Queens Chronicle South Edition 03-31-16 by Queens Chronicle

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

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER VOL. XXXIX

NO. 13

THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2016

MORE ROOM FOR SCHOOL

QCHRON.COM

K ASICH HAS A SLICE OF QUEENS

PS 66 getting expansion

PAGE 4

Presidential candidate holds town hall, eats pizza in Howard Beach PAGE 2

PREVIEW Section PAGES 29-35

SPRING H O M E & FINANCE Section

WORKING CLASS

HERO William Gropper’s political and folk art hit Queens Museum

SEE qboro, PAGE 39

PHOTO BY ANTHONY O’REILLY

PAGES 23-28

Republican presidential candidate John Kasich, center, chows down on a slice at Gino’s Pizzeria following a taping of an MSNBC town hall at St. Helen RC Church in Howard Beach on Wednesday. The Ohio governor ate lunch with Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park), left, and Queens GOP Chairman Bob Turner.

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Kasich makes stop in Howard Beach Presidential candidate says he’ll ‘aggressively’ campaign in New York by Anthony O’Reilly Associate Editor

oward Beach resident Nina de Blasio, no relation to the mayor, asked Republican presidential candidate and Ohio Gov. John Kasich how he was going to get her “off the Trump train.” For Kasich, who appeared at an MSNBC town hall at St. Helen RC Church on Wednesday, the answer was to show her that he’s the best candidate to make sure the country doesn’t drift backwards. “We won’t drift if I’m there because I know how to move the system,” Kasich told de Blasio. “I don’t like the establishment but I know how to move the establishment.” The governor touted his ability to balance budgets, reform welfare and create jobs both during the job he has now and the time he served in Congress. He also said he has the best track record of working with Democrats to accomplish what needs to get done in political office. “Even though I don’t agree with liberals, I get along with them,” he said. When asked if Kasich’s answer got her off the Trump train, de Blasio said she’s still supportive of The Donald but added that she likes some of the governor’s ideas. Kasich’s town hall appearance was moderated by political pundit Chuck Todd and was

Republican presidential candidate and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, right, answers questions from political pundit Chuck Todd during an MSNBC town hall taped at St. Helen RC Church in Howard PHOTO BY ANTHONY O’REILLY Beach on Wednesday. taped at the church hours before its 7 p.m. airtime on national television. Kasich is looking to secure the Republican nomination but trails with only 143 delegates — way behind Donald Trump’s 739 and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) 465. A Republican candidate must have 1,237 delegates to secure the nomination.

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Kasich is hinging his nomination hopes on a brokered convention, which occurs when no candidate has the necessary delegates to clinch the primary race and the party convention has to pick someone to run against the Democratic pick. “No one is going to have enough delegates going into the convention,” he said at a press

gaggle following the town hall. When it comes to Queens, Kasich said the borough doesn’t belong to Trump, a native of Jamaica Estates. “I don’t think it’s anyone’s domain, I think it’s the people’s domain,” he said. Kasich’s appearance in Howard Beach did little to sway Trump supporters. Before he entered Gino’s Pizzeria for lunch following the town hall, several people yelled out “Vote Trump” while Kasich answered reporters’ questions. Howard Beach resident Joe Murgida called the candidate a “spoiler” trying to break the Republican Party. “Hillary is laughing all the way to the bank,” Murgida said. He added he doesn’t believe Kasich has the ability to lead the country effectively or protect it from foreign threats. Murgida said it was “exciting” to see a presidential candidate in the borough, “but I’m not going to give him any points for it.” Joann Ariola, president of the Howard Beach-Lindenwood Civic Association and a district leader in the Queens GOP, however, sides with Kasich and called him “the voice of reason. “He has real solutions, he has a real platform and he’s the only candidate who hasn’t continued on page 38

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Landmarked school getting an expansion Addition will bring more classrooms, bathrooms to overcrowded PS 66 by Anthony O’Reilly Associate Editor

Mary Barton, superintendent of School District 27, summed up her thoughts on the planned expansion of PS 66, the Jacqueline Ken nedy Onassis School, in just th ree words. “It’s about time.” “This expansion has been sorely needed for many, many reasons,” Barton said. PS 66, located at 85-11 102 St. in Richmond Hill, is more than 250 percent overcrowded. Its more than 600 students share two bathrooms, some of them are taught in trailers and it lacks a proper gymnasium, among other issues. The expansion of the elementary school, built in 1898 and declared a landmark in 2011, will allow for 124 more students to be taught inside — allowing for the trailers to be removed form the site — and will add six classrooms and additional bathrooms. The multimillion-dollar expansion will first have to be approved by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, due to the building’s historical status. That process could take several months but Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) is hopeful construction can kick off in the next two years. Money for the project, Ulrich added, is already allocated in the city’s budget.

Phyllis Leinwand, principal at PS 66, praised Ulrich for working with the School Const r uct ion Author it y i n get t i ng the expansion for the school she’s worked at for 15 years. “It took only one visit from Councilman Eric Ulrich and Lorraine Grillo, president of the School Construction Authority, to understand our needs,” Leinwand said at a Tuesday press conference at the school. “Together they moved forward with plans to make our dream for an expansion a reality.” Ulrich, who didn’t represent the school until 2013 when redistricting made him the legislator for that part of Richmond Hill, told those present he knew as soon as he first visited the school years ago that it needed help modernizing. “I couldn’t believe my eyes,” he remembered. “I said I have to get Lorraine Grillo down here right away.” Grillo, Ulrich said, immediately noticed the need for expansion and sent SCA workers to hammer out a solution to the school’s needs. “She couldn’t believe her eyes,” he said. The councilman noted Grillo’s visit was the one thing missing from his predecessor’s endeavors to help the school. “I think the people who needed to see it never actually saw it with their own eyes,” Q he said.

The expansion of PS 66, an architect’s rendering of which can be seen here, seeks to provide relief for the facility that is more than 250 percent over capacity. IMAGE COURTESY NYC COUNCIL

Stamping out mail fishing in South Queens Postal Inspector looking into thefts, will update community next month by Anthony O’Reilly

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Associate Editor

The U.S. Postal Inspector’s Office is actively investigating cases of mail fishing in Howard Beach and will be updating the community on its probe, a spokeswoman told the Queens Chronicle on Tuesday. Residents reported at last week’s Howard Beach-Lindenwood Civic Association meeting that there have been cases of people using fishing hooks to steal envelopes from mailboxes in the area. Donna Harris, a spokeswoman for the U.S. postal inspector, said in a telephone interview that her office is aware of those incidents and is working with the NYPD’s Crime Prevention Unit to catch the crooks behind the scheme. “We have presented the NYPD with our information,” Harris noted. She did not say exactly how many complaints have been registered with the office, only noting that there have been “a couple” from Howard Beach. The community will receive a visit from the Postal Inspector’s Office, she said, and be given an update on the investigation. A date or location for that meeting has not been finalized. Harris added the U.S. Postal Service is developing ways to stop people from using fishing lines and sticky material to take mail out of mailboxes, but she declined to elaborate on exactly how that is being done.

Mailboxes in Howard Beach have been the targets of thieves using fishing poles to take envelopes out of the mailboxes. The community will be updated on an investigation by the U.S. PHOTO BY ANTHONY O’REILLY Postal Inspector next month. She urged residents to call 911 or the Inspector’s Office — which can be reached at 1 (877) 876-2455 — if they notice a person trying to reach inside a mailbox. She added that people should not put their mail inside a mailbox if it appears to be overfilled.

The news of the ongoing investigation comes one day after Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Rockaway Park) issued a statement urging the federal agency to work with the area precinct. “Mail fishing is a dangerous practice that not only robs families of their hard-earned income, but can also have serious consequences for their valuable personal information and medical records,” Goldfeder said in the statement issued on Monday. “Our families deserve to know that their mail is safe and their personal information is secure when they drop a letter in the mail box.” Harris addressed Goldfeder’s statement and a letter he sent to U.S. Postal Inspection Service Chief Postal Inspector Guy Cottrell and reiterated that both law enforcement agencies are working together to combat the problem. Queens District Attorney Richard Brown last month charged that Queens and Brooklyn gang members fished checks out of mailboxes and forged new amounts and signatures on them. The assemblyman, in his statement, expressed concern that the same thing could happen in his district. “It’s like the old expression ‘there’s always more fish in the sea,’” he said. “Except in this case, it’s a matter of assuming that there are many criminals that may still be out there fishing mail. That’s why it’s so important to utilize every possible tool at every level of government to stem this Q dangerous tide.”

