Queens Chronicle South Edition 06-13-24

Governor draws praise, heat for halt; MTA reevaluating project priorities Congestion pricing: All politics is Hochul

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

That didn’t take long.

On Monday, three business days after Gov. Hochul called for an indefinite halt on implementing congestion pricing, officials with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority said they will be reevaluating programs yet to be funded in the remainder of its 2020-24 fiveyear capital spending program.

“The MTA cannot award contracts that do not have a committed, identified funding source,” said Chief Financial Officer Kevin Willens and General Counsel Paige Graves in a joint statement from the agency. “Until there is a commitment for funding the balance of the 2020-2024 Capital Program, the MTA will need to reorganize the Program to prioritize the most basic and urgent needs.

“As such, the MTA Board will be evaluating what changes need to be made to the Capital Program in the lead-up to this month’s Board meeting. Modernization and improvement projects like electric buses, accessible (ADA) stations and new signals will likely need to be deprioritized to protect and preserve the basic operation and functionality of this 100+ year old system.”

Hochul’s call to indefinitely halt the plan, — which had been set to go into effect June 30 — has had an impact far beyond Manhattan’s

Gov. Hochul said she is seeking a delay in congestion pricing out of numerous concerns for residents’ economic worries. How we reported it before the change: Gov. Hochul announced upon taking office that she would support congestion pricing, as illustrated on the front page of the Chronicle’s Western Queens edition a few days later, on Sept. 2, 2021.

Central Business District, or the Congestion Relief Zone, as it is being called by the MTA

Her June 5 announcement confirmed what multiple sources said first began spilling out the night before. It has had reverberations from Queens and the city out to Nassau and Suffolk counties, Albany and even Washington, DC ,continuing through this week.

Ha ppy

The objectives of congestion pricing, passed in 2019, are to raise $1 billion per year for the MTA’s capital program, and reduce traffic and pollution in Manhattan south of 60th Street. Hochul couched the decision to hold off in terms of economic hardships that still encumber New Yorkers from the pandemic days.

Last Thursday a number of influential

Queens leaders from state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) to Assemblyman Clyde Vanel (D-Queens Village) supported her.

But many progressive elected officials have not. Numerous transit and environmental advocacy groups say they have been betrayed.

And the news website Politico, quoting multiple sources, reported that Hochul was responding to concerns raised by U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn) that congestion pricing is endangering Democratic congressional candidates on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley, two years after Republicans flipped four New York State seats en route to taking a slim House majority. Hochul, cited too much potential for unintended economic consequences.

“Over the last five years, New Yorkers have seen the price of groceries alone go up an average of 23 percent,” she said “Think about the cost of eggs, more than doubling from $1.20 to $2.86 all over the country. Housing prices have increased 17 percent. Costs of child care has gone up almost 20 percent. And the strain on working- and middle-class families is just too much.

“It was enacted five years ago to achieve two essential goals — reduce traffic and emissions in New York City and provide a funding stream for much-needed capital

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NYS GOVERNOR SCRENSHOT / X, LEFT

Howard Beach to CB 10: ‘No to City of Yes’

Civic

group garners more than 2,500 signatures opposing zoning proposal

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

Residents of Community District 10 largely do not support City of Yes for Housing Opportunity — and they’re making it clear to their community board.

At Board 10’s meeting last week, the community turned out to make its opposition heard, alongside written notice of residents’ opinions.

The Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic, led by Phyllis Inserillo and Barbara McNamara, had spread the word for weeks about the board’s June 6 meeting, where the Department of City Planning presented the mayor’s zoning text amendment that aims to loosen restrictions and address the housing crisis.

The proposal includes removing parking mandates, legalizing accessory dwelling units and more housing above businesses, adding transitoriented development and a new Universal Affordability Preference, which would allow developers to add at least 20 percent more housing to buildings if the additional homes are affordable to households earning 60 percent of the area median income.

After the board voted “yes” with conditions to the economic portion of the City of Yes proposal, which passed the City Council last week, Inserillo, who is also the chief of staff for Councilwoman Joann Ari-

ola (R-Ozone Park) but recused herself from her duties for the meeting, cautioned against a similar type of vote.

She said she had not spoken to a single person within the confines of Board 10 that supported the text amendment. She also said that at a City Council Land Use Committee meeting in April, the chair of the DCP, Dan Garodnick, said a vote of yes from the community board with

conditions is still a yes — even if those conditions are not met.

“You did that the last time in the economic portion but you cannot do that again,” Inserillo said. “Our community does not even want a ‘no’ vote with conditions. This plan will be a disaster for this community and the only vote we want to hear from this board is ‘no.’”

“We say no,” said McNamara during the public forum. “We live here

because we want our suburban feeling while being close enough to go into the city to enjoy our theaters, museums, restaurants, etcetera. We do not want ADUs or basement dwellers or housing above our stores on Crossbay Boulevard or many apartment buildings in old Howard.”

Both Inserillo and McNamara received loud applause from the crowd following their words.

Other residents spoke on concerns

that the new zoning would leave schools overcrowded and put too much pressure on the neighborhood’s firehouse on Cross Bay Boulevard, which would have more units to tend to.

The civic later posted a photo of the meeting turnout on social media, writing, “Howard Beach is saying NO to the City of Yes at the Community Board 10 meeting. We have a packed house with standing room only and there isn’t much more room to stand.

“Together, we have collected over 2,500 signatures on letters opposing the City of Yes and we will continue to collect up until the vote. Thank you to everyone who has signed and a huge thank to all those who have collected letters. Our voices are being heard loud and clear.”

Because there were other items on the agenda, to allow for ample time for public testimony, the board will hold an extra meeting on June 18 at 7 p.m. at its usual meeting location, the Old Mill Yacht Club at 163-15 Crossbay Blvd. Then, on June 26 at the same location, the board will take a formal vote.

Community boards, however, only make a recommendation. The City Council will have the final say with a vote, expected to be held by the end of the year. Q

Queens DA Katz: ‘My office has been busy’

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

“My office, which is unfortunate, has been extremely busy,” said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz on Tuesday. “And I say unfortunate, because when the DA is busy, it means that the borough has issues that I am dealing with.”

Katz was the guest of honor at Community Board 9’s monthly meeting, where she discussed issues plaguing the borough and scams to look out for.

In discussing the fatal shooting of NYPD Officer Jonathan Diller in Rockaway in March and the two cops shot earlier this month in East Elmhurst, Katz said, “We’ve got to protect those who protect us, and it’s very important that there is accountability in the city.”

She added that accountability can mean jail, a fair and equitable trial or services for those who are struggling.

“But if they need to be tried and convicted, we do that too,” Katz said. “And I think

Talking shootings, scooters and scams

that is a good balance.”

On illegal scooters, Katz said to combat the “huge issue,” her office hired trucks. Once or twice a week, she said the DA’s Office and the NYPD will go out and confiscate unregistered scooters.

“We literally scoop up the scooters that are parked illegally — unlicensed, unregistered, uninsured, unidentifiable scooters,” she said. “We scoop them up and put them in the truck. And we get them off the street.”

On illegal pot shops, the DA said she’s concerned with the product being sold.

“You could buy oregano or you could be buying first-class fentanyl,” she said. “You have no idea what’s in it.”

Katz recommended reporting shops close to schools and places of worship.

The DA also discussed scams, and brought up two prominent ones going around. In one, a person, usually elderly,

will get a call from someone pretending to be a family member who needs money to get bailed out of jail.

“Don’t give anybody your money,” Katz said. “You don’t know them. They’re a voice on the phone.” She added, jokingly, “I’m not saying don’t give your grandkids money. I’m saying trust, but verify.”

In the other common scam, Katz said someone will call, pretending to be from the DA’s Office, and tell people they are under investigation — but if a fee is paid, the investigation will be closed.

“I will never, ever ask you for money,” Katz said. If someone receives that kind of call, she said to hang up and report it.

“Don’t give anyone your money,” she reiterated. “But if you do, don’t be embarrassed — it’s what [scammers] do for a living — separate you from the money you earn. So don’t be embarrassed.” Q

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, at mic, visited Community Board 9 on Tuesday to discuss area crime and what her office has been working on.

