenez said he “surprised” to win, and that he shot it in 2014 and just edited it. “The story was just the beauty of the industrial look of LIC.” The next honor went to a funny documentary profile about a shop owner many of us remember, the rambunctious 81-year-old Joe Leisner, titled, “Comic Book Heaven” about his now-shuttered Skillman store. Joe attended in person and entertained with further complaints about the boredom of retirement. We learned that adding to the demise of comic books was the cessation of reissue by the big companies of back issues, which was the industry mainstay. “Hate Your Demons,” by Astoria’s Jeff Dillon was the surprise winner from the more raucous midnight screening, and featured elaborate costumes, creatures and blood galore as a group of evil teenagers are satisfyingly murdered by forest demons for past misdeeds. Bruce Smolanoff and Emilie McDonald’s “Muck” – about a depressed, fierce, Queens comedian battling her way out of the muck of open-mic comedy, preyed upon by fellow comedian, and exhausted by her home life – garnered the distribution
Award ceremony contenders gather at the Thalia Spanish Theatre.
deal from Astoria’s Indiepix, whose representative lives in Sunnyside and attended. All work received appreciative whoops and applause, as did the filmmakers who stood for a brief Q&A after the screenings. Some attendees commented favorably about Seon Young Park’s graphic museum fantasy, “Sorry,” Yagmur Altan’s animated “Rabbit Blood,” and the erotic trailer for “Slo Light,” by Dominic Lahiff and Cynthia Angel. Glenn English surprised with a gender-bending western “Naked-Spurious.” The drama by
world famous wunderkind Francisco Lupini Basagotti “Sufrir Como Dedos Que No Sangran” starred Soledad Lopez, whose presence takes over every scene, playing a movie star whose daughter detests her. The level of technical expertise on all the films, both in cinematography and sound, such as in Rezwan’s Shabriar Sumit’s political “Remnants of Men” was surprisingly good. Behind the scenes was help from Brian Hose, the Woodside Herald, the Citizen’s Committee of NYC, Paper Plus Printing, the
Artist Tristian Goik is also a filmmaker and Filmmaker Dani Rose who with Aaron Dworetsky screened his music video “Handzor Troix” made comedy “#dying” a sleepover gone wrong.
Sunnyside Post, Melissa Orlando, Jose Ladino, Adam Warner, Ana Gomez, Stephanie Ladino, logo design by this writer, and many unsung volunteers who got the word out. The loss of the Center Cinema has been dreary for the neighborhood, but Queens World Festival and NYC Parks Department have free screenings coming up. And Sherry Gamlin reports she is also bringing back the original Sunnyside Shorts Film Festival, so lots of good news in town for filmmakers and fans!
Filmmakers participated in the Q&A at the Dog and Duck.
Inset Left: From “Come Back Hailey,” by Nabil Viñas where a helpful friend almost destroys his own career when his needy friend asks for help.
Manny Gomez, Amanda Barker and Matt Carlson present award to Jeff Dillon for “Hate Your Demons” Photo Credit: Dave Rubin
Audience at midnight screening at the Dog and Duck.
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THE WOODSIDE HERALD
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FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
Obituary A GENTLEMAN AND A GANGSTER by Patricia Dorfman
Morgan Gerard Michael O’Flaherty passed away suddenly Saturday, July 12, 2016, at Elmhurst Hospital after a heart attack. He would have been 60 in September 29. He had retired last year from New York Life Insurance Company. Morgan’s position at Manhattan’s NYL before his retirement was a senior role to resolve the problems clients had with their annuities to which he was quite suited with his intelligence, expertise in math, courtesy, pleasant brogue and compassion. He had begun his career at NY Life while still in Ireland. He was born in County Kerry; Ballyhoneen, in Cloghane, to Eileen (Courtney) and Thomas O’Flaherty. He has a younger brother, Thomas, married to Eileen. He and Thomas’ parents passed away long ago, his father also of a heart failure, at 69. Morgan attended school in Ballyduff, Cloghane, and secondary school on Carraignavar, County Cork. Receiving his degree in University College Dublin, he taught English, Gaelic, and Math to secondary school students for nine years. In 1984, He met Catherine (Harrington) from Tralee, and they married in 1986. Morgan was a much loved and learned fellow in his Sunnyside neighborhood with words of wit or kindness to all. His dream was to spend a year in the US, and he talked Catherine into applying for the Donnelly Visa, which came through in 1990. She was a nurse at Bon Secours in Ireland and was welcomed, as was he. Catherine is now a highly regarded nurse at Sloane Kettering. When he first arrived, Morgan taught grade school in Hell’s Kitchen. Morgan was more patriotic than most born here. He cared about the troubles of others, was Roman Catholic and was particularly fond of St. Martin de Porres, canonized by Pope John XXIII. A prayer includes “…Your burning charity embraced not only the poor and needy but even the animals of the field.” Morgan learned as a boy to work on his father’s father’s sheep farm, and was an expert at shearing. In recent years, his great fondness for nature and animals settled upon Ada, their cat and he and Catherine looked forward to their twice-yearly vacations in Ireland. In addition to reading, he was a cinephile. His friend, reporter Bill Parry wrote that Morgan said he
Catherine and Morgan O’Flaherty, circa 1986
Morgan was quite fond of Ada.