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No no-standing sign, no peace on 91 St. Activists urge DOT to create space that would allow buses to unload kids by Anthony O’Reilly Associate Editor

Schoolchildren on 91st Street in Woodhaven get to class like most ot he r s i n Q ue e n s — t hey’r e dropped off by a bus. In this case, however, they’re doing so as motorists honk and yell behind them. “Every morning there’s traffic in front of the house,” Ed Wendell, a civic activist and resident of the street, said. “I hear people honking and sometimes I hear people yelling because there’s two, three, four or five buses lined up in front of them.” The buses, Wendell explained, are forced to stand in the middle of the street and unload the children because there’s no “No Standing” sign in front of the school — which houses the North Side School and Parsons Preschool at 85-27 91 St. The motorists behind the buses are stuck there until all the children, some of whom have special needs, are safely off vehicles. Wendell and others have been trying for months to get a “No Standing During School Hours” sign outside the school, which would allow buses to pull over and

unload the children while allowing cars to pass them. Right now, the spot where that sign would be is open for parking and cars are often there while children are being dropped off or picked up. “All of my other sites have it,” Michelle Pascucci, executive director of the preschool, said of the sign. “I don’t know why this one doesn’t.” Private and public schools, hospitals and houses of worship typically have a “No Standing” sign outside their building, sometimes the rule is in effect for a short span of time such as school hours. The DOT’s press offfice did not return requests for comment on why the 91st Street site does not have one and why its application for it has been denied. Pascucci said she’s been given different reasons why a “No Standing” sign cannot be placed in front of the school. “One time it was ‘Oh there’s a stop across the street,’” she noted. “But our contract with the city says curb-to-curb service for the buses.” Wendell tried to help but was

also turned down, the DOT telling him that there’s a fire hydrant that buses can use to pull over and unload the children. “But it’s not even in front of the school, it’s in front of my house,” the civic activist responded. “That aside, it’s one hydrant for the seven buses they get every morning.” This is the first time Pascucci has experienced difficulty in getting a sign outside one of her schools — she has one in Queens Village and one in Jamaica. “I’ve never had a problem before,” she said. For her, it’s only a matter of time until one of the angry motorists stuck behind the buses causes a problem during drop-off. “People are getting upset with my staff and kids,” Pascucci said. “We’re going to have a problem.” A s s e mbly m a n M i ke M i l le r (D-Wood haven), who has also asked the DOT to place a “No Standing” sign by the school, said in a statement issued on Monday that the “agency has the obligation to review this location again to ensure safety for these children.” Q

A school leader and Woodhaven activist wants the Department of Transportation to place a “No Standing” sign in front of the North Side School and Parsons Preschool on 91st Street, right, to ensure a safe PHOTO BY ANTHONY O’REILLY drop-off point for children.

Service members can get help in Queens Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs opens satellite office at Boro Hall by Christopher Barca

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Associate Editor

No matter the service they require, veterans living in Queens will no longer have to schlep all the way to Manhattan. “It’s been a long time coming,” Borough President Melinda Katz said of the new Mayor’s Office of Veterans Affairs satellite office at Borough Hall, unveiled in a Thursday ceremony. “The members of our a r m e d s e r v ic e s a n d t h e i r f a m i l ie s shouldn’t have to cross a bridge or a tunnel and pay a toll to access government services and benefits.” The first of its kind outside of Manhattan, the satellite office is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays through Thursdays, and will serve as a one-stop shop for veterans inquiring about health services, job training, benefits assistance and more. The opening comes five months after Mayor de Blasio signed legislation elevating MOVA to a stand-alone city agency c a l le d t he D e p a r t me nt of Vet e r a n s Services. The move allows both the mayor and the City Council to allocate much-needed funds to the department. MOVA Commissioner Loree Sutton said there was no better place for the city’s first satellite office than Queens, the borough

Borough President Melinda Katz, center, state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr., Councilman Donovan Richards and dozens of veterans celebrate the unveiling of Queens’ Mayor’s Office of Veterans PHOTO BY CHRISTOPHER BARCA Affairs satellite office at Borough Hall last Thursday. with the largest population of veterans. “Now is the right time to realize the dream,” Sutton said. “Let’s say if it’s good for families, veterans and our family of

veterans, it’s great for Queens.” American Legion Post 562 leader Paul Schottenhamel said Queens had taken the lead when it comes to veterans services

years ago thanks to active groups like Chapter 32 of the Vietnam Veterans of America and its late leader Pat Toro. So it’s only right to open the first satellite office in the borough. “Queens County is the perfect place to start,” Schottenhamel said. “The veterans in Queens lead the way in the veterans community and we want to continue to do that.” MOVA will become the Department of Veterans Services on July 1 and the agency will initially cost an additional $335,000 a year, though more money could be pumped into it by the City Council. State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach) praised the opening of the office, saying elected officials at all levels of gover n ment need to com m it themselves accordingly when it comes to providing veterans with all the services they need. “When a veteran is there, reaching out their hand and saying, ‘I need help,’ who’s going to be on the other side grabbing their hand and helping them? That’s what we do,” Addabbo said. “To have a place locally where veterans can go to find relief, find assistance, find help and have another veteran to talk to is a great thing. This is day one in which veterans get help here in Q Queens.”

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P Is Austin St. Queens’ Area 51? So why the cover-up? EDITORIAL

id you know there was a meeting Tuesday night among representatives of the Department of Transportation, NYPD and Community Board 6 about how crowded Austin Street is and what might be done to make the strip safer and more workable for all? You do if you’re reading this week’s Central, Mid or North Queens editions of the Chronicle, or visiting qchron.com. We don’t know if other papers have the story. We do know that if it were up to the DOT, we wouldn’t either. No, no, no — that department’s press office was not at all happy to hear that we had learned about the meeting and had the gall to ask questions about it. The nerve of the press! In America, no less! True, we already had perturbed the office by contacting an actual decision-making official directly, at the recommendation of a knowledgeable source, so we had to get the old “You must go through us!” speech again. Yawn. But eventually the DOT press people were quite helpful. When the Chronicle’s Christopher Barca asked what was discussed at the meeting, whether the agency would study traffic on Austin, and whether it has a plan going forward, we got this detailed response that was more than we could have hoped for in our greatest reportorial dreams:

AGE

“While DOT currently does not have a proposal to adjust traffic patterns on Austin Street in Forest Hills, we are aware of the community’s concerns related to congestion.” OK, we were kidding. The response answered one of the questions briefly and ignored the other two entirely (and it was given “on background,” meaning the city employee who emailed it to us cannot be named. Another weird, pointless trend among government spokespersons). The agency actually wouldn’t acknowledge a meeting had taken place. A meeting attended by a bunch of people whose salaries you pay for in your taxes. So that they can keep secret from you what they’re up to until they can hold a symbolic planning session, or a dog-and-pony-show press conference on a done deal to congratulate themselves and get their photos in the papers. What do we get for calling this to your attention? Probably less access and fewer answers. So be it. This keeps getting worse, and it’s damaging to — pardon the drama, it’s true — the entire American systems of government and society. The DOT is not alone in this by any means. This is rapidly becoming standard for city agencies. So why single out the transportation agency? Because it happened to be the one to try to cover up a newsworthy event this week. Luckily anoth-

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Theaters of yore Dear Editor: Re Christopher Barca’s article “Landlord, house of worship still at odds” (March 24, multiple editions): This story sparked fond memories of another faded cinema landmark that wasn’t noted. The Ohr Natan Synagogue occupies the site of what was once the Trylon Theater, a Rego Park movie house that opened in 1939 and was named after an iconic structure at the Flushing Meadows World’s Fair — the Trylon — which opened that year. The fair closed in 1940 but the Trylon Theater flourished for the next 60 years, facing competition from TV and multiplexes. I saw two of my favorite films at this single-screen gem: Alfred Hitchcock’s “Dial M for Murder” (1954) and Steven Spielberg’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981). While many of Queens most memorable movie houses no longer exist, two will mark their 75th anniversary next year: The Midway (now a 9-plex), named after the Battle of Midway in 1942, and the Main Street (now a 6-plex), where I discovered the joy of films on the big screen. Although many people now stream movies on digital devices, these two theaters enjoy a steady stream of customers. I hope you will devote ample coverage to their milestone moments in 2017. Richard Reif Kew Gardens Hills © Copyright 2016 by MARK I PUBLICATIONS, INC. All rights reserved. Neither this newspaper nor any part thereof may be reproduced, copied, or transmitted in any form, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, microfilming, recording or by any information retrieval system without the express written permission of the publishers. This copyright is extended to the design and text created for advertisements. Reproduction of said advertisement or any part thereof without the express written permission of MARK I PUBLICATIONS, INC. is strictly prohibited. This publication will not be responsible for errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Bylined articles represent the sole opinion of the writer and are not necessarily in accordance with the views of the QUEENS CHRONICLE. This Publication reserves the right to limit or refuse advertising it deems objectionable. The Queens Chronicle is published weekly by Mark I Publications, Inc. at a subscription rate of $19 per year and out of state, $25 per year. Periodicals Postage Paid (USPS0013-572) at Flushing, N.Y. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Mark I Publications, Inc., 62-33 Woodhaven Boulevard, Rego Park, N.Y. 11374-7769.

er well-placed source supplied the little information we got about the meeting. Like that it had taken place. The DOT may also be getting a bit more gun-shy because of the backlash it has received over its Woodhaven-Cross Bay Boulevard Select Bus Service plan. The one that’s facing major opposition, lengthening delays and growing costs. After all, when DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg admitted the projected bill had doubled to $400 million, one of her own tried walking back the statement immediately. Yeah, right. We’ll believe the commissioner. She was, after all, quite forthcoming in her sitdown interview with us about the plan, knowing we have opposed it from the start. But most agencies and officials are getting less prone to answer the questions of a free press. That’s why you see so much “said in a prepared statement” in our stories. No interview allowed; take an email. That’s why the New York Press Club periodically writes letters reminding the mayor of the First Amendment, which then run in these pages. And that’s why Barca made a number of calls and sent several emails over two days to confirm that big secret: that a meeting had been held. Among public employees. On a matter of public interest. Expect a follow-up one day ... if anyone will talk.

