Queens Chronicle South Edition 03-13-14 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

PHOTO BY DOMENICK RAFTER

VOL. XXXVII NO. 11

THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2014

QCHRON.COM

Howard Beach residents cast votes on

storm recovery projects

PAGE 5

The New York Rising Howard Beach Committee presented a list of proposals focusing on disaster resiliency in the neighborhood that could be implemented with an $18.3 million grant the panel received from the state in Hurricane Sandy recovery funds.

CHANGE OF GUARD CB 9 elects new chairman

PAGE 6

SPRING COLLEGE

JUST CALL HIM THE LEGO MAN

Section

Sean Kenney creates art from play

PAGES 29-31

SEE qboro, PAGE 41

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 2

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Borough Board begs bigger budget bucks Katz seeks funds for staff, police, infrastructure, arts State likes Bill’s by Michael Gannon

budget — so far

Editor

n his preliminary budget for next year, Mayor de Blasio is looking to increase city spending by more than $4 billion. But Borough President Melinda Katz wants more. On Monday, the Queens Borough Board, consisting of City Council members and community board chairpersons, approved a list prepared by Katz’s office that seeks funding for school and youth programs, a new police precinct carved out of the existing 105th, and an increase in staff at her office to better address the ever-increasing cultural and language needs of Queens’ burgeoning immigrant population. But along with the mayor’s overall spending increase are decreases in areas where Katz and her Budget Director Richard Lee said the city needs to not only restore proposed cuts, but increase the allocations. And while Katz praised the mayor for his handling of the process thus far — “It’s nice to have a mayor who doesn’t engage in the annual budget dance,” she said in a swat at former Mayor Bloomberg — she declined to say just where she expects de Blasio to print the extra money she and the board want. “A budget is a list of priorities,” Katz said after the meeting. “And I think the mayor and I share many of the same priorities.”

Borough President Melinda Katz, left, and Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz, seated right, go over the budget priorities for the Queens Borough Board for the fiscal year beginning on July 1. But their priorities may exceed the capacity of Mayor de Blasio’s checkbook. PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON In her own office, Katz would like to go from 54 positions to 64, an increase she said is necessitated by growing numbers of immigrants who, while they may not yet master English, still need some city services. “Forty-eight percent of our residents are foreign-born, and 28 percent have limited English proficiency,” Katz said. Lee said the intent is to expand the scope of constituent

service in a way that is “linguistically and culturally appropriate.” Katz also would like the NYPD to split the 105th Precinct, headquartered in Queens Village, and break off the southerly portion to form a new 116th Precinct. “That’s been on our list for 20 years,” said Bryan Block, chairman of Community Board continued on page 35

New York State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli on Tuesday released a cautiously optimistic overview of Mayor de Blasio’s preliminary $73 billion budget for the 2014-15 fiscal year. Like every other analysis of recent pedigree, DiNapoli said the city’s 150plus unsettled labor contracts cast a shadow of u ncer t ai nt y over cit y finances. “While strong economic growth has boosted city revenues, Mayor de Blasio continues to grapple with ongoing structural deficits and labor contracts that have remained unsettled for too long,” DiNapoli said in a statement issued by his office. “The f inal cost and st r uct ure of these agreements may not be known for some time. This plan is a strong starting point for the mayor and I urge him to remain cautious and look at the long-term picture.” DiNapoli said city revenues could prove to be higher than the administration is predicting, and praised de continued on page 35

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Now, in Howard Beach, NY, one doctor is helping local residents with knee pain live more active, pain-free lives. Living with knee pain can feel like a crippling experience. Let’s face it, your knees aren’t as young as you used to be, and playing with the kids or grandkids isn’t any easier either. Maybe your knee pain keeps you from walking short distances or playing golf like you used to. Nothing’s worse than feeling great mentally, but physically feeling held back from life because your knees hurt and the pain just won’t go away! My name is Dr. Robert F. Gucciardo, D.C., owner of Gucciardo Specific Chiropractic and Natural Health Center. Since we opened seventeen years ago, I’ve seen hundreds of people with knee problems leave the office pain free. If you’re suffering from these conditions, a new breakthrough in medical technology may completely eliminate your pain and help restore normal function to your knees.

Do You Have Any of the Following Conditions? • Arthritis • Knee pain • Cartilage damage • ‘Bone-on-bone’ • Tendonitis • Bursitis • Crunching and popping sounds Finally, You Have an Option Other Than Drugs or Surgery

of the Injured Tissues. Before the FDA would clear the Class IV laser for human use, they wanted to see proof that it worked. This lead to two landmark studies. The first study showed that patients who had laser therapy had 53 percent better improvement than those who had a placebo. The second study showed patients who used the laser therapy had less pain and more range of motion days after treatment. If the Class IV Laser can help these patients, it can help you too.

Could This Non invasive, Natural Treatment Be the Answer to Your Knee Pain? For 10 days only, I’m running a very special offer where you can find out if you are a candidate for cold laser therapy. What does this offer include? Everything I normally do in my “Knee Pain Evaluation.” Just call before March 23, 2014 and here’s what you’ll get… • An in-depth consultation about your problem where I will listen … really listen … to the details of your case. • A complete neuromuscular examination. • A full set of specialized X-rays to determine if arthritis is contributing to your pain (If necessary). (If you have films please bring them for evaluation). • A thorough analysis of your exam and X-ray findings so we can start mapping out your plan to being pain free. • You’ll see everything firsthand and find out if this amazing treatment will be your pain solution, as it has been for so many other patients. Until March 23, you can get everything I’ve listed here for only $37. The normal price for this type of evaluation including X-rays is $250, so you’re saving a considerable amount by taking me up on this offer. Remember what it was like before you had knee problems– when you were pain free and could enjoy everything life had to offer. It can be that way again. Don’t neglect your problem any longer – don’t wait until it’s too late.

A new treatment is helping patients with knee pain live a happier, more active lifestyle. Here’s what to do now: Due to the expected demand for this special offer, I urge you to call our office at once. The phone number is 718-845-2323. Call today and we can get started with your consultation, exam and X-rays (if necessary) as soon as there’s an opening in the schedule. Our office is called Gucciardo Specific Chiropractic and Natural Health Center and you can find us at 162-07 91st Street in Howard Beach. Tell the receptionist you’d like to come in for the Knee Evaluation before March 23. Sincerely, Dr. Robert F. Gucciardo, D.C. P.S. Now you might be wondering …

“Is this safe? Are there any side effects or dangers to this?” The FDA cleared the first Class IV Laser in 2002. This was after their study found 76% improvement in patients with severe pain. Their only warning – don’t shine it in your eyes. Of course at our office, the laser is never anywhere near your eyes and we’ll give you a comfortable pair of goggles for safety. Don’t wait and let your knee problems get worse, disabling you for life. Take me up on my offer and call today (718) 845-2323. For more information go to www.drgucciardo.com and click on the laser therapy tab.

Federal and Medicare restrictions apply. Dr. Robert F. Gucciardo Upper, Cervical Chiropractor, Master Clinician in Nutrition Response Testing 162-07 91st Street, Howard Beach, NY 11414 • (718) 845-2323

ROBG-063685

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New research in a treatment called Class IV Laser Therapy is having a profound effect on patients suffering with knee pain. Unlike the cutting type of laser seen in movies and used in medical procedures, the Class IV therapeutic laser penetrates the surface of the skin with no heating effect or damage. Laser Therapy has been tested for 40 years, had over 2000 papers published on it, and has been shown to aid in damaged tissue regeneration, decrease inflammation, relieve pain and boost the immune system. This means that there is a good chance cold laser therapy could be your knee pain solution, allowing you to live a more active lifestyle. Professional athletes like The New York Yankees and team members of the New England Patriots rely upon cold laser therapy to treat their sports-related injuries. These guys use the cold laser for one reason only…

It Promotes Rapid Healing

Page 3 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

How To Get Rid of Knee Pain Once and For All... Without Drugs, Shots or Surgery

C M SQ page 4 Y K

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 4

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New York Rising unveils resiliency projects for community input by Domenick Rafter Editor

The state-backed committee tasked with coming up with more than $18 million in recovery plans after Hurricane Sandy in Howard Beach presented its proposals to the public on Tuesday in the next step toward making those ideas a reality. Armed with nine plans, including flood remediation, establishing relief centers and funding resiliency programs, the committee, part of the statewide New York Rising program, allowed members of the public to vote for their favorite ideas at a six-hour open house at Russo’s on The Bay. New York Rising was established by Gov. Cuomo last year and aims to allow community input toward recovery spending in the wake of Sandy, as well as damage caused by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee upstate. The Howard Beach committee, made up of local residents and consultants,

is mainly focused on Sandy, but also makes note of the relatively minor damage caused by Irene, especially in Hamilton Beach, just 14 months earlier. “Although we are representing the community, we want to hear from you so we could have a full representation of what the community would like,” Frances Scarantino, co-chairwoman of the New York Rising Howard Beach Committee, told residents during a presentation in which the nine ideas were outlined. The panel has $18.3 million to earmark, with the possibility of getting $3 million more. The nine proposals presented included a comprehensive study on coastal protection in Howard Beach, including the feasibility of tidal gates and berms across Charles Park and Shellbank Basin and Hawtree Creek, at a cost of $1 to $3 million; the construction of berms and tidal gates at a cost of $10 million; $250,000 toward the city’s restora-

School planned for Centreville

Tom Jost, a consultant working with New York Rising’s Howard Beach Committee, presents the panel’s post-Sandy reconstruction and resiliency plans to area residents during an open house at Russo’s on The Bay Monday. PHOTO BY DOMENICK RAFTER

would seek to educate homeowners and business owners on initiatives that aim to help in future disasters. The committee also showed off two other proposals, which were not part of the ballot. One was the

state Department of Environmental Conservation project to restore Spring Creek Park, the other a long-term proposal for more flood mitigation around Jamaica Bay. continued on page 23

Greenway plans move forward Trail around Jamaica Bay would go through Howard Beach by Domenick Rafter Editor

The city Department of Transportation will seek public input on its plans to put the finishing touches on a long-proposed greenway around Jamaica Bay that would bring a biking and hiking path through Howard Beach to connect to already existing ones in Broad Channel and along the Belt Parkway. Alice Friedman and Albert Silvestri, representatives from the DOT, attended last Thursday’s Community Board 10 meeting to announce their plans, which are only in the early stages. They also announced a series of public meetings aiming to get feedback from the communities that would be affected, including Howard Beach. Ten miles of the proposed 28-mile Jamaica Bay Greenway — first proposed 20 years ago — has been built and connects parkland in Rockaway with Brooklyn and Queens. Part of the greenway that has been built includes the bike path along the Belt Parkway and in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. The public meeting will be held on March 20 at 6:30 p.m. at PS 232 in Lindenwood. Further meetings are slated for March 25 in Rockaway at Scholars’ Academy, 320 Beach 104 St., and in

Brooklyn on April 2 at the Car mine Carro Community Center, 300 Fillmore Ave., in Sheepshead Bay and on April 8 at the Brooklyn Sports Club, 1540 Van Siclen Ave., Canarsie. Friedman said the public will be able to offer ideas as to where the best place for a greenway through Howard Beach would be, what should be constructed along it and what other ideas they may have. Members of CB 10 expressed some concerns about the plan, including where a greenway would be built in Howard Beach and who would maintain it. “Some of the route will be built on DOT right of way,” Friedman explained. Peter Granickas, chairman of CB 10’s Air Pollution Committee, asked who would maintain the greenway, noting that the existing paths along the Belt Parkway are often strewn with trash. “The portion that’s on DOT property would be cleaned through the regular street-sweeping process,” Friedman said. “The parts that we would be looking to build would be on DOT property.” She also noted that the Belt Parkway section is not on DOT land. Granickas asked where those parts would be exactly, noting that existing bike lanes in

Howard Beach are on residential streets. Friedman said the DOT would look at “excess” street space that can be utilized. “Yeah, we don’t have none of that,” Granickas responded. CB 10 Second Vice Chairman John Calcagnile suggested utilizing Spring Creek Park, slated for a $50 million overhaul by the state Department of Environmental Conservation. He noted that building a greenway in the park would connect the Belt Parkway section to the Joseph P. Addabbo Bridge and keep the path off residential streets. Friedman acknowledged that using Spring Creek Park is an option, adding that the DOT has been working with state and federal agencies and was aware of the DEC project. “There is so much attention on various things going on around Jamaica Bay that we want to build on that,” she said. Friedman added that funding is in place for both the study and the actual project, but did not put a price tag on the plan. She said whatever input DOT receives at the meetings would be included in the proposals that will be presented to community boards in the fall. Draft plans and a list of priority areas that will be constructed first are scheduled to be released next spring. Q

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The School Construction Authority will build a new public school in the Centreville section of Ozone Park. The new 504-seat K-5 school will be constructed at Albert Road and Huron Street and will serve children in the Centreville area who are currently zoned for PS 63 across Cross Bay Boulevard or PS 146 in Howard Beach. The SCA has bought the land for the school and the building is now in the design phase. “The school will definitely help alleviate overcrowding and be a welcome addition to the neighborhood,” said Cou ncil man Er ic U l r ich (R-Ozone Park). According to the SCA, construction on the school is due to start at the end of this year and it should be ready by 2017. But Ulrich said the school cannot be built until the long-awaited Albert Road sewer project — HWQ411B — begins, which the city says it will start within a year, after a more than 30-year wait. Once built, the school will be the second to be constructed in Ozone Park recently. The 444-seat PS 316, located at 90-07 101 Ave., is slated to open this Q September. — Domenick Rafter

tion of Upper Spring Creek in Lindenwood, which f looded during Sandy; establishment of a relief center based at the Peter J. Striano Senior Housing at Cross Bay Boulevard and 156th Avenue, which did not suffer severe flood damage in Sandy, at a cost of $2.5 to $3 million; and satellite relief centers to be established at locations around the neighborhood, including St. Helen’s Father Dooley Hall, PS 146 and PS 232, which would cost $1 million. Further options include a comprehensive plan to deal with flooding in Hawtree Creek around Coleman Square and at the entrance to Hamilton Beach and Ramblersville at a t o -be - det er m i ned cost ; $300,000 to $500,000 in funding for facility improvements for the West Hamilton Beach Volunteer Fire Department, which despite being devastated by Sandy, operated during the storm; and $1 to $3 million each toward business and residential resiliency programs that

Page 5 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

Howard Beach mulls storm recovery plans

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 6

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Community Board 9 elects new leaders Ralph Gonzalez picked as chairman as incumbent Coccovillo stands down by Domenick Rafter Editor

Community Board 9 elected a new slate of leaders on Tuesday night in Ozone Park in what ended up being a rather anticlimactic vote after weeks of rumors of a brawl between incumbent chairman Jim Coccovillo and his opposition on the board. Coccovillo opted not to seek a second term as chairman, instead nominating Ralph Gonzalez of Ozone Park — whose name had been mentioned by several members as a potential opponent of Coccovillo’s. Gonzalez won the chairmanship unopposed. Raj Rampershad, the board’s executive secretary, was elected first vice chairman unopposed. The race for second vice chairman and executive secretary went to a ballot. Three candidates were nominated for second vice chair — J. Richard Smith of Woodhaven, Marie Turley of Kew Gardens and Joseph Iaboni of Richmond Hill, a former chairman. Smith was elected with 25 votes to 11 for Turley and 8 for Iaboni. Turley later emerged victorious as executive secretary, a race in which she squared off against Ivan Mrakovcic of Richmond Hill and Marian Molina of Woodhaven. Turley and Mrakovcic tied the first round, forcing a runoff between the two that Turley won 24-18 with 2 votes being declared void for not listing either name.

After the vote, Coccovillo, who has been chairman since last April and whose time wielding the gavel included turbulent debates over the future of District Manager Mary Ann Carey and board member Sam Esposito, reminisced on his term. “I want to thank everyone for allowing me to serve as chairman for the last year,” he said. “Even though we had some tough moments, it has been a privilege to be chairman.” Gonzalez thanked the board and said he looks forward to his term as chairman. The new leadership will take office on April 1. Besides the elections, CB 9 also discussed a number of issues, most notably the collapsed building at 78-19 Jamaica Ave. in Woodhaven that crumbled 11 months ago and has still not been fixed or demolished. Ed Wendell, former president of the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association, joined Patricia and Kelly Sexton, co-founder and member of the Woodhaven Richmond Hill Volunteer Ambulance Corps during the public forum to discuss the ruined building’s effects on the ambulance corps headquarters next door. The collapse damaged the corps building and melting snow late last month caused leaks that forced the corps to abandon the building altogether. The Woodhaven Senior Center, whose rent was a major source of revenue for the corps, was also relocated and the corps’

future is in jeopardy. “What we’re asking is for the board’s support in helping us,” Kelly Sexton said. A permit issued for work on the site has been posted on the scaffolding that surrounds the building. Maria Thomson, executive director of the Woodhaven Business Improvement District, which has jurisdiction over the site, complained that the city has moved at a snail’s pace on the issue. “We are asking them to tear it down,” Thomson said. “This has gone on long enough.” Also during the meeting, approval of a liquor license for a new restaurant called La Cabana de San Cecilio at 102-24 Jamaica Ave. in Richmond Hill led to a discussion over whether or not the strip in Richmond Hill has too many bars already. “The area is very saturated with bars and nightclubs,” Thomson said. At issue was whether or not the liquor license would be legal as there were several others in the area that have them, and it could violate state liquor laws to have so many close together. But Coccovillo, a former chairman of the Public Safety Committee, said it would be legal if the bars have only beer and wine licenses and not those for full bars as many on Jamaica Avenue do. Another issue was brought up: whether

Ralph Gonzalez was elected the new chairman of Community Board 9 on Tuesday night. PHOTO BY DOMENICK RAFTER

restaurants and bars were moonlighting as nightclubs, a common problem along Jamaica Avenue, according to some members. “I know for a fact that these bars and restaurant close and then open up as discos,” said Esposito. Some of the patrons of those nightclubs have been involved in criminal activity in the neighborhood, including at least two murders continued on page 20

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Page 7 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

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BROD-063626

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 8

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EDITORIAL

AGE

Will Malcolm Smith accept Bitcoins?

omeone should tell Malcolm Smith that the weather’s warming up and indeed spring is nigh. The state senator from Hollis seems stuck in wintertime. Maybe the harsh season gave him a bit of cabin fever. Or maybe there’s some other explanation for the oddball fundraising “event” he has planned for March 24. It’s a “virtual golf outing” advertised on his campaign website, which declares, without a trace of irony, “That’s our Malcolm!” Hmmm. Indeed. Credit Smith with originality. No other politician we can think of has tried to hold a “fundraiser” that apparently entails nothing more than sending the money and not even getting up off the couch. Where do you play? Nowhere. Where do you eat after playing your rounds? Nowhere. What do you eat? Nothing.

What do you get out of it all? That’s hard to say. We know what Smith is hoping to get: cash to fund his re-election campaign and, possibly, his defense in the federal corruption case against him. Smith, you see, has only about $23,000 left in his account. And he’s facing some tough charges and has a well-known lawyer, Gerald Shargel, who doesn’t come cheap. Maybe that’s why he’s charging $100 for one person, $250 for two and $500 for four. Usually the price per player is lowered for pairs and groups at such events. But this apparently is bizarro world, where everything’s backwards. Smith is at the center of a bizarre scheme in which he allegedly sought to bribe Republican Party officials into letting him run for mayor on their line last year. He, along with then-City Councilman Dan Halloran and four other people,

were indicted nearly a year ago. Two of the lesser players in the alleged conspiracy reached plea agreements with federal prosecutors, but the others, including Smith, continue to fight the charges. Smith even asked the court to delay his trial until after this year’s state primaries, since he’s going to be facing at least two challengers, but that request was denied. Good. This is no virtual trial. Unlike Smith’s planned golf “outing,” it’s very real. And if convicted, he could wind up paying a very high price, one far beyond just losing his cushy job in the state Senate. Smith’s campaign didn’t return a call seeking comment on the golf event. Which is too bad, if only because we’d like to know if the virtual senator would take Bitcoins, the virtual currency, for his virtual golf outing. Why not? It’s hard to believe anything about this is real.

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In favor of ferries Dear Editor: “Commuting on the boro’s rivers and bays” (by Domenick Rafter, March 6) could be the wave of the future. Our waterways are an underutilized natural asset that can offer significant transportation alternatives for thousands of New Yorkers. Most of our existing public transportation and roadways are already operating at or above capacity. New ferry services can be implemented far more quickly than construction of new subway, commuter rail or highways. These can take years or even decades until completion of environmental reviews, planning, design, engineering, real estate acquisition, permits, procurements and actual construction before reaching beneficial use. Completing all of the above along with finding funding for ferry boats, docks and parking with costs in the millions may be easier than finding the billions of dollars necessary for construction of new or extended subway, commuter rail or highways. Boats equipped with modern fuelefficient engines can make a positive contribution to air quality. In April 1967, the old Jersey Central Rail Road ended ferry service between Liberty Street and Pavonia, NJ. Later that year, in November 1967, the old Erie Lackawanna Rail Road suspended ferry service between Barclay Street and Hoboken. Fast forward to © Copyright 2014 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 responsible for 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., 62-33 Woodhaven Boulevard, Rego Park, N.Y.

