Queens Chronicle South Edition 03-21-24

by Sophie Krichevsky Associate Editor

Applications for the three downstate casino licenses eligible to be awarded this year have not yet opened.

That’s in spite of the fact that at the state Gaming Commission’s December meeting, Executive Director Robert Williams said staff would be working through the holiday season to respond to the second of two rounds of questions from applicants. The public release of the commission’s responses triggers a 30-day period for those vying for licenses to submit their applications.

But more than three months later — and well after the holidays — contenders have received no response, as the commission, one potential bidder and state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven), who chairs the Senate Gaming Committee, all confirmed.

Asked about the delay, Brad Maione, a spokesperson for the commission, rejected the notion that there even is one, calling the question “flawed.”

“There are NO deadlines due to factors that are beyond the Commission and Gaming Facility Location Board’s control,” he said via email. “Among those is the requirement that applicants complete the zoning process before the Gaming Facility Location Board can consider an application.”

But in Addabbo’s view, that’s precisely why the commission has not released the question-and-answer responses: Because applicants must see to any zoning issues before submission, were the 30-day window to start today, some contenders would be ruled out. And some in the mix would require the enactment of the City Planning Commission’s proposed gaming text amendment, which would allow casinos to be built in commercial and manufacturing districts.

“The state [commission] is waiting for a couple of the possible proposals to deal with some of their land use issues. So they’re looking at the city to do the zoning text amendment,” Addabbo said. Later, he said, “Many of these entities ... have had almost a year — some more than a year — to work on the land use issues. So the state, in my opinion, has to make a decision: Which proposals are attainable? Which are able to move forward?”

There was some movement on Wednesday as the CPC voted 10-2 in favor of the amendment, sending it to the City Council for a vote. While the Council has 50 days to vote on it, two sources familiar with the matter said the Department of City Planning doesn’t anticipate it taking the whole time.

Meanwhile, Addabbo noted, aside from the 30-day submission period, the Gaming Commission does not have any prescribed deadlines to adhere to, which could slow the process further. The senator did not seem optimistic, though; he sai d that, during the Legislature’s budget negotiations, bidders’ application fees — which he said are upwards of $500 million each — have not been included in revenue calculations for fiscal year 2025.

While not all of the casino proposals, such the recently unveiled Resorts World plan, would require the gaming text amendment to be viable, the stall does buy other plans some time to sort things out. That includes Mets owner Steve Cohen’s “Metropolitan Park” proposal, which would put a casino, 25 acres of green space and other amenities next to Citi Field. Since the stadium parking lot is legally parkland, the Legislature would need to alienate that space to make way for Cohen’s plan. Though Assemblyman Jeff Aubry (D-Corona) introduced the necessary legislation last year, state Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Jackson Heights) is still weighing whether she will follow suit; she said last month she would make a decision this session.

But would Cohen need the alienation before the end of the 30-day window, whenever that may be? Maione declined to comment on any specifics, but Addabbo confirmed that, while Cohen could apply before the Legislature acts, whether the application would get past the community advisory committee and to the Gaming Commission’s Siting Board is anothe r question.

Asked the same question, a Metropolitan Park spokesperson told the Chronicle via email that Cohen’s team is “committed to doing this the right ways.”

“We are confident that our proposal will be reviewed by the Gaming Facility Location Board at the appropriate time.” Q

The application process for three full casino licenses is moving quite slowly.

PHOTO COURTESY RESORTS WORLD / FILE

Two civic presidents at war in Ozone Park

CM Ariola and her chief of staff accuse Sam Esposito of harassment, bullying

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

Phyllis Inserillo, the chief of staff for Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) and the co-president of the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic, accused Sam Esposito, the president of the Ozone Park Residents Block Association, of harassment at the block association’s meeting last Thursday.

As seen in a video of the meeting obtained by the Chronicle, Ariola, accompanied by Inserillo and two Council sergeants-at-arms, revealed that Inserillo had filed two police reports against Esposito.

“The reason why [the sergeants] are here tonight is because two criminal complaints of harassment have had to have been filed against Sam Esposito,” Ariola said.

Members of the block association tried to cut the microphone to discuss the matter amongst themselves, but Ariola continued without it.

Esposito later told the Chronicle he did not hear anything Ariola had said because he was on the phone, dealing with a different civic matter at hand.

“We have always worked with Ozone Park,” Ariola said. “We continue to work with the Ozone Park Residents Block Association — just not its named president. We have funded schools, projects, food pantries, parks and events throughout Ozone Park, [but] we were maligned and [he] said we did not.”

harassment was filed by a 45-year-old female regarding “an individual texting her stating that he is going to get her fired.”

On Feb. 28, another report was filed by a 45-year-old female. “She observed an individual outside who she stated has made threats to her in the past,” police said. “The victim stated that she observed the same individual in multiple places throughout Ozone Park on the same day.”

Authorities did not reveal the identities of the parties at hand, and no arrests were made following either report.

In a Facebook post, Esposito called for an assigned street sweeper for Community District 10, and said that officials told him the Council did not allocate money for one.

At the meeting, Ariola said that with a sweeper would come alternate-side parking. “And that has always been voted down by the people of this community,” she said. “And I respect that.”

Among the other accusations were claims that Esposito applied to both Community Boards 9 and 10, noting on his application that he would not be chosen because Ariola would not approve — she refuted that, saying the decision lay with the Borough President’s Office.

“A ll of that is absolutely untrue.”

Ariola alleged that, in addition to writing “vicious letters” to her office, her staff and the City Council, Esposito bullied Ariola’s constituent liaison, Linda Fogle, called police to have Fogle’s son’s car towed and followed Inserillo in a vehicle not registered to him.

— Sam Esposito, Ozone Park Residents Block Association President

Ariola said she brought the sergeants with her because she did not feel safe, and it is often difficult to get an office representative to attend the block association meeting due to Esposito’s behavior. She claimed that he also had been bullying minors.

Esposito firmly disputed the claims of harassment and bullying, both in an interview with the Chronicle and on the block association’s Facebook page.

“All of that is absolutely untrue,” Esposito said. “I don’t know where it came from. There’s no evidence of it. ... I have nothing to hide.”

He added that he does not have time to harass someone, because he is constantly going all around Ozone Park, and that the group’s work speaks for itself.

a friend, and that her office “worked feverishly to help this friend.”

He also claimed that Ariola took credit for a vandalism cleanup effort that was initiated by the block association.

“On Feb. 25, 16 properties were identified, and DSNY was notified,” he wrote on Facebook. “Within days, the graffiti was removed. A post [from Ariola’s office] went up claiming the victory, and it set off a wave of emotions. I’m not sure why since we were the ones who reported it and notified DSNY.”

Esposito also apologized for his “brashness.”

“I will work on this to become a better leader,” he wrote on Facebook. “No one is perfect or without sin.”

In a statement to the Chronicle, Inserillo wrote, “I have worked well with the block association and its members but unfortunately, their president is constantly slandering my name and making untrue statements about me — so much so that I had to file a police report to document the harassment.

“I limit contact with Esposito as much as possible because of this and reports from his vice president, Angela Nocerino, that ‘he has it in for me.’ Once I noticed the same minivan following me both during work hours and on off time, and confirmed that Esposito was the driver and that it’s the car he drives, I became very concerned and filed another police report.”

The block association president said the claims will not deter him from working with the councilwoman.

“He literally threatened me in a letter and said that if I did not resolve [this] and have Phyllis sanctioned that he would go to the press and release that our entire office was homophobic,” she said. “What kind of nonsense is this? I am a duly elected official — by you! And I shouldn’t have to be standing before you to talk about this.”

Presented with two police report numbers obtained by the Chronicle, authorities confirmed that on Dec. 7 of last year, within the confines the 106th Precinct, a report alleging

“If Sam Esposito has a problem with me, that’s one thing,” Ariola said. “But the minute you start to try to intimidate and bully my staff, that’s a complete other story.”

When it was her turn to speak, Inserillo said she will no longer “deal” with Esposito.

“We do not expect our staff to deal with him,” she said. “And we will continue to deal with you. We will always serve the people of Ozone Park, as we have for the past two and a half years. As we will for the next five and a half years, Sam, and maybe eight more after that.”

Easter egg hunt in Howard Beach, 3/30

The Howard Beach Dads group is hosting its fourth annual Easter egg hunt on Saturday, March 30 at 12:30 p.m. in the school yard of PS 207, at 159-15 88 St.

He also claimed the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic threatened him, claiming he would advocate for alternate-side parking — when he said he would not.

Esposito added that he was in Ariola’s office twice the day of the block association meeting to deal with a civic matter involving

“We will continue to work together with anybody,” Esposito said. “She’s going to get invited to our meetings. She’s going to get our press releases. When she came in [at Tuesday’s meeting], I went up to her and said ‘Hello’ to her. Our feelings for each other outside of what we do has nothing to do with our feelings about what we do.” Q

Hop ’n’ Treat event on 3/30

All are invited to the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic’s annual Hop ’n’ Treat event on Saturday, March 30, at 10 a.m., at Cross Bay Boulevard and 156th Avenue, starting at the Flagstar bank.

wrapped treats or novelties to hand out to participants, according to the civic. Treats should not contain nuts.

To sign up, send an email to howardbeachdads@gmail.com with your contact information and the number of children participating. There is no entry fee.

The group asks for RSVPs by March 23. Q

The event promises photo opportunities with the Easter bunny and gift bags. According to PJ Marcel, an administrator of the group, there will be over 4,200 eggs to hunt.

The event promises themed tables along the boulevard with treats that children are sure to enjoy. On Facebook, the civic boasted over 20 area businesses and organizations slated to attend. The rain date is April 6.

Businesses and residents are welcome to host a table. Hosts are responsible for decorating the table and providing

Participation is $5 per child. To order tickets, send your payment via Venmo to @HBL-Civic, or through Zelle to HBLCivic2014@gmail.com. In the memo section, write your name and how many tickets are being ordered.

For cash or check payments, or to reserve a table, call Phyllis Inserillo at (917) 488-5067 or email the civic at the above address. Q

— Kristen Guglielmo

Councilwoman Joann Ariola, right, joined by a sergeant-atarms and her chief of staff, Phyllis Inserillo, addressed alleged harassment from Ozone Park Residents Block Association President Sam Esposito at the group’s Thursday meeting. SCREENSHOT VIA READER VIDEO

Jessica Forse

Kim Ha

After Resorts World makes a pitch for the site, Speaker Adams makes her own Aqueduct proposed as possible housing

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

During her State of the City address last Wednesday, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica) proposed turning South Ozone Park’s Aqueduct Race Track and an adjacent piece of land into housing and other community amenities.

Aqueduct sits on a 172-acre, state-owned piece of land and is operated by the New York Racing Authority. But within the next few years, horse racing will be relocated to Belmont Park in Nassau, leaving the site vacant.

Adams said the prospective unused land “presents a generational opportunity to transform this site into housing and homeownership, open space and new community amenities.”

Resorts World did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the speaker’s proposal for Aqueduct Race Track.

State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven), who chairs the state Senate’s Racing, Gaming and Wagering Committee, and Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach) released a joint statement Wednesday following Adams’ address.

The statement read, in part, “Due to the uncertainty of the specific location of the property mentioned by Speaker Adams, we believe it is crucial to recognize that decisions regarding any state land should be made by state authorities and in accordance with state regulations.”

“What they say they’re going to do, they do, and they do well.”

She noted that the adjacent property “is one of the largest parcels of vacant, city-owned land that sits right beside the A train, which makes it a valuable opportunity for transit-oriented housing.” The parcel, a parking lot, is bordered by the racetrack, the subway tracks and the North Conduit. It bears the address 10810 North Conduit Ave.

Adams’ proposal comes just weeks after the adjacent Resorts World announced a $5 billion proposal to expand its existing racino in a bid for one of three full-fledged downstate casino licenses to be granted by the state’s gaming commission.

The extension, according to Resorts World, would add 1,600 new hotel rooms, a 7,000-seat arena and a 10-acre park.

Resorts World

— Community Board 10 Chair Betty Braton on

Addabbo and Pheffer Amato said that the Belmont Park reconstruction legislation, which passed last year, created a community-based council to assist in deciding the fate of the Big A property once the racetrack closes.

They added that the timeline for the decision-making process may extend beyond Adams’ current term, leading to a “lack of continuity and accountability.”

“The future of this valuable property, most of which is state-owned, should be decided through a comprehensive and inclusive process that respects the jurisdiction and authority of the state and others,” the statement said.

Community Board 10 Chairperson Betty Braton told the Chronicle that the board supports Resorts World’s proposal, which also

fort in knowing that if there is to be housing, what Resorts World is proposing would work.

Since 2018, according to open data from the city Department of Housing Preservation and Development, Community District 10 has produced fewer than 200 new units of housing — the lowest amount of development by any community district in Queens.

“In terms of what the speaker was proposing, my read on it — and I hope I’m wrong — was that she was talking more about the entire site, which is, you know, over 200 acres,” Braton said. She said the infrastructure for the area would not support that amount of new housing.

“Community Board 10 proposed housing on that site long before gambling was even an idea,” Braton added. “And the city wasn’t interested.”

includes a housing component.

“Will there be people who would object to any portion of the site being used for housing? I’m sure there will be,” Braton said. “But in terms of the board, we’ve worked with Genting and Resorts World for over 12 years. What they say they’re going to do, they do, and do well.”

Genting is Resorts World’s parent company.

Braton added that there is a level of com-

Asked for comment from Adams regarding the press release from Addabbo and Pheffer Amato, a City Council spokesperson did not directly address the statement, but told the Chronicle, “As Speaker Adams alluded to in her State of the City address, the city’s housing shortage has fueled an affordability crisis that is driving out middle- and working-class families in New York City. New Yorkers need housing and every community must be part of equitably contributing to housing production that can solve this crisis.”

The spokesperson continued, “Speaker Adams put forward a vision for redevelopment that can provide housing, open space and other community amenities to meet the needs of the Southeast Queens community and all New Yorkers. She looks forward to working with state partners and local stakeholders to unlock the potential of this site.” Q

Addabbo: RH trestle is being overhauled

Agencies work together to address residents’ quality of life concerns

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr.

(D-Woodhaven),

alongside the Department of Transportation and the MTA Police Department, is continuing to move forward with efforts to overhaul the Babbage and Bessemer streets train trestle in Richmond Hill.

According to a press release from his office, for years, the stretch along the trestle, from 84th Avenue to Hillside Avenue, has been a source of safety and quality of life concerns for residents, such as illegal dumping, loitering, vagrancy and illegal parking under the bays.

The DOT installed “Do Not Enter” signs at the one-way section of Babbage and 115th streets. A stop sign has been added at the intersection of Bessemer Street and the Long Island Rail Road underpass, where traffic merges from 115th Street, according to Addabbo’s office.

In response to speeding, the press release said that the DOT is considering installing a mobile speed camera at Babbage and Bessemer streets, an alternative to the previously rejected idea of installing speed bumps.

The DOT has committed to installing street signs to clearly identify Babbage Street, Bessemer Street and 115th Street,

because the train trestle obstructs visibility of existing signs on the opposite sides, Addabbo’s office said.

The MTA Police Department and the NYPD also will work together to ticket those parked illegally under the trestle, it added. Addabbo is also collaborating with residents and the MTA to see if a group can be found that meets the MTA’s insurance requirements to maintain the bays under the trestle.

Initially, the MTA had considered fencing off the entire area, Addabbo’s office said, but due to community opposition, it postponed that until a viable alternative proposal could be reviewed. Planters and bollards are being considered.

“The safety and well-being of our community are paramount, and I am committed to working tirelessly with residents and government agencies to address the challenges we face,” Addabbo said in a statement. “I truly appreciate the cooperative effort of the local community and the agencies in resolving the issues around Babbage and Bessemer.”

