Queens Chronicle South Edition 02-04-21 by Queens Chronicle

C M SQ page 1 Y K SOUTH QUEENS EDITION Serving Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, City Line and JFK Airport

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER VOL. XLIV

NO. 5

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2021

QCHRON.COM

ILLUSTRATION BY JAN SCHULMAN

GETTING THE PRIORITIES RIGHT Mayor focuses on vaccines in South Queens nabes PAGE 2

Woodhaven, South Ozone Park and Richmond Hill were among the South Queens neigborhoods prioritized for vaccine sites by the mayor on Sunday. Covid positivity rates in Richmond Hill and South Ozone Park have been especially high in recent months.

SNOWY SPECIAL ELECTION RESULTS

RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS

LET LOVE RULE

Gennaro likely to win

Registration and Open Houses

Queens is ready for romance this Valentine’s Day

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De Blaz prioritizes more Queens nabes Mayor focuses on vulnerable areas that he didn’t include in December by Max Parrott

vaccination for black and Latino residents citywide lags far behind. Only 15 percent of New York City residents vaccinated are Latino, despite making up 29 percent of the city according to the American Community Survey. Only 11 percent of those vaccinated are black, as opposed to making up 24 percent of the city population. The disparity has persisted despite the fact that over 60 percent of vaccination sites are within the priority neighborhoods’ targeted communities, according to Sideya Sherman of the Task Force on Racial Inclusion and Equity. The mayor also unveiled a “family plan” for making vaccine appointments. “If someone is an essential worker that lives in one of the communities of greatest need, that they can get the opportunity to bring their whole family with them, everyone who was eligible, to get vaccinated,” he said. In addition, the city is planning to amend the scheduling process by translating its vaccine application form into a greater number of languages, which so far has been limited to English and Spanish. The translation will include Urdu, Arabic, Bengali, Haitian Creole, French, Korean, Polish, Russian and simplified Chinese. To find vaccine site locations, go online to Q vaccinefinder.nyc.gov/locations.

Associate Editor

eeding repeated calls from Queens’ elected leaders over the last few weeks, Mayor de Blasio announced last Sunday that he would be expanding the list of priority vaccine neighborhoods into four more Queens areas. It’s the first time the mayor has modified the targets of his vaccine command center since its unveiling in December. The group’s goal is to target neighborhoods with attention to racial demographics that were hardest hit by the pandemic. In December, de Blasio described its function as coordinating the vaccine response between public and private providers including urgent care clinics, pharmacies, hospitals and community vaccination sites. “We’ve looked at the neighborhoods with the greatest danger. And I would like to say clearly that [this] group of 33 neighborhoods are where the most vulnerable people are,” de Blasio said in his press event on Sunday. The new Queens neighborhoods include Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst, Kew Gardens and Woodhaven, Richmond Hill and South Ozone Park and Queens Village. The move comes after Borough President Donovan Richards and South Queens electeds demanded that the mayor address Covid

The new Queens neighborhoods that the mayor designated as vaccine priorities are Richmond Hill and South Ozone Park, Kew Gardens and Woodhaven, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst NYC MAP and Queens Village. The circles mark vaccine sites. spread in the area, where the positivity rate has been increasing at an alarming rate for months. As of Monday, 11419, the Richmond Hill and South Ozone Park ZIP code was the second highest in the city. The positivity rates of three other adjacent ZIP codes covering Ozone Park, Woodhaven and South Ozone

Park were all in the top 10 positivity rates in the city — a trend that has been consistent since November. In addition to amending the priority neighborhoods, the Mayor’s Office released data breaking down the racial disbursement of vaccines to date, which shows the rate of

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Vaccine sees tech, language barriers Seniors, advocates say that access is being hindered by phone system by Max Parrott

Persaud, who runs a Brooklyn senior care facility, said that she just doesn’t see online appointments as a After Mayor De Blasio announced viable option for many seniors like her that the city would be taking measures mom, and the phone lines are too to make the vaccine rollout more clogged for them to schedule. The accessible to demographic groups and phone line may need more personnel corners of the city that have already to handle calls, or a system that allows shown signs of falling behind, resiseniors to leave a message and dents and advocates in several vulnerpromptly calls back. able parts of Queens said that the Ozone Park resident Valini Khameffort starts by reaching seniors. eraj said that her daughter had sucDe Blasio said that the city will cessfully scheduled an appointment translate its vaccine application form for her father, but she has struggled to into a greater number of languages, help her aging neighbors through the which until recently was limited to process. The way that her daughter English and Spanish. But advocates got through for her dad took tech are saying that the mayor’s recent savvy. She persistently refreshed the move doesn’t go far enough to amendappointment page simultaneously on ing the tech and language barriers that several smart devices until a new slot are holding back many seniors from popped up. bei ng able t o la nd a vacci ne “She made a joke. ‘It’s my Taylor appointment. Swift concert ticket ordering experiThe vaccine phone system’s holding times are being compounded by South Queens Womens March organizer Aminta Kilawan-Narine ence that made me able to do this.’ I the shortage of doses, but a common speaks in South Ozone Park, where the borough president held a would have gotten frustrated if I had complaint from seniors in Queens is press conference calling for more vaccine sites that would to do it for my dad,” Khameraj said. When she and her father went to that the hot line, offered only in Eng- engage the area’s South Asian population. FILE PHOTO BY MAX PARROTT the vaccine site at Aqueduct Race lish and Spanish, is not working for funny but seniors love to stay on the phone,” Track, located in the predominantly South them. “I think most seniors — what they prefer is said Ravina Persaud, a Jamaica resident who Asian neighborhood, she found the racial disan automated system to call and register. That’s has struggled to help her mother who lives parity of those she saw getting the vaccine to how most of them receive assistance even at a alone without a computer to schedule an be notable. “There were no translators, not that my dad Social Security or the Medicaid office. It’s appointment. Associate Editor

needed it. I don’t want to make this a race thing but I did not see any other minorities when we went. We were the only minorities,” she said. She echoed a call made by Borough President Donovan Richards that distribution needs to be happening at trusted community centers and places of worship in priority neighborhoods when the city gets enough supply. Her father goes to an Asian senior center in Woodhaven for instance that she thought would be a great venue South Queens activist Aminta KilawanNarine said that with the area’s new vaccine priority said she wanted to know “what government’s going to do to ensure that there’s not a repeat of what occurred in Washington Heights,” where The City reported on a vaccine site that was feasibly there to serve city residents, but as of last week, was attracting white suburbanites and did not have Spanish translators readily available. Kilawan-Narine did say that she sees the city taking proactive steps to addressing racial inequity in terms of vaccine distribution, but many more changes are needed. City officials reached out to her to help organize a virtual event on the vaccine likely occurring next week, which will gather community concerns and questions as the city rolls it out. To register for the event, contact KilawanNa r i n e a t s ou t h q u e e n s wo m e n s m a r ch Q @gmail.com.

Broad Channel’s new school gets greenlit DOE approves revised timeline for construction on PS/MS 47 building by Max Parrott

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Associate Editor

Construction is finally set to start on Broad Channel’s new public school. Though the Depar t ment of Education officially approved the plan for a new building for The Chris Galas School, PS/MS 47, last February, the timeline of the construction and re-siting of the student body had to shift after all school construction projects were put on pause during the pandemic. After a long meeting starting last Wednesday night, the Panel for Educational Policy unanimously approved a rescheduled plan to relocate the student body to Stella Marris High School in Rockaway Park, which is anticipated to be ready for occupancy by February and doesn’t house any active schools or organizations at the moment.

In-person students will begin to travel to the temporary location for a two-year period starting after the midwinter recess, which is scheduled to conclude on Feb. 19. The temporary building is located at 140 Beach 112 St., approximately 2.7 miles from PS/MS 47. PS/MS 47 experienced extensive storm damage from Hurricane Sandy, and will be demolished in its entirety in order to facilitate construction of the new building. Principal Heather Lorenz heralded the opening of a new temporary location for the students while construction gets underway as “a promise of hope during these challenging times” during the meeting. Besides the school’s structural issues related to heating and cooling and electricity, Lorenz said it lacks a gymnasium, cafeteria, computer lab, adequate outdoor play space and a library, which is

The Panel for Educational Policy unanimously approved a rescheduled plan to relocate the PS/MS 47 student body to Stella Marris High School in Rockaway Park in mid-Febuary after pandemic-related construction delays. GOOGLE MAPS IMAGE a middle school requirement. “Our current building is entirely too small. We are at 140 percent capacity. Additionally the building

is crumbling around us,” she said. The temporary building will allow for the school to have more than half its students attending in-

person classes five days a week, Lorenz added. The new building is anticipated to be completed by Q September 2023.

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Is 25 percent enough for restaurants? Owner, business advocates push for higher occupancy, faster timetable by Michael Gannon Editor

Back in September, Elena Calderon’s restaurant, Rincon Salvadorean in Jamaica, had been closed for six months when Gov. Cuomo said New York City restaurants could reopen their dining rooms at 25 percent capacity. “But I don’t k now if 25 percent is enough,” Calderon told the Chronicle. Then on Dec. 14 Rincon Salvadorean and all other restaurants in the city closed their dining rooms again by executive order. Last week Cuomo said come Valentine’s Day, they can reopen again with 25 percent capacity. Calderon had a different view Tuesday. “Twenty-five percent is not cutting it,” Calderon, whose family has owned the restaurant for four decades, told the Chronicle Tuesday. Gov. Cuomo said the state is permitting indoor dining in New York City restaurants as quickly as “Gov. Cuomo says 25 percent is better Covid-19 numbers allow. NYS SCREENSHOT than nothing. But it’s not. If my certificate their establishments for good. We should all of occupancy says we can have 70 people, down 74 days later. In a letter to Cuomo dated Feb. 1, Coun- be concerned that any further damage could when you include my staff we can have 12 diners. That number is minimal. You have cilman Bob Holden (D-Middle Village) be the final nail in our restaurant and hospirent, utilities and insurance piling up. How urged the governor to go to 50 percent tality industry coffin. “You hold the faith of thousands of busican you pay? Twenty-five percent doesn’t immediately. “As the Governor of this state, you have ness owners in your hand. Please do right make it.” Gov. Cuomo said city restaurants will be strung these hardworking restaurants and by them and decide based on the facts that able to reopen for indoor dining at 25 per- eateries along for too long, giving false you have right in front of you. Do not let hope of reinstating indoor your feud with Mayor de Blasio lead to cent capacity beginning dining, all with the per- irreparable and irreversible harm to our reson Valentine’s Day, Sunception that your deci- taurants. We count on you to do the right day, Feb. 14. “The surge reduction wenty-five percent sion-making is based on thing.” facts,” Holden wrote in a Calderon said she could open at 100 pernumbers are down [stateis not cutting it.” letter obtained from his cent tomorrow if she got the all-clear from wide],” Cuomo said. The office. authorities. statewide positive test — Elena Calderon, owner, “The facts are quite “Our two biggest days of the year are rate was 7.9 percent on Rincon Salvadorean clear: Nassau County, Mother’s Day and Valentine’s Day,” she Jan. 4, following Christjust a stone’s throw away said. mas, New Year’s and Queens Chamber of Commerce President other holiday activity, when both city and from Queens County, is currently at 50% state officials had predicted an increase. He capacity despite their positivity rate being and CEO Tom Grech also said 25 percent is said Friday the number was down to 5.3 at 6.5%, which is higher than New York not enough. He is calling for 50 percent City’s 5.8%. indoor capacity by March 1 and 100 by St. percent. “I ask that you reconsider your decision Patrick’s Day on March 17. Indoor dining had been shut down back “Since the start of the pandemic, we have in March, and was reintroduced gradually to open indoor dining at 25% by February throughout the state. New York City, with 14th and instead allow restaurants to open sadly lost over 1,000 Queens-based cherCuomo and state officials citing its unique at 50% today. While our business owners ished neighborhood restaurants, and the density challenges, was the last to reopen, see packed restaurants in Long Island, they vast majority of those that haven’t closed on Sept. 30, at only 25 percent. It was shut consider packing their boxes and closing are hanging on by a thread,” Grech said in a

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press release. “These small businesses have done everything asked of them to keep their employees, customers and communities safe, but between freezing temperatures making outdoor dining nearly impossible and the restrictions placed on them by government, it’s getting harder and harder for them to survive.” Andrew Rigie, executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, is concerned about the two-week wait. “[R]estaurants are broken hearted that they need to wait two weeks until Valentine’s Day to open at only 25 percent occupancy in the city, while permitting 50% percent occupancy in dining rooms around the rest of the state where infections and hospitalization rates from Covid-19 are higher,” Rigie said in an email. “Restaurants in the city are ready to safely open now. Unfortunately, once again the state’s standards are being applied inequitably in the five boroughs without a transparent and data-driven system for further reopening the city’s restaurant economy.” He said the state’s actions “raise legal and moral concerns and extend unique economic challenges on the city’s battered restaurants and bars, which shed more than 140,000 jobs over the past year due to the pandemic and related restrictions.” Cuomo last week reiterated his stance that the decision must find the safest balance between Covid numbers and economic concerns. “Twenty-five percent is better than zero,” he said. “And when the numbers say we are getting better, those numbers will go up. “I understand every business wants to do more. You can’t find a restaurant that doesn’t want to be open 100 percent; a theater that doesn’t want to be at 100 percent. That’s every business in the state; every business in the country. In every country in the world.” Cuomo also said people need to feel things are safe before they return. “I could say tomorrow that movie theaters could operate at 100 percent, but I don’t think people would come,” he said. Q “They need to feel that it’s safe.”