E DITOR

today. Thousands of daily commuters use ferries from Hoboken to the World Financial Center in downtown Manhattan. There are also 66,000 daily patrons of the Staten Island Ferry System, which connects St. George, Staten Island with the Whitehall Street Ferry Terminal. Unlike the other four boroughs, 500,000 Richmond County residents have no direct subway or commuter rail system linking them with the rest of the city. Over two years ago, thousands of riders began utilizing the East River ferry connecting various waterfront neighborhoods including Long Island Cit y, East 34th Street, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Wall Street and Governors Island. Who would not want to enjoy the fresh air and breeze that only waterborne transportation can provide? Riding a ferry can be less stressful than being packed in a subway car like sardines in a can. Larry Penner Great Neck, LI

Hoop stars shine

ur congratulations go out to three Queens high school basketball teams that won in a big way this past weekend. One is the Christ the King High School boys team, which took the Catholic High School Athletic Association trophy in Division “AA.” Then there’s the Francis Lewis High School girls team, which won the Public School Athletic League “AA” Division title. And the Benjamin Cardozo High School boys team topped the PSAL “AA” Division in a nailbiter. All in all it was a stunning weekend for Queens high school basketball. St. John’s University is hard pressed in the Big East right now, but however the Red Storm do, our borough already has plenty to be proud of on the hardwood.

Confront Russia Dear Editor: History has the power to educate if one is willing to learn. Hitler increased the size of Germany by the Anschluss with Austria in August 1938. Immediately thereafter he began to claim that German citizens residing in the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia needed his protection. The premier of England, Neville Chamberlain, became infamous by caving in to Hitler, claiming he gained peace. Not being confronted, Hitler invaded Poland thereafter, beginning the Second World War, with the greatest holocaust and devastation ever inflicted upon the world. Jimmy Carter played a coward’s game when the Iranians seized Americans within the U.S. embassy in Tehran. His lack of courage determined that Americans would not reelect him. Reagan stood tall when confronted by Russian aggression. Vladimir Putin is a KGB thug whom the Russians apparently accept as a “strongman”

SQ page 9

A bridge to bar Dear Editor: Russian President Vladimir Putin claims that since the new Kiev government was installed in a “coup,” by an illegal mob of street terrorists, he has the moral right to act, on humanitarian grounds, to protect Russians living in Ukraine. Shades of Europe 1938? However, the United Nations, European Union, NATO and the USA have all condemned his military invasion of Ukraine. The world is searching for an effective way to retaliate. In a satirical way, I found the solution. President Obama should send to Kiev his secret weapon — Chris Christie! The New Jersey governor could show transport officials his techniques to slow down any Russian tanks crossing the Dnieper River bridges. Anthony G. Pilla Forest Hills

No borders, no respect

Drop the pre-K plan Dear Editor: “Tax the rich. Tax the rich.” The mayor makes it sound like a punishment. We hear that his pre-K proposal is dead, but just in case he tries to resuscitate it, here are reasons not to. It’s not a money issue, but a behavior problem. Most 4-year-olds are too immature to be separated from mommy or a familiar family member. On Court TV programs, there have been numerous cases where a parent sues a daycare school or personal care provider for

Hope for Van Buren HS Dear Editor: In the last week a number of elected officials have lamented the Department of Education’s decision not to withdraw the colocation plans at Martin Van Buren High School. Unfortunately, these local elected officials are out of sync with the local community on this issue. Just prior to the mayoral election, civic leaders from nine of the largest civic associations in eastern Queens, representing thousands of families zoned for MVB, met and voted unanimously with one abstention to support the DOE’s P-Tech co-location proposal. A P-Tech school focuses on certain technical skills with a pathway to a tuitionfree college education and a career. Decades of failure have transformed MVB from a school having deep community roots into one where 96 percent of its student population comes from outside of the local area. The thousands of families represented by these civic leaders are in distress over sending their continued on page 10

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SJU ignoring Rome? Dear Editor: Pope Francis has demonstrated a desire for openness and inclusiveness. But this is not exhibited at Queens’ Catholic college, St. John’s University. Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI wished that tradition, in the form of the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, be given to all Catholics. Why is this not done at St. John’s, and why is the university not inclined to do it? Were both popes wrong, or is scoring the three-point shot more important? Joseph T. Klonowski SJU Class of 1958 Middle Village

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Dear Editor: It is no surprise that Putin has contempt for America and its president. Any country that allows itself to be invaded by tens of millions, then rewards the invaders with money (so-called entitlements), and then citizenship, is worthy of contempt. Larry Trapani Kew Gardens

negligence because the child fell down and sustained a bump to the forehead, wandered off or was pushed by an aggressive child, resulting in a bloody nose. The Department of Education would also be subject to lawsuits for similar incidents. But let’s sort out responsibility. A parent is legally responsible for a child’s care from birth to age 18. The DOE is responsible for providing free education to those age 5 to 18. It should not be in the babysitting business — kindergarten is young enough. There is a policy that I would like to see changed: school hours. Eight a.m. to 3 p.m. is hard on parents, children, teachers and custodians. It’s all early-morning rush hour. Better hours would be 9 am. to 4 p.m. Everyone would benefit. Finally, a comment about the snowy February day when the mayor didn’t order schools closed because his crystal ball wasn’t working. He could have postponed that day to Monday, Feb. 17, a holiday, and figured out later a substitute day in spring or early summer in order to comply with the 180 days required. Often, it’s better to be practical than political. Millie Resnick Rego Park

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and believe should remain president. The world has witnessed the abuses Putin has perpetrated upon his opponents, the corruption he has encouraged and the naked aggression he favors, as witnessed in Georgia in 2008 and now in the Crimea. Putin clearly believes no nation will have the courage to do anything other than mouth off about it. Putin and Russia lost nothing for the invasion of Georgia. The answer is simple, as everyone who has confronted a bully knows: Stand up and fight back or pay a higher price when the bully is given carte blanche. The price for not taking on Hitler in 1938 was over 20 million deaths. The cost to America’s standing in the world when Carter hid within the White House is the Iranian nuclear program. This is one time that Obama must step forward. Quiet diplomacy will only result in Russia laughing and our enemies in Iran, North Korea and elsewhere knowing they have nothing to fear. By simply not attending the G8 in Sochi, Obama will earn American dismay and scorn. Edward Horn Baldwin, LI

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kids to MVB. The P-Tech co-location initiative attempts to fast-track the turnaround of MVB and create a safe school environment. Local parents of high school-age students are stressed out by the thought of sending their kids to MVB. Despite valiant attempts at improvement, MVB’s School Environment Rating is stuck at an unacceptable “D.” Recently installed school Principal Sam Sochet, who is popular with the local community, has had some success, raising the school report card to a “C,” but more than a decade of decline has made that job difficult for one person. The MVB “brand” is dead and needs to be reinvented. This reinvention begins with P-Tech: a school within a school providing its graduating students with a tuition-free two-year college education at Queensborough Community College and a pathway to a career with one of the “Fortune 500” corporate partners of the program. Handled properly, the P-Tech co-location will attract a student body from the local community that is more engaged in the educational experience. Over time this will boost local enrollment of students as parental perception changes and the excellent programs being initiated by Principal Sochet take root and become more widely known. I urge Councilman Mark Weprin, state Sen. Tony Avella and Assemblyman David Weprin to rethink their opposition and embrace the P-Tech co-location rather than seeking its demise. Join us in our support of this initiative and help return this failed school to its storied and illustrious past. Bob Friedrich President, Glen Oaks Village Glen Oaks

Smartphones, dumb users Dear Editor: Instead of demanding that smartphone makers put a kill switch on their devices, legislators and law enforcement officials should demand that smart phone users put a kill switch on their own stupidity. They ignore police warnings not to display handheld electronic gadgets in public. That’s like wearing a sign saying: “Please rob me.” Phone theft victims are as much to blame as the thieves. Keep your high-tech toys out of sight. If not, your intelligence is more limited than your phones’ minutes. Richard Reif Flushing

Ferreras’ funding farce Dear Editor: In a City Council in which the majority of members in good standing qualify as mediocre, Councilwoman Julissa Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst) stands at the head of the class. It will be remembered she was a prime mover in the farce that not only resulted in approving a 1.4 million-square-foot shopping mall at Citi Field without park alienation approval and without a Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, but to add insult to injury, approval of a raid by multibillionaires the Mets, Related Companies and Sterling Equities on the city treasury, to the tune

of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars, to wit: the giveaway of Willets Point property that cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, for $1 — that is right, $1 — a subsidy of $99 million and a tax break of close to $50 million. In what is world-class gall, Ms. Ferreras recently patted herself on the back, claiming she was the cause of the ONLINE creation of a $15.5 million Miss an article or letter cited by a writer? fund toward Want news from our r e l o c a t i o n other editions covering assistance to the rest of Queens? Find t h e Wi l le t s past reports, news from Poi nt sm al l across the borough and b u s i n e s s e s being evicted. more at qchron.com. In the face of the hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars she delivered to her billionaire constituents, the $15.5 million she is so proud of is akin to the tip one gives the youngster who delivers your groceries (“Business owners still hoping to be heard,” March 6, multiple editions). Ms. Ferreras, in my opinion, needs a refresher course in mathematics and her abandonment of the little people and small business. Until the public wakes up and drives out of office people who parade as responsible legislators when in fact they act as lobbyists for real estate moguls, it will be the same old, same old. Benjamin M. Haber Flushing

Conservative = selfish Dear Editor: Ed Konecnik seems to embrace the sociopathic philosophy of Ayn Rand and her disciple Paul Ryan, i.e., one is only responsible to oneself (“Land of the freeloader,” Letters, Feb. 20). These detesters of welfare had no problem accepting it when needed — she when dying of cancer and he when his father died. The “haves” put their hands out to the (socialist) government they detest to bail them out. They are great “flag wavers” — send other kids to fight in wars which benefit them — do not pick up the tab when they pollute the environment — ship their money abroad to avoid taxes — lowered taxes for the first time in our history when fighting wars, etc. Simply put, they are for the most part hypocrites. A great quote by former Harvard economist John Galbraith: “The modern conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.” Dr. Joe Brooks Whitestone

Writing Letters Letters should be no longer than 400 words. They may be emailed to letters@ qchron.com. Please include your phone number, which will not be published. Those received anonymously are discarded. Full names are not necessary for posting comments on stories at qchron.com.

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Cops link Dec. heist to spree Police say a Woodhaven store robbed in December was part of a spree in which at least seven other stores were hit in South and Southeast Queens. Cops are searching for the suspect wanted in store robberies in January and February in Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park and Jamaica. But police now say a robbery that occurred at a 99 cents store at 85-08 Jamaica Ave. on Dec. 14 fits the pattern of the others and was likely perpetrated by the same person. In each case, the suspect entered through the roof or airconditioner vent of the closed store and stole money, Lotto scratch-off tickets or phone cards. Though police did not release a description of the suspect, they say he cashed in at least one allegedly stolen lottery ticket at a bodega in East New York, Brooklyn. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577TIPS (8477). The public can also submit tips by logging onto nypdcrimestoppers. com, or by texting 274637 (CRIMES), then entering TIP577. All tips are strictQ ly confidential. — Domenick Rafter

Cops look for missing South Ozone Park man 20-year-old also went missing last year by Domenick Rafter Editor

A 20-year-old man who lives in a group home in South Ozone Park went missing after visiting his mother in Astoria, the second time he has disappeared in a year. Christopher Hill was last seen on Sunday at approximately 2:45 p.m. at 34-01 Broadway in Astoria, while on a home visit with his mother. He is described as being 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighing 150 pounds with brown, close-cut hair and brown eyes. He also has a scar on the left side of his neck and currently has a beard. He was last seen wearing a black sweater, brown jeans, and turquoise Nike sneakers. At the time of his disappearance, Hill was living at a group home for men with disabilities at 118-05 North Conduit Ave. in South Ozone Park. Almost exactly a year ago, Hill went missing for several days after being last seen in front of a store on Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven. At the time, Hill’s father, Mark, said his son had returned to a school

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A Jamaica resident arrested in Nassau County last month on charges related to auto stripping may come under investigation by the NYPD for similar thefts involving catalytic converters. The Nassau County Police Department said last week that Dorient Reid, 23, was arrested in Feb. 28 on four counts of first-degree auto stripping, five counts of third-degree grand larceny and nine counts of fourth-degree grand larceny. Catalytic converters, part of a car’s exhaust system, have been increasingly targeted by thieves because they contain platinum and other precious metals. Thieves with cordless power saws can remove one in minutes. They have been targeting SUVs and other vehicles with high ground clearance, especially Toyota Sequoias, which have two of them. “We hope this might be one of our guys,” a police source said. The NYPD did not respond to an email asking if Reid was a person of interest in any Queens thefts. A spokeswoman for Queens District Attor ney Richard Brown said his office would neither confirm nor deny Q any possible investigation.

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Five JFK bag handlers arrested in theft bust Five allegedly stole $27K, credit cards worked at Terminal 7 where Cathay Pacific Airlines flights to Asia depart, are accused of then depositing the checks into their own bank accounts, sometimes writing their own names over the names of the intended recipients. Brown estimated the total amount stolen at $27,000. The suspects also allegedly stole credit cards that were being mailed to people overseas and using them at Best Buy kiosks at JFK Airport to buy iPads and Samsung Galaxy tablets. “Included among the items allegedly stolen from the mail were money orders mailed by a member of the armed services and in another instance, checks intended for child suppor t,” Brown noted in a press release. “It is alarming that these defendants were allegedly using U.S. mailbags as grab bags to satisfy their own greed.” Port Authority police and U.S. postal inspectors were investigating reports of stolen checks and credit cards when they Q uncovered the alleged thefts.

Five baggage handlers at JFK Airport have been charged with stealing thousands of dollars worth of money orders and checks bound for Asia, as well as stealing credit cards and using them to purchase items such as iPads. District Attorney Richard Brown said Anthony Austin, 26, of Hollis, Ariel Weaver, 20, of South Ozone Park, Alexander Fluellen, 29, and Samuel Wright, 31, both of Brooklyn, were arraigned last Thursday on separate criminal complaints in which they were variously charged with third- and fourth-degree grand larceny, third-, fourth- and fifthdegree criminal possession of stolen property, petit larceny and first- and second-degree burglary. According to the criminal complaint, the five men, who worked at JFK Airport’s postal handling facility, allegedly stole checks and money orders worth anywhere from $100 and $1,000 being sent through overseas mail to Japan, China and Korea between July 2013 and Febr uar y 2014. T he suspects, who

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 14

C M SQ page 14 Y K

Rail advocates stage rally Supporters of restoring rail service along the old Rockaway Beach LIRR line held a “drive-by rally” Sunday along Woodhaven Boulevard, which parallels the right of way. Stopping at Queens Boulevard, above, Metropolitan Avenue, Jamaica Avenue and Liberty Avenue, the advocates, including Rockaway resident Phil McManus, who created a group called the Queens Public Transit Committee, called not only for the reactivation of the former rail line, which connected Rego Park to the Rockaways,

but also for more bus service in the borough, especially in southern Queens and the Rockaways. The Rockaway Beach line stopped running in 1962, and the abandoned right of way, which abuts homes in Woodhaven, Rego Park and Forest Hills, is also being studied for a potential park similar to Manhattan’s High Line called the QueensWay. Another study, looking at the feasibility of both rail and park, is being undertaken by Queens College.

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Library heads report to budget hearing Crowley calls out Galante and asks for additional oversight from Council by Tess McRae

Galante said he can and added the consultants have been used in the past and were to promote the library and its services, not cover up any possible wrongdoings or bad press. “We also haven’t seen the library’s capital budget which worries me,” Crowley continued. “I want to know exactly what the library is controlling, what goes to [Department of Design and Construction] and what goes out for bid.” Galante did not comment on Crowley’s statement but did rebuff her comment that the amount of money donated to the library didn’t match information to the councilwoman, saying, “I can assure you that you’re reading the numbers wrong and I have provided the correct information.” Public Advocate Letitia James was also in attendance and asked Galante why her office had yet to receive information on possible conflict of interests going on within the library. The hearing ended within an hour but not before Crowley asked the committee to consider holding a separate hearing in the near future for Galante individually so that members can review expenses and question him on money spent on the lavish reconstruction of the Central Branch, which included what some call a smoke deck. Many members agreed and by the end of the hea r i ng, Crowley received some Q applause from the audience.

Associate Editor

After a month of having his salary, spending and contract scrutinized, Queens Library CEO Thomas Galante was called before the City Council with fellow heads of the Brooklyn Public Library, Linda Johnson, and New York Public Library, Anthony Marx, for the Committee on Cultural Affairs’ annual budget hearing. This year, the library budgets will remain the same, but all three want an extra $65 million added onto their $171 million annual budget. This would bring library spending power back up to what it was in 2008, before the economic collapse. The extra money, the library heads said, will help keep all city libraries open at least six days a week. The hearing was relatively uneventful. Council members asked a few clarifying questions, mostly to Marx and Johnson. Then Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley addressing Galante, (D-Middle Village) got to the microphone and shook things up. “I have heard reports that there was a vote by the board and city dollars might be being used to fund attorneys for you and your staff as well as consultants from P.R. firms to better the library’s image,” she said. “Is that true?”

Queens Library President Thomas Galante at a roundtable held recently. His salary and budget spending have been called in to question by elected officials including City Comptroller Scott FILE PHOTO Stringer, who launched an audit of the library several weeks ago. “No,” Galante said. “There was no vote.” Crowley, who was rather skeptical of Galante’s candor and disagreed with his annual salary of almost $400,000 at last month’s oversight hearing, was not happy with the response. Galante is reportedly facing a federal

criminal probe on library funds. “As I understand it, the executive board has hired attorneys for yourself and whoever else on the board and I want to make sure we’re not using city dollars for this,” Crowley said during the second round of questions. “Can you assure the committee?”

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C M SQ page 17 Y K

ORTHODONTICS, PC PHOTO BY PETER C. MASTROSIMONE

Scouting out some news A group of Cub Scouts from Pack 139 in Howard Beach stopped by the Queens Chronicle offices on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park last Friday afternoon. Getting a brief education on journalism and a tour of the newspaper were Matthew Skolnick, left, Aeres Moran, Gavin Schwartz, Marc Guzzo, Brandon Cuevas, Sebastian Cuevas and Joseph Anello. One member, Christopher Bongiorno, was unable to attend. The Scouts met the publisher and several staffers, and got a look at a few of the Chronicle’s eight editions from last week, seeing how one had a parade on the front

page while another had two rallies over education policy and another the city’s plan to reduce pedestrian deaths. They were also shown how freedom of the press is protected by the First Amendment, and learned Thomas Jefferson’s famous quote that journalists love: “Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” The Chronicle is glad to give such tours to small groups of children when it can. Call (718) 205-8000 to set one up.

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C M SQ page 18 Y K

Law grad guilty of murder Jason Bohn strangled, beat girlfriend in Astoria apt.

Jason Bohn

FILE PHOTO

The family of Danielle Thomas finally received closure last Thursday when Jason Bohn was convicted of first-degree murder for strangling and beating Thomas to death in their Astoria apartment. “The jury bravely listened to harrowing evidence — including a recording of the victim begging for her life as the defendant tortured and ultimately killed her — and correctly returned a verdict of first-degree murder finding that ‘the defendant acted in an especially cruel and wanton manner pursuant to a course

of conduct intended to inflict and inflicting torture upon the victim prior to the victim’s death,” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said in a prepared statement. Bohn, a law school graduate of the University of Florida, was also convicted of tampering with evidence and first-degree criminal contempt following a seven-week jury trial before Queens Supreme Court Justice Michael Aloise. The case became the center of media attention when it was revealed that Bohn not only killed Thomas but attempted to preserve her

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body in the apartment. According to the trial testimony, police were called to Bohn’s apartment on June 26, 2012, and discovered Thomas’ body laying face up in the bathtub surrounded by bags of ice. There was bruising on her forehead, face, shoulders, chest and neck, as well as lacerations on her face, mouth and chest. The medical examiner determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the neck and torso. Near Thomas’ body were two handwritten notes. The first stated: “It was an accident ... I had been drinking and I was drunk when I got home ... She was already asleep ... I woke up and there was fighting between us ... When I woke up again she was unconscious ... I am sorry.” The second read: “Dani I will love you forever.” It was signed “J.” The deadly assault was captured on a cell phone recording received by an acquaintance of Thomas in what is believed to have been an accidental dialing. In the recording, played at trial, Thomas can be heard begging Bohn for her life as he strangles her, demanding to know why she had called a certain phone number. “This is your life,” he is heard saying. “I know,” Thomas responded. Bohn continued to assault her saying things such as: “Danielle, you don’t have a lot of time,” and ignoring her pleas. During the trial, it was revealed Thomas went to the 114th Precinct on June 7, 2012 to report an assault that had occurred a month earlier at which time Bohn caused injury to her face and leg and that he was harassing her by sending threatening emails and text messages. While she was at the precinct, Bohn called her cell phone and a police sergeant heard him say, among other things, that “this was war, that he would hunt her down like a dog in the streets and make her life impossible.” Bohn was arrested that day and charged with assault and aggravated harassment. Thomas was provided with an order of protection. Bohn will be sentenced on April 2, at which time he faces up to life in prison without the Q possibility of parole.

Common Core meeting State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. will host a town hall meeting on the Common Core curriculum this Thursday, March 13 from 7 to 9 p.m. at PS 232, 153-23 83 St. in Lindenwood. Parents are invited to attend with any Q questions they may have.

Ozone Park civic meeting The Ozone Park Civic Association will meet on Tuesday, March 18 at 7:30 p.m. at the Ozone Howard Little League, 97-14 135 Dr. (Please use the Centreville Street and 149th Avenue entrance). The guest speaker will be Brady and Marshak, who will be giving a seminar on elder law, estate planning, trusts and avoiding probate. For more information, email Q ozpkcivic@gmail.com.