The DOT confirmed the project goals with the Chronicle and said it does not yet have a timeline for completion.

Individuals with concerns or inquiries regarding illegal parking under the trestle can contact the MTA police communications desk at (718) 361-2201.

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams suggested using Aqueduct Race Track in South Ozone Park for housing and other amenities at her State of the City address last week.

PHOTO BY EMIL COHEN / NYC COUNCIL / FLICKR

State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. has worked with other government agencies to ease quality of life issues near the Babbage and Bessemer streets trestle. PHOTO COURTESY NYS SENATE

Remembering John Fazio of Ham Beach

Longtime advocate passes away at 87

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

John Fazio, a lifelong Hamilton Beach resident advocate, FDNY retiree and the longest serving member of Community Board 10, died last Thursday at age 87, according to his family and friends.

Fazio is remembered as a staunch community advocate for Howard Beach and Hamilton Beach, who was kind, generous and always offered advice.

His daughter Susan told the Chronicle, “He was very well loved. He was a real straight shooter and he fought the good fight for our community.”

Betty Braton, the chairperson of Community Board 10, mourned the loss and said that had Fazio lived until the end of the month, he would have completed 48 years of service on the board.

She added that while he was hospitalized last month, he called the board to make sure

his application for reappointment was received.

Roger Gendron, a member of the board and president of the New Hamilton Beach Civic Association, said, “John’s work as a member of the FDNY was selfless. He put his life on the line for complete strangers every single day. John’s wisdom and kindness touched the lives of many and his memory will continue to inspire.”

He said Fazio’s knowledge was vast, and his stories were mesmerizing. “I can only liken it to back in the 1930s when everyone gathered around their radios to listen to the next episode of their favorite radio show,” Gendron said.

He said a donation was made to The FDNY Foundation in Fazio’s name.

Fazio is survived by his daughters, Susan, Carol and Nancy. He was laid to rest on Monday, with burial and service information kept private to the family. Q

Lost puppy rescued by DSNY employee in HB

Dog was reunited with owner hours later

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

A puppy recently was reunited with her owner after spending time with a city employee who rescued her.

“She was my little buddy for a few hours,” said Terell Storey, a Department of Sanitation sector officer at QE10, who, while driving, came across a golden doodle roaming the streets of Howard Beach.

He told the Chronicle he pulled over, and when he approached the puppy, she excitedly jumped on him — and he knew he had to take action.

After ringing doorbells to no avail, Storey took to Facebook to tell the public he had found the dog and said he would drop her off at the 106th Precinct.

However, he was advised to reach out to PJ Marcel, a community advocate and administrator of the Howard Beach Dads group, who met up with Storey and assisted with trying to find the puppy’s home.

The dog, whose name was later revealed to be Piper, was reunited with her owners after they contacted Marcel

following his post on the Howard Beach Dads page.

While they could not be reached for comment, Marcel said the owners were in tears upon the reunion. Q

EDWARD

DSNY sector officer Terell Storey with a puppy he rescued in Howard Beach. COURTESY PHOTO

John Fazio of Hamilton Beach. FAMILY PHOTO

EDITORIAL AGEP

Drive safely and don’t kill children

The senseless, horrific death of Bayron Palomino

Arroyo, the 8-year-old East Elmhurst boy run over and crushed to death by the driver of a pickup truck, in front of his mother and brother, down the block from their home, in a crosswalk where they had the right of way, due to alleged criminal negligence, deserves all the attention it can get. So do those of all children — and adults, but especially children — mowed down on our streets.

They are, above all, reminders to not be a reckless, careless, stupid moron behind the wheel. Street design and speed limits warrant consideration but can only go so far.

The corner where Bayron died last week, 31st Avenue and 100th Street, already has narrow lanes for automobiles, with marked bike lanes on 100th, which runs one way, and eastbound 31st. Westbound 31st has sharrows, those chevrons with stencils of cyclists that tell drivers to share the road. The corner has a traffic signal, installed in 2020. It has pedestrian signals. Something like protected bike lanes, which some activists announced the streets need upon learning of Bayron’s death, would not have saved him, as he was killed in the crosswalk. And the city speed limit of 25 is already as low as it can reasonably go.

No, what would have saved Bayron’s life is different decision making on the part of the man who killed him. According to the Queens District Attorney’s Office, video shows the driver jumping in front of oncoming traffic to turn from 31st onto 100th. That’s when he killed the boy, injured his brother and broke his mother’s heart. We hope that if found guilty of the charges he faces, which include criminally negligent homicide, that he is shown no more mercy than the cold steel of his truck showed Bayron, and that he receives the maximum sentence. That would serve as a lesson to all to be careful drivers themselves.

We also support seeing some penalties for reckless drivers increased. Specifically, a bill by state Sen. Mike Gianaris of Astoria and an upstate assemblyman would allow the state to suspend the registration of any vehicle that gets five or more red light camera violations within a year. If you’re running lights like that, you deserve a time out.

This page generally supports drivers and the automobile, which are under attack in the city. It did just last week. But we do not and never have supported recklessness. Drivers must be responsible. Our hearts go out to everyone who knew and loved little Bayron. May he rest in peace.

Put plates on e-bikes

The city just announced a new ad campaign, seeking to get people to ride e-bikes safely. Sure, it’s fine to try to convince someone who can stop pedaling and just cruise for a while — up to 25 mph, the same speed last year’s winner of the Tour de France averaged — to be more careful. In this week’s other editorial, we try to convince people to drive safely, so we can relate.

But we’re not so sure new ads are going to stop many guys — they’re almost all guys, naturally — from zipping along sidewalks, against traffic, alongside turning cars and everywhere else without a care. Possibly more effective would be legislation. There oughtta be a law!

Councilman Bob Holden has authored it. His bill would require registration, and a small city license plate, for e-bikes. It makes sense. They have motors and are vehicles, but are not treated as motor vehicles by the state. No license, no registration, no insurance. So they’re unaccountable. They should not be. We doubt Holden’s bill can pass, due to Council politics and the bike lobby, but it would be a smart move against some of the lawlessness we’ve all had enough of. Don’t you agree? Let us know.

MARK WEIDLER

President

SUSAN & STANLEY MERZON

Founders

Raymond G. Sito General Manager

Peter C. Mastrosimone Editor-in-Chief

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LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

A kiss is still a kiss

Dear Editor:

Re Ron Marzlock’s March 14 I Have Often Walked item, “‘Nurse’ Greta may have been kissed in Woodside first”:

The photo of Greta Zimmer being kissed in Times Square by George Mendonsa was snapped on “Victory Over Japan Day,” Aug. 14, 1945, a week after my sixth birthday. It symbolized the euphoria that swept our nation, including Kew Gardens Hills. That was the happiest I had ever seen my neighbors up until the New York Mets won their first World Series in 1969.

Veterans Affairs Assistant Undersecretary RimaAnn Nelson ordered the photo removed because the kiss appeared to be “nonconsensual,” which offended women VA staffers (“Oh Kiss Off,” New York Post, March 6) But Zimmer said she consented to the kiss and welcomed it as an act of gratitude from a sailor.

Nelson’s inappropriate action was an example of wokeness gone wild and “present-dayitis,” — imposing current values on past events. What’s next? Will she remove the photo of the U.S. flag raising on Iwo Jima because it offends Japanese?

It’s time to end all hypersensitive hysteria everywhere.

Richard Reif Kew Gardens Hills

Save most bus stops

Dear Editor:

Regarding your editorial “MTA must save all our bus stops” (March 14), perhaps 5 percent could safely be eliminated, but certainly not 33 percent. The MTA’s logic that buses are slow and would be greatly speeded up under its route redesign plan is faulty.

The assumption is that buses are too slow when, except for Staten Island, Queens has the fastest buses in the city, which travel just a few mph slower than cars on local streets. They have to because they make more stops than cars. A state law requiring nonemergency vehicles to give way to buses leaving bus stops is a far better way to speed buses.

The MTA also assumes that every bus actually stops at every bus stop, when lightly used bus stops are mostly skipped anyway, saving no time at all if eliminated. Removing bus stops also increases the likelihood you will miss the next bus because of the extra walk.

Your trip time matters more than how fast the bus travels. That is why over 3,100 passen-

gers have signed the petition against bus stop removal. The MTA only cares about reducing bus operators’ pay hours, not its passengers. Our elected officials must act since the MTA is not listening to the public.

Allan

Rosen Brooklyn

The writer is a former director of MTA New York City Transit Bus Planning with three decades of experience in transportation.

Cranking out liberals

Dear Editor:

The volunteer advocacy fellow with the Fund for Global Health writing to the Chronicle (“Aiding the vulnerable,” Letters, March 14) sees “dystopian” homelessness in NYC and “resource misallocation” with “underfunded, unsafe shelters as no longer sufficient.” OK ...

“Vulnerable populations” are “victims of government prioritization schemes.” Join the club. With classic liberal condescension, the writer allows that “the recent rise in protests against homeless shelters in NYC communities

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

is understandable, yet the anger seems misdirected.” Well, excuuuse us.

Lobbying Congresswoman Grace Meng as the writer suggests is barking up the wrong tree. Meng has always been fine with resource misallocation that soaks excessive taxes from her constituents (many of them, those same deluded protesters) that are misallocated to subsidize affluent, elite, low-tax enclaves that just happen to have few to no homeless shelters. None of those misdirected protests, either. Just the sort of places paid executive and professional staff at places like Fund for Global Health tend to populate.

Budding global elites don’t have the answers to protesters in NYC communities. They don’t know them and never will if they want any career at all.

Edwin Eppich Glendale

QueensLink: end of the line

Dear Editor:

There is even more bad news for those who want to reintroduce transit on the old Long Island Rail Road Rockaway branch (“QueensWay get $117m federal funding boost,” Michael Gannon, March 14, multiple editions).

This may be the last stop for either commuter rail or subway service being reintroduced on this corridor. The LIRR terminated service in 1962. It is clear that both the MTA and NYC Department of Transportation have never supported reintroduction of transit on this right-of-way.

Neither the MTA’s $5 billion estimate nor QueensLink’s $3.5 billon park-rail project was included in the March 11 announcement from U.S. DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg concerning President Biden’s fiscal year 2025 budget request under the Annual Report on Funding Recommendations Fiscal Year 2025 Capital Investment Grants New Starts Core Capacity Program and Expedited Project Delivery Pilot Program for the Federal Transit Administration. This would have been the federal funding source to finance this project.

MTA Chairman Janno Lieber, LIRR Acting President Robert Free, NYC Transit President Richard Davey, New York U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, NYS Gov. Kathy Hochul and NYC Mayor Eric Adams have never been on board for QueensLink. Rest In Peace, QueensLink.

Larry Penner Great Neck, LI

The writer is a transportation historian, advocate and writer who served for 31 years in the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office, working on funding grants for more than 30 agencies.

Help Haitians in crisis

Dear Editor:

(An open letter to the public)

In response to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ deployment of the National Guard to prevent “the possibility of invasion” and to deport Haitian migrants seeking aid amidst spiraling danger following the resignation of Haiti’s Prime Minister:

For years, Haiti has suffered from chronic

violence, political crises, and natural disasters, leaving roughly 5.5 million Haitians in desperate need of humanitarian assistance and 1 million on the brink of famine. Last week’s resignation of Haiti’s prime minister has plunged the nation into further chaos, creating an “untenable” situation, according to the United Nations, if we fail to act.

I join the intensifying global calls for a unified effort to assist Haiti and its people in overcoming this crisis. I also reaffirm the need to safely and humanely allow migrants to seek refuge.

The U.S. has welcomed up to 100,000 Ukrainians and others fleeing Russia’s invasion through our refugee program. I pray for the safety of the Haitian people and resolutely call for the humanitarian relief they are equally deserving of on our soil.

We need action now. The potential of vulnerable Haitians undertaking a perilous journey to Florida for U.S. aid was repugnantly labeled an “invasion” by Gov. DeSantis, fueling racism as he deploys troops and threatens draconian new laws that criminalize immigrants, including jail time for driving without a valid license.

We must remain the beacon of hope and humanity for Haitians.

Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn

NYS Assemblywoman for the 42nd District Brooklyn

Seniors must vote

Dear Editor:

As reported by the AARP, senior citizens usually vote in numbers during our elections. But in the upcoming election, and any primaries, it is important that seniors come out in larger numbers.

First of all, Social Security and Medicare are being threatened with cutbacks and could be cut by as much as 20 percent in the next 10 years. Social Security is money earned through a lifetime of hard work. For older Americans, it ensures they can afford everyday expenses such as groceries, gas and housing. For many it is their only source of income.

I’m 75 years old and my wife, Eva, is 71 — and we worry about cutbacks to our Social Security benefits. I will not tell the many who to vote for, but I urge all seniors, and all of voting age, to vote for those candidates for Congress and for president who will protect Social Security and Medicare.

Please, seniors get out and vote, for your security depends upon it.

Frederick R. Bedell Jr. Bellerose

Seniors must be respected

Dear Editor:

I applaud the senior citizens for rallying at Borough Hall against the cuts in senior housing and aging services. Seniors are the foundation of our society — our mothers and fathers who built this nation fighting in wars. Why must they suffer?

The mayor has a sanctuary city with money and debit cards for migrants, but our citizens, red-blooded Americans, must be treated with respect and dignity.

Cynthia Groopman

Little Neck

Education and jobs in State of the City

Speaker Adams also tackles health, safety, transit and gov’t efficiency

by Naeisha Rose Associate Editor

“Move Forward Together” was the theme of Council Speaker Adrienne Adams’ State of the City address at the Howard Gilman Opera House within the Brooklyn Academy of Music last Wednesday.

During her speech, Adams (D-Jamaica) outlined her vision for the city and some of the topics she touched on were housing, early childhood education, job opportunities, health, mental health, safety, transportation and government efficiency.

Her goal: Make the city run more effectively to ensure it remains a bastion for all New Yorkers, especially working and middleclass families.

“We need to make sure those who keep our city running — our essential workers, artists, entrepreneurs, small business owners, and everyone in between — can afford to live and work in the city they love,” Adams said. “For too many New Yorkers, the housing and affordability crisis has presented an impossible dilemma: You cannot afford to live in the city, so you struggle or you leave.”

the mandatory inclusionary housing rules to permit a deep affordability option that requires renting to those making 40 percent of the area median income, explore voucher initiatives and recalibrate how city-financed housing is distributed, by ensuring 50 percent of affordable housing units are allocated for households making 60 percent AMI or below.

The speaker also proposed making policy changes she said would double affordable homeownership for people making $130,000 or less, sponsoring legislation that would force speculators to disclose the fair market value of a property and creating bills that require the city to establish a program for asset protection and inheritance management. And she suggested transforming Aqueduct Race Track into housing [see separate story at qchron.com].

“The State must significantly expand mental health courts and their services to reduce the monthslong wait time ...”

—Council Speaker Adrienne Adams

There has been an exodus of 200,000 Black New Yorkers out of the city due to skyrocketing rents and dwindling homeownership opportunities, said Adams.

The speaker proposed building on or next to some of the more than 200 libraries throughout the city and utilizing city land as one way to create new housing. She also said the city and state should work together in creating more homes by providing more financial incentives to create affordable housing, eliminating the 12-floor-area ratio cap, which restricts land use decisions for development in certain areas, converting offices into residential spaces and restoring vacant NYCHA units.

Adams said the Council will also revise

Adams, the former Community Board 12 chairwoman of education, also had students on her mind during her address.

“Let’s make sure 3-K helps our workingand middle-class families remain and succeed in this city,” she said.

The speaker said that more than 80 percent of families cannot afford full-time childcare.