E DITOR

Overbuilding LIC

Dear Editor: I’m seriously concerned about the overdevelopment and lack of city planning that is happening in Long Island City. Things change. Thankfully. And we all knew things were going to change in Long Island City. Just not this way. The high-rise luxury apartment buildings that are shooting up along Jackson Avenue and the waterfront are not helping to build a community, they’re dividing it. We’re being walled in. One building is 11 stories. Another is 28. Another is 79 stories and is 300 feet taller than the Citibank Building! On and on. Enough. We need some sort of a responsible development plan. Already the strain on the subways is overwhelming. What about schools? We can’t allow this to continue. The fate of Long Island City is not inevitable. Long Island City has long been a neighborhood filled with artists. It is home to not only PS 1 MOMA, the Noguchi Museum, the Sculpture Center and Socrates Sculpture Park, but hundreds of studios with working artists, musicians, dancers and traditional artisan work-

shops of all kinds. Artists have long been backbone of the neighborhood and we’re being pushed out. How about affordable housing? How about space for artists to create their work? Please stop destroying what made this neighborhood great. Pat Irwin Long Island City

Get alarmed Dear Editor: Over the past several months there have been multiple household fires in Queens. The Fire Department of the City of New York reported responding to 1.7 million calls in 2015 and at the same time reported a 17 percent decline in the number of fire deaths. However, the most alarming statistics is that 80 percent of fire deaths in 2015 took place in private homes or apartments where there was no working smoke alarm. The FDNY reported that in the year of 2015 there were 5,298 structural fires and 46,709 nonfire emergencies in Queens. Although the number of citywide fire deaths has decreased, the number of private

C M SQ page 9 Y K

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Dear Editor: The president of the Queens Village Republican Club (Phil Orenstein) claims people are painting Trump as a racist (“Democrat nonsense,” Letters, March 17). Trump is the one holding the brush. Then he talked about history, about what Republicans “did.” What Democrats “were” against. Which laws Republicans once “supported.” Which legislation DemONLINE o c r at s “onc e” opposed. All his Miss an article or a letter cited by a writer? statements perWant breaking news tained to events from all over Queens? f r o m 1865 t o Find the latest news, 1957. My point? past reports from all That was then, over the borough and t h i s i s n o w. Republicans — more at qchron.com. t he pa r t y of equality? Absolutely hysterical! I’m not even talking about equality for minorities. The GOP is against equal pay for women. Comparing Trump to Hitler in no way trivializes the Holocaust. Trump’s own words show the similarities without assistance from anyone. Trump is a liar: This past February Jake Tapper asked Donald Trump if he would condemn David Duke and other white supremacists. Trump said, “Just so you understand, I don’t know anything about David Duke.” But in February of 2000, Trump was asked by Matt Lauer, “What do you see as the biggest problem with the Reform Party right now? Trump’s response? “Well you’ve got David Duke, a bigot, a racist, a problem. This is not exactly the people you want in your party.” My, oh my, what a difference 16 years makes. Especially when you’re counting on the votes of those bigots and racists. Here’s one small example. Grace Tilly is a 33-year-old woman from Fayetteville, NC. She says she has never voted before; she’s now working for the Trump campaign. On one hand she has a large tattoo of the number 88 (neo-Nazi code for Heil Hitler. H is the 8th letter of the alphabet). On her other hand? A logo for Stormfront — the largest white supremacist website in the world. As for Mr. Orenstein’s statement that Democrats are giving away “free stuff”: Is he speaking of pensions and Social Security? Something Americans have “earned”? Or welfare and food stamps? Something the poor use to do the disgraceful thing known as “survive” ? Only a Republican can be against universal healthcare, paid family and medical leave. That is, when they’re not denying climate change. I must admit that his letter did make me laugh when he said any of the Republican candidates stands head and shoulders above the Democrats. He should seriously consider a career in standup comedy. I forgot, he already is president of the Queens Village Republican Club. Robert LaRosa Whitestone

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Dear Editor: Despite Mayor de Blasio’s endless promises of change in the New York City public schools when he took office, the New York City Department of Education continues to be a bonanza for consultants, testing companies and organizations offering poor academic programs that do little or nothing for educators and students. Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña continues to approve hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to companies offering unnecessary consulting services, products and technology squeezing the budgets of local school districts and schools. As a result, school principals are forced to push out more expensive and experienced teachers. Schools are increasingly becoming a revolving door of new, untenured teachers who are too intimidated to speak out about the wasteful spending their schools engage in. Through the years, more and more money has been shifted out of the classroom and into the hands of consultants often costing thousands per day and always without the approval of teachers or parents. Teachers often do not have the necessary materials to teach students and everyone suffers as result. The New York City Department of Education continues to be unaccountable to the school community and most importantly to the taxpayers. It’s the taxpayers who fund these initiatives. So why are they not included in the decision-making? The department seems to be more interested in providing profits for these companies than properly educating children. There needs to be an investigation. Danielle Cooke-Ruiz Bayside

E X PE R I E N C E

home or apartment f ires has increased in Queens. A majority of the recent fires in Queens has occurred in old private homes or apartments that had nonworking smoke alarms or no smoke alarm at all. The next big question to ask is: What are New York City and Queens doing to target the high-fire-risk neighborhoods in Queens? #GetAlarmedNYC is a partnership with the FDNY, City Hall and Red Cross to reduce the number of fire deaths and injuries in New York City. The campaign provides free smoke and carbon monoxide alarms as well as fire safety education programs at Get Alarmed NYC events. In my opinion #GetAlarmedNYC is a great campaign to tackle the issues of private homes or apartments fires but it is not enough. A countless number of people are not aware of the campaign; bringing awareness to it has to take place in order to have a greater positive impact. Advertising the campaign on the subway or even posting signs on the streets is a great way to attract more people. #GetAlarmedNYC is a great first step to combat the issue of private home and apartment fires but there is still a lot of work that has to get done in order to combat the number of fire deaths due to non-working smoke alarms or not having smoke alarms at all. Leslie Guzman Woodside

E DITOR

Page 9 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 31, 2016

LETTERS TO THE

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 31, 2016 Page 10

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Just as I predicted several months ago, both the cost and timetable for completion of the proposed Woodhaven Boulevard Select Bus Service project have grown. City Department of Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg recently testified at a New York City Council Transportation Committee meeting that the proposed project budget had doubled growing from $200 to $400 million. She went on to announce that completion of all work has slipped from 2019 to 2025. After only several months, the DOT’s postponing progression of the project has now resulted in the estimated cost doubling. It could also potentially result in loss of U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration New Starts funding for Phase Two of the project. The full-build project costs for Phase Two need to be refined as the plan progresses in final design from 30 percent to 100 percent completion. The FTA completed the environmental review process in July 2015, with the city DOT obtaining a Categorical Exclusion for the project. Depending upon future results of the ongoing additional one-year public outreach process, the FTA might have to revisit the environmental finding determination. No one will really know the full project costs until construction contracts for Phase Two are awarded. That may not happen until 2019 or later. Finding $400 million or more is a far greater significant challenge than $200 million. And the actual cost at the end could easily come in millions of dollars higher. Successful completion of the New Starts process, which culminated in the federal government’s entering into a Full Funding Grant Agreement to guarantee the original request of $75 million toward a total project cost of $231 million, averages several years. These dollar numbers come from the most recent FTA New Starts Report published in 2015. Since that time, other numbers called for a project cost of $200 million with a federal share of $100 million. Today, it appears the project costs have doubled. There is good reason for concern by both taxpayers and riders as to the real cost. Just why did the city DOT appear to be walking back from the $400 million figure within 24 hours of the City Council hearing? You have to ask if the DOT will now be looking for between $100 to $200 million in federal funding to assist with additional project costs. All of the above will be challenging to obtain, as other projects that are closer to being shovel-ready may be given preference for increasingly scarce federal New Starts funding. Is Mayor de Blasio committed to proceed with the Woodhaven SBS project if

federal assistance isn’t secured? He has pledged $295 million to support development and implementation of 13 new SBS/Bus Rapid Transit systems. Will he reallo c a t e f u nd i ng from other SBS/ BRT projects to support increased costs for Woodhaven Blvd. SBS? Are these dollars 100 percent city or is he counting on a combination of MTA, state and federal resources? Since Phase One is estimated to cost between $10 to $20 million, the city DOT may need up to $380 million or more in secure funding to be in place before proceeding with advertising and award of Phase Two construction contracts. The DOT has not shared with the public, media and elected officials how many procurements will be required for construction of exclusive BRT bus lanes, new bus stops with shelters, an off-board fare collection system, a customer information system, signal priority improvements, modifications to existing buses, potential purchase of new buses to support increased ridership and other potential project components. The DOT has not shared the estimated cost for each project component or made clear who will manage each of the multiple procurements — it or the MTA? Does the DOT continue to have the technical capacity to successfully implement this complex project along with twelve other ongoing SBS projects around NYC? The DOT has yet to make public a detailed project budget, implementation schedule with multiple interim milestones for each activity and fully secure funding source(s) available to date to justify the new estimated $400 million budget. The delayed construction start date of 2017 for Phase One may be easier to meet than a start date of 2019 or later for Phase Two, which is more challenging given the far more complex nature of work and multiple contracts. Remember that Ms. Trottenberg said completion of the total project may take until 2025. Taxpayers, commuters, transit advocates, elected officials and media have to ask if potentially waiting nine more years until 2025 before boarding the full Woodhaven Boulevard SBS is worth the fare. Q Larry Penner worked in transportation for more than 30 years, including as a U.S. DOT Federal Transit Administration regional office director, overseeing the review of transportation grants worth over $2 billion per year. He lives in Great Neck, LI.

