Quiet OZP street targeted by vandal PAGE 4
Serving Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, City Line and JFK Airport
Rozario body cam video released PAGE 6
Love and war key themes in ‘All My Sons’ qboro PAGE 31
t’s a difficult time to be a grad,” said Rose M., a senior at Queens College.
The Class of 2024 certainly feels different from many graduating classes in years past. After all, most of the students’ college experiences started at the height of Covid.
“Remote learning was really good, honestly,” Rose said. “I tried to stick to hybrid to be on campus the least I possibly can.”
Along with being pandemic-era college freshmen, the outgoing seniors are watching as students on college campuses across the country, most notably Columbia University and CUNY City College here in the Empire State, protest against the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas and call for a ceasefire.
Reactions have been mixed, as some are condemning the protests as violent and disruptive, while others are voicing support for the students.
When the Chronicle visited Queens College, graduating seniors were apprehensive to speak about current events. Out of dozens of students approached, few were willing to speak on the record.
One student, overhearing another’s interview, told the Chronicle, “Protesters are rarely on the wrong side of history.”
She walked away and ignored requests for
further comment.
“I don’t want to say which side I’m on,” said Rose, who hails from Brooklyn. “But you’re going to be pressed to find 20-somethings in New York City who will condemn what’s going on at Columbia — especially with their full government name to the news.”
Asked to elaborate, she said, “I don’t want to be Googled by an employer and have them not like what they see.”
Rose said she had not noticed any protests at Queens College, and while the war has been talked about amongst her peers, discourse around it has not impacted her senior year.
“I’m keeping my head down and getting my work done,” she said.
A York College student had similar sentiments.
“I don’t think canceling commencement [at Columbia] was fair,” said Jonathan C., a graduating senior, who again noted a fear of retribution when speaking to the Chronicle during a phone call. “But I don’t agree with the way the students are protesting, either.”
He added, “I’m not pro-Israel or proHamas. I’m anti-genocide. Innocent people don’t deserve to die. And it’s a bad situation but we don’t need to create violence here because of it.”
He said he had not seen any protests at York College. Asked why he thinks his peers
As college students around the country protest for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, Queens grads discuss how and if it has impacted their experience.
were apprehensive to speak to current events, he attributed the fear to “cancel culture.”
“Nobody wants to say the wrong thing and get called out for it,” Jonathan said. “But I am surprised that nothing notable happened [at York College].”
Based on calendars on their respective websites, colleges in the World’s Borough are
going through with commencement ceremonies as scheduled.
The Chronicle reached out to Queens College, Queensborough Community College, LaGuardia Community College, St. John’s University and York College to ask if they ha d considered canceling their own graduation ceremonies after Columbia University chose to cancel its in the wake of the protests.
Brian Browne, a spokesperson for St. John’s University, said there was no discussion regarding canceling the school’s commencement.
“St. John’s University anticipates holding our traditional Commencement schedule, an d we look forward to celebrating the Class o f 2024 and all their personal and academic achievements,” he said via email.
In a statement provided by Queens College spokesperson Maria Matteo, the school said it is looking forward to its commencement as scheduled.
“For our graduating students, commencement provides the opportunity to look bac k and appreciate all their hard work that has culminated in this remarkable achievement,” the statement said. “The entire college community takes pride in the collective effort and supportive measures that have helped make this year’s commencement possible for our students and their families.” Q
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“I almost don’t recognize my neighborhood anymore,” said Maria Valez, a resident of Woodhaven.
Valez said she enjoys walking Jamaica Avenue to run errands. She’ll stop at a bodega for a buttered roll and coffee for breakfast and then go shop at nearby stores.
She was shocked when she embarked on her usual shopping trip at her neighborhood supermarket, Scaturro, and saw a security guard standing by the door.
“Woodhaven, for the most part, has been a safe place,” Maria said. “Now my daughter tells me I should be carrying pepper spray.”
The security guard at Scaturro has not gone unnoticed by Valez’s neighbors, either. Project Woodhaven, a group that provides news and updates on the area, took to X to share the discovery.
“Scaturro’s is a 100+ year old supermarket on Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven,” the post said. “They have hired a security guard because they’ve been getting robbed so often. I don’t know that you can even call it shoplifting when crooks are just brazenly filling bags and walking out. It’s a robbery.”
“It’s happening here, it’s happen-
ing across the street,” said Peter B., the manager at Scaturro, gesturing to the Duane Reade on the opposite side of the road.
“My boss wanted to try something new to handle [the thievery],” he explained. He said the crimes started to pick up about four months prior.
Since hiring security, which is being paid for by the store’s owner, there have been fewer instances of
stolen goods, Peter said.
“I’m sure when you walk into a store and there’s security, most people would have second thoughts before shoplifting,” he added.
As an extra precaution, the store is installing black shelving near the doors, where shoppers will have to leave their personal bags while perusing the aisles.
While employees at the Duane Reade across the street neglected to
share if there had been instances of theft, reports on the Citizen app have noted two alleged shoplifting incidents at the pharmacy since March.
“Retail crime is one of the top challenges facing our industry today,” said a representative for Walgreens corporate in a statement. “We are focused on the safety of our patients, customers and team members. We continue to take preventative measures to safely deter theft
and aim to deliver the best patient and customer experience. And we are working closely with law enforcement, including the local 102 NYPD precinct, elected officials and community leaders to draw greater attention to and improve our response to retail crime.”
A produce shop owner on Jamaica Avenue, who wanted her store and identity to remain anonymous due to safety concerns, also confirmed she had been told by customers that people had been walking by trying to inconspicuously steal produce.
“It can happen a lot if you’re not paying attention,” she said. “But I can tell when someone looks suspicious.”
According to crime data from the NYPD, the 102nd Precinct has seen a 22.7 percent increase in petit larceny over the latest 28-day period, but a 3.1 percent drop in that category for the year to date. However, robbery is up 25 percent in the 28-day period, and 31 percent year to date.
At a town hall meeting last month, the commanding officer of the 102nd Precinct, Deputy Inspector Jeremy Kivlin, named 85th Street and Jamaica Avenue, near the aforementioned stores, as a site where more officers were being deployed. Q
A quiet street in Ozone Park was victim to a brick-wielding vandal last week.
“I’m trying to get myself back into composure, because I haven’t slept since Monday,” said Michele Colosuonno, a resident whose home was targeted, in a Friday interview with the Chronicle. “My house was Wednesday night, but it started on Monday.”
According to police, at about 2 a.m. last Monday, an unknown individual threw a brick through the front windows of a home on Gold Road, between Crossbay Boulevard and Sitka Street.
Then, on Wednesday at another residence three houses down, an unknown individual again threw two bricks through the front windows at about 2:30 a.m.
The following day, at 4:30 a.m., an individual threw bricks through the front windows at a residence three houses away.
All three times, the perpetrator fled with-
out being caught, police said, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Colosuonno had her nephew stay with her after the first incident occurred Monday as a precaution.
“I never thought they would come and do it again,” she said. “I thought it was just one random thing.”
When her house was targeted Wednesday, she was asleep on her couch with her nephew nearby.
“The glass got all over me and my nephew,” she said. “His feet were bleeding because he ran to the door and there was glass everywhere.”
She said the brick narrowly missed her, and that she was thankful for a table that took the brunt of the damage instead of herself or her nephew. Her phone, however, was damaged — and stopped working right after she had a chance to call the cops.
Colosuonno said police told her they would increase their presence in the area,
Homes on a quiet street in Ozone Park were targets for vandalism throughout last week, as a perpetrator threw bricks at windows on three separate late nights. Police are still investigating the incidents.
and when two detectives drove by the following night, they asked her why she and her son were sitting on her porch with a bat. “Like, really? You’re worried about me?”
she said incredulously. “What am I supposed to do — let them come in my house and just kill me?”
The body camera footage from the officers who responded to a mental health distress call from Win Rozario, 19, of Ozone Park, was released last week by the office of New York State Attorney General Letitia James.
Rozario was fatally shot by police March 27, causing the AG to open a special investigation into the case early last month, as required by law.
The body camera footage was recovered from Officers Salvatore Alongi and Matthew Cianfrocco, both of whom were previously not publicly named.
They are seen approaching the residence at approximately 1:55 p.m. Rozario’s 17-year-old brother, Ushto Rozario, tells the officers his sibling is “having an episode.”
“Is he a bipolar, schizo?” one of the officers asks.
Rozario’s brother says, “He doesn’t know what he’s doing, to be honest.”
He then tells the officers that his brother called 911 on his own.
The authorities enter the residence, where Rozario and his mother, Notan Ava Costa, stand in the kitchen. Rozario is seen combing through a drawer, and approaches the officers with scissors in his hand. In response, Rozario is Tazed by one officer as the other points his
firearm at the teen.
Costa, in a panic, rushes to her son’s aid as the officers yell, to Ushto, “Tell her to get the f--k out of the way!”
Ushto is heard in the background saying, “Please do not shoot my mother.”
Rozario’s mother begs, in front of her son, “Don’t shoot.”
Rozario is then Tazed again, and is seemingly unaffected as he rushes toward the officers. He is shot once, but still stands, as his mother and brother try to restrain him.
As the family panics and screams, four more shots are fired at Rozario until he falls to the floor.
The special investigation is ongoing.
According to police complaint disclosure site 50-a.org, Cianfrocco has had no allegations made against him since he started working for the NYPD in 2015. Alongi has seven allegations and three complaints against him since his start of service in 2008, but none were found to be substantiated.
“It’s been over a month since we lost Win and our hearts are broken,” Rozario’s family said in a justicecommittee.org press release.
“We feel his absence every day. Reliving this is
traumatic and painful. We wish it wasn’t necessary for the video to be public. The video that was released makes it clear that Win should be alive but the police came and murdered him in our kitchen without any care for him or us. The police created a crisis and killed him in cold blood. The officers should be fired and prosecuted for murder as soon as possible.”
At a press conference the day of the inci-
“I foresee a traffic problem here. Drivers blinded at this intersection could end in disaster.”
Ozone Park resident Nick Rafter was driving home from an appointment at around noon last Monday. While stopped at a traffic light southbound at Woodhaven Boulevard and 89th Avenue, he was blinded by sun glare from the roof of the newly installed staircase at the Woodhaven Blvd. J/Z train station.
“It was so bad I couldn’t even see what color the traffic light was,” he told the Chronicle in an email. “Even with sunglasses.”
Rafter took action by notifying an area representative, Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven).
A Rajkumar staffer confirmed that Rafter reached out to them via social media, and that the MTA had been notified.
The following day, Rajkumar took to X to respond to Rafter directly.
“Good news! I spoke with @MTA,” she wrote. “The new roof will have another type of material that is not reflective, so this should not be an issue once the construction is finished. Thank you for reaching out and for looking out for our community.”
An MTA representative, Kayla Shults, confirmed that the agency is taking care of the problem.
“Ensuring a safe environment for our customers alike is always a priority and the MTA has already taken action to address the glare at the Woodhaven Blvd station,” Shults said in a statement.
Asked the cost of the roof replacement, Shults said it is included in the $40 million allotted in the station’s ADA accessibility upgrades and station improvements, which is slated to be complete in the fall.
Rafter, a former Chronicle editor, told the paper he was glad Rajkumar was able to get an answer on the issue.
In a statement to the Chronicle, Rajkumar said, “I spoke to the MTA about the dangerous reflection coming from the Woodhaven Blvd J/Z Station’s stairs roofing. I am pleased to announce that the agency plans to add a layer of non-reflective material that will fix the problem. I thank
An elected official and state agency promise action after a resident noticed potentially hazardous sun glare at the Woodhaven Blvd. J/Z train station.
my Ozone Park neighbor for bringing this safety hazard to my attention. Hearing from my constituents every day is one of the highlights of my job and allows me to be the best representative I can be.” Q
dent, NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell said the officers had no choice but to use their firearms to defend themselves.