PHOTO BY KRISTEN GUGLIELMO

To show their opposition to City of Yes, residents of South Queens packed into the Old Mill Yacht Club in Howard Beach for Community Board 10’s meeting last week, where the Department of City Planning presented a plan for new zoning regulations for housing.

YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT / CB 10

Changes are coming to commercial zoning

The City Council passes City of Yes for Economic Opportunity with 34-16 vote

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

The City Council last Thursday approved Mayor Adams’ City of Yes for Economic Opportunity initiative, a text amendment aimed at modernizing the city’s zoning laws to stimulate economic growth and support small businesses. The vote was 34-16.

The initiative, one of three of the mayor’s City of Yes zoning plans, includes 18 separate proposals that target regulations proponents say have remained unchanged since the 1960s and are barriers to business growth and urban development.

Supporters of the initiative, including various business leaders and elected officials, have lauded it for its potential to foster economic recovery and create a more dynamic urban environment.

The plan is set to more than double the space available for clean manufacturing, allowing small producers, such as microbreweries, apparel makers and ceramic shops, to open and grow in commercial corridors. It will also create new zoning tools to allow growth for more than 17,000 businesses in industrial areas that are currently prevented from adding space and expand the number of businesses able to open in ground- and upper-floor spaces.

The plan will eliminate rules that prohibit dancing and entertainment in restaurants and venues in commercial areas. It will instead govern venues by size and volume, as well as update rules that limit where amusements are allowed, so experiential retail, such as virtual-reality arcades and family-friendly activities, can be located closer to residential areas.

and interior designers, to be based in homes; foster cleaner and safer streets and support small businesses by helping them expand local delivery capacity; and facilitate adaptive reuse of commercial buildings by modernizing loading dock rules.

“I could not support the plan even with the proposed amendments.”

— Councilwoman Linda Lee

The initiative will also remove what are called outdated restrictions on indoor urban agriculture; fill empty storefronts by changing rules that ban businesses from setting up in certain long-vacant facilities; allow a wider range of businesses, including barbers

After hearing feedback from residents and community boards, two weeks ago the City Council secured changes to 14 of the 18 proposals included in the initiative, including limitations and safeguards.

Among the most notable of the changes was the removal of a provision that would have allowed corner stores to open in residential areas. Additionally, a proposal to allow commercial uses on upper floors of mixed-use buildings was amended to ban rooftop bars above apartments.

“With today’s passage of ‘City of Yes for

CB 9 votes against City of Yes

Community Board 9 voted against City of Yes for Housing Opportunity at its monthly meeting Tuesday.

Prior to the vote, during the public forum, residents expressed opposition to the mayor’s sweeping proposal to update zoning laws, citing overdevelopment concerns, quality of life and overcrowded schools. The opinions echoed those of many at a Zoom meeting held a few weeks prior, where residents living in Community District 9 largely spoke against the proposal.

The group’s Land Use and Housing

Committee, led by members Sylvia Hack and Andrew Taranto, introduced a resolution against the zoning text amendment.

When the resolution was brought before the board, almost all in attendance voted in favor of the decision to not support the proposal. There were only two abstentions and no dissent.

Though community boards give feedback on the zoning text amendment to the Department of City Planning, the City Council has the final decision and is expected to vote by the end of the year. Q — Kristen Guglielmo

Economic Opportunity,’ we have taken another historic step to bring our city’s zoning code into the 21st century and build a more inclusive and prosperous economy,” the mayor said in a press release.

“The council made modifications to the City of Yes for Economic Opportunity to strike the right balance of promoting economic growth and opportunities for local businesses while protecting neighborhoods and safeguarding quality of life for all New Yorkers,” City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica) said.

In a statement, Tom Grech, president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce, highlighted that removing outdated regulations will help small businesses grow and create more jobs within the borough.

“As the borough with nearly $40 billion of development in place, we applaud Mayor Adams and his team, particularly Planning Commissioner Garodnick for their hard work on this initiative, and thank Speaker Adams and the entire council for approving this plan that will help small businesses

create opportunity in all five boroughs,” Grech said.

Though the zoning plan has widespread support, there are critics who maintain that the initiative, even with the changes made by City Council, will negatively impact the city.

“While I commend NYC Department of City Planning for their efforts to remove outdated business restrictions and stimulate economic growth, I could not support the plan even with the proposed amendments,” Councilwoman Linda Lee (D-Oakland Gardens) wrote in a statement posted to social media. “The changes would significantly alter the character of our residential neighborhoods in Eastern Queens, which is why I casted my vote as ‘no’.”

Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) also voted against the initiative.

“I stood with the constituents I represent, and voted against the City of Yes measures. Sadly, I can’t say many of my colleagues did the same,” Ariola told the Chronicle in a statement. “It’s been abundantly clear to me and to most New Yorkers — especially residents of the outer boroughs — that this is a bad plan, and now my colleagues who voted for it are facing the wrath of those communities whose voices they ignored.”

She added, “Most of our community boards voted against the City of Yes, and many of those who voted in favor of it were misled into believing that certain conditions could be added to the legislation. There were some changes made from the original City of Yes plan, but those changes did not go far enough and have been communicated extremely poorly to all stakeholders involved.”

Other Queens dissenters include Councilmembers Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) and Vickie Paladino (R-Whitestone). City of Yes for Economic Opportunity is one of three initiatives under the City of Yes umbrella. The first, City of Yes for Carbon Neutrality, was adopted on Dec. 6, 2023. The third proposal, City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, began formal public review on April 29. The City Council is expected to vote on it by the end of the year. Q

Give a pet a fur-ever home

All interested in welcoming a furry, four-legged companion to their home are welcome to the Richmond Hill Block Association’s 15th annual Pet Adoption Day on June 15.

From noon to 4 p.m. at Forest Park’s Buddy Monument Plaza, located at the intersection of Myrtle Avenue and Park Lane South, dogs and cats who desperately need forever homes will be ready to meet. Pets will also be available to foster.

Volunteers from the block association will give out pet supplies to each adopting family while supplies last.

The event, which is being hosted in conjunction with the ASPCA, Animal Care Centers of New York City and Heavenly Angels Rescue, saw 29 pets move into their forever homes last year — the group’s most successful adoption event to date.

This year, the block association hopes to build on 2023’s success. The group has helped over 170 pets get adopted into loving homes over the past 15 years, according to a press release.

The Richmond Hill Block Association is located at 110-08 Jamaica Ave. and can be reached at (718) 849-3759. Q

City of Yes for Economic Opportunity, a zoning proposal that has been controversial among community boards and pushed by Mayor Adams, seen here at an April rally, was approved by the City Council.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL APPLETON / NYC MAYOR’S OFFICE / FLICKR

EDITORIAL AGEP

NYS public campaign me$$

If you liked the botched rollout of legal marijuana, the who-knows-what’s-legal approach to motorized two-wheeled vehicles and the endless delays on downstate casino licenses, you’ll love the latest from Albany: the most generous and most poorly regulated public campaign finance law out there.

It’s bad enough in the city, where candidates can score up to $8 in taxpayer money for every $1 in eligible funds they raise, and auditors may take years to look at the books. At the state level, starting this year, candidates can be given $12 out of your pockets for every $1 raised — and audits, at least for Assembly races, are nonexistent.

So it’s no surprise that perennial candidate Dao Yin of Flushing, who’s always running for something, has engaged in some rather questionable fundraising, according to an extremely detailed report in The New York Times. Yin has raked in nearly $163,000 in matching funds, The Times reported, making him one of the leaders of the game statewide. He’s one of two candidates

running against Assemblyman Ron Kim in the June 25 Democratic Primary. An unusually large share of his claimed donations are cash, and a large share of the people who supposedly made them say they didn’t, according to The Times. But don’t hate the player, hate the game. This is the kind of thing you can expect with so much money to be had and so little oversight. This page has said before that the city match should be only $4 to every $1, if not less, and we’ll say the same for the state. Not only do taxpayers have to fund candidates they don’t necessarily support under these laws, the system appears designed to make it nearly impossible to uncover fraud.