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Critics up in arms over rezoning vote Council’s modifications to affordable housing measures not enough, they say by Anthony O’Reilly Associate Editor

The City Council’s modifications to and passage of Mayor de Blasio’s rezoning initiatives to create more affordable housing have done little to sway some Queens critics of the two-pronged plan. “It’s better than originally proposed, but I’m still against it,” Bob Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association and a Community Board 5 member, said. “How could we be for it?” For Sherman Kane, co-chairman of CB 9’s Land Use Committee, the legislative body that passed Mandatory Inclusionary Housing and Zoning for Quality and Affordability did little to address his community’s concer ns before passing them 42-5 and 40-6-1, respectively, on March 22. “ T he develop er s a re goi ng t o be champing at the bit to get rezoning done without there being any increase in police, schools or infrastructure,” Kane s a id . “ T hey ba rely eve n a dd re sse d parking.” The two plans were proposed by the de Blasio administration last year to address the city’s affordability crisis and help accomplish the mayor’s goal of creating or preserving 200,000 units of affordable housing. MIH will require permanently affordable u nits in new developments and enlargements of more than 10 units. The Council modified de Blasio’s original proposal to provide another level of affordability for new units and made it so the lawmakers choose how many affordable units a developer will be required to include in the structure. Some, howeve r, cla i m t h at’s not enough. Paul Graziano, a Flushing-based urban planner, noted that many people in poorer areas of New York City still will not be able to afford the new units created under de Blasio’s plan, a point brought up by lawmakers representing parts of Brooklyn and the Bronx, as well as Holden. “Historically speaking, this has always benefited developers,” he said. “It never turns out to provide enough affordable housing.” The first level of affordability requires 10 percent of the units be affordable at 40 percent of area median income. Before it had called for 25 percent of the units at 60 AMI. The second option has 30 percent of the units set aside at 80 AMI and the third has 30 percent at 115 AMI — with 5 percent of those at 90 AMI and another 5 percent at 70 AMI. The fourth option, the one added by the Council, has 20 percent of the units at 40 AMI. Councilman Bar r y Grodenchik (D-Oakland Gardens), the sole Queens legislator to vote against both plans, said he “isn’t so certain” MIH goes far enough to help those who truly need affordable housing.

Some Queens critics of the mayor’s recently passed rezoning initiatives, such as Bob Holden, FILE PHOTO left, and Sherman Kane, expressed their frustrations with the plans. But that isn’t his only concern with the plan. Grodenchik worries that in some parts of the city, including Queens, the income generated from market-rate units in new developments may not be enough to support development. “I’m not sure whether the 80 could even support the 20,” he said. “In Manhattan, yes, but in other parts of the city it’s questionable. The proof will be in the pudding.” Another possible issue with MIH is the absence of the 421-a tax abatement, which expired last year. According to published repor ts, real estate exper ts have said MIH is a lost cause without the tax incentive in place. Grodenchik said he hasn’t heard talk of 421-a affecting the legislation. Graziano said it’s just another flaw in a plan that, he claims, won’t create the housing needed. “Add to that the lack of 421-a and large-scale developments as financially structured today, whether affordable or not, have essentially dried up,” he said. “The reason that there still is massive activity going on is the giant amount of projects which were already in the pipeline before 421-a expired.” Most of Queens, and other parts of the city, were more concerned in the month leading up to the vote with how Zoning for Qualit y and Affordabilit y might affect their neighborhoods. The plan will relax or eliminate parking requirements for senior housing in “transit zones” and allow for slightly higher buildings in areas zoned for multifamily dwellings. The Council modified or eliminated the increase in height proposed by de

Blasio in some zoning districts, but critics still wor ry it could affect already highly populated areas. Kane reiterated that the greater density would put a further strain on city infrast r uct u re a nd called the cit y’s pla n “unjustified.” Holden worries residents may soon see one- or two-family homes “right next to a larger building.” Holden, and many others, argue that phenomenon can undo community-speci f ic r ez on i ng s t h at t o ok ye a r s t o accomplish. “They felt that all their hard work was undone in one fell swoop,” Grodenchik said. For areas like Middle Village, which proponents insist the plan will not affect, that would mean the erasing of downzoning passed during the last administration. “We actually organized 75 volunteers to get that done,” Holden said.

Holden did say he’s happy Middle Village was not included in the transit zone, but did say he is worried about the parts of Ridgewood that are. The areas of Woodhaven and Ozone Park that Kane’s board represents were not as lucky as Middle Village in that respect. Portions of both neighborhoods are within the transit zone, maps of which can be found at qchron.com. “If anything, we need more parking in those areas,” Kane said. Kane, and others, cited disappointment that the Council voted on the modified plans a week after they were announced. “They never came back to the community boards,” Holden said. “You’re supposed to have a transparent mayor but he never came back to the people. The plans should have been vetted and discussed. We didn’t have that opportunity.” Kane called the “bait and switch” a “violation” of the Unifor m Land Use Review Procedure. “They changed without any input from the communities,” he said. “And it’s over 400 pages. This kind of change they proposed should be given years to look over.” Chuck Apelian, Land Use Committee chairman for CB 7, said “the city didn’t listen to us. “We were opposed to ZQA and MIH because it was a global plan, a citywide plan that went against local input and nothing was changed,” he added. Grodenchik also noted how he was given “no time to go back to my community boards to see how they felt about it.” As did all but two community boards in Queens — 1, with the caveat that some parking spots be kept, and 3 saying yes to the entirety of the plans — the four that Grodenchik represents said no to MIH and ZQA. He cited their opposition as just one of the reasons he cast the same vote, in addition to his concerns with the plans. “I did what I felt was best for the comQ munity,” he said.

Serial 911 caller arrested A Briarwood man is facing serious charges this week after calling 911 three dozen times over the last few months to report fake emergencies. According to reports, 47-year-old Kenneth Campbell made 36 calls to authorities over the last two months, including one which he imitated a Middle Eastern accent and said he had a bomb. During that false call, reports said, he told the dispatcher he was sitting with Saddam Hussein — the former dictator of Iraq who was executed for war crimes in 2006 — before speaking in fake Arabic.

He also called authorities repeatedly to report fake gas leaks, medical emergencies and electrical fires at the apartment building across the street from his. Campbell has been charged with making a terroristic threat, falsely reporting an incident and harrassment. He was caught after authorities began interviewing neighbors once they caught onto the high volume of false reports coming from someone in the vicinity. According to reports, Campbell has made over 100 fake calls while living in Q Briarwood.

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Library leaders say city must restore $ Advocates seeking $22 million hike to regain 2008 level of funding support by Christina Cardona Chronicle Contributor

Dennis Walcott, president and CEO of the Queens Library, was nothing if not direct on March 23 when he and other library executives from throughout the city made their case for more city funding. “Public libraries are the best, most universally recognized places to support New Yorkers in becoming educated, creative and informed, regardless of their preferred language,” Walcott said in front of City Hall. The Council and Mayor de Blasio are deep into negotiations for the 2016-17 city budget. The text of Walcott’s speech was obtained from the Queens Library along with those of library officials in Brooklyn and Manhattan. They and their advocates want the city to restore library funding to fiscal year 2008 levels and to address a library maintenance crisis at 217 branches in the city. In fiscal year 2008, the city spent $378 million on city libraries. Since then, $65 million has been cut from the city’s three library systems, which are the Queens Library, Brooklyn Public Library and the New York Public Library. Last fiscal year, the city made significant investments in libraries, restoring $43 million of the $65 million that was cut. Funding is still $22 million below 2008 levels, while demands in libraries keep growing. “Last year’s investment in libraries has resulted in measurable gains in library use; we must continue the momentum,” Walcott said. “By investing in NYC’s libraries, the Mayor and the City Council will be taking another step toward realizing a fair and equal city for all.” Other library presidents included Tony Marx of the New York Public Library and Linda Johnson from Brooklyn. City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) was also at the rally. He worked as the chief external affairs officer of the Queens Library for 10 years, from 1999 until he was elected to the Council in 2009. “I’m proud to have been a champion for libraries for nearly 20 years, and prouder still to have helped lead the fight for the historic funding level achieved last year,” he said. “The $43 million restoration to libraries last year was historic and long overdue. The mayor should baseline all of the funding restored last year and I support restoring the last $22 million for libraries to bring them back to pre-recession level funding. That is a wise investment for our city.” This rally launched the “Keep Investing in Libraries” campaign. This is a sequel to last year’s successful “Invest in Libraries” campaign. “The public has benefitted tremendously from last year’s substantial city funding increase, with more hours, programs and

Queens Library President Dennis Walcott presses for increased city funding along with Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, right, and PHOTO COURTESY QUEENS LIBRARY other library advocates. staff at local branches,” Marx said. “We look forward to working with our partners in government to build on that investment this year so our libraries can further strengthen our city and address the city’s priorities, such as early literacy, immigrant services and digital access.” The new campaign is a partnership between the three library systems, as well as District Council 37, the city’s largest public employees union, and library supporters across the city. “Once again, we are here to convince the City Council to restore millions of dollars that failed to be included in the proposed executive budget,” Oliver Gray, associate director of DC 37, said. “This process needs to end. It always leaves the libraries short of their funding needs and creates unnecessary anxiety among library workers, who worry they won’t have enough resources to provide proper services and fear they may face downsizing. An investment in the libraries is an investment in working families and all New Yorkers.” The historic one-year $43 million funding allocation that occurred last year ensured citywide six-day service, which hadn’t been the case since 2001. “Six-day library service should be the floor, not the ceiling,” Van Bramer said. A report came out in March titled “Still Overdue: New Yorkers Need More Funding for Libraries.”