In a statement, the NYPD said it is fully cooperating with the state attorney general’s investigation, and that the agency’s Force Investigation Division is conducting its own investigation.
“The two police officers involved remain on modified assignment,” the statement said. “An officer on modified assignment does not carry a shield or a firearm.”
On Wednesday, a City Hall rally called for the firing and prosecution of Alongi and Cianfrocco. The Rozario family was in attendance. According to videos and social media posts from attendees, Ushto told the crowd that Mayor Adams “is sending the message that NYPD can murder teenagers in their homes and get away with it.” Through a translator, Costa said, “I begged the police not to shoot, but they still killed him.
... “No mother should have to go through the pain I am living through.”
Rozario’s father said, “I’m worried about if we can get justice because it feels like the system is rigged against us.” Q
At last Thursday’s Community Board 10 meeting, it was announced that MTA Construction & Development is performing flood mitigation work at the Hamilton Beach substation, at 104th Street and 164th Drive.
Test pits and exploratory work was set to begin on April 22 and last two to three weeks, according to the notice read aloud by Chairwoman Betty Braton. Following that work, the agency said it will “fully mobilize” on June 3.
Work will include the installation of micropiles and deep foundations, drainage and hardscaping within MTA property and flood walls, construction of rain tanks and flood gates, internal hardening of the south wall and installation of digital sensors to monitor vibration and noise. All work will be from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., the notice said.
Sidewalks and parking lanes adjacent to the site will be closed for about eight months to allow for construction equipment access and egress and material storage, the agency said. Anticipated completion is late fall of this year.
Q — Kristen Guglielmo
Holocaust survivor Renee Kann Silver, 93, visited the Chabad Of Howard Beach on Sunday to speak with the congregation about her experiences.
According to an account of the evening from Rabbi Avrohom Richter, Silver eloquently recounted being an 11-year-old girl during the Holocaust. She told attendees that a housekeeper brought her to a parade, not knowing what it really was. While she was at the parade, she spotted Adolf Hitler in attendance.
But she escaped the fate that befell so many millions of others.
“At 11 years old, with her sister of 9 years old, she traveled great distances on her own without her parents, in which she saved herself and her sister and eventually reunited with her parents,” Richter said. “She attributed many of her survival stories to righteous gentiles who helped them on the way.”
Richter added, “We also spoke about the rise in anti-Semitism in today’s day and age and in New York itself, and how we are not going to cower in its face, and we’re going
to be proud to be who we are, and continue to live our lives as directed in the Torah.”
Richter said more than 100 people were in attendance, including Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park), and Phyllis Inserillo, Ariola’s chief of staff and the copresident of the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic. Q
The student government of PS 232 in Lindenwood was in for a treat when members visited City Hall May 3 on a field trip, made possible by Councilwoman Joann Ariola. According to a release from her office, the future leaders experienced a mock hearing and deepened their understanding of local lawmaking.
“It was truly a pleasure to invite the next generation of leaders into City Hall last week,” Ariola said in a statement. “Many people don’t fully understand how local government functions. By letting these young men and women see the inner workings of government, we can enhance their civic bonds and give
them the foundation necessary to make real changes in the future. I look forward to seeing what each and every one of them does in the years to come — I know they will all do great things!”
“What a memorable City Hall visit,” said Cheryl Rizzo, a teacher at PS 232 and the student government organizer. “The mock hearing was such a great experience. I am so grateful to be part of a wonderful community who inspires our youth! Thank you to Joann Ariola for providing this opportunity. Also, thank you to all of the chaperones for making the trip possible.”
CYNTHIA J. CONZA, ESQ.
It didn’t take long for Mayor Adams to walk back his claim that within a month of getting new authority from Albany, he’d close all the city’s illegal pot shops. Oh, well. Politicians exaggerate when they’re pushing for something. No one ever took him literally.
So last week, closing them all in a month — and he now says there are 2,800 citywide — became making “a substantial dent.” And on Tuesday the mayor announced the start of a citywide operation to shut them down.
The key was that Albany had to allow municipalities to close illegal pot shops immediately, while up until now they have had to jump through hoops, clear hurdles and cut red tape. The dealers have just had to get more weed.
But now, although the Sheriff’s Office has to “deputize” the NYPD for some reason, law enforcement can conduct raids and make them count. That should mean an illegal smoke shop won’t be able to turn around and reopen as soon as the cops drive away. The only requirement is that the store qualify as an “egregious actor,” meaning that it sells pot to kids, operates next to a school or place of worship, put someone in the hospital, has illegal guns on site or sells unregulated marijuana.
That last bit is key. All the illegal shops sell unregulated marijuana. And that’s what the city and state have to put a stop to so the legal stores can make it. Just last week, parents and officials gathered to protest a shop in Jackson Heights that had been closed and immediately reopened. It’s within view of a K-12 charter school.
Maybe with his newly granted powers, Adams, the former cop who’s gone on some vice raids personally since he’s been in office, can get such joints shut for good.
Meanwhile, the state’s Office of Cannabis Management — you know, the folks who falsely tell us there is “healthy” marijuana out there, the kind that has Albany’s stamp of approval — remains a rolling disaster. On Tuesday, a couple OCM reps left the members of the Queens Borough Cabinet shaking their heads over possible loopholes that could allow legal dispensaries to be located closer to schools and houses of worship than everyone thought. Details are in a story we have this week.
Will the authorities ever straighten out and fly right when it comes to legal weed? Probably not. That’s the opposite of the whole pot paradigm. But surely they can do better than they have been. Surely they can ... right?
The Town of Hempstead is late to the party, but that’s OK — it brought enough drinks for everyone. Our distinguished neighbors to the east, who somehow saw fit to break away from Queens County in 1898 and help form something called “Nassau,” don’t want to pay any more into the ravenous beast called the MTA. So, they just filed suit to block congestion pricing.
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before.
You sure have! The State of New Jersey has filed suit to block congestion pricing. So has the mayor of Fort Lee, NJ. So have the United Federation of Teachers, the Municipal Labor Committee, the Staten Island NAACP and the Staten Island borough president. So has a coalition of people mostly from the Lower East Side but including Eastern Queens’ own activist attorney Corey Bearak.
Yes, four separate lawsuits, now five. Each make their own legal arguments — many of them compelling. Hempstead notes that the subway, which congestion pricing is partly designed to force people into, is so dangerous the governor sent the National Guard in to keep order. Ouch!
We’ve always opposed new tolls. Welcome, Hempstead.
MARK WEIDLER
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Dear Editor:
Re Sophie Krichevsky’s May 2 report “Saturday library service in jeopardy”:
As a Queens Public Library patron, I regret reduced services resulting from a $16.6 billion city budget cut, caused in part by the migrant crisis. This places more pressure on the QPL and other city library systems to stop wasting funds and resources on executive pay and a dysfunctional organizational structure.
NYC’s top five public library executives earned a collective compensation of over $2.2 billion in 2023, noted the New York Post (“Eyes on exec $tacks amid cuts to libraries,” March 17). NY Public Library Chief Financial Officer Geetanjali Gupta was the top earner, at $1,340,405 a year, while Queens Public Library President Dennis Walcott was the lowest paid at $336,953. How do these taxpayer-funded entities justify such lavish pay?
The roster of overpaid execs reflects another problem. NYC has three separate public library systems: one for Queens, another for Brooklyn and a third for the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island. This situation dates back to the time before 1898 when all five boroughs were incorporated into one city — 126 years ago. It’s time for our public libraries to reflect reality by consolidating into one centralized system, to eliminate redundant resources, duplication of services and excessive administrative costs.
Public libraries do not tolerate long-overdue books. Library users and taxpayers must not tolerate delays in long overdue changes to deal with unprecedented financial pressures. Libraries benefit everyone. Their waste hurts all of us.
Richard Reif Kew Gardens Hills
Dear Editor:
It certainly took long enough, but it’s good the state is trying to close illegal pot shops. We’ll have to see if they are competent enough to succeed in this, but at least they’ve finally accepted responsibility.
A problem no one is talking about is the omnipresent smell of marijuana on the street. This is serious for those that are sensitive to it. The smell, and other quality-of-life issues, have made it unpleasant to walk the streets — important for a pedestrian city like New York.
New York is one of the few states to legalize
public use. Two state senators have introduced a bill to change this, but the Democrat/Progressive-dominated state Legislature is unlikely to ever pass it.
Michelle Canion Forest HillsDear Editor:
I have decided to write this letter to all the relevant authorities, because the problem is getting worse and worse. I mean Flushing Corona Meadows Park, where every weekend people with speakers installed in their cars are using them to the best of their ability.
I have lived four blocks from the park for over 30 years. I have never had to stop using my yard because of the deafening noise from the park before, and obviously that goes for my neighbors, as well. We wonder why the authorities have not been active.
There are laws that prohibit the use of
speakers of such caliber, but we feel that the authorities have forgotten this park, which was once a pleasure to visit but today has become a no man’s land. We see how our real estate taxes go up, and the values of our properties too, but the best thing we had, a beautiful park so close, no longer exists. We have noise, garbage, barbecuing on the ground, drunk people and even fights. We wonder what has happened to the authorities like the police and the park administration, who are not doing anything, and they should know very well what we are talking about.
I hope this letter gets some reception and we can have a different summer this year.
Silvia Zacconi FlushingDear Editor:
Re Stephen DiFede’s “My green dilemma,” Letters, April 18, and Linda Dobson’s “Live tree dilemma,” April 25:
Both had called 311 to no avail when they should have called their local city councilmember and been consistent about it!
It is their job to represent you while in office and respond to your concerns.
Everyone should know who represents them in government and they should know your name and realize they will hear from you when needed to fix a problem or voice your opinion about laws that affect your community.
Thomas and Constance Dowd
Oakland GardensDear Editor:
Venice, Italy, has started a five-euro per-person charge for tourists coming into their city. Scofflaws will be penalized 300 euros! It doesn’t include charges for their museums or churches in Venice, just the entry.
NYC gets millions of tourists every day coming into Manhattan. If we were to charge a fee for entrance into Manhattan it would cover a lot of the MTA deficit and more! The museums, etc., would still charge their fees, and CityPass would include an extra $5 for the entry fee. Congestion pricing for NYC residents could be reduced (not very likely), but it could be addressed.
Alexander Glatt Woodhaven
Dear Editor:
Congratulations to the Queens Chronicle for the 14 awards it won at the New York Press Association Spring Conference (“Chronicle wins 14 journalism awards,” May 2).
The Chronicle is a superb newspaper. I look forward to it every week. Articles and stories are well written, unbiased and cover issues of local importance often overlooked in the mainstream city media. In particular I enjoy “I Have Often Walked.”
I also find your editorials willing to tackle and take positions other media outlets avoid, such as bail reform and squatters.
William Aiello Howard Beach
Dear Editor:
I look forward to my weekly issues of your Chronicle. I especially liked seeing the faces behind your bylines (“Chronicle wins 14 journalism awards”).
So many newspapers are lost to publishing giants and suffer loss of their former prestige. May your advertisers bring in substantial revenue to permit free distribution. I often use the ads as needed for services and repairs.
Thank you for my weekly gift.
BK Brumberg Howard Beach
Dear Editor:
After many long days of hearing and seeing thousands of hateful anti-Jewish, anti-American, anti-Israel, anti-capitalism college kids and non college kids riot, destroy campus property, bully Jewish students from attending class at Columbia, NYU, FIT, The New School and other colleges, the second-highest office holder in New York City, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, was sadly against the college presidents’ decision to call in the NYPD to put an end to the trespassing and violence.
Law and order is something this man has a problem with. According to an April 19 report in City and State New York, Williams said: “Protest is a right, civil disobedience, a powerful tool. And arrest at some point is a part of elevating the message.”
What message is this guy talking about, intimidation and insults and chaos?
What a shame the taxpayers have to pay Williams $184,800, and have him be next in line to be mayor should the present mayor become unable to serve, according to the City Charter. Williams’ title should be changed from public advocate to public agitator.