What’s the answer? First, staff up. The state needs enough people to audit these campaigns. Also, get rid of the absurd provision that says audits are only mandatory for those who get $500,000 in public funds while Assembly candidates can only get up to $350,000. Then go from there. Basically, turn this into one less debacle from the masters of disaster who run our state.

City of Yes rezone: too much

It’s only natural that the public response to Mayor Adams’ City of Yes rezoning plan for housing gets a different response in Long Island City than it does in Howard Beach. They’re very different communities. Which is just one reason the plan should be nixed.

The proposal would all but eliminate single-family zoning across much of Queens by allowing accessory dwelling units. These are not just mother-in-law apartments above the garage — they could be “backyard cottages, garage conversions and basement apartments,” as the city admits. Picture that oversized shed in your neighbor’s backyard, with people living in it. Or that deathtrap basement space that may be occupied anyway, but at least the

law recognizes what a bad idea that is. Is this what we want? No.

In some places we’d get new apartments above stores, and all over the place we’d get the elimination of parking requirements. Are you kidding? Whatever’s going on in Manhattan, a lot of Queens people drive.

We give credit to premier urban planning expert Paul Graziano of Flushing for being a peacetime Paul Revere on this, warning our community boards of what’s coming. Most oppose it; some say yes with “stipulations” the city is under no obligation to follow. We urge our City Council members to vote no. We urge our mayor to do piecemeal rezoning instead, like former Mayor Mike Bloomberg. There’s a guy who knew how to “get stuff done.”

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LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

Hochul and history

Dear Editor:

Politicians are history-recidivists. Especially those in Albany who live and act to syndicate a long-running perennial storyline.

Enter the current NYS governor. Almost exactly 25 years later, to the month, Gov. Hochul has determined to step into the the same ether as Sheldon Silver when he killed the commuter tax.

He never really wanted to take “credit,” and neither does she.

In 1999, if Silver did the math, he could have assessed that by 2024, a mere $5.1 billion would have been airbrushed off New York’s revenue stream.

Of course, notwithstanding that Gov. Hochul alleges that her recent brink-of-thecliff congestion kill is a temporary pause, she’s old enough to well know that temporary arrangements have a way of becoming permanent, especially in Albany.

In 1994, someone else’s frail health, namely that of then-Assembly Speaker Saul Weprin, facilitated Silver’s rise as interim speaker. Similar to NYS temporary policy arrangements, NYS interim political postings can literally morph into life tenure, only subject to the limitations of criminal convictions.

Many a driver within New York City, whilst stuck in the midst of corrosive congestion, will now have time to contemplate congestion pric-

ing, its ills and its virtues, imprisoned within the vapors of a changing climate, congestion pricing be damned.

Frances Scanlon Flushing

Clear the streets

Dear Editor:

Want to help alleviate congestion in NYC?

1. Get the restaurants out of the streets ... Who wants to eat next to a sewer?!

2. Take bike lanes off of major avenues.

3. Limit the number of cabs, Ubers, etc. They have been poorly regulated. There are at least six livery vehicles to one private car.

4. Rickshaw bikes belong in Central Park, not the theater district or any other major thoroughfares.

5. All moped/e-bikes should be licensed.

6. Restrict buses to the bus lanes or get rid of the bus lanes entirely.

7. Provide better, quicker and safer access to Midtown by revitalizing the abandoned LIRR tracks in southern Queens.

And so on.

The citizens of NYC aren’t the problem or the solution, and should not be penalized for living here. Anyone who pays a toll to ente r Manhattan should not have to pay additional fees, especially senior citizens. Hold those responsible for creating this mess accountable.

Help dialysis patients

Dear Editor:

Kidney failure runs in my family, so I knew that my chances of experiencing kidney failure were high. I received the heartbreaking and scary diagnosis in 2004 and soon after I began dialysis, the sole treatment outside of a kidney transplant. I received a kidney transplant after an exhausting 13 years on dialysis.

When I was first diagnosed, I relied on employer-provided private insurance to cover my healthcare expenses. After two years I transitioned to Medicare, and I currently rely on Medicare and private insurance. Although I

Lenore Bruno Ozone Park

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

consistently pay high premiums out-of-pocket, private insurance has allowed me to manage my condition while working.

However, a recent Supreme Court decision opened the door for private insurers to water down protections for dialysis patients, weakening our coverage and leaving us with fewer options. The traditional model that patients rely on — 30 months of coverage before moving to Medicare — is in jeopardy.

It’s essential that our leaders protect kidney patients. I urge Congressman Gregory W. Meeks to support the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act. This legislation would guarantee that new dialysis patients could keep full private coverage for the first 30 months of care.

Lisa Baxter Jamaica

Keeping families together

Dear Editor:

This year in the city budget, we need to do better to ensure more families can stay together or successfully reunite when separated by the child welfare system.

My organization, Institute for Community Living, created the Emerson Davis Family Residence in 1999 — a unique supportive housing model for parents with mental-health challenges and histories of homelessness who are seeking to regain custody of their children or are at a high risk of losing custody. Despite the program’s success and impact, it remains the only one of its kind in New York City.

Studies have consistently shown that avoiding child protective services involvement to begin with, or rapid reunification for those who are separated, leads to better outcomes for children. This includes higher rates of educational attainment and employment compared to children who have spent prolonged time in foster care. By providing families with the proper support, stable housing and a sanctuary where they can rebuild and reunite, more programs like Emerson may help solve one piece of our city’s larger mental-health crisis and foster-care system shortfalls. The city should invest in and expand the successful Emerson model to Queens to ensure that all families can thrive.

Jody Rudin President and CEO Institute for Community Living Manhattan

A disgusting protest

Dear Editor:

(An open letter to the public)

On Oct. 7, Hamas terrorists brutally murdered, sexually assaulted, tortured and took hostage innocent civilians, including Americans, at the Nova Music Festival in Israel. The only humane response to these atrocities is disgust and moral outrage.

The recent protest at the Nova Music Festival Exhibition in lower Manhattan, where some participants chanted anti-Semitic slogans, endorsed the repugnant actions of terrorist groups like Hamas and celebrated the deaths of hundreds of innocent civilians, is unconscionable and un-American. The egregious behavior on display, designed to justify the killing of Jews, has no place in a civilized

society. We will not tolerate it.

New Yorkers of goodwill must continue to fight the malignant tumor of anti-Semitism with the fierce urgency of now until we crush this cancer so that it never rises again.

Hakeem Jeffries

U.S. Representative for the 8th District Minority Leader Brooklyn

Don’t vote Republican

Dear Editor:

Donald Trump is not the only reason to vote against Republicans in the upcoming election, particularly for seniors and those in need of assistance. The Republicans are the only party to propose cutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, along with other social benefits for those in need. And what is to become of those savings — further tax decreases for the wealthy?

Contrary to the popular narrative, most of these benefits are received by white families, the predominant national demographic group. If you think a 3 percent inflation rate is putting a strain on your budget, imagine what cuts to these social programs will do to those who depend on them.

Glenn Hayes Kew Gardens

Trump is the worst

Dear Editor:

We should thank President Biden for honoring those who gave their lives on D-Day 80 years ago and acknowledging the service of the elderly survivors. On “The View,” Joy Behar said a Frenchman once told her that the Americans not only saved France, but the world.

Donald Trump, however, has said that those who died in war are “losers and suckers,” and asked that wounded veterans be kept out of military parades. In 2018 he canceled a visit to a cemetery, saying it wasn’t important to honor American war dead. He remarked, “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” He also repeatedly disparaged Gold Star families who lost a family member while serving in the military.

This is a man who admires dictators and has contempt for Democracy, our Constitution and the rule of law. He showed his true character by cheating on his third wife with a porn star right after the birth of their son. He encourages violence and has a total lack of empathy and concern for others. Donald Trump should not have been our president and he should never be elected to that office again.

Linda Imhauser Whitestone

I fear he’s like Hitler

Dear Editor:

I fear Mr. 45 is embarking on a presidential adventure similar to the one Hitler took in 1930s Germany. Germans failed to understand what his concept of leadership would bring to them.

I fear many Americans are traveling down that same road. Wake up, Americans, before it’s too late!