Street corner to be named after Neir’s by Max Parrott Associate Editor

The city recently announced that it would be naming the corner of 78th Street and 88th Avenue in Woodhaven Neir’s Tavern Way. The street naming ceremony is in the initial planning stages with the hopes of unveiling the sign sometime in October for Neir’s 192nd Birthday. The bar, believed to be the oldest surviving watering hole in New York City, has faced unending struggles over the past

year. After nearly closing due to a rent hike last January, the bar was able to negotiate a five-year lease, renewable for another five, and the Woodhaven community celebrated a symbolic win for struggling small businesses. But the pandemic plu nged the bar’s f ut u re back into uncertainty. “I want to thank Councilmember [Bob] Holden and former state Assemblymember Mike Miller for this stamp of approval that Neir’s Tavern has graduated to a priceless institution and should be pre-

served forever,” said Owner Loycent Gordon. “Neir’s Tavern will forever go down in history as we aim to reach our 2029 Bicentennial,” he added. Holden (D-Middle Village), who first informed Gordon of the news, said he was proud “of how our community came together to save this storied establishment and to further preserve its place in Queens history with the street co-naming. Here’s to another 191 years of the ‘most famous Q bar you’ve never heard of!’”

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P Schools panel errs on G&T, hurts kids EDITORIAL

AGE

hat happens when the mayor is unable to fully exercise mayoral control of schools? The answer is what happened last week, when the Panel for Educational Policy turned down a policy of Mayor de Blasio’s — and, in so doing, crushed the hopes of thousands of the city’s most driven students. Due to a lack of leadership and bureaucratic bungling, the city is unable to render this year’s test for students to get into the Gifted & Talented program. The PEP, in an 8-7 vote, denied granting a contract for the test. About 15,000 families who wanted to apply for the G&T program were left in the lurch by the move. The PEP is not the City Council, a separate, elected branch of government designed to have an adversarial relationship with the executive. It’s meant to be a vehicle by which the mayor exercises his leadership of the school system. But in this case a majority of the members went rogue, turning a routine matter into a means to advance their own beliefs, contrary to what the officials who appointed them wanted. According to the Daily News, the mayor himself pressed the members to vote yes, while the bureaucracy offered one last-minute compromise after another. All that failed. The move followed sustained criticism from some activists and parents over the exam, which is seen as yet another discriminatory device that mainly helps white and Asian students excel

while leaving black and Latino kids behind. As with screenings for top-quality schools that are in demand and the Specialized High School Admissions Test in particular, the G&T exam must be removed in the name of equity, according to the school of thought predominant among our elected officials and intelligentsia today. De Blasio subscribes to the idea, and so does Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza. So while the mayor said he wanted to offer the test one more time, his heart was never in it. Asked by WNYC’s Brian Lehrer for his reaction to the PEP vote, de Blasio gave a wishy-washy answer that avoided any criticism of the panel or any recognition that his administration had come up short. He promised that families who want gifted education for their children “will have an opportunity to apply for those programs this year. We’ll work on the right methodology and we’ll announce it soon.” But talk is cheap, and de Blasio has made many predictions and promises that did not come to pass. What’s next for the G&T program is hard to say. We feel for those families working so hard to get the best for their kids. The PEP cannot be allowed to morph into an unelected, pseudo-Board of Education if mayoral control of schools is to have any meaning. If last week’s vote starts any kind of trend, the state will have to rethink how city schools are governed yet again.

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Dear Editor: New York State can avoid “address[ing] its shortfall in revenue by promoting vices” (“Hold off on more betting and weed,” Editorial, Jan. 21) by not becoming dependent on preferentially taxing them. Milton Friedman noted in 1989 that “decriminalization would not prevent us from treating drugs as we now treat alcohol and tobacco.” Joel Schlosberg Bayside

UFT: Union Fails Teachers Dear Editor: Re your Jan. 28 editorial: “Open all schools by April or sooner.” The failure of NYC’s Dept. of Education to reopen all public schools for in-person learning shows who really runs our school system — United Federation of Teachers leader Michael Mulgrew. Mayor de Blasio and Chancellor Richard Carranza bow to a petty tyrant with political clout. Mulgrew blocked the return of on-site learning last fall, then imposed an arbitrary 3 percent Covid infection rate threshold to reopen schools from pre-K to fifth grade. Now he wants all 75,000 teachers vaccinated before middle and high schools can resume in-person teaching, even though vaccine supply is limited. He needs a dose of hard reality. © Copyright 2021 by MARK I PUBLICATIONS, INC. All rights reserved. Neither this newspaper nor any part thereof may be reproduced, copied, or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, microfilming, recording or by any information retrieval system without the express written permission of the publishers. This copyright is extended to the design and text created for advertisements. Reproduction of said advertisement or any part thereof without the express written permission of MARK I PUBLICATIONS, INC. is strictly prohibited. This publication will not be responsiblefor errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Bylined articles represent the sole opinion of the writer and are not necessarily in accordance with the views of the QUEENS CHRONICLE. This Publication reserves the right to limit or refuse advertising it deems objectionable. The Queens Chronicle is published weekly by Mark I Publications, Inc.at a subscription rate of $19 per year and out of state, $25 per year. Periodicals Postage Paid (USPS0013-572) at Flushing, N.Y. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mark I Publications, Inc., 71-19 80th St., Suite 8-201, Glendale, NY 11385.

E DITOR

Nature’s wrath

f you felt helpless watching the unrelenting, merciless snow fall, swirl and pile up earlier this week, you weren’t alone. All across Queens and the region, people were reminded of the awesome power of Mother Nature and the fact that while we can mitigate its effects, we cannot avoid them. If you get around by car, you probably saw yours buried, and your street rendered impassable for a time. If you use public transportation, maybe you were one of the lucky ones who doesn’t need above-ground subway service, which was suspended, or maybe you were not. If you walk wherever you go, we hope the distance was short. The snowstorm was the 17th worst to hit the city since 1869, according to Gothamist. All we can do is keep digging out and know that eventually, whatever’s left will melt. And spring is just six short weeks away. Or is that six long weeks? We’re helpless to say.

Online instruction is called remote learning because students have only a remote chance of learning anything. It impairs their academic progress, social skills and mental health. That’s why many parents have pulled their kids out of public schools and enrolled them in Catholic schools and other private institutions offering in-person instruction to all students five days a week. NYC’s Department of Education disclosed that public school enrollment dropped by 43,000 students since September 2020. Mulgrew’s obstinate attitude hurts students, parents and teachers who are denied the opportunity to do their job. Thanks to him, UFT really stands for Union Fails Teachers. Richard Reif Kew Gardens Hills

Remembering Barry Lewis Dear Editor: It was shockingly announced on Jan. 30, in The New York Times, that the wonderful, phenomenal and greatly admired Barry Lewis had passed away. Barry was a kindly dear friend who will be greatly missed. I am thankful that I knew him and that he was a great influence upon my life. I first learned about Barry when I used to go to an amazing store in Woodhaven called Lewis of Woodhaven. It was a place that many remember with a great sense of nostalgia. When you needed something, there was only one place to go, Lewis of Woodhaven! It was his father’s store, and he became known as “the Lewis kid,” a title he earned while working long

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on merit, but have an element of randomness summer days at the store. Later in life Barry became a historian and based on luck? If LaGuardia can keep ranking students extraordinaire. He became a celebrity when he starred in a series of PBS “Walking Tours according to ability to maintain its standards of with David Hartman.” If you wanted to know excellence, the others should be allowed to do that as well. anything about New York City Further, the proposal to guarhistory, there was only one perONLINE antee admission to the top 7 person to go to, and that was Barry cent from any middle school to a Lewis! He was always ready to Miss an article or a help fellow historians and when letter cited by a writer? specialized high school, regardthe Richmond Hill Historical Want breaking news less of performance on the SpeSociety opened its Archival from all over Queens? cialized High School AdmisMuseum he was there. Find the latest news, sions Test, treats the quality of My love of history became past reports from all all schools equally. It is like saymore passionate due to his influover the borough and ing the player who hits .320 for the Class high-A Brooklyn ence. He took great interest when more at qchron.com. Cyclones is just as good as the my students took on the project to player who hits .320 for the write an Arcadia book about the history of Kew Gardens, a community he lived Mets. Chances are a player hitting .230 for the in for many years. In 1999 Barry had written Mets is better than the player hitting .320 for the wonderful book “Kew Gardens: Urban Vil- the Cyclones. lage in the Big City.” When the students conDavid Soukup tacted him for help with their book, he offered Sunnyside it very graciously and met with them. He was very humbled to be asked to write the forward Weprin in thrall to autos and did that for them too. Barry greatly admired how hard the students worked and Dear Editor: enjoyed meeting them. State Assemblyman David Weprin remains I am grateful for knowing such an incredible the time honored, go to spokesman for car and unique person. absolutists in Queens. The New York Times He will indeed be greatly missed, but how knew to get a quote from him for their story on much richer our lives were made by the incom- the mayor’s plan (a sensible one) for converting parable Mr. Barry Lewis. car lanes into new bike lanes on the Brooklyn Carl Ballenas and Queensboro bridges. “There are still plenty President, Friends of Maple Grove of people who drive into Manhattan as well as Vice President, Richmond Hill Historical Society small businesses who rely on those bridges,” he Richmond Hill tells The Times. Just like he’s been doing for 20 years, going back to when Mayor Bloomberg proposed congestion pricing and continuHS admissions hypocrisy first ing to complain loudly as that proposal gained Dear Editor: more steam in recent years. A lottery component is being proposed for What’s with this guy? He is the champion of admissions to New York City’s specialized all who think the main priority for Queens is high schools, and I hope that it will eventually the absolute, unhindered ability to jump in the be applied to the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High car and drive to Midtown, shunning any and all School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, mass transit. Way more important, apparently, which still requires an audition for admission. than the unfair, escalating property taxes in his We need to apply the lottery to LaGuardia to district, on which he is silent by comparison. give tone-deaf students as much of a chance to But at least he speaks up for something argubecome musicians and students with two left ably of immediate concern to probably some of feet as much of a chance to become dancers as his constituents. By contrast my Assembly repthose students who have dedicated years of resentative, Andrew Hevesi, son of disgraced study and practice to enter LaGuardia. felon Alan, busies himself with human traffickI am sure LaGuardia teachers would rather ing. accept the challenge to transform students with Edwin Eppich no talent to become professional entertainers Glendale than make an incremental change in students who already can sing and dance. Seriously, Schools Chancellor Carranza is an Free the innocent prisoners accomplished musician. Is that why he recog- Dear Editor: nizes that admission to a school that specializes The nonhuman beings are forfeited and in the arts needs to be only based on merit? locked up in the zoos, for a crime never comWhy does he think admission to the other spe- mitted and for the amusement of humans. Yet cialized high schools should no longer be only nature has bestowed the right to freedom to every life born. We are definitely committing a crime against nature and call ourselves the most civilized and evolved. The supercilious Write a Letter! nature of men is at fault for all the sufferings of We want to hear from new voices! Letters humans and nonhumans since ages ago. should be no longer than 300 words and The new normal of this ongoing pandemic is may be edited for length, clarity and other isolation/quarantine. This has taken a toll on reasons. They may be emailed to letters@ human minds, and many across the globe have qchron.com. Please include your phone embraced suicide. Every animal is social and number, which will not be published. Those needs socialization for a better life. I wonder received anonymously are discarded. continued on next page

Page 9 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021

LETTERS TO THE

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LETTERS TO THE continued from previous page when we lock these sentient beings inside cages, enclosures, crates, etc., how does it affect their mental health? They don’t have an option to end their suffering by ending their lives. They remain imprisoned and suffer in silence lifelong while the world outside enjoys this as a visit to the zoo, ignoring all the agonies and cries for help. It’s high time for humans to realize the agony of being in isolation and find ways to metamorphose the zoos into sanctuaries, gifting these wonderful creations of nature the Gift of Freedom. Zakia Rahman Rego Park

Guv lied, seniors died Dear Editor: During the height of the pandemic last year, Gov. Cuomo gave daily briefings to let New Yorkers know the current situation with the spread of Covid. It was an excellent job of informing the public as to what was going on. However, there were two big lies that eventually came out. The first lie was that when the state was sending Covid-infected patients back into the nursing homes it was following CDC guidelines. The guidelines were even read out loud to prove the point. Yes, the CDC stated that patients should be returned to nursing homes. However, what was not read to the public was the sentence in which the CDC stated that this was true only if the nursing homes had the ability to safely take them in. The state in its directive to the nursing homes did not ask if they were capable. Not only that, the nursing homes were prohibited from even testing the patients for Covid. This was the state’s idea, not the CDC’s. That’s why Politifact rated Cuomo’s words as “mainly false.” Cuomo claimed that none of the nursing homes said they were not able to take in Covid patients. Last year, the New York Post published emails between the Cobble Hill Health Center and the state in which the center said they did not have enough PPE to take care of the patients safely. They were ignored. Now we have the second big lie. State Attorney General Letitia James revealed that the number of nursing home residents who died of Covid was double the number Cuomo had given out. Cuomo used numbers that didn’t include people who were infected in the nursing homes but died in hospitals because he did not want additional criticism about his policy. Cuomo’s reaction was “Whether a person died in a nursing home or a hospital ... Who cares? They died.” This is the man Democrats were comparing Trump to during the presidential campaign. Even now, most of the liberal networks are downplaying the story of the bogus numbers. Cuomo received an Emmy for his press briefings. I think it is time he returned it. Lenny Rodin Forest Hills

E DITOR

‘Hands of Brotherhood’

Dear Editor: I was inspired to write this poem after hearing President Biden’s inaugural address, calling for national unity: Words on the brotherhood of man Are enough to cover each grain of sand. But talk, talk, talk, and words, words, words, Never did as much as sincere handshakes, Helping hands in time of need, Welcoming hands, Encouraging hands, Consoling hands, Healing hands, Or hands working together in peace. Glenn Hayes Kew Gardens

DC statehood now Dear Editor: As a doctor who cared for Covid-19 patients at Elmhurst Hospital when we were hit hard this past spring, I know all too well that in a crisis you prioritize treatment for those who need help the most. In 2021, we are faced with the reality that Covid-19 laid bare in 2020: The pandemic has disproportionately affected New York’s black and brown populations. This trend is not unique to our community. All over the country where white neighborhoods are spared, minorities suffer. One particular place this is felt is our nation’s capital, Washington, DC. Both of my brothers and their families have lived in DC for many years. Of the over 712,000 people who call the District home, 46 percent are African-American, a higher share than in any state. One in 900 people in DC has died from Covid, and that rate has been higher among African-Americans. Yet Congress decided to give less populous, and whiter, states two to three times the amount of Covid-19 funding that DC got. It is an issue of basic fairness. DC residents pay taxes but do not have voting representation in Congress. It’s long past time for that to end. Finally, the recent attack on the Capitol highlights how statehood is an issue of public safety. DC needs to have local control over its national guard, as states do. The day of the assault on the Capitol, one of my brothers was on his way to get a Covid test when he was informed that it was not safe to do so due to the violence. I’m thankful that I have U.S. senators to represent me even though several of my family members and friends in Washington, DC, do not. To their credit, Sens. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have cosponsored legislation to grant statehood to DC, and so has my representative, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Now that Schumer is the majority leader in the Senate, he should make this bill a first 100-day priority to bring long-overdue democracy to the families who live in, and protect, our nation’s capital. Sheela Maru Jackson Heights

A resident of 89th Avenue in Jamaica clears away some of winter’s wrath following a lengthy and PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON heavy weekend storm.

