Queens Chronicle South Edition 05-11-23

SOUTH

QUEENS EDITION

Serving Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, City Line and JFK Airport

YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

A SPECIAL DAY

WELCOME

New 102 captain and others address CB 9

PAGE 4

Community support for inaugural

walk PAGE 6

HELPING HAND

Community comes together for MS grads

PAGE 8

BRILLIANCE REMEMBERED

St. Michael’s honors Joplin, Woods in song and story

SEE qboro, PAGE 21

Hundreds came out for a walk to spread awareness about autism and developmental disabilities on Sunday in Richmond Hill. The event was hosted by Community Board 9 and state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. and supported by dozens of community groups and leaders. Board Chair Sherry Al gredo, whose son has autism, plans to hold the event annually.

Federal Highway Admin. opens up 30-day public review of new tolls Congestion pricing clears federal hurdle

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

The Federal Highway Administration has approved the state’s plan to implement congestion pricing in Midtown and Downtown Manhattan.

The measure, when completed in about a year, will allow the state to toll drivers of cars somewhere between $9 and $23 for every trip into Manhattan below 60th Street.

Larger vehicles and trucks would pay more.

The stated aims are to raise more than $1 billion per year for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and to reduce traffic congestion, noise and pollution in Lower Manhattan.

Should the 30-day period — which begins this week — pass without a successful challenge, the state would have just over 300 days to conduct hearings, get everything from its software to tolling gantries in place, and have hearings before the Traffic Mobility Review Board, which would be charged with setting rates and possible discounts or exemptions.

And any exemptions, according to the state, mean increases on other drivers to make up the anticipated difference.

“The Federal Highway Administration ... reviewed the Final Environmental Assessment for the Central District Tolling Program submitted on April 25, 2023 and approves its release to the public for a 30-day public

notice,” FHWA Division Administrator Richard Marquis wrote to officials of the MTA and city and state Departments of Transportation in a letter dated May 5.

He added that the program must complete a National Environmental Policy Act process

before the state can apply for the FHWA’s Value Pricing Pilot Program, which helps transportation agencies with options to manage congestion through tolling and other means.

Officials with the MTA have said the

money raised could allow the agency to leverage about $15 billion in borrowing power to keep the system running and fund upgrades.

John McCarthy, chief of external relations for the MTA, said the FHWA has issued a Letter of Legal Sufficiency to clear the way for the plan.

“Congestion pricing is a generational opportunity to make it easier for people to get around in, and get to, the Central Business District, by reducing traffic and funding improvements to the public transit system,” McCarthy said in a press release from the MTA late Friday afternoon.

“To do it right, environmental equity has been an integral component,” he added. “We are grateful that the FHWA has acknowledged the Project Sponsors’ efforts to date and has found the document has met the standards for legal sufficiency.”

An MTA official told the Chronicle that the legal clearance sets a clock in motion, with the 30-day period beginning this week.

After that the state would have to conduct hearings. The plan has been heavily criticized by those, such as elected officials from Eastern Queens and New Jersey, who say it amounts to a massive tax on drivers and businesses.

Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ) was nothing if not direct in a statement Friday evening.

continued on page 6

These drivers coming off the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan could be paying a congestion pricing toll in just under a year after the measure cleared a significant hurdle with the Federal Highway Administration last week.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON

Patrol, pedestrian and school updates

CB 9 meets new XO and NYPD chief; vendor efforts, school rally to come

by Deirdre Bardolf Editor

Public safety concerns are often part of the discussions at the monthly community board 9 meetings but on Tuesday they were accompanied by introductions to some new faces in law enforcement.

Capt. Jeremy Kivlin, commanding officer of the 102nd Precinct, introduced the new executive officer, Capt. Kimberly Maldonado, who is replacing Capt. Eynat Naor, who is moving on to Patrol Borough Queens South.

Maldonado worked her entire 17-year career with the NYPD in the Bronx but lived for 25 years in the neighborhood of the 102.

“So being assigned here is like coming home,” she told the group on Tuesday.

The meeting was held at Queens Borough Hall, where, down the hall, the NYPD’s volunteer auxiliary officers were being honored.

NYPD top brass were present for the event, including Chief of Patrol John Chell and Assistant Chief Kevin Williams, commanding officer of Patrol Borough Queens South, who surprised the board with a visit.

“Our young cops are working very hard to kind of get the city back on the track we want it to go, especially as it relates to quality of life

throughout our city,” Chell said. “Hopefully we start to see the change.”

One question posed to him was about the reassignment of officers to special commands like Rockaway Beach during the summer.

Recruitment and staffing is down, said Chell, but newly graduated officers as well as a new contract with pay raises and shift changes aimed to help the health and wellness of officers should fill some of the gaps.

Williams spoke of the increased foot patrol as well as summer ATV and illegal firework enforcement, although the latter, Williams said, is not the top priority for police.

As for other community priorities, District Manager James McClelland spoke of efforts with the city Department of Transportation to install pedestrian barriers near the intersection of Jamaica Avenue and Forest Parkway, where a car recently slammed into a laundromat.

“We’re trying to come up with a way to protect pedestrians in the future ... we want to do something before there is a tragedy,” McClelland said.

There has also been an increase of street vendors on Jamaica Avenue, he said. The board is working to make sure they are legal and possibly find another area for them.

“We know that business owners pay a lot of taxes to conduct business, and it’s unfair that they have

competition that doesn’t have overhead expenses,” he said.

Chair Sherry Algredo gave an update on a recent public safety briefing she attended including her concerns around package thefts and the two licensed recreational marijuana shops headed to the district. She also thanked those who participated in the board’s walk on Sunday for people with autism and developmental disabilities and received praise on its success. The board is looking to hold a community event in the summer and a report of its finances shows it should be feasible.

Residents Juliet Ganpat and Bill Knight spoke in opposition to a liquor license for Infinity Bar & Lounge, which they noted is right around the corner from a nursery school.

The two have been vocal opponents of area nightclubs that disturb the quality of life there.

The board later voted unanimously against the license for Infinity.

Alexandria Sumpter-Delves, cochair of the Education Committee, said plans appear to be moving forward to build an elementary school on Jamaica Avenue in Richmond Hill. Many have been pushing for a middle school instead and SumpterDelves said a rally is in the works for that. Q

Transportation and fire safety at CB 10

Board talks Addabbo bridge and Conduit; plans in-person June mtg.

by Deirdre Bardolf Editor

Anyone given a ticket for parking in designated car share spots on 79th Street in Ozone Park can dispute the summons — because no car sharing will actually be taking place there.

The letter from the city Department of Transportation was among the correspondences to Community Board 10, Chair Betty Braton announced at last week’s monthly meeting.

Car sharing was originally proposed for the location between Glenmore and Pitkin avenues but the board opposed it and another location was selected instead.

The DOT said the signs would be removed early this month. The letter can be used to dispute the tickets, Braton said, and can be found on the board’s Facebook page.

District Manager Karyn Petersen shared an update from the DOT on planned improvements to the biking and street safety

conditions on the Joseph P. Addabbo Memorial Bridge.

The DOT will maintain the existing numbers of moving lanes in each direction, Petersen said, but the northbound lanes will be narrowed and the space will be allocated for a buffer to the bike lane.

In the southbound direction, the one-way buffered bike lane will be upgraded to a twoway protected bike lane, she continued.

Another change will restrict left turns for northbound vehicles into the Cross Bay kiteboarding launch area parking lot west of Cross Bay Boulevard.

A response from the DOT has “finally” come, Petersen said, on requests made as far back as 2003 regarding the deadly Conduit Avenue area at 79th Street where pedestrians cross the grass near the Linden Center mall.

In other outreach to the board was a letter from the city Department of Social Services asking for suggestions of locations for

homeless shelters.

“If anybody has a location I’ll be glad to hear it but I’m not going to read you the whole four pages of gobbeldygook because what they want is for us to tell them where to put a homeless shelter and our answer basically is anywhere else,” said Braton.

“We already have our fair share,” she added.

An FDNY representative addressed the board regarding lithium-ion batteries, e-bikes, e-scooter fire prevention and general fire safety. People can request a free smoke detector be installed by the FDNY thanks to a partnership between the agency and the Red Cross. The FDNY urges e-bike users to purchase only manufactured batteries, not aftermarket parts or from Amazon, for example, where makers “cut corners.”

Braton also announced that the board is expected to meet in-person again next month, in part for a public hearing set regarding a city planning matter. Q

Community Board 10 discussed improvements scheduled for the Addabbo bridge.

Capt. Jeremy Kivlin, commanding officer of the 102nd Precinct, introduced the new executive officer of the precinct, Capt. Kimberly Maldonado, left, to Community Board 9 on Tuesday. NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell also addressed the board. PHOTOS BY DEIRDRE BARDOLF

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Community outpouring for Autism walk

For Sherry Algredo, Chair of Community Board 9, Autism Awareness Month is personal. Her 19-year-old son, Joseph, bottom left, was diagnosed with the disorder as a child.

At first, Algredo says her world was falling apart around her. There wasn’t adequate knowledge or support for moms like her, who emigrated from Trinidad and Tobago in 1994.

But over the years, much of her community work centered around the cause, including her role on Community Education Council 27 and chairing Community Board 9’s Education Committee. “[Joseph] taught me how to look through the lenses of a person with special needs and how to advocate and love unconditionally,” Algredo, top right with mic, said.

On Sunday, decades of work culminated with a community Autism and Development Disability awareness walk at Phil

“Scooter” Rizzuto Park, with hundreds of participants.

Families with newly diagnosed children attended and issues surrounding guardianship and homecare were discussed. Janet Forte, a school psychologist and vice president of the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association, a sponsor, spoke about the need for proper treatment of those with disabilities.

The first walk was co-sponsored by state Sen. Joe Addabbo, second from left at top right. “He said, ‘Sherry, even if four people come out, it will be worth it,’” she told the Chronicle.

Algredo walked with her husband, David, not pictured, and daughter, Emily, top center. She plans to hold the event each year, next time reserving the whole park for the event. The group did four laps around it this weekend.

Congestion pricing advances

continued from page 2

“Today’s decision by the U.S. Department of Transportation to allow New York’s congestion pricing plan to move forward is unfair and ill-advised,” Murphy said. “The Administration’s decision to move forward without a true environmental impact study undercuts some of the Administration’s own long-term goals, including the Justice40 initiative.”

Murphy has consistently attacked what he has called the disproportionate negative impacts of congestion pricing on New Jersey residents, including a greater financial

burden on state commuters, double tolling, toll shopping, a lack of revenue for NJ Transit, outsized environmental burdens on certain North Jersey communities, and financial impacts on the Port Authority’s capital budget.