Kevin O’Leary Kew Gardens
Dear Editor:
I believe Sen. Bernie Sanders has turned his back on the Jewish citizens of the United States of America. I therefore, turn my back on him. Rep. Ilhan Omar is ignorant for advocating protection of even the “pro-genocide” students. Sanders is not ignorant. I believe Sanders is afraid of his own shadow.
By stating he is waiting for the World Court to define genocide before he will disagree or dispute the statement of Congresswoman Omar, he is putting his fellow citizens in physical and emotional danger. I do not agree with the support being shown for Hamas — and yes, it is support if there are no statements condemning the events of Oct. 7, no statements condemning the rapes, torture and executions of Israeli woman and no pleas to release the hostages. My lack of support for Hamas does not make me a person who advocates genocide.
Prior to my retirement I worked in Downtown Manhattan. In 1993 I was at 90 Church St., right across from the World Trade Center. I heard the bomb go off. I was not afraid to return continued on next page
continued from previous page
to work and walk the streets in the area. On Sept. 11, 2001, my office was a few blocks north. I was working from home that day but in subsequent weeks I saw the debris on my office desk, the damage and absolute collapse of the site, and breathed in the fire refuse for some months. I still was not afraid.
On this day I am very, very afraid. This is a country in which persons of East Asian appearance are physically attacked because the former president who lost called Covid the “Chinese flu.” What will happen when the world accepts a possible ruling of genocide? No Jew is safe. Even Bernie.
Andrea Harris BaysideDear Editor:
U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, Republican from North Carolina, said of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican from Georgia, “I think she’s uninformed. She is a total waste of time. She is a horrible leader. She is dragging our brand down. She — not the Democrats — [is] the biggest risk to us getting back to a majority.”
Do New York’s Democratic Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer have the courage to say of Rep. Alexandria OcasioCortez, “I think she’s uninformed. She is a
total waste of time. She is a horrible leader. She is dragging our brand down. She — not the Republicans — is the biggest risk to us losing our majority”?
DavidSoukup
SunnysideDear Editor:
I take my political hat off to Robert LaRosa Sr. for his succinct May 2 letter, “No tolerance for Trump.” Especially for noting the remark, “Our military are suckers and losers.” I served in our Army — we were winners!
Joe Biden will win the White House again, and the Democrats will win the other two houses ... Congress!
Anthony G. Pilla Forest HillsWe want to hear from new voices! Letters should be no longer than 300 words and may be edited for length, clarity and other reasons. They may be emailed to letters@qchron.com. Please include your phone number, which will not be published. Those received anonymously are discarded.
The New Hamilton Beach Civic Association and the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Park Conservancy joined forces last Saturday for a cleanup at Hamilton Beach Park.
Nearly 20 volunteers removed over 1,400 pounds of litter, trash and debris from the park, according to a press release from Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato, center, who joined in on the efforts. Findings included plastic and glass bottles, tires, rubber foam and a dagger.
“I am so appreciative of the volunteers who came to make our park and shorelines safe and clean. While these cleanups are vital, we must step up our game to teach
people you cannot use Hamilton Beach Park, or any park, as a dumping ground,” Pheffer Amato said in a statement. Her office added that she plays a key role in a federal parks task force to improve safety.
“This event not only cleansed our shores but also strengthened the bonds of our community, proving that when we come together, we can make a significant impact,” said Roger Gendron, center right, president of the New Hamilton Beach Civic Association. At far left is his wife and the civic’s treasurer, Holly Gendron, alongside volunteer Armando Ramos and Anil Pasram, the stewardship coordinator of the conservatory.
Community Board 9, state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) and scores of residents made great strides to raise awareness during the second annual Autism and Developmental Disability Walk and Resource Fair last Saturday at Phil “Scooter” Rizzuto Park in Richmond Hill.
More than 100 people came out to show their support for the cause. The walk was led with pride by Community Board 9 Chair Sherry Algredo and her 20-yearold son, Joseph, who was diagnosed with autism during his childhood.
Participants walked around the perimeter of the park four times, holding signs, banners and balloons and waving to passersby who cheered them on.
Algredo expressed pride in leading the walk with her son, who she said is her “inspiration behind this vision.”
“This walk was personal to me,” Algredo told the Chronicle. “I get to see life through his eyes and I get to advocate for him. Joseph will always be loved and we will make sure there is a safe space for him and others with developmental disabilities.”
“They believe in change. This is what Richmond Hill is.”
Participants of all ages attended the walk, from families pushing strollers to the elderly walking side by side. Students from Richmond Hill High School marched with a large banner that read, “Diversity is our strength.” Several leaders and officials were in attendance, including Councilmember Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills) and the CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, Tom Grech.
— Sherry Algredo, Community Board 9 chairwoman
A major highlight of the event was Addabbo’s announcement that he had secured $900,000 in the state budget to build a sensory playground in the very park where the walk was held. He said the idea was born out of last year’s walk, when he overheard school psychologist Janet Forte express a need for the developmentally disabled community to have a sensory park.
“Just to merely run, to play, to talk, to learn — for so many it comes naturally, it’s
easy. But for others, it’s very, very difficult, for them and their families,” Addabbo said. “It’s up to us as a community, as elected officials, to do what we can for this rising need for these individuals and their families.”
Several organizations that serve individuals with autism and developmental disabilities set up tents and tables throughout the park, distributing educational materials to participants and connecting with families.
Toya Davis, parent liaison for the Tiegerman School, said her organization provides services to those on the autism spectrum, no matter their age, “from cradle to grave.” Davis emphasized the importance of Community Board 9’s event and expressed excitement to “let families know we exist.”
Vanessa Bonilla, the intake manager at Mercy Drive Inc., an organization that provides a variety of behavioral services to those with developmental disabilities, said that the event was ideal for community inclusion.
“It brings everyone together,” she said. “It’s a good thing for the Queens community
to come together and just provide as much information as possible for families that are in need of it.”
Algredo ensured that participants were fueled with delicious food for the walk; she collaborated with the owners of the Caribbean Cabana restaurant to serve free lunch throughout the day. Every participant was also treated to free ice cream after the walk, courtesy of the Sikh community. She expressed gratitude for all who participated in the event, saying that change begins with community.
“They believe in change,” Algredo said, gesturing to those walking around the park. “This is what Richmond Hill is. We’re a melting pot of people who love each other.” Q
Mayor Adams announced that as of Tuesday, all New York City public schools are composting their food waste.
“Composting is a win-win-win — it keeps waste out of landfills, greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere, and rats out of our communities,” Adams said in a statement. “We’re proud to bring our nation-leading composting program to all of our city’s public schools ahead of schedule, and we’re excited for the cleaner, greener buildings and sidewalks that
this initiative will create.”
According to Joshua Goodman, a spokesperson for the Department of Sanitation, some schools in Western Queens were among the final 180 citywide to roll out composting; he could not say for sure which Western Queens schools that included, however.
With those final additions, the Adams administration has expanded curbside composting to more than 1,000 schools since January 2022. For approximately a decade before that, only half of the city’s public schools collected food waste. Some private and charter
schools do so, as well. More than 47 percent of refuse generated by city schools is food waste and food-soiled paper, Adams’ office said.
According to the Mayor’s Office, custodians, faculty and students all received training on how to properly separate waste and its importance. Some schools have student “Green Teams” or monitors who remind their peers of how to correctly sort their food waste during lunchtime. Cafeterias have designated spaces and containers for different materials: one for liquids, one for food waste, composta-
ble trays and silverware and food-soiled paper, another for recycling and one for items that cannot be recycled or composted. The food waste is put on the curb for pickup in sealed containers five evenings a week. Goodman said the material is either used to create renewable energy or is taken to either the DSNY’s Staten Island or Greenpoint facilities to be made into compost. While some of that compost is sold to landscapers, most of it is given out to residents and community groups and used in area parks.
Republican candidates for Congress and the state Legislature held a “Secure the Border” press conference Monday in Jamaica in front of the Hillcrest Hotel, which is being used as a migrant shelter.
Throughout the event the GOP challengers to U.S. Rep. Greg Meeks (D-Jamaica), state Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky (D-College Point) and Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman (D-Springfield Gardens) said it is time to prioritize taxpaying citizens and legal immigrants and deport illegal migrants out of the city.
Paul King (Congressional District 5 candidate), Yiatin Chu (Senate District 11 candidate) and Dwayne Moore (Assembly District 29 candidate) said they are not ignorant to the plight of asylum seekers but the U.S.-Mexico border needs to be secure and the city’s resources are being strained while quality-of-life issues fall to the wayside.
“This crisis represents a failure of government on every level: federal, state and city,” said King. “On the federal level, it’s not a failure anymore, it’s a betrayal. It’s a betrayal for legal immigrants, people who came here the right way, who have been working hard for years, spending money, working toward having a green card and praying for the day they can put their hand over their heart and say, ‘I pledge allegiance to the United States of America.’”
King said it is wrong that those who are working toward becoming naturalized citizens are being skipped over by those entering the country illegally. He also felt that it is a betrayal to homeowners who have to deal with quality-oflife problems brought on by migrant shelters and to homeless people, especially veterans, who are lacking assistance to get back on their feet as resources are being allocated to help asylum seekers.
King said that Meeks’ claims that Republicans are to blame for the lack of comprehensive immigration reform is unfounded, and that the number of migrants at the border was consistent under both presidents Obama and Trump, but has exploded under Biden.
“What changed?” said King. “It had nothing to do with legislation and everything to do with Joe Biden going into the White House ... We are feeling the effects here in Queens. The people here need relief.”
King said that even if Trump replaces Biden in the White House, an executive order alone will not solve the problem. Instead, Congress needs to pass HR2, the Secure the Border Act, stop watering down the meaning of asylum seeker, quickly give people their day in court to prove why they need asylum and give the next president, via new laws, the ability to go after coyote cartels in Mexico.
“This is the face of evil in the Americas,” King said. “They are running a human trafficking operation making billion of dollars and the people they are victimizing are being sexually abused. They are abusing children and we are aiding and abetting it.”
“This crisis represents a failure of government on every level.”
— Candidate Paul King
Chu said 175,000 migrants have been permitted into the city over the past two years, which equates to filling Citi Field four times. She also said that housing and feeding 65,000 asylum seekers in migrant shelters is costing the city about $10 billion, which is about $140,000 per migrant household, approximately double what the average working New Yorker makes.
“We have to pay taxes, we have to pay for our housing and we have to pay for food to feed our families,” Chu said. “We are spending nine times more on an illegal migrant than we are spending on educating a student at our New York City public schools.”
at the schoolyard.
“Parents told me that the schoolyard used to be crowded with kids, especially when the weather gets nicer as it is now,” said the Senate candidate. “Now, few parents will take their kids to the schoolyard after dismissal.”
Chu said she also spoke to a local grandmother who keeps an eye out for suspicious people who may walk the school’s grounds to make sure no harm comes to the children.
“She tells me that the men are walking around the neighborhood, trespassing on properties and picking through garbage on her streets. They simply do not feel safe,” said Chu. “The financial burden to our city is not sustainable.”
The state’s latest budget includes about $2.4 billion for asylum seekers, but Chu believes those funds should have been allocated toward a one-way bus ticket out of the state for them.
The city is deteriorating, said Moore.
“We are allowing the unchecked flow of people into our city that we are incentivizing by using our tax dollars to take care of them while we are standing right here next to a hotel they changed into a migrant shelter,” Moore said. “It is standing right next to a residential apartment and behind that is a school.”
The money going toward asylum seekers could be put toward fixing roads, mitigating flooding and other infrastructure projects, said the District 29 candidate.
“That is going toward helping people break our federal immigration laws,” Moore said. He noted that less than 50 percent of the state’s kids read at their grade level.
“Children in schools — their services are being cut,” said King. “The government is taking the funds away from them and they are diverting it to people who enter illegally.”