She wants the city to deepen its commitment to 3-K by better matching students to 3- and Pre-K programs, supporting community-based school programs, improving management of those programs and addressing bureaucratic challenges.

To fill municipal jobs, the speaker said that there needs to be increased funding for CUNY so that the college system can be utilized as a pipeline for a more robust city workforce. As of September 2023, there are 20,000 vacant municipal jobs.

“We will leverage our CUNY programs and partner with DC37 on an initiative to

create pathways to careers and jobs in our municipal workforce that strengthen our government,” Adams said. “This initiative will prioritize participants in CUNY programs to fill persistently vacant city job titles and provide students with the mobility and long-term security of a career in city government.”

Adams’ proposal includes revamping nutritional education, creating peer-topeer programs in schools and enhancing reproductive education in schools and supporting doula and post-partum care as ways to tackle issues regarding physical health, mental health and maternal health.

“This year, the Council will introduce new laws requiring the city to develop and provide peer-to-peer mental health training for students and toolkits on how to start a wellness group,” she said. “This approach is impactful. We will seek to provide support from CUNY social work students and fund a new youth peer support program.”

Adams also addressed city Department of Transportation infrastructure projects. In 2021, Local Law 195, NYC streets plans, was enacted to advance DOT projects that promote increased public transit use, street safety, accessibility and reduced emissions. The DOT has indicated it is far short of the plan’s goals. The City Council has proposed a monthly status report that tracks capital projects, she said.

The speaker’s vision includes an expansion of mental health interventions designed to divert the mentally ill from the criminal legal system to enhance public safety. Rikers Island is now counted as one of three largest providers of psychiatric care in the United States, and approximately half the people detained have been diagnosed with a mental health issue, according to the City Council.

“The State must significantly expand mental health courts and their services to reduce the monthslong wait time that fails to connect people to appropriate services,”

Adams said. “We also need more therapeutic hospital beds, which must be implemented without further delay.”

For the city to be governed effectively, access to social services needs to be fixed, the city must establish agency report cards and the government needs to listen to the input of its denizens when it comes to what issues to prioritize, according to the speaker.

“The pandemic and an unequal recovery have exacerbated economic hardships, while a lack of capacity within our city agencies has undermined access to assistance that families could once rely on,” she said. “This does not have to be our reality. We know our government can work because it has before. We’ve got to get back to basics ...” Q

Queens bus redesign pop-ups popping up

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority will host the following pop-up outreach events to present information and accept feedback on its proposed Queens Bus Redesign proposal.

All events are from 4 to 7 p.m.

• Jamaica’s 165 St. Bus Terminal on Monday, March 25:

• Flushing’s Main St. Subway Station 7 on Tuesday, March 26:

• Elmhurst’s Queens Center mall on

Wednesday, March 27:

• Jamaica-179 St. Subway Station F line on Tuesday, April 2;

• Rockaway Park-B 116 St. Subway Station on Wednesday, April 3;

• Ridgewood’s Myrtle Wyckoff Pedestrian Plaza on Wednesday, April 3;

• Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights on Monday, April 8;

• Cross Bay Boulevard and Liberty Avenue in Ozone Park on Tuesday, April 9;

• Queens Village Long Island Rail

Road Station on Monday, April 15;

• Union Turnpike and Utopia Parkway in Kew Gardens Hills on Tuesday, April 16;

• 28th Street and Queens Plaza South in Long Island City on Wednesday, April 17; and

• Lefferts Boulevard AirTrain Station in South Ozone Park on Wednesday, April 17. Q

The 165th Street depot in Jamaica will host a pop-up event. PHOTO

In her State of the City address, Speaker Adrienne Adams shared her vision on how to improve the Big Apple. PHOTO BY EMIL COHEN / NYC COUNCIL

BY NAEISHA ROSE /FILE

City, Legal Aid reach deal on right to shelter

Agreement allows limits to migrants’ time in system, but only temporarily

by Sophie Krichevsky Associate Editor

The city and the Legal Aid Society came to an agreement on New York’s right to shelter last Friday that will allow Mayor Adams and his administration some leeway as they navigate the migrant crisis while preserving the rule, which requires that the city provide shelter to anyone in need of it, in the long term.

The deal — which only applies to single adults — will ensure that new arrivals receive a 30-day shelter placement should they not have a place to stay; adults under 23 will receive a 60-day assignment.

It also stipulates that those placements could be extended if migrants are making strong efforts to move outside of the shelter system, but would be decided on a case-by-case basis.

The settlement was reached through a court-supervised mediation, as a result of a legal challenge brought by the Adams administration in October that sought to suspend the right to shelter — which was established in the 1981 case Cal-

lahan v. Carey — during states of emergency. That was an amendment to Adams’ previous legal request last May, when he asked that the court reconsider the right to shelter’s application to the migrant crisis. That was criticized by progressives and homelessness advocates, who feared that would open the door to a permanent end to the right to shelter.

This fall, the Adams administration began limiting single adults to 30-day stays and families to 60-day stays; Friday’s agreement is in line with that.

“We have been clear, from day one, that the ‘Right to Shelter’ was never intended to apply to a population larger than most U.S. cities descending on the five boroughs in

less than two years,” Adams said in a statement. “Today’s stipulation acknowledges that reality and grants us additional flexibility during times of crisis, like the national humanitarian crisis we are currently experiencing.”

Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) was not satisfied with that, calling the deal “a slap in the face to all New Yorkers.”

“By recklessly expanding the right to shelter to include the entire world, this move will deepen the migrant crisis, overburden hardworking taxpayers, and only hasten the exodus of the middle class from NYC,” he said in a statement to the Chronicle.

Borough President Donovan Richards was not happy with the agreement, either, but for very different reasons. He noted in a statement to the paper that immigrants make up half of Queens’ population.

“While recognizing the city’s shelter system and social services have been strained, I worry this agreement will lead to a rise in street homelessness and illegal shelters, while making the process of finding

housing and work significantly harder for newly arriving asylum seekers,” Richards said. “Meanwhile, the city must continue to move with the urgency of now to build high-quality, affordable housing in every corner of every borough.”

The Legal Aid Society emphasized that the deal requires that the city no longer use spaces where migrants await placement as shelter. The group noted in a press release that many have begun staying in waiting rooms as they reapply for shelter at “reticketing centers.”

“This settlement safeguards the right to shelter in the consent decree, ensuring single adults’ — both longtime New Yorkers and new arrivals — access to shelter, basic necessities and case management to transition from shelter to housing in the community,” said Adriene Holder, Chief Attorney of the Civil Practice at The Legal Aid Society.

“It also requires the City to immediately eliminate the use of waiting rooms as shelters where new arrivals have been sleeping on chairs and floors while they wait for shelter placement.” Q

The city and the Legal Aid Society last Friday reached a settlement on the right to shelter case that will ensure single adult migrants over 23 get 30-day shelter placements.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHAIN / FILE

CB 6 still wants elevators at Forest Hills LIRR; residents question design MTA catches heat at ADA presentation

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority was having a rough enough week.

Then officials visited the monthly meeting of Community Board 6 on March 13 to discuss plans for mandated upgrades to bring the Long Island Rail Road’s Forest Hills station into compliance with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act.

Some board members accused the MTA in very direct language of harming residents with its decision to simply replace noncompliant access ramps with newer, longer ones rather that add elevators.

Numerous residents of Forest Hills Gardens also voiced disapproval of the placement of things like a new staircase between the street and the platform, the intention of extending the platform 200 feet to the east rather than toward Manhattan and things that might alter the appearance of the iconic 1911 depot or Station Plaza.

At present, the only accessibility to the platforms other than multiple sets of steep concrete steps is a pair of ramps that double back on themselves, one for each platform. Even the Metropolitan Transportation Authority openly acknowledges that the ramps do not meet modern ADA standards.

But rather than elevators, the plan presented on March 13 calls for lengthening the ramps leading up to the eastbound platform to make them less steep for people with wheelchairs, walkers, baby strollers and the like. A new ramp to the westbound platform

cials did not even receive photos and renderings from the MTA, but from a community member who had viewed them “and felt like we needed to be involved.

“So when we are being told that our input is important ... we are being ignored.”

Arroyo later stated that there was never an agreement tying federal funding to the installation of elevators on the project.

The first board member recognized by Beers-Dimitriadis in the question-and-answer session was Pat Morgan, who began her inquiry while steadily advancing to the front of the room with the assistance of her walker.

will have its entrance on Ascan Avenue. The present platforms will be replaced and extended 200 feet to the east on both sides to accommodate six cars per train as opposed to the present four. Forest Hills Gardens residents expressed their concerns about the design in the public forum session just prior to the MTA’s presentation.

“You are making someone walk an extra block out of their way.”

— Pat Morgan, Community Board 6

“We are legally mandated to bring all our stations into ADA compliance across the MTA system — subways, MetroNorth, Long Island Rail Road” said Nick Fasano, assistant director of government and community affairs for the MTA. “That is usually in a combination of elevators, ramps or one or the other.”

He and Quemuel Arroyo, the agency’s chief accessibility officer, both acknowledged that the exiting ramps do not comply with federal regulations, but that MTA policy is to prioritize ramps over elevators. Both said the present plans do not call for the ramps to be covered with an awning or canopy, but that they will have a built-in heating feature to melt ice and snow.

Fasano also said the agency is in full agreement with residents about preserving the historical look and feel of Station Square, designed by famed architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. He said Forte Construction was chosen as its design-build contractor in part because of its expertise in that area.

The MTA and a representative of Forte said community outreach efforts are under way, and that residents’ input will be essential.

That was enough for Board 6 Chairwoman Heather Beers-Dimitriadis, who has been pushing for ele-

FEC coming to Richmond Hill

A new family enrichment center is coming to Richmond Hill, according to Hernan Cortes, the FEC director at Martin De Porres Youth & Family Services.

FECs are “primary prevention models” that provide community-designed support in a warm, homelike space, according to the city Administration for Children’s Services. Staff at FECs work with families and area leaders to identify community strengths and develop offerings that promote one or more of seven family protective factors, which include parental resilience and social connections.

People have group discussions, get help with family issues, socialize and enjoy family-oriented activities. For more information, visit nyc.gov/site/acs/about/fec.page.

According to Cortes, an 18-year resident of Ozone Park, architects and contractors for the project are currently being identified. Once all necessary permits are approved, construction will begin.

It is anticipated that the center, to be located at 111-20 Jamaica Ave., will open in late June or early July. Resources offered will be free of charge, Cortes said. Q — Kristen Guglielmo

vators, and is one of many in the community who believe the MTA has reneged on ones that had been approved for federal funding through the office of U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing). Beers-Dimitriadis said the MTA’s claim of interest in public input has little credibility.

“We worked with community groups here tonight to get elevators,” Beers-Dimitriadis said. “We even negotiated moving the elevators off the square for the eastbound service next to the position of the ramp. That was our input. And yet when we got funding [Meng’s] wishes were not met.

“Our input was covered ramps, and for one reason or another or a lack of imagination there was no design in the world, I guess, that would work for a covered ramp though you can find them throughout the world.”

She also said CB 6 had sought to create a stakeholder group to discuss matters openly. She said board offi-

“I’d like everybody from the MTA and Forte Construction to look at me right now,” Morgan said. “I’ve been on one of these ... since 2016. In 2008 I had four discs removed from my spine, from my neck. It was a choice of that or be paralyzed from the neck down.” She also has had two knee replacements and is a stroke survivor.

“How much footage is on that ramp?” Morgan asked, challenging the presenters to go up the ramp with her walker before pulling out an umbrella.

“You see me using this. Now imagine it’s raining and this is my umbrella.”

Fasano expressed sympathy, but reiterated that the MTA’s ADA policy is to go with ramps unless they are unfeasible to bring a station into compliance

Morgan, referring to her days as an NYPD dispatcher, said there were requirements when they were given an order by a supervisor.

“One, it had to be legal,” she said. “No. 2, it had to be ethical. No. 3, it had to be moral ... You now are making someone walk an extra block out of their way ... How dare you?” Q

Man stabbed in Woodhaven

Authorities are searching for multiple men who repeatedly stabbed a 20-year-old man last week in Woodhaven.

According to the police, on March 15 at approximately 3 p.m. near 88th Avenue and 85th Street, a group of unidentified men stabbed the victim multiple times throughout the body with knives. Authorities said they fled on foot to parts unknown.

Police said the victim, whose identity was not made public, was transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in stable condition.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577-TIPS (8477),

or, for Spanish, 1 (888) 57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto nypdcrimestoppers.com, or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577, or by going to @nypdtips on X. All tips are strictly confidential. Q

Pat Morgan of Community Board 6, left, vacated her chair at the back of the room on March 13 to explain her views on the Long Island Rail Road’s decision to go with ramps rather than elevators when it makes accessibility upgrades at its Forest Hills station.

CB 6 SCREENSHOT / YOUTUBE

Police are searching for several men including these in regard to a stabbing. NYPD PHOTOS

CM Holden says he still has work to do

Civic leader turned councilman looks back and ahead in last term

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

With 21 months left in his term, it probably would be too late for Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) to march more in line politically with the rest of City Hall’s Democrats.

Even if he wanted to.

“I want to get a bunch of laws through,” Holden told the Chronicle’s editorial board in a sitdown on March 14. “I have some really good laws that are not going through this Council because obviously the leadership does not make quality of life a priority, and I believe it should be.”

He said one of the most hilarious experiences upon joining the Council was seeing reporters not being able to identify his party.

“I’m not your typical, quintessential Democrat,” he said. “I was never a delegate or district leader. I came from the civics. I came from the community. I worked with both parties, but nobody understood that. Even in the Council, they said, ‘You’re not a true Democrat.’ Well, I say, ‘I’ve been a Democrat longer than you’ve been alive.’”

“I think your allegiance should be to your constituents,” he would add later.

Despite what the city has gone through in recent years, the councilman said it is possible to stay upbeat.

“I see some improvement,” he said. “I would like to see things like bringing on more cops. But I tell people, ‘We’ve been through this. We’ve been through bad periods.’ In New York City we have high crime, but it isn’t even approaching the high crime that I remember. I’m optimistic we can figure it out.”

Key to that, he said, is bringing back a sense of civility.

“It reminds me of the past in which we had high crime, but we didn’t have this sense of lawlessness. People just do what they please. People drive crazy today. We just had two deaths in my district, one woman in her 40s. A woman crossing the street. The man wasn’t arrested for hitting her, but people are driving crazy.”

An adjunct to that, he said, are drivers of vehicle from cars to minibikes who forego

license plates, registration and insurance when required, as well as those who sell illegal vehicles right out in the open.

Or what he says is the blatant disregard shown by those who have opened stores in his district peddling illegal marijuana — and worse.

“I got a rude awakening with pot shops on Metropolitan Avenue,” he said of two stores within doors of each other that recently were raided by the city. One actually was also functioning as a luncheonette. The other, Holden said, was different.

“They were blatantly selling psychedelic drugs,” Holden said. “The sheriff’s people tell me these can incapacitate you for two and a half hours. Yet they’re selling it right out in the open.”

Holden feels voters should hold accountable any elected state official who voted to legalize marijuana without first setting up the infrastructure for regulating it by voting them out of office.

But he said the problem is not limited to Albany. He accused fellow members of the City Council of fostering the present disorder.

“I am on the public Safety Committee and there are members who are anti-police,” he said. “Blatantly, outwardly anti-police. Antipublic safety. Anti-law enforcement. It scares the daylights out of me ... They’re pro-criminal.”

Ask the retired college professor to grade the city’s chief executive and Mayor Adams gets a C+.

As for the budget?

ther than his home base of Maspeth, where this month the Maspeth Jewish Center at 66-64 Grand Ave. opted into a city program to take in 15 homeless single immigrant men overnight. The city pays the synagogue for the accommodations.