SQ page 19

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SQ page 20

OPINION Lawsuits abound over charter schools Charter schools break

Success Academy, public advocate may force debate into courtroom by Domenick Rafter Editor

W hile Mayor de Blasio has been criticized for his rescinding of several colocations for new char ter schools last week, some, including Public Advocate Letitia James, believe he hasn’t gone far enough. But the char ter school group affected by the decision said it would fight the city in court to have the colocations reinstated. The city Department of Education approved 14 of the 17 new charter school colocations that were OK’d by the Bloomberg administration last year. The three that were rescinded were Success Success Academy Charter CEO Eva Moskowitz and Public Academy Charter locations, Advocate Letitia James have both filed against the city one of which was to open at regarding the recent decision to approve 14 of 17 charter August Martin High School co-locations in September, but for different reasons. in South Jamaica. PHOTO COURTESY SUCCESS ACADEMY/FILE PHOTO The decision led charter school advocates, led by Success Academy the New York Charter School Center, blastCharter CEO Eva Moskowitz, a former ed James’ decision to move the suit Democratic councilwoman, to lead a march forward. “Enough is enough: Stop putting ideoloin Albany last week that was attended by Gov. Cuomo, who promised to fight the gy before kids,” he said. “The destructive DOE’s decision. Moskowitz filed a federal tactics mentioned today by the public advocivil rights suit Monday against the city to cate’s legal team, including postponing this have the three cancelled co-locations rein- year’s lottery or postponing enrollment at stated after threatening to do so before the a ny pre -approved collocated cha r ter schools, would create havoc and uncertaindecision was announced. “This would be tragic, unfair, and, we ty for tens of thousands of New York City believe, illegal,” Moskowitz said in a let- families from low-income communities.” De Blasio predicted that the city would ter to Success Academy board members emerge victorious in James’ suit. last month. Some Council members want the other In the meantime, parents are filing comp l a i n t s w i t h t h e s t a t e E d u c a t i o n co-locations reviewed, while Councilman Daneek Miller (D-St. Albans) also asked Department. Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña said the mayor to go further in restricting new under new DOE policy, co-locations would charter schools. “I have seen first-hand the discriminatonot be approved if they compromise space for special needs students, which she said ry effects that charter schools have on these co-locations do. Two, including the communities such as mine in Southeast August Martin school, were controversial Queens,” Miller said in a letter to de Blasio because they placed the charter schools, and Fariña. “Those families who were not which would serve students as young as lucky enough to win this game of educafive years old in high schools where stu- tional roulette are forced to send their childents are as old as 20. De Blasio and Fariña dren to underfunded public schools, instihave said they would find space for the tutions that receive hundreds of dollars less third in Harlem, but didn’t speak on the in funding per child compared to charters. I oppose this corporatization of public other two. James is among those who think the schools – our children are not for sale.” He also asked them to rescind the coDOE should have gone further. She is suing to block all new charter school co- locations of a charter school at IS 59 in locations and the suit has the support of Springfield Gardens and a new non-charCouncil Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito ter school at Campus Magnet in Cambria Heig hts, wh ich were allowed to go (D-Manhattan, Bronx). Q In a statement, James Merriman, CEO of through.

the education monopoly by Ed Konecnik I am a retired educator with 38 years of experience in the New York City public school system. I write the following in support of charter schools and in opposition to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s efforts to close them. Let’s say you’re passionate about pizza and you live in a neighborhood where only one establishment is permitted to produce and sell pizzas. Imagine those pizzas are unappetizing but you are compelled to purchase them by law and are forbidden to make your own. Substitute “education” for “pizzas” in this scenario and you will begin to comprehend the t r ue nat u re of compulsor y public education. In a free market, anyone who produces an unsavory pizza would soon be out of business because people are free to find and choose a better pizza. However, in the sphere of scholastic instruction, competition and freedom of choice, which nurture creativity and excellence, are conspicuously missing. Except for education, most services we use offer a choice of providers as well as an assortment of options to accommodate our individual needs. Many who rail against the power, control and influence of Wall Street, corporations, banks, and the “one percenters” readily accept government’s absolute control of education. The education bureaucracy’s monopoly mandates a onesize-fits-all curriculum, awards accreditation to approved colleges and professors to teach that curriculum, requires everyone to read approved text books, administers approved tests, certifies and awards tenure to approved teachers and supervisors, and provides pay raises based on date of birth rather than merit. To make matters worse, compulsory education laws compel all students to attend approved institutions.

After reviewing results of recent achievement tests, some have suggested the education monopoly should not only be charged with violating our liberties but with intellectual genocide. The assertion that a primary purpose is “to train” children rather than “to educate,” is consistent with the history and origins of “public education.” In Germany, Martin Luther in 1524 proposed establishment of public schools arguing “civil authorities are under obligation to compel the people to send their children to school, because in this case we are warring with the devil.” In 1816, North Carolina state Sen. Archibald Murphey, also known as the “father of public education,” declared “all children will be taught in public schools. In these schools the precepts of morality and religion should be inculcated, and habits of subordination and obedience be formed.” Inevitably every politically controlled educational system will inculcate the doctrine of state supremacy. Murray Rothbard, in his book “Education: Free and Compulsory,” writes: “Once that doctrine has been accepted, it becomes an almost superhuman task to break the stranglehold of the political power over the life of the citizen. It has had its body, property and mind in its clutches since infancy.” What we desperately need is separation of schools and state. Where are the prochoice progressives when we need them? Q Ed Konecnik is a retired teacher who started at JHS 204 in Long Island City and later served as media center director at PS 171, also in LIC. He and his wife, Linnie, have lived in Flushing since 1978.

CB 9 meeting continued from page 6

— one in 2011 and one in 2013 — several brawls and other quality-of-life issues, including urinating in front lawns of homes. In the end the board turned down the liquor license for La Cabana de San Cecilio by a vote of 23-19. Thomson suggested the board should provide the 102nd Precinct with a list of bars’ closing times so police can enforce the licenses, a suggestion Coccovillo said would be a waste of time as they are already provided with that information for problem locations. Q

Votes being tabulated during CB 9’s elections PHOTO BY DOMENICK RAFTER Tuesday night.

SQ page 21

DEVELOPMENTS

The Value of Volunteerism by Maria A. Thomson Executive Director GWDC

Spring is only 10 days away, and daylight savings time has arrived. It is so great to have it lighter later. Also, you can feel the warmth of approaching spring. Sometime ago in a letter to the editor, a truly eloquent testament was made to the noblest of unselfish giving — being a volunteer. This individual stated “to show support for some kind of worthwhile cause or organization in your area and also that you should contribute your time or talent.” All of the local community organizations do need support and involvement to perpetuate what dedicated individuals have worked for and accomplished over the years. In my case, over a quarter of a century, in some cases even more. When you are a truly committed volunteer you take time from your spouses and families. You postpone vacations and all of your free time is dedicated to community problems and the pursuit of their solutions with other dedicated organization members. Also, you place your organization and your community’s needs above your own personal interests. What these long-standing credible organizations do not need are individuals who get involved for the “wrong reasons” or some being personal or professional interests, selfaggrandizement or the furthering of their own agendas or careers. It is truly unfortunate that

organizations needing to recruit new members often are blinded by these individuals who initially obscure their selfish-indulgent goals when they volunteer. Also, due to the dearth in volunteers, the altruistic long-standing members are often duped by these “new members” who use them to their own ends. Let us understand, volunteerism should be rewarded, but as a biproduct of volunteering, not as the reason for volunteering. The highest reward must be that you have improved your community and the satisfaction this brings with it. So when you do volunteer, if you choose to do so — and I hope you do — do it for the right reasons. These reasons should be to make the organization stronger, to target and pursue the problems in a community and work to solve them with your other organization members and your community residents. Also, when you are revealed as being a self-indulgent and selfpromoting individual involved for all the “wrong reasons,” don’t try to diminish the organization when you leave, for in doing so, you diminish no one but yourself. To all you potential volunteers, please get involved, but do it with well meaning and good-hearted intent. Volunteerism is rewarding and as someone stated recently “it’s good for the soul.” T h is is the “Value of Volunteerism.” May God bless our Armed Forces, our disabled veterans and may God bless America. Q

UNEMPLOYMENT WATCH

Jobs outlook continues to improve, state says by Peter C. Mastrosimone Editor-in-Chief

The unemployment rate in Queens rose in January, according to figures released by the state Department of Labor on Tuesday — but only when compared to December, not when compared to January 2013. And it’s those year-to-year figures that really matter, analysts say. Statewide, Albany said, the economy is improving markedly. “The state’s economy added 5,400 private sector jobs, reaching another alltime high in January,” Bohdan Wynnyk, deputy director of the department’s Division of Research and Statistics, said in announcing the figures. “This, coupled with federal benchmarking revisions, has shown the economy to be even stronger than we thought.” The “benchmarking revisions” are annually updated calculations of previous data, the department noted. The unemployment rate here was 7.3 percent in January, compared to 8.9 percent in January 2013, Albany

reported. About 1,067,700 Queens residents were work i ng, compa red to 1,045,000 one year earlier. The number of people counted as unemployed fell from 101,500 to 84,700 during the same time period. Citywide, unemployment dropped from 9.7 percent to 8.1 percent; statewide it fell from 9.1 percent to 7.3 percent; and nationwide it went from 8.5 percent to 7 percent. Those numbers are not seasonally adjusted. Those that are, and more data, Q are posted online at labor.ny.gov.

Page 21 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

WOODHAVEN

Unemployment rates Location

Queens NYC NYS U.S.

Jan. 2013 Dec. 2013 Jan. 2014

8.9% 9.7% 9.1% 8.5%

6.7% 7.5% 6.6% 6.5%

7.3% 8.1% 7.3% 7.0%

Source: NYS Department of Labor

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SQ page 22

Fix Phone Training offers top tech repair skills 97-14 66th Avenue

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Law experts say she’s within her constitutional right; clergy upset by Christopher Barca Reporter

Fix Phone Training in Rego Park offers repair training in English, Spanish and Tagalog. Graduates come away with practical training for diagnostics and repair of mobile phones, tablets and game consoles. The red ring of death, cracked screen, water damage – phrases that make any gamer or smartphone user shudder. But for the graduates at Fix Phone Training, it’s just another time to break out the tools and get to work. “Your success is our success,” Katiuska Montenegro, instructor and co-owner of Fix Phone Training, says when speaking of her graduates. Since December 2012, Katiuska and her husband, Chris, have opened career doors for dozens of eager students ready and willing to learn indemand phone repair training in one-on-one setting at affordable rates. After making a trip to China for a former business, the dynamic duo took note of the abundance of gadget repair shops readily available and wanted to fill that void in Queens. Always with a keen eye for opportunity, the Montenegros took repair training courses in China despite being the only foreigners in the class. They now offer training and on-site repairs seven days a week at their Rego Park location, near all buses and trains and with ample street parking. A bilingual couple, the Montenegros can teach in either English or Spanish while certified instructor, Network Specialist, Richard de Mesa, also offers the course in Tagalog. Upon completing 50 hours of a Master Course, students come away with knowledge of repair methods for game consoles, phones and iPads including how to fix a broken screen, deal with water damage or unlock a phone. In between welcoming students and taking phone calls at the training center, a busy Chris reflects on the positive updates he periodically hears from former students. “He was telling me, ‘I work a lot of hours, 12, sometimes 14 hours a day,’” Chris says of Jose, once an overworked employee of a Bronx delicatessen. Chris remembers an intrigued Jose wishing to use his hard-earned income for the course but wasn’t sure if he could fit class time into his demanding job. A basic phone repair course takes seven days for full-time students or two

weeks for part-timers. But, Jose’s frequent lastminute work shifts meant he would take up to a month to complete training. Nevertheless, the Montenegros worked around his hectic schedule and Jose proved to be an exemplar amongst the graduates. “Right now, he’s managing a big store in Jackson Heights,” Chris says, as his arms expand to emphasize the magnitude of Jose’s new position. Just last month, Jose stopped by to tell Chris he’ll be opening his own store. As entrepreneurs, the Montenegros recognize the drive their students have to excel and stress the flexible, customizable training schedule that has allowed a range of individuals, from retirees to high school students, to come in and earn their degree. Katiuska says that ample preparation is given before the certification test, but if a student still needs to strengthen a concept, extra attention is given at no further cost. For those hesitant to learn repair skills, Chris refers to a YouTube video featuring Jackson, his then7-year-old son, fixing a broken iPhone 4S. “If a child can do it, so can you!” boasts the video’s title. Ten months since the video went up, the center has welcomed students from as far as Africa who wish to learn the skills to start their own business back home. In addition to the skill set gained, job replacement referrals are offered. The Montenegros are also in the process of completing a rigorous Masters Degree of Business Administration effectively offer business advice in how to import all kinds of products from China. Additionally, if your smartphone does happen to suffer from a blank screen, the staff at Fix Phone Training will alleviate your worries with their on-the-spot repair. For those looking to start their training, visit fixphonetraining.com or call 1-800-765-0869. The training center is located at 97-14 66th Ave. in Rego Park and is open 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends.

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Katz ends annual Ash Wednesday tradition

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Borough President Melinda Katz’s rescinding of the giving of ashes on Ash Wednesday at Borough Hall for Catholic employees last week has sparked a constitutional debate among both clergy and educators over why she ended the practice. Former Borough President Helen Marshall allowed the Rev. Michael Ross of the Cor rections Depar tment to distribute ashes in Borough Hall. But in a statement, Katz’s office cited the need to abide by the separation of church and state, an expression used by Thomas Jefferson to help def ine the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, as the reason why she did away with the religious rite being practiced at Borough Hall. “The borough president believes deeply in celebrating religious f reedom and diversity,” the statement read. “However, there is a fundamental precept of our government that, to protect religious freedom, we must have a separation of church and state. “It is for this reason alone that the borough president does not think it is appropriate to allow a religious rite to be practiced in a government office.” In addition to guaranteeing the freedom of the press, speech and assembly, the First Amendment states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” with the first segment known as the Establishment Clause and the second segment known as the Free Exercise Clause. An 1878 Supreme Court case created the precedent for the Establishment Clause being interpreted through the lens of the separation of church and state and the argument has been used in numerous court cases since the landmark ruling. Because legal precedent is on her side, Katz’s abolishment of the practice on government property isn’t in any way illegal or unconstitutional, according to Marc DeGirolami, a professor specializing in constitutional law and its relationship with religion at St. John’s University School of Law in Jamaica. “You would have to say she was specifically targeting Christianity,” DeGirolami said. “If she were prohibiting people from coming into Borough Hall with ashes on their heads, then there would be a case.” However, DeGirolami says the reasoning behind Katz’s decision to end the religious practice is a clear misinterpretation of the First Amendment. “There is nothing wrong about a chaplain

Borough President Melinda Katz ended the Ash Wednesday distribution of ashes at Borough Hall last week. PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER BARCA administering ashes in the middle of a public building to people who would like them administered,” he said. “There’s nothing in the Establishment Clause to say that such a practice is unconstitutional.” Fellow St. John’s law professor John Barrett differs slightly with DeGirolami, saying that previous Supreme Court decisions have upheld non endorsement cases similar to Katz’s decision, but the distribution of ashes as being a clear violation of the Establishment Clause isn’t obvious. “There’s a fair amount of discretion and judgment when it comes to situations like these,” Barrett said. “It’s sensitive, probably oversensitive. But I don’t see it as a big deal.” Ending the practice is an issue for the Rev. Steven Aguggia of St. Margaret’s Church in Middle Village. He agreed with DeGirolami, saying the Ash Wednesday rite at Borough Hall was not an endorsement of religion that the Constitution would deem illegal. “There’s a distinction between the government endorsing a particular religion and allowing people to practice their faith,” Aguggia said. “To make things a little easier for people by having a priest go to their place of employment to distribute ashes is not an endorsement. “I’m against what she’s done and I don’t understand how it harms the separation of church and state,” he continued. “I don’t Q see how it harms anything.”

SQ page 23

continued from page 5 During an hour-long presentation, the concepts were outlined one by one to community members who were present. At least one of the proposals, the Upper Spring Creek restoration, is already in the works, and the $250,000 in funding from the committee will go to supplement the project’s cost. Tom Jost, a consultant with Parsons Brinckerhoff, an infrastructure consulting firm working with the committee, said many of the proposals aim to move projects forward by providing the funding to skip several bureaucratic hurdles. “Many of these steps could take years, even decades,” Jost said. “If we can move them forward, we can shorten that time span.” Residents who came to the open house were mum on the proposals and their support for them, but asked questions during the presentation, expressing concern that some of the plans are more reactive than proactive. “This is all great, but how would it help?” asked one resident who declined to give his name, referring to the Spring Creek Park project. “The water came up through the sewers and in through the canals.” John Calcagnile, co-chairman of the Howard Beach committee and a second vice chairman of Community Board 10,

said the projects have to be taken as a whole and that one plan cannot totally work without the others. “We’ve made that point in the meetings,” he said. “These projects help, but they would all need to be in place in order to get the maximum effect.” On the relief center plan, Kaye Matheny, of the urban development consultant group HR&A, noted that the establishment of the relief center and satellite locations would serve not only in the event of another hurricane, but even during more minor emergencies like heat waves or snowstorms. “The building has a good-sized gym and a parking lot that can be used as a staging area or for FEMA tents,” she explained. The relief center plan also includes using the Waldbaum’s parking lot as a staging area in more serious emergencies. Halfway through the open house, the comprehensive f lood mitigation study option had garnered the most votes, followed by the construction of the berms and tidal gates that would come from that study and the establishment of the relief center at the senior residence building. In the next few weeks, the committee will meet and create a plan that includes the priorities decided on by the community. That proposal is due to the state at the Q end of the month.

NEW YORK SPINE AND PAIN MANAGEMENT

Civic annoyed over lengthy LIRR study Results are allegedly long overdue by Christopher Barca Reporter

Attention ladies and gentlemen, the Long Island Rail Road is currently operating behind schedule. That’s according to Newtown Civic Association Treasurer Robert Valdes-Clausell, who claims that results of a feasibility study the LIRR has been conducting regarding the viability of restoring service to the Elmhurst train station are past due. “I call every two weeks and they say they’re still studying it,” Valdes-Clausell said. “The LIRR reopening the station is critically needed.” Valdes-Clausell says that a sharp increase in development in recent years combined with increasing congestion along Elmhurst’s main thoroughfares require the reactivation of the train station at Broadway and Whitney Avenue to alleviate pressure on area infrastructure. The station was closed and razed in January 1985 and the feasibility study was announced last summer at a press conference held by Congressman Joe Crowley (D-Bronx, Queens) and Councilman Danny

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Page 23 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 24

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JOHN A DAMS HIGH SCHOOL S POTLIGHT

I am Xenia Arias Estevez, a student in the Newcomers Program at John Adams HS, Ozone Park. Everyone has experiences and moments that change his/her life, that teach us about life and all the things that matter, like our families and friends. An experience that changed my life was when I came from the Dominican Republic to the United States with my Mom on February 29, 2012, leaving behind my brother, most of my family and all of my friends. I came to New York, looking for a better life and a successful future, but my life changed completely. Everything was different and I missed my country so much. It is difficult to move to a country where you do not know the language or anyone. It is like starting your life all over again. I was lucky to have helpful teachers. I found friends who helped me get used to the classes and my new life. It did not take long for me to learn English. In two months, I was starting to get by on my own. My teachers and my friends were very helpful. Slowly all the changes in my life like my school and my environment started to become more normal. Now I have been in the United States for two years. I am in my senior year and getting ready for college. My next big change will be getting used to the independence of college and preparing a successful future. My dream is to be a doctor. Everybody tells me that becoming a doctor is hard, but I will not give up because that has always been my dream and I will accomplish it. I want to be a pediatrician because I want to help poor kids and want all children to be healthy.

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WELCOME BACK SINGH! Jagroop Singh, left, was a John Adams HS graduate three and a half years ago. He now returns to his Alma Mater as a Queens College social studies student teacher, under the supervision of his former teacher Mr. Michael Budhu. Singh was a real hardworking student, who graduated with twice the number of credits he needed for a diploma. He had also been involved with the Model UN, Moot Court, Mock Trial, Student Government, the football team, the volleyball team and Virtual Enterprise. He was a student mentor and volunteered for nearly everyone in the school. Singh’s reason for student teaching at John Adams High School is, “To make a difference and help students the way Mr. Budhu helped me when I was a student here.” (ALL PHOTOS BY BOB HARRIS)

Shahrouk Reza, a resident of Woodh ave n , e a r ne d a score of 2260, out of a possible 2400, on the June 2013 SAT. He did so well on the PSAT that he became a semifinalist and now a finalist National Merit Scholar. Reza came to John Adams four ye a r s a g o f r o m Bangladesh. He has taken College Now courses in calculus, psychology, modern history and critical thinking plus Advance Placement (AP college level) courses in global history, United States history, and literature which made him an AP Scholar. Since these courses are more advanced than regular courses the grades are weighted, so he has a GPA of 100.4, which put him on the principal’s honor roll and in the National Honor Society. Since he is currently ranked first in the school, he will most likely be valedictorian at graduation this June. He is a member of the tennis team, and is in the Global Kids Group where he interned at the council of Foreign Relations in Manhattan. Shahrouk’s philosophy is, “Be the very best that you yourself can be so that there is never any room for regrets.” He also gives, “Thanks to my parents, who have done their utmost to get me where I am today.” The Medical and Fitness Careers Academy is one of nine Small Learning Communities into which John Adams HS has been divided. Lessons are channeled toward medical and sportsrelated subjects: physical education, health education, forensics, psychology, psychiatry, profiler for the FBI or NYPD and sports medicine. Guest speakers provide up-to-date information. Dr. Silverman teaches a College Now psychology class for which students earn college credit. There is a HOSA MedTech Program, which allows students to explore the technology used in the world of medicine and forensics. HOSA clubs compete in nationwide skills contests and provide leadership training to their members. A community organic garden provides fruit, vegetables and herbs to members of the Garden Committee. Surplus food is donated to those in need. The academy also works to make the crucial concepts of healthy living and nutritious eating, so vital to a high quality of life, real for students. The academy builds a sense of community through dialogue and information sharing. Physical education and health teacher and Dean Mr. Bloom, above left, has developed a period 1 Boot Camp which uses all the facets of exercise. Since the school is not crowded during period 1, all the various facilities can be used to incorporate muscular strength, muscular endurance, cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, coordination and balance. Ms. Weissman, above right, is the guidance counselor. Mr. Mazzocchi, not shown, is the director of the Medical and Fitness Careers Academy.