Last Thursday, Chu said she visited PS 18 in Queens Village, which is across the street from the Creedmoor migrant shelter that has 1,000 migrant men. At approximately 2 p.m., she said, several were walking down Hillside Avenue back to their tent while others were on benches
Chu said she supports ending the city’s sanctuary status, supporting laws that allow the police to report on noncitizens committing crimes and enforce labor laws to prevent asylum seekers from getting jobs that should go to legal residents.
“As New York State senator, I would deter, deport and defund to stop illegal immigrants from coming to New York,” she said.
“They added an additional 10,000 kids to an overstretched school system that already has a historic teacher shortage and we don’t even have enough specialized programs for our kids ...” he said. “That is taking the future from our kids. This is a five-alarm fire. This is unacceptable. This is not about being against the migrants, this is about being for our country. This is about being for our city first. Our tax dollars should be for us. Our politicians are elected to take care of us. They have neglected their duty.” Q
The Adams administration has awarded a $3.9 billion contract to design and build the new Queens community jail.
The city’s Department of Design and Construction has chosen the Leon D. DeMatteis Construction Corp. of Elmont, LI, for the project. In a related matter, the DDC awarded $2.9 billion contract for the new Bronx jail.
In an email, a DDC spokesman said construction on the Queens facility will start in August. It will have a maximum height of 195
feet, and will total 764,350 square feet. Construction is scheduled to begin in August. It will be built behind the Queens Criminal Courthouse, on Queens Boulevard in Kew Gardens. Work on adjacent buildings and a nearby parking garage already are well underway. The DDC email stressed while the contract with DeMatteis runs through 2031, that does not mean construction will take that long; and that the city will work with the firm to find some time savings.
The city by law is required to shut down Rikers Island as a jail by 2027, though Mayor
Adams and numerous other public officials have expressed concern over whether it will be accomplished on time. New jails in each borough except Staten Island are slated to have space for just over 4,000 inmates. The present population of Rikers is about 6,000.
The jail will have 1,040 beds. Queens is the only site for female detainees and will have 590 beds for men and 450 for women. It will require duplicate admission and transport areas, visiting areas, health services, cafeteria and elevators. It also will also have a nursing area for women. All, the DDC said, account
for the higher cost.
“The hellhole that is Rikers Island must close and it must close yesterday. Any delay in doing so is unconscionable and unlawful,” Borough President Donovan Richards said in an email. City Hall must move with the urgency of now to expedite the closure of Rikers Island and the construction of the boroughbased jail system. It’s as much of a moral obligation as it is a legal one.”
Richards added that failure to complete the porject before 2031, “will undoubtedly result in more lives being lost.” Q
Last Sunday at Russo’s on the Bay, the Kiwanis Club of Howard Beach hosted its 62nd annual dinner and dance in honor of the group’s decades of service.
Since its inception, the club has participated in countless community events and has donated to a number of charities, both in and out of Howard Beach.
Each year, the club picks honorees to present with awards for their work in the community. This year, Andrew Baumann, the club’s immediate past president, received the President’s Award, Michelle Stoddard of Resorts World NYC took home the Community Service
Award and Peter Mancuso, Kiwanis International President for 2021-22, was given the Clement Vicari Service Award.
The club also acknowledged its many benefactors in a statement on its Facebook page.
“We would like to acknowledge our donating sponsors to be officially recognized for their continuous financial support assisting this organization and membership, the ability to achieve this historic milestone celebrating our ‘62nd Annual Dinner Dance’ honoring those who have made a positive footprint in society for generations to come,” it said.
— Kristen Guglielmocontinued from page 4
Colosuonno reached out to PJ Marcel, a prominent community figure, anticrime activist and administrator of the Howard Beach Dads Facebook page, to alert him.
Marcel went out to conduct his own investigation and speak to victims. He gathered information and photos, and sent them to the Chronicle.
The perpetrator did not appear on the evening Marcel drove out.
“I didn’t hear it,” she said. “My sister and my son did. My son ran outside as soon as he heard the break, and I think [the perpetrator] just ducked into a side yard, because no one on the block has video of them. It’s crazy.”
“Our block is being terrorized.”
—
In a video a neighbor provided to Marcel with permission to publish, a man can be seen peering around homes on the street before throwing bricks through two windows of one house and fleeing the scene.
Tannuzzo said officers made it to her home in about three minutes, and that police had been back at night, but asked why neighbors were outside keeping watch.
Ozone Park resident Gaetana Tannuzzo
Marcel also said one neighbor saw the perpetrator attempt to vandalize another home, but that he fled before damage could be done. The resident in question did not respond to a request for comment.
Gaetana Tannuzzo’s home was a target for the vandal on Thursday.
“People were waiting outside to see if anybody would come,” she told the Chronicle. “I went downstairs at around 3:30, and my son was like, ‘I don’t think they’ll hit tonight.’”
A half hour later, Tannuzzo’s home was the next to fall victim to the vandal.
“Our block is being terrorized. What do you expect?” she said.
Tannuzzo also quelled any idea that homes were being targeted due to a conflict.
“My son is 17 years old, and he doesn’t have a problem with anybody. ... I asked him, and he said he doesn’t bother with anybody. And I think if my son had beef, they would hit my house, nobody else’s.” She added, “It’s not young kids doing it, anyway. You can tell.”
Both residents naturally are hoping the perpetrator is caught so their street can go back to feeling safe.
“I’m not sure why it’s this block,” Tannuzzo said. “It’s quiet. The only issue we have is with cars speeding down the block. Other than that, we don’t bother anybody.” Q
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Haze Land, an illegal smoke shop located at 37-07 82 St. in Jackson Heights, drew a crowd of people on Wednesday, May 1. However, instead of buying cannabis, lawmakers, local parents and educators were there to protest illegal smoke shops in their neighborhood.
Haze Land, which is located down the street from Renaissance Charter School, was shut down by the Sheriff’s Office on April 20 but reopened the next day to the dismay of community members. During the press conference, Assemblymember Catalina Cruz (D-Corona) said the stores were dangerous due to their lack of regulation and their packaging, which could attract the attention of children.
“They are not tested,” Cruz said. “They don’t use union labor. They put people’s lives at risk. And worst of all, the majority of the packaging is for children. How do we know that they’re not allowing children in there?”
According to the Office of Cannabis Management, legal dispensaries are not to be within 500 feet or on the same street as an educational facility. Haze Land and Renaissance are within view of each other across 37th Avenue. Maria Patino Garcia, whose daughter is a seventh-grader at Renaissance, said she is concerned with how close Haze
Land is to the K-12 charter school and said she alerted the NYPD to the shop’s proximity during a school safety meeting in March.
“I know that flashy lights, little flashy packaging, colorful packaging, sparks the mind of even the best kids,” Patino Garcia said in an interview. “I don’t want it to come into our school. I don’t want it to affect our children.”
The day of the raid in Jackson Heights, April 20, Gov. Hochul announced that, among other measures, the new state budget would allocate funds for law enforcement to begin cracking down on landlords who rent to illegal pot shops. The fine is now $50,000, but prior to that, landlords like the ones who rented to Haze Land only had to pay $5,000 for hosting illegal smoke shops. City Councilmember Shekar Krishnan (D-Jackson Heights) said that stores selling unlicensed cannabis were treating the fee as the price of doing business.
“For far too long, there were loopholes in the law that allowed people to treat this as just the cost of doing business,” Krishnan said during the press conference. “We [illegal dispensaries] open up, we’ll get shut down, we’ll get hit with a fine, we’ll pay the fine — but tomorrow, we’ll be back open, we’ll make that money right back by selling poison to our communities.”
Haze Land was closed during the protest, and no contact information for the owner could be found online afterward.
Stacey Gauthier, principal of Renaissance Charter, said elected officials need to step up in order to shut down illegal and unregulated dispensaries across the city. According to Gauthier, Haze Land is just one of several smoke shops in the area.
“What’s it going to take? Is it going to take for a child to get sick, a child to die, because we do not know what they’re ingesting because the shops do not follow the rule?”
Gauthier said. “I know some
The man who allegedly killed NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller in Far Rockaway March 25 has been indicted on first-degree murder and other charges, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Tuesday.
Guy Rivera, 34, whose last known address was in Woodside, shot Diller when he and other officers approached a car he was in, authorities say. The officer posthumously was promoted to detective.
“Detective Diller was shot and killed while trying to rid our streets of illegal weapons, a lawless act that was an affront to a civilized society,” Katz said in a prepared
of these are your own children; we need to keep this fight up.”
Assemblymember Steven Raga (D-Maspeth) said the communities and lawmakers across the state needed to step up to fight the continuing openings of illegal marijuana stores in New York State.
“They keep popping up every few blocks. This is not just an issue for Jackson Heights. This is not just an issue for Queens; we see it across the city and across the state,” Raga said during the press conference.
Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas (D-East Elmhurst) said that not only were the illegal shops putting children at risk, they were also side-stepping the proper laws and taxes that come with opening a legal dispensary.
“These shops are also violating interstate commerce law. The legal shops are required to sell cannabis and products from New York State farmers and New York State distribu-
tors,” González-Rojas said during the press conference. “So again [the shops are] violating the law, evading taxes and harming our New York State farmers that are benefiting from the Marijuana Regulation Taxation Act.” Q
All are invited to the next Ozone Park Residents Block Association meeting on Thursday, May 9, at Majestic Marquise, located at 88-03 101 Ave. A social hour will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the meeting at 7.
Agenda items include presentation of Cop of the Month awards, reports from the commanding officers of the NYPD’s 102nd and 106th precincts and updates on community events. For more information, visit ozpkrba.com. Q
statement. “His tragic death is a painful reminder that we must never let up in our quest to get these guns and those who use them off of our streets. We are grateful that the grand jury returned serious charges against the defendant. Our thoughts are with Detective Diller’s family, friends and colleagues as they continue to grieve. We will seek justice for him.”
Rivera faces the possibility of life in prison without parole. His co-defendant, Lindy Jones, 41, of Edgemere, faces up to 30 years. Both are being held without bail. Q
— Peter C. Mastrosimone
One man is dead and three others are injured after a shooting early last Saturday in Richmond Hill.
According to authorities, on May 4 at approximately 1:30 a.m., police responded to a call of an assault in progress at 108-11 Atlantic Ave. Upon arrival, officers observed a 24-year-old male shot in the chest, later identified as Jefari Dobie of Brooklyn, a 45-year-old man shot in the left leg and a 26-year-old man shot in the right arm, police said.
EMS transported Dobie to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he was
pronounced deceased. The two other men were transported to NewYork-Presbyterian/Queens hospital in stable condition.
Police said a 43-year-old male victim later arrived at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center via private means with three gunshot wounds, two to the right arm and one to the left leg. He was listed in stable condition.
No arrests have been made, police said, and the investigation remains ongoing. Multiple reports said the shooting occurred at a baby shower. Q — Kristen Guglielmo
A New Jersey man was arrested for threatening to “shoot up” John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office.
According to the charges, on April 30 at approximately 8:30 a.m., the estranged wife of Darnell King, 39, was in Terminal 5 at JFK Airport after returning from an overseas flight when she received a text message and video from King, the DA’s Office said. He said he was going to meet her at the airport and that the recording was his “last will and testament.”
In the video, with a firearm visible in the passenger seat, King allegedly said, “I’m going to wait for the plane to leave, and that is when I am going to start shooting the airport up. This is a day in history that you and everybody will always remember.”
Approximately one hour later, the victim allegedly received another video and text message from King standing at his vehicle at the airport, in which he said, “I don’t know what makes you think that I was lying. I am here.”
The DA’s Office said the Port Authority
Police Department responded to Terminal 5, and the defendant was apprehended by PAPD and NYPD officers at approximately 11:50 a.m. at the nearby Resorts World Casino in South Ozone Park.