It details how the $43 million increase was beneficial. But they still are not meeting their full potential in fighting inequality and offering opportunities to all New Yorkers due to the crumbling infrastructure and the lingering effects of the $65 million lost since 2008. According to the report, because of last year’s increase, libraries hired 90 children’s librarians to increase outreach to schools and daycare. The New York Public Library saw a 145 percent increase in outreach to schools and daycares as a result. About 328,000 people attended early literacy programs at the New York Public Library in fiscal year 2016. The increased funding this year also allowed libraries to increase free English Speakers of Other Languages class slots to about 15,000. But it still is considered to not be meeting the need in the city with its diversity. These are classes for people who want to learn and improve their English. The Queens Library expanded the number of seats in their free ESOL classes to 3,200 in fiscal year 2016, but there are still 1,100 people who were turned away due to lack of space. Also in Queens, 30 percent of materials borrowed last year were in languages other than English, which they say shows the need for expanding the program. City libraries also offer career help, such as resume coaching and mock interviews. At Brooklyn’s Public Library, for example, there has been a 52 percent increase in job search sessions thanks to increased staff and hours funded by last year’s increase. The New York Public Library has free coding classes, but 5,000 people are on the waiting list because of a lack of space. Many of the city’s branches were opened long ago, some approaching 100 years old. Funding for maintenance and upgrades is considered important. At the 115th Street Library in Harlem, a programming space in the basement has been out of commission for years because of a leaking underground pipe — nearly 100-years-old — that destroyed the floor. “This is such a loss for the neighborhood,” Library Manager Tequila Davis said. “Our teens have nowhere to go in the branch. We have to hold adult programs on the reading room floor.” The New York Public Library claims over $112 million in critical maintenance needs, including fixing leaks, air conditioning and heat. City libraries hope to secure a full $65 million restoration by fiscal year 2017. If they can do this, they say it would allow them to do even more to support city services such as early literacy and immigrant services, and not have to turn people away. For more information about the campaign or want to take Q action visit their website investinlibraries.org.

Two Howard Beach sites sold for $24M by Anthony O’Reilly Associate Editor

2016 has been a big year for real estate sales in Howard Beach. Two commercial buildings were sold for a combined $24 million earlier this month, city records show. Gindi Capital, the investment arm of the family who owns Century 21 department stores, purchased 160-10 and 160-36 Cross Bay Blvd. from Bond Realty Inc. The two buildings span 42,055 square feet, the entire block from 160th to 161st avenues. Gap, RiteAid and RadioShack

Century 21 owners scoop up real estate are some of the high-profile tenants there. The block is the former site of Bond Motors, owned by Tom Abruzzi until the mid-’90s. Abruzzi closed the dealership due to poor sales and high operational costs, according to a New York Times article, and redeveloped the property to make room for retail. The dealership was built in 1966 by Abruzzi, the Times reported, who was a general contractor at the time.

This is at least the third notable commercial real estate transaction in Howard Beach this year. In February, the building housing Key Food at 163-30 Cross Bay Blvd. was sold for $12.6 million. It was announced in January that the Pan-Bay shopping center, the commercial strip previously owned by the Panzarella family that now dons a “Cross Bay Commons” sign, was sold for a whopping $27 million to Urban Edge Properties in the

biggest real estate deal reported in Howard Beach’s history. Sugar Bun Bake Shop and Danny’s Szechuan Garden are the anchors there. In both of those cases, the tenants are not being asked to move from their respective locations. Urban Edge does want to attract some national tenants to the vacant storefronts in the shopping center, as well as do some minor renovations to the building. No public statement was made on the most recent sale and attempts to reach Gindi CapiQ tal for comment were unsuccessful.

C M SQ page 15 Y K

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

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

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

Could This Noninvasive, Natural Treatment Be the Answer to Your Knee Pain? For 10 days only, I’m running a very special offer where you can find out if you are a candidate for cold laser therapy. What does this offer include? Everything I normally do in my “Knee Pain Evaluation.” Just call before April 10, 2016 and here’s what you’ll get… • An in-depth consultation about your problem where I will listen … really listen … to the details of your case. • A complete neuromuscular examination. • A full set of specialized X-rays to determine if arthritis is contributing to your pain (if necessary). (If you have films please bring them for evaluation). • A thorough analysis of your exam and X-ray findings so we can start mapping out your plan to being pain free. • You’ll see everything firsthand and find out if this amazing treatment will be your pain solution, as it has been for so many other patients. Until April 10, you can get everything I’ve listed here for only $37. The normal price for this type of evaluation including X-rays is $250, so you’re saving a considerable amount by taking me up on this offer. Remember what it was like before you had knee problems – when you were pain free and could enjoy everything life had to offer. It can be that way again. Don’t neglect your problem any longer – don’t wait until it’s too late.

A new treatment is helping patients with knee pain live a happier, more active lifestyle. Here’s what to do now: Due to the expected demand for this special offer, I urge you to call our office at once. The phone number is 718-845-2323. Call today and we can get started with your consultation, exam and X-rays (if necessary) as soon as there’s an opening in the schedule. Our office is called Gucciardo Specific Chiropractic and Natural Health Center and you can fi nd us at 162-07 91st Street in Howard Beach. Tell the receptionist you’d like to come in for the Knee Evaluation before April 10. Sincerely, Dr. Robert F. Gucciardo, D.C. P.S. Now you might be wondering…

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

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

ROBG-069256

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

It Promotes Rapid Healing of the Injured Tissues.

Page 15 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 31, 2016

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

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 31, 2016 Page 16

C M SQ page 16 Y K

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Former President Bill Clinton was in St. Albans on Monday to discuss politics and perhaps an election in November 2016 with Southeast Queens leaders including U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Queens, Nassau), center right. The gathering took place at the Robert Ross Johnson Family Life Center on Linden Boulevard. Clinton’s wife, presidential candidate and former U.S. Senator and Secretary of State

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Hillary Clinton, has set up shop in New York City in anticipation of the April 19 state Democratic primary against U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). Meeks, along with U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand and others, is a superdelegate to the National Democratic Convention in Philadelphia in July. Bill Clinton served as President of the United States from 1993 to 2001.

PA cops in Whitestone rescue Two Port Authority police officers are being credited with rescuing a boater who had lost power and steering near the Whitestone Bridge on March 24. According to the PA, Officers Charles Dee and James Newman of the Marine Unit were on routine patrol just before noon when they picked up a distress call. The voice said his craft was “heading toward the rocks,” and that they “are doing whatever we can to avoid hitting the Whitestone Bridge.” The officers discerned that they were less than five minutes from the site, where

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the U.S. Coast Guard would be dispatching rescue personnel from Staten Island. The boat was further imperiled by winds between 25 and 35 miles per hour that created a high, choppy sea. Dee and Newman were told that the loss of power may have been a result of hydraulic failure. The officers towed the vessel, which had been bound for Port Washington, to a dock about a half mile away. There were no injuries and no further Q damage to the stricken boat. — Michael Gannon

C M SQ page 17 Y K

Pay

WITH YOUR

3 SUN MON

FRI

5 6

Pay

SAT

• Kellogg’s Cereal 10.5 to 14.7-oz. box, 6 to 8-ct., Any Variety

• Kellogg’s Pop•Tarts 4.4 to 5.64-oz. box, 5 to 6-ct., Any Variety, Crisps or

• Kellogg’s Special K Bars 10.5-oz. pkg., Pitter Patter or 14.2-oz., Any Variety

• Keebler Vienna Fingers

details at shoprite.com

pt. cont., Any Variety, Sorbet or

On Sale thru Sat. 4/9

Limit 4

Per Variety

1.69

Limit 4

Per Variety

48-oz. cont., Any Variety, Frozen Yogurt, Sherbet, Dairy Dessert, Light or Regular (Excluding All Natural)

Limit 4 Offers

Per Variety

2 6 for

Regular Retails: .99 lb. to 8.99 ea. Price on package reflects Sale Retail

Limit 4

.99

Family Pack, Pork Loin, Regular or Tender Choice

Boneless Center Cut Pork Chop

lb.

London Broil OR

Limit 4

Per Variety

Wish-Bone Salad Dressing

Frozen, Individually Wrapped, Cape Gourmet

ShopRite Italian Sausage

2-lb. Bag Tilapia Fillet

lb.

Limit 4

lb.

ShopRite Kitchen Rotisserie Chicken

399

499 Limit 4 Per Variety

Golden Ripe Bananas

Hefty Cinch Sak Trash Bags

Red Ripe Strawberries

lb. lb.

Limit 4 Per Variety

1.45

288

2.11

Regular Retail: 5.99 ea. to 49.49 ea. Limit 4 Per Variety

Sale Retail: 2.99 ea. to 27.74 ea.

$ 00Instantly

6, Save 3

at the register with your... Purchase any combination of 6 of these Dial® products and you’ll save .50 on each!

Limit 4 Offers

That’s a total savings of $3.00 in instant savings at the register.

FINAL COST

.49

16 to 18-oz. btl., Any Variety, Dial or Tone Body Wash or 30 to 32-oz. tot. wt. pkg., 6-Pack or Any Variety

100-oz. btl., Any Variety, Liquid Fabric Softener or 30 to 50-oz. btl., Liquid

40 to 50-oz. btl., Any Variety, Liquid

Dial Bath Soap 8-Pack

Purex Ultra Laundry Detergent

Persil ProClean Laundry Detergent

lb.

25 $

for

.70

When you BUY ANY 6 participating products PAY ONLY... EACH

Limit 24

Per Variety

349

each

.91

Limit 24

Per Variety

238

each

-.50

2.99

1.88

When you BUY ANY 6 participating products PAY ONLY... EACH See page 10 for more participating items.