“Everyone in the region deserves access to more reliable mass transit, but placing an unjustified financial burden on the backs of hardworking New Jersey commuters is wrong. Simply put, it is a money grab.”

Murphy said he is supporting a bipartisan effort in Congress to derail the proposal, and that the Garden State reserves the right to

take legal action.

Deputy Borough President Ebony Young, top right with Addabbo, Algredo and state Sen. Leroy Comrie, attended, as did Councilmember Lynn Schulman, not pictured.

Sponsors included EmblemHealth, the River Fund, the Ozone Park Residents’ Block Association, A Better Jamaica, Friends of Phil Rizzuto Park, New York Families For Autistic Children and the Federation of Hindu Mandirs, which presented a $500 check to the nonprofit Perfect Piece of the Puzzle. Donations also came from Trinidadians and Tobagonians USA, Heart of Gem, Bena Home Care Agency and the Jamaica Rotary Club. Community Board 9 members came out in support as well as CB 12 Chair Rev. Carlene Thorbs and Randy Novick and Tina Roseman of American Softball, a league for people with disabilities. — Deirdre Bardolf

Back on the New York side of the Hudson River, Riders Alliance Executive Director Betsy Plum took a different view.

“This is the best Friday afternoon news dump ever,” Plum said in a statement from the organization. “After years of delays, which transit riders are all too familiar with, the federal government has finally decided that millions of New Yorkers, commuters, and visitors to our city can have nice things after all.”

Plum said Hochul now has all the power she needs to raise the money to fix the subways and deliver reliable and accessible service.

“It has been a four-year wait since the

approval of congestion pricing by the New York State legislature, including a two-year federal review. Finally, we have reached the end of the federal review process and are thrilled about the prospects of implementing congestion pricing in 2024,” said Renae Reynolds, executive director, Tri-State Transportation Campaign. “This move promises to bring numerous benefits to our city and region, including the reduction of traffic, fewer emissions, and funding for better transit infrastructure. We are heartened to see the mitigation efforts added to the Environmental Assessment and look forward to working with the MTA, New York City, and the State of New York to move them to implementation.”

Community raises money to help 20 students afford prom, grad fees Heroes step up for School of Heroes

by Deirdre Bardolf Editor

The community banded together for students at MS 137 in Ozone Park to help cover the costs of their eighth-grade prom and graduation.

Graduation fees are $120 and cover the cap and gown, yearbook and ceremony venue. The school, one of the largest in the city, has to rent space at St. John’s University for graduation to host around 700 graduates and their families.

Then, there is a $100 ticket to attend the prom at Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

“We have a lot of students that have faced different challenges or economic crises,” explained Principal Pamela Trincado.

“Some have faced fires ... we also have a very large immigrant population. It’s just families that work really hard and sometimes just need a little help,” she said.

Many of the students live in temporary housing, too, and the school receives Title 1 funding, which offers financial assistance.

When Trincado realized that some students were at risk of missing end-of-the-year festivities, she reached out to Sam Esposito, head of the Ozone Park Residents Block Association and the Ozone Park Howard Beach Woodhaven Lions club, of which she is also a member.

At first, the group thought they could cover

some of the costs but donations came flooding in and they raised around $4,000.

Two friends made up the bulk of the donations. Neeta Bhasin, who lives on Long Island but grew up in the Ozone Park area, and her friend, Jasbir Bhatia, who still lives in Ozone Park, visited the school last Friday to present the checks to the students.

Bhasin, who founded an event marketing

and management company, and also organizes the annual Diwali Times Square event, said she was honored to help the students.

“You guys are doing very, very good work here and the little bit we can do, my family, that’s a blessing to us,” Bhasin said.

“I want to help a lot of people, a lot of children, a lot of single mothers and give them the education,” she added.

Daysi Manguia, an eighth-grader at MS 137, lives in Richmond Hill with her 28-year-old sister who is her guardian. She described how it is difficult for her sister to afford the money needed for the various things that come up in and out of school.

“There’s a lot of kids that don’t really have the opportunity to go to the prom or graduation,” said Manguia. “So it’s really exciting for me to go.”

Edrian Colon was excited to surprise his mother with the news.

“My mom does work really hard for me to have a pretty good life and I appreciate that,” Colon said, but this news, he added “means the world,” to him.

Brina Ciaramella, a mom to two middle schoolers and a Lion’s club member, attended on Friday to present the news to the school. Ciaramella said the day was a “shining example” of what it means to be a part of the service organization.

“There are those that need help and those that can give help — and those roles are fluid, because no single one of us is ever fully insulated from the potential to one day be in need,” she said.

“We wish the 20 graduating children the greatest success, and of course we thank the donors from the bottom of our hearts,” she added. Q

Twenty students at MS 137 got some help from community groups and residents to help afford the steep costs of graduation and prom activities this year.

PHOTO BY DEIRDRE BARDOLF

EDITORIAL AGEP

City can’t cross this bridge

It is not too late, even with the recent green light from the federal government, to stop congestion pricing. And Queens politicians need to exert pressure by all means to stop this plan before it gets implemented. The city simply cannot afford it.

For starters, there is no doubt that with charges ranging from $9 to $23 per car — trucks and larger vehicles will pay more — that fewer people will travel to Manhattan for work or pleasure. With inflation running well above the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target, we expect the increased cost of deliveries of goods and services will be passed on to customers, creating more inflation.

All this to help fund the MTA.

Consider the ripple effects: Crain’s on Monday reported a record-high of 94 million square feet of office space available in Manhattan in April. Firms leased just 1.5 million square feet last month, far below the monthly average in all three pandemic years. Companies in Manhattan keep reducing their office space and reluctant employees will be less likely to want to go to work with the increased costs. For those with

hybrid work schedules, getting a monthly train pass is no longer cost effective. Many are taking their cars to work and will now be even more reluctant to go to Manhattan. This will cause more pain for the momand-pop shops if people are not going out to lunch.

We have seen three mid-sized banks in the U.S. go out of business this past month due to rising interest rates. If commercial buildings are unable to pay their mortgages and hand the keys back to the banks, dozens more banks in our area could also become insolvent.

The MTA will always have funding problems as long as fares are artificially low and unions are able to dictate contract and work rules. And remember, government initiatives promising massive amounts of revenue often fall short of projections (see: marijuana, legalized).

The government needs to find other ways to raise revenue. New Yorkers are already taxed to death and tens of thousands each year are responding to this by moving to lower tax states. Let’s not give them another reason to leave.

Move fast on Santos

It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that, after being indicted on 13 criminal charges in federal court Wednesday, Rep. George Santos pleaded not guilty. After all, he has repeatedly ignored calls from Democrats and Republicans alike for him to resign. And even as more than three-fourths of his constituents said he should step down, per a Siena College poll (and that was before he was indicted), he told reporters Wednesday he is still running for reelection. With his hopes for a second term practically dead in the water, we’re left to wonder: What’s his endgame here? The only possible explanation is he is a social climber obsessed with getting in, staying in and clutching onto the spotlight as long as he can. His rendezvous with the press at the courthouse made that clear; when anyone else in his predicament would walk straight past reporters, he answered questions for several minutes. If Santos’ only goal was to garner international attention, he has accomplished that — he did that months ago. There’s no point in calling on him to resign anymore, because he won’t. There’s no point in prolonging his time in the sun, either; that’s exactly what he wants. We urge prosecutors to move swiftly with his case — the sooner they do, the sooner the House might opt to remove him from office. And the sooner they do, the sooner District 3 residents get the representative they deserve.

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

Adams’ migrant lies

Dear Editor:

Cry baby Eric Adams

Dear Editor:

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Re. Eric Adams’ letter: “Texas targets black mayors.” (May 4) Mayor Adams plays the race card and deals it from the bottom of the deck. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent migrants to New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Denver and Washington D.C. because they are “sanctuary cities,” not because of their leaders’ skin color. Abbott also sent migrants to a city with a white mayor — Philadelphia (NY Post, 05/02) — which Adams failed to note in his letter. NY offers migrants free housing, food, clothing, education, healthcare and childcare; thus inviting an invasion of 60,000 “asylum seekers” costing taxpayers $4.2 billion.

Adams acknowledged that NYC can’t handle this influx by busing migrants to Rockland County, prompting local officials there to declare a “state of emergency” (NY Post, 05/07).

Former Mayor Ed Koch declared NYC’s sanctuary status in 1989 during his final year in office, when our city did not face financial disaster. Eric Adams must end sanctuary insanity and not cave to his party’s open border boneheads. If he fails to do so and NYC falls off a fiscal cliff, our mayor will have only himself to blame.

Richard Reif Kew Gardens Hills

So in his “Letter to the Editor” last week, Mayor Adams is not happy that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is sending “asylum seekers,” who by the way entered illegally, to certain cities. He’s claiming Abbott is playing politics. Of course he is. Weren’t you Mayor Adams doing the same when you stated, “bring them here?”

We are a sanctuary state? Then call the race card. Let’s be real. All these cities that Abbott is sending the asylum seekers to are sanctuary cities! You get what you asked for. The best part of this is that Mayor Adams probably won’t even read this. We all know he had someone else do his editorial for him.

Stephen Pelosa Howard Beach

Migrants separate, not equal

Dear Editor:

It is appalling to learn that upstate counties will not take in migrants and NYC is paying for

them. It is not appropriate for families with children to live in a congregate setting. This is racism indeed and the mayor of our city is appalled. We cannot afford to house all of the migrants since Title 42 will be ending on May 11. The feds must agree to not let our nation default. This is appalling.

Cynthia Groopman Little Nec k

7 delay makes no $ ense

Dear Editor:

Michael Gannon’s article “No. 7 train station work begins May 12” (April 27) is several years late. In January 2023, MTA Capital Construction President Jamie Torres-Springer’s announcement of upgrades to a number of stations on the No. 7 Flushing subway line forgot to reveal that the previous $32 billion MTA 20152019 Capital Program provided funding to upgrade the Mets Willets Point ($48 million), 111th Street ($16 million), 103rd Street ($18 million) and 82nd Street ($22 million) stations,

LETTERS

TO

programmed for start of construction in 2018. Additional stations including 69th Street ($17 million), 61st Street Woodside ($17 million) and 52nd Street ($18 million) were programmed for 2019. The MTA received $5.8 billion in Federal Transit Administration Super Storm Sandy Recovery or Resiliency grants between 2012 to 2016 for projects such as the Hunters Point Station flood wall and gate to make the subway system more resilient. Why is construction just starting so many years later?