‘Classic Nor’easter’ blankets the borough 12 to 18 inches covers Queens by Michael Gannon Editor

The Department of Sanitation remains in overdrive, outdoor subway service was restored at 5 a.m. Tuesday and outdoor curbside dining has returned, as the city digs out of a weekend storm that dropped a foot to a foot and a half of snow on the borough. Dominic Ramunni, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service station at Upton, LI, said totals at John F. Kennedy International Airport came in at 12.6 inches, while LaGuardia had 13.3. Both were way behind Bellerose with 18.5 and Jackson Heights at 18. “It was a pretty healthy snowfall [for the region] in terms of historical context,” Ramunni said. “It made the top 20, which may not seem like much until you remember they’ve been keeping records since the 1860s. This was very significant.” The cause was a low pressure system that is not uncommon for the area in winter. “A classic Nor’easter,” he said. He said the high winds dropped significantly overnight and that skies should be

clearing by Thursday. He did say there is a weather system that “we’re keeping an eye on” that could develop in the area by late Sunday into Monday. The DSNY announced that alternate side of the street parking regulations have been suspended through Saturday, Feb. 6. The agency also said garbage collection will be taking a back seat until snow removal operations are more complete. Schools were closed and Covid-19 vaccinations were suspended on Tuesday. “But by Wednesday [Feb. 3] we expect everything to be back full strength,” Mayor de Blasio said Monday, according to a transcript of “Inside City Hall” with Errol Louis. The city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene reminded those removing snow to not overdo it. “Shovel slowly and take breaks often,” the agency said on Twitter. “If you are an older adult or have a disability and need snow shoveled, call @nyc311 and ask if volunteer snow removal services are available in your neighQ borhood.”

Free Covid antibody testing The New York Blood Center is giving donors the chance to get free antibody testing for the entire month of February. Those who test positive for antibodies, if they also had symptoms of Covid-19, might be able to donate convalescent plasma, which can be used to treat patients with the virus. Convalescent plasma treatment uses a donor’s antibodies to help clear the virus more rapidly and help decrease the need for ICU beds and ventilators. Each donation can be used to treat two to three patients struggling with severe cases.

Those with fever or other symptoms of Covid-19, including cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing; who had close contact with someone diagnosed with or suspected of having Covid-19 in the last 14 days; or who have been diagnosed with or suspected of having it (until 28 days after the illness has resolved) are asked not to donate. The blood center does not test for the coronavirus. Donations are by appointment only and can be scheduled by calling 1 (800) Q 933-2566 or visiting nybc.org.

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Following AG report, AM Kim blames Cuomo-granted immunity by Katherine Donlevy Associate Editor

Nursing home Covid deaths are nearly double what we were told. After a nearly yearlong investigation, prompted by patient neglect and staff misconduct allegations, a Jan. 28 report by Attorney General Letitia James found that the state Department of Health had been drastically underreporting virus-related deaths in nursing homes. According to the report, the state wasn’t including the number of resident deaths that happened in hospitals in its death toll. The finding would increase the DOH’s 6,233 confirmed death toll in nursing homes to nearly 12,500. Assemblymember Ron Kim (D-Flushing) blames Gov. Cuomo and the “blanket immunity” he granted nursing homes in a March executive order, which he said incentivized the facility owners to neglect their resident in favor of increased profits. “They got a ‘get out of jail free’ card so they were protecting their bottom line,” he said at a virtual conference Friday afternoon, pointing to James’ findings that about 65 percent of adult care facilities in the state are forprofit. “Taking profits out of the nursing home model and figuring out how to have more public control is important.” Kim has been critical of Cuomo’s handling

of nursing homes since the first days of the pandemic, especially after having lost his uncle to Covid-19 inside a Flushing home last April. He introduced a bill in June to repeal article 30-d of the Public Health Law, enacted as part of the fiscal 2021 budget under Cuomo. The law gives care providers immunity from liability for “any harm or damages” sustained as a result of providing healthcare services during the Covid-19 pandemic, unless the act was “willful or intentional criminal misconduct, gross negligence, reckless misconduct or intentional infliction of harm.” The legislation to repeal it still lies in the chamber Health Committees, and Kim believes earlier action would have prevented the tremendous loss of elderly life. “It was clear based on the outcomes, the policies, that it was them — the business side — dictating the executive orders, the policies that came out of the executive office,” Kim said. The state representative called out Cuomo’s March 25 directive that prohibited nursing homes from refusing to admit a resident based on a confirmed or suspected Covid-19 diagnosis as putting residents at an increased risk of harm. Though the governor reversed the executive order May 10, the six-week mandate earned him an investigation from

Assemblymember Ron Kim has been a strong advocate for nursing home residents throughout the pandemic. NYS ASSEMBLY PHOTO / TWITTER the U.S. Department of Justice in September. James also referred to the executive order in her report. The Off ice of the Attorney General launched its investigation in March after receiving a number of complaints from nursing home residents’ relatives through a hotline set up at the direction of Cuomo. In its 76-page report, the OAG listed a

plethora of findings, including that the DOH data did not reflect the true death toll; a lack of compliance with infection-control protocols that put residents at increased infection risk; insufficient Covid-19 testing for residents and staff in the early stages of the pandemic; lack of nursing home compliance with the executive order requiring communication with family members that caused avoidable pain and distress; and more. Another notable finding of the report was that two-thirds of nursing home Covid-19 fatalities were in facilities with the lowest or next-to-lowest staffing ratings. A law introduced just a month ago — the Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act — was crafted to establish minimum staff-to-patient ratios, a speculative life-saving practice now proven true through James’ findings. The bill, which Kim is a co-sponsor of, would assign one nurse to no more than five patients in adult-care facilities, and gained major support from the New York State Nurses Association. “The Attorney General’s report is just the latest piece of evidence that safe staffing standards can ensure equitable, quality healthcare for ALL New Yorkers. Safe staffing would have saved lives in the COVID-19 pandemic in nursing homes and hospitals,” Executive Director Pat Kane said in a Feb. 2 statement. Q

Page 11 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021

Nursing home death toll twice as big

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Council unveils new NYPD reform bills Speaker, members tout accountability; critics warn of unintended consequences by Michael Gannon

the power transferred to the Civilthey do. The rest, the ones who are ian Complaint Review Board. stuck in the middle, will do nothing One bill would end qualified proactive that will involve any The City Council last week unveiled 11 bills amount of risk. They’re not going to and a resolution that Speaker Corey Johnson immunity for police officers in civil take that risk. Cops will go back to (D-Manhattan) and members say will provide suits for matters such as accusabeing report-takers.” needed transparency and accountability in the tions of excessive force; while another would require the City He said the greatest fallout will Police Department. be in black and Hispanic communiBut law enforcement professionals contacted Commission on Human Rights to ties, which account for more than by the Chronicle questioned the need and in investigate the backg rou nds, 90 percent of recent shooting some cases the wisdom of some of the including work history, of NYPD employees found to have exhibited victims. measures. “They call it reform,” he said. “This legislative package will be just one of bias. Another would transfer authority “But nowhere will you find that the steps the City Council is taking toward ‘reform’ is a synonym for ‘good.’” reforming policing,” Johnson said in a state- over issuing and revoking press creMasters also believes mayoral ment issued by his office last Friday. “It is criti- dentials to the Department of Cityappointments for police commiscal that we redefine public safety and reduce the wide Administrative Services. Adams is one of many co-sponsioner have served the city pretty NYPD’s footprint. From mandating that the well in recent history. Council confirm incoming police commission- sors of a bill that would create a “Over the last quarter-century, ers to ensuring non-carceral interventions to nonpolice emergency response to has the commissioner really been community safety, this legislation will bring mental health emergencies. The bill would mandate creation The City Council last week released 12 measures for police reform that the problem?” he asked, pointing to much-needed transparency and accountability of an Office of Community Mental will be the subject of hearings this month. to New Yorkers.” FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON Bill Bratton, Ray Kelly and James O’Neill — with the exception of “Without transparency and accountability, Health within the Department of we cannot rebuild trust between the police and Health and Mental Hygiene which would develBut Joseph Giacalone, a retired NYPD ser- Bernard Kerik. He believes Council confirmathe communities they serve,” said Councilwom- op a Citywide Mental Health Emergency geant and now a professor at John Jay College tion would only dilute accountability for poor an Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica), chairwoman Response Protocol, wherein mental health of Criminal Justice, and Robert Masters, former performance. Masters said Commissioner Dermot Shea, of the Committee on Public Safety. Adams is emergencies are responded to by a Mental executive assistant district attorney in the Legal the primary sponsor of a bill that would require Health Emergency Response Unit, rather than Affairs Division under the late Queens DA without a lot of fanfare, has been trying to codiCouncil confirmation of the police commis- the police. Richard Brown, had their doubts in interviews fy many of the needs that have been identified, School safety agents would be removed from with the Chronicle. particularly in the wake of Gov. Cuomo’s statesioner, which now is a mayoral appointment. the Police Depart“The Council Masters, who said he had not read the bills, wide orders for new police reform legislation. ment and would no said wording will be important for sorting out “I’d like to give that a chance and see if it already uses its powlonger make arrests, any strengths or weaknesses. works,” Masters said, adding that the NYPD ers of advice and conithout transparency and car r y weapons or sent with some of the He said the package appears to be part of a generally is a model that other departments folmost powerful posiaccountability, we cannot restraints; they would growing sentiment in the national debate on low. He compared the situation to when the be refocused on detions in the city,” aimed at second-guessing decisions Federal Aviation Administration investigates rebuild the trust between escalation, child and policing Adams said. “It’s that police officers must make in the smallest plane crash. youth development fraction of a second. “The aim is to find out what went wrong and time the police comthe police and the a nd ot he r a r e a s. missioner gets that “But there could be a lot of unintended con- make it better,” he said. The traffic accident bill did draw praise from same level of communities they serve.” Other bills would sequences,” he said. “Regardless of what hapdeal with response to pens, people are still going to be calling 911 at Transportation Alternatives, which has been scrutiny.” — Councilwoman Adrienne Adams students in emotional the same rate. That will not change — the critical of NYPD findings. Ad a m s a lso is crisis; study turnover default position will always be to have the “This new legislation is a significant victory sponsoring a bill to for our campaign to reimagine traffic enforcerequire quarterly reports on all traffic stops on among school safety agents; and grant princi- police around.” pals a larger role in the school safety program. the road, at roadblocks or checkpoints. Giacalone said removing qualified immunity ment and our push to remove investigations Another bill would remove transfer investi- would require officers to take out the equivalent from the purview of NYPD alone,” said ExecuA resolution, which is neither binding or enforceable at the city level, would ask the state gations of serious traffic accidents to the of malpractice insurance that doctors and nurs- tive Director Danny Harris in a press release. “ ... Physical redesigns are the best way to prevent to pass legislation that would remove the final Department of Transportation, and require the es buy — and could worsen street crime. disciplinary authority from the commissioner. DOT to create a new investigation and analysis “Good cops will flee [the NYPD],” Gia- crashes — and investigations — from occurring Q Sponsor Laurie Cumbo (D-Brooklyn) wants unit. calone said. “Bad cops will continue to do what in the first place.” Editor

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Eligibility for Covid vaccine expanded by David Russell Associate Editor

When Gov. Cuomo announced last Friday that a mass vaccination site at Yankee Stadium was in development, there was no mention of Citi Field. Both baseball stadiums had been touted earlier as vaccine locations but were postponed due to shortages. A spokesperson for the mayor told the Chronicle Monday that the city is “certainly still expecting to use Citi Field as a vaccination site” though no date was given for when that might be.

On Tuesday, Cuomo expanded the requirements for people eligible to receive the vaccine, including restaurant workers, taxi drivers and the developmentally disabled, in phase 1B. The announcement came a day after the governor described calls for restaurant workers to be prioritized “a cheap, insincere discussion.” Mayor de Blasio called on the state to allow restaurant workers to receive the vaccine after Cuomo announced last week that indoor dining in the city could resume at 25 percent capacity on Feb. 14. “Restaurant workers now are going to be

in enclosed places with people eating and drinking ... We have to protect the people who work in our restaurants,” de Blasio said. Cuomo said he felt better about expanding the eligibility after the White House’s announcement that it would increase its allocation of the vaccine to states by 5 percent. Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers union, said in a statement, “It feels like drivers have been forgotten and left second priority in so many aspects of the recovery. Today brings some light of hope into what’s been a tunnel of darkness.”

The union of taxi and Uber drivers has more than 25,000 members. “Drivers are on the frontline, high at risk working in small, closed spaces,” Desai said, adding that the union lost more than 60 members to Covid. “Having priority access to the vaccine will keep more drivers alive and healthy, no longer forcing them to choose between economic survival and survival from a pandemic, and give members of the public access to more transportation as more drivers will be able to return to steady work,” Q Desai said.