VIRTUAL ENTERPRISE The Queens Business Institute of John Adams HS, Ozone Park, offers multiple courses and opportunities for future business venturing. One of the most highly productive is Virtual Enterprise, a virtual business where students are allowed to interact virtually with others as they would in a real-life business. On December 16, 2013, the annual Queens Business Plan Competition was held at Hillcrest High School. This school’s company, Adams Electronic, was represented by current graduating students Chrishawna Martin, Jessica Ganesh, Selena Arreola, Nahshon Persaud, Jasmine Maldonado, Gabriela Loja, Allyson Sarmiento and Jason Molina. The course is taught by Mr. Brennan. The firm was the first of the twelve schools taking part to present their business plan. The students worked both in and out of school in order to put together a design and overlook proving the company’s improvements. Unfortunately, they did not place, but still the employees of this virtual business worked to the best of their abilities. The win was taken by another local firm, Velocity, of Forest Hills HS. Throughout the process of putting together a business plan, the team was introduced to new ways of providing service to customers virtually anywhere. It was a highly educational experience that will assist in future endeavors. (STORY BY JESSICA GANESH)

VISIONARIES CONFERENCE Sean Casadiago, founder of a nonprofit, is shown talking to several students at John Adams HS, to urge them to come to a Visionaries Conference at Murry Bergtraum High School in Manhattan. The purpose of the conference is to promote educational achievement, leadership and professional development, to find ways to motivate students in business, fashion, sports, entertainment and other fields.

ATTENTION PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, ELEMENTARY AND HIGH SCHOOLS. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE FEATURED ON OUR SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT PAGE, CALL LISA LICAUSI, EDUCATION COORDINATOR, AT (718) 205-8000, EXT. 110.

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Page 25 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

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Green eggs and ham at NYFAC New York Families for Autistic Children celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday on March 2 with a special party in which children did arts and crafts and read Dr. Seuss stories. Children and their families were invited to hear readings of several book’s written by the famous child author. State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. and Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder

were the guest readers and members of Girl Scout Troop #4993 were there to volunteer. The children made Cat in the Hat hats, top, and colored in fish bowls with different colored fishes. Party attendees also feasted on — you guessed it — green eggs and ham, above, which the kids did like.

Liu sues city over fund loss Former city Comptroller John Liu of Flushing made it official Wednesday by announcing that he has filed a lawsuit against the city and the Campaign Finance Board for withholding $3.8 million in matching funds during his mayoral campaign. He alleges that the CFB delivered a “death sentence” to his campaign by not granting the funds, based on what the board called “serious and pervasive” potential violations by Liu’s campaign in its fundraising efforts. A key campaign worker and a fund-

raiser were convicted of multiple offenses regarding illegal contributions. Liu was never charged with any wrongdoing, but came in fourth in the mayoral race. The lawsuit was filed in Manhattan Federal Court. It claims that “vague and undefined criteria” provide the CFB with “uncontrolled and arbitrary” authority to deny funds to candidates, in violation of their First Amendment rights. The former comptroller is seeking unspecif ied monetar y damages and Q changes in how the CFB operates. — Liz Rhoades

C M SQ page 27 Y K Page 27 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

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It’s still winter and that means few — if any — humans are spending their days on Rockaway Beach. But last week, one creature made like it was summer and relaxed on the sand. A harp seal, native to the Arctic shores of Canada, shimmied out of the sea last Thursday and sunned himself at Beach 21st Street in Far Rockaway. The scene concerned passersby, who feared it may have been sick and lost, but marine biologists from the River-

head Foundation told DNAInfo that the seal was happy and in good health. A message — “I’m just tanning, please keep back” — was written in the sand by a police officer. The abnormally cold winter likely brought the year-old seal farther south than usual, experts suspect. At least 25 other harp seals have been seen in the area this winter, the Riverhead Foundation said, compared to just one last year.

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And I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart. Jeremiah 24:7

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 28

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Abbracciamento’s to become apartments Owner says the building is being sold to a real estate developer by Christopher Barca Reporter

The building that was once home to iconic Rego Park eatery Joe Abbracciamento Restaurant may soon become Woodhaven Boulevard’s newest residential complex. Plans were filed with the Department of Buildings on March 3 to turn the former restaurant at 62-96 Woodhaven Blvd., that closed one day earlier after 66 years in business, into a seven-story, 120-unit residential building. As of press time on Wednesday, only a plan exam application had been submitted, and a decision whether to approve the plan or not will be made in the near future, according to DOB spokeswoman Kelly Magee. If the plan exam is approved, the developer can then file for work permits. An Astoria-based company, Criterion Group, will be developing the site. John Abbracciamento, co-owner of the former restaurant his father established in 1948, told the Chronicle on Wednesday that he is in the process of selling the building, which also houses a handful of small businesses such as an optometry office and a dog grooming shop. While he would not reveal the sales price of the building or whom he is selling it to, Abbracciamento did say that the sale may

Plans have been filed to turn the building that houses the former Joe Abbracciamento Restaurant and other small businesses on Woodhaven Boulevard in Rego Park into a seven-story apartment FILE PHOTO building. The sale should be final later this month. close by the end of the month. However, he was unsure of what Criterion planned for the building. “It’s no secret that the property has been

sold,” Abbracciamento said. “As far as what they’re going to do, I really don’t know. “I didn’t sell the property to any Tom, Dick or Harry,” he continued. “I want to

make sure what comes into the neighborhood will be good for the community.” Criterion did not respond to the Chronicle’s multiple requests for comment as of press time. The building the former restaurant occupied is zoned for a maximum height of 75 feet, and the plan for the new residential structure lists its height at 73 feet. According to the application, the residential complex will be 81,176 square feet and will contain 60 parking spaces. Abbracciamento said the idea for the new building to house apartments wasn’t the original plan for the lot. “First you hear condos, then you hear apartments. I just don’t know what they’re going to do,” he said. “I’m more or less in it right now to wait for whatever decisions they are going to make.” In regards to the other small businesses operating at the location, Abbracciamento said they were being looked after, but what will become of them if the plan exam is approved and work permits are issued is between them and the developer. “I’ve given everyone a fair amount of time. They’ll be taken care of,” he said. “But it’ll be done by the people taking care of the building. That has to be discussed between Q them.”

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Finding the true cost of a college education arships, grants and savings can help cover some expenses, but student loans can be needed to help cover the full cost of attendance. It’s important for students and parents to understand their options and carefully compare federal and private student loans so they can choose the loans that best fit their needs. “Parents and students should devote as much time to identifying and determining ways to responsibly pay for college as they do to the application and admissions process,” says Danny Ray, president of Discover Student Loans. “Conducting research, networking with other families and taking advantage of helpful online resources and tools such as net price calculators are just a few examples that will provide a better sense of the true cost of college.” Tips for paying for a higher education A few additional tips students and parents should keep in mind when navigating the college financial aid process include: • Max im i ze free money: G ra nts, scholarships and other free financial aid can help students pay for some college costs. Resources such as StudentLoan. com and Studentaid.ed.gov can help students and parents identify and apply for important free money. When considering

the full mix of financing options, families should compare federal and private student loans including interest rates and origination fees. • Have a continuous — and honest — dialogue with each other: The financial aid process can be overwhelming. It’s essential that college-bound students and their parents know their respective responsibilities and roles in paying for college. Parents should talk with their kids about what’s important, their financial limits and where the money is coming from, and then designate who will pay for what expenses. • Know when to request a professional judgment: If a parent loses his or her job or has his or her wages reduced, then he or she can ask the university’s financial office for a professional judgment review. During this process, the f inancial aid office may consider the projected year income as opposed to prior year income, which could result in possible increases in financial aid awards and a reduction in the expected financial contribution from the parents and student. As the cost of college continues to increase, it’s important to understand the resources available to help pay for a college education, ultimately providing longQ term benefits to students and parents — Brandpoint

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A college education is a lifelong investment. College graduates are more likely to be employed and earn more throughout the course of their lives, according to a recent report by the College Board. While the benefits of a college education may be clear, figuring out the true cost and how to pay for it isn’t always as obvious. Today, college-bound students and parents face lots of questions in determining how to pay for college. An early step in the process should be determining the difference between the published cost of attending a particular school and the available scholarships or f inancial aid from the school. This is called the net price of attending a university. Most colleges have a net price calculator on their websites to assist in this determination. Additionally, students and parents should try and forecast the true cost of college beyond courses and textbooks — including all the unforeseen costs, such as supplementary study materials, transportation, technology, extracurricular activities, any of which can push students and parents into unexpected debt. Eighty-one percent of parents plan to help pay for their children’s college education, but a willingness to pay doesn’t always correspond to an ability to pay, according to an annual survey commissioned by Discover Student Loans. Schol-

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New College Campus Opening In Forest Hills Plaza College is getting ready for their 100 year anniversary by expanding into a new state-of-the-art campus in Forest Hills. The Forest Hills Tower at 118-35 Queens Boulevard is set to be the new home of Plaza College beginning in fall 2014. Plaza College, a private college f o u n d e d i n 1 916 and offering marketrelevant Associate and Baccalaureate degrees through its Schools of Allied Health and Business & Technology, will u lize the Towerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;building within a buildingâ&#x20AC;? op on and have a dedicated entrance on Queens Boulevard. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are dedicated to providing our student popula on with the best possible academic experience and are so excited to kick off our 100-year-anniversary celebra on with a beau ful new campus,â&#x20AC;? said Chad Callahan, Director of Strategic Ini a ves for Plaza College.

Forest Hills Tower is situated on the corner of Queens Boulevard and Union Turnpike â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a central loca on very accessible through mul ple highways and all mass transit â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and will provide a more tradi onal campus experience. The new campus will feature addi onal medical labs, and expanded Student Commons, a dedicated outdoor pavilion, and much more. The expansion to the new main campus will be a seamless transi on for Plazaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s students, staďŹ&#x20AC; and faculty. Plaza College will be hos ng a number of Open Houses at their current campus in Jackson Heights for the Summer and Fall registrations. Prospective students will be able to view architectural drawings and displays of the new campus and have ques ons answered by their staďŹ&#x20AC;. To reserve sea ng for one of the open house dates, contact the College at (718) 779-1430.

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Resorts World Casino New York City is hosting what it calls the “first of its kind hip-hop concert in Queens” this weekend to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the genre that has become one of the most successful of the rock era. “Legends of Hip-Hop Vol. 1” will bring notable artists from the genre to the casino at 110-00 Rockaway Blvd. on Saturday, March 15 beginning at 9 p.m. Doors open at 8 p.m.

The show will feature an all-star lineup of legendar y talent such as Naughty By Nature, above, Queens-natives DJ Skribble, below left, and Black Sheep, Kurtis Blow, DJ Kool, DJ Marley Marl and special host Ray Dejon, below right. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $25 at the casino on the lower level or at rwnewyork.com. Tickets purchased the day of the concert will run $35.

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Luigi, the former baker of Seviroli, will be holding a Big Easter Bake Sale at Nativity Church Hall at 101-41 91 St. in Ozone Park. The sale will be held on March 16 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; March 19 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; March 30 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.; April 13, Palm Sunday, from 7 am. to 1 p.m.; April 18, Good Friday, from 1 to 7 p.m.; April 19 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and April 20, Easter Sunday, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The sale will feature a wide variety of baked goods including St. Joseph pastries, cheesecake, Easter assortments, fig cookies, honey balls, meat and grain pastries and assorted cookies. Twenty percent of all proceeds go to Nativity. Call (917) 291-1995 Q for orders.

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SQ page 33

Experts hope conditions change soon, but garden work is slowed by Liz Rhoades Managing Editor

Amateur gardeners itching to get radish and lettuce seeds in the ground and flower lovers looking to plant those perky pansies in window boxes will have to wait a little longer. By all accounts, this winter’s weather is hanging on longer than anyone expected, playing havoc with business at garden centers and holding up everyone else who wants to put a shovel in the ground. On Saturday, when temperatures rose to the mid-50s, some Queens gardeners were out in their yards pruning bushes, while members of the city’s Green Thumb Community Garden in Flushing got a first chance to see their plots. But there was not much to be done because the earth in places is still frozen and elsewhere muddy. Usually at this time of year the hardy and colorful pansies are ready for planting, but not this season. Russell Bodenhorn, who worked for Keil Brothers Nursery, which recently merged with Garden World in Auburndale, said that last year at this time the flowers were being sold. “They are not in stock yet,” Bodenhorn said. “It’s still too cold at night for them.” The veteran gardener said the business is feeling the weather, as are amateur planters. “Our shipments from the warmer climates, the

Kuiyoung Kwon starts to clean up her plot Saturday at the city’s Green Thumb Community Garden in Kissena Corridor Park in Flushing. It was opening day and the weather was warm, but because PHOTO BY RICK MAIMAN of the lingering cold winter, the ground is still too frozen to plant. West Coast and South, have been delayed because we can’t bring them in yet,” Bodenhorn said. He is hopeful that the weather will improve soon, but does not expect it this week. “The ground is not ready for planting,” Bodenhorn added. “There are still some icebergs and the ground needs a chance to dry out.” And he said there is no question business

has suffered. “Businesswise, you never catch up with what you’ve lost, but you have to go on.” Anthony Imbriano, who runs a landscaping business out of Howard Beach, expects to start doing yard work next week. “Sometimes he starts earlier and sometimes later, depending on the weather. We’re hoping the weather will be better,” said Melissa Imbriano, who runs the

business with her husband. So do other Queens landscapers, who have held off on advertising in the Queens Chronicle and other papers because of poor gardening conditions. Chuck Wade, who has the title of care person of the Green Thumb Community Garden in Kissena Corridor Park, said the Flushing facility has more than 250 members, who each year sign up in the fall for a plot of land to cultivate. Most members grow vegetables, with a smattering of flowers. Since last Saturday was opening day, they were anxious to see their plots. “Many of the members are Korean and like to plant their traditional crops, and we are all waiting to see if this will be a cold spring after such a cold winter,” Wade said. He added that this is the most prolonged winter he can remember. Wade is a retired horticultural teacher from John Bowne High School and also served as director of the Queens Botanical Garden at one time. Susan Lacerte, the current executive director of the QBG in Flushing, acknowledged that there are few signs of spring, but is not concerned about getting a late start in planting this year. “It is delayed and we can’t work outside yet,” Lacerte said. “But the cold has its good points; it’s killed a lot of bugs and continued on page 36

Page 33 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

Cold winter delays any early plantings

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 34

SQ page 34

The problem with paving over lawns As private properties become less green, all of Queens is affected by Stephanie Santana

a sign on his fence demanding that people not block his ‘driveway,’” he said. A search on the DOB’s website of a “Forest Hills has become ‘Deforest Hills,’” a man shoveling snow remarks block in Forest Hills known to many as about the community he’s lived in for home to “McMansions,” shows fou r years. Pointing to his windows, the man other instances of investigations which says they remain constantly shut. Trees were also “resolved” because no violathat used to absorb exhaust fumes along tions were found at the time of inspecthe road have been largely cut down, in tion for curb cuts. One complaint entered apparent violation of city laws requiring in October 2012 for illegal paving has yet to be inspected. greenery. Blenkinsopp said he realizes the comDespite his concer n of the lack of trees, the man says he doesn’t complain plaints aren’t high priority for the DOB to the Department of Buildings over the but says he would happily assist in citing violations and chooses to remain anony- violations by taking photographs, for example. mous when voicing his opinion. But according to Kelly Magee, the “Honestly I’m not looking into getting into anyone’s kitchen; I wouldn’t want DOB’s spokeswoman, an investigation would still have to take place. Residents them to get into mine,” he said. For community activists throughout can call 311 and track their complaints. “The department works with members Queens who feel that yard violations are becoming a creeping concern to their of local community boards, civic associcommunities, getting into someone’s ations and elected officials on a regular yard (as in their business) at least, is the basis to address issues if and when they arise,” Magee said. only way to curb violations. Kew Gardens residents have also noted the prevalence of the problem Who’s Violating What? “Enforcement seems to be the bottle- within their communities. Murray Berger, the executive chairneck,” said Alex Blenkinsopp of the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Associa- man for the Kew Gardens Civic Association about the slow response he says the tion, called the issue of replacing green with cement, “a city has on checking creeping abuse.” in on the violations. A resident of Kew For Blen kinsopp, Gardens for 56 years, i mplement i ng ya rd ou get a parking Berger said that he laws requiring greenery has been an space out of it ... but d o e s n’t t h i n k t h e Yards Text Amendongoing st r uggle it’s really affecting me nt d id much t o since the Yards Text the violations. A mend ments was the neighborhood and curb Instead, he said, he passed in 2008. Proseen illegal modpelled by elected natural environment.” has i f ic a t io n s s u ch a s of f icials such a s fences over 6 feet then-Councilman — Urban Policy and Planning profesh ig h on ly i ncrease and now state Sen. sor Donovan Finn of Jackson Heights over the years. To ny Avel la For Sylvia Hack, (D-Whitestone), who who heads the Kew were concer ned about the quality of life and the stress to Gardens Improvement Association, the the environment in low-density neigh- reason that residents continue to pave borhoods, the laws restrict what a home- over their green space is because the law owner could do to his or her outside is too lax. “Until someone higher up says, ‘Your property. Prior to the code changes, front yards fine is going to accumulate every single were not required to be planted but with day,’ then they wouldn’t do it in the first them, a certain percentage of greenery place,” Hack says of how to bet ter had to be planted based on square foot- enforce the requirements. As a longtime Kew Gardens resident, age, with 20 percent for a yard less than 20 square feet and 50 percent for a yard she has seen fines issued for violations 60 square feet or greater. The laws also ranging from excessive fence building to addressed limiting the number of park- illegal use of a home for a commercial business but says most violators don’t ing spaces, curb cuts and fence height. Despite Blenkinsopp submitting sever- change to adhere to what’s required of al complaints to the DOB, which would them. Especially for illegal businesses, issue the violations, he says their response she says, it’s cheaper to pay the violations than to register as a commercial is slow and not thorough enough. One of his grievances over an alleged- operation. On the other side of the equation, she ly illegal curb cut and driveway was dismissed altogether since at the time of criticized the involvement of the DOB, inspection, “they couldn’t locate the illegal calling it a “joke” for what she sees as driveway, even though the resident had put slow follow-up to civilian complaints. Chronicle Contributor

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One of many homes in Forest Hills whose front lawn was turned into a courtyard of paving PHOTO BY STEPHANIE SANTANA stones, reducing drainage. The problem exists all over Queens. Cement’s more manageable, So what’s the big deal? “The water is running off and burdening the sewer lines and storm drains,” said Paul Graziano of North Flushing, a n u rba n pla n n i ng con su lt a nt who helped draft the text amendment. He explains that having green space helps to absorb the runoff. When originally drafting the amendments, Graziano stressed that he advocated for an even greater percentage of required minimal green space. Requiring only 20 percent for 20 square feet is “kind of a joke” to him. Donovan Finn, a professor of Urban Policy and Planning at Stony Brook University also stressed the capturing of rain water to prevent f looding. He said that while residents may feel that paving over their own lawn won’t be an issue, the problem emerges when ever yone starts to do it. “A part of the problem is that it seems like a win-win. You get a parking space out of it, don’t feel any personal pain as a result, but it’s really affecting the neighborhood and natural environment,” said Finn, who lives in Jackson Heights. Another difficulty in promoting green lawns is that often, homeowners who may have recently moved into a house might not be aware that their property is in violation of the law. Additionally, while some may have been paved without a proper permit, there are also nonconforming driveways that were built prior to the adoption of the zoning text amendment and remain legal. From a contractor’s perspective, architect John Cacagnile, said that since the passing of the amendment in 2008, his profession must adhere to the requirements. But, he also recognizes that many

homeowners often feel over whelmed with the law, which calls for such things as at least two trees being planted for every 50 square feet. “In the beginning [people say], ‘Oh my God, it’s another thing.’ Over time, it gets absorbed,” Cacagnile says of the law. W hile he has seen homeowners having to rip up their cement, a few years later, they’re paving again. Solutions? With slow mobilization for inspection on ongoing violations, what other solut ions m ig ht ex ist for concer ned residents? One suggestion listed in NYC’s Green Infrastructure Plan includes the use of permeable pavement such as some paving stones, which allows water to seep in, but still at a much lesser extent than soil — the “lesser evil,” according to Finn. Another possible solution, as Margaret Finnerty, president of the Richmond Hill South Civic Association mentioned, at least to overdevelopment, is rezoning, such as was recently done for 530 blocks of southern Queens, which will keep the area to one- or two-family homes. “That’s a big plus in my area,” said Finnerty, who, concerned with overdevelopment noted that the abundance of residents might have led to the need to create extra parking in the first place. While no further amendments are in the works, Avella stressed that aggrieved constituents should not hesitate to bring their concerns to him, noting that residents shouldn’t think that what their neighbor does won’t affect them. “If they see something, say someQ thing,” Avella said.