“It’s a bad formula,” Holden said. “Their whole model is not set up for success. They have to leave at 7 a.m. and return at 7 p.m.

“Their whole model was not set up for success.”

— Councilman Bob Holden on a men’s shelter at a Maspeth synagogue

“I think he’s being more prudent than the City Council is,” Holden said. “They like to spend more than I would.”

He said the first place Adams would need to improve is his handling of the immigrant crisis.

“He’s mishandled that, but I don’t know if it was all his doing,” he said.

For an example, Holden needs to go no far-

So what are they doing in those 12 hours? Where are they leaving to go?”

He said a grocery store just a few doors down already has seen a spike in shoplifting.

“Its not a coincidence,” Holden said. “We knew it would happen because of the model.”

Holden has had a dim view of the city shelter system for several years, dating back at least to the facility for 200 men on Cooper Avenue in Glendale. He said it has reached the point where he is getting weekly crime statis-

tics at the Westhab-run shelter from the NYPD’s 104th Precinct.

Along with the 800-resident Pan American shelter in Elmhurst, redistricting has given Holden a portion of Rego Park that will be getting 100 homeless men within the next several weeks in the Wyndham Gardens Hotel just off of Queens Boulevard.

Holden said the proposed Wyndham model of putting two men in each room is an invitation to trouble.

As for his eventual successor, Holden said he has not yet heard of anyone yet expressing interest.

“I like to see it come from the civic world,” he said. “I worked with both parties, [Republican] Tom Ognibene and [Democrat] Walter McCaffrey. They are the ones who taught me, though they were both more political animals than I am.

“I don’t think there is anyone on the City Council like me, who spent 30 years on the community board ... I don’t fit into a lot of things they do. But I have a lot to say and I’m quoted a lot. I’ll put it that way. Q

Fireproof bags to hold lithium-ion batteries?

by Peter C. Mastrosimone Editor-in-Chief

Taking a new tack in the effort to prevent lithium-ion battery fires, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams last week proposed that the city purchase fireproof bags they can be stored in, even when being charged, and hand them out to the public. Williams made the suggestion in testimony to the City Council’s Fire and Emergency Management Committee March 15.

“We must take immediate action to make New York City safer, and providing riders with both information and equipment is among the most direct ways we can act,” Williams said.

Public advocate says to give them out

“One of the easiest ways to prevent lithium-ion battery fires at the source is using a fire retardant storage case for storing lithium ion batteries at home or at the office.

“These inexpensive storage cases cost about $20, and protect batteries during the charging process when most vulnerable to overheating and exploding. This relatively affordable investment will pay a huge dividend in decreasing the number of fires as well as saving lives and infrastructure.”

Williams’ office used both “fireproof” and “fire-retardant” to describe the containers, which he referred to as both “cases” and “bags.”

Lithium-ion batteries power many devices such as e-bikes and scooters. Fires caused by them killed 18 people in the city last year and injured 150 more, according to the FDNY. In 2022, six were killed.

Asked if Williams plans to introduce a bill in the City Council to purchase the bags, his

office said that right now he is pushing hard for funding them in the pending city budget, though legislation is possible. The estimated cost is $500,000; $1.3 million if the city had to pay retail.

The Mayor’s Office did not reply to a request for comment on the idea.

The City Council, via its press office, said it is always interested in solutions to the dangerous battery fires and would be interested to know what the professionals in the FDNY think of the proposal.

Williams envisions the city giving the bags out as it does with smoke detectors. Q

If you think there’s nobody on the City Council quite like Bob Holden, the longtime Democrat and civic leader would agree with you.

PHOTO BY PETER C. MASTROSIMONE the interview

SPRING 2024

• LONG-TERM CARE

What does Medicare cover? Is switching to Medicaid right for you? How about downsizing?

• LOSS OF SPOUSE

Ways to get through the grief and know that you’re not alone in your berehavement.

• STAYING ACTIVE

Gardening and walking keep you fit and are even better together.

• NUTRITION

A brief look at dietary changes as one ages.

• SWIMMING

Low-impact exercise that’s perfect for seniors.

•

Medicare, Medicaid and long-term care

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

As seniors try to navigate the complexities of healthcare and financial planning, understanding the distinctions between Medicaid and Medicare is crucial, and safeguarding assets while ensuring eligibility for essential benefits becomes paramount. Many even contemplate downsizing as a means to manage expenses and simplify their lives.

It’s important to understand that Medicaid and Medicare are both government-sponsored healthcare programs, yet they serve different purposes and have distinct eligibility criteria.

By familiarizing themselves with available resources and seeking professional guidance when needed, seniors can make important decisions that support their health, well-being and financial security in their golden years.

Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that provides health coverage to eligible low-income individuals, including seniors, people with disabilities, pregnant women and children.

In New York, Medicaid eligibility criteria includes income level, assets, age, disability status and citizenship.

Medicare, on the other hand, is a federal health insurance program designed for individuals aged 65 and older.

Medicare consists of several parts, as detailed on nyc.gov:

Part A: Hospital insurance, covering inpatient hospital stays, skilled nursing facility care, hospice care and some home health care.

Part B: Medical insurance, covering services such as doctor visits, outpatient care, medical supplies and preventive services.

Part C, otherwise known as Medicare Advantage: Plans offered by private companies approved by Medicare, which often include Part A, Part B and sometimes Part D benefits.

Part D: Prescription drug coverage, available through private insurance companies that contract with Medicare.

When a person has both Medicare and Medicaid, Medicare pays first and Medicaid pays last.

Jack Lippmann, president and founder of Elder Care Services, Inc. at 97-37 63 Road in Rego Park, said, “Medicare is a privilege. A person who worked all their lives, or at least 10 years, and reached the age of 65 is entitled to Medicare.”

THe explained that at 65, one is required to apply for Medicare, which can be done starting three months before his or her 65th birthday and up to three months after. If someone neglects to apply for Medicare upon turning 65, he or she will face late enrollment penalties, which will increase the longer it takes for the person to sign up.

“Medicare insurance, which is the best insurance you can get out there, only costs $174 a month,” Lippmann said. “So a person would be crazy not to apply, because the same

insurance privately will cost them close to $1,000 a month.”

Medicare only covers 80 percent of a medical bill, and one must usually pay a deductible and co-insurance and make co-payments.

“It forces the person to purchase supplemental insurance to cover the other 20 percent,” Lippmann said.

He noted that Medicare does not cover long-term care.

“It doesn’t pay nursing homes or home-care services,” Lippmann said. “When a person comes out from the hospital and goes to a nursing home, Medicare does pay for a little bit of rehab, meaning that they’ll pay the first 20 days, 100 percent.”

The covered cost decreases as time increases.

“Then, the next 80 days, Medicare pays 50 percent care, and the supplemental insurance pays the other 50 percent,” he said. “But that’s for 80 days, so the maximum that a person can get for a nursing home [on Medicare] is 100 days.”

When opting for long-term care in the form of nursing homes and home care, Medicaid is a safe choice.

In order to qualify, one must not have assets that exceed $31,175.

For those looking to reside in a nursing home, income must not exceed $50 per month. Excess income will go to the nursing home to cover costs for care. Alternatively, for longterm home care, income eligibility is capped at $1,732.

For seniors who are aiming to qualify for benefits while safeguarding their assets, cer-

don’t lose their whole investment. I try to save some of it.

Consulting with an elder law attorney o r financial advisor specializing in Medicai d planning can provide invaluable guidance on asset protection strategies tailored to individual circumstances.

Lippmann told the Chronicle that Elde r Care Services, Inc. can help when filling ou t applications for long-term care services.

“We assist the elderly and disabled with their Medicaid, home care or nursing home care, because there’s only two applications here: Home care or nursing home applications,” Lippmann said. “At the same time, we protect their income, their resources and thei r homes. So with community Medicaid, we can save them 100 percent. When it comes to nursing homes, it depends upon the transfers.”

For nursing homes, he said his company can save 50 percent of the cost, or sometimes even more depending on the income and fees charged by the facility.

Asked what frequent questions he gets about the process, Lippmann said people often ask how long the application process will take when inquiring about long-term care.

“It’s not in our hands,” he said. “We don’t have any control of that.”

tain strategies can be employed:

“So for community Medicaid, the part that allows you to get a home attendant, at the moment, we have what they call a ‘one-month look-back period,’” Lippman said. “So you can have a million dollars in the account today, but you transfer it out before the end of the month, you’re eligible on the first of the next month.”

He added that a law was passed to implement a two-year look-back period.

“Which means if you transferred any assets in the last two and a half years, they will penalize you for that, which means that it would take longer to get Medicaid until the penalty period expires. But it’s not implemented yet. It’s on hold because of Covid,” Lippman said.

For those who have surplus income but are seeking long-term care with a home care attendant, there are two options.

“One is to surrender the surplus income to Medicaid,” Lippmann said. “Or they can join a pooled income trust and deposit their surplus income into the pooled trust. And then they can use the money in the pooled trust to pay their bills. So this way, they don’t lose their money. But that’s only for community Medicaid, for home care. For nursing home Medicaid, they cannot have more than $50 and no pooled trust.”

Another option could be downsizing or selling a home.

If applying for community Medicaid, “You can transfer [funds] and then you’re OK the following month,” Lippmann said.

“For nursing homes, you transfer and then they’ll look at what you transferred and the fair market value of the property,” he said. “So that’s when someone might need people like us to come in and assist them, so that they

Lippmann explained that, when applying for nursing home care, if someone has been honest in the application, there should be no issues or delay — but it can take up to a year.

“Sometimes it takes them eight months to approve an application,” he said. “Now, i f there was something done wrong, and yo u send it in, now, eight months later, they sen d you a letter saying, ‘You have issues on X, Y and Z.’”

Lippmann said corrections can be fixed, but will cost time and money.

“Yes, you can correct them, but sometimes you lose money by doing corrections because you didn’t know,” he said. “Had they told you eight months before when you filed it that you did something wrong, you can correct it righ t away.”

Lippmann added, “Once they approve an application for a nursing home, they pay the nursing home retroactively from the time tha t we filed the application.”

On community Medicaid, he said the government is allowed 45 days to approve or deny an application for someone without a pool trust. If the person does have a pool trust, the 45 days increases to 90.

For more information on Medicaid eligibility, visit nystateofhealth.ny.gov. For information on applying for long-term care, visit nyc. gov/site/hra/help/long-term-care.

To speak with Lippmann for information regarding Medicaid applications and how to qualify, visit eldercareservicesny.com. Q

It’s important for older adults aged 65 and older to understand the intricacies of Medicaid and Medicare when considering their options for long-term care, such as living in a nursing home or moving in with family.

Jack Lippmann o f Elder Care Services Inc. in Rego Park.

PHOTO BY MARK LORD / FILE

“

Corp., had to say about our team:

Bereavement: Helping to heal the hurt

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

The loss of spouses, siblings and longtime friends can be devastating. But older adults in Queens who don’t want to handle their grief alone don’t have to, with bereavement counseling available either in group settings or one-on-one through churches, social service groups and other agencies.

The bereavement services program for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn is run by Catholic Charities. Many parishes in Queens offer their own programs.

Deacon Mauclair Simon, a licensed master social worker, heads the program. The intent, according to Simon and the program’s web page, is to serve as a space where healing can begin.

“Anyone who has lost a loved one could benefit from counseling,” Simon said in a recent interview. But he added that there is not any one-size-fits-all approach. Older adults, he said, will react differently than children or young adults.

He said it is not uncommon for someone who has been married for decades to be hit harder than someone who has suffered a loss after just a few years.

“With a senior couple, you can be looking for help to fill a void after 40 years or 30 years,” he said.”

Some people need open meetings, while others do better in smaller groups or with individual counselors.

Richard Slizeski, vice president of Catholic Charities of Brooklyn & Queens, said its programs are designed to help people through the various stages of grief, and that lists of different, specialized programs are available from its office.

Information on Catholic Charities bereavement services can be found online at bit.ly/48WFWoR. Deacon Simon can

be reached either at (718) 722-6214 or by email at mauclair. simon@ccbq.org.

Commonpoint Queens offers scores of programs and services for those of all ages. Grief counseling is among those offered to older adults.

Shelly Channan, also a licensed master social worker, runs a bereavement group at Commonpoint’s Sam Field Older Adult Center in Forest Hills. Her program is for those

60 and older who have lost a spouse, though she said there is no one on the group’s waiting list right now.

“Our group runs on a 10-week cycle,” Channan said. “We usually have about five people, no more than 12.”

Channan’s group also requires people to be at least three months removed from a spouse’s death.

“Until then, you’re kind of dealing with logistics,” she said. “Legal matters, paperwork, bureaucracy, always answering the phone. There’s really no space for grief. You don’t know how you feel. You need to give it room.”

And Channan said grief looks much different today than before the pandemic.

Of her group, she said, “It’s not for everybody — it depends on the individual. Loss is personal. Grief is ou r best friend; that’s what I tell people. It has to be our best friend, because during the process it’s the only thing with you. Befriend it. Get to know it. You wake up in the morning and it’s there. You go to bed at night and it’s there.

“So typically, you don’t have group members inside o f three months out from the loss. Otherwise, it’s so new an d fresh. They’re not going to be able to work through the therapeutic process. There’s work that’s not going to be done.”

After 10 weeks, members are re-evaluated.

“If they feel they need to do one more cycle with the group then we might consider it,” Channan said. “Some people feel that after 10 weeks they are in a good place, in a healthy place. And they move on.”

The center is at 67-09 108 St. and can be reached conveniently by multiple bus and subway lines.

Information for those interested in participating in the group can be found online at bit.ly/3wZSizh. Q

Support is available in Queens for seniors who need help overcoming the loss of a spouse.

Keep your resolution on the trail or garden

by Naeisha Rose Associate Editor

Find yourself in a rut and struggling to stick to your New Year’s resolution to stay fit?

There are several walking and gardening programs in Queens that will help you get out of your funk and help you to take your first step toward a healthier lifestyle this year.

Elizabeth Madison, the manager leading the Wise Walking Warrior Program, will kick off the spring session next month for eight weeks on Wednesdays and Saturdays, from May 8 to June 29, starting at 8:30 a.m. at Springfield Park in Springfield Gardens.

“It’s for people age 60 and up,” said Madison, who is also the founder of the Wellness & Lifestyle Transformation Center. “If you have an AARP card you are pretty good to go.”

The program is free, said Madison.

The fitness instructor for the walk, who also teaches a Zumba class at the park, is Lizzette Bennette, Madison added.

“The fitness classes are high energy and low impact ... They are familiar and trained to work with seniors,” said Madison. “They will go on the trail around all of Springfield Park and then she will bring them back to a grassy area, which is better for their knees and balance and do a workout. The last 10 minutes she will uses stretchy bands and light 10-pound weights.”

Along with the trails, people also get to use the fitness equipment at the park.

People can contact Madison at (855) 958-9958 or email her at elizabeth@yourwlt.com to learn more.

People can also register for the program on-site at the tennis courts at the park, which is located at 147th and Springfield avenues.

If you are looking for something a little more low-key, the Eastern Queens Alliance Community Peace Garden, located at 149th Avenue and Springfield Lane, is a great place people can go, according to EQA Chairwoman Barbara Brown.

“We are putting together a Community Peace Garden and we are asking for volunteers, who can be any age,” Brown said. “We have a volunteer gardening program.”

The program will be ongoing for Saturdays at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Brown hopes to have it running in late March or early April when the weather gets warmer.

“We also have plans for a trail for it and we are getting ready to select plant seeds for it,” she said.

If people want to learn more about the garden, call Brown

at (347) 824-3201 or reach her by email at info@eastern queensalliance.org.

“It’s right next door to the Idlewild Environmental Center,” Brown said. “It was a street bed where people were dumping. We adopted, cleaned and fenced it up ... with the support o f Con Edison.”