What happened to promised service improvements as a result of Communication Based Train Control completed in 2018, several years late? There are opportunities to increase capacity and service by running trains more frequently midday, evenings, overnight and weekends on the No. 7 line. There has been no express service between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. due to periodic ongoing CBTC, track, power, signal, and routine maintenance projects for decades.

Why not resume midday express service? Riders would welcome restoration of midday along with new Saturday and holiday express services.

Larry Penner Great Neck, LI

The writer is a transportation historian and advocate who worked 31 years for the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration Region 2 New York Office.

Scrap free bus trial

Dear Editor:

Not sure why your May 4 editorial, “Free buses and higher taxes at the insatiable MTA” blamed the MTA for the recently adopted plan in the state budget for a two-year trial of one free bus route in each borough. It certainly was not the MTA’s idea. I believe it was proposed by Queens Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani who convinced his colleagues to run with it. While I believe the funds spent on free buses would be better spent on expanded system maintenance, the trial will tell us all how well it works.

Steve Strauss Forest Hills

Stop trolling parents

Dear Editor:

On May 4, Community Board 8 member and former principal of Bayside High School, Mr. Michael Athy penned a “Letter to the Editor” in response to a poll from my education advocacy organization, and denigrated the 500+ parents who responded to banal questions such as “How do you feel about the high school admissions process for the 2023-24 school year?” as “socially separatist, racially segregationist and academically regressive” without rationale.

For the past six months, Mr. Athy has spent his post-retirement days trolling parents on Twitter with disparaging insults and revealing personal information (ie. place of employment) rather than engaging in civilized debate. Most recently, he cast derogatory and racist tropes referring to me, a proud Chinese-American immigrant as “Chairman Chu” and compared me to “Madam Qing” – communist leaders responsible for the deaths of millions.

THE EDITOR

As a lifelong Queens resident and a public school parent, his latest tweets are offensive and an affront to the Asian community. AntiAsian hate is real and still pervasive. Hateful rhetoric like this must end and has no place in public discourse just because of differing views, and it should never be tolerated by any community board member, especially one that serves a community with over 30 percent Asian residents.

Yiatin Chu Cofounder and President of Asian Wave Alliance Cofounder and Co-VP of PLACE NYC Whitestone

The writer is a current public school parent.

Bullets kill, not guns

Dear Editor:

I have sent this idea to my president, my governor and my mayor. All three have done nothing with it. I’ve said, “Guns don’t kill people; bullets do.” If they would stop, sit down and think, I believe they would see the truth in this brief statement and do something about it. And it will lower the deaths of Black people especially, as well as others. Of course you must have a gun to shoot the bullets, but what does an eighteen-year-old need with an AR15? That riffle should only be available to police and armed forces personnel. Since it is available to anyone with the price, then bullets should be more difficult to access. What good is a gun if you don’t have or can’t get the bullets for it. It’s the same as having a car with no money to buy gas.

The federal, state and city have failed to stop guns from coming in from the south. I hope and pray they can eventually see that when you fail going in one direction, you stop and look for another solution to the problem. First, you really have to admit that there is a problem. I think the record shootings in this country says that guns are a problem. Please, somebody, see the efficacy in my statement: “Guns don’t kill people; bullets do.”

Bishop Charles L. Norris Sr. St. Albans

The writer is a retired pastor of Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church of Jamaica.

Mentally ill need more help

Dear Editor:

As reported a homeless mentally ill man dies from a choke hold by a former Marine on a subway train to prevent this man from threatening others. Whether that should have been done is up to the DA. Jordan Neely was homeless and arrested about 40 times and the last arrest was because he assaulted a 67-year-old woman. Jordan should have been taken off the street, treated and medicated. Mental illness is a serious condition and many people in our society are suffering from this condition. I myself was homeless after leaving the U.S. Navy and after the Vietnam war in the 1970s and suffering from depression. I did get help but there are so many that are not so lucky. We need to do more for those who are mentally ill. And to the family of Jordan Neely, I feel your pain and understand.

STEM solutions in HB

Students at PS 207 in Howard Beach this week pitched ideas for apps that would help people with a broad range of neurological and neuromuscular disorders to community professionals. Groups tackled issues like dementia, dyslexia, depression and autism and came up with solutions to help those living with the diagnoses and their families. Many were inspired by their own family members and friends, like grandparents living with dementia and children who are nonverbal.

The project, led by science teacher Angela Carcione and technology teacher Barbara King, is part of a national program from Mouse, a youth nonprofit that encourages technology as a force for good. The Mouse Design League is a digital design program in which students invent an app to address a social need.

The work started with “napkin sketches” of the app ideas and students consulted with experts in the school community to learn more about the disorders.

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They learned user interface and user experience design and utilized programs like Canva for graphic design and Figma, an industry standard, to design prototypes.

Judges and professionals participated, including Councilwoman Joann Ariola, bottom center with students.

Next, the winning teams will move on to compete at the citywide Emoti-Con where work will be showcased and reviewed by STEM professionals.

— Deirdre Bardolf

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Embattled congressman charged on 13 counts, pleads not guilty Santos indicted for fraud, embezzlement

by Sophie Krichevsky

Associate Editor

Embattled Rep. George Santos (R-Nassau, Queens) was indicted and arraigned on 13 criminal charges at the U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of New York’s Central Islip branch Wednesday. Appearing before Magistrate Judge Anne Y. Shields, he pleaded not guilty.

The indictment — the existence of which CNN first reported Tuesday night — charges Santos with seven counts of wire fraud, three counts of money laundering, one count of theft of public funds and two counts of making false statements to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Santos became the subject of national scrutiny in December when The New York Times published a bombshell report documenting the then-congressman-elect’s allegedly falsified resume and questionable financial records. That prompted calls to resign from his peers on both sides of the aisle as well as numerous investigations into his sudden turn in fortune, including by the House Ethics Committee, Federal Elections Commission and the Nassau District Attorney’s Office. In January, the Department of Justice asked the FEC to make way for their own probe into Santos’ finances.

Those finances, both campaign and personal, are at the heart of the indictment, which was

under seal until Wednesday. In it, federal prosecutors accuse the congressman of having enlisted an unnamed, Queens-based political consultant in September 2022 to solicit excessive contributions for his campaign through an unnamed company linked to the Santos-owned “Devolder Organization” under the false pretense that the company was a 501(c)(4) and was therefore not subject to campaign finance limits, neither of which is true.

But Santos took it one step further: After two contributors each donated $25,000 to the company to be used for the campaign, those funds were transferred into two bank accounts controlled by Santos. The congressman allegedly took money from both to use for a swath of personal purchases, including luxury designer clothing, credit card payments, a car payment, personal debt payments and even payments to his associates.

That, Saurav Ghosh of the Campaign Legal Center said, “rises to a whole additional level of illegality.”

“You don’t need to be a campaign finance lawyer to recognize that this is wrong,” he added.

As The Times reported back in December, Santos reported during his 2020 campaign for New York’s 3rd Congressional District that his annual income was $55,000. In 2022, he reported earning $750,000 annually, in addition to

dividends from the Devolder Organization and two other seven-figure accounts, raising red flags. He also lent his campaign $705,000, the source of which is unclear.

The indictment alleges not only that Santos knowingly failed to report more than $50,000 in annual income from a second unnamed company and an unnamed investment firm, but that he had not earned $750,000 annually, nor did he have accounts or dividends of that volume. The

indictment does not say how much money Santos actually had in 2022.

In asserting that the congressman lied to the House about his annual income, federal prosecutors make it clear that it is not possible for the infamous $705,000 Santos lent his campaign to be his own.

“That begs the question: If he didn’t have the income and assets that he said he had ... then where did that money come from?” Ghosh said.

Campaign finance law prohibits donations from being made under another person or entity’s name.

The indictment also alleges that Santos applied for unemployment benefits in New York during the pandemic, despite being employed in Florida; he received more than $24,000 between March 2020 and April 2021.

Joe Murray, Santos’ lawyer, did not respond to the Chronicle’s request for comment.

The congressman did, however, address reporters after leaving the courthouse on a $500,000 bond Wednesday afternoon, saying once again that he will not resign.

“I have plenty of evidence that we will now be sharing with the government in this case,” he said. Asked about his re-election bid, he said, “I will prove myself innocent and then we’ll move from there, and re-election is a very far time away from now.”

Santos will return to court June 30. Q

Small business takes the cake, says mayor

Adams touts city outreach programs at opening of new Forest Hills bakery

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

For Mayor Adams, the opening of a new Forest Hills bakery last week let him plug his administration’s programs to help small businesses.

For Leidy Cardona, proprietor of Leidylicious Cakes at 110-66 Queens Blvd. it was much, much more.

“I just want to tell you a little bit of my story,” Cardona said. “Leidylicious is a realization of a dream I had since I started baking at 9 years old. And opening these doors, these new doors, surrounded by friends, family, Mayor Adams and the Department of Small Business makes it even sweeter.”

Sweeter still was the vegan cake with fresh strawberries that Cardona served up to the mayor, Borough President Donovan Richards, Councilwoman Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills) and other dignitaries present. The full press conference can be viewed on youtube at bit.ly/3NVcR6m.

“I think nothing is more part of our American experience than having someone open a small business based on their observations and based on what they believe the city needs,” Adams said.

He then went on to credit Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer with laying the groundwork for New York BEST — short for the

Business Express Service Team — and Small Business Services Commissioner Kevin Kim and his staff for carrying the plans out.

Adams and Kim said the result has been expedited permitting, updating or elimination of some outdated regulations and ways to avoid costly fines. Kim said there is dedicated

outreach in all five boroughs.

“[W]e go to meet small business owners where they are because they all can’t come down to One Liberty Plaza for our services,” Kim said. “... We have helped 2,200 businesses, unique businesses in the past year save over $22 million in fines and violations just by the

work of our SBS NYC BEST team.”

“[Because] every dollar we take away from a business, it impacts on their ability to hire, their ability to expand their businesses,” Adams said. “And we don’t want to do that. And I think that at the final analysis, we need to start displaying how much we’ve saved in fines to allow these dreams to come true. And so congratulations. I’m so excited for you and your ability to open your business and we are pleased to be here at the open of Leidylicious Cakes. Now how could you not buy something with a name like that, Leidylicious?”

“I saw this new bakery was opening up and I was going to come in and visit myself,” Schulman said, wanting to support a community business. “But you beat me to it, Mr. Mayor.”

Richards said the impact is tangible.

“That’s $22 million that’s going to wages for our workers,” he said. “That’s $22 million that will help keep the lights on and the doors open because now more than ever, we need to be supporting our small businesses. We need to make offerings hands up, not coming to them with our hands out to squeeze even more money out of them.”