According to the charges, following the execution of a search warrant on King’s vehicle, officers removed a Taurus 9 mm handgun with one round in the chamber and a magazine that contained eight rounds, a Taurus .40-caliber handgun with one round in the chamber and a magazine with three bullets, an additional two bullets from a cup holder and an air pistol loaded with multiple pellets.
King was arraigned May 2 on four counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, making a terroristic threat, two counts of criminal possession of a firearm, two counts of criminal possession of a firearm, rifle or shotgun in a sensitive location, menacing in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree and unlawful possession of pistol ammunition.
King is being held and was ordered to return to court on May 28. He faces up to 15 years if convicted. Q
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A South Ozone Park couple will have to pay more than $380,000 in restitution and void the deeds of five of the homes they stole throughout Southeast Queens over the course of a year as they await sentencing for the crimes to which they pleaded guilty.
According to District Attorney Melinda Katz’s office, Justin Joseph, 45, and his wife, Latoya Hewitt, 49, both confessed to offering a false instrument for filing. In addition, the former also pleaded guilty to scheming to defraud.
Prosecutors said Hewitt was involved in the theft of one home and could face a one-year conditional discharge after she agreed to release her ownership over the stolen home and make restitution of $48,751.48. Her husband, who has agreed to void the deeds of all five properties and make restitution of $335,256.76 could face one to three years in prison. The proceeds are to come from the fraudulent sale of two of the properties.
The DA’s Office said that its Housing & Worker Protection Bureau conducted a longterm investigation into the deed fraud and the duo was arrested on April 12.
“No one should think they will get away with stealing the most valuable asset most people ever work to attain,” Katz said in a statement. “My Housing and Worker Protection Bureau focuses on safeguarding homeowners from predatory real estate scams.”
The bureau had teamed up with the city’s Sheriff’s Office for the case.
“We are pleased to announce that collaboration between the New York City Sheriff’s Office and the Queens District Attorney’s Office has resulted in two arrests for the theft of Queens properties,” Sheriff Anthony Miranda said in a statement. “We will continue to combat deed fraud and collaborate with our partners in all agencies to bring justice to those criminals victimizing the elderly and families from our communities.”
Katz’ office said that it will file a motion to
a state statute to restore the deeds of the homes to the rightful property owners to spare the victims a lengthy and expensive legal proceeding in civil court.
According to the charges and plea agreements, the deed thefts took place over the course of a year from March 2019 to April 2020.
On March 25, 2019, the couple filed a false document with the city Department of Finance, which recorded that a deed was transferred on a house on Pinegrove Street in Jamaica from a 78-year-old woman to Joseph and Hewitt. The notary public whose signature seal was on the document denied that it was his signature and said the insignia was inauthentic. Acting in concert with her husband, Hewitt sold the home in November 2019 for $315,000 after obtaining a forged death certificate to facilitate the transaction. She received a check for proceeds of $48,751.48 and her husband and mother-in-law received $40,000 each.
In September 2019, Joseph filed a false deed transferring a Springfield Gardens property on 181st Street to himself by forging the signature of the rightful owner, who lived elsewhere. Two months later, the home sold for $355,000 and he received a check for $255,256.76. The homeowner would later drive by the property only to find a new home built in its place after the original house was demolished.
In December 2019, Joseph submitted another false deed for a Jamaica home on 155th Street and falsely represented that he bought the property for $50,000.
Three months later, Joseph submitted a fraudulent deed transfer to the city and forged the signature of the rightful owner of a property on 207th Street in Queens Village. A month later, Joseph submitted another deed transfer for a property in 131st Street in South Ozone Park, forging the real owner’s signature, and created a fake identity for himself, according to the charges.
He will be sentenced on June 18. Q
Hundreds of people were in attendance at a City of Yes housing presentation at Cambria Heights Library last Saturday.
Throughout the forum Paul Graziano, an urban planner, said the city is actively trying to destroy single-family zoning through upzoning, to make way for dense multifamily buildings.
Graziano said approximately 50 percent of single-family housing throughout Queens, Staten Island, Southern and Central Brooklyn and Northern and East Bronx would be impacted by the city “eliminating” existing zoning.
According to stats from Graziano, while the Big Apple is the largest big city by population — more than 8.3 million — it has the smallest share of single-family homes — 15 percent — across the country. In comparison, LA, second in terms of population — over 3.8 million — is 75 percent single-family homes. Washington, DC, has a population of 670,050 but double the single-family homes in New York.
Graziano was thankful to Assemblymembers Ed Braunstein (D-Bayside), Nily Rozic (D-Fresh Meadows) and Alicia Hyndman (D-Springfield Gardens), along with state Sen. Leroy Comrie (D-Jamaica), who prevented a state version of the housing plan to get
through in 2022. He now wants to raise awareness about Mayor Adams’ housing plans, which he said also would push through transit-oriented development, more mandatory inclusionary housing, town-centered housing units, religious housing and legalized accessory dwelling units.
“The electeds here were some of the hardest fighters in shutting that down,” Graziano said. “They essentially walked out of [budget] negotiations and [Hochul] dropped everything.”
Graziano said Queens folks should leverage the 2025 election to get municipal leaders to say no to City of Yes, Adams’ rezoning plan. Residents, who fought since 2004 to stop overdevelopment in residential communities, approved downzoning plans for the neighborhood and now the city is pushing against the interest of the people.
“This administration has stated publicly that lower-density neighborhoods are the cause of the housing crisis,” said the urban planner. “We have a target on our backs.”
Graziano also called out mainstream news outlets like the Daily News, which said in an April 14 editorial that “those who want to live in a suburb, we’ll remind you there are several in the vicinity of the five boroughs. This is New York City.”
“If you take our communities out of the
Three of the four previous federal lawsuits aimed at stopping congestion pricing have come from New Jersey and Staten Island. Now the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is under attack from the east.
Nassau County’s Town of Hempstead, which borders most of Queens south of Jamaica Avenue, and Town Supervisor Donald Clavin on May 1 filed a 19-page complaint that only Congress has the constitutional authority to levy what Clavin calls Gov. Hochul’s newest tax.
“The MTA’s poorly conceived plan to implement congestion pricing is just another cash-grab scheme that will once again come at the expense of hard-working Nassau residents who are just trying to get to work,” Clavin said in an emailed statement.
In a copy of the suit obtained from Clavin’s office, the town takes issue with use of the fee to force residents to take mass transit, especially the city’s subways.
“Presently, the primary mass transit option in the City, the subway, is so dangerous that the Governor has sent the National Guard into the subway system to provide
mix, there is virtually no single-family zoning in the City of New York,” said Graziano. “The transit zone is going to allow apartment buildings all over the place that is cross-hatched [on a map he showed]. This is Rosedale, Laurelton, Springfield Gardens, Addisleigh Park and Queens Village, just a few blocks north of Murdock [Avenue].”
Low-density housing areas or commercial buildings with three to five-stories would be eligible for higher density; more houses will be built by train and subway stations; basement, attic and garage apartments would be legalized; religious institutions would be allowed to dedicate parcels of their land to housing complexes; and much of the proposed developments would come with little to no parking and take up some green spaces under Adams’ plan.
the zoning, [developers] will build as big as they possibly can because of capitalism, and I should know, I’m a capitalist.”
Councilwoman Nantasha Williams (D-St. Albans), who briefly attended the meeting, said that she has issues with ADUs and TOD, but she is in the minority against such proposals and needs help from the community to stop the housing plan as her colleagues are in favor of them.
“I want to be a collaborative person, but I need the help,” Williams said.
security,” the suit states on page 7. “As a part of the security provided, the police and National Guard are requiring mandatory searches of private citizens’ bags for the ‘privilege’ of use of the subway, a ‘privilege’ that the Defendants are presently trying to force on the people of the Town by penalizing other means of entry into and transportation within the City by means of congestion pricing.”
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy filed a suit against the plan last July. Democratic Fort Lee, NJ, Mayor Mark Sokolich and a resident of Fort Lee who suffers from respiratory disease filed their suit last November.
The United Federation of Teachers and Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella filed suit in January. It was joined by the city’s 400,000-member Municipal Labor Committee and 18 elected officials in February. The Staten Island Chapter of the NAACP joined in March.
A class-action suit filed by New Yorkers Against Congestion Pricing Tax, Inc. in January also includes elected officials and businesses and individuals from neighborhoods on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
The toll is set to kick in June 30. Q
“That [plan] just went to the City Council and they are going to vote on this at the end of the month,” said Graziano, to the crowd, which also included people and civic leaders from St. Albans, Rosedale, Queens Village and Bayside. “There is no affordable housing. [ADUs and TOD would] replace older occupied homes with market-rate rentals ... There is an affordability thing with higher density buildings ... but its [virtually] nothing.”
Community Board 11 Chairman Paul DiBenedetto of Bayside said, “If you change
Graziano said Eastern Queens homeowners are paying more in taxes than people in Nassau and Westchester counties, but get less in services in return all while expected to shoulder the burden of the housing crisis. He also said there need to be 26 no votes in the City Council to stop Adams’ plan from going through. If that doesn’t work, residents should support Assembly Bill 9147, which would allow communities like Cambria Heights to remove themselves from the City of New York.
“We are subsidizing the city and the city doesn’t want us to exist,” he said. “We have 43 potential towns in Queens that can support themselves ... Cambria Heights is 34th with 78.6 percent homeownership, 7,000 units and 20,000 people ... It’s important that the message is out. We cannot take this. Say no to the City of Yes.” Q
Cricket fans who were unable to get tickets for the June 9 group-stage match between India and Pakistan in Nassau County’s Eisenhower Park are invited to a livestream showing at Citi Field.
The New York Mets, Coca Cola and Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages are sponsoring the watch party for the match, which is a part of the International Cricket Council Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup.
The press release from the Mets said attendees will be able to watch the match on the biggest video board in Major League baseball. Stadium food venues will be open.
Fans can get two free tickets at Mets. com/Cricket. Parking is $40 for those who choose to drive. The parking lot will open at 8:30 a.m. and the stadium gates at 9 a.m. The match begins at 10 a.m.
“We’re always looking for new ways to branch out and open our stadium for our fans to enjoy and we hope many take advantage by attending this great event,” said Nikki Romolo, VP of Mets Events. Fans will be notified via email of any cancellation. If so, the event will not be rescheduled. Q — Michael Gannon
National Nurses Week is the highlight of the year for nurses. Read on to learn about Nurses Week, why we celebrate it, and its history.
What is National Nurses Week?
Every year from May 6th to 12th, nurses are recognized for their service and dedication to caring for others and improving the health of patients nationwide through National Nurses Week. Throughout the week, healthcare organizations celebrate their teams, and you’ll even see nurses featured on the news. People across the nation thank the nurses who have made a difference in their lives.
Nurses Week celebrates the effort, dedication, and sacrifice nurses make every day. Nurses are essential members of America’s healthcare workforce who provide care through every stage of life, working with patients at their most intimate and vulnerable moments. Nurses Week offers a chance to highlight and celebrate nurses for all we do.
When is Nurses Week 2024?
This year, National Nurses Week is celebrated from May 6 - May 12. The week is just a part of the larger National Nurses Month, which is celebrated from May 1 to the 31st.
What is the 2024 Nurses Week theme?
This year’s theme is “Nurses Make the Differ-
ence” and, according to the ANA, “honors the incredible nurses who embody the spirit of compassion and care in every health care setting.”
The theme is accompanied by the campaign #NursesLightUpTheSky where, around the world, landmarks will be lit up to celebrate nurses and rally support for all that they do.
The ANA and other nursing organizations promote Nurses Week as a time to thank and recognize nurses across the country for their dedication to the profession and patients we serve. Healthcare organizations throw celebrations, and the public is encouraged to “thank a nurse” who’s made a difference in their lives.
es a bit differently. Many hold events throughout the week to recognize their nurses, and meals or gifts for the entire nursing team are common.
Managers and administration plan and prepare for months to make the week special. If you’re stuck trying to decide the best way to show your appreciation, check out some of these Nurses Week appreciation ideas!