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021 Page 14

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Panel votes to block G&T exam funding Move will require DOE to find new way of admitting students this year by Max Parrott Associate Editor

In a long meeting last Wednesday night, the Panel for Educational Policy checked the mayor’s plan to offer the Gifted and Talented exam one last time in April by voting against the city’s Pearson test contract. The panel’s disapproval of the contract, which passed by one vote, represents a rare moment of dissent from the PEP, a group of 15 voluntary members appointed by the mayor and borough presidents. The vote concerned a $1.7 million budget item that the Department of Education had requested to pay for the test administered mainly to 4-year-olds for G&T programs that Mayor de Blasio decided to overhaul two week earlier. In total, with additional staffing and PPE costs, the exam would cost the city $5 million. Over the course of five hours of testimony, dozens of students, parents, elected officials and education council members took the floor to urge the panel and city to reallocate the funding away from the testing. “I have never seen in so many years so many [Community Education Council] members speak out against something,” said PEP member Gary Linnen. Though there was some testimonial from parents who supported this year’s iteration of

the test, the vast majority of speakers asked how in good conscience the city could administer a test that de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza have deemed to be flawed. In addition to raising its effects on an already burdened education budget, some also spoke about safety concerns during the pandemic. “Vote no tonight because [we would be] wasting five million dollars at a time when we need that money to address the dire needs of our system,” CEC member Eric Goldberg urged. At the beginning of the meeting, Carranza himself criticized the G&T programs, which his agency had sent to the PEP for one last approval. His criticism reflected the findings of the DOE-assembled Schools Diversity Advisory Group, which released a 2019 report that found that while black and Latino students make up 65 percent of all kindergarteners, they only compose 17 percent of all students who qualify for G&T programs. Those who argued for a yes vote, on the other hand, claimed that it would be irresponsible to cancel the test without a clear alternative in place already. This position was held by several Queens CEC members who testified. “Those who understand the reality of the situation understand that a vote is pragmatic so we can engage with the DOE in the future to

get it right for all students,” said Western Queens CEC member Deborah Alexander in support of the contract. South Queens CEC member Alysa O’Shea also urged a yes vote. Members of the panel ended up voting 8-7 in opposition to the contract. Several of the novotes expressed how the effects of the pandemic brought them to vote with their conscience instead of merely doing what they saw as pragmatic. Several noted how, beyond what they saw as clear racial inequity, the program has outsized importance in the minds of many public school parents. “To the families that have sent us emails and have expressed sheer desperation because you have been targeted to believe that if your child does not get into this program that there is no hope, that is not accurate,” said PEP member Shannon Waite. Among those who voted for it, many were very critical of the exam in and of itself, but were wary of suddenly reversing course on parents who had been counting on it. “I heard many parents talk about their decision to have their kids take this test and they’re counting on it. It’s important to them,” said PEP member Larian Angelo, who added that none of the parents arguing to administer the test struck her as being particularly privileged. “A lot of immigrants,” she said. Queens PEP representative Deborah Dill-

After hearing over five hours of testimony, the Panel for Educational Policy voted against FILE PHOTO funding the G&T exam. ingham voted in favor of the contract. Asked on Thursday morning what his plan was for G&T programs after the exam had been scuttled, de Blasio had pledged that they would continue in some form for the coming year. “You will have an opportunity to apply for those programs this year. We’ll work on the right methodology and we’ll announce it soon. But families can hear directly from me,” he Q said during his daily press event.

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Howard Beach gets mobile test center

Anderson demands increased Covid response Assemblyman Khaleel Anderson (D-Far Rockaway) hosted a Covid response press conference last Thursday at the Gurdwara Sikh Cultural Society in response to the alarming positivity rates in South Richmond Hill. Joined by Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows), Anderson shared his office’s plans to provide increased amounts of

PPE and testing availability to community members, his demand for citywide and statewide transparency throughout the entirety of the vaccination process and his dedication as a lawmaker to passing economic relief legislation in Albany. “South Richmond Hill’s Covid-19 positivity numbers are among the highest reported in all

of New York City. I am dedicated to taking action that will support the safety of all of South Richmond Hill’s diverse residents, including the Sikh community, predominantly living in Assembly District 31’s South Richmond Hill, in collaboration with elected officials, community leaders and medical professionals,” Anderson said.

Queens Borough President Donovan Richard recently announced that he will be offering a mobile Covid testing unit this weekend in the Russo’s On The Bay parking lot at the corner of 92nd Street and 162nd Avenue. The testing site will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 6 and 7. The Covid positivity rate for the Howard Beach area was 10.81 percent as of Tuesday afternoon. To find other testing sites across the borough and city, visit nyc.gov/covidtest. The area also has a testing site at the Aqueduct Race Track at 110-00 Rockaway Blvd. in Q South Ozone Park.

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Former rep. on track to reclaim old seat, according to early BOE results by Katherine Donlevy Associate Editor

Though he has refrained from claiming victory, preliminary election results show James Gennaro with a nearly 45-point lead over his closest rival among seven other City Council candidates. “I feel humbled that the early returns show that our campaign is likely to prevail in this election,” he said in a midnight statement. “I am of course compelled to respect the process of the counting of all the ballots. I eagerly await those final results.” Gennaro, a Democrat, held the position for three terms from 2002 to 2013. He then served as the deputy commissioner for New York City Sustainability and Resiliency at the state Department of Environmental Conservation, a role he was appointed to by Gov. Cuomo in 2014 to prepare New York City’s resiliency against climate change challenges. He told the Chronicle he sought his old seat back because he had “unfinished business” to accomplish, such as re-establishing law and order, providing parents with a stronger voice in educational matters and properly balancing an intimidating fiscal 2022 budget. “I was able to get the most things done for the most amount of people as a city councilmember. There’s no job where you have the

According to preliminary election night results, James Gennaro holds a commanding lead in the City Council District 24 race. The Board of Elections tallies do not include nearly 600 absentee FILE PHOTO, LEFT; NYC BOE IMAGE ballots, but the gap is far larger than that. ability to do that amount of good for so many people,” he told the Chronicle in December. If his win is certified, Gennaro will succeed his own successor, Rory Lancman, who served from 2014 until November 2020. Lancman resigned to begin a new post as special counsel for ratepayer protection with

the Governor’s Office. The special election race was the first in the city to utilize ranked-choice voting, which allowed constituents to vote for up to five of the eight candidates in order of preference. In order to win an election, the leading candidate must reach at least 50

percent of the votes. The unofficial city Board of Elections results only include the 5,651 in-person votes. According to the BOE, there are at least 600 absentee ballots yet to be counted, but if Gennaro can maintain his lead without dropping below 50 percent he will officially be named the winner. The yet-to-be counted ballots are unlikely to shift the outcome. Though no candidate has conceded, Deepti Sharma acknowledged that Gennaro’s campaign was likely to be successful. “While it appears that Jim Gennaro is likely to prevail, we look forward to watching the democratic process work and every vote be counted,” she tweeted Wednesday afternoon. Activist Moumita Ahmed sent out an email blast minutes after the polls closed Feb. 2 evening stating that her campaign was winning at the time. As of 11 p.m., she had dropped to 15.6 percent of the votes, though she did beat out Gennaro and the other candidates significantly in the 29th and 32nd Assembly districts, according to BOE results. Soma Syed was in third place Wednesday afternoon with 8.5 percent, followed by the rest of the candidates, all of whom received under 5 percent of the votes. The BOE said it can take up to two weeks Q to count the absentee ballots.

Page 15 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021

Gennaro touts commanding lead in D 24

Restaurant Week extended Restaurant Week is becoming restaurant month. NYC Restaurant Week To Go has been extended through Feb. 28 so people can enjoy an entree and at least one side for $20.21. “Due to the high consumer demand for NYC Restaurant Week To Go, we have decided to extend the program for an additional four weeks so that even more restaurants citywide can feed New Yorkers hungry for good food and eager to support their neighborhood eateries,” said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Co. The extension came hours before Gov.

Cuomo’s announcement that indoor dining will return at 25 percent capacity on Feb. 14. There have been more than 570 participants, breaking records dating back to the first Restaurant Week in 1992. There are 45 Queens eateries participating, according to the Queens Economic Development Corp. NYC & Co. has waived participation fees. Mastercard, the official program sponsor, will continue to provide registered cardholders with a $10 statement credit on each purchase of $20.21 at participating restaurants. Diners can receive credit for up to 10 transactions total or until a $100 credit limit is reached. Q

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Divine Wisdom Catholic Academy 45-11 245 St., Douglaston (718) 631-3153, dwcaonline.org

Our Lady of Hope Catholic Academy 61-21 71 St., Middle Village (718) 458-3535. olhca.org

Sacred Heart Catholic Academy (Cambria Heights), 115-50 221 St., (718) 527-0123, shcach.org

Holy Child Jesus Catholic Academy 111-02 86 Ave., Richmond Hill (718) 849-3988, hcjcany.org

Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Academy 70-25 Kessel St., Forest Hills (718) 793-2086, olmercyca.org

Sacred Heart Catholic Academy of Bayside, 216-01 38 Ave., (718) 631-4804, sacredheartbayside.org

Holy Family Catholic Academy 74-15 175 St., Fr. Meadows, (718) 9692124, holyfamilyca-freshmeadows.org

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy, 111-10 115 St., South Ozone Park, (718) 843-4184, olphca.org

Sacred Heart Catholic Academy of Glendale, 84-05 78 Ave., (718) 4566636, sacredheartglendale.org

Immaculate Conception Catholic Academy, Astoria, 21-63 29 St. (718) 728-1969, icsastoria.org

Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Academy, 35-34 105 St., Corona (718) 426-5517, olscorona.org

St. Adalbert Catholic Academy 52-17 83 St., Elmhurst, (718) 424-2376 saintadalbertca.org

Immaculate Conception Catholic Academy, Jamaica, 179-14 Dalny Road, (718) 739-5933, iccajamaica.org

Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Academy, 34-45 202 St., Bayside (718) 229-4434, olbsacademy.org

St. Andrew Avellino Catholic Academy, 35-50 158 St., Flushing, (718) 359-7887, standrewavellinoca.com

Incarnation Catholic Academy 89-15 Francis Lewis Blvd., Queens Village (718) 465-5066, incarnationqv.org

Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Academy, 79-33 258 St., Floral Park, (718) 343-1346. olscafp.org

St. Bartholomew Catholic Academy 44-15 Judge St., Elmhurst, (718) 4467575, stbartholomewca.org

Notre Dame Catholic Academy, Ridgewood, 62-22 61 St., (718) 821-2221 notredame-ca.org

Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Catholic Academy, 72-55 Austin St., Forest Hills (718) 263-2622. olqmca.org

St. Clare Catholic Academy 137-25 Brookville Blvd., Rosedale (718) 528-7174, stclarecatholicacademy.org

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St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Academy, 21-18 46 St., Astoria (718) 726-9405. sfaacademy.org

St. Matthias Catholic Academy 58-25 Catalpa Ave., Ridgewood (718) 381-8003, stmatthiaschool.org

St. Gregory the Great Catholic Academy, 244-44 87 Ave., Bellerose, (718) 343-5053, sgtgschool.org

St. Mel’s Catholic Academy 154-24 26 Ave., Flushing (718) 539-8211, stmelsacademy.org

St. Helen Catholic Academy 83-09 157 Ave., Howard Beach, (718) 835-4155, sthelencatholicacademy.org

St. Michael’s Catholic Academy 136-58 41 Ave., Flushing, (718) 961-0246, stmichaelsca.org

St. Joan of Arc School 35-27 82 St., Jackson Heights (718) 639-9020, sjaschoolny.org

St. Nicholas of Tolentine Catholic Academy, 80-22 Parsons Blvd., Jamaica (718) 380-1900. sntschoolny.org

St. Joseph Catholic Academy 28-46 44 St., Long Island City (718) 728-0724, sjcalic.org

St. Sebastian Catholic Academy 39-76 58 St., Woodside (718) 429-1982. stsebastianacademy.org

St. Kevin Catholic Academy 45-50 195 St., Flushing (718) 357-8110, stkevinca.org

St. Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Academy, 61-17 Grand Ave., Maspeth (718) 326-1585, ststanscaqn.org

St. Leo Catholic Academy 104-19 49 Ave., Corona (718) 592-7050, stleocatholicacademy.org

St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Academy, 87-49 87 St., Woodhaven, (718) 847-3904, sta-catholicacademy.org/

St. Luke School 16-01 150 Place, Whitestone (718) 746-3833, slswhitestone.org

Saints Joachim and Anne School 218-19 105 Ave., Queens Village (718) 465-2230, ssjaschool.org

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Catholic elementary schools benefit from pandemic’s impact by Katherine Donlevy Associate Editor

The tumultuous and unpredictable pandemic has brought little good over the past year, but it has provided Catholic grade schools with at least one God send: a significant increase in admission applications. Attendance had been declining over several years, leading to several catholic elementary schools shutting permanently in the su m mer. The admission s t id e t u r ned for the 2020-21 academic year, however; the Diocese of Brooklyn reported a surge in families wanti ng t o joi n t he rel ig iou s e ducat ion communities. “We did get an increase at the very beginning of the school year ... We did get a nice enrollment boost,” said Principal Joan Kane of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrement Academy in Bayside. The K-8 school’s enrollment jumped 12.5 percent this academic school year, according to Ted Havelka, the director of enrollment management and financial assistance for the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn. Registration at Catholic schools across the diocese closely reflects the increase, Havelka said. Kane explained that a good portion of the new families had been transferring from public schools, though that is not true for all new students. What drew an abundance of new students to the Bayside school, Kane believes, is OLBS’s ability to adapt to the unprecedented situation. The need drove the school to update its technology to the modern age. “Like everything we do, we’ve had to rethink, re-imagine, make things safe,” Kane said, noting that its Feb. 8 open house will be completely virtual. “We put a lot of information on our website, we’ve been using social media to share a lot of information ... [We have] an online application. You never have to pass a piece of paper and information to us.” Registration no longer requires parents to come into the building, which is not only a safer alternative in the age of the virus, but makes the task easier for families to squeeze into their daily lives. Kane pointed out that for a growing number of the parent population, handling the procedure online is second nature to them. “This is how they live. It makes it easy for them,” the principal said, adding that the

Hands-On Learning

St. Helen Catholic Academy is

Page 17 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021

OLBS sees 12.5 percent rise in registration

During the pandemic, registration at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Academy in Bayside rose by 12.5 percent, an increase that the Diocese of Brooklyn said is reflected in Catholic eleFILE PHOTO mentary schools throughout its two boroughs. process of coming down to the building to fill out paperwork is “archaic to them.” Mau ra McCar thy, the president of OLBS’s board of directors, pointed out that the technology upgrades are reflected in the classrooms. “We also have parents not comfortable sending them in, so we purchased webcams and microphones,” she said on the school’s flexibility to offer remote learning to some

students. To accommodate the 12-studentsper-classroom limit inside the building, the school invested in new smar tboards, upgraded internet and other devices. McCarthy went on to note that while the cost of attending private schools is too high for many families, the community has established a scholarship fund to help support those who might otherwise be unable to Q attend OLBS.