There will be shrubs, flowers and a butterfly garden, she added.

The Queens Botanical Garden, located at 43-50 Main St. in Flushing, has both walking tours and gardening programs fo r the general public. From now until March 31, all programs are free. From April 1 to Dec. 15, programs on Wednesdays an d Sundays are free, but are $4 for seniors on other days, according to Jatnna Rodriguez, QBG’s director of programs.

“We have different workshops week-to-week and month-tomonth,” Rodriguez told the Chronicle. Sometimes peonies, roses or magnolias are in season in the garden, but it changes.

“People can look at pollinators in the garden, people can look at meditation in the garden or look at art in the garden, that is very popular with senior groups,” she said. “Seniors can also draw plants they see in the garden during tours with the botanical tools. Turmeric and flowers can also used fo r coloring.”

People can also tour QBG’s bee garden, Earth garden an d farm.

To learn more, visit queensbotanicalgarden.org.

Guests will also have the opportunity to go on a tour o f QBG’s rooftop where native plants such as sedum, lamb’s ear and cacti reside, or they may sign up to volunteer at the bee garden or Earth garden, which houses plants that can be cooked and have medicinal purposes. Q

THE TRUTH ABOUT MEDICAID

Community Medicaid eligibility is changing!

In October 2020 a new look-back period was passed forcing applicants to surrender two and one-half (2.5) years of financial statements. However, due to the pandemic Medicaid was unable to enforce this new regulation and kept extending the starting date.

The last extension was to expire March 31, 2024; however, rumors indicate a new extension possibly to January 1, 2025

What does it mean to new applicants once the new regulation goes into effect? If there were any transfers during the two and one-half (2.5)

years prior to fi lling, applicants will be disqualified for a period of time depending on the amount transferred. Disqualifications cannot be more than two and one-half years.

Presently, applicants can transfer any amount of money one month and become fi nancially eligible for Community Medicaid the following month. This window of opportunity is slowly closing in. Potential applicants should keep in mind that the only way to avoid this issue is to apply before the rule is enforced.

Guests of the Queens Botanical Garden can walk its trails and later make pieces of art with garden tools. PHOTO COURTESY QBG

Established in 1975, Jamaica Hospital Nursing Home is a not-for-profit hospital-based nursing home, whose mission is “to serve its residents in a way that is second to none.” As part of the larger MediSys Health Network (MediSys) serving Queens and East Brooklyn, the goal of Jamaica Hospital Nursing Home is to work with its affi liated health and behavioral health care providers, as well as other providers and community-based organizations throughout the community, to be the premier integrated healthcare delivery system by providing the highest quality, most cost-effective service, which is accessible and sensitive to all.

Jamaica Hospital Nursing Home is a modern state-of-the-art four-story, 228bed nursing and rehabilitation center located in Jamaica, Queens. The nursing home provides short and long-term individualized and specialized nursing services, rehabilitation therapy services (physical, occupational, speech), orthopedic rehabilitation, poststroke reha-

bilitation, IV therapy, and post-surgery wound care. Residents of the nursing home also have access to additional medical and professional services offered at the facility such as cardiology, dentistry, family practice, geriatrics, ophthalmology, podiatry, psychiatry, pulmonary, radiology, surgery/orthopedics, pharmacy, social services, and recreation/activities.

Our staff of experienced, caring professionals are committed to restoring each Resident to his/her own optimal level of functioning. No matter how brief or extended the stay, our interdisciplinary approach combines excellence in health care with a special emphasis on the physical and emotional recovery of each Resident. Our Team approach includes not only our professional staff but Residents and families working together to maximize their quality of life.

For additional information, please contact William Petrie, Admissions Coordinator, at 718-206-5108 or 718-206-5000 or email at wpetrie@jhmc.org.

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TLC COMPANIONS HOMECARE

In an era where personalized care and attention are paramount, TLC Companions Homecare Services provides compassion and reliability. Dedicated to enriching the lives of seniors and individuals in need, TLC Companions offers a range of tailored homecare solutions designed to foster independence and enhance overall well-being.

With a commitment to excellence, TLC Companions employs a team of highly trained caregivers who are not only skilled in their craft but also imbued with empathy and understanding. Whether it’s assistance with daily activities, medication reminders, or companionship, their caregivers provide compassionate support tailored to the unique needs of each client.

At TLC Companions, the focus extends beyond physical care to encompass emotional and social support. Recognizing the importance of companionship in combating loneliness and promoting mental wellness, TLC Companions caregivers engage clients in meaningful activities and conversations, fostering a sense of connection and belonging.

Furthermore, TLC Companions prioritizes safety and security, implementing stringent measures to ensure the well-being of their clients. From thorough background checks for caregivers to regular quality assessments, every aspect of their service is meticulously managed to guarantee peace of mind for both clients and their families.

What sets TLC Companions apart is their unwavering dedication to client satisfaction. They understand that each individual has unique preferences and requirements, and they go above and beyond to accommodate these needs, striving to exceed expectations at every turn.

Whether you’re seeking short-term assistance during recovery or long-term care solutions, TLC Companions Homecare Services is your trusted partner in providing compassionate, reliable care for your loved ones. Experience the difference that personalized attention and genuine compassion can make in the lives of those you cherish. Contact TLC Companions today to discover how they can tailor their services to meet your specifi c needs and bring comfort and support to your family.

Call us for more information 718-225-9010

Donna received her law degree from St. John’s University of Law. She is currently the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Catholic Lawyers Guild of Queens and was past President of the Queens County Women’s Bar Association, past President of the Astoria Kiwanis Club, past President of the East River Kiwanis Club, and past President of the Catholic Lawyers Guild of Queens.

Co-Chair of the Elder Law Section of the Queens County Bar Assn. 2012-2019

Senior Living Guide How nutritional needs change as people age

Healthy eating is important at any age and can set the course for a life of vitality and wellness. Sufficient nutrition can help prevent chronic illnesses and make sure that growing bodies develop properly. As one ages, various changes take place in the body, making healthy eating even more essential.

According to Healthline, nutritional deficiencies can affect aging individuals, which can decrease quality of life and lead to poor health outcomes. People should pay attention to their vitamin and mineral intake. As a person ages, here are some approaches to consider.

• Consume fewer calories: According to Connie Bales, PhD, RD, associate director of the Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center at Durham VA Medical Center, p eople need fewer calories every decade. That’s because individuals are moving around less and have less muscle. This causes a decline in metabolic rate.

• Include more nutrient-dense foods: Even though caloric needs go down with age, nutritional needs do not.

• Consume more lean protein: Muscle loss

and loss of strength can develop as a person ages. Healthline says the average adult loses 3 to 8 percent of their muscle mass each decade after age 30. Eating more protein could help aging bodies maintain muscle.

• Eat fortified cereals and grains: The ability to absorb vitamin B12 can decrease as one gets older and with the use of certain medicines. Many health professionals recommen d patients get more vitamin B12.

• Drink more fluids: Health.com says sensation of thirst declines with age. Drinking water and other fluids becomes a priority to stay hydrated. It also helps with digestion.

• Prioritize bone health: Osteoporosis is a concern for older adults, particularly women. Osteoporosis occurs when bones become brittle and can break from only the slightes t bump or fall. Vitamin D and calcium help strengthen bones.

Individuals should speak with their health care providers and nutritionists for furthe r insight into their changing nutritional needs. Such professionals can help customize diets to address specific health concerns.

P

— Metro Creative Connection

Seniors can swim their way to improved health

Exercise provides a number of measureable benefits for people of all ages, including older adults. Swimming may be especially beneficial for seniors.

Many people learn to swim in childhood. Though devotees may get in the water for fun rather than fitness, this popular, joyful and relaxing pastime may be the ideal exercise for seniors looking to improve their overall health, particularly because it is very low-impact.

Because the water provides buoyancy while swimming, there is little risk of injury and minimal strain on the body. Water exercises, including swimming, work all the muscle groups, so it can be a complete exercise, says American Senior Communities. Swimming also is a great cardiovascular exercise that can strengthen the heart muscle and improve lung function and endurance. Because it lowers blood pressure and improves circulation, swimming is a great way to get the heart pumping.

A gentle, 30-minute swim can burn up to 200 calories, which is more than walking. A faster swim can burn calories more quickly than running or cycling. However, since water supports up to 90 percent of the body’s weight, this activity will put less stress on muscles and joints while one is exercising.

Individuals with mobility issues or arthritis pain may find that swimming helps relieve discomfort and improves range of motion. It will take the stress off of joints, helping a person to feel better while stretching and moving gently in the water.

Even seniors who don’t know how to swim can still reap the benefits of water exercise. Walking in shallow water, or using a kickboard to stay above the water can be effective. Using foam dumbbells or even pushing and pulling one’s arms through the water can serve as a great resistance exercise that builds strength.

Swimming and additional water activities are great ways for seniors to stay in shape. As always, individuals should speak with their doctors before beginning any exercise regimen to ensure that it is safe. P

— Metro Creative Connection

Understanding Medicaid: Frequently Asked Questions

What is Medicaid medical assistance?

Medicaid is a joint federal and state funded program, run by the state and local counties, providing medical insurance, home-care services (assisting with all activities of daily living) and nursing home medical assistance to the poor, elderly or disabled.

However, individuals requiring home-care services or nursing home medical assistance, in addition to fi nancial requirements, also will need to have a medical need for these services.

Who can apply for Medicaid?

Medicaid is for anyone who meets the income and resources restrictions.

What services does Medicaid provide?

• Doctors • Hospitals • Prescriptions • Nursing Homes (room & board)

• Home-care Services, such as home attendants, home health aides and nurses

What is an MLTC?

MLTC stands for Managed Long-Term Care. One example: When an applicant has been approved for Medicaid home-care services, the applicant has to choose one MLTC from several approved Medicaid plans. Upon joining an MLTC a coordinator will be assigned and this coordinator will be the point person between the applicant/recipient and the MLTC.

Changes with Community Medicaid eligibility!

Due to Covid-19, once again the new rule regarding transfers of assets for Community Medicaid eligibility has been extended from January 2024 to April 2024; however, rumors indicate a new extension possibly to January 2025.

What does the new regulation mean to the applicant?

Once the new regulation is in place, applicants wishing to apply for community Medicaid and receive homecare services paid for by Medicaid will need to submit two and one-half years of bank statements. If there were any transfers during that period, other than spouse to spouse, the applicant will be disqualified for a period of time. Presently, applicants can transfer any amount of money one month and become financially eligible for Community Medicaid the following month. This window of opportunity is closing in fast. There is no time to procrastinate. The only way to avoid this issue is to apply before the new rule is enforced.

Elder Care Services, Inc., offers Free consultations.

Elder Care Services, Inc.

97-37 63rd Road, Suite 9H, Rego Park, NY 11374

For more information please contact Jack Lippmann at 718-575-5700

www.eldercareservicesny.com

2024 ESTATE TAX LAWS

By Donna Furey, Esq.

As of January 1, 2024, you are entitled to a lifetime FEDERAL gift and estate tax credit of $13,610,000.00 per person and a NEW YORK exclusion amount will be $6,940,000.00 per person.

The estate tax credit can be used during your lifetime to offset gift tax liability or at your demise to offset any estate tax liability. Any portion of the “lifetime exclusion amount” used against gift taxes would reduce the federal credit available to be used against the estate tax at death. This is why it is always preferable to make maximum use of the annual exclusion from gift taxes which increased to $18,000.00 per person for 2024.

It is advisable to gift assets which have not greatly appreciated in value. When you make a gift of an asset, the recipient receives your cost basis in the asset. For example, stock purchased at $20 per share with a current market value of $100 per share could result in a signifi cant capital gains tax liability for the recipient if and when the recipient sells the stock. If the recipient acquires the stock upon the death of the owner, the recipient’s tax basis will be the fair market value of the asset as of the date of death because of the “step up in basis” provided for in the tax law.

While there is no New York Gift Tax, gifts made three years prior to a decedent’s death will be “clawed back” into their gross estate for New York State tax purposes. Unfortunately, the New York basic exemption completely disappears once you surpass it by 5%!

A primary focus in planning estates for New York taxpayers is to endeavor to eliminate and/or at least reduce the impact of federal and state estate taxes.

Unfair property tax lawsuit is back on

Assessments violate laws: plaintiffs

by Greg David THE CITY

This article was originally published on March 19 at 5:13 p.m. EDT by THE CITY

New York City’s notorious property tax system — which places a higher burden on rental properties and advantages affluent white areas at the expense of lower-income neighborhoods of color — appears headed for a major overhaul.

The state’s highest court voted 4-3 on Tuesday to reinstate a lawsuit by a coalition called Tax Equity Now New York that sought to have the convoluted system declared illegal.

The Court of Appeals revived two claims from the suit, which had previously been dismissed by lower courts. The first is that taxing homeowners less than rental buildings violates the state’s real property tax law. The second is that by capping assessments in neighborhoods with rising property values, the city over-taxes minority communities in violation of the federal fair housing law.

“This gives the city and every property owner the opportunity to have a property tax system that is fair, equitable and even transparent and easier to understand,” said Martha Stark, the former city finance commissioner who has been the public spokesperson for Tax Equity. “It has been decades with a property

tax system that nobody believes is fair.”

The appeals court did not decide the issue in its ruling this week. Instead it returned the case to the state’s lowest court, the Supreme Court.

However, the court’s 60-page decision gives instructions to the lower court to rule in such a way it is likely to uphold the Tax Equity complaints, said Benjamin Williams, who leads the property tax department of the real estate law firm Rosenberg & Estis.

The inequities in the city’s property taxes have been a subject of debate for years.

To tackle the problem, former Mayor Bill de Blasio established a commission to study the issue, which reported its recommendations for changes amid his last days in office. If adopted, the commission’s policies would have created a new class of small residential properties and abolished the phase-in rules that shield homes in areas of fast-rising values from higher assessments — which keeps the increases in property taxes on such homes lower than they would have been.

As a candidate, Mayor Adams had endorsed property tax reform but said he wants it to happen through action by the state Legislature.

However, political leaders have been unwilling to take the heat any reform is likely to generate.

“Some property owners will see their property taxes go up, especially homeowners in more white areas,” said attorney Williams. “Others will see them go down, especially homeowners in more non-white areas.”

What Stark wants done is to create a system that assigns the same value assessment to similar properties, making their property taxes equal. Especially important, she says, is to end the lower assessments for the city’s expensive coops and provide relief to the overtaxed rental apartment buildings.

By doing so, her group hopes, the city could reap taxes in a more equitable way, and spur the type of housing development the city needs to avoid an even worse affordability crisis. Nothing in the decision would necessarily

change the total amount of property taxes collected.

The Supreme Court could eventually order specific changes. At Tuesday’s weekly media briefing, Adams administration officials said they wanted to wait to see what the lower court decides before weighing in.

The state legislature, which controls the city’s tax system, could do so through legislation and make the lawsuit moot.

State Sen. Liz Kreuger (D-Manhattan), who chairs the Finance Committee, said she is open to making changes but only in concert with the mayor and City Council.

City Comptroller Brad Lander reiterated his call for an overhaul. Lander has been arguing that property tax reform that reduces the taxes on rental buildings would eliminate the need to reinstate the controversial 421-a tax break. That tax benefit for new residential rental buildings, which had been used for decades until its expiration in 2022, was designed to offset the higher tax burden on that type of building in the city.

Williams says that the city’s Department of Finance on its own could simply change the assessment ratios that lead to the unfairness. But that would make the mayor the focus of the anger from those who would face higher taxes. Q

THE CITY (www.thecity.nyc) is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to hard-hitting reporting that serves the people of New York.

Rowhouses in Canarsie, Brooklyn, Oct. 24, 2019.