Nurses Week is our time to shine. Let’s lift each other up and recognize the good in what we do every day. It’s easy to dwell on everything that needs to be changed, but for one week, I challenge you to look for the good. Recognize your nurse besties, mentors, and the nurses who make a difference in your day. We’ve compiled the 7 Best Gifts for Nurses Week.
Every healthcare organization celebrates its nurs-
In the community, you’ll see news reports highlighting extraordinary nurses who go above and beyond for their communities and patients. Many local businesses also create special offers for nurses— watch your local news and social media outlets to see what might be available near you.
How is nurse.org celebrating National Nurses Week?
We have a lot going on for Nurses Week 2024, so much so that we’re celebrating the entire month of May, AKA Nurses Month! Here’s what we have going on this year:
We’ve teamed up with MLB teams across the country to offer special discounts, recognition, and appreciation events for nurses all throughout the month of May (and beyond). Check out our upcoming
nurse appreciation nights to find one in your area.
We’ve rounded up a list of the best Nurses Week discounts so you can take advantage of all the deals. We’ve also partnered with several companies on an amazing Nurses Month Giveaway that we’re launching on May 1, 2024. Stay tuned for updates!
We’re going to be releasing our 2024 State of Nursing report, an annual survey we run to understand how nurses are really doing and the current issues that matter most to them.
We’ve partnered with Commerce Bank to create a credit card designed exclusively for nurses. Learn more about the Nurse Rewards Visa® Signature Credit Card and find out how to get one.
We’ll have even more surprises in store happening on our Instagram, so be sure to follow us so you don’t miss a thing.
Within Nurses Week, National Student Nurse Day is May 8, and National School Nurse Day is celebrated on the Wednesday that falls during Nurses Week. Nursing has always been a profession that needs more than just your time and knowledge. Nursing requires heart, passion, and dedication to serving others. Nurses Week allows the public to acknowledge and thank nurses for the work they choose every day. It’s a chance for us to pause and thank the nurses who have made a difference in our careers.
Q
— American Nurses Association
Queens community boards and the State Liquor Authority very often intertwine, particularly when the license holder of a troubled location brings more trouble, or is applying for a renewal.
That said, SLA Chair and Commissioner Lily Fan had her target audience Tuesday morning at a meeting of the Borough Cabinet, made up of all 14 district mangers in the borough.
Fan was appointed by Gov. Hochul in 2023 and was approved by the Legislature last June. She appeared at Borough Hall with David Stoler, director of the SLA’s Zone 1, which includes Long Island, the five boroughs and Westchester County.
Fan acknowledged that one of the biggest complaints the agency gets from community boards is the time everything takes.
“We have a backlog of about 5,000 applications,” Fan said. “We’ve reduced the time wait from nine months to eight.” She would like to get that down to three or four.
One major change, Fan said, is that liquor license applicants now can file the same day they notify a community board of their intention to seek a license. Old regulations required an applicant to wait at least 30 days after notification to actually file.
But she also said the present backlog can almost certainly give a board ample time and opportunity to do its due diligence.
As for complaints about bad actors with active licenses, she said it usually is not enough to make a generic complaint. She said times, dates, descriptions, details and,
when available, police reports all help and the more the better.
She said revoking a liquor license is a heavy lift.
“We have to build a case,” she said. “We take it seriously.”
And in a state where the budget managed out of Albany can grow substantially year to
When is a church not necessarily a church?
It depends, according to representatives of the state’s Office of Cannabis Management who appeared via Zoom at Tuesday morning’s meeting of the Queens Borough Cabinet at Borough Hall.
And the answer left district managers from throughout Queens scratching their heads at just what will be coming as the state speeds up its granting of adult-use dispensary licenses.
Pascal Bernard, deputy director of intergovernmental affairs with the OCM, and Phillip Rumsey, manager of intergovernmental outreach, joined the meeting to update Borough President Donovan Richards and the cabinet on new laws and procedures coming out of the recent budget agreement between Gov. Hochul and the Legislature.
The pair gave updates on things like regulatory and siting issues.
One of the charts posted gave guidelines and prohibitions for locating legal pot shops near schools and houses of worship, which many Queens community boards have used to advise against some applications in their communities.
Near schools, retail dispensary operations “[c]annot be on the same road and within 500 ft. of a building and its grounds occupied
exclusively as a school.”
For a house of worship one “[c]annot be within 200 feet of a building occupied exclusively as a house of worship.”
In the subsequent question-and-answer period, Felicia Johnson, district manager of Community Board 14 in the Rockaways, wanted to talk about the word “exclusively.”
“What if there is a church that operates a school?” Johnson asked.
Rumsey said that might come down to a case-by-case basis when the OCM is considering an application.
“The key word is ‘exclusively,’” he said. Johnson was startled.
“Some churches have schools and some schools have churches,” Johnson exclaimed. “Isn’t a school still a school and a church still a church?”
Richards had left by that point for another appointment, not long after the OCM could not give him the numbers on legal marijuana stores in the city and estimates on the illegal ones, referring him to their website.
Some district managers in the room didn’t bother trying to conceal head-shaking or incredulous laughs during the conversation or afterward. Speaking with the Chronicle after the meeting, District 8 Manager Marie AdamOvide said there is a simple way to set and enforce distances for some sort of school-
District Manager Marie Adam-Ovide of Community Board 8 had questions about the wording of two state marijuana licensing requirements.
house of worship combination, and others that might run afoul of the word “exclusively.”
“In that case, just use the most restrictive of the two,” Adam-Ovide said.
year, Fan said the SLA this year will see a 1 percent increase. Naturally, she would like more staff.
“I have 32 inspectors,” Fan said. “Six in Zone 1,” comprising the aforementioned eight counties.
On the other hand, she said, if there are serious crimes involved, given the cooperation with agencies like the NYPD, “we probably know about it.”
A major undertaking is working with the city’s Department of Transportation on the evolving outdoor dining regulations.
Among the details that the city still is working on are things like serving alcohol to patrons where it requires a server to cross a bike lane, and securing the proper permits and liability insurance to do so.
During a question-and-answer period, Fan was asked about a shooting last week at a BYOB event, but she said that is not something the agency regulates, and comes under the full purview of the NYPD.
Florence Koulouris, district manager at Community Board 1 in Astoria, said one of her area’s problem spots is a business that opened as a restaurant and now appears to feature exotic dancers.
Fan said if proven, that could be the basis for a complaint such as supplying incorrect information on a permit application. Q
Queens’ annual Memorial Day Observance ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Elmhurst Park is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 23.
It is sponsored by the office of Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, who was a champion of building the memorial in her tenure as Queens borough president. Honorees this year will include Sgt. Harry McMahon, who served in the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War; Sgt. Kathy Dean, a U.S. Army veteran from the Global War on Terrorism; and Tech. Sgt. Michael Murphy, a detective with the District Attorney’s Office who served in the U.S. Air Force during Operation Desert Storm, Operation New Dawn and Operation Enduring Freedom. A wreath will be placed at the memorial to remember those killed serving the country.
A special Veterans Service Award will be given to the family of the late Councilman Paul Vallone, who was serving as the city’s Deputy Commissioner of Veterans’ Services when he died of a heart attack in January.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is at 79th Street and Grand Avenue. Q
Q
“Or combine the two,” Johnson said, still with disbelief in her voice. “Make it 700 feet.”
May 9, 2024
Audible gasps could be heard from the audience during the Douglaston Community Theatre debut performance of “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller as they reacted to the twists and turns of the drama. The play is showing at Zion Church Parish Hall, at 24320 Church St. in Douglaston, for two more weeks, with a final show on Sunday, May 19.
Directed by Richard Buckley, the 1947 three-act play is centered around the Keller family as they grapple with allegations that Joe Hartman, the patriarch of the family, shipped cracked and defective aircraft engine cylinder heads to the U.S. military, resulting in the deaths of 21 airmen during World War II.
The cast came together especially in the second and third acts to deliver a strong, poignant and emotionally captivating performance last Friday.
Chris Keller, played by actor Kaleb Saleeby, and Anne Deever, played by Tamara Ivanovic, exhibited electric chemistry on stage. Chris, the younger son of Joe and Kate Keller, and Anne, the former sweetheart of Larry Keller, the elder Keller son who died as an airman, reconnect during “All My Sons” and fall in love, much to the dismay of Kate, played by Rosemary Kurtzin, who cannot accept that her eldest son is dead and will not be coming back from the war.
Ivanovic especially shone as Anne as she brought her character to tears during scenes of intense emotional confrontation. In the final act, Anne tells Kate that Larry definitively died in the war, though Kate refuses to believe her.
“Larry is dead, Kate,” Anne said to her as both women broke down on stage.
continued on page 33
Kurtzin is another highlight of the show, with an engrossing depiction of Kate. It was at times hard to watch as we saw her character refuse to reckon with reality, a testament to her skillfully realistic embodiment of the mother’s extreme grief. Kate’s voice, and charged words, often cut through the audience with an intense tone.
‘All My Sons’
Elaine Edna Kaufman was born on Feb. 10, 1929, in New York City, the fourth and final child of Joseph and Pauline Kaufman.
They operated a dry goods store at 95-19 Sutphin Blvd. and lived above it, in racially mixed South Jamaica. Elaine never received a higher education and later moved to 169 Avenue B in Manhattan.
She fell in love with a seaman, chef and author from Liguria, Italy, named Alfredo Viazzi and in 1959 joined him in running his Greenwich Village restaurant, Portofino. But after four years they broke up. In 1963, Kaufman opened her own restaurant off the corner of Second Avenue and 88th Street, calling it simply “Elaine’s.”
It was a smashing success, with patrons such as Norman Mailer, Gay Talese, George Steinbrenner and Jackie Kennedy Onassis. Kaufman bought the building and the one next door, which subsidized Elaine’s when clients down on their luck couldn’t pay their tabs. She was a much-loved “den mother.”
In 2003 Elaine’s was named a living landmark by the New York Landmarks Conser-
The childhood home of Elaine Kaufman — future proprietor of her eponymous restaurant — at 95-19 Sutphin Blvd. in South Jamaica, above her family’s store.
vancy. Kaufman died in 2010 at 81, due to emphysema, and Elaine’s closed months later. She requested cremation and that her ashes to be sprinkled on Second Avenue. Q
Artists, art administrators and area elected officials last Thursday gathered at the Queens Museum to kick off Queens Rising’s third annual season.
Throughout the month of June, institutions all over the World’s Borough will present a plethora of art shows, performances and other cultural events right in residents’ backyards.
“We want to create a sense of shared community, and allow artists, arts administrators, curators, arts educators and directors to get to know each other to better develop collaborative projects, help each other and be there for each other,” said Jeff Rosenstock, assistant vice President for governmental relations and external affairs at Queens College, and a member of the Queens Rising Planning Committee.
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards agreed.
“Queens Rising, I feel, this year is taking on an even more critical role as we talk about the arts and culture, especially during a time like this, when it feels like there’s a lot of unease in the world, with conflict going on,” Richards said.
“I don’t know about you, it’s felt like a really tough time. And one thing we know
about the arts is that the arts bring everyone together.”
Despite the festival’s success over the previous two years, Rosenstock said he and his fellow organizers received feedback that the program would benefit from providing more visibility for Queens-based artists. As a result, Queens Rising will do just that this year through its four new “Queens Scene” events. Performing artists were invited to
submit applications to perform at Flushing Town Hall, Terraza 7, the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning and the Queens Botanical Garden on June 1, June 12 to 16, June 19 and June 29, respectively. Each venue will pick artists from the applicant pool and provide artist fees and marketing and production resources.
“These artists reflect the borough,” Rosenstock told the Chronicle. “They need
to be heard, and the first place they should get a forum is in our own borough.”
He added that organizers worked to raise extra funding for Queens Scene this year in order to be able to pay the artists and the venues.