SQ page 35

continued from page 2 13, citing the vast expanse of territory that officers now must cover. Katz, in fact, is calling on the city to fund the top capital expense priorities of all the community boards, ranging from train sound barriers in CB 1 to the reconstruction of Cross Bay Boulevard in CB 14. Katz said her office is reopening former Borough President Claire Shulman’s “education war room” to assist the Department of Education with building or leasing needed classroom space. A priority where Katz and the mayor disagree is one near and dear to the borough president’s heart — that of funding for the arts and cultural affairs. De Blasio’s preliminary budget calls for $7.2 million in aid to places like the Queens Botanical Garden, the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning and the Museum of the Moving Image, representing a cut of more than $1.2 million. Katz said Queens receives the lowest per capita arts funding of the f ive boroughs. While de Blasio is seeking increases in spending for police and fire personnel, he is looking to slash nonpersonnel expenditures for those departments by $87 and $12.4, million respectively. Sanitation, a major issue in Community Board 12 to the southeast, has been target-

ed for $504,000 in personnel cuts. Katz’s office wants the city to undertake numerous efforts to assist small businesses and to expand the tech sector in and around Long Island City. Joseph Conley, chairman of Community Board 2, said he hopes the city’s plans will include financial and legislative help with industrial business zones. “They’re under attack,” Conley said. “Ever since Willets Point, we’ve had three or four places where people are trying to change the zoning.” Speaking afterward, Council Members Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills) and Danny Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) expressed confidence thus far in de Blasio’s projections for revenue to pay for the executive budget he will submit on or before April 24. Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) was not quite so sure. He pointed to de Blasio’s inclusion of more than $500 million in new city income taxes for prekindergarten programs that he said “is dead on arrival in Albany.” He was not consoled by Gov. Cuomo’s plans to fund pre-K at the state level. “What happens if we as a Council pass a budget and the money isn’t there?” he asked. Koslowitz said the mayor has more than a month to fine-tune his proposal. “It’s all part of the budgeting process,” Q she said.

Page 35 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

Ice Jewelry: where the owners can relate to their clients

Katz seeks more city money

Ice Jewelry Buying Service is located on Queens Boulevard in Rego Park.

WE PROVIDE CASH LOANS FOR AUTOS AND MOTORCYCLES! they treat everything like it’s a one-shot deal and we don’t do that,” Elias said. In addition to buying gold, silver, diamonds, watches Recently, a woman and her boyfriend went into and coins, Ice Jewelry Buying also offers instant cash an unassuming gold buying and cash loan shop on loans for jewelry and eBay selling services. Queens Boulevard. She had a $35 offer on her ring Their cash loans program is straightforward and from another area shop, but was looking to get a simple. “It’s a perfect solution for someone who better deal. In what may be viewed as poor business has a bill due and a check on the way,” Goldberg acumen, she told her new prospective buyer what said. “But we make sure they have a game plan to her previous offer was. Still, after examining her buy their jewelry back before the end of the term. piece, he offered her $1,600. He did so, as he says, Sometimes these are people’s heirlooms we’re “...because that’s what it was worth.” talking about and we respect that.” The plight of the worker who’s hard-up for cash For those who are less Internet-savvy or just don’t in today’s economy is something that Arthur Elias have the time, Ice Jewelry Buying offers a convenient and Edward Goldberg can relate to firsthand, eBay sales service. If what a customer has isn’t an having been laid off from their jobs in jewelry item that Ice Jewelry Buying would purchase, like manufacturing. They understand that people get a handbag or antique furniture, they can help find into situations where they just need a little cash fast a buyer on their eBay store. Elias consults with the to make the bills and Ice Jewelry Buying Service customer to find a target price hopes to help out in the most STORE HOURS and let the Internet auctioneers honest way they can. handle the rest. “For this, I like to think we’re MON.-FRI. 11am - 7pm For anyone who has ever doing the community a service,” SAT. 10am - 6pm SUN. by Appointment dealt with the hassle of selling Elias said. “We’re in the business of helping people who are in a tough icejewelrybuyingservice.com and shipping an item on eBay — all the forms involved in setting spot. They can come to our store up a user and paypal account, the 10-15 percent fee and know that we can educate them on what they that Ice Jewelry Buying charges to do all the work is have and we’ll give them what their items are worth. really a bargain deal. When that woman told me her previous offer, it made “At the end of the day, I just want people to feel me wonder how many times this happens — how comfortable doing business with us. People have many people who really need that money get taken this conception of gold buying stores as these slimy advantage of?” places with slimy people, and they’re typically right. Elias opened his Rego Park shop with Goldberg But we want to be different. I don’t think it’s cool to in 2009, and already they’re seeing a lot of repeat see someone buy a ring for $200 and put it in their customers and referrals. This is a sign to them that counter for $800. We don’t do that.” they’re doing something right — the pawn business Ice Jewelr y Buying Ser vice is located at typically deals in one-time transactions but Elias is 98-30 Queens Blvd. in Rego Park. Hours of operation determined to break that mold, building a reputation are Monday-Friday from 11 am to 7:00 pm and on trust. Saturday 10 am to 6 pm; Sunday – private “Everyone around here is buying gold these days; appoinments are available. Call for more information you can go into the barber shop down the road and Q (718) 830-0030. sell your jewelry. The problem with all these places is

by Denis Deck

Chronicle Contributor

State review continued from page 2 Blasio for “appropriately” using higherthan-anticipated tax revenues to reduce future projected budget deficits and build up a fund reserve. The increases are attributed to strong growth in real estate values and higher personal income tax revenue due to things like strong job growth. He also said potential problems include the uncertainty over the receipt of $1.2 billion in taxi medallion revenue through 2017, and whether the Health and Hospitals Corp. may require more money than

anticipated. “It also is unclear if federal aid from Superstorm Sandy will fall short of expectations,” he said. Debt service and employee health insurance costs, DiNapoli said, are expected to increase by $4.6 billion, or 47 percent, between now and fiscal year 2017-18. Positive indicators include steady economic growth, and steadily shrinking unemployment numbers since 2009. The city’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 7.8 percent in January is the lowest in five years but still is higher than the national average and Q higher than before the recession. — Michael Gannon

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 36

SQ page 36

ST. JOHN’S

BASKETBALL

Johnnies end the season with a victory

St. John’s enters Big East Tournament play; hope of making NCAA’s fleeting by Christopher Barca Reporter

The NCAA tournament bubble for St. John’s has all but been popped, as the Red Storm’s lackluster resume will most likely be their downfall when the NCAA selection committee sets the field of 68 teams this Sunday. Twenty wins is normally the benchmark when it comes to making a strong enough case for tournament considerations. Teams with fewers victories do often make the dance, but those squads most likely won their conference tournament and the automatic bid to the NCAA’s that comes with it. In the Red Storm’s case, winning against rival Marquette in their regular season finale last Saturday would give them 20 wins and an opportunity to be considered for the postseason. However, early season losses to average teams such as Providence and downright bad teams such as Penn State and Georgia Tech seemed to have done major damage to their chances of an NCAA tournament berth. Many college basketball experts have said that St. John’s would need to advance to the finals of this week’s Big East Tournament to be considered strong contenders for the NCAA bracket. But in the Johnnies’ finale against the Marquette Golden Eagles, the Red Storm certainly played like their tournament hopes rested solely on the game’s outcome. With a loss certainly dooming St. John’s, they won their most dramatic game of the season, defeating Marquette 91-90 in double overtime. The Red Storm ends the season with a 20-11 record, including a 10-8 mark in Big East play. St. John’s and Marquette traded the lead 11 times throughout regulation, but the Red Storm managed to maintain the advantage until the Golden Eagles drained a game-tying shot at the buzzer to force the first overtime. The two squads once again traded the lead repeatedly in the first extra period, but when St. John’s took a 78-74 lead with two minutes remaining, Marquette stormed back. They took an 80-78 lead of their own with a little over one minute remaining, but an Orlando Sanchez basket and, after a Marquette free throw, freshman Rysheed Jordan sent the game into a second overtime with a free throw of his own with 15 seconds left. In the second extra frame, the Johnnies erased a 90-87 deficit with 1:07 left on the strength of a dramatic, game-tying threepointer from long distance by leading scorer

ST. JOHN’S HOME

91 90 St. John’s tops Marquette on March 8. D’Angelo Harrison. Rysheed Jordan added another free throw to seal the victory. Harrison, Jordan and sophomore JaKarr Sampson all scored 20 points to lead the Red Storm, while guard Phil Greene IV contributed 11 points. A 20-11 record and a tie for third in the conference standings is certainly nothing to sneeze at. The Red Storm won 20 games for just the second time in Steve Lavin’s four years as head coach, and another year of experience under the relatively young team’s belt should do next year’s team plenty of good. “It’s a good core,” Lavin told me in the audience for Christ the King’s city semifinal matchup last week. “It’s a group you really want to build around.” But when it comes to this season, the Johnnies won’t be dancing this month unless they win at least two games in the Big East Tournament (in which they are the fifth-seed) starting with today’s quarterfinal game against Providence, the tournament’s three-seed, at 2:30 p.m. at Madison Square Garden. Despite the Red Storm’s tie for third in the conference standings, tiebreakers with Providence and Xavier, two teams St. John’s lost to this season, knocked the Johnnies down to fifth. If St. John’s advances, the road only gets harder as the week progresses. With a win over Providence, the Johnnies will advance to the tournament semifinals on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Garden, where they would play the win ner of Thursday’s noon contest, which will pit top-seeded Villanova against the winner of Wednesday’s first-round game between DePaul and Georgetown. The Big East Tournament can be seen on Fox Sports 1 in its entirety and the winner of the tournament receives an automatic bid Q to the NCAA Tournament next week.

QUICK Assembly supports mayor’s pre-K and tax increase plan The state Assembly’s budget proposal, approved Tuesday, includes funding for universal, mandatory prekindergarten in the city, just as Mayor de Blasio has been pushing for. Inclusion of the mayor’s request for permission to raise city taxes on income above $500,000 from 3.9 percent to 4.4 percent, which requires Albany’s approval under state law, sets up a potential showdown with Gov. Cuomo, who opposes the hike. De Blasio says the increased revenue is necessary to ensure funding for universal pre-K, as well as more afterschool programs. Cuomo says Albany should not raise taxes and could fund pre-K statewide with existing revenue instead. But under his plan, universal preschool would not be offered until the fall of 2015, rather than this fall, as the mayor plans. Each house of the state Legislature and the governor must agree on a budget proposal for it to take effect. While the governor has repeatedly stated his opposition to de Blasio’s plan, there are enough votes in the Senate to support it, according to sources. It is not clear, however, if Republican Leader Dean Skelos (R-Nassau), who shares power with breakaway Democrat Jeff Klein (D-Bronx, Westchester), will allow it to come to the floor. Supporters were ecstatic over the Assembly’s action. “I know first-hand, as a Queens parent leader, that our children and working families will benefit enormously from expanded access to pre-K and after-school programs,” Alicia Hyndman, president of the District 29 Community Education Council, said in a preQ pared statement.

Beware top frauds To mark the start of National Consumer Protection Week, state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman last week released a list of the top fraud complaints his office received in 2013, along with tips on how to avoid them. The subject areas and number of complaints received were: 1. internet (privacy issues; spyware;

Gardening continued from page 33 replenishes the water.” Most of the planting at the QBG is not expected before April, when the ground is warmer. “Everybody is ready for spring,” the director added. Leah Retherford, farm manager at the Queens County Farm Museum in Floral Park, agrees with Lacerte about the benefits of the cold winter: It kills insect pests, while the heavy snow increases the water reserves. But she said the weather has its drawbacks. “We’ll start planting later than usual,” Retherford said. “We also have a lot less and

HITS

consumer frauds): 4,753; 2. automobile (buying; leasing; repair; service contracts; rentals): 2,614; 3. credit (debt collection; credit card billing; debt settlement; payday loans; credit repair; credit reporting agencies; identity theft): 2,295; 4. consumer-related services (security systems; restaurant/catering services; tech repairs; dating services): 2,158; 5. mortgage (mortgage modifications; mortgage and loan broker fraud; foreclosures): 1,748; 6. landlord/tenant (deposit releases; tenant harassment): 1,733; 7. furniture/major household appliances: 1,168; 8. home repair/const r uction (home improvement services not delivered or done poorly): 995; 9. retail sales (any sale of goods: food; clothing; rent to own; wholesale clubs; price gouging): 913; and 10. mail order (purchases made online or from a catalog): 816. The AG’s tips on how to avoid being scammed are posted online at ag.ny.gov. Q

Suit alleges a racial bias in property tax A class action lawsuit filed late last month claims that city property taxes discriminate against minorities who rent apartments. The discrimination exists because renters, who statistically are more likely to be black or Hispanic than homeowners, who are more likely to be white or Asian, pay a disporportionate share of property taxes through their rents, the suit alleges. The action was filed against the city by Manhattan law firm Newman Ferrara and two people who rent apartments, according to the Daily News. One of them is Rosa Rodriguez of Middle Village, the paper reported. Renters pay 37 percent of property taxes but their buildings only make up 23 percent of the city’s assessed value, the suit says, according to published reports. Owners of one-, twoand three-family homes pay 15.5 percent of the taxes, while their properties make up 48 Q percent of assessed value. — compiled by Peter C. Mastrosimone smaller cover crops in the fields that were planted in the fall.” But the last working farm in Queens starts its plants indoors, growing its own seedlings. So early crops such as parsley and lettuce will be transplanted as soon as the earth warms up. In addition, the farm utilizes cold frames for its transplanted lettuce and spinach, which protect the greens from harsh temperatures. Retherford is using the extra time between seasons to oil tools, clean up the ground and prune. “I’m not concerned about the cold weather,” she added. “It gives us time to rest and it’s a good chance to plan Q the garden.”

SQ page 37 Page 37 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

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In three of the previous four seasons, the Christ the King boys basketball team had been crowned as the Catholic High School Athletic Association city champions. In two of those banner years, it was Brooklyn rival Bishop Loughlin on the losing end of the contest. On Sunday, the Middle Village school proved the only aspect of the city championship game that has changed over the last few years is the name on the CHSAA Tournament Most Valuable Player trophy, not the result of the contest or even who the Royals knock off to capture the crown. In the highly-anticipated rematch of the Brooklyn/Queens tournament championship game, won by Bishop Loughlin in a blowout just two weeks ago, Christ the King once again knocked off their arch rivals 72-61 to decisively capture the CHSAA city championship at Fordham University in the Bronx. Like recent Christ the King stars Jon Severe and Malik Boothe, who were both in attendance on Sunday, forward Travis Atson walked away with tournament MVP honors, as he netted 21 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and played the gritty defense needed to repel Loughlin’s deadly offensive attack. Coming into the contest, superstar senior center Adonis Delarosa figured to be the catalyst for the Christ the King offense. But it was the combination of Atson, a junior, and sophomore Rawle Alkins, who scored 24 points, that carried the Royals to yet another city championship. “It’s just amazing. It’s another great addon to winning the city championship,” Atson said of his MVP honor. “We all

played great. Rawle scored 24 points. Adonis played great. You couldn’t ask for more.” “It’s nothing different, he’s been doing it all year long,” Royals coach Joe Arbitello said of Atson. “It makes a coach really happy that he has Travis Atson and Rawle Alkins coming back next year.” When the same squads battled on Feb. 21, Loughlin star and CHSAA regular season MVP Khadeen Carrington scored a careerhigh 42 points in the 90-71 destruction of Christ the King. In the rematch, Carrington’s point total was slashed in half, as Alkins admirably defended the Seton Hall-bound prospect and held him to just 21 points. Mike Williams, the Rutgers-bou nd recruit who scored 30 points in Loughlin’s semifinal win, was kept to just 17 points. Offensively, Atson contributed the most from the free-throw line, as he hit all 11 of his attempts, including four in the final minute to seal the game for Christ the King. Alkins, on the other hand, delivered the dagger to Loughlin’s title hopes from long range, as he buried a three-pointer with 2:32 remaining in the game to give the Royals a 64-60 lead, an advantage that Loughlin would never threaten. “I told myself that I was going to be more aggressive in this game. Forget what everybody thinks,” Alkins, who guaranteed a Christ the King victory earlier in the week, said. “I’m just going to play my game and be me, and that’s what happened. I had a good game today and I’m going to play like that from now on. “My team wanted to win so badly. It wasn’t meant to be for [Loughlin],” he continued on page 40

HILJ-063662

Travis Atson, with plaque, and Andre Walker celebrate with their Royals teammates after topping Bishop Loughlin in the Catholic High School Athletic Association city championship game on Sunday. Atson was named the tournament’s most valuable player. PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER BARCA

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 38

SQ page 38

A promise fulfilled: Cardozo wins city title Free throws with two seconds left give the Judges a championship by Christopher Barca

he desired to have the ball in his hands in the final seconds. “To live the moment, it felt like a dream.” Four years ago, Benjamin Cardozo High School The only eyes in the arena not fixed solely freshman Francisco Williams promised longtime on Salnave’s shots were Naclerio’s. coach Ron Naclerio that he would win him his first “I didn’t have the heart to look at the foul city championship since 1999. shots,” Naclerio said. “I actually turned In Williams’ final game as a member of the around and closed my eyes.” Judges, on the biggest stage in New York City basSwish. The Judges lead. ketball, he fulfilled that promise. A desperation full-court heave by Jefferson “A lot of people doubted us, they didn’t think we fell short at the buzzer, and an emotional would make it this far,” Williams said. “It’s still Naclerio began sobbing on the bench. After unbelievable.” every member of Cardozo dove on each other On Saturday afternoon, Bayside’s Cardozo at half-court in a joyous celebration, Williams defeated Brooklyn’s Thomas Jefferson High School and his beloved coach tearfully embraced. A 55-54 to capture the Public School Athletic League promise fulfilled. “AA” division city championship at the Barclays “It was unbelievable. When I saw him cryCenter in Brooklyn. Overjoyed members of the Cardozo basket- Game hero Rashond Salnave, left, poses with With the win, they became the first non-Brook- ball team mob Ron Naclerio after the Judges Ron Naclerio, senior Francisco Williams and ing, it brought tears to my eyes,” Williams lyn school in city history to defeat all Brooklyn won the PSAL city championship on Saturday. the PSAL trophy. PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER BARCA said. “When I was a freshman, I told him I would get him a championship before I graduteams in postseason play. “Some people say I’m only a sophomore and that’s a big feel- ate … it felt pretty good to come out here and do that.” However, with 30 seconds remaining in the game, it appeared Williams finished with a game-high 21 points, while Salnave ing,” Salnave said. “But I knew what I had to do.” as if Cardozo would fall one win short of rewriting history. The crowd of around 5,000 people roared as Salnave took the added 16 points. The Judges were down 54-53 and had just missed two With the tears wiped away, it was time to celebrate their straight layups before a foul sent Jefferson star sophomore first shot. unlikely city championship, according to the graduating Swish. Tie game. Shamorie Ponds to the free-throw line. He then took a short walk around mid-court to “refresh” his Williams. Ponds missed the free throw and after a Cardozo rebound, “We’re going to stay up all night,” he said. “We’re probably Rashond Salnave was fouled as he attempted a game-winning mind and help him concentrate on the next shot: the basket that would link his name with Cardozo basketball for years to come going to stay up, play [video games] and go to Hooters.” layup with just two seconds remaining. Cardozo moves on to the semifinals of the New York State In one of the most pressure-packed situations a basketball or the miss that could potentially cost his school the championFederation Tournament of Champions in Albany, where they player could be in, the game and the city title Williams promised ship that was promised to Naclerio years ago. Q “Since I was young, I had that feeling,” he said, when asked if will face fellow Queens team Christ the King March 21. his coach were solely in Salnave’s hands. Reporter

Francis Lewis brings a title to Fresh Meadows The Patriots pull off another upset on their way to a city championship by Christopher Barca Reporter

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They shouldn’t even have been there. The Francis Lewis High School girls basketball team had no business in the Public School Athletic League “AA” division championship game on Saturday. After all, they had to beat Murry Bergtraum, winners of the last 15 straight city titles, to get there.

Francis Lewis senior center Chelsea Robinson looks for an open teammate during Saturday’s PSAL championship game in Brooklyn.

Shockingly, star guard Sierra Green and the Patriots pulled off the upset last week and found themselves on the Barclays Center court in Brooklyn on Saturday, playing for a city championship. The Fresh Meadows team wasn’t going to let the opportunity go to waste. Led by Green’s dominant 21-point effort, Francis Lewis once again surprised the New York City basketball world, defeating top-ranked South Shore High School of Brooklyn 65-58 to win their first PSAL championship in school history. “It’s a pretty great feeling to know we made it this far because it was our goal at the beginning of the season,” Green said. “And we succeeded.” The Patriots, who went 18-2 in the regular season, looked like a team on a mission, as they came out firing in the first half, all wh ile holdi ng South Shore i n check defensively. Francis Lewis led 27-18 at halftime on the strength of Green’s 14 points, and the tight Patriot defense forced South Shore to shoot a putrid 19 percent through the first two quarters. The Lady Vikings did a much better job on Green in the second half, as they held the sophomore to seven points and none in the fourth quarter, but that’s when junior Chi La Bady went to work.

The guard added 19 points and nine rebounds for Francis Lewis, giving the Patriots a second dominant offensive player, an element South Shore simply couldn’t defend effectively. “In the second half, I felt we needed to come out even stronger than we did in the first half,” La Bady said. “We couldn’t relax just because we had the lead that we did. We had to keep coming at them.” The Patriots might have slacked for a few moments in the fourth quarter, as South Shore cut Francis Lewis’ lead to 51-47 with four minutes remaining. Patriots coach Stephen Tsai called a timeout to calm his girls down. “I said just to be smart on offense,” Tsai said, when asked what he told the girls during the timeout. “Sometimes we all want to be a hero, but winning makes you a hero.” Francis Lewis was able to put some distance between them and South Shore in the ensuing few minutes, and by the time the final buzzer sounded, the Patriots had made school history. In addition to Francis Lewis taking the girls crow n, Benjamin Cardozo High School in Bayside won the PSAL boys city championship on the same court two hours later. Brooklyn may be known as the hotbed for New York City high school hoops, but

Patriots coach Stephen Tsai raises the PSAL championship trophy after the victory over PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER BARCA South Shore. on Saturday, Queens invaded Brooklyn with one goal in mind: to win. And when class came back into session on Monday, the two Queens schools had to make space in their trophy cases for some Q brand new hardware.