PHOTO BY BEN FRACTENBERG / THE CITY

Youngster mowed down in East Elm

Vigil held for tragic Bayron, driver charged, streets go under scrutiny

by Peter C. Mastrosimone Editor-in-Chief

The Western Queens community remains in mourning with one devastated family over the horrible death of 8-year-old Bayron Palomino Arroyo at the hands of an allegedly careless driver.

It was last Wednesday at about 4:15 p.m. when Bayron stepped into the crosswalk on the south side of the corner of 31st Avenue and 100th Street in East Elmhurst.

He never stepped out of it.

As he was crossing from west to east with his mother and older brother, 10, Bayron was struck by a 2005 Nissan Titan SUV driven by Jose Barcia, 52, of Flushing.

Barcia had been going westbound on 31st Avenue and was stopped at the light at 100th Street, according to police and the office of Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. When the light changed, Barcia cut off oncoming traffic to make the left onto southbound 100th Street.

He hit both boys. Bayron was crushed to death under the SUV’s wheels. His brother sustained minor injuries to his wrist, along with bruising to his head, and was taken to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens hospital by Emergency Medical Services. The children’s mother was not physically injured.

The family had the walk sign when they were struck, according to the NYPD’s Highway District Collision Investigation Squad.

The Daily News reported that police said Barcia swerved around a car in front of him and crossed the double yellow line to make the turn. Bayron’s devastated mother was left screaming as her son lay in the street while his brother was in shock, witnesses told the paper.

Barcia stayed at the scene and later was arrested. He was arraigned last Thursday and charged with criminally negligent homicide, failing to yield to oncoming traffic while making a left turn, disobeying speed restrictions and two counts each of failure to provide the right of way to pedestrians and failing to exercise due care.

Prosecutors asked that bail be imposed but Barcia was let go on supervised release instead, according to the Queens DA’s office.

Bayron’s family lives down the block from where he was killed, on 100th Street. Barcia lives on Utopia Parkway.

The driver has been arrested multiple times, according to the city Department of Transportation, and has seven tickets for moving violations and three “license withdrawals” on his record, along with 110 parking tickets.

Bayron’s wake was held Tuesday at the Rivera Funeral Home at 104-02 37 Ave. in Corona. His funeral Mass was Wednesday at Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic Church, right across the street at 104-11 37 Ave., and he was laid to rest at All Faiths Cemetery in Middle Village.

A GoFundMe effort was set up to offset funeral expenses. It may be found at tinyurl. com/3f2fbhuc. It was set up by Edgar Perez, who said he is the best friend of Bayron’s father, Bartolo Palomino, and had raised $4,940 by 5 p.m. Wednesday.

A candlelight vigil was held last Thursday night at the crash site. Tears flowed before a memorial of candles, flowers and white balloons, while music for mourning was performed live, as seen at citizen.com.

The DOT reviewed the street design at the crash site, which it said had seen one

Bayron Palomino Arroyo and the crosswalk where he died last week, at 100th Street and 31st Avenue in East Elmhurst. Across the street is the First Baptist Church of Corona.

severe injury and no fatalities in the last five years. The traffic signal was installed in October 2020.

“Our thoughts are with the loved ones of Bayron Palomino Arroyo as we review the location of this unconscionable tragedy. Reckless drivers are a deadly threat to all New Yorkers and that is why we strongly support legislation in Albany to take these motorists off our streets,” DOT spokeswoman Mona Bruno said via email. “Failing to yield to pedestrians is unacceptable and illegal, and we commend NYPD for their swift work to

make an arrest in this case.”

The agency added that it supports legislation filed by state Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Astoria) and Assemblyman William Magnarelli (D-Syracuse) that would allow the Department of Motor Vehicles to suspend the registrations of vehicles that get five or more red light camera violations within a year. Q

Sean Brown, defendant in teen’s slaying, could face up to 30 years Aamir Griffin killer pleads guilty: DA

by Naeisha Rose Associate Editor

A 21-year-old reputed gangster now being held at the Robert N. Davoren Complex on Rikers Island is facing up to 30 years in prison for the notorious killing of an innocent teen, according to authorities.

Prosecutors from District Attorney Melinda Katz’s office said that Sean Brown of Jamaica pleaded guilty to manslaughter and conspiracy to commit murder, along with related weapon charges, on Sunday in connection with the 2019 slaying of 14-year-old Aamir Griffin.

Griffin, a high school basketball star, who would have graduated from Cardozo High School in Bayside two years ago, was gunned down at the Baisley Park Houses basketball court in South Jamaica because Brown mistook the teenager for a rival gang member, according to law enforcement officials.

Brown, a member of the Money World criminal organization, was a part of a 2023 33-person gang takedown of his group and rivals from the Local Trap Stars and Never Forget Loyalty crews, the cliques at the heart of the conspiracy. A slashing in April 2019 led to a blood feud among the groups that then claimed the life of the innocent South Jamaica

teen, said prosecutors.

“When I became the DA, I committed to bringing Aamir Griffin’s killer to justice,” Katz said in a statement. “We have succeeded and will continue doing absolutely everything we can to get illegal firearms and the criminals who use them off our streets.”

Katz was sworn into office three months after Griffin was shot and killed with a .380-caliber handgun at approximately 8 p.m. on Oct. 26, 2019. He was rushed to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center and was pronounced dead after one bullet penetrated his upper chest and pierced both his lungs, said authorities.

“Warring gangs are not just a threat to each other, but to all of us,” said the district attorney. “Whether it was the murder of a schoolteacher walking his dog, a mother running out for milk for her children, or, in this case, a youngster playing basketball with friends, mindless gang gun violence has bloodied our streets and broken our hearts. It has not, however, shaken our resolve.”

Brown is expected back in court to be sentenced on April 10. Per his plea agreement, he is expected to be sentenced to 25 years for manslaughter, five to 15 years for conspiracy and five years for the illegal gun. His prison terms will be served consecutively and will be followed by five years of post-release supervision, according to the DA’s Office.

In 2020, a memorial bench with a sculpture of a basketball was dedicated to Griffin at the basketball court. It occupies a patch of green looking over to the court where he spent so much of his time. Q

The Aamir Griffin memorial bench. PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON

PHOTO VIA GOFUNDME / EDGAR PEREZ; GOOGLE MAPS IMAGE

New animal shelter named for Vallone

Animal Care Centers of NYC honors late councilman at Ridgewood site

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

The Animal Care Centers of NYC’s longawaited Queens shelter will carry the name of one of the borough’s longtime advocates for animals.

Speaking March 13 at a meeting of Community Board 5, ACC leaders said the Paul A. Vallone Animal Center will be named after the former city councilman, who was 56 when he died of a heart attack in January.

“He was a really, really great friend to ACC,” said Executive Director Risa Weinstock. “He loved animals. He loved our work.”

The shelter is located at 1906 Flushing Ave. in Ridgewood. Weinstock said it is in the final stages of construction. No date has been given for an official opening.

“I was here six years go when the lot for the shelter was just a mound of dirt,” Weinstock said.

Vallone, along with his brother Peter Vallone Jr., was the third generation of one of the preeminent Queens political family dynasties. His grandfather, Charles Vallone, became a judge. His father, Peter Sr., was the first City Council speaker and a former gubernatorial candidate. Peter Jr. was a longtime councilman and now is a civil court judge.

COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL IMAGING

Paul Vallone was serving as the city’s deputy commissioner of Veterans’ Services when he died.

Weinstock said that when the shelter opens, staff will welcome the public to come see who they are and what they do.

They are looking for employees, volunteers and those interested in fostering ani-

PEDIATRIC

WOMEN'S IMAGING

mals to prepare them for permanent homes.

“It is an open shelter, which means we generally do not turn away any animals,” Senior Administrator Paul Sanders said in the meeting, which can be viewed in full at bit.ly/3THccbd.

“We accept animals regardless of their behavioral or medical condition,” Sanders

said, adding that the ACC works with smaller operations as well as animal rescuers.

Sanders said the agency will have dogs, cats, guinea pigs and rabbits available for adoption. He said it takes in about 20,000 animals per year.

Citywide ACC statistics for January provided in a slide show said the group chipped 390 animals; performed 539 special surgeries; had 485 public adoptions; and had more than 100 foster placements. Information on the group’s website said it also put down 41 dogs and 49 cats for the month.

But a number Sanders also stressed was the 382 surrender preventions during January that he said are also a vital part of the agency’s mission.

“If we can do something to provide resources to keep animals in their homes, we’re going to do that,” he said. “We want to work with that person.”

He also said their foster programs are a vital service.

“That might be because the animals are too young or they’re underweight; it’s a mom with a litter of kittens or puppies,” he said. “They might be sick or injured, or they might be scared in a shelter. They might be used to being the only pet in a home and now there are 100 dogs and different smells.

“Fostering saves lives.” Q

3T

3D

Risa Weinstock, executive director of Animal Care Centers of NYC, discusses the state-of-the-art animal shelter, named for the late City Councilman Paul Vallone, that is soon to be completed in Ridgewood.

CB 5 SCREENSHOT / YOUTUBE

McAndrew, Miracle Met, dies at age 80

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

Jim McAndrew, who won a World Series ring with the 1969 Miracle Mets and was a member of the pennant-winning “You Gotta Believe!” National League champions in 1973, died March 14 in Arizona after what published reports said was a brief illness.

The native of Lost Nation, Iowa, was 80.

McAndrew, according to the New York Post, was taken in by the Mets in the 1965 draft one round before a pitcher from Texas named Nolan Ryan.

He had a record of 37-53 with four saves in seven big league seasons, the first six with the Mets, from 1968 through 1973. He was the victim of shutouts in his first four games. He sometimes battled arm injuries.

McAndrew won 10 games in 1970 and 11 in 1972, but was usually pitching on the back end of a powerful starting rotation that included Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, Ryan, Gary Gentry and, later, Jon Matlack, and did not pitch in either World Series.

But McAndrew also was the winning pitcher in September 1969 when the Mets took first place for the first time in team history, defeating the expansion Montreal Expos.

He later was traded to the San Diego Padres, finishing his career there in 1974.

Jim McAndrew NY METS PHOTO VIA TRADING CARDDB.COM / WIKIPEDIA

“An extremely nice man. It was a pleasure to know him,” said Mets broadcaster Howie Rose on X.

The Post reported that McAndrew is survived by his wife, Lyn, daughter Jana and sons Jamie, Jeff and Jon.

Jamie McAndrew had cups of coffee as a pitcher with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1995 and 1997, according to the website baseball-reference.com, posting a record of 3-4. Q

OZP

According to the office of Councilwoman Joann Ariola, authorities found 773 packs of untaxed cigarettes and seized 35 pounds of cannabis products. Officers arrested two individuals, but their identities were not revealed.

“We cannot continue to allow these unlicensed, illegal shops to peddle potentially dangerous merchandise in our neighborhoods,” Ariola, top, said in a statement to the Chronicle. “We will continue going after these shops one by one until the message is made clear, and they are driven out of District 32 for good.”

—

Kristen Guglielmo

South Jamaica, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 18;

• Rego Center mall at 61-35 Junction Blvd. outside Marshall’s in Rego

• Ditmars Boulevard and 23rd Avenue in Astoria from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, April 8;

• Rochdale Community Center at 16965 137 Ave. in Jamaica from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16;

• Allen Community Senior Citizens Center at 166-01 Linden Blvd. No. 1,

Councilmembers and BP share district favorites

Elected officials recommend their go-to eateries in the World’s Boro

by Naeisha Rose Associate Editor

Searching for a place nearby to dine in your area? Don’t worry, the NYC Hospitality Alliance has got you covered with its first annual District Dining Guide featuring Caribbean, Asian and Latin American food, along with baked goods and vegan meals.

Ten spots in Queens were recommended by Borough President Donovan Richards, Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica) and nine other councilmembers to NYC Hospitality Alliance, a nonprofit that supports the city’s nightlife and restaurant industry, last Thursday.

Both the borough president and Adams selected The Door Restaurant, located at 16307 Baisley Blvd. in South Jamaica, which is in City Council District 28.

“The Door’s exceptional sweetness and the tenderness of the lobster with the flavors in the butter sauce makes this delectable dish unlike any other,” Adams said in the guide about the restaurant’s buttered lobster entrée.

Richards’ go-to meal at The Door is the honey jerked salmon, garlic mashed potatoes, plantains and cornbread.

“The food, the ambiance and the service are second to none,” said Richards. “Southeast Queens deserves eateries like The Door, which has become a true community staple.”

Educating our students to be independent thinkers and lifelong learners

Councilwoman Linda Lee (D-Oakland Gardens) endorsed Usha Foods, located at 255-03 Hillside Ave. in Floral Park, for District 23.

“My district has many different options to choose from, but Usha is one of my favorites, due to the warm atmosphere and variety of choices,” said Lee. She said her go-to order is dosa.

“The thin crispiness of the dough combined with the warm potatoes and cheesy goodness of the inside is a match made in heaven!” she said.

Councilman Jim Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows) said he likes the chapati roll-up from Annam Brahma Restaurant, located at 84-43 164 St. in Jamaica Hills, which falls in District 24.

“Annam Brahma has been a fixture in Jamaica Hills for more than 50 years, and for good reason — it is the best Indian vegetarian restaurant on Earth!” he said.

The Nan Xiang soup dumplings from Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, at 39-16 Prince St. in Flushing, are a favorite of Councilwoman Sandra Ung (D-Flushing) of District 20.

“Nan Xiang is the expert on xiao long bao, or steamed dumplings filled with pork (traditionally, but Nan Xiang offers varieties) and a flavorful soup,” said Ung.

For District 21, Councilman Francisco Moya (D-Corona) said he likes the chicken

empanada from Empanadas Café, located at 56-27 Van Doren St. in Corona, which has a great variety of the Latin pastry and excellent service.

Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán of District 22 (D-Astoria) said the baked goods at Bench Flour at 43-18 25 Ave. in Astoria, are incredible and the staff is wonderful.

“I’d go as far as to say they sell the best chocolate chip cookie in the city,” she said. Councilman Shekar Krishnan (D-Jackson

Heights) of District 25, said idli and sambhar are some of the most iconic South Indian dishes and suggested Samudra, located at 75-18 37 Ave. in Jackson Heights, to get them.

“Samudra is the place to go for my idli fix with my kids,” said the councilman.

Councilwoman Julie Won (D-Long Island City) of District 26, recommended Dawa’s Tibetan Restaurant, located at 51-18 Skillman Ave. in Woodside, for thenthuk, hand pulled noodles.

“Dawa’s Tibetan Restaurant has the most delicious thenthuk in a rich oxtail broth with vegetables and spices,” the councilwoman said.

Councilwoman Nantasha Williams (D-St. Albans) of District 27 recommended the chicken and waffles at Nettie’s Restaurant, a Southern-style eatery located at 220-03 Hempstead Ave. in Queens Village.

Council Majority Whip Selvena BrooksPowers (D-Laurelton) of District 31 said she often goes for the salt fish, okra, green banana, yam and plantains at Jamaica Breeze Restaurant at 232-02 Merrick Blvd. in Laurelton.

“Jamaica Breeze is a hot buffet with Caribbean cuisine, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Brooks-Powers said. “The food is filling and tastes like good home cooking.”

continued on page 34

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Commissioner Kevin Kim of Small Business Services and Councilwoman Adrienne Adams stopped at The Door Restaurant during a District 28 business crawl last year.

PHOTO BY GERARDO ROMO / NYC COUNCIL / FILE

DOT unveils e-bike safety effort

Ads note vehicles’ high speeds, say to stay off sidewalks

by Sophie Krichevsky Associate Editor

Queens residents will soon begin to notice a new advertisement during their morning commutes or while catching the game on TV.