And the cake passed muster with the chief executive.

“Oh, man I love New York,” Adams said. “Come buy some cake!” Q

Borough President Donovan Richards, second from left, and Mayor Adams dig into a vegan cake served up by business owner Leidy Cardona, left, while Councilwoman Lynn Schulman looks to be next in line for a slice of confectionery perfection. NYC SCREENSHOT / YOUTUBE

Rep. George Santos was arraigned in federal court Wednesday. COURTESY PHOTO / FILE

Valentina’s memory lives on

Valentina Allen, a Howard Beach toddler who fought a brave fight against a rare heart defect, is forever enshrined at 163rd Avenue and 86th Street.

Valentina’s Way was unveiled Sunday for the two-year-old, who passed away from hypoplastic left heart syndrome in 2015.

“In her short time on this Earth, Valentina made a huge impact on this entire community,” said Councilwoman Joann Ariola, second

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The community has since raised awareness and thousands of dollars for the disease, Ariola said, and Allen’s presence and legacy live on. The family will hold an eighth annual balloon release event on Friday, May 12.

Donations to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where Valentina was born and received treatment, can be made in her name at bit.ly/44Mz4tm. — Deirdre Bardolf

A+ teachers honored in OP

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Teachers are appreciated all year round but especially now.

The Our Neighbors Civic Association of Ozone Park had its annual teacher’s night ceremony last week and recognized three principals, four teachers and a paraprofessional. Among them were, front with certificates, left to right, Frances DeLuca, 25-year principal of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Academy; Dr. Jonathan Mangar of Archbishop Molloy High School; Jes-

sica Marra, a District 75 special education teacher; Jeremy Bucaria, paraprofessional at Abraham Lincoln High School; Pamela Trincado, principal of MS 137; Jennifer Provence, teacher at PS 63; and Jennifer Guzzo, teacher at PS 64.

Representatives for Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards attended.

Teacher Appreciation Week is the first full week of May each year. — Deirdre Bardolf

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Corona, Flushing residents oppose casino

Protest outside Aubry’s office objects to park alienation bill

by Stephanie Meditz Chronicle Contributor Protesters’

shouts boomed across the bustling Northern Boulevard traffic last Saturday as Flushing and Corona residents joined the Flushing for Equitable Development and Urban Planning coalition, known as “FED UP,” outside the district office of Assemblyman Jeff Aubry (D-Corona) in opposition to his proposed alienation of public parkland west of Citi Field, which he introduced last month.

The bill, A5688, would set aside the existing Citi Field parking lot, which is formally part of Flushing Meadows Corona Park, for Mets owner Steve Cohen to build a casino. Should the bill pass both chambers of the Legislature and get Gov. Hochul’s signature, New Green Willets, Cohen’s lobbying firm, would either have to replace the alienated land with new green space nearby or invest its equivalent market value into capital improvements on existing parkland and leave 20 acres at the site as open space. If New Green Willets does not begin construction in the first 15 years after the bill is passed, the land will be returned to the city.

The crux of protesters’ opposition to the bill is their belief that public land should be for public use; a casino, in their view, would run contrary to that. Some of the roughly 30 in attendance argued a casino would “prey on their communities,” fostering gambling problems and displacing low-income residents.

“At a time when people in these communities of color are already suffering from high rents and rising property taxes, at a time when our wages and long hours at work cannot sustain the basic costs of living, at a time when many of us are being

displaced from our communities, you, Assemblymember Aubry, would advocate for an institution that would siphon the savings of your working class constituents,” Zeke Luger of the Flushing AntiDisplacement Alliance said.

Aubry himself made an appearance and spoke to protesters before the event began. He said that, although he disagrees with them, they “get the right to express [their] opinion.”

Asked how the community benefits from his bill, Aubry said the construction process would create much-needed jobs and economic opportunities.

“It provides jobs, it provides economic opportunity ... there’s construction, there’s all the things that go in the plan,” he said. “I’ve represented this area for 32 years and done so, I believe, rather successfully and tried to do things that promote employment possibilities. People have to work.”

Sarah Ahn of the Flushing Workers Center was not satisfied by that answer. “You’ve been the representative for 30 years,” she said to the Assembly pro tempore. “Why do we need a casino to provide a few measly more jobs? Either something went wrong in those 30 years, or we don’t need that casino,”

Later, she added, “Jobs are important. We all do need jobs, but we need our elected officials to stand up to billionaires like Steve Cohen who do not care what happens to our communities.”

Ahn also expressed concerns about the potential gambling epidemic that could arise if the casino were built.

In response to a resident who made this suggestion, Aubry said, “If you don’t want to gamble, you’re

not necessarily going to go gamble.”

Aubry claimed constituents have expressed a desire for the casino.

A recent report by Queens Future, Cohen’s campaign, likewise stated that most Queens residents support the casino bid. The report does not specify poll respondents’ neighborhoods in Queens.

In March, opponents rallied outside the Flushing Library, claiming that they would like to see the land repurposed, but not for Cohen to build a casino. Area civic leaders have repeatedly advocated against a casino as well.

For Cohen, the potential parkland alienation would eliminate a major hurdle faced by previous developers — since the parkland was leased to the Mets for a baseball stadium and a parking lot, no other proposals have panned out. Still, the decision ultimately lies with the state Gaming Commission, which will award three downstate casino licenses. Citi Field is one of several locations that have been floated, including Coney Island, the Nassau Coliseum and Times Square.

“There’s no guarantee that [New Green Willets will] get the casino. What we did was give them the opportunity to be competitive for three casinos downstate. You have 15 organizations trying to get it,” Aubry said.

The bill stipulates for the land to be alienated for use by New Green Willets and its affiliates. If the state Gaming Commission selects Willets Point as a site for a casino, the bill

would allow Cohen to build it.

“It’s just so explicit in the bill. There’s only one scenario where this land could be alienated, and that is if Steve Cohen’s company ... New Green Willets, builds a casino on the land,” Luger told the Chronicle.

Aubry said that, in order to create more affordable housing units to accommodate the influx of 43,000 new immigrants, the city must earn funds through taxes and employment, which he claims the casino will do.

Guardians

of Flushing

Bay Executive Director Rebecca

Pryor said that Aubry’s bill is “an environmental injustice” to the lowand middle-income communities of color in Flushing and Corona.

“If this was happening in Manhattan, no one would let it through. Sixty acres of public parkland given away for private profit? Never ever would that happen. That is happening here,” she said.

Pryor proposed that elected officials should invest in public parkland to create absorbent green spaces that reduce air toxicity and bring communities together. Maggie Flanagan of the Guardians of Flushing Bay concurred that natural parkland will alleviate the flooding that threatens Queens communities.

“These can be places for community stewardship and nature rather than a casino,” she said. “The kind of green we need in this space is green infrastructure, and not the kind of green seeing our green dollars waste away to company profits.”

Although Queens Future does not explicitly mention the casino bid on its website, and instead referred to “gaming” during visioning sessions, Cohen and his team have promoted a re-imagining of the “50 acres of asphalt” that the bill would alienate.

Cohen’s wife, Alexandra Cohen, donated $117,300 to the New York State Democratic Committee last year, in addition to $50,000 to the New York State Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee, according to state campaign finance records. Records also show Michael Sullivan, Cohen’s top aide, last year donated a total of $27,900 to elected officials who represent Queens neighborhoods, including Aubry and state Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-East Elmhurst), whose districts cover the land in question. He also donated $35,000 to Hochul.

“Billionaire developers like Cohen think they can buy our consent to invade our communities and bleed us dry for the meager crumbs we have left. But they can’t do that without the help of community leaders like Aubry, who don’t see it as their job to protect our communities, but rather to sell them off to the highest bidder,” Luger said.

Protesters demanded other area elected officials to oppose the construction of a casino. Edwin O’Keefe Westley of the Jackson Heights Beautification Group advised the crowd to shift their focus to Ramos. He said that Ramos discussed introducing legislation in support of Aubry’s bill, but promised to include community members in the conversation; a spokesperson for Ramos said that was accurate.

“I’ll believe that when I see it,” he said. Q

A ubry told protesters a casino would be economically beneficial.

Sarah Ahn of the Flushing Workers Center expressed concerns about the gambling problems that a casino would potentially bring to already struggling residents. PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE MEDITZ

Assemblyman Jeff Aubry made an appearance at a protest against his park alienation bill. The demonstration was outside his district office.

Progress being made slowly but surely as Richards, Moya tour site Remediation work at Willets Pt. done

by Sophie Krichevsky Associate Editor

At first glance, it may not look as if much progress has been made on the city’s Willets Point Redevelopment project. Bulldozers and dump trucks can be seen peering out from the other side of the Seaver Way construction wall, but there’s no scaffolding yet.

However, as Borough President Donovan Richards, Councilman Francisco Moya (D-Corona) and Economic Development Corporation CEO and President Andrew Kimball saw on a tour of the site Tuesday morning, engineers and contractors have made some headway.

The remediation portion of Phase 1 of the project is officially complete, Jim Strobel, vice president of Design and Construction for Related Companies LLC, said during the tour.

Meanwhile, Frank Monterisi of the Queens Development Group — a joint venture between Related and former Mets owner Sterling Equities — said QDG expects to break ground on the first building on the site by the end of the year.

“In a couple of years, you’re going to come back here and people are going to be living in this neighborhood,” Monterisi said. “And that is the result of years and years and years of work by a lot of people.”

The six to seven acres of land included in Phase 1 will be home to two buildings of affordable housing, making for 1,100 units in total, retail space and a 650-seat school.

Work on ridding the Phase 1 site of contaminated soil and materials — left by the auto repair shops that dominated the area for years — kicked off in 2021. According to Strobel, 100,000 tons of polluted dirt was removed and has since been replaced with 80,000 tons of clean fill.

Construction on a brand-new water main is also well underway. That involves digging a trench for the piping itself, which is 72 inches wide, and installing a steel wall on either side of it to prevent any contaminated water from seeping in. Given Willets Point’s proximity to Flushing Bay and thus, a high water table, construction crews hit ground water about five feet into digging the 20-foot-deep trench. The water main will run under what is now Willets Point Boulevard.

Richards, Moya, Kimball and Monterisi all climbed down into the trench to check out the water main pipe for themselves.

“I’ve lived out my dreams of being a Ninja Turtle now,” Richards said Tuesday.

“I’ve lived out my dreams of being a Ninja Turtle now,” the borough president joked as he made his way out.

Holden hosts vets workshop

The New York City Department of Veterans’ Services will have a care coordinator on-site at the district office of Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) during business hours on Wednesday, May 17, to help veterans with a number of benefits and service issues.