Anthony G. Pilla Forest Hills

No to congestion pricing and the dishonest MTA OPINION

by David Weprin

Like many residents throughout the five boroughs and across the New York Metro Area, I was pleasantly surprised by Gov. Hochul’s decision to “indefinitely pause” the implementation of congestion pricing. Rather than seeing this as a cynical calculation, as some have alleged, I see the governor’s decision as a deeply pragmatic response to the crescendo of public concerns that I and many others have raised for years.

As the June 30 implementation date neared, everyday New Yorkers did what we do best: We spoke up for ourselves and said we won’t accept a bad deal! I applaud Gov. Hochul for having the courage, not just to listen to us, but to take a tough stand against this misguided policy.

My opposition to the Central Business District Tolling Program — commonly known as congestion pricing — has been longstanding and unwavering for almost two decades. I fought the policy as a member of the New York City Council, and I am still in the fight as the representative for New York’s 24th State Assembly District.

Much of my district in Queens is a public transit desert and would be one of the most adversely impacted by the proposed congestion pricing tax. A trip into Manhattan can take hours and often requires multiple bus and subway lines, whereas driving cuts that time in half. Many of my constituents have no viable transportation options other than driving. Public transit must be improved, but even if the fiscal windfall from congestion pricing came in tomorrow for capital project expenses, it would leave everyone in limbo between inflated costs to drive and nonexistent transit improvements that will take years to complete.

I served as the chair of the Assembly Task Force for People with Disabilities and have seen firsthand the challenges that members of the disability community face. They will be left behind along with senior citizens and the ill, if they are priced out of driving options. The MTA by its own admission is largely ADA inaccessible, despite years of commitments to invest in accessible options. Security breakdowns are all too common in our public transit system, and even those who can use the subway may be disinclined to do so out of safety concerns. Congestion pricing has been sold to the public as a silver bullet to reduce traffic, but even the MTA has admitted that it would simply push drivers to other corners of the city, slamming the streets and communities in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx with increased traffic and pollution. And these changes are almost guaranteed to be permanent. Ask yourself: when was the last

time they removed a toll from a bridge?

When was the last time the MTA lowered a base fare for the subway?

Congestion pricing is anti-driver and anti-business: taxi drivers, truck drivers, app-based providers and millions of our neighbors from across all five boroughs would be adversely impacted. The financial burdens associated with congestion pricing would shut down businesses across New York City or force them to pass on the added costs to consumers. Restaurants, theaters, concert halls, tourism, and the entire business ecosystem depends on the financial support of outer borough residents. We already have seen the impact that supplychain disruptions can have on our businesses, all while we grapple with record inflation and an ongoing recovery from the Covid-19 crisis. Simply put: New Yorkers cannot afford the imposition of this latest financial burden.

As I’ve traveled to and from Manhattan these past months, I’ve watched with trepidation as more and more equipment is installed along our roads and bridges to track and tax our travel below 60th Street. After years of financial instability, mismanagement and broken promises, I simply don’t accept the MTA’s rhetoric, and neither do the vocal majority of New Yorkers who are standing up together to oppose this policy. The public comment sessions the MTA hosted were a joke, a pantomime of public accountability while the agency carried on as it wanted. Meanwhile, organizations and advocacy groups have essentially been pitted against each other to bargain and beg for exemptions — the unspoken logic being that open opposition to congestion pricing could hurt their chances for a carveout.

Last week, during the final days of the 2024 Legislative Session, I gathered with like-minded lawmakers to voice our skepticism of congestion pricing. Once again budget shortfalls will plague the MTA, once again its officials’ frivolous planning has put them in crisis, and once again it’s up to everyday New Yorkers to foot the bill. As the governor and the Legislature discuss options to address this latest disaster at the MTA — an unaccountable and untrustworthy caretaker of the public’s funds — I will continue to stand up for my neighbors and voice my clear and consistent position: No congestion pricing! Q

David Weprin is New York State Assemblyman for the 24th District in southern, central and eastern Queens.

Man pleads guilty in 2022 subway attack

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

A man has pleaded guilty to attempted murder in the violent assault of a subway rider that led to the loss of the victim’s right eye in September 2022 at the Howard Beach/JFK Airport station, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office.

Waheed Foster, 44, followed Elizabeth Gomes, 33, as she got off a train at the Howard Beach/JFK Airport subway station while on her way to work at approximately 5:30 a.m., according to the charges.

While Gomes was walking up the stairs to reach the main platform, Foster ran up from behind and struck her head with a hard object unprovoked, authorities said. As observed on surveillance footage, Gomes then fled and ran through the station.

Foster caught up with Gomes, threw her to the ground and punched her repeatedly, the charges said. When Gomes began to get up, Foster kicked her in the face and continued the attack.

The DA’s Office said a good Samaritan attempted to intervene but was chased away by Foster.

Gomes was taken to a nearby hospital

where she underwent emergency eye surgery. She lost her right eye as a result of her injuries.

Foster, who authorities said was homeless at the time of the attack, pleaded guilty June 6 to second degree attempted murder. He is expected to be sentenced to 22 years in prison, followed by five years of postrelease supervision, on June 24.

Foster was indicted in September 2022 for attempted murder, first degree assault, three counts of second degree assault and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. He was arraigned on the charges in January 2024 after being found mentally competent to stand trial.

“The brutality and random nature of this attack is unconscionable,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement. “My office will not allow a small number of violent individuals to undermine the sense of safety for the millions of New Yorkers who depend on the subway every day. After building such a strong case against this defendant, we are looking to provide a measure of closure for the survivor, who suffered such serious injuries.” Q

Two dead in RH murder-suicide

Two brothers are dead and their mother injured following gunfire June 8 in Richmond Hill.

According to authorities, police responded to a 911 call of a man shot at 94-42 111 St. They observed a 52-yearold female with a gunshot wound to the torso and an unconscious and unresponsive 27-year-old male, later identified as Vipanpal Multani, with multiple gunshot wounds to his body.

EMS pronounced the man dead at the scene and transported the woman to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in sta-

ble condition.

A 33-year-old male, later identified as Karamjit Multani, was found unconscious and unresponsive in front of 109-09 96 Ave. with a gunshot wound to his head and a firearm next to his body. EMS pronounced the man deceased.

Police confirmed that the incident was a murder-suicide. No arrests were made. According to public records, the deceased are brothers and the woman is their mother. The shooter is survived by his wife and three children. Q — Kristen Guglielmo

Council eyes Gaza ceasefire

The City Council is considering a resolution calling on the Israeli government to halt its military operations in the Gaza Strip, begun after the terror group Hamas launched a sneak attack against the Jewish state on Oct. 7, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 200 more hostage.

The ceasefire resolution could be voted on June 20, according to The Forward, a nonprofit Jewish news outlet. Eighteen of the Council’s 51 members have called for an end to the war, which has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza.

According to The Forward, which cited

unnamed sources for some of its article, Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica) will introduce the measure. Councilwoman Inna Vernikov (R-Brooklyn) decried the idea. The Forward reported: “‘Where was your ceasefire resolution on October 8th after 1,400 innocent civilians were brutally murdered in cold blood?’ Vernikov asked the council’s leadership in a statement. ‘Why would Hamas care about what our City Council has to say when they laugh at our president?’” Q — Peter C. Mastrosimone

Community outreach necessary for initiative: CB 12 Charter school calls for one-way street

by Naeisha Rose Associate Editor

A charter school in Springfield Gardens is fighting to convert a two-way street into a oneway street, but there seems to be some tension with the local community board about the initiative.

Representatives of Success Academy Springfield Gardens Middle and Elementary, which is co-located with IS 59, told the Chronicle they want the city Department of Transportation to conduct a traffic study so one road outside the shared school building, located at 132-55 Ridgedale St., would become one-way for traffic flow.

The charter’s staff and parents say drivers have been speeding by the schools, which has a combined student population of about 1,500 students, and that has resulted in accidents.

Representatives of the Springfield Gardens charter believe without the support of CB 12 it’s unlikely DOT would conduct a study that could allow Lucas Street between Ridgedale Street and Springfield Boulevard, to be converted. Ridgedale, which the long side of the school faces, is already one way.