The city’s Department of Transportation on Tuesday announced the beginning of a new advertisement and education campaign aimed at tackling the unsafe use of e-bikes.

The million-dollar initiative includes radio, TV, subway, bus and print ads, which have the tagline, “Get smart before you start.”

“Take it easy with e-bikes. They accelerate fast,” the ad says. Further down, it reads, “Keep yourself and others safe by accelerating and braking carefully, staying off sidewalks and following all traffic laws.”

While many kinds of micromobility devices, including standup e-scooters, mopeds and motorcycles (the latter two of which need license plates), have become more widespread, the campaign is only meant to address e-bikes, classes 1 through 3, or those with pedal assist or throttle that are supposed to go no more than 25 miles per hour.

The agency said the effort will be available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Bangla and Creole, and will target areas with high numbers of e-bike crashes and injuries.

“With e-bikes becoming an increasingly popular mode of transportation in Queens and throughout the city, it makes sense to help educate newer riders on how to ride e-bikes safely,” Borough President Donovan Richards said of the campaign in a statement. “Anyone who operates any kind of vehicle in our city needs to know the rules of the road.”

Elizabeth Adams, deputy executive director for public affairs at Transportation Alternatives, on the other hand, was less enthused.

“Too often, advertising campaigns have spent generously with little to show for it,” she said in a statement. “Alternatively, infrastructure improvements — like wider bike lanes, protected bike lanes and automated enforcement — will save lives and prevent injuries today and for decades to come.”

Assemblymember Jessica GonzálezRojas (D-East Elmhurst) charted a middle path in a statement. “Constituents of mine have been hit by e-bikes in the community and I believe that we can advance a strategy to reduce incidents in a way that does not overly police our neighbors,” she said. “Investment in multi-lingual public education campaigns [is] critical to ensuring safety. This is going to take a ‘both and’ approach.” Q

Dining guide

continued from page 33

Councilwoman Jennifer Gutiérrez of District 34 (D-Brooklyn, Queens) said tres golpes is her favorite order at Sazon Perez, a Domincan spot at 417 South Fourth St. in Brooklyn.

A few councilmembers did not have their recommendations in the dining guide, so the Chronicle reached out to them.

Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) told the Chronicle there are several great spots in District 32, but landed on Bruno Ristorante Italiano, located at 158-22 Cross Bay Blvd. in Broad Channel. Her favorite order: spaghetti in lobster sauce.

“There are so many great restaurants in District 32 that it’s hard to choose, but if I had to pick just one it would be Bruno Ristorante Italiano,” Ariola said. “My family and I have been going there for years.”

Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) could not pick one spot in District 30.

“The 30th Council District boasts a diverse array of dining options,” he said. “We invite everyone to come and explore the great places the district has to offer.”

Councilwomen Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills) and Vickie Paladino (R-Whitestone) could not be reached ahead of publication. Q

The city’s Department of Transportation launched Tuesday a new ad campaign targeting e-bike safety. NYC DOT IMAGE

by Stephanie G. Meditz

Everyone knows Rosie the Riveter, a cultural symbol of women’s strength, but Culture Lab LIC is celebrating Women’s History Month with an exhibition invoking her lesser known yet equally empowering cousin, Wendy the Welder.

On view until April 28, “Behind the Mask: The Work of Women Welders” spotlights female artists whose practice incorporates the stereotypically masculine mediums of metal welding, forging and hammering.

While many people know women worked men’s jobs during World War II, women welders remained unsung heroes — they

Culture Lab LIC steels the show with women welders exhibit

began welding in England during World War I and formed the Society of Women Welders by 1919.

Even today, they are often assumed not to exist. Co-curator Karen Kettering Dimit said the exhibition was inspired by the common misconception that women are too delicate or easily frightened to bend metal.

“We get such surprise when we tell people we weld,” she said. “And it’s like, why are people so surprised? We know a lot of fabulous women welding artists ... people think of steel as being so manly, so strong and ungiving, but put some fire to it and it bends like butter.”

“[Welding is] not as dangerous as people make it out to be ... I burn myself more in the kitchen,” Co-curator Janet Rutkowski said. “I’m definitely welder Barbie.”

Wendy Kaplan Friend leaned into this apparent contradiction between women and welding by crafting high heels out of metal including stainless steel.

Eighty-seven year-old Judith Weller welded her fun, detailed piece, “Steel Ants Tango,” just recently. The ants are situated close to the ground with their delicate legs meticulously placed in a proper tango stance.

Inspired by her time in India and Turkey, Marguerite Elliot incorporated steel mesh into her work, “Sacred Scars,” to echo the notion of screens simultaneously hiding and protecting women from men.

While some welded works are intricate and artistic, others are more functional and interactive. With the words “turn slowly”

continued on page 37

Construction Laborer Apprentices Sought

The Local 1010 Joint Apprenticeship Committee will conduct a limited recruitment for 12 Skilled Construction Craft Laborer Apprentices. Applications will be available from March 25 through April 5, 2024 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at:

Local 1010 JAC

17-20 Whitestone Expressway, 3rd floor Whitestone, NY 11357

Applications must be returned to the same offi ce during the above business hours until 1:00 p.m. on April 12, 2024. All applications must be obtained and submitted by the applicant in person. The applications will be available until April 5, 2024 or until 80 applications have been distributed, whichever happens first. Only 80 applications will be distributed, on a first-come basis.

Applicants must be:

• at least 18 years old; and

• physically able to perform the work required of a Skilled Construction Craft Laborer and endure strenuous exertion and exposure to the elements.

Applicants should note:

• no specific education level is required; however, a higher level of education may increase the applicant’s score and placement on the rank list.

• proof of education, if any, must be submitted at the time of the interview to be considered.

• a minimum physical condition test will be scheduled at the time the completed application form is submitted.

• the minimum physical conditions test will consist of:

- wheeling a wheelbarrow loaded with 150 pounds to a flat distance of 300 feet;

- lifting a 90-pound cement bag and carrying it to a distance of 100 feet,

- carrying framing wood for a distance of 100 feet, - digging a one square foot hole to a depth of one foot; and - mixing sand and cement, as instructed.

For further information, applicants should contact the 1010 JAC at (718) 886-3310.

Local 1010 JAC is committed to provide equal employment opportunity to all people without discrimination because of race, gender and/or gender identity or expression, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, ethnicity, disability, veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, partnership status, pregnancy or child birth (including related medical conditions), genetic information, reproductive health decision making, marital or parental status, alienage or citizenship status, domestic violence victim status, unemployment status, or on any other legally protected basis.

King Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS

1 Gold-loving king

6 Soviet space station

9 Actress Dennings

12 “That -- I ask”

13 Longoria of TV

14 Writer LeShan

15 “What -- mean?”

16 Journal

18 Singer Timberlake

20 Monster

21 Med. plan option

23 Sweetie

24 Different

25 Exile isle

27 Russian villa

29 Deceived

31 There

35 Rocker Adams

37 Harvard rival

38 City near Venice

41 Prefix with gender

43 Shrill bark

44 Teensy bit

45 Frenzied

47 Pampering places

49 Dizzying designs

52 Dad on “Black-ish”

53 Swiss canton

54 Bellini opera

55 Feminine side

56 Favorite

57 Idyllic spots

DOWN

1 Central

2 Equal (Pref.)

3 Nine-to-five gigs

4 Matty of baseball

5 Melting snow

6 Islamic holy city

7 Infamous tsar

8 Shaft of light

9 IRA relative

10 Worship

11 Greedy sort

17 Plant science

19 Hot rum drink

21 Skirt edge

22 Roman 1051

24 Discoverer’s call

26 Photo collections

28 Doubter

30 Notable time

32 Workplace perk, maybe

33 Yalie

34 Gym unit

36 Nails the test

I HAVE OFTEN WALKED

38 Rice field

39 Arcade pioneer

40 Senior member

42 14 pounds

45 Aesopian also-ran

46 Apple product

48 Young dog

50 LBJ’s successor

51 Prof’s aides

Answers on next page

Billie Holiday sang her song in Queens in the fifties

by Ron Marzlock Chronicle Contributor

Eleanora Fagan was born April 7, 1915 to a teenage unwed couple, Clarence Halliday and Sarah “Sadie” Fagan. Clarence soon abandoned the child and her mother in pursuit of a career as a banjo and guitar player. Her mother was away working for the railroad on “transportation jobs.”

Eleanora was raised by relatives and soon became a school truant.

By around age 13 she became intrigued by “scat” singing, which led to her singing in Harlem nightclubs as a teenager. Originally she used her father’s name of Halliday but she changed it professionally for the marquee to Holiday. She made her recording debut at age 18 with Benny Goodman in November 1933. Soon she worked with Count Basie and Artie Shaw and was on her way to the top. Her commercial successes could fill a whole page.

Billie Holiday moved to Queens upon her marriage to bassist John Levy in 1950, to

176-06 Linden Blvd. in the upscale Addisleigh Park section of Jamaica. Upon their divorce she married Lou McKay and lived in the Parsons Gardens section of Flushing at 160-15 77 Ave. before her death at age 44 of cirrhosis of the liver, which led to heart failure, on July 17, 1959.

In recent years there has been a drive to erect a memorial statue of her. Each neighborhood where she resided claims that is where the monument should be erected. Q

The home of Billie Holiday, when she married her second husband John Levy in 1950, at 176-06 Linden Blvd. in the upscale Addisleigh Park section of Jamaica, as it looks today.

GOOGLE MAPS IMAGE; LEFT VIA WIKIPEDIA / WILLIAM GOTTLIEB

We see dead people — in new Maple Grove shows

by Mark Lord qboro contributor

The spotlight is about to shine on the borough’s newest community theater group — in a most unexpected setting.

Yes, the In the Grove Players are poised to take their places as the resident theater troupe of Maple Grove Cemetery in Kew Gardens, where they will make their debut with a special performance on May 11.

The cemetery has long played host to a variety of cultural events, ranging from the Friends of Maple Grove’s annual Spirits Alive, which finds actors dressed in period costumes taking on the roles of notable people buried there, to concerts representing a full range of musical genres.

Historian Carl Ballenas saw great possibilities for a permanent theater company. “My idea is to offer actors the opportunity to perform at various events. I hope that our space can help nurture talents. Already we have the murder mystery dinner theater in the fall and Spirits Alive in the spring,” he said.

Ballenas has written over 150 short monologues, inspired by the free verse poems in Edgar Lee Masters’ “Spoon River Anthology,” for actors to perform, speaking in first person as the real-life individuals they personify. The pieces are based on “meticulous research and fact checking,” according

to Ballenas, leaning on Census and military records, newspaper articles and obituaries.

And he sees nothing unusual about having such performances take place on sacred burial grounds.

“Cemeteries have a stigma of being foreboding, dark, sad,” he said. “We’re celebrating lives. To speak more of death is to bring [people] back to life. Why should their sto-

ries be forgotten? We can learn a lot from the past.”

The first production for the new company, which Ballenas described as an outgrowth of Spirits Alive, will have music as its theme, paying tribute to about half a dozen performers buried at the cemetery. They include rhythm and blues singer LaVern Baker, vaudevillian Minnie Allen, actress and enter-

tainer Neva Aymer and Vincent Naccarato, who sang with the doo wop group The Capris.

According to Johnny Culver, who will direct the initial production, a cast of seven has already been chosen to portray the late performers: Renee Albert, Robin Becker, Moira Box, Chrissy Castronuova, John DeBenedetto, Hilary Dennis and Julia Genoveva.

“We’re taking an interesting twist and doing gender-blind and nationality blindcasting,” Culver said. “It’s going to be very casual, more of a throwback to TV variety shows, with humor and music and audience interaction.” A PowerPoint presentation is also promised.

According to Ballenas, the plan is to have the troupe put on four performances per year, each including around half a dozen tributes. More performers will be needed for the later shows.

With approximately 120,000 individuals interred at the cemetery, which is 149 years old this year, “We have a lot of stories to tell,” Ballenas added.

The May 11 performance will take place at The Center at Maple Grove Cemetery (127-15 Kew Gardens Rd.) on May 11, time to be determined. Admission is free. For further information, call (718) 544-3600. Q

An exhibit of women’s works, forged in history

continued from page 35

engraved into its base, Alexandra Limpert’s “Oracle” beckons viewers to turn the crank and see the oracle’s eyes flit back and forth as if determining their future.

Sculptures from metal fabricator Fara’h Salehi’s new series are stackable and might be perceived as bridges, benches or any object the viewer might imagine. Bruna D’Alexandro’s work likewise invites viewers to pick up and manipulate her steel fruits,

Crossword Answers

vegetables, bread and functional knives.

“It’s really nice that people see, not only do women weld, but there’s a diversity of styles and techniques,” Rutkowski said. “We’re strong and we clean up good.”

She and Dimit also displayed their own welded works. Inspired by her fascination with science fiction and fantasy, Rutkowski’s works allude to portals and the existence of alternate universes. Her largest piece to date, “Touching Upon the Alternative,” resembles a portal to another dimension. Her smaller works on display, “Megalithic Coding” and “Rising Beyond the Structure,” are models that she hopes to elevate to a larger scale.

Dimit’s works harken back to depictions of women in history and mythology. On view in the exhibition is the armature for another work — she did not intend for it to be a separate entity, but she was intrigued by the metal’s suspension and appearance as “3D calligraphy.” Her works reenact and challenge the Greek myths in which women were represented as monsters, such as the Sphinx in “Oedipus Rex” and the Sirens in “The Odyssey.”

On display concurrently at Culture Lab

LIC, located at 5-25 46 Ave. in Long Island City, is Michelle Jaffé’s solo show, “Wappen Field,” which consists of 12 identical steel helmets not unlike those worn by welders. It invites attendees to stand behind the helmets, enter an immersive audio experience and reflect on humans’ collective experienc-

es, as well as their uniqueness.

“There were women who were actually pushing the medium, using new techniques and new equipment,” Dimit said. “They were on the forefront of doing some of those things, they just didn’t get the recognition.” Q

The Spirits Alive series at Maple Grove Cemetery has spawned a new performance venture, this one indoors. Here Diane Freel portrays a countess at Spirits Alive in 2007. The first show in the new series is set for May 11. PHOTO COURTESY CARL BALLENAS

A piece by Marsha Pels, left, and one by Karen Kettering Dimit, inspired by the legendary Sphinx. Foreground right, Judith Weller’s playful piece depicting two large ants in a tango. On the cover: “Behind the Mask” Co-curators Janet Rutkowski, left, and Dimit, behind one of Rutkowski’s works, and pieces by Alexandra Limpert and Wendy Kaplan Friend. PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE G. MEDITZ

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13761 CONCORD REALTY LLC. Arts. of Org. fi led with the SSNY on 01/08/24. Latest date to dissolve: 12/31/2124. Offi ce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process

Miscellaneous

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Legal Notices

30-17 Astoria Hotel Partners

LLC fi led Arts. of Org. with the Sect’y of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/27/2023. Offi ce: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: The LLC, 7 Times Square, 18th Fl, NY, NY 10036. Purpose: any lawful act.

23-12 30TH AVE LLC. App. for Auth. fi led with the SSNY on 11/03/23. Originally fi led with the Secretary of State of Delaware on 10/27/23. Offi ce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 211 East 43rd Street, Suite 639, New York, NY 10017. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

450 Beach 125 Street

LLC, Arts of Org. fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 12/21/2023. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Jean Bagley, 461 Beach 136 St, Belle Harbor, NY 11694. General Purpose

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK - COUNTY OF QUEENS PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION, V. LAWRENCE HOUSE, ET AL. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated August 21, 2023, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens, wherein PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION is the Plaintiff and LAWRENCE HOUSE, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE on the COURTHOUSE STEPS OF THE QUEENS COUNTY COURTHOUSE, 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD., JAMAICA, NY 11435, on April 5, 2024 at 11:30AM, premises known as 19043 112TH AVE, SAINT ALBANS, NY 11412: Block 10951, Lot 120: ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON

ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE BOROUGH OF QUEENS, COUNTY OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 709885/2015.