Last Thursday’s launch included not only speeches and breakfast for attendees, but performances, as well. Spoken-word poet JRose shared two of her poems, “Homesick,” in which she writes about her childhood in the World’s Borough, and another unnamed piece about her ancestors. She will be sharing more of her work at JCAL’s Juneteenth Queens Scene event.
Courtney Ffrench, JCAL’s artistic director, led members of the audience in a dance to close out the celebration.
Dozens of events are included as part of the 2024 Queens Rising season. Among them are Culture Lab LIC’s “Say It Loud: Unsung Heroes,” an exhibition highlighting the contributions of LGBTQIA+ people; the Queens Night Market; a performance of “The Invaders,” a play about the Freedom Summer Project of 1964, at the Kupferberg Center for the Arts, and much more.
Ticket prices vary among different events. To view the full slate of Queens Rising happenings and to get more information, visit queensrising.nyc. Q
continued from page 31
The two Keller men also had nice chemistry. Though Jack Hartman, who played Joe Keller, had a more muted performance than some of the other characters, he personified the traditional American man and came alive during the more playful scenes in the beginning, as well as in his interactions with Chris. At one point, Chris threw Joe down on the ground during a heated argument, which drew murmurs from the crowd, and show-
cased the pair’s physical acting capabilities. During these moments, Saleeby stood out in an intense depiction of Chris’ anger towards his father.
It should be noted that 10-year-old Ayden Chabane made his first acting debut as the 8-year-old Bert, who jokes around with Joe about jail and cops. The dynamic between Joe and Bert is a nod to the rumors surrounding Joe’s company and the imprisonment of his former friend and business partner, Anne’s father, who took the blame for the 21 deaths of the airmen in the war.
In an interview, Rich Buckley, the director, said it was nice to have a mix of aspiring professional and amateur actors. Overall, he said, the rehearsal process had gone smoothly, and ahead of the show, he said he was expecting an excellent production.
“I know that this is going to be an exceptional play, their acting is extraordinary,” Buckley said. “With this play, being such an amazing show, putting the two together is kind of going to be very exciting.”
Though “All My Sons” is a thrilling and masterful commentary on the death of the American Dream and won the New York Critics Circle Award and two Tonys when it
first debuted, some aspects of the play might seem dated to the modern viewer. There are several scenes dedicated to Anne’s beauty, specifically her legs, which in Miller’s time would have raised no questions, but are out of place with more contemporary depictions of women.
Still, many of the themes tackled by “All
My Sons” are evergreen: love, guilt, betrayal and family are timeless concepts in art and in theater, and still as interesting onstage at Zion Church Parish Hall as in 1947. (Ticket info is atdctonline.org). Under the direction of Buckley, this cast came together to put on an excellent piece of community theater that will capture your attention wholly. Q
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SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, US BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE OF THE CABANA SERIES IV TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. NATHANIEL DANIELS, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF ISAAC DANIELS, DECEASED, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on February 26, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the outside steps of the Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on May 17, 2024 at 10:15 a.m., premises known as 135-02 221st Street, Springfield Gardens, NY 11413. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 13113 and Lot 26. Approximate amount of judgment is $295,947.32 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #708238/2015. The Referee shall comply with the Eleventh Judicial District’s COVID-19 policies concerning public auctions of foreclosed properties. These policies, along with the Queens County Foreclosure’s Auction Rules, can be found on the Queens Supreme Court - Civil Term website. Eun Chong Thorsen, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff Firm File No. 193546-1
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In accordance with our policy of Non-discrimination and applicable Federal and State Statutory provision, UNION PLAZA CARE CENTER, 33-23 Union Street, Flushing, NY 11354, declares that this institution operates without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, age, sexual preference, sexual identity, handicap or source of payment.
OF
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, NYCTL 1998-2 TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN, Plaintiff, vs. ELDER AVE REALTY CORP., ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated March 11, 2024 and entered on March 12, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the outside steps of the Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY on May 31, 2024 at 10:00 a.m., all that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 5137 and Lot 1118. Said premises may also be known as 138-35 Elder Avenue, Parking Garage Unit No. 118, Queens, NY. Approximate amount of judgment is $145,528.74 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale.Index # 711824/2019. The Referee shall comply with the Eleventh Judicial District’s COVID-19 policies concerning public auctions of foreclosed properties. These policies, along with the Queens County Foreclosure Auction Rules, can be found on the Queens Supreme Court - Civil Term website. Gerald Chiariello II, Esq., Referee The Law Office of Thomas P. Malone, PLLC, 60 East 42nd Street, Suite 553, New York, New York 10165, Attorneys for Plaintif
Notice is hereby given that a Liquor License, Application ID No.: NA- 0340-23-1090-13, for beer, wine, and liquor has been applied for by the undersigned to permit the sale of beer, wine, and liquor at retail in a restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverages Control Law at Akasha Bar & Event Hall Inc., 116-11 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11434 on premise consumption. Akasha Bar & Event Hall Inc.
SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, GITSIT SOLUTIONS, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. 815 BAY 25 CORP., ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 7, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the outside steps of the Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on May 31, 2024 at 10:30 a.m., premises known as 8-15 Bay 25th Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 15733 and Lot 1. Approximate amount of judgment is $669,416.04 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #719169/2022. The Referee shall comply with the Eleventh Judicial District’s COVID-19 policies concerning public auctions of foreclosed properties. These policies, along with the Queens County Foreclosure’s Auction Rules, can be found on the Queens Supreme Court - Civil Term website. Arthur N. Terranova, Esq., Referee Polsinelli PC, Amy E. Hatch, Esq., 600 Third Avenue, 42nd Floor, New York, New York 10016, Attorneys for Plaintiff
233 Stockholm Realty, LLC, Arts of Org. fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 4/11/2024. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Joseph Mauceri, 85-16 67th Ave., Rego Park, NY 11374. General Purpose
EKG 7806 LLC Articles of Org. fi led NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 4/8/24. Offi ce in Queens Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 15253 10th Ave., Ste 211 Whitestone, NY 11357. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR WELLS FARGO ASSET SECURITIES CORPORATION HOME EQUITY ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-1, Plaintiff AGAINST CARLOS W. RODRIGUEZ, ANA MARY RODRIGUEZ, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered January 29, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Courthouse steps of the Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, New York on June 7, 2024 at 10:30AM, premises known as 239-22 65th Avenue, Douglaston, NY 11362. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Queens, City and State of New York, BLOCK: 8287 LOT: 16. Approximate amount of judgment $831,558.13 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of fi led Judgment Index #717123/2020. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the QUEENS County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. Alen R. Beerman, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC, 1775 Wehrle Drive, Williamsville, NY 14221 00-123316 80130hh
GOLDSTAR GENERAL CONTRACTING LLC, Arts. of Org. fi led with the SSNY on 04/01/2024. Offi ce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 86-30 108th Street, Richmond Hill, NY 11418. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
Kess Realty LLC, Arts of Org. fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 3/25/2024. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Azad Sakur, 107-11 Liverpool Street, Jamaica, NY 11435. General Purpose
EQUAL HOUSING. Federal, New York State and local laws prohibit discrimination because of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, familial status or disability in connection with the sale or rental of residential real estate. Queens Chronicle does not knowingly accept advertising in violation of these laws. When you suspect housing discrimination call the Open Housing Center (the Fair Housing Agency for the five boroughs of New York) at 212-941-6101, or the New York City Commission of Human Rights Hotline at 718722-3131.
The Queens Chronicle reserves the right to alter wording in ads to conform with Federal Fair Housing regulations.
Colonial. Pvt
4 BR, 4 1/2 baths, master BR w/ensuite, custom kitchen, LR, FDR, den. Full fin bsmnt, sep ent, paved yard w/in-ground pool w/jacuzzi. Asking $1,499,000. Call for appt. Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136
Middle Village, beautiful legal 2 fam. 2 BR/ 1 bath over 2 rm studio apt. 2nd fl apt has deck & stairs leading to yard. Attached gar in rear plus community drwy. Asking $960K. Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136
Classified Ad Special. Pay for 3 weeks and the 4th week is FREE! Call 718-205-8000
Howard Beach/Rockwood Park, Sat 5/11, 1pm-3pm, 161-39 86 St. Lg Brookfield, Hi-Ranch, 4 BR, 3 full baths. All updated. Owned by architect. Asking $1,175,000. Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136
ANTIQUE LOVERS TAKE NOTE! BRIMFIELD IS HERE— ALL SHOWS! May 14-19. New shows open daily! www.brimfieldantiqueweek.com. 2024 dates: May 14-19, July 9-14, September 3-8 Having a garage sale? Let everyone know about it by advertising in the Queens Classifieds Call 718-205-8000 and place the ad!
To Advertise Call 718-205-8000
Lefferts 59 LLC, Arts of Org. fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 3/19/2024. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Gameel Saeidi, 80-59 Lefferts Blvd., Kew Gardens, NY 11415. General Purpose
Notice of Formation of MYRNA L. ARCHER & ASSOCIATES, LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/15/2024. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: MYRNA L. ARCHER, P.O. BOX 220025, ROSEDALE, NY 11422. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
NY GRACE COUNSELING LCSW, PLLC Articles of Org. fi led NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 3/6/24. Offi ce in Queens Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to The LLC 1280 Lexington Ave. Frnt 2 #1170 NY, NY 10028. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
Notice of Formation of PANOPTES GROUP LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/29/2024. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: MICHAEL BALLESTY, 48-14 170TH PLACE, FLUSHING, NY 11365. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
Prince35 Holdings LLC, Arts of Org. fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 4/5/2024. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 136-33 37th Ave, 7th Fl, Flushing, NY 11354. General Purpose.
Arts of Org. fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 2/8/2024. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 70-14 267th St, Glen Oaks, NY 11004. General Purpose
Notice of Formation of Ahava Mental Health Counseling PLLC. Arts. of Org. fi led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/19/2024. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 2367 Cornaga Avenue, Far Rockaway, NY 11691. Purpose: to practice the profession of Mental Health Counseling.
ASF INTERNATIONAL LLC. Arts. of Org. fi led with the SSNY on 03/07/24. Offi ce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, c/o Khandker Ahnaf Abrar, 169-24 Hillside Avenue, FL2 Suite 3, Jamaica, NY 11432. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of TALKSTORY LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/07/2023. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE LIMITED LIABILTY COMPANY LLC, P.O. BOX 750015, FOREST HILLS, NY 11375. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
RENARI AM LLC, Art. Of Org. fi led with SSNY 12/26/2017. Offi ce Location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent for process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to: c/o Robinson Brog Leinwand Greene Genovese & Gluck, P.C., Attn: Charles McKeen, Esq., 875 3rd Ave., 9th Fl., NY, NY 10022. Purpose: Any lawful act or activity.
NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT: COUNTY OF QUEENS HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR NOMURA HOME EQUITY LOAN, INC., ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006HE1, Plaintiff, v. CHRISTOPHER DUNN A/K/A CHRISTOPHER R. DUNN, ET AL, Defendants. PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT In pursuance of a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the Office of the County Clerk of Queens County on March 10, 2023, I, Jeffrey Kim, Esq. the Referee named in said Judgment, will sell in one parcel at public auction on May 31, 2024 at the Courthouse Steps of the Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, at 12:15 PM the premises described as follows: 134-57 232nd Street Laurelton, NY 11413 Block 13160 Lot 6 ALL THAT TRACT OR PARCEL OF LAND situate in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York. The premises are sold subject to the provisions of the filed judgment, Index No. 712819/2018 in the amount of $603,538.04 plus interest and costs. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the Court System’s COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP Attorneys for Plaintiff 500 Bausch & Lomb Place Rochester, NY 14604 Tel.: 855-227-5072 80394
Notice of Formation of SMARTSELLHEALTHSHOP LLC
Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/11/2024. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: CHRISTINA GUTIERREZ, 6935 150TH STREET, FLUSHING, NY 11367. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF ACE SECURITIES CORP. HOME EQUITY LOAN TRUST, SERIES 2007-WM1 ASSET BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, Plaintiff, vs. SABRINA EDERY, AS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF ANN LEWITINN, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on August 25, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the outside steps of the Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on May 17, 2024 at 10:15 a.m., premises known as 13-52 Dickens Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 15665 and Lot 38. Approximate amount of judgment is $905,788.55 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #703799/2021. The Referee shall comply with the Eleventh Judicial District’s COVID-19 policies concerning public auctions of foreclosed properties. These policies, along with the Queens County Foreclosure’s Auction Rules, can be found on the Queens Supreme Court - Civil Term website. Austin I. Idehen, Esq., Referee Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC, 10 Bank Street, Suite 700, White Plains, New York 10606, Attorneys for Plaintiff
Notice of Formation of 3K ANGELS LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/21/2024. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: EVA T. LACONSAY, 3203 58TH STREET, 2/F, WOODSIDE, NY 11377. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of 528 Locust Street, LLC.Arts. of Org. fi led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/22/24. Offi ce location: QueensCounty. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 5418 69th Lane, Maspeth, NY 11378. Purpose: any lawful activities.