“NYC DOT is committed to using every available tool to make our streets safer, especially around our schools,” a DOT spokesperson said via email. “We will review the request and any subsequent feedback from the local community board.”

CB 12 Chairwoman Carlene Thorbs said not enough work was done in reaching out to the community at large about the initiative and that the impact of a one-way street conversion has an impact beyond just the school area.

“They didn’t reach out to us because they wanted to,” Thorbs told the Chronicle. “They reached out to us because DOT told them they have to.”

Thorbs also said that IS 59 is the main school at the building, but when she reached out to staff about the charter’s efforts on behalf of all three schools, they didn’t seem to be aware of the initiative.

“They had no knowledge that Success Academy was even making this request,” Thorbs said.

“Success Academy has not spoken to residents, as they claim, because I spoke to the residents. They didn’t know what I was talking about regarding Success Academy. Since Success Academy has been there, the parents have been causing traffic issues, double parking and parking in, not across, but in [neighbors] driveways.”

Success Academy Principal Samantha Lalli said two-way traffic at the elementary school arrival door is the problem.

“This is a matter of safety for all students who attend school in the building on Ridgedale Street,” Lalli said via email.

IS 59 Principal Ryan Cooke said he had no comment via email.

One way the school has worked toward garnering support is with an online petition, which started on May 31 and had received 511 signatures as of Wednesday.

“The reason why there is so much danger here is because parents, neighbors or people who are driving past are not driving at the speed limit and they are driving at a small width of the block within two-way traffic,” said Natasha Memon, the charter’s assistant principal.

According to a street sign, the speed limit in the school zone is 20 mph.

“Some people who aren’t parents of [Success Academy], if they are driving they are going on one side, then the other neighborhood people who are trying to go to the highway are trying to cut through the people who are stopping at the ‘Kiss-and-Ride,’” Memon told the Chronicle.

A Kiss-and-Ride is what the school calls the drop-off.

The junction of the Belt, Cross Island and Southern State parkways is a little more than a mile east of the school.

“Our bottom line for all schools involved and all adults involved is scholar safety,” Memon said.

Memon said there were two crashes in late fall of 2023 and another in late April or early May. One accident resulted in an argument and

involved a pregnant woman on the passenger side of one vehicle. A student was in one car in the second accident.

Efrem Barriteau, a parent of one of the charter students said the traffic from the school is very dangerous.

“There have been a couple of accidents from a couple of cars trying to make U-turns and trying to go around the cars that have pulled up trying to let the kids out,” said Barriteau, who believes a one-way street would be helpful. “The whole district would be better off with it.” Q

Staff at Success Academy Springfield Gardens want a one-way road near the school because of traffic safety concerns. PHOTO BY NAEISHA ROSE

One piece of legislation will secure youth’s data from social media: AG Hochul signs online child protection bills

by Naeisha Rose Associate Editor

Gov. Hochul has signed into to law two pieces of legislation that will protect youth from addictive content, along with their data, while online.

The Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation for Kids and the New York Child Data Protection acts were enacted on Monday, and will limit addictive features of social media platforms and prohibit online sites from collecting and sharing young people’s data.

State Sen. Andrew Gournardes (D-Brooklyn) and Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D-Fresh Meadows) were the sponsors of the bills.

ney General James, and Senator Gounardes for their collaborative efforts in order to protect young people in the digital age.”

The Office of state Attorney General Tish James helped craft the legislation in 2023.

“Our children are enduring a mental health crisis ...”

“Our children are enduring a mental health crisis, and social media is fueling the fire and profiting from the epidemic,” James in a statement. “The legislation my team worked on and supported along with bill sponsors Senator Gounardes and Assemblymember Rozic will help address the addictive features that have made social media so insidious and anxiety-producing.”

— Attorney General Tish James

“We must do all that we can to protect our kids from the harmful influence of addictive algorithms and unchecked data collection,” Rozic said in a prepared statement. “The passage of the SAFE for Kids Act and the NY Child Data Protection Act are the straightforward first step in that effort. These new laws signal that New York is taking the lead in putting New Yorkers’ safety and privacy at the forefront. I thank Speaker Heastie, Governor Hochul, Attor-

The legislation is meant to prohibit users under 18 from viewing addictive feeds on social media platforms without parental consent; prevent social media platforms from sending notifications to minors from 12 to 6 a.m.; and authorize the OAG to bring action to seek damages or civil penalties of up to $5,000 per violation, according to James’ office. Algorithms for search functions or filtering unwanted or obscene content will be permitted.

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Public Health found that Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube, the six largest social media platforms, generated $11 billion in 2022 from advertising to minors.

Many unions, community groups and education advocates praised the legislation.

Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, said children will be safer as a result of the two bills, in a statement.

“Bottom line: this legislation will help protect our students. As educators, we know the impact social media can have on our students’ emotional health and well-being. Hopefully, other states will follow New York’s lead,” Mulgrew said.

Melinda Person, the president of the New York State United Teachers union, shared his sentiments in a statement.

“Educators see the harmful effects of social media on our kids every day, and this legislation is a tremendous first step toward ensuring these influences remain in their proper places,” Person said.

Julie Scelfo, founder and executive director of Mothers Against Media Addiction, said in a statement that the legislation was groundbreaking and a major victory against the epidemic of media addiction.

“By addressing social media platforms’ addictive algorithms and predatory data collection, these bills help give our children back the childhood they deserve,” Scelfo said in a press release.

Ron Britt, education chair for the Jamaica branch of the NAACP, told the Chronicle via email that he applauded the passage of the acts.

“For far too long social media companies have been able to deploy addictive features on their platforms that impact minors,” Britt said. “Online sites collected, used, shared and sold personal data of minors. The impact of social media on the mental health

of children under the age of 18 is significant and severe. Over the last decade, there is a sharp increase in mental illness, self-harm, and suicide among young people.”

Monica Gutierrez, founder of Futuristic Learning Funding and Resources, told the Chronicle that there is no escaping the fact that technology is here to stay, but we still need to protect our most vulnerable, our children, so they can grow up to be mentally healthy and secure adults for a better tomorrow.

“The new law will protect our children and send a message and set the tone across the board to technology companies moving forward regarding special protections and responsibilities needed when creating technology,” said Gutierrez, who is from Rego Park. Q

Concerts, movies in 30th CD

Movies Under the Stars and live concerts still are scheduled for parks in the 30th City Council District, courtesy of Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth), the city Parks Department and the Queensborough Performing Arts Center.

All are free. People are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets.

Concerts begin at 7 p.m. in Juniper Valley Park in Middle Village, though times are subject to change.

June 13 will see Dancin’ Machine. On June 20 attendees will be treated to “The Jersey Tenors: Valli Tribute and Much

More!” The series wraps up June 27 with “Richie Santa: A Tribute to the King.” The concerts will take place in the area just off 80th Street between Juniper boulevards north and south.

Movies Under the Stars are scheduled on Fridays and start at dusk, about 8 p.m. Popcorn is included.

Remaining shows include the animated feature “Migration” on June 14 at Frank Principe Park in Maspeth; Disney’s “Wish” at Elmhurst Park on June 21; and “Trolls: Band Together” on June 28 at Reiff Playground in Maspeth. Q

Two bills were signed on Monday by Gov. Hochul to prohibit addictive content from being sent to youth 17 and younger and to keep their data safe online.

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Connexion marks 36 years

Connexion Real Estate, at 161-14 Cross Bay Blvd. in Howard Beach, marked its 36th anniversary on May 15. To celebrate the milestone, the staff on June 5 had a party at Lenny’s Clam Bar, at 161-03 Cross Bay Blvd.

“We are so proud and thankful to our community for being there through all these years,” owners and brokers Arlene and Steven Pacchiano said in a statement. “Family, friends and clients alike have made it all possible. Our amazing Connexion family of brokers and agents not only keep us going, but also make every day fun and exciting in

the office.” They also thanked Sammy and Joe of Lenny’s Clam Bar for their “amazing food and service.”

“We look forward to many more years serving our community,” the owners added.