FREE CONCERT IN THE PARK Presented by The Northern Woodside Coalition (NWC)
THURSDAY NIGHTS @ 7PM Sgt. Collins Park at Broadway and 58th Street, Woodside
SCHEDULE: Catherine, her nephew Maurice Harrington, Terry Murphy, and Morgan in front of Flynn’s Garden Inn, where he and his many friends relaxed in the neighborhood. had seen the Warren Oates movie, will be another wake and the fuby Sam Peckinpah’s “Bring Me neral in village in Cloghane, in the Head of Alfred Garcia” 100 Country Cork, Ireland. Burial will times. Oates was famous for wear- take place at Clogher Cemetery, ing Sam’s sunglasses to get into Clogher, Co. Kerry. character in that movie, as did He and Catherine were comMorgan when he went on to a munity supporters. Morgan was a starring role in “Black Knights of reader and art lover, and supported Skillman,” made here by film- Sunnyside Artists, whose work maker Tommy Turner, shot by adorns their cozy house with yelTerry Murphy largely at Flynn’s low walls on 45th Street. They Garden Inn. As gentle as Morgan tried to spend local, and often dined always seemed to be with a twinkle at Sidetracks, Copper Kettle, Dog in his eye and a good word, his role and Duck, Quaint, and many other of a gangster was one he slipped spots in town. His friends and colinto with relish. leagues streamed in as well as loOne of his many friends, Mike cal notables including Bernard Novak said, “He was a beloved Reilly, Patrick Tunney, Liz Tayfriend and colleague” to all Flynn’s lor, Paul Flynn, and the many from on Skillman Avenue near 46th Street. Sunnyside Gardens and local Many gathered there after the wake friends who wanted to see him one last Saturday to wish him farewell. last time. Bernard Reilly of Sidetracks, Catherine said he would have Patrick Tunney of Copper Kettle, appreciated, in lieu of flowers, if Liz Taylor, many local business people make a donation of any size leaders, and a host of other local in his name to a good cause or attended the packed wake at Lynch religious institution held dear. Funeral Home, who handled the Morgan was a man who knew arrangements here and in Ireland. right from wrong, and treated othCatherine and her family ers as he wished to be treated, and Mossi flew back with him back to had a zest for life. It will not be the Ireland last Sunday, where there same in this corner of the world.
VINNY’S MUSIC AND FRIENDS (ALTERNATIVE) ON JULY 28TH ORVILLE DAVIS AND THE WILD BUNCH (COUNTRY) ON AUGUST 4TH JENNY MARINO BAND (POP/TOP 40) ON AUGUST 11TH. On Fridays through August 12th at 7PM, Sgt. Collins Park the NWC will have encore presentations of the Queens World Film Festival held in March of 2016. Various films, shorts and documentaries produced by local Queens filmmakers will be shown. For a listing of the films to be presented, please visit www.queensworldfilmfestival.com. The NWC would like to thank its supporters including the NYC COuncil, Majority Leader Jimmy VanBramer, CM Daniel Dromm, CM Costas Constantitamides, NYC Dept of Cultural Affairs, NYS Assembly member Michael Dendekker, NYS Parks & Recreation, Christ Lutheran Church and Thomas J. Ryan CPA PC, among many others.
For information, call the NWC @ 718 205-1030
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Photo Kids: Upper Grade Winners- Daniel Zambrano & Sheyla Sabotic Photo Poster: Upper Grades - Sheyla Sabotic
FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
THE WOODSIDE HERALD
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STAND UP, AND PUT YOUR FOOT DOWN TO BULLYING by Curt Faden LCSW ACSW-R: School Social Worker
Bullying is intentional and repeated behavior which is forceful, threatening, and aggressive, and aims to cause injury and discomfort to others. Bullies and their henchman (followers) have little, if any regard for those they bully. Everybody deserves the right to feel free in their community, and be comfortable in their surroundings. Bullies just don’t care enough, but at PS 199Q , we do! The PS 199- Q Community Awareness Program created a new project this year: The PS 199-Q AntiBullying Campaign. The PS 199- Q Community Awareness Program committee members researched the meaning of bullying, and spoke about methods and tactics bullies use, and the effects that bullies have on others as well as in our communities. Below is another winner from the essay contest as well as poster contest (other winners ran in the 7/1 edition of Woodside Herald).