C M SQ page 39 Y K

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 40

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Poet says so long, not goodbye Laureate to celebrate with community at Queens Museum by Cesar Bustamante Chronicle Contributor

Queens Museum of the Arts will host a day-long literary arts festival on March 15 that’s filled with more than a series of poetry readings. Entitled “Eterniday,” the festival mixes curated readings and a book fair with other activities like hip-hop music, film screeni ngs a nd even a bread-ma k i ng demonstration. “It’s going to be a festive occasion with tremendous variety,” said Paolo Javier, the Queens poet laureate, who organized the event as one of his final acts before leaving the position. He likens the event to a carnival. Javier hopes to show that despite often being overshadowed by Manhattan and Brooklyn, Queens has cultivated and inspired a variety of artists for a long time. He gives as examples musician Louis Armstrong, writer Jack Kerouac, and artist Joseph Cor nell, whose work was the source for the festival’s name. “Queens has always been interested in literature. Queens has produced literature, vital literature and vital art for a long time,” he said. “It ain’t just the food that’s made our county exquisite.”

Poet Laureate Paolo Javier speaking at the Queens Museum, where he will also host his farewell party. PHOTO COURTESY QUEENS MUSEUM For that purpose, he’s invited many artists to the festival who have either been born in Queens, worked in Queens, or have created art that’s inspired by Queens even though they may not live in the borough.

A number of the performances will take advantage of the museum space and exhibits. For example, poets have been invited to read works while being surrounded by the 50 prison bunk beds that compose the current Los Angeles Poverty Department Retrospective installation. Other activities in the festival include workshops, a print-making demonstration and a showcase of local reading series scattered throughout the borough entitled, “Meanwhile Back in Queens …” “I want [people] to know that things like this are going on every day, every month, every week in the borough,” said Audrey Dimola, who organized the showcase. “There are people on the ground setting up bookstores, curating readings, and the neighborhood is coming out to open mics.” The day will end with a live set by DJ Despo, a German artist, at the museum’s atrium where cocktails will be served. “I wanted to put a pulse on where Queens is at in terms of its poetry scene, its art scene, from a poet’s perspective,” Javier said. “I expect to be as surprised as everyone attending it.” For more information on the event, go to Q eterniday2014.wordpress.com.

Royals win title continued from page 37 added. “Bishop Loughlin comes up short every year to Christ the King. They’re going to hate Christ the King forever.” After Thursday’s win in the tournament semifinals, Delarosa said he wanted the Royals’ opponent in Sunday’s title game to be Loughlin. Despite getting his wish, the Loughlin defense held him in check for most of the game. The center, who has been receiving interest from college programs including St. John’s and South Carolina, scored just four points through the first three quarters. However, Delarosa grabbed numerous clutch rebounds and knocked down important free throws in the final minutes, finishing with 10 points and 15 rebounds. “Christ the King and Loughlin, that’s a big rivalry,” Delarosa said. “We got them when it counted. I’m going to go on to college next year, but I know for the rest of my life, I’m going to remember the Christ the King and Loughlin games.” The Royals move on to the New York State Federation Tournament of Champions in Albany, where they will face Saturday’s Public School Athletic League champion Benjamin Cardozo High School of Bayside on March 21. Q

NYME-063621

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March 13, 2014

Page 41 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

COURTESY PHOTO

ARTS, CULTURE C ULTURE & LIVING IVING

Artist Sean Kenney with his xylophone sculpture made entirely of Legos, and the much smaller real one that inspired it.

SEAN KENNEY CREATES ART FROM PLAY

Just call him the

Legos have been around since 1934, when the Lego company was founded in Denmark. Over the years, the bricks have maintained their popularity with both boys and girls but recently, a Lego craze has emerged. Kenney said there are a number of contributing factors to the Lego obsession, the most recent being “The Lego Movie,” based on the toy world. It was released last month and generated $30 million during its opening weekend. “Obviously ‘The Lego Movie’ has sparked a new interest but I also think it’s because Lego toys are great; they really get kids’ minds going,” Kenney said. “Children become creative in a way that is very hands-on and real. Other crafty activities like drawing and finger painting do the same thing, but with Lego toys, when the child is done creating, they can also play with their creation!” Continuedononpage page continued 45

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by Tess McRae

here is more to Legos than little yellow men with square bodies living in a world of tiny blocks. The toy that invites young minds to imagine and create is the medium of choice for artist Sean Kenney. Inside his Long Island City workshop, koi fish leap into the air, lily pads the size of tractortrailer wheels stand on black platforms and boxes upon boxes of two million unused bricks line a wall, color coordinated and waiting to become part of Kenney’s newest creation. “Working with Lego for a living is a lot of fun,” he said. “I get to play with toys and make people smile; what better job could there be?” After working at a desk job for 10 years, Kenney took a huge risk and became one of 13 professionals who use Lego pieces to design and build commissioned works, personalized gifts and contemporary art.

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 42

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boro EXHIBITS “Loves,” a Participatory GumHearts Installation, by NY-based artist Niizeki Hiromi, the Center at Maple Grove Cemetery, 127-15 Kew Gardens Road, Kew Gardens, now thru Saturday, March 29, 2-5 p.m. RSVP to Bonnie Thompson Dixon: (718) 709-0390, bonnie@maplegrovecenter.org. Mixed Media Exhibit, Rockaway Artists Alliance, Fort Tilden, on the Rockaway side of the Marine Park Bridge, Saturdays & Sundays, 12-4 p.m., until March 23. Local artists on display: watercolor, oil painting, sculpture, photography and more. Special Irish Fun Afternoon, Saturday, Mar. 8, 1-3 p.m.

“Hairspray,” Marathon Little Theatre Group, Marathon Jewish Community Center, 245-37 60 Ave., Little Neck, Sunday, Mar. 16, 3 p.m. Donation $18 (adults), $16 (seniors & children under 13). Contact: (718) 2294644, (718) 428-1580 or mtgproducer@gmail.com.

CLASSES Tango Dance Workshop, Thalia Spanish Theatre, 41-17 Greepoint Ave., Sunnyside, Fridays & Saturdays, 5-6 p.m., now-March 22. Taught by Yaisuri Salamanca & John Hernan Raigosa, for men/ women, no experience needed. $150 for 15 classes, $100 for 5 classes, $25 per class. Contact: (718) 729-3880, thaliatheatre.org.

Queens Secret Improv Club, Queens’ only allimprov comedy theater, 44-02 23 St., Long Island City. Indie teams: Wednesdays & Thursdays, 7, 8 & 9 p.m., $5. House teams: Fridays, 7:30, 8:30 & 9:30 p.m., $7 for the whole night. Contact: secrettheatre.org.

Dance with Instruction, Italian Charities of America, 83-20 Queens Blvd., Elmhurst, every Monday and Friday night, 7:15-8 p.m., social dance follows at 8 p.m. $10. Contact: (718) 478-3100.

MUSIC

Defensive Driving Course, St. Margaret Church, 66-05 79 Pl., Middle Village, Saturday, Mar. 22, 9 a.m.3:30 p.m. $45 pp. Contact/register: (718) 326-1911.

Musica Reginae Concert, The Church-in-the-Gardens, 50 Ascan Ave., Forest Hills, Saturday, Mar. 15, 7:30 p.m. $20 adults, $15 seniors, $10 students (ages 13-21), kids under 12 free with an adult. Concert of works by Brahms and Schumann. Contact: musicareginae.org. Cherry Poppin’ Daddies, 1960s Vegas-style show, Queensborough Performing Arts Center, 222-05 56 Ave., Bayside. Saturday, Mar. 22, 8 p.m. $35. Contact/tickets: (718) 631-6311, visitqpac.org. Paul Joseph Quartet, St. Patrick’s Day Jazz, Mary’s Nativity Church, 46-02 Parsons Blvd., Flush-

Bilingual Dance for Children Workshop, Thalia Spanish Theatre, 41-17 Greenpoint Ave., Sunnyside, Saturdays, Mar. 8-June 7 (14 sessions), ages 5-8, 10 -11 a.m; ages 9-13, 11 a.m.-noon. Each workshop concludes with a performance. $150 (discount available for families), enrollment limited. Contact: Soledad Lopez or Kathryn Giaimo (718) 729-3880, thaliatheatre.org.

Quakers: An Ethic of Tolerance & Respect, Queens Historical Society, Kingsland Homestead, 143-35 37 Ave., Flushing, Sunday, Mar. 16, 2:304:30. Lecturer Cheshire Frager discusses Quaker principles expressing respect for all. $5-8. Contact: queenshistoricalsociety.org.

English & ESL/Civics Class, Flushing Jewish Community Council, two locations: Sheba USA, 72-32 Broadway, Jackson Heights, starting Wednesday, Mar. 19, 6-9 p.m.; ongoing classes, 43-43 Bowne St., Flushing, 6-8 p.m. Intermediate & advance ESOL, Mon-Thu. 9:15 a.m-12:15 & 1-3 p.m. Register (718) 463-0434.

Chamber Music Concert, First Presbyterian Church of Newtown, 54-05 Seabury St. at Queens Blvd., Elmhurst, Saturday, Mar. 15. Featuring music by Bach, Stravinsky and Mendelssohn. $10 at door. Contact: (718) 639-3126, info@fpcn.org.

Hands-on-History: Weaving History, King Manor Museum, 150-30 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, Saturday, Mar. 22, 1-3 p.m. Free. Create weavings out of cloth and paper; families with children of all ages. Contact: (718) 206-0545, ext. 13, kingmanor.org.

LECTURE

“Nunsense: The Mega-Musical,” Maggie’s Little Theater, 66-05 79 Pl., Middle Village, Friday, Mar. 14, 8 p.m.; Saturday, Mar. 15, 8 p.m.; Sunday, Mar. 16, 2:30 p.m. $18 adults, $15 seniors, $12 children 11 & under. Contact: Dolores Voyer (917) 579-5389, maggieslittletheater@gmail.com, maggieslittletheater.org/tickets.html.

Les Delicés, Five Boroughs Music Festival, King Manor Museum, 150-03 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, Friday, Mar. 14, refreshments 6 p.m., French Baroque concert, 6:30 p.m. $25 in advance, $30 at door, $15 students. Contact: kingmanor.org/events/concert.php.

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ing (enter on Jasmine Ave.), Sunday, Mar. 23, 1 p.m. $10 in advance, $15 at door. Contact: (718) 359-5996, pauljoseph.com.

Nature Workshops, Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing, Wildlife Photography with Shari Romar, Saturday, Mar. 22, 1-3:30 p.m. Flower & Macro Photography with H. David Stein, Saturday, Mar. 29, 1-3:30 p.m. $10/one workshop; $18 both photo workshops; advance registration required (limited to 12 people). Sundial Craft, Sunday, Mar. 23, 1 p.m. Free (while supplies last). Make a sundial pendant. Contact: (718) 886-3800, ext. 230, queensbotanical.org.

COMMUNITY Blood Drive, Secular Franciscan Fraternity at St. Adalbert Parish. 52-29 83 St. (enter on 84 St., Elmhurst, Sunday, Mar. 23, 8:30 a.m.-2:15 p.m. Contact: Carolyn Talento (718) 821-1875, medical questions to 1 (800) 933-2566, nybloodcenter.org. Volunteer youth baseball/football coaches, LP Fam Youth Organization, baseball ages 5-14, football ages 9-12, teams play in spring, summer and fall, 2014. Contact: Derik Braswell (917) 692-4775 or Paul Cox (917) 607-2421.

COURTESY PHOTO

THEATER

W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G

King Manor Museum’s Hands-on-History series continues on March 22. Flushing House Open House, ‘March into Spring’, Saturday, Mar. 22, 2-4 p.m. & Monday, Mar. 24, 6-8 p.m. Experience all that’s new at New York State’s largest not-for-profit, ‘Independent Living’ retirement community offering: fun, safety, socialization, convenience and freedom of choice. Meet and greet the management team and enjoy music, appetizers and refreshments. Free, seating is limited. Call to RSVP: (718) 762-3198, ext. 3014. Oratorio Society of Queens Bowling Fun Night, San-Dee Lanes, 342 Hempstead Ave., Malverne, Saturday, Mar. 22, 7:30 p.m. $30 pp (incl. food & 3 games, shoe rental); cash bar. Tickets: (718) 279-3006. Yoga classes, Central Queens YM & YWHA, 67-09 108 St., Forest Hills, registration ongoing for winter series (14 classes), Mondays (intermediate/ open), 10:20-11:20 a.m.; Wednesdays (beginners/ seniors), 10:10-11:10 a.m.; Fridays (intermediate/advanced), 11:30 a.m.-12:40 p.m. $168 CQY members, $210 general public; seniors, $66 CQY members, $119 general public. Contact: (718) 268-5011, cgy.org.

Baseball 2014 registration, Dunton Presbyterian Church, 109-29 135 St., South Ozone Park, Saturdays, now-Apr. 19, 12-3 p.m. Boys/girls, ages 5-14. Proof of age (birth certificate, passport, school record). $100 registration includes uniform, insurance, weekly training, games, trophies. Contact: Derik Braswell (917) 692-4775, Ted Jones (917) 375-6185 or Paul Cox (917) 607-2421.

SPECIAL EVENTS Taste of the World Food Festival, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Auditorium, 72-55 Austin St., Forest Hills., Sunday, Mar. 16, 2:30-5 p.m. $20 advance tickets, $25 at the door. Showcases local restaurants and from neighboring communities, proceeds benefit the church. Contact: (718) 268-6251. Chili Cook-Off, Martin Luther School, 60-02 Maspeth Ave., Saturday, Mar. 22, doors open at 4 p.m., $10, includes a tasting of each chili entry plus house chili and chips. Contact: (718) 894-4000 x133, info@ martinlutherNYC.org. March for the Earth, Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing, Sunday, Mar. 23, 10 a.m-1 p.m., celebrate vernal equinox with volunteering and unity at QBG, followed by a festive march to the Unisphere. Free, advance registration required. Contact: (718) 886-3800, rforlenza@queensbotanical.org.

FLEA MARKETS

Wednesday Night Singles Group, SFY Adult Center, 58-20 Little Neck Pkwy., Little Neck, second and fourth Wednesdays of each month, 7-9 p.m. Fee: $7 Adult Center members, $9 nonmembers.

Richmond Hill Flea Market, 117-09 Lefferts Blvd., off Jamaica Ave., every Sunday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Largest flea market in Queens.

Spring Fashion Show Luncheon, Italian Charities of America, 83-20 Queens Blvd., Elmhurst, Sunday, Mar. 23, 2 p.m. $20 pp. Saturday Night Dances, Saturdays, Mar. 15, 29, 8-12 p.m. Contact: (718) 478-3100.

St. Josaphat Flea Market plus Polish Meat & Bake Sale, Parish Hall, 34-32 210 St., Bayside, Sunday, Mar. 16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Contact: Steve (718) 224-3052.

KIDS/TEENS

Sidewalk Flea Market, St. Benedict the Moor Church, Merrick Blvd. at 110th Ave., every Saturday, begins Mar. 29, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Vendors welcome. Contact: (718) 332-0026.

“HSBC Children's Garden Family Day,“ Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing, Saturday, Mar. 15, 2-4 p.m. Free. Plant seeds, learn about the environment, register early for the Spring Session. Info: queensbotanical.org/programs/childrensgarden.

Italian Charities of America, 83-20 Queens Blvd., Elmhurst, Saturday, Mar. 22, 9 a.m-4 p.m. Contact: (718) 478-3100.

Theater, music, art or entertainment item to What’s Happening, email: artslistingqchron@gmail.com

C M SQ page 43 Y K

Two Bayside theaters, two very different shows by Mark Lord

‘Children of Eden’

qboro contributor

The musicals “Anything Goes” and “Children of Eden” couldn’t be more different from one another. Currently on the local theater boards, each delivers entertainment clearly aimed at particular audiences. “Anything Goes,” a staple since its Broadway debut in 1934, has undergone various incarnations over the years. It is frequently revisited by community groups, which are undoubtedly drawn to its giddy story line — set aboard an ocean liner bound for England and surrounding the misadventures of a female ex-evangelist, “a broken-down broker,” Public Enemy #13 and others — and a superb score by Cole Porter.

‘Anything Goes’ When: Sunday, March 16, 3 p.m. Where: Bay Terrace Jewish Center 13-00 209 St., Bayside Tickets: $20, $18 for seniors and children (718) 428-6363

When: March 14 and 15, 8 p.m. March 16, 4 p.m. Where: All Saints Church 214-35 40 Ave., Bayside Tickets: $20, $18 for seniors, $16 for children (718) 736-1216

Michael Chimenti, Cathy Chimenti and Mark Solkoff in “Anything Goes,” left, and the cast COURTESY PHOTOS of “Children of Eden.” The songs have always been the show’s main attraction: “You’re the Top,” “Friendship,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “Blow, Gabriel, Blow” and the title song, among others, and are performed in rapid succession. The Theatre By the Bay production, under the direction of Lawrence Bloom, with musical direction by Richard Louis-Pierre, is fortunate to have strong leading players. Headlining as the renowned Reno Sweeney, a role originated by Ethel Merman, is the borough’s very own belter, Cathy Chimenti. She brings

a strong voice, good comic timing and radiant smile to every scene she’s in. Another Chimenti, her husband Michael, nearly steals the show as Moonface Martin, putting his quirky moves, double takes and sneering expressions to good use. Mark Solkoff sings pleasantly as Billy Crocker, Reno’s old friend who stows away on the ship in an attempt to break up a planned marriage. John Canning turns in one of his finest performances as the foppish Sir Evelyn, the intended of American heiress Hope

Harcourt (Andria Amarosa), who arrives on board with her tart-tongued mother (Sonya Tannenbaum). Choreographer Chery Manniello provided the snappy, tap-inspired dances, as well as the colorful costumes. The set designed by Bert Padovan marks a pleasant change from recent Theatre By the Bay productions, which were presented black box-style. Those who prefer their musicals with a more modern, rock-tinged beat should check out Beari Productions’ rendition of “Children of Eden,” a show featuring the music and lyrics of Stephen Schwartz, which avoided playing on Broadway. continued on page 47 00 continued

Page 43 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

boro

Come to

ST. HELEN SCHOOL’S

Enjoy a fun night filled with raff les and prizes! es! Fr. Dooley Hall (8309 157th Avenue, Howard Beach) Doors Open at 6:00 pm

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Saturday, March 29, 2014

Prizes

!! s e z i r P

Fifth Annual Old-Fashioned Card Party

boro

Call it magic: Elmhurst transforms into Vegas by Christopher Barca Reporter

Showgirls, eye-catching outfits and the stunning magic of Penn and Teller are things synonymous with the glitzy persona of Las Vegas, a city of sin almost 3,000 miles away. Those mysterious aspects of Las Vegas that make it one of the most desirable tourist destinations in the country are exactly what magician Rogue hopes to use to draw people from all over the city to his newly opened magic bar and theater in Elmhurst. “My tagline is ‘Bring Vegas to Queens,’” Rogue said. “We’re going to have the showgirls and dancers. We’re going to have the magic show and a variety show. We’re going to have the food, the drinks, décor and the celebrity magicians.” The thump of the sound system, buzz of the gathering crowd and scandalous dress of the bartenders-turned-dancers made for an atmosphere of intrigue at the grand opening of Rogue Magic Bar and Theater at 95-25 Queens Blvd., just as the cozy magic theater should be. It is a magician’s dream to have his own

theater and it’s something that Rogue has imagined ever since he was a child. “I was 6 years old and I saw David Copperfield on TV make the Statue of Liberty disappear and something hit me,” Rogue said. “I bought books from the library. I begged my parents to buy me magic sets. And it just took off from there.” There were no disappearing landmarks on the theater’s small stage, but some of the tricks were equally as entertaining. Charismatic Astoria-born magician Miles Thorn opened the show with a short set, including a sleight-of-hand CD trick and repairing a newspaper he seemingly tore into pieces, before juggling three machetes while balanced on a board balanced on a thin pipe. Thorn, one of the subjects of a 2012 documentary called “Magic Men,” tracing his path from being a drug-addicted teenager to one the area’s best magicians, described his act as being “elegant with an edge.” However, don’t expect him to do card tricks at a bar. “To tell you the truth, I don’t do magic for people I’m hanging out with,” Thorn said. “Magic is something that should be

March 15, 29, 2014 April 12, 19, 26, 2014 MILB-063669

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 44

C M SQ page 44 Y K

special. I don’t show magic outside of when I perform unless I’m put on the spot.” A group of three scandalously dressed bartenders called the Mixens, led by Rogue’s fiancee, Paulina Gonzalez, performed a rough dance routine before the owner himself took the stage. After wowing the crowd with an arm contortion trick, he brought a member of the crowd onstage to help him perform a less-deadly form of Russian roulette with staple guns. He filled one of the four guns with staples and put the devices to his temple one by one after the nervous spectator shuffled Rogue performs his staple gun act with the help of them in a large bag, drawing a spectator. PHOTO BY TESS MCRAE applause when none of the first three guns delivered a staple to the scalp. Faust said he was thrilled to be invited Captain Faust, the night’s featured to perform at Rogue’s opening, and the entertainer, performed a lengthy set to cap reason he accepted was to honor his off the theater’s grand opening. friend’s grand vision of bringing Las Vegas The former hard rock musician even to Queens every week. included disappearing animals and floating “I’ve known him for a long time, he’s a wands into his routine, drawing gasps from great guy,” Faust said. “He’s the American Q the audience as the night ended. story, no doubt.”