Seated at the table, clockwise from front left, are employees Colleen Abruzzino, Lisa Fogelman, Patricia Stola, Lorraine Tittl, Jim Gutierrez, Chris Oliva, Steven Pacchiano, Arlene Pacchiano, Pamela Cavallary, Ann Marie Ariola Grillo and Diana Salvati.

Missing from the photo are Jamie DeFalco, Suzanne Mendolia, Gina Gonzalez, Fred Wunsch, Tracy Andriano and Karen Chacon.

Healthy

Hochul draws praise, anger

continued from page 2

investment in public transit.

“It was also enacted in the prepandemic period, where workers were in the office five days a week, crime was at record lows and tourism at record highs. Circumstances have changed, and we must respond to the facts on the ground, not to rhetoric from five years ago.”

Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows), has been perhaps the plan’s most vocal opponent among Queens officials.

“It has been hard for New Yorkers to bounce back since the pandemic,” Weprin said in a press release last Thursday. “The Governor realized that economically, congestion pricing would take an unnecessary toll on our residents that travel into Manhattan. My district is a transit desert, and my neighbors — senior citizens, small business owners, and middle class families — would not have been able to afford this tax to fund the MTA, an unaccountable and untrustworthy caretaker of the public’s funds.”

Addabbo, in April 2023, introduced legislation to delay implementation, citing many of the concerns raised by Hochul in her statement. In a press release last Wednesday, the senator said while he appreciates the need to address congestion pricing’s goals, Hochul made the right call.

And replacing the money the MTA was expecting to reap for its capital funding?

The chairman of the Senate Gaming Committee said once the state awards three downstate casino licenses, the fees alone would bring up to $3 billion to the MTA. State Senate Deputy Majority Leader Mike Gianaris (D-Astoria), on the other hand, expressed serious reservations on X.

“Congestion pricing was a hard-fought, deliberatively-achieved policy to tackle NYC’s congestion crisis, improve the environment, and obtain vital funding for mass transit,” he said. “Halting its implementation as it was about to begin is a big mistake.”

Riders Alliance Executive Director Betsy Plum was livid in a press release.

“New York City public transit riders gave Governor Hochul her margin of victory in the 2022 election,” she said in a press release. “Stopping congestion pricing before it even starts would be an outrageous betrayal of our trust.”

Just across the Queens border, U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-Nassau), who flipped one of those Democratic House seats two years ago, said in a press release that Hochul will not be allowed to just impose the program after the November elections with impunity.

“This is a political stunt designed to save face in an election year,” D’Esposito said. “Indefinite postponement isn’t enough, we need permanent cancelation — which is why I have joined many bipartisan initiatives to put an end to this scam, for good.” Q

COURTESY PHOTO

Two out of three are up for debate

Ardila’s two Assembly challengers, Valdez and Carmona, tackle issues

by Stephanie G. Meditz Chronicle Contributor

More than 60 people attended the Assembly District 37 Democratic Primary debate hosted by the Western Queens Independent Democratic Club at Bajeko Sekuwa in Sunnyside on Tuesday.

Union organizer Claire Valdez and former special victims lawyer Johanna Carmona are vying for the Democratic nomination for the seat currently held by Assemblymember Juan Ardila (D-Maspeth), who seeks reelection.

The incumbent’s first term was thrown into controversy when two women alleged that he sexually assaulted them at a 2015 party. Though he denied the allegations, several elected officials, including Gov. Hochul, called for his resignation. Ardila was invited to the debate but did not attend.

In 2022, Carmona made a bid for the seat against Ardila, Brent O’Leary and Jim Magee, after longtime Assemblymember Cathy Nolan announced her retirement.

Street, charter schools, and corporate PACs and lobbyists.”

“When I got into this campaign, my opponent had already raised $60,000,” Carmona said. “I have now spent hundreds of hours trying to raise money ... when you first start trying to raise money, you tap into your network, and my network consists of working families, lower income, as well as public servants. So I don’t have friends that are trustfund babies ... in no way, shape or form am I bought or in anyone’s pocket.”

“This campaign has never taken that money, and this is not about virtue signaling, it’s not about purity, it’s about power,”

Near the end of the debate, moderator and Queens Chronicle Associate Editor Sophie Krichevsky noted that Valdez has previously criticized Carmona’s campaign for accepting donations from “billionaires, real estate, Wall

Valdez said, touting her “small-dollar donations.” She said, “ ... It’s about being able to fight for public school education funding and not have charter school money hanging over your head.”

Carmona later said her campaign is not receiving charter school money, prompting a clarifying question — Emma Bloomberg, who has strong ties to charter schools, has donated to her campaign. She said she had referred strictly to charter school PACs.

“My opponent did take several thousand dollars from charter school PACs in 2022, and so maybe that hasn’t appeared in the filing yet.

We’ll see what happens by the end of June,” Valdez responded.

Valdez, who moved to Ridgewood more than four years ago, was asked what she would say to voters who might doubt her ability to understand their experience in the district.

“I feel incredibly fortunate that I’ve been able to put down some roots, that I’ve been able to stay in the same apartment, that my landlord hasn’t jacked up my rent,” she said. “I’m fighting for a New York and a Queens where you don’t have to get lucky to be able to do that.”

“I think that it is very important for the people in the district to feel comfortable with who they’re electing, but also comfortable with someone that they know is from the community,” lifelong Sunnyside resident Carmona responded.

In response to a later question about contending with the race’s echo of the Democratic Party’s ideological split, Carmona said Valdez identifies as a Democratic Socialist, but had removed the term from her campaign literature.

continued on page 23

State Assembly candidates Claire Valdez, center, and Johana Carmona — and the empty seat, left, set aside for incumbent Assemblymember Juan Ardila.

PHOTO BY STEPHANIE G. MEDITZ

Assembly District 37 debate

continued from page 22

Responding to follow-up questions from Krichevsky and the other moderator, Queens Daily Eagle Managing Editor Jacob Kaye, Valdez said she is a proud Democratic Socialist and that the Democratic Socialists of America’s endorsement remains in her literature. Asked by Kaye why the term was removed, she cited “design decisions,” eliciting groans from attendees.

Both candidates were disappointed by Gov. Hochul halting the rollout of congestion pricing just before the end of this year’s legislative session.

“Seeing how desperately we needed this for our city, it was very disappointing,” Carmona said, citing the lack of elevators in various 7 train stops and insufficient transit in Ridgewood. She also said, however, that congestion pricing would burden groups like teachers, seniors and disabled people.

If she were in Albany now, Carmona said, “I would have joined many of the electeds in showing our disapproval of congestion pricing [and ask] Gov. Hochul as to why she pulled the plug at the very last minute when the infrastructure was put in.”

Valdez said she would have refused any stopgap measures, citing congestion pricing as the “real solution.”

On housing, both candidates discussed the weakness of Good Cause Eviction, which passed in the state budget this year to limit how much landlords can raise rents and

require them to give a reason for not renewing leases.

Valdez championed stronger tenant protections and more permanently affordable housing that does not rely on real estate, while backing a bill introduced by Assemblymember Emily Gallagher (D-Brooklyn) that would implement a statewide authority to create more social housing.

Carmona promoted stronger rent stabilization laws and more affordable housing units. She discussed holding landlords accountable for “warehousing” apartments, or leaving them off the market because it is less expensive than renovating them.

E-bikes were also a concern, with their largely unregulated lithium-ion batteries proving to be highly flammable and sometimes spontaneously combusting. Asked how they would address safety without burdening the immigrant delivery workers known to use e-bikes, both candidates emphasized user education. Carmona also called for removing e-bikes from the street, while Valdez said corporations such as Doordash must be held accountable for failing to provide safety education.

Asked how she would hold delivery companies accountable, Valdez said civil penalties, enforcement and organizing are part of the solution.

Video of the debate is posted at tinyurl. com/3zvcmdkk. The primary is June 25, with early voting June 15 through 23. Q

Council group seeks sanctuary scuttling

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

Three Queens councilmembers are sponsors of a bill introduced last week to repeal the Big Apple’s status as a sanctuary city.

Councilmembers Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park), Bob Holden (D-Maspeth), Vickie Paladino (R-Whitestone) and other members of the Common Sense Caucus introduced the legislation on June 6.