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021 Page 18

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Johnnies turning into unlikely road warriors For their first season-plus under Mike Anderson, the Red Storm seemed unable to defeat conference opponents on the road. They went 1-8 in Big East road games last season. And they dropped the first four conference games this season. Then came the turnaround. St. John’s won three straight Big East road games for the first time since the 2012-13 season. Two of those wins came against Cincinnati and Rutgers, schools that left the conference years ago. The third straight win came last Sunday, a 75-73 victory over Marquette, revenge for a two-point loss at Carnesecca Arena earlier in the season. “The win was great,” said SJ guard Posh Alexander. “When we were on our way here, we just knew we were coming to win. They came to our house and basically stole one, so us coming in here and winning today is just amazing and everybody is happy about it.” The triumph at Marquette followed road wins against Connecticut and DePaul. It’s the first time the Johnnies have won three straight Big East games of any kind since

the 2014-15 season. In the old days, head coach Lou Carnesecca joked that his recruiting budget was a pocket of subway tokens. The budget has gotten a bit bigger but A nderson has brought in city kids despite some initial worries that he didn’t have connections in the city when he took the job. Alexander, who played at Our Saviour Lutheran in the Bronx, has been named Big East Freshman of the Week three times. Also on the team is Alexander’s high school teammate Dylan Addae-Wusu. “They are growing up,” Anderson said of the two last Sunday. “It looked like they were battle-tested and had been in the fire.” Alexander had six steals on the night and Addae-Wusu hit a critical off-balance lay-up late in the game. Anderson said Addae-Wusu “is better than anyone I have had at getting downhill in terms of north and south and getting to the basket and what a finish that was.” Julian Champagnie led the Johnnies with 22 points in the win over Marquette. Cham-

Julian Champagnie scored 22 points in St. John’s win over Marquette last Sunday. He leads the PHOTO COURTESY ST. JOHN’S ATHLETICS Big East in scoring. pagnie, out of Bishop Loughlin High School in Brooklyn, was the first city player to commit to playing for Anderson. Champagnie is leading the Big East with 19.7 points per game. His father, Ranford, was a standout on the St. John’s soccer team that won the 1996 national championship, and he grew up attending SJU soccer camps in the summer. Champagnie has made the Big East honor roll three times this season. As good as he has been, Anderson noted

that the supporting cast scoring consistently would help lighten the load on Champagnie. “I always say we can’t be a team that is dependent on one or two guys ... when you have got more balance, then they can’t zero in on one guy,” the head coach said. It’s been a good time for Champagnie’s family, as his brother Justin is leading the Atlantic Coastal Conference with 20.1 points per game, playing for Pittsburgh. Georgia Tech’s Jose Alvarado from Christ the King Q High School is second in the ACC.

The class of 2020 earned over $1 0 million in scholarships.

For the latest news visit qchron.com Religious Schools Section • 2021

Imagine what you can do. Seats available for all levels. To apply visit www.SFPonline.org “High School is four years; St. Francis Prep is Forever.” ST. FRANCIS PREPARATORY SCHOOL 6100 Francis Lewis Blvd. Fresh Meadows, NY 11365 (718) 423-8810 www.SFPonline.org

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Students at Divine Mercy Catholic Academy in Ozone Park are educated in a caring family atmosphere that is committed to excellence in education. The school prepares children of all ethnic and religious backgrounds with Christian moral values, knowledge, skills and appreciative attitude that will empower them in life.

SMART board technology and have individual devices. Bus transportation and the free/reduced lunch program are available to eligible students. We also are able to offer our students LearnIt math and reading classes as well as counseling services to qualified students.

Through the pandemic, we have had to make many changes to our school to keep our students and faculty safe and still provide many learning opportunities. It is important to DMCA that students are engaged during the school day, as well as after. We have used a virtual platform to provide afterschool activities for our students. Parents and students can The academy offers 3 For All (three-year use these opportunities to meet other families olds) and Pre-K for All (four year olds). These and help our school. programs are free. In addition, we offer kinFor more information please call the school dergarten through eighth grade (tuition based) at (718) 845-3073, ext. 3. There will be a in a safe (CCTV) and structured environment. virtual tour posted on the website starting Eligible seventh - and eighth-grade students February 7th. Please call the school with any are offered honors math classes to prepare questions and in regards to registration, which them for the Algebra I Regents at the end of will begin on February 8th. eighth grade. Spanish is part of the curriculum For more information, please see our for grades five through eight. ALL students from kindergarten through grade eight use website www.divinemercyca.org Students actively participate in monthly Mass and daily prayers. They are made aware of the needs of others and provide service through participation in drives for the victims of natural disasters and charitable programs including the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and St. Jude Children’s Research and Hospital.

Queens historian, TV host Lewis was 75 by David Russell Associate Editor

Barry Lewis, a longtime Kew Gardens historian, died Jan. 12 at 75. Lewis co -hosted the PBS ser ies “Walking Tours of New York” with David Hartman from 1998 to 2004. He also authored “Kew Gardens: Urban Village in the Big City.” “Some people who haven’t seen the show might think the whole concept sounds nerdy, two guys walking around with a map, pointing at buildings,” Lewis told the Chronicle in 2001. “But there is something different about our show.” He believed a large audience wanted to be challenged with intelligent, socially informative programming. Lewis, a native of Woodhaven, lectured at Cooper Union, the New-York Historical Society and the New York School of Interior Design. “It was impossible to go unnoticed in Woodhaven in the 1950s and 1960s,” he told the Chronicle. “Everyone knew you. And I knew everyone. And I would have to speak to them: the police, the Chinese woman who spoke little English, the

deliverymen ... I think that’s where my fondness and lack of fear of public speaking come from.” His father owned Lewis of Woodhaven Department Store at 84th Street and Jamaica Avenue. Lewis’ award-winning work was recognized by the Landmarks Preservation Society and the New York City American Institute of Architects. He specialized in European and American architecture of the 18th to 20th centuries. “If you wanted to know anything about New York City history, there was only one person to go to and that was Barry Lewis!” wrote Carl Ballenas, president of the Friends of Maple Grove and vice president of the Richmond Hill Historical Society, in a Facebook post. In 2014, Lewis penned the foreword for “Images of America: Kew Gardens,” written by Ballenas with the Aquinas Honor Society of the Immaculate Conception School. Ballenas did not know the cause of Lewis’ death. He is survived by his brothQ er, Jeffrey.

Page 19 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021

Divine Mercy Catholic Academy

New York City is coming back strong with COVID-19 vaccines.

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Vietnam vets on the move to Maspeth Men look back at their wartime service and the lives they lived afterward by Michael Shain Chronicle Contributor

ike Daughtry brought the Vietnam War home with him in a very real way. To this day, he carries about 20 pieces of shrapnel in his leg and back — the legacy of a misguided artillery shell fired by his own men in 1968. His wound has for years been triggering metal detectors at airports and the like. “The sensitive ones, not the regular ones,” he said. “It’s no joke. You know it’s still there, oh yeah.” Like most other members of the Queens’ Chapter 32 of Vietnam Veterans of America, Daughtry — now 75 and retired from a working life at General Motors — joined the group many years after he was discharged. The stories the members of VVA tell are remarkably similar. After raising a family and retiring from their jobs, they had the time and emotional room to deal with what had happened to them after coming home from the most unpopular war in American history. VVA Chapter 32 lists some 240 members on its website. About a dozen showed up last Saturday to supervise the closing of its headquarters in Whitestone and the move to a new home in Maspeth. Only one or two of the VVA vets who took part in the move last weekend had ever been to the group’s new home, a converted firehouse on Maspeth Avenue that is now Post 4 of the Polish Legion of American Veterans USA. The VVA had been renting space for about a decade in a Victorianstyle house on 149th Street owned by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4787, said Paul Feddern, treasurer of Chapter 32. The VFW Post was down to its last few members. Financially, it had

been limping along with the help of VVA and the income from renting out its large community room for catered parties. The Covid-19 lockdown wiped out the party business and, last year, the VFW told the VVA it was going to sell the building, Feddern said. “The commander [of the Maspeth post] is also a member of our group,” said Feddern. “He invited us.” Three workers from a Maspeth moving company, GMS Transfer, did most of the heavy lifting last weekend, loading a single truck with the chapter’s well-used office furniture, files and — perhaps its most heartfelt holding — a collection of funeral flags in triangular, wooden cases. The armed services provide upon request flags to drape the coffins of vets at funerals. After burial, the flag is presented as a keepsake to the family of the deceased “on behalf of the President of the United States and a grateful nation.” For the last 12 years, Chapter 32 has volunteered to accept the flags of indigent vets who died in Queens. By the time of the move, the chapter had collected more than 125 flags, which it displayed in neat rows on the walls of the Whitestone headquarters’ basement. “Main concern,” read an email inviting members to aid the move out of Whitestone last Saturday, “is making sure the encased flags are properly stacked for safe transport. Arrive early for coffee and donuts.” Unlike older vets groups like the VFW or American Legion, the members of the VVA didn’t join seeking a social club or something to get them out of the house on weekends, they said. Vietnam had been a vastly different war than World War II or even the Korean War, and the after-conflict experience of its veterans was

A mover arranges memorial flags for more than 125 vets who died in recent PHOTOS BY MICHAEL SHAIN years without family to claim them. just as disparate. “When we got back, we didn’t have a lot of pride in what we did,” said Feddern, a retired NYPD detective from Glendale. “It wasn’t a thing that made you want to wear a hat saying you’d been in Vietnam.” In those days, he said, enlisting is simply what you did in times of war. “We were following in our parents’ footsteps,” he said. “Doing

the right thing. “My brother Russ was in the Marines. I left for basic training three months after he got out.” Assigned to a mortar crew in the 101st Airborne infantry, Feddern arrived in Vietnam in December 1967 and, shortly after, was shipped not far from the border with North Vietnam to the city of Hue. “Just in time for the start of the Tet offen-

sive,” he said of the bloody, two-year military push from the north that marked the beginning of the end for U.S. forces there. He and his brother joined VVA 15 years ago. “That’s when these guys started to feel proud of what they did,” he said. “We had a lot of camaraderie.” “I wanted to do my part for the vets,” said Doug Williams, 69, who enlisted in the Navy in the early 1970s and joined VVA about 10 years ago. “There are still a lot of vets from my time who are homeless, hungry and need someone to give them a hand,” said Williams, a member now of Community Board 3 in Brooklyn. “Sometimes, they can talk to a vet better than anyone else,” he said. “I actually believe in what I do.” The members are keenly aware that they represent the likely end for fraternal groups of the kind that thrived in New York after the world wars. “There’s no young people coming in,” said Daughtry. “They’ll disappear. “People don’t feel they need to gather in-person anymore. You can get on a computer any time you want and talk about what’s bothering you.” On the second floor of the chapter’s new digs in Maspeth, Daughtry watched as the moving men toted in the precious flag collection. From a pile of incoming stuff, he picked up a green-and-white street sign that read “Vietnam Veterans of America Lane,” a long-ago presentation from the city’s Transportation Department at a street co-naming ceremony. He propped it up over the flags. That way, when the VVA crew left, the regulars at the post would know whom the flag display belonged to. “I guess it’ll work out,” Daughtry said of the move. “We’ll survive.” Q

The VFW Post on 149th Street in Whitestone is being sold, left. Mike Daughtry and Doug Williams, center, joined the VVA in large part to reach out to other, less well-off veterans. Paul Feddern was sent to Vietnam three months after his brother Russ, right, a former Marine, returned from Southeast Asia.

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Get your Social Security benefit statement by Nilsa Henriquez Tax season is approaching, and replacing your annual Benefit Statement has never been easier. The Benefit Statement, also known as the SSA-1099 or the SSA-1042S, is a tax form we mail each year in January to people who receive Social Security benefits. It shows the total amount of benefits you received from us in the previous year so you know how much Social Security income to report to the Internal Revenue Service on your tax return.

If you live in the United States and you need a replacement form SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S, simply go online and get an instant, printable replacement form using your personal “my Social Securit y” account at ssa.gov/myaccount. A replacement SSA-1099 or SSA-1042S is available for the previous tax year after February 1. If you don’t have access to a printer, you can save the document to your computer or email it to yourself. If you don’t have a “my Social Security” account, creating one is very easy to do and usually takes less than 10 minutes. With a personal my Social Security account, you can do much of your business with us online. If you receive benefits or have Medicare, your personal “my Social Security” account is also the best way to: • request a replacement Social Securit y number card (in most states and the District of Columbia);

• get your benefit verification letter. • check your benefit and payment information. • cha nge your address and phone number. • cha nge your direct deposit inforNilsa Henriquez mation. • Request a replacement Medicare card; and • Report your wages if you work and receive Social Security disability insurance or Supplemental Security Income benefits. If you’re a noncitizen who lives outside of the United States and you received or repaid Social Security benefits last year, we will send you form SSA-1042S in the mail. The forms SSA-1099 and SSA1042S are not available for people who receive Supplemental Security Income benefits. Visit www.ssa.gov to find more about P our online services. Nilsa Henriquez is a Social Security Public Affairs Specialist located in Queens.