ANTI-BULLYING:
BULLYING IS NOT COOL By: Daniel Zambrano – Class 3-108
Bullying is a very unpleasant action. My essay is about bullying and the reasons I think it is bad for the person who is getting bullied and the bully. I will also tell why it is a very important topic for everyone and the types of bullying we have in the world. Bullying is when someone is being hurt physically and mentally by a person or a group of people who think they have more power than others. A bully can be a ‘friend’, or anyone who wants to hurt you over and over again. Bullying can happen to anyone,
anywhere. Bullying can be bad for the person who is getting bullied because they can feel ashamed of themselves. It can also make them sick, sad and scared. They probably will want revenge. It is also bad for the bully because he or she can get in trouble tor the bad actions and decisions they make. Also, others will get scared of him or her and may not want to be their friend so he or she is left alone. Bullying is an important topic to talk about because if you don’t say anything, nothing will change. The people wo are getting bullied will get bullied their whole lives and the bullying will never end.
The bully will get stronger and think nothing will stop him or her. There are many types of bullying. A few examples are cyber bullying, exclusion, spreading rumors, rejection, taking and damaging property and threats; but the list goes on and on. Cyber bullying is when someone is mean to you on the internet. Exclusion is when the bully doesn’t let you be part of his or her group or activity. Spreading rumors is when the bully tells everyone something you’re not and lies about you. Rejection is when the bully lets you down on everything and for no reason says no to everything you say. Taking and damaging your posses-
sions means that the bully will take away something to destroy it or never give it back to you. Threats are when a bully tells you he or she will do bad stuff to you if you don’t do what they say. As you can wee bullying is bad and not cool. It can hurt you a lot if we don’t stop it before it happens. Bullying should never be allowed in school or anywhere. If you are ever bullied you should tell
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an adult right away so he or she can help you. You should always stand up to a bully and tell them “stop it, I don’t like it” and walk away. If they keep doing it, ignore them and look for help. These are the best strategies to stop bullying. Don’t leet anyone mae you feel bad about yourself because you will always be unique and special. YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN STOP BULLYING NOW!!!
THE WOODSIDE HERALD
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FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
ICONIC LONG ISLAND CITY PEPSI-COLA SIGN LANDMARKED Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer calls the sign “a staggering piece of pop art”
On July 14, the New York City Council voted 43-0 to officially landmark the neon Pepsi-Cola sign on the Long Island City waterfront. The sign, with its iconic curlicue font, has stood in Long Island City for over 90 years. It spent 28 years on the Landmarks Preservation Commission’s backlog before
the Commission voted to designate this spring. Despite the fact that the LPC voted for designation this spring, today’s Council vote makes the iconic Pepsi-Cola sign an official New York City Landmark. City Council Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer, whose district includes the
Pepsi-Cola sign and who pushed for the landmarking, released the following statement about the vote: “For almost 90 years, the swoops and swirls of the Pepsi-Cola sign have welcomed visitors to Long Island City and symbolized Queens’s status as an industrial powerhouse. After long
last, we’ve officially made the sign a New York City landmark, and this staggering piece of pop art will now shine forever across the East River. I want to thank my colleagues on the City Council for turning the dream of landmarking the Pepsi-Cola sign into a reality.”
WOODSIDE YOUTH MAINTAIN CRITICAL AREA
by David Rosasco
In the vastness of the operational area the youth of this community have restored to pristine cleanliness, few among them are as important to their own perception of their work than the one closest to the earliest days of their mission. On Saturday, July 16, the youth and missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints returned to Woodside Avenue between 62nd and 64th Streets and Trimble Road, nestled to the north of this location between 63rd and 64th Streets, to remove a significant level of weed infestation. Jeyson Gonzalez, entering the 10th grade at St. John’s Prep, in the laborious work of removing weeds by hand under the hot noonday sun “Pulling them from the roots will hope-
fully stop them from coming back.” Meanwhile, other youth took on the task of touching up the bridges along Woodside avenue between 62nd and 65th Streets, known to them as The Great Wall of Woodside, where the paint had faded due to months of weathering. The painting of this bridge originally occurred almost 4 years to the day of this remediation work.
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Seizing on the moment to reflect on yet one more triumph in maintaining momentum during the period of the annual cycle when hands are few and the warm weather reduces overall capacity, it was Evelyn Gonzalez, entering the 9th grade at St. John’s Prep, and who led the restoration of the bridges, stated, in response to the long continuity of the work “I’ve done this many times before, so I can do it again.”