May 3, 10, 17, 24, 2014 June 14, 21, 2014

C M SQ page 45 Y K

The ‘professional kid’ makes professional art continued from page page 00 41 continued from The Brooklyn resident sticks to these childlike creative roots when building even his largest piece — a life-sized polar bear made from 95,000 pieces. “I don’t use a computer to plan out my sculptures, it’s far too complex and, if you ask me, it takes a lot of the fun out of it,” Kenney said. “There’s a lot of visualization required, and I often have to step back and examine the model from all sides as it’s coming together. Once I have a prototype that I like, I’ll rebuild it, glued, using the prototype as a template.” Sculptures can take anywhere from a few days to weeks or even months to be completed, depending on the size and complexity of the work. But the hardest part about building a Lego sculpture is surprising. “The most challenging thing is to create curved shapes with those hard, little plastic rectangles,” Kenney said. “Making something round and curvy like a shoe or ball can be tricky, but the most complex thing is to create people’s faces.” Kenney creates Lego lamps and custom portraits based on submitted photos, selling

Sean Kenney works on a car in his workshop in Long Island City. The boxes behind him COURTESY PHOTO contain more than 2 million assorted Legos. them on his website. “Lego models and computer screens have something in common, “Kenney said about building portraits. “They’re just a collection of dots, assembled to look like

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something else. If you zoom in on a photo, you get a blocky collection of dots. Duplicating that same pattern with Lego bricks can create a photo-realistic model.” Right now, the ‘professional kid’ is

traveling around the world for his awardwinning, international touring show, “Nature Connects.” The exhibit will travel through 2016 and was developed in conjunction with Iowa State University’s Reiman Gardens in 2011. “Some sculptures indicate the relationship between elements of nature, like a fox hunting a rabbit or lotus, koi, frog and water splattering sharing space in a pond,” Kenney explained. “Others showcase the beauty of nature, like a giant, 7-foot-tall rose and a 5-foot-wide butterfly. There’s also a life-sized lawn mower that visitors often mistake for the real thing, which is just good for a laugh.” As if that weren’t enough Kenney is also working on his seventh children’s book and operates the world’s largest online Lego fan community. “I’ve always been obsessed with Lego toys and I’ve always loved to create,” he said. “Before sculpting Lego professionally, I was a cartoonist, graphic artist and web developer, and I often find ways to incorporate my cartooning skills into my sculptures or my books. It’s the best of both worlds, so I can honestly say I never feel restricted.” Q

Page 45 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

boro

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 46

C M SQ page 46 Y K Creating Delicious Memories One Cake at a Time!

boro MEETINGS National Council of Jewish Women/Lakeville Section, Guest speaker Dr. Flug, director of Holocaust Resource Center at Queensborough Community College, Clinton Martin Park, Marcus Ave., East of New Hyde Park Rd., Monday, March 24, 12 p.m. Contact: (718) 343-6222.

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Middle Village Adult Center, 69-10 75 St., offers: computer training classes, all levels, beginners to advanced, including: 21st Century Technology and the latest gadgets; and Microsoft Excel (separate class); fitness classes in Zumba, aerobics, line dancing, chair and mat yoga, tai chi, lower-body toning, sit and be fit; recreational activities (daily bingo, singing, watercolor painting, bus trips, daily meals and more). Contact: Hindy at (718) 894-3441. Selfhelp Clearview Senior Center, 208-11 26 Ave., Bayside, activities include: Qi Gong, Mondays at 10:45 a.m.; Dance Aerobics, Mondays at 10 a.m. & Tuesdays at 9 a.m.; Wii time, Mondays and Wednesdays at 12:45 p.m.; Music with Dee, Mondays at 1 p.m.; beginner’s drawing,

Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m.; aerobics, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11 a.m.; drawing and painting, Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m.; yoga, Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m.; bingo, Wednesdays at 12:45 p.m.; tai chi, Wednesdays at 2 p.m.; dance fitness Fridays at 10:45 a.m.; health education class, Tuesdays at 10 a.m.; fire prevention exercises, Wednesdays at 11 a.m.; mahjong/canasta, Wednesdays at 12:45 p.m.; stay well exercises, Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.; Music, Dance & Fitness, Thursdays at 1:30 p.m., Scrabble, Thursdays at 12:45 p.m.; Sculpture, Fridays at 1 p.m; current events, card playing and more. Contact: 718) 224-7888. Selfhelp Innovative Senior Center (Benjamin Rosenthal-Prince Street Senior Center), 45-25 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, has a special Saturday program, open every other Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. for all seniors, especially South Asians, offering basic computer classes, basic English, health education, Indian movies, Indian yoga, games, Kinect bowling, tai chi, Yuan Ji dancing, breathing yoga, Ping-Pong, karaoke, field trips, case assistance and have a vegetarian Indian-style lunch. Contact: (718) 886-5777. Bereveavement Group for Seniors, Services Now for Adult Persons, Inc. (SNAP), 80-45 Winchester Blvd., Bldg. 4, CBU 29, Queens Village, eight-session group begins Monday, Mar. 17, 2:15 p.m. For those who have recently lost a loved one. Contact: Marion (718) 454-2100.

SUPPORT GROUPS Narcotics Anonymous Drug problem? Call Helpline at (718) 962-6244 or visit westernqueensna.com. Meetings held seven days a week. Center for the Women of New York, Queens Borough Hall, 120-55 Queens Blvd., Kew Gardens, Room 325, Job Club, Wednesdays (once a month) 5:30-6:30 p.m. Free, get firsthand info on job leads. Women's Support Group, Wednesdays (once a month) 6:30-8 p.m. Registration required for both programs. Free. Contact: CWNY (718) 793-0672, centerwny@yahoo.com. Overeaters Anonymous, Long Island Consultation Center, 97-29 64 Rd., Rego Park, Sundays, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Contact: (718) 937-0163. Other location: Rego Park Library, Thursdays at 11:15 a.m., 91-41 63 Drive. For help with weight loss and/or other eating disorders. Gam-Anon is a 12-step program for families of someone with a gambling problem. Call hot line (212) 606-8177. The Lupus Alliance of Long Island and Queens meets once a month on Tuesdays, 7:309 p.m., Flushing. Register/information: (516) 802-3142. Members $10, nonmembers $15, includes a light breakfast, handouts and lunch. Contact: (516) 826-2058. Co-Dependents Anonymous (women only) meetings are held every Friday from 10 to 11:45 a.m. at Resurrection Ascension Pastoral Center, Fr. Freely Hall, 85-18 61 Rd., Rego Park.

SQ page 47

King Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS 1 “Wow!” 5 Sphere 8 Auto pioneer Henry 12 Pinnacle 13 Fish eggs 14 Great Lake 15 Oceangoing vessel 16 CBS crime-solving series 18 Easily angered person 20 Swiss mathematician 21 “Of course” 22 Fellow 23 Harsh 26 Ideological conflict 30 Move like 38-Across 31 Author Umberto 32 Historic period 33 Franks 36 Starsky’s partner 38 Kanga’s kid 39 Chance 40 Spotless 43 Rarity in Hell? 47 Trouble 49 Jason’s ship 50 Teen’s facial woe 51 Peculiar 52 Go sightseeing 53 Bellow 54 Golf ball holder 55 Fencing sword

DOWN 1 Long cut 2 Reverberate 3 Send forth 4 Gentle breeze 5 Killer whales 6 Crucifix 7 - canto 8 Fruitful 9 Verbal 10 Get up 11 Antelope’s playmate

17 Transaction 19 “A mouse!” 22 Cattle call? 23 “Be quiet!” 24 Excessively 25 Suitable 26 IV measures 27 Drench 28 Curved line 29 “Hurray!” 31 Id counterpart 34 Bureau compartment

35 Chaplin’s O’Neill 36 “2001” computer 37 Latest news 39 Teeming throng 40 Burn somewhat 41 Crazy 42 Sicilian spouter 43 Relinquish 44 Let fall 45 Chills and fever 46 Bygone times 48 Youngster

Answers at right

Bayside theater continued from page 43 00 Staged by David Arzberger, who also provided surprisingly sparse choreography, the show is performed not only on stage but around and about the spectators, pulling them into the action. The entire cast, including toddlers, has obviously been put through their paces by a strong hand. Based on some of the oldest stories known to mankind, the show focuses on Adam and Eve in the first act, while Noah and his family take center stage following intermission. The two halves are linked through several characters, principally one referred to as “Father,” who speaks and sings from the heavens above, as well as recurring themes in the score. Gene Ferrari, in the leading role, was in fine voice at Friday night’s performance. Also singing well were Jahlil Burke as Adam and Sochima Udedibia as Eve. Eleet Lucheonnie was appropriately slithering as the Snake, while David Cronin showed great intensity and a fine singing voice as Cain and, later, Japheth. A couple of the performers, Rene Bendana (Noah) and the outstanding soprano Candis Alek (Mama Noah), were said to be under the weather on opening night, but carried on like troupers. Julio Ulloa sang powerfully in the dual

roles of Abel and Ham, as did Jessica Lausell as Japheth’s intended, Yonah. One major asset was musical director Gia Gan, who conducted the pit, cued the singers and played piano simultaneously. The sound design proved both a blessing and a distraction. Excessive amplification and an overly zealous drummer were overpowering, rendering many of the lyrics unintelligible. But the special sound and visual effects added much to the ambience. Visually the show was delightful, beginning with the dramatic opening. The stage was bathed in color throughout. The cosQ tumes were particularly apt.

Crossword Answers

Page 47 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

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SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK – COUNTY OF QUEENS INDEX# 4459/13 FILED: 12/18/2013 SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS AND NOTICE Plaintiff designates Queens County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the mortgage premise is situated. WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE TO CITIBANK, N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR BEAR STEARS ALT-A TRUST 2006-6, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2006-6, Plaintiff, against VERLYN BARKER, her respective heirs-at-law, next of kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors and successors in interest, and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or inheritance, any right, title or interest in or to the real property described in the complaint herein, MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR ALLIANCE MORTGAGE BANKING CORPORATION, CITIBANK (SOUTH DAKOTA) N.A., NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE AND UNITED STATES OF AMERICA-INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, Defendant(s) TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME IF YOU DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEYS FOR THE MORTGAGE COMPANY WHO FILED THIS FORECLOSURE PROCEEDING AGAINST YOU AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT, A DEFAULT JUDGMENT MAY BE ENTERED AND YOU CAN LOSE YOUR HOME. SPEAK TO AN ATTORNEY OR GO TO THE COURT WHERE YOUR CASE IS PENDING FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON HOW TO ANSWER THE SUMMONS AND PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY. SENDING A PAYMENT TO YOUR MORTGAGE COMPANY WILL NOT STOP THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not serviced with this summons, to serve a notice of appearance on the Plaintiff’s attorney within 20 days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); The United States of America, if designated as a Defendant in this action, may appear within (60) days of service thereof and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT: THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to foreclose on a mortgage which was duly recorded in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on August 24, 2006, under CRFN: 2006000481927 and the Recording Tax was duly paid covering premises known as 111-47 Whittoff Street, Queens Village, NY 11429. (Block 11139 Lot 76). The relief sought within this action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt described above. To the above named Defendants: The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Hon. Bernice D. Siegal, a Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, filed along with the supporting papers in the office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on 1/21/2014 . This is an action to foreclose on a mortgage. ALL that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at the Borough of Queens, County of Queens and State of New York. BLOCK 11139 LOT 76. Said premises known as 111-47 Whittoff Street, Queens Village, NY 11429. YOU ARE HEREBY PUT ON NOTICE THAT WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. By reason of the default in the payment of the monthly installment of principal and interest, among other things, as hereinafter set forth, Plaintiff, the holder and owner of the aforementioned note and mortgage, or their agents have elected and hereby accelerate the mortgage and declare the entire mortgage indebtedness immediately due and payable. The following amounts are now due and owing on said mortgage, no part of any of which has been paid although duly demanded: By virtue thereof, plaintiff has heretofore elected and by these presents hereby elects to accelerate the entire unpaid principal balance of $372,000.00 with interest from June 13, 2006 to be immediately due and payable under the mortgage herein foreclosed. UNLESS YOU DISPUTE THE VALIDITY OF THE DEBT, OR ANY PORTION THEREOF, WITHIN THIRTY (30) DAYS AFTER YOUR RECEIPT HEREOF THAT THE DEBT, OR ANY PORTION THEREOF, IS DISPUTED, THE DEBTOR JUDGMENT AGAINST YOU AND A COPY OF SUCH VERIFICATION OR JUDGMENT WILL BE MAILED TO YOU BY THE HEREIN DEBT COLLECTOR. IF APPLICABLE, UPON YOUR WRITTEN REQUEST, WITHIN SAID THIRTY (30) DAY PERIOD, THE HEREIN DEBT COLLECTOR WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH THE NAME AND ADDRESS OF THE ORIGINAL CREDITOR. IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED A DISCHARGE FROM THE UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT, YOU ARE NOT PERSONALLY LIABLE FOR THE UNDERLYING INDEBTEDNESS OWED TO PLAINTIFF/CREDITOR AND THIS NOTICE/DISCLOSURE IS FOR COMPLIANCE AND INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS IN FORECLOSURE New York State requires that we send you this notice about the foreclosure process. Please read it carefully. SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT You are in danger of losing your home. If you fail to respond to the summons and complaint in this foreclosure action, you may lose your home. Please read the summons and complaint carefully. You should immediately contact an attorney or your local legal aid office to obtain advice on how to protect yourself. SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE The State encourages you to become informed about your options in foreclosure. In addition to seeking assistance from an attorney or legal aid, there are government agencies, and non-profit organizations that you may contact for information about possible options, including trying to work with your lender during this process. To locate an entity near you, you may call the toll-free helpline maintained by New York state Banking Department at 1-877-Bank-NYS or visit the Department’s website at www.banking.state.ny.us FORECLOSURE RESCUE SCAMS Be careful of people who approach you with offers to “save” your home. There are individuals who watch for notices of foreclosure actions in order to unfairly profit from a homeowner’s distress. You should be extremely careful about any such promises and any suggestions that you pay them a fee or sign over your deed. State law requires anyone offering such services for profit to enter into a contract which fully describes the services they will perform and fees they will charge, and which prohibits them from taking any money from you until they have completed all such promised services. Section 1303 NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving the copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you may lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING AN ANSWER WITH THE COURT. 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IN THE JUVENILE COURT OF CHATHAM COUNTY STATE OF GEORGIA File # 43672 Case # 1302211 IN THE MATTER OF: J. M. D., Male, DOB: 01-11-01, Age: 12 Years Old, Child Under 18 Years of Age PUBLICATION NOTICE TO: JOHN FREDERIC GEE, last known address: 16215 86th St., #1, Howard Beach, NY 11414-3330, AND/OR THE UNKNOWN PUTATIVE FATHER of J. M. D., a male born to Kelly Lynne Davies on January 11, 2001, present whereabouts unknown. GREETINGS: Pursuant to Order of this Court dated March 3, 2014 you are hereby notified that on September 27, 2013, a PETITION FOR TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS was filed in this Court by Special Assistant General Leo G. Beckmann, Jr., Attorney for DFCS, for Tressie Mitchell, Case Manager, Chatham County Department of Family and Children Services, alleging that the names and whereabouts of the above-named parents are unknown, and asking the Court to terminate the parental rights and obligations of the parents with respect to the child, and of the child arising to them from the parental relationship, including the right to inheritance, and that the child be committed to the Georgia Department of Human Services with the right to proceed for adoption. A free copy of the petition may be obtained from the Clerk of Juvenile Court of Chatham County, 197 Carl Griffin Drive, Savannah, Georgia 31405, on any day, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. You are commanded to be, appear and file in the Office of the Clerk of this Court and serve upon Plaintiff’s attorney, within sixty (60) days of March 3, 2014 your answer to the Plaintiff’s petition and to appear at a hearing on said matter on the 8th day of May, 2014, at 9:00 a.m. A party is entitled to counsel in these proceedings and the Court will appoint any attorney if the party is unable, without undue financial hardship, to employ counsel. This is to further advise the named, unnamed putative and/or legal father(s) that as the father of this child, you shall lose all rights to your child and will not be entitled to object to the termination of your rights to the child unless, within thirty (30) days of this notice, you file: 1. A Petition to Legitimate the child pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 19-7-22; and 2. Notice of the filing of the Petition to Legitimate with the Court in which the action for termination of parental rights is pending, to wit: The Juvenile Court of Chatham County, Georgia. WITNESS The Honorable Judge of the Juvenile Court of Chatham County, Georgia, on this 3rd day of March, 2014. Carla Kicklighter, Juvenile Court Clerk, Chatham County, Georgia

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: MATIAS EXQUISITE TABLEWARE AND GIFTS LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/24/2014. 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 Isabel Beatriz Gross, 79-04 149th Street, Suite 1J, Flushing, NY 11367. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: NEXTQ LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/02/2014. 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 the LLC, Bhaskar Paneri, 10913 110th Street, South Ozone Park, NY 11420. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

MSSC, LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 01/31/2014. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 59-25 Kissena Blvd., Flushing, NY 11355. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: Pop Up Ventures LLC. Arts of Org. filed NY Secy of State (SSNY) 9/4/13. Office: Queens Co. SSNY design. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy to 3450 28th St., #4J, New York, NY 11106. Purpose: any lawful activity.

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Notice of Formation of SelDon Group, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with NY Dept. of State on 9/11/13. Office location: Queens County. Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: The LLC, 195-11 Linden Blvd., St. Albans, NY 11412, principal business address. Purpose: any lawful activity. Notice of Qualification of STW LAGUARDIA LLC. App. for Auth. filed Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) 2/18/14. Off. loc.: Queens County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE): on 10/17/13. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o Kee & LauKee, PLLC, 354 Broome St., Ste. 1, NY, NY 10013. DE address of LLC: United Corporate Services, Inc., 874 Walker Rd., Ste. C, Dover, DE 19904. Arts. of Org. filed DE Secy. of State, 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful activity.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: THE SUPER MOOKIN FIENDS LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 12/09/2013. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, P.O. Box 737112, Rego Park, NY 11373. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of formation of WL OAK LLC. Art. of Org. filed with the Sect’y of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/30/2013. Office in Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC, 53-19 214 St Bayside, NY 11364. Purpose: Real Estate

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NYS PARKS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is requesting proposals (“RFP”) for the operation of a Food and Beverage Concession at Gantry Plaza State Park, Queens, New York, RFP number X001153. For more information regarding this business opportunity, please contact Raynell Pridgen at 212-866-2740 for a copy of the RFP documents. All inquiries should refer to RFP number X001153. Proposals in response to this RFP are due to State Parks not later than: Friday, March 28, 2014 at 2:00 p.m.

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Legal Notices

JOSEPH B. MAIRA

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: 139 PARKING LLC, a domestic LLC, filed with the SSNY on 08/16/13. Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to The LLC, 91 Broadhollow Rd., Melville, NY 11747. General Purpose.

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Page 51 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 52

SQ page 52

LEGAL NOTICES To Advertise Call 718-205-8000

Notice of formation of 43-09 169th ST LLC. Art. of Org. filed w. Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/16/2013. Office loc: Queens. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: 43-09 169th St, Flushing, NY 11358. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: CHEM-CLEAN LEASING, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/07/2014. 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 the LLC, 3367 55th Street, Woodside, NY 11377. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: EM MANAGEMENT NYC, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/08/13. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, c/o Deidra Mellis/ Michael Mellis, 32-56 49th Street, Long Island City, New York 11103. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: JAMAVE LLC, a domestic LLC, filed with the SSNY on 7/8/09. Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to The LLC, 19748 Jamaica Ave., Queens, NY 11423. General Purpose.

8688 Family LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/27/14. Office in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Ji Hing Fang, 212-18 43rd Ave, Bayside, NY 11361. Purpose: General.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: CLZ PAINT & DESIGN, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 11/04/2013. 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 c/o United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Avenue, Suite 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: FANTASIA GLOBAL ALLIANCE LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/13/2014. 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 the LLC, 5044 230th Street, Oakland Gardens, NY 11364. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of LENOBLE PROPERTIES LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/25/14. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: ALG INNOVATIONS LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/09/14. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, 154-63 Riverdale Drive, Beechhurst, New York 11357. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILIT Y COMPANY. NAME: CROWN J MANAGEMENT, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/25/2014. 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 Eddie W Yu, 3100 Zinnia Court, Plano, TX 75075. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: FREEDOM SOLUTIONS AND INVESTING, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/13/14. 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 Eugene Gonzalez, 189-14 45th Rd., Flushing, NY 11358. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LUXURY AUTO OF QUEENS BLVD., LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/12/14. Office location: Queeens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to The LLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Ste. 305, Westbury, NY 11590. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: 340 MELROSE LLC, a domestic LLC, filed with the SSNY on 2/20/14. Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to The LLC, P.O. Box 620800, Little Neck, NY 11362. General Purpose.