Workers in your home and Social Security by Nilsa Henriquez Do you plan to pay a cleaning person, cook, gardener, babysitter or other household worker at least $2,300 in 2021? This amount includes any cash you pay for your household employee’s transportation, meals and housing. If you will pay at least $2,300 to one person, you have some additional financial responsibilities. When you pay at least $2,300 in wages to a household worker, you must do all of the following: • deduct Social Security and Medicare taxes from those wages. • pay these taxes to the Internal Revenue Service; and • report the wages to Social Security. For every $2,300 in wages, most household employees earn credits toward Social Security benefits and Medicare coverage. Generally, people need 10 years of work to qualify for: • retirement benefits (as early as age 62). • disability benefits for the worker and the worker’s dependents. • survivors benefits for the worker’s family; and • Medicare benefits. You can learn more about reporting household worker income by reading Household Workers at P ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10021.pdf.

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Holiday photo contest!

Even the Covid-19 pandemic couldn’t ruin the Queens Chronicle’s 13th annual Holiday Photo Contest. True, it will delay winner Donna M. Van Blarcom of Astoria from enjoying her prize of free passes to a live performance in or around the city until such events resume. For now, Van Blarcom enjoys our kudos for her shot, top right, of a Nativity blanketed with snow at Corpus Christi Church in Woodside — with more secular holiday figures in the background. As always, we received many quality entries. Next to the Nativity is a photo by Rosemarie

Italico of Ozone Park of her sister-in-law Kathee in the latter’s Howard Beach home. At top left is Pauline Ruggiero’s photo of puppy Tucker cuddling up in his bed in Middle Village on a cold December day. Below him is Buster walking through Charles Park in Howard Beach, Susan Hofmann behind him with the camera. At left in the middle row is Michael McGevna creatively capturing his wife’s crochet creations in South Richmond Hill. Ivy Hammer captured the Nativity outside

Our Lady of the Angelus Church in Rego Park. Nancy Stabile photographed Franco and Summer Pagano, 5-year-old twins in Howard Beach, as the season’s first snow was falling. Annmarie Fable sent in an Elf on a Shelf, with mask, that belongs to her grandson Daniel Joseph Fable, 9, of Astoria. Richard Melnick, Van Blarcom’s partner, got a nice view of St. Joseph’s Church in Astoria. Above left is “Frosty the Snowman Reinterpreted,” built by Dilanur, Fatih and Cansu Akkas and shot by Steve Fisher in Middle Village.

Mary Krowicki of Howard Beach captured her grandchildren Julianna Saravo, 5, her sister, Angelia, 2; their cousin Przemek Dabrowski, 21 months; and Przemek’s mom, Jean Marie. Carol Ann DeFino of Howard Beach photographed a snowy landscape. Bob Giallanzo took a shot of his decorated house in Howard Beach. We hope you enjoyed the photos as much as we did, and that you’ll send in your own for our 13th annual Summer in the Borough Photo Contest later this year. — Peter C. Mastrosimone

ARTS, C ARTS CULTURE & LIVING

by Katherine Donlevy nle levy vy

e l u r e v o l t e L y

Snagging Valentine’s Day reservations servations has ha s always been difficult and will bee even even harder harrde derr this year — indoor dining venuess will wililll only only bee allowed to operate at 25 percentt capacity. cap pacit ity. y LLuckuckkuc k ily for those who couldn’t grab ab a table quickly quickll y enough, the pandemic doesn’t have ave to stop Cupid’s Day celebrations completely — there are plenty p enty pl y of other ways to send love to both oth Queens small businesses and your admirer. Chocolate Aigner’s Chocolates is known for two things: its deliciously creative treats and forr being thee one of the oldest confectionery shopss in New York City. Founded in 1930, 930,, the Forest Hills store offers chocoolatey treats in unique shapes and d sizes. A bedazzled video gamee controller, edible love shack and d candy-filled heart-shaped boxx are just some of the itemss available. Visit aignerchocolates.com or call (718) 544-1850.

Virtual tea time Because an in-person tour is not feasible at the moment, King Manor Museum in Jamaica is inviting virtual visitors to have tea and cookies at the Queens estate’s fireplace. Set in 1810, the interactive tour allows participants to choose their own h Mary Alsop King adventure and spend the day with King, continued on page 25

a D s e n i t n e l a V ’

For the latest news visit qchron.com

Flowers A holiday staple, floral arrangements ngements are not only beautiful and sweet-smelling, eet-smelling, but could be the perfect midwinter winter pick-meup. Family-owned Flowers by Peter has served Flushing since 1970 and offerss a wide array of Valentine’s Day options, ranging ing from roses to orchids to tulips and more. Understanding nderstanding that bouquets can get pricey, Flowerss by Peter includes ated to affordable a section on its website dedicated g but cheap.” The selections that “look anything floral shop also offers a “Florist’ss Deal of the Day,” in which the experts choose a basket design for a predetermined low price. Visit flowersbypeter.net or call (718) 939-1414.

is h t e c n a m o r r fo y d a e r Queens is

Page 23 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021

February y 4,, 2021

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021 Page 24

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I HAVE OFTEN WALKED

King Crossword Puzzle Latimer, inventor who wrote book on electric lighting

ACROSS

1 Saudi native 5 Job-safety org. 9 Old CIA foe 12 Mentor 13 Err 14 Shoe width 15 Secondhand 16 Watch chains 17 Away from SSW 18 Slightly 19 And so on (Abbr.) 20 Tackles weeds 21 Longing 23 Hearty quaff 25 Ex-hausted 28 Castorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s twin 32 Silents star Mary 33 Country singer Shelton 34 Arrest 36 Dwellings 37 Meadow 38 Dancer Charisse 39 Rage 42 Trio after Q 44 Raw minerals 48 Exist 49 -- Domini 50 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Damn Yankeesâ&#x20AC;? vamp 51 Irate 52 Tale teller 53 Maui meal 54 Golfer Ernie 55 Track circuits 56 Holler

by Ron Marzlock Chronicle Contributor

DOWN 1 Oaxaca water 2 Reddish brown 3 Region 4 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Be the Dayâ&#x20AC;? singer 5 Insult 6 Coin aperture 7 Wheel cover 8 Six-pack muscles 9 Vegas game 10 Hereditary unit

11 Honey bunch? 20 Louis Armstrong song 22 Haunting 24 Hotel area 25 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Humbug!â&#x20AC;? 26 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Suitsâ&#x20AC;? network 27 Disco guy on â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Simpsonsâ&#x20AC;? 29 Young fellow 30 Guitarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kin 31 Ballot marks

35 Aslanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s land 36 Oscar lead contenders 39 Notoriety 40 Russian river 41 Some wines 43 Crisp cookie 45 Libertine 46 Mideast airline 47 Author Bellow 49 100%

George and Rebecca Latimer were born into slavery in Norfolk, Va. They fled to Chelsea, Mass. in 1842 to be free. Quincy Lewis Howard Latimer was born there on Sept. 4, 1848. At 17, he dropped the first name Quincy and joined the Union navy as Lewis Latimer, serving on the USS Ohio and USS Massasoit. He became a draftsman for Alexander Graham Bell and later advanced himself to becoming an inventor, holding many patents working for Thomas Edison and later General Electric. Latimer wrote â&#x20AC;&#x153;Incandescent Electric Lighting,â&#x20AC;? the first book on the subject. He married Mary Wilson Lewis in 1873, and they had two daughters, Emma Jeanette (1883-1978) and Louise Rebecca (1890-1963). They lived at 184 Adelphi St. in Brooklyn until 1903, when they decided to buy a house and move out to the suburbs at 64 Holly Ave. in Flushing (later renumbered 137-53 Holly Ave.). He passed away at home of a cerebral hemorrhage on Dec. 11, 1928 at the age of 80. His wife had died in 1924. By the late 1980s the land where the house

The home of inventor Lewis Latimer at 137-53 Holly Ave. in Flushing, in its original, aging, condition in the 1950s. PHOTO, LEFT, VIA WIKIPEDIA stood had become so valuable his granddaughter Wilifred Norman keeping his memory alive helped get a movement going to move the house into a park at 34-41 137 St., where his achievements could be preserved for future generations. Today Latimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house, now a museum, and his legacy are Q both alive and well.

Answers on next page

RANKED-CHOICE VOTING

RANK YOUR CHOICES NYC For the latest news visit qchron.com

Now rank up to FDQGLGDWHV In 2021, the city of New York will use Ranked-Choice Voting for all NYC primaries and special elections. UPCOMING SPECIAL ELECTION February 23, 2021 - Queens City Council District 31 Early Voting â&#x20AC;&#x201C; February 13 - 21

Visit VOTE.NYC or call 1-866-VOTE-NYC WR Č´QG \RXU SROO VLWH early voting hours and learn more about Ranked-Choice Voting

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You can rank XS WR FDQGLGDWHV LQ RUGHU RI SUHIHUHQFH

3LFN \RXU ČÚVW FKRLFH FDQGLGDWH DQG ČÓO LQ WKH RYDO QH[W WR WKHLU QDPH XQGHU WKH VW FROXPQ Î&#x2013;I \RX KDYH D VHFRQG FKRLFH FDQGLGDWH ČÓO LQ WKH RYDO QH[W WR WKHLU QDPH XQGHU WKH QG FROXPQ <RX FDQ FKRRVH WR UDQN XS WR FDQGLGDWHV â&#x20AC;˘ You can still vote for just one candidate and leave the other columns blank â&#x20AC;˘ You can only choose one candidate for each column â&#x20AC;˘ You cannot rank the same candidate more than once NYC RANKED CHOICE VOTING

C M SQ page 25 Y K

by Mark Lord qboro contributor

The doors to the New York Hall of Science in Flushing may be temporarily closed due to the pandemic, but that has not stopped the innovative proprietors from sharing many of its attractions online. “NYSCI offers a wide range of activities in which children of all ages can engage, that build upon our signature approach to STEM learning — Design, Make, Play. It’s about providing them with agency over their choices and creating delight as children learn about STEM concepts through discovery,” said Brian Avenius, the museum’s chief marketing and business development officer, in response to an email inquiry. There are, in fact, so many activities available at your fingertips that Avenius approaches them from an interesting angle. “There are activities in which children can engage on their own and some that create opportunities for parents or caregivers to participate in the fun,” he explained. In addition, he said that “there

are activities with instruction in both English and Spanish, as well as activities for children who are strong visual learners and thinkers, especially children with autism.” Dozens of resources are offered online, with new content added frequently, the museum says. It’s all at nysci.org. Participants can get new at-home activities and projects emailed to them every week. Among the collaborative parentguided activities are several particularly interesting ones. “Acrylic Paint Marbling” allows participants to make beautiful wooden, painted marbled creations using paint and water and everyday household materials. According to NYSCI’s website, it offers an opportunity to “bring common recyclable materials back to life in creative new ways.” The process involves floating acrylic paint on top of a base of thickened water, swirling and moving the paint into unique patterns, then dipping a piece of wood that will be stained with the pattern. The needed materials include pieces of thin scrap wood, a con-

The New York Hall of Science’s many online tutorials for kids include one on acrylic paint marbling, left, and an earthquake simulation PHOTOS COURTESY NYSCI project requiring an app. tainer to dip the wood into, cold water, corn starch, acrylic paint, a pot and heating element, toothpicks, containers for paint and something to drip paint, such as popsicle sticks or chopsticks. Detailed instructions, along with large, colorful illustrations are provided for this and many of the other on-line activities. Sensory play, or any activity that stimulates the senses, is put into practice with “Fizzy Dough,” a fun, colorful experiment that creates a moldable dough that fizzes and pops when the secret ingredi-

ent (shh! it’s vinegar) is added. Among the other materials needed to create this cool chemical reaction are flour, baking soda and oil. Food coloring is optional but recommended for maximum fun! As the museum’s website indicates, sensory play is crucial for cognitive, emotional and physical development of both children and adults. Sensory activities encourage exploration of materials and processes, rather than focusing on the end product. A series of relevant questions is provided to challenge all those

who give the experiment a shot. A more involved activity is “Shake, Rattle and Roll — An Earthquake Simulation,” which helps answer the question as to why buildings collapse during earthquakes. This activity investigates how a house collapses and how to build structures to test various ways to withstand an earthquake. Preparing the ear thquake simulator requires two pieces of cardboard, four marbles, two large rubber bands, tape and a device with the science journal app. Creating the actual structures calls for such items as construction paper, graham crackers and sugar cubes. Participants are asked to make predictions as to what will happen to the structures they create, to evaluate the test results, and to redesign their struc tures accordingly. All those who take part in any of the activities are asked to share their creations by tagging @nysci Q on social media. Next week: Activities children can engage in on their own.

Page 25 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021

Get smart with NYSCI’s home activities: Part I

Unusual gifts for an unusual Valentine’s Day continued from page 23 the lady of the house. Visitors will also meet a laborer named Valentine and learn about a tool called a flail that was used to separate grain from stalks of wheat. To accept the invite, visit bit.ly/2YtECYx.