.80

Limit 24

Per Variety

599

each

-.50 When you BUY ANY 6 participating products PAY ONLY... EACH

5.49

Prices, programs and promotions effective Sun., April 3 thru Sat., April 9, 2016 in ShopRite® Store in Gateway Plaza, Brooklyn, NY. Sunday sales subject to local blue laws. No sales made to other retailers or wholesalers. We reserve the right to limit purchases of any sale item to four (4) purchases, per item, per household, per day, except where otherwise noted. Minimum or additional purchase requirements noted for any advertised item exclude the purchase of prescription medications, gift cards, gift certificates, postage stamps, money orders, money transfers, lottery tickets, bus tickets, fuel and Metro passes, as well as milk, cigarettes, tobacco products, alcoholic beverages or any other items prohibited by law. Only one manufacturer coupon may be used per item and we reserve the right to limit manufacturer coupon redemptions to four (4) identical coupons per household per day, unless otherwise noted or further restricted by manufacturer. Sales tax is applied to the net retail of any discounted item or any ShopRite® coupon item. We are required by law to charge sales tax on the full price of any item or any portion of an item that is discounted with the use of a manufacturer coupon or a manufacturer sponsored (or funded) Price Plus Club® card discount. Not responsible for typographical errors. Artwork does not necessarily represent items on sale; it is for display purposes only. Copyright© Wakefern Food Corp., 2016. All rights reserved.

GLAG-069056

1-lb. pkg.

Limit 4-lbs.

.59 -.10

144

22-ct. box, Tall Kitchen Cinch or 15-ct. Large

1/2 Price Nature Made Vitamins

2.00

.40

35-oz. net wt., Traditional or Flavored

Hefty Foam Plates

BUY ANY

159

Must be purchased in a single purchase from 4/3/16 to 4/9/16. Offer not valid on rainchecks and limited to store stock only.

High in Potassium

ShopRite Sale Price

Limit 4 Per Variety

16 to 60-ct. pkg., 12-oz. Bowls or Any Variety

1.61

.80

.99

Iceberg Lettuce

10 to 300-ct. btl., Assorted Varieties (Excluding Probiotics) 2.5 to 3.0-lb. pkg., Fresh, Hot or Sweet, Store Made Priced Higher

199

2 to 2.9-oz. box, Any Variety, Dry Dressing & Seasoning Mix or 1-pt. btl., Any Variety

• ShopRite American Cheese

199

Additional or lesser quantities will scan at 3.49 ea.

for

California

.30

Must Buy

2 $5

Hot Pockets

for

Store Sliced, Yellow or White

Limit 4

Additional or lesser quantities will scan at 2.34 ea.

6.5 to 9-oz. pkg., Any Variety, Subs, Croissants, Side Shots, Lean or Regular, Breakfast or Bites

Mix or Match

Store Sliced, Lower Sodium Cooked Ham or

Per Variety

Must Buy

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Price on package reflects Sale Retail

Offers

• ShopRite Domestic Ham

Regular Retails: 4.99 lb. to 7.19 lb.

Sale Prices: 3.49 lb. to 5.03 lb.

Limit 4

10 $10

Kodak Heavy Duty Batteries

USDA CHOICE BEEF

4 6

Nabisco Oreo Cookies

20-ct., AAA or AA

Boneless Beef (Sold as London Broil Only)

Offers

$ for

10 to 15.25-oz. pkg. (Excluding Family Size) Any Variety, Cremes, Thins or

.50

Pictsweet Deluxe Vegetables Per Variety

Limit 4

Regular Retails: 4.29 to 6.99 ea.

s or (Excluding Asparagus, 8 to 12-oz. pkg., Any Variety, Steamable Beans or Signature Vegetables) Chopped Spinach, Forkhook Lima

Sale Prices: .59 lb. to 5.39 ea.

Additional or lesser quantities will scan at 5.19 ea.

Entenmann’s 1/2 Price Sale

Yoplait, Chobani or Dannon Greek Yogurt

Poultry

Must Buy

7.4 to 24.5-oz. bag/box (Excluding Cereal Bars & Single Serve) Any Variety

4 to 5.3-oz. cont., Any Variety, Greek 100, Greek 100 Whips, 2% Greek or Yoplait Greek Yogurt, Chobani Greek Yogurt With Oats, Flips, Simply 100 or Chobani Greek Yogurt or Dannon Crunch Greek Yogurt or Light & Fit Greek, Mousse, Triple Zero or Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt

(Excluding Rotisserie, IQF Wings, IQF Boneless Breast, IQF Tenders, Frozen Cornish Hens and 10-lb. bag, Leg Quarters)

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish

Sale Retails: 2.14 to 3.49 ea.

.99

Limit 4

Additional or lesser quantities will scan at 5.79 ea.

for

Offers

for

ShopRite Apple Juice

2.25

Must Buy

3 $13

Limit 4

Additional or lesser quantities will scan at 4.09 ea.

for

Offers

2 $5

Limit 4

64-oz. btl. (Excluding Organic) Apple Cider or Clear or Natural

Must Buy

6.6 to 8-oz. bag, Any Variety

Per Variety

Nestle Pure Life Water 24-Pack

384 to 570-tot. sht. ct. pkg., Big Roll 6-Pack or

449ea.

192-oz. tot. wt. btls. (Plus Dep. or Fee Where Req.) 8-oz. Bottles or 405.6-oz. tot. wt., 16.9-oz. Bottles

• Sparkle Towels 8-Pack

Limit 4

Coke Cans 12-Pack

Turkey Hill Ice Cream

• Angel Soft Bath Tissue 24-Pk.

5 $11

96-oz. tot. wt. btls. (Plus Dep. or Fee Where Req.) Dr Pepper, Sprite, Coke Zero or Coke Bottles 8-Pack or 144-oz. tot. wt. cans, 12-oz. Cans, Dr Pepper, Fanta, Seagram’s, Minute Maid, Barq’s, Fuze, Mello Yello, Sprite, Diet Coke, Coke Zero or

Frito Lay Snacks

3,168-tot. sht. ct. pkg., Triple Roll 8-Pack, Double Roll 12-Pack or Regular Roll

Your Choice!

Pepsi Bottles 6-Pack

Corn Chips or Cheetos, 9.75 to 10.25-oz. Fritos 7 to 9.75-oz. bag, Any Variety, & Light) Lay’s Potato Chips 10 to 10.5-oz. (Excluding Baked

Talenti Gelato

ALL WEEK

PRICE BREAK

96 to 101.4-oz. tot. wt. btls. (Plus Dep. or Fee Where Req.) 16 to 16.9-oz. Bottles, Mist Twst, Mtn Dew, Crush or

Pick Up/Delivery

)

Online & Mobile

In-Store

each

8.7-oz.box, Apple Jacks or Original Froot Loops, 9-oz. Cinnabon or Original Rice Krispies, 11-oz. Cocoa Krispies, 12-oz. Corn Flakes, 9.2-oz. Corn Pops, 10.5-oz. Frosted Flakes, 13.7-oz. Original Raisin Bran or 10.2-oz. Smorz

See page 11 for details.

Shop Any Way... W

only...

Limit 4 Offers. Discount will be applied when you buy in increments of 6 only. Less or additional items will scan at $2.49 each.

WITH YOUR

• Chef Boyardee Pasta • Barilla Pasta • Hunt’s Tomatoes • Starkist Tuna • Gatorade Drinks • Colonna Pasta Sauce • Pasta or Rice A Roni

4 WED 5 6 THU 7 FRI8 SAT 9 TUE

each

Limit 4 Offers. Discount will be applied when you buy in increments of 10 only. Less or additional items will scan at $1.00 each.

STARTS SALESALE STARTS

APRIL 2016 SUN MONApril TUE2016 WED THU

Pick

only...

)

Pick

)

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)

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Page 17 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 31, 2016

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 31, 2016 Page 18

C M SQ page 18 Y K

New E. River toll plan is changing no minds Move NY backers seek Senate sponsor; opponents remain dubious of benefits by Michael Gannon Editor

A proposal that would place tolls on East River crossings in an attempt to fund mass transportation and infrastructure has been introduced as a bill in the state Assembly. But any changes than have been made in the past few months appear to have done nothing to change the minds of the plan’s critics in the Queens delegation to Albany. A09633, also titled the Move New York Fair Plan, was introduced on March 24 by Assemblyman Robert Rodriguez (D-Manhattan). Among his co-sponsors is Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills). One of the plan’s chief architects is Sam Schwartz, the former city traffic commissioner also known as Daily News columnist “Gridlock Sam.” Summing it up is difficult in just a sentence or two. Supporters say that in return for tolls on crossings such as the Queensboro, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Williamsburg bridges, tolls on the Throgs Neck, Whitestone, Triborough, Cross Bay, Marine Parkway and Verrazano bridges would be reduced. Combined with an automatic tolling system that would charge drivers who cross into Manhattan from Queens or Brooklyn below 60th Street, or those who drive north or south across 60th Street into Manhattan’s central business district, proponents say the new structure would reduce traffic and raise billions in dedicated funding to support mass transit and for the upkeep of roads, bridges and tunnels. Opponents say it is just another tax on outerborough drivers and businesses with no guarantee that reduced tolls would remain reduced, or that the money raised would go where it is intended. Supporters like Alex Matthiessen, campaign director for Move NY, told the Chronicle that the proposal takes all reasonable concerns into account, while securing money that already has no reliable, dedicated source. Matthiessen acknowledged that Queens residents have heard promises of dedicated funding before, particularly in areas that lack subway access or plentiful bus routes. “We’ve listened to concerns from people in