The one-and-a-half line bill would repeal sections 9-131, 9-205, 10-178 and 14-154 of the city’s administrative code.

Caucus members in a press release last week said repeal would enhance law enforcement’s ability to ensure the safety and security of all New Yorkers.

“We have enough criminals in this city; we don’t need to import more and protect them as well,” Holden said. “Repealing the laws that have created a sanctuary city status is common sense. Those who are wanted for heinous crimes back home or commit crimes in our country should be deported without hesitation. We aim to end this reckless social experiment once and for all.”

“New York City’s politically motivated decision to end cooperation with ICE has

Congratulations to the Class of 2024! We wish you all the best!

been a disaster since the moment it was put into place,” Ariola said. “This decision was made by an administration that was more interested in virtue signaling than it was in protecting the rights and wellbeing of the people of New York. By passing this bill, we are restoring a lost level of public safety, and ensuring that violent offenders who are in this country illegally can be properly dealt with and handed over to the right authorities.”

Paladino said she was a proud sponsor.

“New Yorkers across the political spectrum agree that our current free-for-all policy isn’t working, and it’s long past time a coalition of concerned elected officials begin advancing this argument and acknowledge the profound mistake our city has made,” she said. “Illegal immigrants are operating with complete impunity on our city streets, and everyone knows it. If this council is serious about protecting our constituents and preserving their quality of life, they will pass this legislation unanimously. The people of this city have had enough, we cannot pretend this isn’t happening, and our authorities must have tools to remove criminal aliens from our streets.” Q

Scarlett Arango

Archbishop Molloy High School

Cooper Byrne

Saint Francis Preparatory School

Jenner Calderon

Archbishop Molloy High School

Marco Carlino

Archbishop Molloy High School with Partial Academic Award

Leonardo Chavez

Archbishop Molloy High School with Partial Academic Award

Stefano DeSena

Archbishop Molloy High School

157th

John DiLeonardo

Archbishop Molloy High School

Unjali Frank

Saint Francis Preparatory School

Matthew Godlewski

Archbishop Molloy High School with Partial Academic Award

Chace Goldstein

Archbishop Molloy High School

Justin Greenberg

Christ the King High School with Partial Catholic School Loyalty Award

Celine Guzman

Archbishop Molloy High School

Maria Longo

Salutatortian - Saint Francis Preparatory School

Giovanni Melisi

Archbishop Molloy High School

Isabella Mihaila

Saint Francis Preparatory School

Olivia O’Connor

Valedictorian - Archbishop Molloy High School with Partial Academic Award

Alexa Pazienza Saint Francis Preparatory School

Alyssa Rajab Saint Francis Preparatory School

Alexander Ruano

Queens Metropolitan High School

Francesca Trotta

Archbishop Molloy High School with Partial Academic Award

Alphonse Trucchio

Archbishop Molloy High School

Gemma Vallely

Archbishop Molloy High School with Partial Academic Award

Lorelai Villalona

Archbishop Molloy High School with Partial Academic Award

NYBC needs

all blood types

The New York Blood Center is seeking donors of all blood types to help the sick and injured in the community. Donors can help surgery and cancer patients, accident victims, new mothers and babies. Information is available at nybc.org.

Drives include:

• NYPD 112th Precinct, noon to 6 p.m. on Friday, June 14, in the muster room at 68-40 Austin St. in Forest Hills;

• Queens Center mall, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 16, in a busmobile at 90-15 Queens Blvd. in Elmhurst;

• NYPD 104th Precinct, noon to 6 p.m., on Tuesday, June 18, at 64-02 Catalpa Ave. in Ridgewood;

• Kirat Rai Society of America, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Sunday, June 23, at 75-15 Woodside Ave. in Elmhurst;

• Queens Place mall, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 29, in the old T-Mobile at 88-01 Queens Blvd. in Elmhurst;

• The Shops at Atlas Park, 9 a.m, to 3 p.m., on Sunday, June 30, next to TJ Maxx at 8000 Cooper Ave. in Glendale; and

• Commonpoint Central Queens Y, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Sunday, June 30, at 67-09 108 St. in Forest Hills. Q

Vote for the best Queens burger Fri.

by Naeisha Rose Associate Editor

Nominations were collected from the public over the course of several weeks and now it’s time to vote in the Queens’ Best Burger Competition.

Twelve eateries were chosen to compete for best burger and the public has until Friday, June 14, to select their favorite place to chow down on a bun and patty at bit.ly/QueensBestBurgerVote.

The nominees are Acey Ducey’s (Forest Hills), Banjos BBQ (Sunnyside), Burger Queens (East Elmhurst), Burgers Tacos Wings & Seafood (Jamaica), Donovan’s Pub (Woodside), Emoji Burger (Jackson Heights), F. Ottomanelli (Woodside), Katch Astoria, Neir’s Tavern (Woodhaven), Petey’s Burger (Astoria), Press 195 (Bayside) and Ryan’s Bar & Grill (Bayside).

The Queens Chamber of Commerce is hosting the contest and the winner will be announced on Friday, June 21, according to Tom Grech, president and CEO of QCC.

“Burgers are at the heart of summer get-togethers, and we are so excited to

People have until June 14 to select the best patty and bun combo for the Queens’ Best Burger Competition.

highlight this beloved classic with our contest,” Grech said in a statement. “I know all the nominated restaurants offer different and amazing takes on the summer staple, but I can’t wait to see who sizzles their way to the winning spot!” Q

Blood drives in Eastern Q.

“Donate Today, Save Lives Tomorrow” is the motto of the New York Blood Center, which is seeking donors as the state continues to face a blood shortage. There are five places in Eastern Queens listed now at nybc.org to donate blood:

• NYPD Highway Patrol 3, motorcycle garage, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday, June 13, 198-15 Grand Central Pkwy. in Hollis; blood drive coordinator Officer Gary Minutolo;

• NYPD 105th Precinct, muster room, 12 to 6 p.m., Friday, June 21, at 92-08 222 St. in Queens Village; blood drive coordinator Sgt. Navdeep Singh;

• St. Joachim & Anne Church, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Sunday, June 23, at 218-26 105 Ave. in Queens Village; blood drive coordinator Ruben Rodgers;

• Dabar Bethlehem Cathedral, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Saturday, June 29, at 218-38 98 Ave. in Queens Village; blood drive coordinator Sandra Langston; and

• St. Nicholas Tolentine, Tolentine Hall, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, July 14, at 150-75 Goethals Ave. in Jamaica Hills; blood drive coordinator Nilda Vargas. Q — Naeisha Rose

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Feds bust former de Blasio aide for fraud

DOJ alleges $10M stolen from banks

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

A former member of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s City Hall staff was arrested by the FBI last Thursday on federal charges related to the alleged theft of more than $10 million from multiple financial institutions.

financial institution, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.

He also has been charged with a single count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory two-year sentence to be served consecutively with any other sentence imposed.

Tommy Lin, 41, of Forest Hills, was still working as director of constituent services in de Blasio’s Community Affairs Unit when the scheme began, according to a statement issued June 6 by the office of Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon

According to the federal complaint, Lin served as the director of constituent services in the Community Affairs Unit for the New York City Mayor’s Office in or about 2014 through in or about 2019.

Among the allegations against Lin is that he provided names and dates of birth for potential accountholders to be used in the scheme; ran background checks on members of the scheme to ensure that law enforcement was not investigating them; and accepted approximately $20,000 in cash in exchange for arranging for a deportation officer with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to arrest a disgruntled accountholder who had previously participated in the scheme.

“Tommy Lin allegedly participated in a complex bank fraud scheme while also serving as a Director in the New York City Mayor’s Office and Senior Advisor to the NYPD’s Asian Advisory Council,” Williams said in the press release. “Leveraging his connections to law enforcement, he allegedly leaked personal identifying information to members of the scheme, ran background checks for them, and even arranged for federal immigration authorities to arrest an individual in exchange for $20,000 in cash.

“I thank the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners for their persistence in investigating this fraudulent and corrupt scheme,” Williams concluded.

Lin has been charged with one count of bank fraud conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting

As part of his responsibilities in the New York City Mayor’s Office, he also served as a senior advisor to the Police Department’s Asian Advisory Council.