Jose C. Polanco, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION

85th Smoke Shop LLC, Arts of Org. fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 1/24/2024. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 85-01 85th St, Woodhaven, NY 11421-1923. General Purpose

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, NYCTL 1998-2 TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK

MELLON AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN, Plaintiff, vs. COLLEGE POINT ASSOCIATES, Defendant. Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated May 22, 2023 and duly entered on May 30, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the outside steps of the Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY on April 5, 2024 at 10:30 a.m., all that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 3919 and Lot 1. Said premises may also be known as No # 122 Street, Queens, NY. Approximate amount of judgment is $3,740.42 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index #709014/2019. The Referee shall comply with the Eleventh Judicial District’s COVID-19 policies concerning public auctions of foreclosed properties. These policies, along with the Queens County Foreclosure Auction Rules, can be found on the Queens Supreme Court - Civil Term website. Charlane O. Brown, Esq., Referee The Law Office of Thomas P. Malone, PLLC, 60 East 42nd Street, Suite 553, New York, New York 10165, Attorneys for Plaintiff

Notice of Formation of OFFSHORESEAFOODMARKETLLC

Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/09/2024. Offi ce 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: JEANE R FINDLEY-BARNES, 157-12 134TH AVE, 2ND FLOOR, JAMAICA, NY 11434. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, BANTAM FUNDING II, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. UNITED ASSETS CORPORATION USA, ET AL., Defendant(s).Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on June 7, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the outside steps of the Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on April 12, 2024 at 11:15 a.m., premises known as 1142 Welling Court, Astoria, NY 11102. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 506 and Lot 60. Approximate amount of judgment is $854,910.06 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #712227/2020. The Referee shall comply with the Eleventh Judicial District’s COVID-19 policies concerning public auctions of foreclosed properties. These policies, along with the Queens County Foreclosure’s Auction Rules, can be found on the Queens Supreme Court - Civil Term website. Richard M. Gutierrez, Esq., Referee Polsinelli PC, Amy E. Hatch, Esq., 600 Third Avenue, 42nd Floor, New York, New York 10016, Attorneys for Plaintiff

Notice of Formation of Limited Liability Company (LLC) Name: AS POPS LLC Art. of Org. fi led by the Department of State of New York on: 02/02/2024 Off. Loc.: County of Queens Purpose: Any and all lawful activities. Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) is designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: The LLC 217-44 98th Avenue Queens Village, NY 11429

Notice of Formation of DAEDALUS TCG LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/04/2024. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, 8330 AUSTIN STREET UNIT 150277, KEW GARDENS, NY 11415. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT- COUNTY OF QUEENS DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR ABFC 2004-HE1 TRUST, ABFC ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2004HE1, Plaintiff, AGAINST FELICIA SAMUELS, et al. Defendant(s) Pursuant to a judgment of foreclosure and sale duly entered on January 8, 2024. I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction at the Courthouse steps of the Queens Supreme Court, located at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on April 12, 2024 at 12:15 PM premises known as 15516 115th Drive, Jamaica, NY 11434. Please take notice that this foreclosure auction shall be conducted in compliance with the Foreclosure Auction Rules for Queens County and the COVID 19 Health Emergency Rules, including proper use of masks and social distancing. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York. Block 12193 and Lot 0014. Approximate amount of judgment $671,024.36 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment. Index #724653/2021 | 2616705. Autrey G. Johnson, Esq., Referee, Aldridge Pite, LLP

- Attorneys for Plaintiff - 40 Marcus Drive, Suite 200, Melville, NY 11747

Notice of Formation of DESIGNS BY DASH LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/08/2024. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE LIMITED LIABILTY COMPANY, 13010 95TH AVE, SOUTH RICHMOND HILL, NY 11419. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of DGPJ32, LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/14/2022. Offi ce 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: LEGALINC CORPORATE SERVICES INC, 1967 WEHRIE DR, SUITE 1 #086, BUFFALO, NY 14221. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Real Estate

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

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

Co-ops For Sale

Howard Beach/Lindenwood, Fairfield Arms, 1 BR, 1 full bath. Co-op—needs TLC. Reduced 164K. Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136

Open House

Howard Beach, Sat 3/23, 12pm-1:30pm, 98-12 162 Ave. Charming Colonial Home. All updated, 3 BR, 1 1/2 bath. Wraparound deck, 4 car dvwy, EIK, XL LR, split CAC, Low Taxes. REDUCED $799K, Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136

Office Space For Rent

Howard Beach (Crossbay Blvd), 450 sq.ft. office space, 2nd fl, $1,800/mo. Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136

DIVISION OF BRIDGES INVITATION FOR BIDS

PROTECTIVE COATING OF RIVERSIDE DRIVE OVER WEST 125TH STREETWEST 134TH STREET

Borough of Manhattan Contract No. HB1070RD

NYCPIN: 84123MNBR596 EPIN: 84123B0037

EPIN: 84123B0037- PIN: 84123MNBR596- Protective Coating of Riverside Drive over West 125th Street - West 134th St, in the Borough of Manhattan. This Competitive Sealed Bid (CSB) is being released through PASSPort, New York City’s online procurement portal. Responses to this CSB must be submitted via PASSPort. To access the solicitation, vendors should visit the PASSPort Public Portal at https:// www.nyc.gov/site/mocs/passport/about-passport.page and click on the “Procurement Navigator”. This will take you to the Public Portal of all procurements in the PASSPort system.

To quickly locate the CSB, insert the EPIN: 84123B0037, into the Keywords search field. In order to respond to the Competitive Sealed Bid, vendors must create an account within the PASSPort system if they have not already done so.

Any inquiries concerning this Competitive Sealed Bid should be directed by email to agency contact nkumar@dot.nyc.gov, under the subject line EPIN: 84123B0037.

A pre-bid conference via ZOOM is scheduled for 04/03/2024 at 10:00 am. Those wishing to attend must email the authorized agency contact for a link. Optional field visit is scheduled on 04/03/2024 at 2:00PM in the intersection of 12th Avenue and West 134th Street in Manhattan.

The deadline for the submission of questions is 04/10/2024 by 4:00 pm.

The bid due date (submission via PASSPort) as instructed is due 05/15/2024 by 11:00 am.

Bid opening date via ZOOM is 05/15/2024 at 12:00 pm.

This procurement is subject to M/WBE participation goals, the M/WBE goals for this project are 30%.

As-Built Drawings will be available upon request from the Contractors. Contractors need to sign Confidentiality agreement to view As-built drawings.

Eric Adams, Mayor

Ydanis Rodriguez, Commissioner

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME

COURT QUEENS COUNTY U.S.

BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR VELOCITY COMMERCIAL CAPITAL LOAN

TRUST 2019-1, Plaintiff against ZENTENO CORP.; VICTORINA

DOMINGUEZ, et al Defendant(s)

Attorney for Plaintiff(s)

McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC, 28 Corporate Drive, Suite 104, Halfmoon, NY 12065. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered January 17, 2024, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at steps of Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on April 5, 2024 at 10:45 AM. Premises known as 80-09 Roosevelt Avenue, Jackson Heights, New York 11372. Block 1291

Lot 43. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Second Ward in the Borough of Queens, County of Queens, City and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $2,924,513.60 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 714725/2021.

The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 11th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. Referee will only accept a certified bank check made payable to the referee.

Michael Cervini, Esq., Referee File # 23-00063-01

Notice of Formation of FIRST STEPZ DAYCARE LLC

Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/15/2024. Offi ce 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: REPUBLIC

REGISTERED AGENT SERVICES

INC, 54 STATE STREET, STE 804, ALBANY, NY 12207. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

STATE Of NORTH CAROLINA

CUMBERLAND COUNTY in the General Court of Justice District Court Division File No: 22 CVD

6076 Filed Sep. 29, 2023 at 11:04 Cumberland Co., C.S.C. MELISSA

Notice of Formation of HR GROUP NYC LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/06/2024. Offi ce 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: NURY ROBLES, 1923 WOODBINE ST, APT. 2L, RIDGEWOOD, NY 11385. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of L&C ACUHEALTH LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 12/19/2023. Offi ce 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: L&C ACUHEALTH LLC, 146-02 20TH AVE, WHITESTONE, NY 11357.

Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of LW ERSKINE REALTY LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/06/2024. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, 11416 197TH ST., SAINT ALBANS, NY 11412. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Magnolia Psychotherapy LCSW, PLLC, Arts of Org. fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 5/12/2023. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Andrea Cilento, 1959 76th St, Apt. 1, East Elmhurst, NY 11370. Purpose: Licensed Clinical Social Work.

Notice of Formation of NNY ACCOUNTING SOLUTIONS, LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/11/2024. Offi ce 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: NICOLE NELSON YOUNG, 21141 115TH AVENUE, CAMBRIA HEIGHTS, NY 11411. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

BROWN, Plaintiff VS Alton Linton, Defendant, Oulematu Sissoko

Defendant. ORDER GRANTING TO SERVE BY PUBLICATION (Child Custody Service by Publication) THIS MATTER having come before the Court on the Plaintiff’s Motion for Publication on the 22nd day of August 2023; and the Court having reviewed the Petition filed in this matter, and for good cause having been shown, the Court makes the following: FINDINGS OF FACT 1. That the Plaintiff filed an Emergency Complaint for Child Custody on November 16 , 2022. 2. Plaintiff filed Motion for Emergency Child Custody was granted on November 16, 2023. 3. Plaintiff is and has been a resident and citizen and resident of Cumberland County, North Carolina, and has been for more than six months next preceding the institution of this action. 4. That at the time of the filing of this action DefendantOulematu Sissoko was believed to be residing in Laurelton, New York. 5. That diligent efforts were made to locate and personally serve the Defendant, Oulematu Sissoko in Laurelton, New York, however all efforts were unsuccessful. 6. Defendant Sissoko’s location cannot be ascertained with due diligence and service via publication is necessary. BASED UPON THE FOREGOING FINDINGS OF FACT, THE COURT MAKES THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS OF LAW: 1. This matter is properly before the Court, which has both subject matter and personal jurisdiction. 2. Service by publication is necessary and appropriate. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED AS FOLLOWS: Service of Plaintiff’s Summons and Complaint shall be perfected pursuant to Rule 4 of the North Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure. Signed this the 21 day of September 2023. HONORABLE CATILYN EVANS CHIEF DISTRICT COURT JUDGE Brown Vs. Linton 22 CVD 6076

Notice of Qualifi cation of PAINT LIKE FRIDA USA LLC. Authority fi led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/05/24. Offi ce location: Queens County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 01/24/24. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: TELOS LEGAL CORP., 5500 Main St., Ste. 345, Williamsville, NY 14221. Address to be maintained in DE: 13 W. Main St., PO Box 953, Felton, DE 19943. Arts of Org. fi led with the Secy. of State, Division of Corporations, John G. Townsend Bldg., 401 Federal St., Ste. 4, Dover, DE 19901. Purpose: any lawful activities.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK - COUNTY OF QUEENS BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT SERIES I TRUST, V. YUL G. CLARKE, AS ADMINISTRATOR, HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF SYLVIA COURTAR A/K/A SYLVIA CLARKE, ET AL. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure dated December 22, 2023, and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens, wherein BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT SERIES I TRUST is the Plaintiff and YUL G. CLARKE, AS ADMINISTRATOR, HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF SYLVIA COURTAR A/K/A SYLVIA CLARKE, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE on the COURTHOUSE STEPS OF THE QUEENS COUNTY COURTHOUSE, 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD., JAMAICA, NY 11435, on March 29, 2024 at 11:00AM, premises known as 116-26 133 STREET, SOUTH OZONE PARK, NY 11420: Block 11688, Lot 18: ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE FOURTH WARD OF THE BOROUGH OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 704596/2016. Morton Povman, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

Notice of Formation of THE BIRTHDAY BOOKS LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/31/2024. Offi ce 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 BIRTHDAY BOOKS LLC, 25 HUDSON WALK, BREEZY POINT, NY 11697. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF QUEENS. TLOA MORTGAGE,

LLC, Plaintiff -against- SON’S OF BHUMAK INC., et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated October 26, 2023 and entered on November 8, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the courthouse steps of the Queens County Supreme Court, located at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY on April 12, 2024 at 11:45 a.m. premises situate, lying and being in the County of Queens, City and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the westerly side of 125th Street, distant 133.38 feet northerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the westerly side of 125th Street with the northerly side of 101st Avenue; being a plot 100.12 feet by 40.04 feet by 100.12 feet by 40.04 feet. Block: 9465 Lot: 18 Said premises known as 97-26 125TH STREET, RICHMOND HILL, NY Approximate amount of lien $580,076.87 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. Index Number 703931/2019.

WILLIAM T. DRISCOLL, ESQ., Referee The Camporeale Law Group PLLC Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 585 Stewart Avenue, 770, Garden City, NY 11530

Notice of Formation of Paul 4727 Realty LLC Articles of Org. fi led NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 2/16/2024. Offi ce in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 47 Morris Drive, Syosset, NY 11791.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

OMAE LLC. Art of Org. fi led with the SSNY on 02/08/2024.

Offi ce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC.

OMAR ELSHARAWI 163-63 89TH ST, HOWARD BEACH, NY, 11414. Any lawful purpose.

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B SPORTS EAT

Rotten Red Storm luck

by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor

It was a foregone conclusion last Thursday that the St. John’s University Red Storm men’s basketball team had punched its ticket for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, referred to by most as simply “March Madness.” The team had just drubbed an incredibly good Seton Hall squad, 91-72, and was going to the Big East Tournament semifinals to face arguably the best college team in the country, the University of Connecticut Huskies, the next evening.

Losing to UConn 95-90 was certainly no disgrace. The conventional wisdom was that the Red Storm had done more than enough to clinch an invitation to the Big Dance. Adding to their case was Head Coach Rick Pitino insistently calling the Big East “the toughest college basketball conference.” Few disagreed with that assessment. The NCAA selection committee examines the strength of competition a team faces when making its final decisions.

The conventional wisdom proved to be erroneous as the Red Storm were left at the Big Dance altar. Life is frequently not fair. St. John’s was victimized by an NCAA rule stating that a team that wins its March conference tournament receives an automatic bid to take part on the big March Madness stage. If there are upsets in those tournaments, such as a mediocre Duquesne team winning the 2024 Atlantic-10

tournament, which was held at Barclays Center, that means fewer slots available for deserving teams that did not win a tournament against far stronger competition.

Arguing that the NCAA should end the automatic bids to tournament winners is akin to debating the Electoral College in presidential elections. It is not going to happen. A compelling aspect of conference tournaments is the idea of an underdog getting hot at the right time and getting to participate in March Madness.

Another appealing facet of the NCAA Tournament is every collegiate conference has at least one representative playing in it. No Ivy League team will ever compete for the national college football championship, but every year a team will take part in March Madness.

Although St. John’s season is over, they can take pride in playing well down the stretch, including a decisive win over Creighton University in February. The Bluejays received the No. 3 seed in this year’s NCAA Midwest regional.

Upon learning the Red Storm would not make the NCAAs, Pitino announced the team would not go to the consolation National Invitational Tournament. That is the right decision. Few care about a second-tier competition. Pitino can use the time for recruiting, and the current roster is better off going to classes. Q

See the extended version of Sports Beat every week at qchron.com

COINS

ALL GOLD COINS WANTED U.S. DIMES PRE 1965

QUARTERS PRE 1965

HALF DOLLARS PRE 1965

HALF DOLLARS 1965-1969

SILVER DOLLARS PRE 1936

SILVER

STERLING FLATWARE