The Queensboro Bridge and other East River crossings could have tolls set up under a bill in Albany. Supporters say it would reduce other tolls and some bus fares while collecting billions in PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON transportation funding. Critics call it the equivalent of another tax. Queens and other places, and we’ve heard them,” he said. Among the benefits he said would accrue for the borough are cheaper tolls on the Throgs Neck and Whitestone bridges; more express and Select Bus Service and a $1 reduction in the existing express bus fare; and expansion of the DayTicket program — by which city riders can get weekend discounts on Long Island Rail Road trains — to seven days per week. Matthiessen also said bonding for a Transit Gap Fund and a New York City Community Fund would make money available for specific areas identified as in need of public transit upgrades. The bill as yet does not have a sponsor in the state Senate. And it isn’t going to be Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach), who said modifications to it have done nothing to

change his opposition that dates back to a plan former Mayor Mike Bloomberg called congestion pricing. “It’s double taxation,” Addabbo told the Chronicle. “And it would be detrimental to Queens.” Addabbo said business owners who now use free bridges have told him they would pass on any additional costs of tolls to their customers. He said there is no lockbox or toll reductions that the Legislature can set up that it also cannot eliminate down the road with enough votes and a governor’s signature. Addabbo said there are myriad ways the MTA can cut costs or raise revenue that have not been tried in earnest, such as selling or leasing property and corporate sponsorships of stations. “That’s nothing new,” he said.

Matthiessen said the bill is worded to lock in the reduced tolls at no more than 55 percent of any toll on an East River crossing. “If the MTA were to violate that, they’d lose the funding,” he said. He also said a lockbox on collected transit funds could be made very strong through procedures in the bonding process, by which the MTA — controlled by the governor — and the state could risk defaulting on bonds if they reduce or remove the money necessary to pay them off. Addabbo also said “park and ride” drivers looking to avoid an East River toll by parking in Queens could find free parking and a convenient stroll from a $2.75 ride on the subway. “And not just in Queens,” he said. “Back in my days on the Council I heard about it from people in Manhattan when Mayor Bloomberg was proposing it. People would park just outside of the zone north of 60th Street.” Hevesi could not be reached for comment, but praised the proposal in a press release issued by Move NY last week, saying it could result in 30,000 new jobs and upward of $12 billion for the city’s transit system. State Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst), in an email to the Chronicle, said he was the first state senator to publicly endorse the plan. “As a longtime supporter of the MoveNY Plan, and if I were asked, I would gladly carry the bill in the Senate,” he said. “The [plan] would generate a consistent revenue stream, reduce congestion and fix current inequities, as some New Yorkers are currently paying more than their fair share.” A spokeswoman for state Sen. Mike Gianaris (D-Astoria) said his position also remains unchanged. “He is still skeptical of the proposal,” she said. Assemblymembers Alicia Hyndman (D-Springfield Gardens) and Nily Rozic (D-Fresh Meadows) were contacted for comment but could not be reached. Borough President Melinda Katz also could not be reached for comment, though she has been a harsh critic of previous incarnations, also citing a lack of guarantees that the funds collected would be used for the benefit Q of Queens residents.

Memorial sought for ‘Phife Dawg’ Taylor Jarobi White, a Queens native and founding member of the hip-hop group “A Tribe Called Quest,” is organizing a facebook petition drive to rename St. Albans Park in memory of bandmate and St. Albans native Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor. Taylor, a co-founder of the band in 1985, was 45 when he died on March 22 of complications from diabetes. “Things I want for Phife,” White wrote on a Facebook page. “Sayers Ave from 180 st to Merrick Blvd renamed Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor Ave. St. Albans Park renamed Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor park. ...” He also

A Tribe Called Quest founder was 45 would like to see his friend and bandmate remembered in a mural somewhere in the community. White is trying to get 2,000 electronic signatures from fans to move the effort forward. Councilman Daneek Miller (D-St. Albans) already is on board with some sort of street co-naming. “St. Albans, Queens, and the entire hiphop industry has lost a giant in Malik Tay-

lor,” Miller said in an email. “His influence, along with the rest of the members of “A Tribe Called Quest” continues to teach generations of hip-hop fans how to create positive music that starts social discourse in our communities so we can all become better citizens.” Miller wrote that he fully supports the idea of preserving a piece of hip-hop history for future generations through a street co-naming.

“‘A Tribe Called Quest’ is as fundamentally important to the history of Queens as the DJ or the MC is to hip-hop,” Miller added. “I look forward to supporting the introduction of this legislation, and this tribute to these musiQ cal pioneers.”

Malik “Phife Dawg” Taylor FACEBOOK PHOTO

C M SQ page 19 Y K Page 19 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 31, 2016

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QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 31, 2016 Page 20

C M SQ page 20 Y K

Phagwah comes back to Richmond Hill

For the latest news visit qchron.com

PHOTOS BY STEVE FISHER

After a year’s absence, the popular Phagwah parade came back to the streets of Richmond Hill last Saturday. Thousands of people waited to see the parade make its way from Liberty Avenue and 133rd Street to Phil “Scooter” Rizzuto Park at 95th Avenue and 125th Street. At the park, parade-goers celebrated Holi — the Hindu holiday that marks the start of spring — with music, dancing and the throwing of multicolored powder at each other. Politicians and Indo-Caribbean leaders attended the event, wishing those present a happy Holi.

The parade is a near-30 year tradition that brings thousands of Indo-Caribbean people to Queens every year, except in 2015 when it was canceled due to an internal strife between two organizing committees that could not agree which side would get the permit. This year, a Queens Supreme Court judge ordered them to get along and host the event together. Scenes from the parade can be seen above, as well as some of the aftermath of the celebration at the park.

SQ page 21

OZONE PARK

Executive Director GWDC

MONSTER ARTIST

PHOTO COURTESY PS 316

PS 316 Queens Explorers Elementary School (Ozone Park) first-grade student Luke Seenathsingh has been selected as a P.S. Art 2016 semifinalist for his mixedmedia piece “Monster Town.” P.S. Art celebrates the creative spirit of all New York City students and is more than a competition but a great opportunity to expand our visual arts community. If selected his work will be accepted into an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Congratulations to Luke and all students involved in their artistic endeavors! ATTENTION PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS: SCHOOLS If you would like to be featured on a School Spotlight page, call Lisa LiCausi, Education Coordinator, at (718) 205-8000, EXT. 110. TO SEE THESE STORIES ONLINE GO TO QCHRON.COM/SCHOOLNEWS.

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This week, the Woodhaven Business Improvement District will again paint over the graffiti on the dilapidated 78-19 Jamaica Ave. building. As I have always thought, wouldn’t it be nice to see senior citizen housing at this site? This way, our local senior citizen homeowners can stay in Woodhaven when they sell their homes. To be noted: The Woodhaven Senior Center is open so if you are a senior citizen and want to enjoy a nice lunch, good company and fun activities including arts and crafts by the Greater Woodhaven Development Corp’s own Lisa Komninos, call the center at (718) 847-9200. Meetings are held at the American Legion Hall, 89-02 91 St. They need more members so join today. In 2015, the 102nd Precinct was down in crime by 8.06 percent from the year before. The commanding officer of our precinct is Deputy Inspector Deodat Urprasad. Their telephone number is (718) 805-3200. Hit 0 if you wish to reach the front desk. Of course, if you have an emergency please call 911. In regard to law enforcement, our great Queens District Attorney Richard Brown announced that he has created an Animal Cruelty Investigations unit to investigate animal cruelty, abuse and neglect in our borough. As of July 2014, the law enforcement function no longer is under the auspices of the ASPCA, it is

now under the NYPD. Now with the Queens DA’s office involved with the NYPD, enforcement will be even stronger. To the best district attorney in the city, thank you, DA Brown, for protecting our residents and now our animals. Your gas and electric bills may increase, electric by 5 percent and gas bills by about 8 percent. This is the proposal that, if approved, will take effect in January 2017. I will keep you informed in regard to this proposed increase. Congratulations to Raj Rampersad, who was re-elected as chairman of Community Board 9, Woodhaven’s J. Richard Smith, who was reelected as 1st vice chairman and Kenichi Wilson elected 2nd vice chairman. The shopping on Jamaica Avenue where we are “Taking Care of Business” on our “Everything Avenue” is brisk. The Avenue has such bargains and so many choices and we now have a bicycle store and a hobby store. The prices are also very reasonable, especially for New York City, with our high cost of living. So spend your money on Jamaica Avenue and pay low prices, save money and keep it in your community. Mark your calendars for our “Spring into Woodhaven” dinner dance on June 10, where a hot and cold buffet, coffee, cake and an open bar will only cost you $65 a ticket. Please call our office for more information and to reserve tickets 718 805-0202. May God bless our armed forces, may God bless our disabled veterans, may God bless our Q NYPD and may God bless our America.