They include:

• veterans’ benefits and claims;

• housing;

• financial assistance;

• SNAP food benefits;

• employment;

• legal assistance;

• mental health support;

• transportation;

• utility bills; and

• funerals and burials.

Holden serves as chairman of the Council’s Committee on Veterans. His district office is located at 58-38 69 St. in Maspeth.

Further information may be obtained by calling Holden’s office at (718) 3663900, or the DVS at (212) 416-5250. The DVS also can be followed on its website, nyc.gov/vets, or on social media at @ nycveterans. Q

The first building to start construction will be the one closest to the northeast corner of Seaver Way and Roosevelt Avenue, and will include 880 units of affordable housing, Monterisi said. A second building of affordable housing, which will include 220 units specifically for seniors, will be next door, just to the west; the two will share a lobby. The buildings will both be elevated so as to avoid flooding in homes and retail space. Parking will be directly underneath the two buildings; Monterisi said there will be roughly 250 parking spaces for 1,100 units-worth of residents.

Richards did not seem concerned about that ratio. “Keep in mind that you got public transportation — you have the L[ong] I[sland] R[ail] R[oad] which now runs 24/7, and you’ve got the

[No.] 7 [train],” he said. “And then God willing, a future ferry,” he added with a smile, making a nod to his own ideal AirTrain alternative.

Phase 2, which will include a new soccer stadium for the New York City Football Club, 1,400 more units of affordable housing and a hotel, was announced in November and is still in the early stages. That part of the project still needs to undergo a Uniform Land Use Review Procedure. Moya said he met with the City Planning Commission for the opening portion of that process last month. Kimball said the ULURP will likely go to Community Board 7 for its approval during the first quarter of 2024.

The EDC has previously said the 25,000seat soccer stadium was initially expected to be ready for the 2027 Major League Soccer season. But Tuesday, Kimball said, “There will be soccer games happening starting in 2028, the stadium will be finished towards the end of 2027.”

Asked for clarification and what would have caused a delay, an EDC spokesperson said Kimball misspoke, and maintained the stadium will open for the 2027 season.

Where parking for the soccer stadium will be was not entirely clear Tuesday. “The parking becomes a collaboration with the Mets,” Kimball said. “So that’ll be just a question of timing and sequencing between the two clubs.”

But the future of the Citi Field parking lot is also a factor as Mets owner Steve Cohen and his lobbying firm New Green Willets, have advocated for it to be “reimagined” — be it for open space, a casino or otherwise.

Asked about that fluid situation, Kimball said, “In the various scenarios of what the future might hold there, there will be just as much parking as there is today to meet the needs of Citi Field for the Mets and for future soccer games here. So that’s not an issue.” Q

NYBC: Calling all donors

The New York Blood Center is experiencing a critical shortage. Blood donors are needed for surgery, cancer patients, accident victims and new mothers and babies, among others.

Information is available at nybc.org. Upcoming drives include:

• Our Lady of Mercy Church, 8:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, at 70-01 Kessel St. in Forest Hills;

• Live to Ride Drive for Life MC blood drive, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 21, at 36-02 38 St. in Long Island City;

• Long Island Jewish Forest Hills, noon to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, at 10201 66 Road in Forest Hills;

• The Shops at Atlas Park, 1 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 30; Saturday, June 10; and Wednesday, July 5, at 8000 Cooper Ave. in Glendale;

• St. Margaret’s Parish, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, June 4, at 66-05 79 Place in Middle Village; and

• NYC Department of Design & Construction, 9:30 a.m to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 14, at 30-30 Thomson Ave. in Long Island City. Q

NYC Economic Development Corp. CEO and President Andrew Kimball, left, Borough President Donovan Richards, Councilman Francisco Moya, Queens Development Group’s Frank Monterisi and Related Companies LLC’s Jim Strobel toured the Willets Point Redevelopment site on Tuesday morning.

PHOTO BY SOPHIE KRICHEVSKY

PHOTO BY SOPHIE KRICHEVSKY

The groundbreaking on the first building of affordable housing units is slated for the end of this year.

Queens Taste returns

After three long years, Queens Taste is back to highlight several of the great cuisines that the borough has to offer at the New York Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, on May 16, from 6 to 9 p.m.

Organized by the Queens Economic Development Corp., the event is estimated to draw in more than 500 people and has approximately 30 food and beverage purveyors, who either live or work in the World’s Borough, as of Monday.

Elena Barcenes, owner of El Rincon Salvadoreno, told the Chronicle that she will bring a food staple of El Salvador, and a drink commonly made throughout Latin America, for Queens Taste.

“For me, its an honor to be able to represent my restaurant,” Barcenes said.

The restaurateur plans to bring pupusas next Tuesday.

“It’s padded and made out of corn,” she said. “Pupusas are filled with different ingredients.”

Sometimes it is filled with cheese, pork, pork and cheese, cheese and beans, or loroco and cheese, and salsa and pickled curtido (pickled cabbage), she added.

Barcenes is also looking forward to making horchata.

“It’s a drink made of peanuts roasted with cinnamon,” she said.

Fefe Anggono, owner of Taste of Surabaya in Flushing, told the Chronicle via email, that she is excited to be a part of the event.

The Taste of Surabaya, an Indonesian catering business that specializes in food from Lombok Island, a surf spot from the Southeast Asian country, will offer guests nasi kuning with oseng tempe buncis (a yellow rice platter with sautéed fermented soy and string beans), Anggono said.

The other vendors expected to participate in Queens Taste include Althea’s Tropical Delights in Brookville; Applebee’s Grill + Bar; Arepalicious in Ozone Park; de Mole in Woodside; F. Ottomanelli Burgers and Belgian Fries in Woodside; Julia’s Kountry Kitchen in Rosedale; Hello Bangladesh in Astoria; London Lennie’s in Middle Village; Mum’s Kitchen in St. Albans; Neir’s Tavern in Woodhaven; Pa-Nash in Rosedale; Schmidt’s Candy in Jamaica; SingleCut Beersmiths in Ditmars Steinway; Zaab Zaab Isaan Thai in Elmhurst and Zhego: Taste of Bhutan in Woodside.

People interested in attending Queens Taste, which is located at 47-01 111 St. in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, can get tickets for $125 (two for $200) at eventbrite.com.

The QEDC is a nonprofit, and the tickets are partially tax deductible, according to the organization.

— Naeisha Rose

PHOTOS COURTESY QEDC

CB 2 doubtful Ardila can represent area

Embattled pol fails to give peers, board answers on sex assault allegations

by Sophie Krichevsky Associate Editor

Can an elected official who has been accused of sexually assaulting two women represent his constituents adequately in the aftermath?

That question colored more than two hours of debate last Thursday night as Community Board 2 — which represents Sunnyside, Woodside and Long Island City — weighed how best to formally condemn Assemblymember Juan Ardila (D-Maspeth), who has been the subject of calls for resignation from numerous elected officials, including Gov. Hochul.

But even before board members began to ponder the procedural question, Councilmember Julie Won (D-Sunnyside) spoke out against Ardila’s actions.

“You have to address what the women are calling [for] — you cannot ignore the call for resignation from the victim and then not say anything,” Won said, speaking directly to Ardila. “You have to explain why you’re refusing to resign.”

Won not only condemned Ardila for his allegedly sexually assaulting two women at a 2015 party, as the Chronicle first reported in March, but she also criticized an Ardila-hired lawyer’s independent review of the allegations.

Calling out the attorney, Stuart Slotnick, by name, Won said that Ardila’s counsel called

the father of one of the victims in regard to the allegations. The victim in question, to whom the Chronicle has chosen to grant anonymity, separately confirmed that report, and that Slotnick had revealed her name as well as the other victims’ to people he has spoken with as part of his review.

“What you are doing to these women is not OK,” Won said. “For you to intimidate them, harass them and silence them via your lawyer ... that is not OK.”

The victim said that intimidation was an accurate description.

Slotnick is a prominent lawyer in the city whose father, Barry Slotnick, is known for defending Bernard Goetz, the man who in 1984 found himself at the heart of public scrutiny and debate after he shot four Black men whom he said he believed were trying to rob him. The younger Slotnick did not respond to a request for comment.

Ardila was on the virtual meeting himself Thursday night, after receiving criticism from the board in April when he did not show. “I hear the concerns of the community board,” Ardila said. “I’m not blind or playing silly about it, and I take allegations very seriously.

SPORTS EAT

Mets Motown misery

by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor

We will discover in time whether the Mets getting swept in Detroit by the Tigers was the slap in the face they needed to get back on track, or whether it was a harbinger for the remainder of the 2023 season.

Optimists will state 80 percent of the season is left to be played, and how the 2022 Philadelphia Phillies, who were the National League representative in the World Series, were in a far worse position last year at this time than the Mets are. Justin Verlander finally made his first start of the year in the getaway game in Detroit. While he did yield a pair of home runs in the first inning, which was all the scoring in a 2-0 Tigers win, Verlander looked sharp in his five innings. His velocity was in the mid 90s.

Pessimists certainly had ample material as well. Max Scherzer has looked like a shell of the pitcher he once was, as he was roughed up for six runs in less than four innings. He resembled more a Tigers batting practice pitcher than a certain first-ballot Hall of Famer. In the last two games with the Tigers, the Mets scored a grand total of one run. The Tigers are a poor team in terms of both record and talent, yet the Mets made them look like the Braves and Astros.

Struggling with bad teams is what did them in last September.

BFor now, I will take “the glass is half-full” position. The Mets have had trouble winning games in Detroit since the inception of interleague play in 1997. Having Verlander pitching every five days must be a shot in the arm. Highly touted third base prospect Brett Baty is hitting well and fielding his position better than most expected. Francisco Lindor and Starling Marte have performed below 2022 levels so far but should improve as the weather gets warmer.

The longtime lead voice of CBS Sports, Jim Nantz, was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at last Wednesday’s Broadcast & Cable Hall of Fame ceremonies held at the Ziegfield Ballroom.

Before the ceremony, Nantz told me he is not retiring anytime soon even, and was relinquishing play-by-play duties for the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament to Forest Hills native Ian Eagle. “I know the tournament will be in capable hands with Ian at the microphone. I am looking forward to spending a few extra weeks with my kids. I will still be working roughly 40 weeks of the year covering the NFL and golf.”

Nantz, like most Jets fans, is excited about the arrival of quarterback Aaron Rodgers. “I have not called a Jets game since 2019. I am looking forward to returning on a more frequent basis to the New York City area.” Q

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

“I haven’t disclosed any information or said anything to any press since March 14. So I don’t know what people are saying or where they’re getting their information from,” he said. After saying he wanted to discuss “wins for the district” in Albany, he added, “You will be hearing from me on the personal matter.”