Crossword Answers

Magic show Looking for some afterdinner entertainment? The Astoria Performing Arts Center is hosting A Magical Evening with the Foodie Magician on Feb. 14 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Josh Beckerman, who’s performed on “Late Night with Seth Myers,” the “Today” show and more, combines magic, mentalism and comedy. When he’s not performing sleight of hand, Beckerman is eating his way through the world, hence his magical title.The ticket price is “pay what you can” starting at $10. For more information, visit apacny.org. Jazz concert Since the early days of the pandemic, Flushing Town Hall has streamed bountiful

Celebrate an unusual Valentine’s Day in an unusual way by gifting your sweetheart with a unique Aigner Chocolate’s game controller followed by virtual tea time with Mary Alsop King of King’s Manor. On the cover: Candy hearts are a holiday staple, but don’t have to AIGNER CHOCOLATES PHOTO; KING MANOR PHOTO; COVER: PEXEL.COM be the only gift choice. content to virtual viewers, including its monthly Jazz Jam. The Feb. 10 concert will be dedicated to Valentine’s Day, following the special theme “Let Love Reign,” and will showcase up to 15 love songs and funny

valentines. Participants are invited to jam along or watch with their significant other. The 7 p.m. event is free and available on the town hall’s Facebook page or via Zoom Q link. Visit flushingtownhall.org.

For the latest news visit qchron.com

Photo shoot For couples looking to commemorate the holiday during this chaotic year, photographer Robert Middleton is hosting a Valen-

tine’s Day mini-photo shoot in Astoria. Each $80 ticket covers up to four people for a 20-minute shoot. Three photos edited by Middleton will be delivered directly to a provided inbox, with the opportunity to request additional edits at $15 per picture. Time slots run from 1 to 6:40 p.m. on Feb. 6. To reserve a slot, call (347) 404-3715 or email middletonrobert99@gmail.com.

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021 Page 26

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Page 27 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021

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Legal Notices

Notice of formation of Lex and Motherhood Boutique LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on November 10th, 2020. Office located in Queens. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC 21404 42nd Avenue, Bayside NY 11361. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of Loaded Billions LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 11/23/2020. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: LOADED BILLIONS LLC, 25843 FRANCIS LEWIS BLVD, ROSEDALE, NY 11422. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of Luis Lopez & Properties, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/27/2021. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: RICARDO LOPEZ, 9123 120TH ST., RICHMOND HILL, NY 11418. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of New World Paints LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/14/2020. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: NEW WORLD PAINTS LLC, 206-11 109TH AVENUE, QUEENS VILLAGE, NY 11429. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of Phoenix First Development Group LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/8/21. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 136-20 Roosevelt Ave., #288, Flushing, NY 11354. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Young Cag LLC filed w/ SSNY on 1/11/21. Office: Queens Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 36-37 212th St., Bayside, NY 11361. Purpose: any lawful.

Notice of Formation of LLAMBDAAH LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/15/2021. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: LLAMBDAAH LLC, 119 09 231ST STREET, CAMBRIA HEIGHTS, NY 11411. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of LOMCHY LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/14/2021. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: LOMCHY LLC, 25-45 33RD STREET, APT 2R, ASTORIA, NY 11102. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

MORIAS REALTY, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 01/14/21. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 146-57 Bayside Avenue, Flushing, NY 11354. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of NYCTCO LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 12/21/2020. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: NYCTCO LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, 5026 46TH STREET, WOODSIDE, NY 11377. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of Wisefools Media LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 12/11/2020. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: WISEFOOLS MEDIA LLC, 3537 36TH ST, #515, ASTORIA, NY 11106. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

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Legal Notices

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021 Page 28

C M SQ page 28 Y K To Advertise Call 718-205-8000

Help Wanted

COLLECTION TRUCK DRIVERS SPECIALIST WANTED Routes available at: WANTED!!! CALLAHEAD CORP. is seeking a collection agent to make outgoing calls to collect past due payments. Must have the following skills: MUST HAVE COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE MUST HAVE A GOOD OUTGOING PERSONALITY MUST HAVE GOOD WORK ETHIC MUST LIKE TO BE ON THE PHONE MUST BE ORGANIZED We offer 2 weeks vacation paid, Medical, Dental, 401K, $15.00 per hour plus overtime. If this sounds like the job for you please apply in person Monday - Friday 9am- 7pm. at 304 Crossbay Blvd.,

CALL-A-HEAD Corp. NO CDL required, 4 DAY WORK WEEK (enjoy 3 days off ) . Run your own route. Year round. No layoffs! 100% medical, dental, uniforms, 2 weeks paid vacation. 401K plus over time. Will train ! 4:00am-2:30pm. $700.00 per week, plus $100.00 weekly bonus program. Apply in person Monday-Friday 9:00am-7:00pm

Help Wanted

OFFICE HELP

SCHOOL BUS/VAN DRIVERS

Seeking people with good communication skills, computer knowledge, for filing, organization and answering phones. Will train. Working hours will be Monday-Friday, 5PM-10PM, $17.00 per hour. Please apply in person at:

CALLAHEAD CORP.

Queens, NY 11693

at: 304 Crossbay Blvd., Broad Channel Queens

304 Cross Bay Blvd., Queens, NY 11693

We are looking forward to working with you!!!

No phone calls, apply in person.

Bet: 9AM and 7PM

SEEKING DATA ENTRY Full Time, Must Be Detail Oriented, Have Computer Skills, Responsible, And Ready To Learn New Skills. Callahead Offers: Paid Vacation, Holidays, 401K, and Health and Dental Benefits.

HANDYMAN PLUMBERS WANTED WANTED!!!! Must have clean driver’s license. Must be able to do light plumbing and carpentry. 4-day work week. $700 per week. 100% Medical & Dental, 401K, Uniforms, Paid Vacations, Sick and Holidays. Apply in person: Monday-Friday between 9 am & 7 pm at:

Please Apply In Person Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM

Call-A-Head Corp.

At 304 CROSSBAY BLVD., QUEENS, NY 11693

304 Crossbay Blvd., Queens, NY 11693

DISPATCH WANTED

INSIDE SALES POSITION AVAILABLE AT CALLAHEAD CORP.

No Experience Needed, we will train!!!!!

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Help Wanted

FULL TIME MONDAY FRIDAY 11:30 - 8:00 5-20 HOURS OF OVERTIME!! MEDICAL, DENTAL, 401K, 2 WEEKS VACATION, HOLIDAY PAY. $15.00 per hour. APPLY IN PERSON AT:

CALLAHEAD CORP. 304 CROSSBAY BLVD., QUEENS, NY 11693 APPLY MONDAY- FRIDAY 12:00- 7:00PM Help Wanted. $18.50 NYC, $16.00 L.I. & up to $13.50 Upstate NY! If you need care from your relative, friend or neighbor and you have Medicaid, they may be eligible to start taking care of as a personal assistant under NYS Medicaid CDPA Program. No certificates needed. Phone: 347-713-3553.

Seeking Female and Male alike. $36,000.00 base pay, medical and dental 100% covered, 401K, 2 weeks paid vacation. Will train, no experience necessary. Come work for NY’s largest Portable Sanitation Company and make between: $50,000.00 and $125,000.00 by being on the phone with our customers.

APPLY IN PERSON Monday - Friday between 2:00PM and 7:00PM

at 304 Crossbay Blvd., Broad Channel, Queens

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To Install Porcelain Toilets, Faucets, Water Pumps, Etc. Will Train!!! 4 Day Work Week, $700.00 Per Week. 100% Medical And Dental, 401k, Uniforms, Paid Vacations, Sick and Holidays.

Apply In Person Only!!! 304 Crossbay Blvd., Queens, NY 11693 At Call-A-Head Corp. Bet: 9AM & 7PM

Best Pay Package in the Industry! Start at $25.19* (Bus), $21.97* (Van) Equal Opportunity Employer Free CDL Training 25 Hrs. a week minimum FULL BENEFIT PACKAGE

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Health Services

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Career Training COMPUTER & IT TRAINING PROGRAM! Train ONLINE to get the skills to become a Computer & Help Desk Professional now! Grants and Scholarships available for certain programs for qualified applicants. Call CTI for details! (844) 947-0192 (M-F 8am-6pm ET) TRAIN AT HOME TO DO MEDICAL BILLING! Become a Medical Office Professional online at CTI! Get trained, certified & ready to work in months! Call 855-543-6440. (M-F 8am-6pm ET)

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Merchandise For Sale

The Generac PWRcell, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services available. $0 Down Financing option. Request a Get DIRECTV! ONLY $35/month! FREE, no obligation, quote today. 155 Channels & 1000s of Call 1-888-871-0194 Shows/Movies On Demand (w/ DISH TV $64.99 for 190 Channels SELECT All Included Package.) + $14.95 High Speed Internet. PLUS Stream on Up to FIVE Free Installation, Smart HD DVR Screens Simultaneously at No Included, Free Voice Remote. Additional Cost. Call DIRECTV Some restrictions apply. Promo 1-888-534-6918 Expires 7/21/21. 1-888-609-9405

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C M SQ page 29 Y K

Legal Notices

PLEASE CALL LORI, 1-929-361-0643 (Cell Phone). I PAY THE BEST, MOST HONEST PRICES FOR ESTATES, FURNITURE, CHANDELIERS, LAMPS, COSTUME JEWELRY, WATCHES (WORKING OR NOT WORKING), FURS, COINS, POCKETBOOKS, CHINA, VASES, GLASSWARE, STERLING SILVERWARE, FIGURINES, CANDLESTICKS, PAINTINGS, PRINTS, RUGS, PIANOS, GUITARS, VIOLINS, FLUTES, TAG SALES, CLEANOUTS, CARS

Legal Notices

AMAR MARKETING ENTERPRISE LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 03/24/2014. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Simranjeet Singh, 117-07 95TH Avenue, South Richmond Hill, NY 11419. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

Notice of Formation of BESPOKE BIKELIFE LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/14/2014. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: DANA F. NELSON, ESQ., 401 SCHENECTADY AVE., SUITE 8E, BROOKLYN, NY 11213. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

22-27 REALTY LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 12/22/20. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 22-27 33rd Street, Astoria, NY 11105. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of Angel Gems LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/30/2020. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: ZULEIKA CORTES, 53-23 ROOSEVELT AVE., APT. 3F, WOODSIDE, NY 11377. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of DBWRIGHT LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 12/23/2020. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: DAVID BOATWRIGHT PO BOX 205596 BROOKLYN, NY 11220. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of 4JM LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/04/2021. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: 4JM LLC, 162-30 99TH STREET, HOWARD BEACH, NY 11414. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of ANGELIC MOVING & DELIVERY LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/05/2020. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: LATANYA BARBER, 3811 DITMARS BLVD #1046, ASTORIA, NY 11105. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

DHAMRAIT LLC filed Arts. of Org. with the Sect’y of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/1/2020. Office: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: The LLC, 24415 85th Rd, Bellerose, NY 11426. Purpose: any lawful act.

Notice of Formation of 6318 Fresh Pond Realty LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/06/2021. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: GUO HUA LIN, 6318 FRESH POND RD, RIDGEWOOD, NY 11385. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of AWTCS LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 11/18/2020. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: AWTCS LLC 34-30 Collins Place Flushing, NY 11354 Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

ELLENHELPS CONSULTING LLC.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

SECTION 106 PUBLIC NOTICE T-Mobile Northeast, LLC proposes to construct a 70 foot tall Monopole tower located at 45 N. Hangar Road, Jamaica, Queens County, NY 11430. Interested parties with comments regarding potential effects on Historic Properties may contact T-Mobile c/o Virginia Janssen at Dynamic Environmental Associates, Inc., 3850 Lake Street, Suite C, Macon, GA 31204, 877-968-4787, Sec106@ DynamicEnvironmental.com within 30 days from the date of this publication. Re: 22101078

Notice of Formation of Almighty Daycare LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/05/2021. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: AMANDA L. MIGHTY, 111-27 158TH STREET, JAMAICA, NY 11433. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice

Elmhurst 4520, LLC, Arts of Org filed with SSNY on 01/12/21. Off. Loc.: Queens County, SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: The LLC, 41-28 Haight St #1A, Flushing, NY 11355. Purpose: to engage in any lawful act.

JOSHUA19 MARKETING LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/17/2020. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Joshua Sanchez, 216-10 111th Avenue, Queens Village, NY 11429. Reg Agent: Joshua Sanchez, 216-10 111th Avenue, Queens Village, NY 11429. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

Formation

BELL DESIGNS, LLC. Articles of Org. filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/26/20. Office located in Queens County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC to: 224-10 Jamaica Avenue, Apt. 3K, Queens Village, NY 11428. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 12/22/20. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 39-19 47th Street, Sunnyside, NY 11104.

Real Estate EQUAL HOUSING. Federal, New York State and local laws prohibit discrimination because of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, familial status or disability in connection with the sale or rental of residential real estate. Queens Chronicle does not knowingly accept advertising in violation of these laws. When you suspect housing discrimination call the Open Housing Center (the Fair Housing Agency for the five boroughs of New York) at 212-941-6101, or the New York City Commission of Human Rights Hotline at 718722-3131. The Queens Chronicle reserves the right to alter wording in ads to conform with Federal Fair Housing regulations.