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Page 21 QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, March 31, 2016

PS 316

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CEC 28 addresses gun incidents

Party and paper PS 40, YECA principals praised; parents seeking causes jumped the gun by Michael Gannon Editor

Community Education Council 28 held a special meeting for parents on March 24, a week after students at two schools allegedly brought loaded handguns into their buildings in a 24-hour period from March 16 to 17. Speakers during the presentation included District 28 Superintendent Mabel Mu n i z Sa rduy a nd A lv is Brown, the borough safety director, and Mark Rampersant, deputy CEO for safety and security for the city’s Department of Education. Numerous parents of students from PS 40, the Samuel Huntington School, and York Early College Academy, where authorities say the weapons were brought by an 11-year-old and a 15-year-old, respectively, were in attendance. No shots were fired and no one was hurt in either incident, though in one instance the student was reported to have brandished the weapon at some students with whom he was having problems. As upset as some were with the notification process, they almost universally praised YECA Principal Noah Angeles and Alison Branker of PS 40

for their handling of the incidents. Rampersant agreed, saying that the system worked as it should. “Young people made bad choices,” he said. “We have a protocol. ... We expect our staff to do the right thing. And they did.” Published reports indicate that one of the children may have been bullied, leading to an extensive discussion about the DOE’s bullying policies for identifying and dealing with the problem. One parent, for example, said her daughter was bullied by several students. But when she complained, the DOE’s initial intent was to transfer her daughter. “That leaves the bullies free to pick on the next child,” she said. Rampersant also said the DOE would have to look into claims by some parents that bullying at some schools is not addressed at all when it is reported. “Ever y principal is required to respond,” he explained. “Not responding is not an option.” He also said it is not DOE policy to transfer the victim when dealing with a bullying case. CEC representatives promised more Q followup in the coming weeks.

Debbie Lopez, with two children in the York Early College Academy, praised principal Noah Angeles, seated, for his handling of a handgun incident on March 17.

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The Queens Chronicle was a little premature last week in reporting that retired Army Sgt. Marvin Jeffcoat of Woodside, a longtime activist on veterans issues, was running for state Senate agai nst Sen. M i ke Gia na r is (D-Woodside). The paper based its brief report on a newsletter put out by the Queens Village Republican Club, which touted Jeffcoat as the GOP candidate for the seat. It said he would be one of several speakers, including other Republican contenders for office, at the group’s April 7 meeting. But Jeffcoat is not a candidate for the seat. Though interested in running, as a city employee, he first has to receive a waiver to do so. He has not formed a campaign committee or filed any registration with the state Board of Elections. “As a NYC employee, Marvin will launch a campaign when and if he receives the necessary waiver,” an associate said in an email, “and not before.” This editor was negligent in running an article on Jeffcoat’s reported candidacy without contacting him personalQ ly first, and regrets doing so. — Peter C. Mastrosimone

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Five projects to help you sell your home The real estate market has improved across much of the country, but homeowners thinking about listing their homes this summer need to stay competitive to attract buyers. Buyers are looking for longterm homes, ones they want to stay in for years while raising their children, or settling down and retiring. To prepare your home for listing — or simply to enjoy it a few years longer — check out these top five home improvement projects you can do yourself to make your home more attractive to buyers: 1. Give the front door a new look. The front door sets the tone for your home’s curb appeal and security and it signals how well you maintain ever ything else. Buyers will be walking into your home via the front door, so be sure to give them a good first impression. If your door is in good shape, you might just need to give it a refreshing new coat of paint or new hardware. But if it’s seen some wear and tear over the years, consider replacing it with a steel door — one that will show buyers your home is safe.

2 . Upd ate the most-use d entryway. While the front door needs curb appeal, the garage door is often the most-used door in the home. Old wooden garage doors will start to sag and the paint will peel, giving your home a rundown look. Replacing this door with an insulated steel door will not only improve the exterior look of your home, but also keep the garage space warmer. Finishing off the garage can also be a big draw for buyers, but you probably won’t be able to recoup as much of the expense as you would by replacing only the garage door. 3. Add living space. You might not think about adding a deck as the same thing as adding an extra room to the house, but if you’re selling your home during the warmer months, that’s how buyers will see it. They’ll be able to picture themselves enjoying breakfast and picnic dinners outside, or curling up on a lounge chair with a good book on a summer afternoon. To make your deck a good selling feature, consider usi ng ProWood Dura Color, a

color-treated wood that retains its color for years. This means your buyers can easily move into your house and can enjoy the space without the annual chore of staining. Realtor.com estimates that homeowners can recoup 87 percent of the investment of adding a deck when they sell. 4. Create a bathroom retreat. As the smallest room in the house, the bathroom tends to cost the least to remodel. If you have a guest or master bath that can use a little help to transform into a relaxing oasis, take the opportunity to replace the f looring, add cushy rugs, paint the walls and replace the accessories with more modern styles. Faucets, showerheads, the mirror and even the toilet can all be upgraded with water-saving and stylish designs. Buyers will take note of a maintenance-free bath, making your home one they’ll remember as move-in ready. 5. Turn the backyard into a private paradise. Buyers will be visualizing themselves in your backyard when touring your home. They’re looking to see how quiet

By sprucing up your backyard, buyers will be visualizing themselves in it when touring your home. It will make the home attractive to families with PHOTO COURTESY BRANDPOINT children and pets. and secure the space is. Consider adding a beautiful wooden fence to enhance the privacy. It will make the home attractive to families with children and pets, and for couples who aren’t interested in having a conversation with the neighbors every time they go outside. To make your fence an attractive selling feature of the home, consider using ProWood Dura

Color fence pickets or pre-built panels. The cedar-tone or redwood-tone colorant driven deep into the wood fibers will stand up to the sun’s harsh rays and won’t gray out over time, unlike cedar fencing. You can match it to the deck coloring for a beautiful accent look that connects the colQ ors in your backyard. — Brandpoint

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How to audit your home’s energy efficiency A home that wastes energy can put significant strain on your budget. Extremely cold winter temperatures and scorching summers, together with a poorly performing thermal system will drive monthly heating and cooling costs higher than expected. So what can you do to cut the waste and the expense? For starters, clean all the filters in your heating and cooling equipment. This helps to improve the efficiency of your home. However, the best way to tackle your home’s energy inefficiencies head on is to understand your home’s overall performance with an energy audit. To perform the audit, a certified Home Energy Rater will conduct a series of tests to provide an overall efficiency rating in much the same way that household appliances are rated. Armed with this information, you can make home improvement decisions that further boost your home’s energy efficiency. One common energy audit test is a door blower, or airflow, test. A large fan is used to pull air out of the house and create negative pressure inside. The higher air pressure outside the home then flows into the home through the unsealed cracks and openings. To detect where these air leaks are located, the auditor will use a smoke pencil. A wellsealed home should have no air leaks. The

auditor may also complete a comprehensive infrared scan of your home using an infrared camera. These scans provide a clear image of where the inefficiencies in your home are. One of the easiest ways to dramatically improve the overall performance of your home following an energy audit is to assess your home’s existing insulation. Insulation and a tight air seal are vital to keeping the temperature inside your home comfortable and consistent all year round. Another effective solution that offers immediate and long-term cost savings is replacing your home’s traditional fibrous insulation with high-performance spray foam insulation. Spray foam insulation, such as Icynene, is a wise investment for homeowners who want to make significant improvements to their home that have a long-term, positive impact. Able to perform in all climates, spray foam insulation allows homeowners to utilize air-conditioning systems more efficiently throughout the summer and their furnaces during winter. As a modern insulation solution, spray foam insulation expands rapidly to completely seal a home’s walls, floors and ceilings and prevent air leakage. Insulation experts from Icynene note that quality spray foam insulation can noticeably reduce

The easiest way to dramatically improve the overall performance of your home following an PHOTO COURTESY BRANDPOINT energy audit is to assess your home’s existing insulation. monthly cooling and heating costs, in some cases by up to 50 percent. Additionally, spray foam insulation helps minimize random airborne moisture and pollutants from entering the home. This is ideal for anyone suffering from seasonal

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Is your money going out the window? One of the largest contributors to a home’s energy efficiency is its windows. Energy-efficient windows can lower your energy costs and increase your home’s comfort while reducing your carbon footprint and increasing your home’s value. For example, replacing single-pane windows with Energy Star windows can save between 1,106 to 6,072 pounds of carbon dioxide a year from entering the atmosphere. According to Energy Star that is equivalent to saving 51 to 310 gallons of gasoline. Plus, replacing old windows with new energy-efficient designs can return more than 78 percent of the project cost back to you upon resale, the National Association of Realtors reports. To learn more about these statistics, visit pella.com. So what factors should you consider when shopping for energy-efficient, environmentally friendly windows? • The Energy Star logo — You’ve probably seen the blue Energy Star logo on a variety of products including your washer or refrigerator. That logo designates products that meet strict energy-saving guidelines from the Environmental Protection Agency. Windows and doors with an Energy Star designation lower household energy use, which saves you money and helps protect the environment.

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single-pane windows based on a comparison of U-values. • Recycled materials — Evaluate the amount of recycled content used, either post-consumer or post-industrial. The roll-for med alu m i nu m cladd i ng, the metal exterior that protects the wood from the weather, on Pella’s wood windows and doors is made from more than 95 percent recycled aluminum material. • Product material — Wood windows utilize renewable resources. When shopping for wood, look for certified wood. There are several wood certification systems available, the most well-k nown being the Forest Stewardship Council or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. Most of the well-known certification systems are developed and used with the same key purpose in mind: to practice sustainable forestry. • Your location — Windows allow for natural daylighting, which reduces or eliminates the need for artificial lighting, saving on your electrical use. Plus, your climate or area within the United States has specific requirements to qualify for Energy Star certification. To learn more, visit Energy Star. Visit Pella Windows and Doors on Pinterest or Houzz for more home tips and design inspiration. Q — Brandpoint

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PREVIEW

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A P R I L SUN

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7:10

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7:10

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MIA

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2:10

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7:05

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7:05

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10:40

COL

4:10

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