Chair Danielle Brecker was not buying that. “This is what the community wants to talk about, so that response would ideally be sooner rather than later,” she said. “I think it’s needed, because many of us are very concerned.”

Pushed further on that, Ardila said, “I’m not ignoring any of you ... All these questions, you are going to get answers to.”

Ardila said he did not think a community board “was the space” to discuss “personal issues like that.” He said repeatedly that the board “would hear from” him on the allegations. But when several board members, including First Vice Chair Ros Gianutsos, pressed him on when that would be, he did not say anything more specific beyond “in a timely manner,” and asked for the “space to address” the concerns, despite the allegations first being reported more than six weeks ago. He did not immediately return to the Chronicle’s comment request.

Asked directly whether he has been sufficiently representing his district, Ardila noted that he had voted for and signed on to numer-

ous bills, and that he had “had conversations” with stakeholders.

“I’ve been doing my part in Albany,” he said, later adding, “In terms of what we promised to do, you are getting that.”

Also on the call was state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez (D-Long Island City). She was vehement in her rejection of Ardila’s statement on that.

“That is simply a misrepresentation of dynamics in Albany,” she said. “Our constituents deserve the truth.”

She added, “Every bill you’ve mentioned is carried by someone who has called on you to resign.”

Board member Laura Shepard later introduced a resolution for the panel to formally call on Ardila to step down. But members had mixed feelings on whether that was appropriate for the board to do.

“We can’t be political, but we can certainly say something or make a resolution about something that is impacting our community in a negative way,” Brecker said.

Second Vice Chair Morry Galonoy seemed to agree. “From the lens of the community board’s responsibility, this becomes a huge issue about representation and whether our representative is ... fully representing the district,” he said. “How can you legislate if your colleagues won’t engage with you? How is that helping us?”

“I think the sheer fact that we had to spend over an hour trying to get a clear answer out of him means that our business is being impacted by his presence,” added board member Zeeshan Ott.

Still, debate continued on whether adopting a resolution calling for Ardila to resign is within the board’s capacity. Ott suggested at one point that the board instead take a vote of no confidence in Ardila, which seemed more reasonable to many.

The board ultimately opted to table the matter to give Brecker time to confer with Borough Hall and legal counsel on what community boards can do in such a case. Q

Assemblymember Juan Ardila, top left, attended Community Board 2’s meeting last Thursday night, but did not sufficiently answer the board’s questions. CB 2 / ZOOM SCREENSHOT

CULTURE & LIVING

Joplin,Woods in song and story

by Michael Gannon

Ragtime composer Scott Joplin and electrical engineer Granville T. Woods were masters in their fields who never received their full due in their lifetimes. Neither was originally even accorded a headstone after dying in poverty.

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But St. Michael’s Cemetery in East Elmhurst will celebrate both men and their contributions in song and story on May 20 at free performances in what has become an annual — and well-attended — event.

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The Peacherine Ragtime Society, named for one of Joplin’s compositions, is made up of musicians from the Baltimore-Washington, DC, area. The group will perform a medley of Joplin’s numbers.

David Head will return for a second year to discuss Woods’ life, and, of course, his inventions, in character as the famed inventor.

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The free celebration begins at 2 p.m. The cemetery has honored Joplin annually for years. Dennis Werner, general manager of St. Michael’s, said it is organized every year by Ed Berlin, who has written two books about Joplin’s life and works. They expect as good a turnout as usual, and always try to have something new.

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“We invite various musicians, and this time we have the Peacherine Ragtime Society,” he said. “We’ve improved the stage. We feed people.”

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Head, Werner said, regales visitors in period dress as the inventor with more than 60 U.S. patents. Werner said in the event of rain the event will move to the chapel.

Andrew Greene, founder and director of the Peacherine Ragtime Society, said they have been looking forward to coming to Queens for a few years.

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“It’s a tradition for those ensembles that play classic ragtime to take their name from one of Scott Joplin’s rags,” Greene told the Chronicle. “This is one he composed in 1901.” Greene said the set list already is drawn up. He will serve as director and emcee between numbers. Greene said Berlin initially reached out to

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continued on page 23

* * * * * * * *

St. Michael’s honors

King Crossword Puzzle

I HAVE OFTEN WALKED

Burt Bacharach used to ‘walk on by’ FoHi Gardens

by Ron Marzlock Chronicle Contributor

Mark Bertram

“Bert” Bacharach married Irma Freeman on Oct. 24, 1925. Their only child, a son named Burt Freeman Bacharach, was born on May 12, 1928 in Kansas City, Mo.

In 1932 the family moved to 83-29 Talbot Street in Kew Gardens. In 1938, they moved into a six-story building at 150 Burns Street in Forest Hills Gardens. Irma encouraged her son to play classical piano. However, he preferred jazz as a teen.

Burt graduated Forest Hills High School in 1946. After college he was drafted into the Army in 1950 where he played and arranged music for singer Vic Damone when both were serving in Germany. Later he also worked with Marlene Dietrich.

In 1963 he formed a team with Hal

David to write and compose popular music. His style was easy listening and thousands of artists have recorded his songs — 73 of his songs were in the Top 40 on the U.S. charts. His accolades include six Grammy Awards three Academy Awards, and one Emmy Award.

He was married four times, including to actress Angie Dickinson, and had four children. He passed away from natural causes on Feb. 8, 2023, three months shy of his 95th birthday. Q

The childhood home of one of music’s legends, Burt Bacharach, at 150 Burns St. in Forest Hills Gardens, as it looked in the 1940s when he was a child. LEFT PHOTO VIA WIKIPEDIA / FILE

Columbo with a twist: “Prescription: Murder”

by Mark Lord qboro contributor

Fans of the long-running television series “Columbo,” along with anyone who likes crime dramas, should find great pleasure in the latest offering from Douglaston Community Theatre, “Prescription: Murder,” running weekends through May 21.

The play, by William Link and Richard Levinson, provided the inspiration for the series, which premiered in 1971 and ran, at times intermittently, through 2003.

Donning a rumpled raincoat and proceeding with an investigation in a seemingly inept manner, actor Peter Falk turned the title role, a homicide detective, into one of the most iconic characters in the history of television.

But don’t show up at Zion Church Parish Hall expecting to see a Falk look-alike, actalike. In fact, Tom Ciorciari, a fan of the series and an ardent Falk admirer, said that when he was first approached to play the role, “I had a lot of trepidation. I didn’t want to do Peter Falk’s Columbo. I didn’t want to just imitate him.”

A discussion with the play’s director, Danny Higgins, who shared a similar vision, solidified the deal.

According to Ciorciari, Higgins told him he did not want him to play the character “like folks expect,” suggesting he give him more

of an edge.

Unlike Ciorciari, who said he and his family watched the program all the time, Higgins, 28, had never even seen a single episode.

“I specifically stayed away” from catching re-runs, especially after being hired to direct the play, Higgins said. “I didn’t want [Ciorciari] to do an impression of Peter Falk. I wanted him to build his own character — a Columbo for our show.”

Higgins said he was also a bit hesitant to take on the show because “it’s not the type of play I prioritize in my work,” which, he explained, usually finds him tackling “abstract works.”

Directing this type of play has been “a very growing experience,” Higgins said.

Things were just getting underway when Higgins came down with Covid and the production was temporarily put on hold.

Once rehearsals resumed, two of the leading roles had to be re-cast with different actors, including Ciorciari.

“The two of us worked together over the years,” Ciorciari said of his connection to Higgins. “We had a brief discussion and it sounded like fun and a challenge not to fall

into imitation.”

Ciorciari said his Columbo “is not as cuddly as we remember him.” He has also altered his appearance so as to not resemble Falk’s character, donning eyeglasses and even growing a mustache.

Appearing opposite him is another longtime “Columbo” fan, Timothy Smith, who describes his character as “a psychiatrist badly in need of therapy. He has a number

of issues. He’s unhappy in marriage and is having an affair with one of his patients.”

Like Ciorciari, Smith has worked with Higgins before. “He always puts his own spin on things,” he said of the director. Rather than trying to replicate the characters, Smith said, Higgins is focusing “more on the feel of the time.” And, he added, Higgins is also doing some of his “signature stuff with lighting.”

Rounding out the ensemble cast are Renee Cerchia-Cohn, Ken Cohn, Clare Lowell, Lisa Meckes and Karen Schlachter.

How do those involved in the production feel audiences will react to this new interpretation?

“I’m excited to know,” Higgins said. “I hope they’ll come in with an open mind.”

Smith was confident that “if you love Columbo, it will still appeal to you.”

Remaining performances at Zion Church Parish Hall (243-20 Church St., Douglaston) are on May 12, 13 and 20 at 8 p.m. and May 13 and 21 at 2 p.m.

Tickets: $22 for adults; $20 students and seniors. Visit dctonline.org or call (718) 8854785. Q

St. Michael’s again remembers Joplin, Woods

continued from page 21

Joplin, who died in 1917 at age 48, was reintroduced to popular culture in 1973 when the Paul Newman-Robert Redford movie “The Sting” used several of his works, the most famous of which was “The Entertainer.”

An organization of composers raised money for the grave marker that was installed before a concert honoring Joplin.

Berlin said Joplin “was pretty much for-

Crossword Answers

gotten” at the time of his death. But his music would not be denied.

“Jazz musicians continued to play his music, mostly the ‘Maple Leaf Rag,’” Berlin said. “When sound movies came in in the 1930s, the ‘Maple Leaf Rag’ was a staple in bar room scenes.

“Then in the 1940, some musicians were looking to find the roots of jazz. And in doing so, they rediscovered Scott Joplin.”

Berlin said everyone from classical performers — “Scott Joplin considered himself classical composer; but being African American back then, who would pay attention to him?” — to pop artists to music scholars kept “rediscovering” his music. Then came “The Sting.”

“And then, every piano student in he country was playing Scott Joplin’s music,” Berlin said.

Head, a former South Ozone Park resident who now lives outside of Detroit, considers himself a historian and truthseeker. He said bringing the lives of Woods and other Black historical figures to audiences is a labor of love, especially those like Woods who were among the greatest minds of their time.

“If you look at the third rail [in the subway], its the heartbeat of New York,” Head said. “Without it, New York shuts down. It wasn’t an invention of Granville T. Woods, but he improved upon it. Like the original telephone, it was not commercially applicable. He improved that technology.”

He also would beat Thomas Edison and more famous inventors to patents or in

patent lawsuits on more than one occasion, earning the nickname “the Black Edison.”