The New York City Department of Transportation, Transportation Planning & Management Division cordially invites your company to submit proposals for the following contract: PIN: 84124P0005
Secure Bike Parking (Specifications) available for download free of charge starting 05/09/2024.
To access the IFB, vendors should visit the PASSPort public Portal at https://www.nyc.gov/site/mocs/passport/about-passport.page
Click on the rectangle captioned “Procurement Navigator,” whereupon you will arrive at the Portal. To quickly locate the RFP/RFx, insert the following EPIN, 84124P0005, into the Keyword search field, then click search. In order to respond to the RFP/RFx, vendors must create an account within the PASSPort system if they have not already done so. A pre-proposal conference via Microsoft TEAMS is scheduled for 05/20/24 at 11:00 am. Those wishing to attend must request the Microsoft TEAMS link by no later than 4:00 pm on 05/19/24 via email from the Authorized Agency Contact, kcornwallwilson@dot.nyc.gov. The deadline for the submission of questions is 05/28/24 by 4:00 pm. The proposal due date (submission via PASSPort) is 06/18/24 by 11:00 am.
This procurement is subject to participation goals for Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) as required by Section 6-129 of the New York Administrative Code. The M/WBE goal for this project is 30%. Any inquiries concerning this RFP should be directed by email, under the subject line “84124P0005-84123MBTP632 Secure Bike Parking, to the email address of the Authorized Agency Contact, Kathy Cornwall-Wilson, at kcornwallwilson@dot.nyc.gov or through the PASSPort communication function.
Notice of Formation of BKHOOPZ LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/15/2024. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: PATRICK IANNOTTO, 6148 82 PLACE, MIDDLE VILLAGE, NY 11379. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
BRANNOCK DALL, LLC, Arts. of Org. fi led with the SSNY on 05/06/2024. Offi ce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Ilya Kiriakis Dall, 148-18 3rd Avenue, Whitestone, NY 11357. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
Notice of Formation of CHEME ENTERPRISES LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/17/2023. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: CHEME ENTERPRISES LLC, 142-17 129TH AVENUE, JAMAICA, NY 11436-1720. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
Notice of Qualifi cation of Citrus Haven LLC. Authority fi led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 04/12/24. Offi ce location: Queens County. LLC formed in Florida (FL)on 02/15/24. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 31 Monterey Street, Apt. A, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082, also the address required to be maintained in FL. Arts of Org. fi led with the FL Secy. Of State, R.A. Gray Building, 500 S Bronough St., Tallahassee, FL 32399. Purpose: any lawful activities.
Notice of Formation of Dee Custom Hair LLC. Arts. of Org. fi led with Secy. of State (SSNY) on 4/5/24. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 104-14 110th St, Richmond Hill, NY 11419. Purpose: any lawful activity.
SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS Freedom Mortgage Corporation, Plaintiff, -against- Jamal Anderson, as Heir to the Estate of Anthony Anderson a/k/a Anthony A. Anderson, United States of America - Internal Revenue Service, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, Queens Supreme Court, New York City Criminal Court, New York City Environmental Control Board, New York City Parking Violations Bureau, New York City Transit Adjudication Bureau, Anthony Anderson a/k/a Anthony A. Anderson’s unknown heirs-at-law, nextof-kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors, and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise, any right, title or interest in the real property described in the complaint herein, and “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #10”, the last ten names being fictitious and unknown to the plaintiff, the person or parties intended being the persons or parties, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the mortgaged premises described in the Complaint, Defendants. SUMMONS Plaintiff designates Queens County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the mortgaged premises is situated. TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT(S): YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your Answer or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a Notice of Appearance on the attorneys for the plaintiff within twenty (20) days after service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service; or within thirty (30) days after service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York; or within sixty (60) days if it is the United States of America. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure $304,385.00 and interest, recorded in the office of the clerk of the County of Queens on May 23, 2014 in CRFN 2014000179703 covering premises known as 147-11 116th Avenue, Jamaica, New York 11436. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. Dated: Bay Shore, New York March 15, 2024 FRENKEL, LAMBERT, WEISS, WEISMAN & GORDON, LLP BY: Deana Cheli Attorneys for Plaintiff 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, New York 11706 (631) 969-3100 Our File No.: 01-098833-F01
Supplemental Summons And Notice Of Object Of Action Supreme Court Of The State Of New York County Of Queens Action To Foreclose A Mortgage Index #: 703823/2020 Freedom Mortgage Corporation Plaintiff, Vs Carlos De Dios, Jr., Reynaldo Dedios Individually And As Administrator And As Heir To The Estate Of Adoracion Orca Wallack And Merrill Wallack, Unknown Heirs As Heir To The Estate Of Merrill Wallack Of Merrill Wallack If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, Any And All Persons Unknown To Plaintiff, Claiming, Or Who May Claim To Have An Interest In, Or General Or Specific Lien Upon The Real Property Described In This Action; Such Unknown Persons Being Herein Generally Described And Intended To Be Included In Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Real Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Widows, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, Unknown Heirs As Heir To The Estate Of Grace Butera Of Grace Butera If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, Any And All Persons Unknown To Plaintiff, Claiming, Or Who May Claim To Have An Interest In, Or General Or Specific Lien Upon The Real Property Described In This Action; Such Unknown Persons Being Herein Generally Described And Intended To Be Included In Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Real Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Widows, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, Karin Dion Heir To The Estate Of Grace Butera And As Executor To The Estate Of Frances Rizzuto As Heir To The Estate Of Grace Butera, Phyllis Ferraro As Executor To The Estate Of Frances Rizzuto As Heir To The Estate Of Grace Butera, Rochelle Dion Mastera As Heir To The Estate Of Grace Butera, Billy James Dion As Heir To The Estate Of Grace Butera, Derek S Dion As Heir To The Estate Of Grace Butera, Amanda R Dion As Heir To The Estate Of Grace Butera, Dawn M Cohen As Heir To The Estate Of Grace Butera, Deidre M Butera As Heir To The Estate Of Grace Butera, Flint Butera As Heir To The Estate Of Grace Butera, People Of The State Of New York, United States Of America Acting Through The Irs, City Register Of The City Of New York, Queens County, New York City Environmental Control Board, New York City Parking Violations Bureau, Emmanuel “Doe”, John Doe (Those Unknown Tenants, Occupants, Persons Or Corporations, Or Their Heirs, Distributees, Executors, Administrators, Trustees, Guardians, Assignees, Creditors Or Successors Claiming An Interest In The Mortgaged Premises.) Defendant(S). Mortgaged Premises: 26-17 29th Street Long Island City, Ny 11102 To The Above Named Defendant: You Are Hereby Summoned To Answer The Complaint In This Action, And To Serve A Copy Of Your Answer, Or, If The Complaint Is Not Served With This Supplemental Summons, To Serve A Notice Of Appearance, On The Plaintiff(S) Attorney(S) Within Twenty Days After The Service Of This Supplemental Summons, Exclusive Of The Day Of Service (Or Within 30 Days After The Service Is Complete If This Supplemental Summons Is Not Personally Delivered To You Within The State Of New York). In Case Of Your Failure To Appear Or Answer, Judgment Will Be Taken Against You By Default For The Relief Demanded In The Complaint. The Attorney For Plaintiff Has An Office For Business In The County Of Erie. Trial To Be Held In The County Of Queens. The Basis Of The Venue Designated Above Is The Location Of The Mortgaged Premises. To Unknown Heirs To The Estate Of Merrill Wallack Of Merrill Wallack, Unknown Heirs To The Estate Of Grace Butera Defendants In This Action. The Foregoing Supplemental Summons Is Served Upon You By Publication, Pursuant To An Order Of Hon. Claudia Lanzetta Of The Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, Dated The Twenty-Eighth Day Of March, 2024 And Filed With The Complaint In The Office Of The Clerk Of The County Of Queens, In The City Of Jamaica. The Object Of This Action Is To Foreclose A Mortgage Upon The Premises Described Below, Executed By Adoracion Orca Wallack (Who Died On October 14, 2015, A Resident Of The County Of Queens, State Of New York), Merrill Wallack (Who Died On July 21, 2014, A Resident Of The County Of Queens, State Of New York), Carlos De Dios, Jr. And Reynaldo Dedios Dated The April 29, 1993, To Secure The Sum Of $189,750.00 And Recorded At Book 3562, Page 2181 In The Office Of The Queens County Clerk, On The May 11, 1993. The Mortgage Was Subsequently Assigned By An Assignment Executed November 1, 2017 And Recorded On November 14, 2017, In The City Register Of The City Of New York, Queens County At Crfn 2017000419003. The property in question is described as follows: 26-17 29th Street, Long Island City, NY 11102 NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: April 4, 2024 Gross Polowy LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221 The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 80276
Mets hurler Adam Ottavino was the Mets’ most dependable relief pitcher in April, and that includes closer Edwin Diaz. At age 38, Ottavino is showing a veteran can learn new things. He has been nicely mixing off-speed pitches with a still-potent fastball. He has also worked at keeping runners closer to first base with an improved pickoff move. Last year, opposing runners stole more bases off him than any other reliever.
While he has no immediate plans to call it a career, Ottavino knows he is one of the oldest current players, and a post-baseball life is near. During the offseason, he was an occasional panelist on SNY’s weekday show “Baseball Night in New York.”
It is rare for a current player to take part in a sports opinion show like “Baseball Night in New York,” especially with the advent of social media where every slip of the tongue is magnified. Ottavino, with his telegenic looks and selfeffacing humor, was a hit.
BNNY host Sal Licata asked him in November if he thought prized free agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto would be impressed that Mets CEO Steve Cohen and team President of Baseball Operations David Stearns flew to Japan to meet with him. Ottavino, himself a free agent at the time, replied, “I would be impressed if an owner just picked up the phone and called me!”
I chatted with Ottavino before last Tuesday’s Cubs-Mets game about what he would like to do after he hangs up his uniform for good. “I want to stay in the game in some capacity,” he said. “Broadcasting certainly interests me.”
The Mets TV broadcasting team of Flushing native Gary Cohen, Ron Darling and Keith Hernandez is now in its 19th year of working together. They make up arguably the best local broadcasting booth in the majors. The reality is Hernandez is 70 and Darling, while just 63, does national baseball broadcasts for Turner Sports. It is conceivable both men might reduce their current SNY Mets game obligations.
I asked Ottavino, a Park Slope native, if he wanted to join the Mets TV team if real estate opens there. “I would absolutely love to do that. There is a lot I want to say about baseball and being able to do so during a game is ideal. Studio shows don’t allow you that luxury,” he replied without hesitation.
SNY may not be the only suitor for Ottavino’s services. ESPN hired him to cover the 2023 Baseball Winter Meetings in Nashville and the MLB Network has utilized him as an analyst on its “MLB Tonight Show.”
Ottavino, having played in the pressure cooker of New York for both the Mets and the Yankees, will impress sports TV executives. Q
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