Co-ops For Sale REGO PARK Sunny and bright 1,100 sq. ft. corner unit located in the heart of Rego Park on highly desired Austin Street. Hardwood floors throughout, newly renovated kitchen & bath with porcelain floor tiles and granite counter top. All new stainless steel appliances & eat in nook, with separate dining area which opens to living room for entertaining. $1,075/mo. maintenance includes gas, heat, water, real estate taxes. Close to schools, transportation, shopping & restaurants $625,000

BRIGHT HORIZONS REALTY

718-615-1441

Howard Beach/Lindenwood, HiRise 1 BR unit converted from a studio. Low maint, updated kit & Bushwick, 171 Irving Ave, Apt 2R. bath, top fl. Asking $148K. 2BR/1bath. Railroad layout. Half Connexion RE, 718-845-1136 month fee. $1,900/mo. HW fls, high ceilings, full bath. Original details. Avail NOW. Call Francesco Belviso, 718-570-4564, Capri Jet Howard Beach/Cross Bay Blvd. Realty Commercial storefront, waterview, Bushwick, 6 Stanhope St, #3R. 1,600 sq ft + bath. $5,500/mo, NO FEE. 1 BR/1.5 bath. $1,900/ taxes included. Connexion RE, mo. Beautiful renov apt. HWF, SS. 718-845-1136 Small pets OK. New construction bldg. Avail Now. Call Tiana Williams, 917-982-8507. Capri Jet Realty

Apts. For Rent

Comm. Space For Rent

Legal Notices

Greenpoint, 171 Norman Ave, #3. NO FEE, 3BR/1Bath., $3,200/mo. Avail Mar 1, Full LR, full DR, galley kit, dishwasher, W/D. Call Theo Eastwind, 718-536-7787. Capri Jet Realty Howard Beach, Old Side, 5 rms, 2 BRs, 2nd fl, new kit & bath. $1,950/mo. Call Broker 347-846-7809 Howard Beach/Lindenwood, 3 BR 1 1/2 baths. Newly renov bath. Walking distance to PS 232. Leave a message. By owner. 917-855-7390. Ozone Park, 98 St. Spacious 2 BR, 2 full modern baths, modern EIK, walking distance to “A” train & buses, outdoor balcony, $2,250/ mo. Reynolds & Schneider Realty, 347-809-0497

Houses For Sale Massapequa, all new, unique, Colonial, 7 BRs, 3 full baths, (permit for mother/daughter) w/full fin bsmnt on 75x100. Asking $925K. Connexion RE, 718-845-1136 Middle Village, Mint det Colonial, pvt dvwy, 2 car gar, 3 BR, 2 full baths, completely renov thruout within 7 yrs. HW fls upstairs, lg LR, lg FDR, lg kit w/cherry cabinets, SS appl, island, beautiful. Asking $938K. Connexion RE, 718-845-1136

Notice is hereby given that license #1333115 has been applied by the undersigned to sell wine, beer in a restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 69-32 Grand Ave., Maspeth, NY 11378 for on-premises consumption. G A V REST.CORP. d/b/a/ Good Eats Diner.

NOTICE is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County on 01-13-2021, bearing Index Number NC-000670-20/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11435, grants me (us) the right to: Assume the name of (First) MIHAI (Middle) IULIAN (Last) MOROSANU. My present name is (First) MIHAI (Middle) IULIAN (Last) GAINA AKA MIHAI-IULIAN GAINA AKA MIHAI GAINA AKA MIHAI I. GAINA. The city and state of my present address are Sunnyside, NY. My place of birth is ROMANIA. The month and year of my birth are July 1981.

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For the latest news visit qchron.com

Merchandise Wanted

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Page 29 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021

To Advertise Call 718-205-8000

HEARING NOTICE The New York City Board of Standards and Appeals has scheduled a virtual public hearing on the following application on February 22nd or 23rd, 2021: BSA Cal. No. 2018-173-BZ, Premises: 128 Beach 9th Street, Queens, Block 15612, Lot(s) 0026, Applicant: Law Office of Jay Goldstein, PLLC, Variance (§7221) to permit the development of a 17-story, mixed-use, community facility and residential building on a waterfront lot contrary to ZR §62322 (Floor Area and Floor Area Ratio (“FAR”)); ZR §62-341 (Maximum Base Height and Building Height); ZR §62- 341(a)(2) (Setbacks) and ZR §§25-23 & 25-31(parking). R6 zoning district. An agenda listing the specific session (including the final date and time) with callin details will be posted as an announcement on the front page of the Board’s website (www.nyc.gov/ bsa) the Friday before. The virtual public hearing will be livestreamed on the Board’s website and on YouTube. Interested persons or associations may watch online and call in to present testimony during the public hearing. They may also submit a written statement by email to submit@bsa.nyc.gov. For any communication, please include BSA Calendar No. 2018173-BZ and the property address: 128 Beach 9th Street, Queens. The Board’s physical office is currently closed, but please direct questions to (212) 386-0009.

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021 Page 30

C M SQ page 30 Y K

Located in WILLIAMSBURG, Brooklyn’s hottest neighborhood. We have Qualified International Buyers.

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18-73 Greene Ave., Ridgewood 4 Family w/ Backyard & Full Basement! $1,299,000

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• OPEN HOUSE (By Appt.) • Sunday, Feb. 7th 1 - 3pm

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261 St. Nicholas Ave., Ridgewood Corner 2 Family + Store & Full Basement! Projected CAP Rate 8% $1,599,999

13 Stuyvesant Ave., Bed-Stuy Renovated 2 Family Brick Building in Bed-Stuy! VACANT! $1,150,000

78-57 81st St., Glendale Gorgeously Renovated 3 Fam., 5 Levels w/Backyard & Pvt Dwy! $1,125,000

45 Harman St., Bushwick Extra Large Recently Renovated 3 Family Investment Property! $1,400,000

• OPEN HOUSE (By Appt.) • Sunday, Feb. 7th 12 - 2pm 8375 117th St., Unit 7B, Kew Gardens Renovated 2Br/2Bath Condo w/Balcony! $559,000

282 Leonard St., Williamsburg Renovated Brick 3 Family! $2,475,000

• OPEN HOUSE • Sunday, Feb. 7th 3 - 4pm 337 Leonard St., Williamsburg 2 Family (4 Levels) w/Backyard & Basement! $1,599,000

16 Devoe St., Williamsburg Vacant 2 Family (4 Levels) w/Backyard! $1,799,000

57 Withers St., Williamsburg Vacant 2 Family w/Backyard! $1,700,000

47-08 59th Pl., Woodside Gorgeous Brick Tudor 1 Family w/Garage & Backyard! $935,000

WE ARE HIRING LICENSED REAL ESTATE AGENTS!

756 Grand St., Williamsburg Brick 6 Family + Store w/Backyard & Full Basement! $2,388,000

420 64th St., Apt PH2, Bay Ridge Stunning 1 BR/1 Bath Penthouse Condo w/Balcony in Bay Ridge! $527,000

FREE Tax Liability (if any) analysis of the sale of your Home, by our in-house accountant, Mario Saggese, CPA, specializing in 1031 Exchanges and saving you money. The consultation is FREE and you are under no obligation to use his services For more listings, please visit our website

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Thinking of Listing, call anyone. Thinking of Selling, Call Us! Call Today for a FREE over the phone CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) O: 347-450-3577 info@CapriJetRealty.com

C M SQ page 31 Y K

BEAT

82-17 153 RD Ave., Suite 202, Howard Beach, NY 11414

Matz’s Mets days end by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor

There was so much promise when Steven Matz was called up by the Mets from the minors in 2015. He grew up in Suffolk County and quickly became a hero with both his superb pitching and his ability to hit, which made it seem as if he was a position player. Unfortunately his early success proved to be fleeting and by 2020 all the fan goodwill seemed like a distant memory as he was usually heading to the showers by the third inning. There was some talk at the end of the season the Mets wouldn’t offer a contract to Matz and thus grant him free agency. Figuring left-handed pitchers always command some kind of value, the Mets offered him a $5.3 million contract, which Matz accepted. That was no guarantee, however, Matz would be part of the team’s future, and last Thursday he was traded by new acting Mets general manager Zack Scott. Scott received three minor league pitchers from the Toronto Blue Jays in the trade but none appear to be blue-chip prospects. It would have been nice had Scott been able to reclaim one of the two pitching prospects, Simeon Woods Richardson or Anthony Kay, whom former Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen sent to Toronto in exchange for pitcher Marcus Stroman. That deal has yet to pay dividends for the Mets. Former Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy

CENTURY 21 AMIABLE II 718-835-4700 69-39 Myrtle Ave., Glendale, NY 11385

announced his retirement last week. Mets fans will fondly recall his hitting heroics during the 2015 postseason. However, it was Murphy’s shoddy defense that infuriated both fans and Mets executives. Mets GM Sandy Alderson allowed Murphy to leave the organization as a free agent following the 2015 World Series, and he signed a deal with the Washington Nationals. Mets pitchers could never get him out after he no longer called Flushing home. Alderson has acknowledged letting Murphy go was a blunder. The Mets announced Alderson’s predecessor, Omar Minaya, will be returning as a goodwill ambassador for the club. My guess is Minaya, who grew up in Corona and attended PS 19, IS 61 and Newtown High School, will do more than make appearances before community groups at the behest of the Mets. Expect him to do scouting and to be an advisor to Scott who became acting GM after the Jared Porter debacle. Van Wagenen has dusted himself off after being dismissed by Mets owner Steve Cohen. A former sports agent at CAA, Van Wagenen is the new chief operating officer of Roc Nation Sports, where he will represent athletes in all sports, not just baseball. The mercurial Yoenis Cespedes is a Roc Nation client. I wish Brodie the best of luck. He’ll need it. See the extended version of Sports Beat every week at qchron.com.

718-628-4700

• Lindenwood • • Old Howard Beach • Lovely waterfront home, boat and water view lovers! Features new roof in 2012 with hurricane shingles, plywood floor in attic, chain link fence with privacy slots, wooden deck and boat house. Cement bulkhead, floating dock, attached garage and full un-fi nished basement. 2nd story added in 1997. Radiate heaters recessed into walls. Come check it out for yourself!

• Lindenwood • Garden 1st floor unit - 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, new kitchen, new bath, move in ready, washer and dryer in unit

• Broad Channel • Bar/Restaurant with a large 3 BR apartment on the second floor with 1 full bath & 1 half bath. Parking Lot for approx. 10-12 cars, back deck & yard, garage. Great location for food/restaurant business 5 minutes from Rockaway Beach. Items included in the sale: Pool table, Snack vending machine, register, stove, deep fryer, ice machine, tables & chairs, stools, light fi xtures, ceiling fans, Walk in refrigerator, 1 freezer, 2 refrigerators, 2 air conditioners, cookware.

Check out this spacious condo in Howard Beach. This unit features 1020 sq ft of living space with an updated kitchen with large pantry and stainless steel appliances. Spacious living room and dining room, 2 large BRs, 2 full baths and ample closets for storage. Extra large terrace, perfect for relaxing in your own private space. Laundry room, storage room and bike room located in lobby. Common charges: Base: $778.34 which includes water, sewer, cooking gas, heat and common area maint. Parking available to all owners for additional $25/month. Conveniently located near shopping, stores, schools, highways, Q41, Q21 and express bus to Midtown. Property taxes after condo abatement is applied is $3,533 a year.

Page 31 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021

SPORTS

• Lindenwood •

• Rockwood Park • 1 Family Hi-Ranch home. 3 bedrooms, large LR, FDR, EIK, plenty of closets, built-in pool, master bedroom has 1/2 bath with shower, storage and attic

Completely and beautifully renovated studio with terrace. Features open floor plan, stainless steel appliances, porcelain floors, walk-in closet, fi replace. Condo has soundproof walls. Near transportation, shopping and restaurants.

Connexion REAL ESTATE

161-14A Crossbay Blvd., Howard Beach

Get Your House

SOLD!

(Brother’s Shopping Ctr.)

ARLENE PACCHIANO Broker/Owner

718-845-1136

C LO

SED

D! OS E

S C LO

ED !

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O NT IN C

R AC

FREE MARKET EVALUATION

CONNEXIONREALESTATE.COM OZONE PARK

Reduced $798K Owner Mortgage

MIDDLE VILLAGE

CO-OP FOR SALE Hi-Rise 1 BR Unit Converted from a Studio, Low Maint, Updated Kit & Bath, Top Floor Asking $148K ROSEDALE

WE ARE HIRING O IN C

CT ! NTR A

COMING SOON! HOWARD BEACH/ ROCKWOOD PARK

Real Estate Agents! Call

917-796-6024 RICHMOND HILL SOUTH

High Ranch, 4 Bed, 3 Full Bath

HOWARD BEACH COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR RENT

Mint Det Colonial, pvt dvwy & 2 car gar, 3 BRs, 2 full baths, completely renovated throughout within 7 years, windows, roof, gas boiler, hotwater heater, stoop, wood doors, porcelain tiles on 1st flr, hardwood flrs upstairs, lg living rm, lg formal dining rm. lg kit with cherry cabinets, S.S. appl, island, Beautiful.

Asking $938K

Large 2 Family on oversized lot (84’x121’) Ideal for contractor or to park multiple trucks 7+, with 2 car det. garage, house in (22’x50’), full bsmnt. House sold as is. Needs updating, 6 BR, 3 full baths, Great Price Asking $798K

Lovely Colonial in heart of Richmond Hill South. Updated Kitchen, 3 BRs, 2 full baths, full finished basement, garage.

Asking $575K

MASSAPEQUA

Cross Bay Blvd., 2nd Floor, 350 sq. ft., Plus Heat & Electric, All New Tiles & New Bathroom

All new, unique, Colonial 7 BRs, 3 full baths, (permit for mother/daughter) w/ full finished basement on 75x100.

Asking $925K

FREE Market Evaluation 718-845-1136

$1,500/mo CONR-078734

For the latest news visit qchron.com

Commercial Building (101st Ave.) 2 blocks off Cross Bay Blvd./25x100 lot, 25x46 building/ 2nd flr., Dental Office $2,200 per mo./ 1st floor gutted to studs & vacant / basement clean with new furnace / zoning R6B / building K2

FREE

FREE DELIVERY For All SENIOR CITIZENS

Your neighborhood market since 1937 FRI. SAT. SUN. MON. TUES. WED. THURS.

Sale Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Feb. Dates 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

PHONE ORDERS GLADLY ACCEPTED

URBAN MEADOW BREAD with $25 purchase

HEADQUARTERS

With this coupon. Expires 02/11/21. Limit One per family.

“It’s not our intention to please a customer or to satisfy them, our intention is to amaze them”

102-02 101st AVE, OZONE PARK • 718-849-8200 FREE CUSTOMER PARKING (Across The Street)

We Accept All Major Credit Cards WIC - EBT

STORE HOURS: Mon.-Sun. 8 am to 9 pm

KEYF-078746

For the latest news visit qchron.com

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, February 4, 2021 Page 32

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We reserve the right to limit quantities to one can or package on sale items. Items offered for sale are not available in case lots. Alcoholic beverages may not be available in all locations. We are not responsible for typographical errors. Some Items Not Available in all Locations.