His other inventions included a way for trains and railroad stations to communicate with each other via telegraph without direct wire contact. Woods died in 1910 at age 53. His marker was placed at St. Michael’s in 1975. Q

The cast of DCT’s production of “Prescription: Murder”: Karen Schlachter, top left, Timothy F. Smith, Tom Ciorciari and Ken Cohn; Renee Cerchia-Cohn, seated left, Lisa Meckes and Clare Lowell. COURTESY PHOTO

David Head, left, and the Peacherine Ragtime Society Band will appear at St. Michael’s Cemetery in East Elmhurst in tribute performances to inventor Granville T. Woods and ragtime composer Scott Joplin. On the cover, Scott Joplin. COURTESY PHOTOS

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Legal Notices

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC, Plaintiff, vs. MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., ACTING SOLELY AS A NOMINEE FOR COUNTRYWIDE BANK, FSB, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confi rming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on August 16, 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 on May 26, 2023 at 10:45 a.m., premises known as 106-07 177th Street, Jamaica, NY 11433. 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 10334 and Lot 6. Approximate amount of judgment is $1,274,777.57 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of fi led Judgment Index # 701502/2021. 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 CourtCivil Term website. Lawrence

M. Litwack, Esq., Referee Vallely Law PLLC, 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 105, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff

2 Lee’s Development LLC

fi led w/ SSNY on 4/13/23. Offi ce: Queens Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 18-14 129th St., College Point, NY 11356. Purpose: any lawful.

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, NYCTL 1998-2

TRUST AND THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON AS COLLATERAL AGENT AND CUSTODIAN, Plaintiff, vs. MARIE LANGONE AS EXECUTRIX OF THE ESTATE OF JOSEPHINE BRACCIO, Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confi rming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated October 25, 2022 and duly entered on October 27, 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 19, 2023 at 10:15 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 11483 and Lot 25. Said premises may also be known as No # 108 Street, Queens, NY. Approximate amount of judgment is $54,596.35 plus interest and costs on the 2004 Tax Lien, $45,922.85 plus interest and costs on the 2006 Tax Lien, and $29,480.80 plus interest and costs on the 2008 Tax Lien. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of fi led Judgment and Terms of Sale. 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. Index # 705972/2017. Joyce A. Brown, Esq., Referee The Law Offi ce of Thomas P. Malone, PLLC, 60 East 42nd Street, Suite 553, New York, New York 10165, Attorneys for Plaintiff

Notice of Formation of ALL THE WORK’S GENERAL CONTRACTORS & ASSOCIATES LLC

Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/04/2023. 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: ALL THE WORK’S GENERAL CONTRACTORS & ASSOCIATES LLC, 10858 53RD AVENUE, APT 3R,CORONA, NY 11368. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE OF ANTLR MORTGAGE TRUST 2021-RTL1, Plaintiff, vs. HARRISON DEVELOPERS LLC, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to an Order Confi rming Referee Report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on February 22, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the outside steps of the Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on May 19, 2023 at 11:45 a.m., premises known as Foothill Avenue, Hollis, NY 11423 a/k/a 198-54 Dunton Avenue, Hollis, NY 11423. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being at Jamaica Estates, Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 10532 and Lot 145. Approximate amount of judgment is $1,341,078.66 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of fi led Judgment Index #716772/2021. 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. Cassandra Hyppolite, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No. 202990-2

AMERICAN MATERIALS RECOVERY LLC, Arts. of Org. fi led with the SSNY on 02/15/2023. 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, 172-33 Douglas Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11433. Reg Agent: Joie Marie Hein, 172-33 Douglas Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11433. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

Notice of Formation of Andrei Andreas LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/17/2023. 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: ANASTASIA ALLEN, 137-07 232ND STREET, LAURELTON, NY 11413. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

BEACH CHANNEL DIAGNOSTIC & TREATMENT CENTER, LLC fi led Arts. of Org. with the Sect’y of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/5/2023. Offi ce: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: Angela C. Bellizzi, Esq., 225 Crossways Park Dr., Woodbury, NY, 11797. Purpose: any lawful act.

Real Estate

EQUAL HOUSING. Federal, New York State and local laws prohibit discrimination because of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, familial status or disability in connection with the sale or rental of residential real estate. Queens Chronicle does not knowingly accept advertising in violation of these laws. When you suspect housing discrimination call the Open Housing Center (the Fair Housing Agency for the five boroughs of New York) at 212941-6101, or the New York City Commission of Human Rights Hotline at 718-722-3131. The Queens Chronicle reserves the right to alter wording in ads to conform with Federal Fair Housing regulations.

Apts.For Rent

Howard Beach, across from Charles Park, 3 rm apt, $2,500/mo + $5,000 deposit. Good credit only. Additional lg duplex, washer & dryer, walk-in closet, storage, bathroom, $700/mo extra. Backyard & garden avail $150/mo. Text 646-642-9646

Howard Beach, sunny 1 BR, CAC, utils incl. No pets. $1,500/mo. Call 718-848-6431

Lindenwood, Beautiful renov 3 BR, 2 bath, open floor plan. Nicesized balcony. Century 21 Amiable II, 718-835-4700

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS Index No. 718890/2020 NOTICE OF AMENDMENT TO CAPTION MTGLQ INVESTORS, L.P., Plaintiff, -against- ROSHNEE DHANRAJ, DANA DHANRAJ, AMAYA DHANRAJ, THE UNKNOWN HEIRS-AT-LAW, NEXT-OF-KIN, DISTRIBUTEES, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, TRUSTEES, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS AND SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST AND GENERALLY ALL PERSONS HAVING OR CLAIMING, UNDER, BY OR THROUGH THE DECEDENT RAMESHWAR DHANRAJ, BY PURCHASE, INHERITANCE, LIEN OR OTHERWISE, ANY RIGHT, TITLE OR INTEREST IN AND TO THE PREMISES DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT HEREIN, CRIMINAL COURT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK (QUEENS), MADISON RESOURCES, LTD., MORTGAGE ELECTRONICS REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. AS NOMINEE FOR U.S. BANK N.A., NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD, NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, SAMIL PERSAUD, ALANA JAIKRAN, SHAWNDELL RIVERS, CHANTELL JOHNSON, Defendants. TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS: Unknown Heirs, Dana Dhanraj, and Amaya Dhanraj: This Notice is to inform you that you have been substituted as party Defendants into a foreclosure action, in place of the Decedent Rameshwar Dhanraj, and that the Caption has been amended to reflect this change. You are not required to serve an answer as the Decedent has already defaulted, and any answer served will be rejected as precluded by law. No action is necessary on your part. The sole purpose of this Notice is to inform you that the caption has been amended to include your name(s) as a matter of law, and that you may be given additional notice of further developments in this case, as required by law. Plaintiff is not seeking a deficiency judgment against you. You are merely being named by virtue of being possible heirs to the Decedent, and as such are entitled to notice of these proceedings. These proceedings concern ONLY the Property known as: 116-17 139TH ST, QUEENS, NY 11436, KNUCKLES, KOMOSINSKI & MANFRO, LLP. By:

ALEX ZAMENHOF ALEX ZAMENHOF, ESQ. Attorneys for Plaintiff

Houses For Sale

BROAD CHANNEL

1215 Cross Bay Blvd.

Large 3 bedroom home, 1 full bath, 2 half baths. SOLAR panels paid off. Block from NEW school. 3 fl oors of living space, 3 decks, hot tub, pool. PRICE REDUCED $599,000

Please contact

917-972-8178

Apts.For Rent

North Flushing, 1 BR, $1,300/mo. Call 929-510-4660

Howard Beach/Rockwood Park, 40x100, Hi-Ranch, unique 5 BRs, 2 full baths, 3 BRs, 1 bath, top flr & 2 BRs on walk-in level, new kit, HW flrs & new baths. Cement & pavers front & back. Full 1 car gar, sep ent to walk-in. Reduced $965K. Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136

Open House

Howard Beach/Lindenwood / Fairfield Arms, Sat 5/13, 1pm-3pm, 151-20 88 St. (HighRise). Agent Pam will be on the lobby. Unit 4C-Lg 2 BR, 2 baths. Reduced $225K. Unit 2D, 2 BRs converted to 3 BRs, 2 full baths. Reduced $225K. Unit 5D, 2 BR, 2 baths, needs TLC, 5th fl. Reduced $225K. Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136

Wantagh, Sat 5/13, 10am-1pm, 969 Douglas Ave. Expanded Ranch, corner lot, 67’x100’. Move-in-cond, 3 BR, 2 1/2 baths, HW fls, att gar, CAC central vac. Asking $729K, Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136

Office For Rent

Howard Beach, small office for rent. $800/mo. Call Owner Vito, 718-738-2300

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS 1900 CAPITAL TRUST III, BY U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS CERTIFICATE TRUSTEE, Plaintiff AGAINST KAZIM MOHAMMED, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to an Order Confirming Referee report and Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered August 29, 2022, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the Courthouse steps of the Queens Supreme Court located at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, New York. on May 19, 2023 at 11:15AM premises known as 138-01 107th Avenue, Jamaica, N.Y. 11435 All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 10039, Lot 20. Approximate amount of judgment $749,480.92 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #702791/2014. 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. Foreclosure Auctions will be held “Rain or Shine”. Linda Mule, Esq., Referee Ross Eisenberg Law PLLC, 445 Central Ave. Suite 112, Cedarhurst, N.Y. 11516 0005

Notice of Formation of GARDEN PROPERTY 88 LLC

Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/06/2023. 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: GARDEN PROPERTY 88 LLC, 196-15 42ND RD, FLUSHING, NY 11358. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of QUEENS PRO EDITING LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/04/2023. 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: ARMAND RUCI, 2045 GATES AVE 2L, RIDGEWOOD, NY 11385. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS INDEX #711756/2022 Original fi led with Clerk 4/27/2023 Plaintiff Designates Queens County as the Place of Trial The Basis of Venue is that the subject action is situated Queens County Premises: 15135 84th Street, Unit 3M, Howard Beach, NY 11414 THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF THE CWABS INC., ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-1, Plaintiff, -against- MARYANN MORAN, 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 generally or specifi c lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the 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; THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE BUILDERS APARTMENT CORPORATION CONDOMINIUM, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specifi c lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the 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; THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE HERITAGE SOUTH CONDOMINIUM; MANUFACTURERS AND TRADERS TRUST COMPANY; THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; and JOHN DOE AND JANE DOE #1 through #7, the last seven (7) names being fi ctitious and unknown to the Plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or parties, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the mortgaged premises described in the complaint, Defendants. TO THE ABOVE-NAMED DEFENDANTS: 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 Plaintiff’s Attorney(s) within 20 days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); the United States of America may appear or answer within 60 day of service hereof; and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. That this Supplemental Summons is being fi led pursuant to an Order of the Court dated April 14, 2023. TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: The foregoing Summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon. Tracy A. Catapano-Fox, a Justice of the Supreme Court, Queens County, entered April 19, 2023 and fi led with the complaint and other papers in the Queens County Clerk’s Offi ce. THE OBJECT OF THE ACTION is to foreclose a mortgage recorded in the Offi ce of the City Register of the City of New York on October 21, 2005 at Instrument #2005000589292, covering premises k/a 151-35 84th Street, Unit 3M, Howard Beach, NY 11414 a/k/a Block 11431, Lot 4312. 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 fi led 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 THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF THE CWABS INC., ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-1 AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT.Dated: Uniondale, New York, April 26, 2023 Respectfully submitted, Pincus Law Group, PLLC. By: George J. Weissinger, Esq. Attorneys for Plaintiff. 425 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, NY 11556 516-699-8902 #100422

Notice of Formation of RICHMOND QNS LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/24/2023. 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: RICHMOND QNS LLC, 6237 ELLWELL CRESCENT, REGO PARK, NY 11374.

Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Take Taco Mexican Grill, LLC, Arts of Org. fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 3/3/2023. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Ching Wan Chan, 48-82 188th St., Fresh Meadows, NY 11365.

General Purpose

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS INDEX NO. 709173/2021 Plaintiff designates QUEENS as the place of trial situs of the real property SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS Mortgaged Premises: 11481 178TH ST, JAMAICA, NY 11434 Block: 10312 Lot: 80 REVERSE MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS, INC., Plaintiff, vs. LOIS M. ROSENBLATT, PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF JAMES HOWARD BUNN A/K/A JAMES BUNN; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; CHRISTOPHER BUNN, HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF JAMES HOWARD BUNN A/K/A JAMES BUNN, if living, and if she/he be dead, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specifi c lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the 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; DARREN BUNN HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF JAMES HOWARD BUNN A/K/A JAMES BUNN; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACTING THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Defendants. To the above-named Defendants 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 Plaintiff’s Attorney within 20 days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In the event the United States of America is made a party defendant, the time to answer for the said United States of America shall not expire until (60) days after service of the Summons; and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint.

NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above caption action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the sum of $562,500.00 and interest, recorded on August 5, 2009 in CRFN #2009000243122, of the Public Records of QUEENS County, New York, covering premises known as 11481 178TH ST, JAMAICA, NY 11434. The relief sought in the within action is a fi nal judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. QUEENS County is designated as the place of trial because the real property affected by this action is located in said county. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

Notice of Formation of Zhengbo Huang Excelsior, LLC. Arts. of Org. fi led with NY Dept. of State: 11/14/22. Offi ce location: Queens County. Sec. of State designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served and shall mail process to: Zhengbo Huang, 40-28 College Point Blvd., Unit 1801, Flushing, NY 11354, principal business address. Purpose: any lawful activity.

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 fi led this foreclosure proceeding against you and fi ling 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 the mortgage company will not stop the 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 11, 2023 ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC, Attorney for Plaintiff, COREY ROBSON, ESQ., 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 106, Westbury, NY 11590. 516-280-7675

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS INDEX NO. 719211/2022 Plaintiff designates QUEENS as the place of trial situs of the real property SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS Mortgaged Premises: 116-26 132ND STREET, SOUTH OZONE PARK, NY 11420 Block: 11687, Lot: 18 PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION, Plaintiff, vs. BEVERLY JENKINS, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF PAULINE GITTENS; STEPHANIE GITTENS, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF PAULINE GITTENS; CHERYL GITTENS, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF PAULINE GITTENS; LASHAWN GITTENS, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE TO THE ESTATE OF ROBERT J. GITTENS, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE TO THE ESTATE OF PAULINE GITTENS; BRENT GITTENS, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE TO THE ESTATE OF PAULINE GITTENS; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES OF THE ESTATE OF PAULINE GITTENS, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specifi c lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the 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; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; NEW YORK CITY PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU; NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; JOHN DOE AS “JOHN DOE #1”, “JOHN DOE #2” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last eleven names being fi ctitious and unknown to Plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises, described in the complaint, Defendants. To the above named Defendants YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service. Your failure to appear or to answer will result in a judgment against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. In the event that a defi ciency balance remains from the sale proceeds, a judgment may be entered against you. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above caption action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the sum of $690,000.00 and interest, recorded on **MISSING**, in CRFN 2017000334330, of the Public Records of QUEENS County, New York., covering premises known as 116-26 132ND STREET, SOUTH OZONE PARK, NY 11420. 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. QUEENS County is designated as the place of trial because the real property affected by this action is located in said county.

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 fi ling 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 the mortgage company will not stop the 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 6, 2023

ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC, Attorney for Plaintiff, Matthew Rothstein, Esq., 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310 Westbury, NY 11590, 516-280-7675.

STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS. SANTANDER BANK, N.A., Plaintiff, -vs- MIRANDA DECKARD, AS PROPOSED EXECUTRIX OF THE ESTATE OF LINDA MARIE CICHOCKI A/K/A LINDA V. CICHOCKI A/K/A LINDA CICHOCKI, AND INDIVIDUALLY; ANGEL HILL A/K/A CRYSTAL CICHOCKI A/K/A CRYSTAL HILL; Any unknown heirs to the Estate of LINDA MARIE CICHOCKI A/K/A LINDA V. CICHOCKI A/K/A LINDA CICHOCKI next of kin, devisees, legatees, distributees, grantees, assignees, creditors, lienors, trustees, executors, administrators or successors in interest, as well as the respective heirs at law, next of kin, devisees, legatees, distributees, grantees, assignees, lienors, trustees, executors, administrators or successors in interest of the aforesaid classes of persons, if they or any of them be dead, all of whom and whose names and places of residence are unknown to the plaintiff; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA O/B/O INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; NEW YORK CITY PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU; and “JOHN DOE” and “MARY DOE,” (Said names being fictitious, it being the intention of plaintiff to designate any and all occupants, tenants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises being foreclosed herein), Defendants. Filed: 10/12/2022 Index No.: 720470/2022 SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS Mortgaged Premises: 137 -31 96th Street Ozone Park, (City and State of New York) NY 11417 TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANTS: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a Defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service hereof. 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 for the foreclosure of: Mortgage bearing the date of January 25, 2007, executed by Linda Marie Cichocki to Sovereign Bank to secure the sum of $125,000.00, and interest, and recorded in the Office of the Clerk of Queens County on February 26, 2007 in CRFN: 2007000106504. Santander Bank, N.A., is successor by merger to Sovereign Bank. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the Mortgaged Premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. Plaintiff designates Queens County as the place of trial. The basis of venue is the County in which the Mortgaged Premises is situated. Block: 11532 Lot: 45 DATED: October 7, 2022 Rochester, New York 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. WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. SCHEDULE A LEGAL DESCRIPTION ALL that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the easterly side of 96th Street, distant 295.47 feet southerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the easterly side of 96th Street with the southerly side of Pitkin Avenue, as said street and avenue are laid down and shown on the Topographical Map of the Borough of Queens; RUNNING THENCE easterly, parallel with Pitkin Avenue, 100.00 feet; THENCE southerly, parallel with 96th Street, 25.00 feet; THENCE westerly, again parallel with Pitkin Avenue, 100.00 feet to the easterly side of 96th Street; THENCE northerly along the easterly side of 96th Street, 25.00 feet to the point or place of BEGINNING. TOGETHER with an easement over the northerly 2 feet of premises immediately adjoining on the south for an automobile driveway extending from 96th Street to the garage erected or to be erected on the rear of the above described premises, which driveway is for the use of the owner of the above described premises only; SUBJECT to an easement for an automobile driveway over the northerly 2 feet of the premises above described in favor of the owner of the premises immediately adjoining on the north only.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK – COUNTY OF QUEENS INDEX #703807/2014 FILED: 1/24/2023 THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS Plaintiff designates QUEENS County as the Place of trial. The basis of venue is: The location of real property being foreclosed. U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF BEAR STEARNS ASSET BACKED SECURITIES I LLC, ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005HE5, Plaintiff, against PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR OF NASSAU COUNTY AS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF HOWARD FELDER A/K/A HOWARD C FELDER, DIANE FELDER, AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF HOWARD FELDER A/K/A HOWARD C FELDER, HOWARD FELDER, JR., AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF HOWARD FELDER A/K/A HOWARD C FELDER, if they be living and if they be dead, the respective heirs-at-law, next-of-kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devisees, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors and successors in interest and generally all persons having or claiming under, by or through said defendant(s) who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or inheritance, any right, title or interest in or to the real property described in the Complaint, YOLANDA FELDER, AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF HOWARD FELDER A/K/A HOWARD C FELDER, SHERMAN ACQUISITION LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, NYC ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE and “JOHN DOE” and “JANE DOE”, the last two names being fi ctitious, said parties intended being tenants or occupants, if any, having or claiming an interest in, or lien upon the premises described in the complaint, Defendant(s). To the above named Defendants: 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 plaintiff’s attorney(s) within 20 days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. NOTICE 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 fi led this foreclosure proceeding against you and fi ling 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. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Honorable Lance P Evans, a Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Queens County, granted on the 17th day of January, 2023, and fi led with the Complaint and other papers in the offi ce of the County Clerk of Queens County. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage upon the premises described below, executed by HOWARD FELDER A/K/A HOWARD C FELDER to MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC. AS NOMINEE FOR ALLIANCE MORTGAGE BANKING CORP., it successors and assigns, bearing date December 3, 2004 and recorded in CRFN: 2005000007133 in the County of Queens on January 5, 2005, which was modifi ed by agreement dated May 25, 2007, in the modifi ed amount of $480,466.44, which was further modifi ed by agreement dated December 15, 2008, in the modifi ed amount of $471,074.38, which was then assigned to U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF BEAR STEARNS ASSET BACKED SECURITIES I LLC, ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-HE5 by instrument executed May 3, 2012 and recorded June 6, 2012, in CRFN: 2012000220606. Said premises being known as and by 150-15 123RD AVE, JAMAICA, NY 11434, bearing tax map designation Block: 12217, Lot: 49, which is more fully described in the Schedule “A” attached to the Complaint. Aldridge Pite, LLP, Attorneys for the Plaintiff, 40 Marcus Drive, Suite 200, Melville, NY 11747 File 1012-23547B