Notice of Formation of AMERICAN OAK, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/07/14. Office location: Queens County. Princ. office of LLC: c/o Robert Recca, 2357 51st Ave., Long Island City, NY 11101. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

NOTICE OF QUALIFICATION OF D AND D DRUG REALTY COMPANY LLC. App. for Auth. filed with the Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) 2/11/14. Office location: Queens County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 2/10/14. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o Dominick D’Alleva, 21-51 42nd St., Astoria, NY 11105. DE address of LLC: c/o United Corporate Services, Inc., 874 Walker Road, Ste. C, Dover, DE 19904. Arts. of Org. filed with DE Secy. of State, Townsend Bldg., Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of GOLDEN WIN NY LLC. Arts. of Org. was filed with SSNY on 2/28/14. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC whom process against may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o The LLC, 46-24 66th St., Woodside, NY 11377. Purpose: all lawful activities.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LYZC LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/17/13. Office in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 39-01 Main St., Ste. 501, Flushing, NY 11354. Purpose: General.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: 377 VERNON AVE, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on: 5/6/2008. Office located in KING. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process served against the 377 Vernon Ave, LLC, 377 Vernon Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11206. Purpose: any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: Ammu LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/20/2014. 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 Nazmus Zahangir, 8300 Talbot Street, Apt. 7H, Kew Gardens, NY 11415. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: EAGER EAGLES CHILD CARE ACADEMY, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/27/2014. 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 Sherene Joseph, Apt. 1A, 21040 Grand Central Parkway, Queens Village, NY 11427. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of HSHMUL Taxi, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 2/18/14. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Sukhpreet Singh, 9267 240th Street, Bellerose, NY 11426. Purpose: any lawful activity.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: MACV LLC, a domestic LLC, filed with the SSNY on 12/9/13. Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to The LLC, 2572 Newbridge Rd., Bellmore, NY 11710. General Purpose.

At I.A.S. Part 35 of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, held in and for the County of Queens, at the Courthouse thereof located at Supreme Court, Queens County, 25-10 Court Square, Long Island City, NY on 27th day of January, 2014. Present: HON. TIMOTHY J. DUFFICY Justice. NYCTL 2011-A TRUST, and THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON as Collateral Agent and Custodian for the NYCTL 2011-A Trust, Plaintiffs, against OCTAVIA MOORE a/k/a OCTAVIA B. MOORE, et al., Defendants. Index No. 15535/13 ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE Borough: QUEENS Block: 1669 Lot: 54 Upon the Summons and Complaint heretofore filed herein, the Notice of Pendency filed herein in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on August 15, 2013, the annexed Affirmation of Leonid Krechmer, Esq., dated December 23, 2013, and upon all the papers and proceedings heretofore had herein, LET the defendants show cause at the Centralized Motion Part, Room 25 of this Court to be held at the Courthouse thereof, located at 8811 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, Queens, New York on the 28th day of March, 2014, at 11:00 am o’clock in the forenoon of that day, or as soon thereafter as counsel can be heard, why an order should not be entered granting the following relief: (i) pursuant to CPLR §1015 and CPLR §1021 (which is made applicable to a tax lien foreclosure action in accordance with §11-335 of the Administrative Code and Charter of New York City), an order appointing a Temporary Administrator for the Estate of Octavia Moore a/k/a Octavia B. Moore and extending time to serve said Estate; and, (ii) such further relief as this Court may deem just and proper in these circumstances. SUFFICIENT REASON APPEARING THEREFORE, let service of a copy of this Order to Show Cause via personal service, together with the papers upon which it is based, upon the defendants and/or their attorneys who are entitled to receive notice thereof, on or before the 5th day of March, 2014 be deemed good and sufficient service; and it is further, ORDERED, that service of the Order to Show Cause upon defendant Estate of Octavia Moore a/k/a Octavia B. Moore be made by publication of the Order to Show Cause once in each of four successive weeks in the Queens Tribune, 174-15 Horace Harding Expressway, Fresh Meadows, NY 11365 (718) 357-7400 and The Queens Chronicle, 62-33 Woodhaven Boulevard, Rego Park, NY 11374 (718) 205-8000, newspaper(s), at least one in the English language, hereby designated as most likely to give notice to the defendant and any heirs of the Estates, viz: service be deemed good and sufficient service. ENTER: _____________________________HON. TIMOTHY J. DUFFICY, J.S.C.

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: 1826 WOODBINE STREET LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/30/13. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, 69-21 60th Road, Maspeth, New York 11378. Purpose: For any lawful purpose. NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: 31 11 12 LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/05/2014. 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 the LLC, 31-11 12th Street, Long Island City, NY 11106. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

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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 212306-7500. The Queens Chronicle reserves the right to alter wording in ads to conform with Federal Fair Housing regulations.

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Co-ops For Sale Howard Beach, 1 BR Garden Coop, 1st fl unit, dogs ok, only $99K. Connexion I RE, 718-845-1136

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• OZONE PARK • 2 Family. 4 spacious levels of living space, including finished basement & attic. Backyard w/pool, shed & driveway. Priced to sell! Asking $525K

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Howard Beach, beautiful 3 BR, 2 baths, DR, EIK, terr, small dog Ok. Howard Beach/Rockwood Park, $1,800/mo. Pam @ Connexion I Sun 3/16, 12:30-3, 161-35 85 St. Hi-Ranch, 40x100, 3 BR, 2 full RE, 917-755-9800 baths, over 2 BR & full bath, LR & Howard Beach, exclusive agent kit w/ cathedral ceilings, sliding for studios & 1 BR apts, absentee doors to yard, 2 car gar, all paved L/L. Call Joe Trotta, Broker, dvwy. Home totally redone. 718-843-3333 Connexion I RE, 718-845-1136 Howard Beach/Rockwood Park, Ozone Park/Centreville, Sat 3/15, Studio, no smoking/pets, $900/ 1-3, 137-11 94 St. Mint, 1 family, mo., excel credit & backround all redone, 6 rooms, 3 BR, 2 kit & ref’s, 2 mos sec. 917-846-2592 2 baths, full fin bsmnt, rear deck, Lindenwood, big & beautiful, 3 nice yard. A must see! Howard BR, 2 baths, LR, DR, custom kit, Beach Realty, 718-641-6800 SS appl. MUST SEE! Heat incl. $1,800/mo. Quality Realty Group 718-258-2900 OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND. Best Old Howard Beach, 1 BR, all new, selection of affordable rentals. Full move-in cond, no pets/smoking, / partial weeks. Call for FREE $1,325/mo. G & E incl. Owner, brochure. Open daily. Holiday Real 718-845-4589 Estate. 1-800-638-2102. Online Ozone Park, 1 BR, 2 fl, near trans, reservations: www.holidayoc.com no smoking/pets, credit report req. $1,200/mo. Pay own electric, 917-538-0064 LENDER ORDERED SALE! 5 acresOzone Park, 2 BR, no smoking/ POND—$29,900 10 acres- STREAM pets. Near all. Call 212-203-1330 —$39,900 Gorgeous So Tier hilltop Wakefield, pvt ent, 2 BR, DR, no setting! Views, fields, State Land! smoking/pets, $1,300/mo. Top Lender terms! 888-905-8847 Star Realty, 718-843-4044 newyorklandandlakes.com

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Legal Notices

RICHMOND HILL JAMAICA AVENUE Mixed use. Must sell per Court Order… Semi detached corner brick building with a vacant store and two vacant apartments and two illegally converted garages. Sold “as is” with MANY violations and their fines, no heat, no water - pipes burst, basement flooded, no representations. Asking $499,000.00. Subject to court approval of contract. Must be all cash deal.

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718-894-5000

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Chronicle

Page 53 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

Merchandise For Sale Merchandise For Sale

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 54

C M SQ page 54 Y K

SPORTS

BEAT

I HAVE OFTEN WALKED

Queens HS hoops sweep The development of elegant Jamaica Estates

by Lloyd Carroll

Chronicle Contributor

Saturday was a great day in Queens high school sports history, as the Francis Lewis Patriots and the Cardozo Judges won the Public School Athletic League girls and boys basketball championships, respectively, at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. The Cardozo game was a nailbiter as it wasn’t decided until the Judges’ Rashond Salnave hit two foul shots with less than three seconds left on the clock [see separate stories in some editions or at qchron.com]. Both teams were the de facto visitors as they played against two Brooklyn high schools, South Shore and Thomas Jefferson, respectively. Dave Diamante, the stentorian-voiced Brooklyn Nets public address announcer, admitted to me that he tried to put a little more enthusiasm into announcing Brooklyn baskets than those made by Queens players. More than 5,000 spectators watched the games, and the atmosphere was fun and energetic from start to finish. What was dispiriting, however, was the lack of attention the big media outlets gave them. There is no reason why none of the regional sports cable television networks or at least one of the many cityowned television stations couldn’t provide live coverage of these games. Even worse, none of the sports reports that I listened to on WFAN or the various news radio stations, or the local

HB y t l a e R

TV news that I watched on Saturday evening, mentioned the PSAL championships. According to city Department of Education official Eric Goldstein, the PSAL will be alternating its high school hoops championship games between Madison Square Garden, the games’ longtime home, and the Barclays Center, where they made their debut this year. It is expensive for an NBA arena to host a PSAL game because of the cost of putting down a floor for the game and having security and custodial and other staff, so both the Garden and the Barclays Center have to be credited for putting civic responsibility before profits. In comparison, the Philadelphia Public League gets a lot more attention from the area’s media than the PSAL gets here, but its championship games have been played at colleges including Temple University and the Community College of Philadelphia, and not at the Wells Fargo Center, where the NBA’s 76ers play. Ironically there have been many times where interest in games played by the varsity of traditional high school Philadelphia powerhouses such as Germantown, Overbrook, Simon Gratz, Northeast, and Robert Vaux (St. John’s Red Storm star guard Rysheed Jordan’s alma mater) has far outweighed that of the city’s longtime languishing NBA franchise. Q See the extended version of Sports Beat every week at qchron.com.

FREE MARKET APPRAISALS Thomas J. LaVecchia, Licensed Real Estate Broker 137-05 Cross Bay Blvd.

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by Ron Marzlock

1904. They called their development “Jamaica Estates” and set its boundaries as Utopia In the early 1900s, 503 acres with a nat- Parkway on the west, Hillside Avenue on the ural park-like setting similar to Wood- south, 188th Street on the east and Union haven’s Forest Park were purchased from Turnpike to the north. In 1910 strict requirements were set for the city by private developers. It was an area of almost one square mile, covered builders. No home could cost less than with hardwood trees such as oak, maple, $6,000, depending on location. All homes elm and chestnut, and had an elevation had to be detached with two stories. The street in the photo, Kingston Place, is ranging from 65 to 100 feet. The developers were Timothy Woodruff, in the southwest corner of the Estates. Until the former lieutenant governor of New 1930 it was called Adel Place, named after York under Gov. Theodore Roosevelt, and Queens County Judge Frank Adel (1885Michael Degnon, the noted engineer who 1967), who also was president of the Queens help build the first New York subway in Chamber of Commerce. The Estates’ annual dinner-dances were held at the Hillcrest Golf Course, as well as barn and costume dances that are now a faded memory. The homes, however, have stood the test of time, their stateliness rivaled in Queens only Adel Place, now Kingston Place, and Hillside Avenue, at the by those found in Forest Q edge of Jamaica Estates, on March 30 1931. Hills Gardens. Chronicle Contributor

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PHILIP S. MILONE, ESQ. | ATTORNEY AT LAW HOWARD BEACH Expanded Ranch, 7 rooms, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, full finished basement. 40x100 lot. 1 new kit & bath. Pvt dvwy & gar. Call Now!

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C M SQ page 55 Y K

Connexion I

OLD SIDE

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HOWARD BEACH HAMILTON BEACH

Mint AAA Colonial, Legal 2 Family being used as 1, 4 BRs possibly 5, 2.5 Baths, New Kit, LR w/Parquet Fl, New Baths, REDUCED Top Fl has Master Suite, Full Fin Bsmnt w/OSE, New Appl, Must See! Asking $559K

OPEN HOUSE - SUN March 16, Howard Beach-Rockwood Park 12:30-3:00pm, 161-35 85th Street Hi-Ranch on 40x100, 3 BRs/2full baths over 2 BRs & full bath. LR & kit w/cathedral ceilings. Home totally redone. Sliding doors to backyard, 2 car gar, all paved dvwy. Only $678K

HOWARD BEACH HOWARD BEACH LINDENWOOD

Beautiful Mint Colonial, 3 BRs, 2.5 Baths, 2005 New Construction, 1st Fl all ceramic (Bayberry Condo) Corner unit. 3BRs, 2 baths. tiles, Granite Counters, Lots of cabinets, 2 BR Duplex Apt. Updated kit. & bath. Plenty New H/W Heater/Boiler, All New Appl, of closets plus walk-in closet. Walk-in is a Wood Fls. 2nd Fl Oversized Master BR 1 BR unit with updated kit. & bath. Sliding w/Cathedral Ceilings & Full Master BR, doors to yard. Pvt dvwy & garage. 2 more large BRs, House equipped w/ Asking $439K Sprinklers. Asking $420K

OLD HOWARD BEACH Mint all brick Cape on 60x100. 3 BRs, 2 full baths. New granite and stainless appliances. 1 Jacuzzi bath. Full finished basement. 2 car pvt dvwy.

Asking $669K

HOWARD BEACH ROCKWOOD PARK

N Mint colonial, CO IN 3/4 BRs, 2.5 Baths, Master REDUCED BR w/bed closet, HOWARD BEACH/ sized DOUGLASTON 4 BRs, All ROCKWOOD PARK was MANOR updated, 5 y/o Corner all brick ranch with kit, New roof, New stove & New Colonial, 4 BRs, 2.5 Baths, All side yard, 3 BRs, 1 Bath, Full flr. Fireplace, Skylights, Granite unfinished bsmnt, New boiler & counter, New concrete, IGP, Pavers updated, EXCLUSIVE (Douglaston Manor Location), Steps to hot water heater, Pvt dvwy. House in back, Pvt dr for 2 cars, 1 car needs updating. Asking $498K garage. $679K Memorial Field. Asking 1.099 mil.

HOWARD BEACH/ ROCKWOOD PARK Corner high Ranch on 40x100. 5 BRs, 2 full baths. Asking $669K

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ROCKWOOD PARK All new top to bottom,Hi-Ranch on 40x100,4 BRs, 2 Baths, Granite Kitchens, Stainless Steel Appliances, New Baths, New Roof, CAC, New Pavers.

Only $679K

N CO

CT RA NTEKS O C IN 2 WE

CLO

SED

R NT

OZONE PARK/CENTERVILLE House renovated in 2009. 3 BR, 1.5 baths. Extension added in main & top floors. 9 ft. ceiling on 1st fl. Sky lights, huge den, updated kit. w/ granite top. DR. Updated baths. New brick fronts. Pavers. 2 gas boilers. Updated electric. Asking $449K

HOWARD BEACH ROCKWOOD PARK Mint Hi-Ranch, 3/4 BRs, New Kit, 2 New Full Baths, Crown Molding, New Roof, Skylights, Pvt Dvwy, New Cond, Simply Mint! $719K

CONR-063638

T ON

HOWARD BEACH

Pristine (one of a kind) Custom Center Hall Colonial, wrought iron curved staircase, 3/4 BRs, 3½ Baths, Det 2½ Car Gar, Pella windows, Fab island kit, Cherry wood cabinets, Viking stove, Family Rm w/remote gas fireplace, Crown moldings thruout, Wine cellar, Hi-end Spa bath, Cathedral ceilings, Motorized Chandelier & much more!

OLD

HOWARD BEACH ROCKWOOD PARK

T ON

R NT

HOWARD BEACH ROCKWOOD PARK Large Empire Style Hi-Ranch, 27x55 on 41x100 lot, 4/5 BRs, 3 Full Baths, New Boiler, Hot water heater, New CAC. Asking $639K

All stucco Hi-Ranch on 48 x 73 lot. 3-4BRs, 2.5 Baths, LR w/ Cathedral ceilings & skylight. Updated Kit. and Bath. Circular driveway. Only $695K

HOWARD BEACH ROCKWOOD PARK All brick custom Colonial on 50x100 lot. Huge custom CT RA kit, granite NT KS O C counters, IN W EE 2 sub-zero refrig. FDR, LR, family room with fireplace plus full bath on main level. 4 BRs, 2 full baths, walkin closet, 2nd floor. Full fin bsmnt plus laundry & storage room. Pvt dvwy, 2 car gar. Asking $1.1mil

R NT

• Mint XL 1 BR, EIK ............. $115K • Mint 1 BR Garden, New Kit & Bath, 1st Fl, Low maint, Dogs Allowed...........REDUCED! $128K • All updated. 1BR. Garden (1st fl.) Dogs OK. ........................... $129K • Hi-Rise 2 BR 2 Baths w/Terrace .........................................$149K • Mint (all new) 2 BR, 1 Bath with terrace. Granite & stainless appl ..........................................$189K • Mint 2 BR/2 Bath w/Terrace. All new baths....................$230K

T IN

N CO

NEW LISTING

HOWARD BEACH

• Spacious 1 BR Co-op w/updated kit. & bath................Only $105K

NEW LISTING OUR EXCLUSIVE!

Charming cape on 50x100, 4 ROCKWOOD PARK BRs, 2 Full baths, Full Bsmnt, Cape with 4 BRs & 2 Full Baths, Det 1 Brand New IGP, CAC, Upgraded Car Gar, IGP, Full Fin Bsmnt w/Wet Bar, New Full Bath, ALL NEW! $559K thruout. Only $575K

Beautiful 5 BR Home, 2 Full Baths, Full Fin Bsmnt w/Sep Ent, Deck off 1st Fl, New Appl, 2 Car Gar. $669K

OLD HOWARD HOWAR BEACH Large 2 Family on great block, 6 BRs, 2 Full Baths, Full Basement, Private Driveway. $589K

HOWARD BEACH ROCKWOOD PARK Brick Wideline Cape, 50x100, 5 BRs, 2.5 Baths, New Roof/Front Porch/Stairs, Brand new fin bsmnt, Lots of upgrades, Manicured Yard. Asking $589K

T ON

OLD HOWARD BEACH Mint All New Corner Ranch, 3 BRs, 2.5 Baths, Granite & S/S Appl, Lg DR, 2 Fireplaces, Fin Bsmnt, 2 Car Garage & Much More! Asking $489K

For the latest news visit qchron.com

Expanded Cape on 70x100. 5/6 BRs, 2 baths. Full unfinished basement. Hardwood floors. Garage, 3-car driveway. Asking $699K

GREAT LOCATION! House Beautiful In & Out! Brick home on 49.5x100, 5 BRs, 2½ Baths, New Kit w/Maple Cabinets High Ranch on 55x100 (circ. lot). Top and SS Appl, Granite Countertop, New floor features 3BR, 2 full baths. Large Baths, Fireplace in LR, Unique M/D EIK, LR, & dining area. Walk-in level Cape, Huge Wraparound yard, 1 car gar. has family room and walk-in area. A Must See! Reduced $579K Asking $659K

HOWARD BEACH OLD SIDE

• Extra Large L-Shaped Studio, Updated, 2 to choose from! .....$72K

HOWARD BEACH ROCKWOOD PARK

REDUCED

HOWARD BEACH LINDENWOOD CO-OPS

OLD HOWARD BEACH HOWARD BEACH ROCKWOOD PARK

ROCKWOOD PARK Mint “All Brick” split-level Colonial 40x110. 4 BRs, 3 new full baths. New custom EIK w/island. Huge FDR. Tiles 1st fl. & HW flrs upstairs. Pavers front & back. Pvt. dvwy. IG heated pool. All redone. 4 years includes windows, kit., baths, CAC, boiler & roof.

OZONE PARK One Family. 3 bedrooms, HOWARD BEACH 1.5 baths. ROCKWOOD PARK HOWARD BEACH Private Charming 3 BR Colonial on great ROCKWOOD PARK driveway. corner lot 100x40. 3 BR, 1.5 Mint grey brick stucco pavers. High Ranch. Baths. Large sideyard. 7 blocks Attached with 4 BRs & 2 1/2 baths. Granite floors to Crossbay Blvd. Short walk to (2nd fl.). Stainless steel & Lucite inside rail garage. Bus. In-ground sprinklers. entrance. New boiler & hot water heater. Asking $669K Custom front door. Asking $799K Deck. Reduced $369K

HOWARD BEACH

Page 55 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014

HOWARD BEACH

JYD AUT AUTO LEA LEASING SING 162-38 CROSS BAY BLVD. • HOWARD BEACH, NY 11414

718-874-0212

MARCH MADNESS ALL NEW

2014 GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITED

$ LEASE FOR

379

*per month/36 months 10,000 miles per year Requires Lease Conquest Navi gatio n Sunr oof Leat her Back-Up Cam era

ALL NEW

2014 MERCEDES C250 COUPE

LEASE FOR

299

*per month/27 months 7,500 miles per year *Requires Business Affiliation

P1 Pack age Pano rami c Roof Navi gatio n Back-Up Cam era AMG Whee ls

ALL NEW

2014 CHRYSLER 200 LIMITED

199

LEASE FOR

*per month/24 months 10,000 miles per year

Leat her Moon roof Navi gatio n Blue tooth

ZERO DOWN ON ALL SPECIALS! ALL NEW

ALL NEW

2014 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S

2014 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY TOURING

2014 NISSAN MAXIMA S

159

$ LEASE FOR

For the latest news visit qchron.com

*per month/36 months 12,000 miles per year *Requires Owner Loyalty y

New Desi gn Blue tooth AM/F M/CD Powe r Seat s

LEASE FOR

239

*per month/24 months 10,000 miles per year *Requires Loyalty or Lease Conquest q

Leat her Back-Up Cam era Stow ‘N Go All Powe r

$ LEASE FOR

219

*per month/39 months 12,000 miles per year *Requires Owner Loyalty

Sunr oof Blue tooth Alloy Whee ls

NO TRICKS, GIMMICKS OR HIDDEN FEES! FREE CAR WASHES FOR 1 YEAR WITH ALL SPECIALS WE PROVIDE LEASING & FINANCING ON ALL MAKES & MODELS FULL ACCESS TO OVER THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES IN THE TRI-STATE AREA DOOR TO DOOR DELIVERY

WWW.JYDAUTOLEASING.COM *Disclaimer- Prices include all cost to a customer except Taxes, DMV Fees, 1st payment, bank fee, dealer fee. All deals are subject to primary Lenders programs, approvals and vehicle availability. Offers are valid up to 7 days after publication.

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 13, 2014 Page 56

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