Federal authorities assert that “between at least in or about 2018 and in or about 2022,” Lin participated in a scheme with Zhong Shi Gao, Fei Jiang and others to steal millions of dollars from banks by causing transfers of funds between accounts they controlled, then falsely and fraudulently reporting that the transfers were unauthorized, which induced the financial institutions to credit them for the amount of the transfers.

The scheme allegedly was responsible for losses to nearly a dozen banks.

Williams’ office said Gao and Lin were previously arrested back in November and are now charged in a superseding indictment.

“Those in municipal offices are expected to conduct themselves with rectitude and obedience to the law, not engage in the purposeful manipulation of our economic infrastructure,” said James Smith, FBI assistant director in charge of the New York Field Office.

“The FBI is committed to ensuring all citizens, especially those in positions of authority, adhere to financial regulations and will investigate individuals who seek to profit from fraudulent plots,” Smith added. Q

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FDNY honors the bravest of the Bravest

Queens firefighters, EMTS among those recognized at annual Medal Day

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

Fourteen members of the New York City Fire Department who are assigned to Queens or live in the borough were among those honored June 5 at the FDNY’s annual Medal Day. The ceremony took place at City Hall Plaza in Manhattan. All citations and photographs are from the 76-page Medal Day book.

High-rise heroics

The Chief of Department Peter J. Ganci Medal is the highest honor for bravery that a member of the FDNY can receive. It also is the sole requirement to be considered for the Dr. Harry M. Archer Medal, bestowed only once every three years.

Firefighter Artur Podgorski of Whitestone received the honor June 5 for his part in the Nov. 5, 2022 rescue of trapped residents already leaning out a 20th story window of a Manhattan high-rise by the time Ladder Co. 16 arrived.

After they had climbed 21 fights of stairs, it was decided that the only option would be to lower firefighters on ropes to secure the victims and lower them to firefighters at a 19thfloor window. FFs Podgorski, Byron Koranteng and Darren Harsch were lowered over the course of the rescue, Podgorski repeatedly. With no stable object or structure to tie off the ropes in the apartment, they had to rely on their fellow firefighters to lower and raise them.

Podgorski received the Ganci Medal last year.

‘I don’t want to live ...’

Closing in on midnight on April 16, 2023, all EMTs Shawn Griffin of Rockaway Park and Emmanuel Titus knew was that they were being dispatched to provide medical help to someone on the Kosciuszko Bridge. A second call alerted dispatchers that a man was sitting on the edge of the bridge, preparing to jump.

“I don’t want to live anymore,” he told Titus and Griffin as they approached, his legs dangling about 90 feet in the air.

Titus began speaking with the man, asking his name and engaging in conversation while Griffin radioed for specialized FDNY and NYPD backup.

Gaining the man’s confidence, Griffin was able to join him on the outer edge of the bridge while he and Titus kept speaking with him, diverting his attention from looking down. They eventually convinced him to take their hands and helped him back over the barrier.

“If not for the selfless bravery exhibited by thee two exemplary EMTs, this emergency could have easily resulted in tragedy,” their citation said. They were awarded the Christopher J. Prescott Medal, named for the first EMS member to die in the line of duty and the highest honor a member of the EMS service can receive.

Fighting to stay afloat

EMTs Brendan Burns of Rockaway Park and Michael Healey patrolling the shoreline near Beach 94th Street in the Rockaways when they were flagged down by civilians, telling them there were two swimmers in trouble in the water.

After summoning a water rescue unit by radio, Burns, a former lifeguard, realized they were struggling to stay afloat and couldn’t wait. He headed into the water for the first swimmer, about 60 feet off shore, while Healey acted as his spotter.

Giving the exhausted man his flotation device, Burns then headed out 30 yards battling a strong current to reach the second man, bringing him back to the first swimmer so they could both hold onto the rescue torpedo. On their way in they were helped by two off-duty life guards who assisted in the rescue.

Burns “acted without hesitation or regard for his personal safety in order to save the lives of two New Yorkers who certainly would have drowned otherwise,” reads the citation. He received the Yarinda Arroyo Medal for extraordinary bravery by a member of the EMS.

Children’s music

As Ladder Co. 125 in Flushing responded to a house fire the afternoon of Jan. 25, 2023, Lt. Ryan Daley was informed en route that they were confronting an e-bike fire.

Assured by two people that everyone was out of the house, and the fire was in the basement, Daley led the inside team with FFs Jeffrey Dobry and Matthew Newman in the front door, crawling through thick smoke as they looked for the basement door. Finding it and forcing it open, they were met with a blast of heat from the furnace-like conditions.

Daley also was certain that he heard children’s music coming from somewhere below.

Without waiting for a hose line, the three crawled down the steps into rapidly deteriorating conditions and zero visibility. Following the music to its source, Daley groped his way toward a bassinet, finding an infant inside.

With the fire quickly approaching the staircase — their only way out — Daley shielded the child and made the handoff at the steps to Newman, who got the baby, who lived, outside.

“Lt. Daley acted in the highest tradition of the FDNY, risking his life to rescue an infant,” the FDNY said in presenting him the Thomas A. Kenney Memorial Medal.

‘10-45’

Brennan received the Chief John J. McElligot Medal and the FFs Fitzgerald and Frisby Award.

Elderly man trapped

On May 9, 2023, Brooklyn firefighters arrived at a burning three-story house knowing that callers had reported people trapped on the top floor. They were greeted by heavy fire on the first floor, a fully engulfed room on the second floor and flames extending up the stairway to the second and third floors.

Once Engine Co. 236 gained the upper hand on the staircase, the inside team from Ladder 107 pushed its way to the third floor into heavy smoke and heat with no protection from hose lines. FF Justin Tallett of Whitestone, the team’s forced entry man, was searching a bedroom when he came across an unconscious child.

Retracing his route back to the stairwell, Tallett crawled past an officer from Rescue Co. 2 and gave a “10-45,” the signal for a found fire victim, and a call to re-clear the staircase. Handing the child off to firefighters at the front door, Tallett returned to the third floor amidst a flurry of 10-45 signals, at one point assisting with the rescue of another victim, before rejoining his unit on the third floor.

Citing his “great skill, and never-ending determination,” the FDNY awarded Tallett the Mayor Fiorello H. LaGuardia Medal.

A faint call for help

Capt. Colm Brennan was temporarily assigned to Ladder Co. 136 in Elmhurst on March 22, 2023, when the group responded to an earlymorning fire in a sixstory building.

Brennan led the inside team with FFs Francis Fennelly and James McLaughlin, up to the smoke-filled hallway on the sixth floor, where they encountered a woman screaming that her husband was still inside their apartment.

Splitting up to search once inside the apartment, Brennan was negotiating his way along a wall when his thermal imaging camera indicated a wall in front of him that did not extend to the ceiling and had flames coming from behind it. Entering what was termed a makeshift bedroom, Brennan heard a faint call for help. He found a tall, 200-pound man, wedged between a dresser and a wall. He also was injured and entangled in wires used to hang clothes.

Brennan freed the man and began bringing him toward the door when McLaughlin joined them, helping bring the man to firefighters waiting in the hallway to evacuate him. In recognition of his courage and rescue efforts,

The members of Ladder Co. 129 in Flushing entered the lobby of a 13-floor apartment building the morning of May 12, 2023, to find two fire victims who had smoke stains on their faces and unpleasant news — an elderly man was trapped in the burning apartment on the eighth floor.

Hoses still were being rigged when the inside team of Lt. Mike Koesterer and FFs Kevin Yip and Mike White reached the apartment. Koesterer posted Yip on the door while he and White went in to search in high heat and zero visibility.

White came to a bedroom with fire rolling out of it. Sweeping the room, he had to get past the main body of the fire before he found the unconscious man on the floor. Moving him carefully because of his injuries, White called out to Koesterer and Yip. White and Yip got him to seventh floor elevator where firefighters were waiting to get him to EMS personnel.

“Without FF White’s courage, persistence and fortitude, the victim would not have survived the fire,” according to his citation. White was awarded the Thomas F. Dougherty Medal.

One missing

The house fire on June 19, 2023, with reports of trapped residents, had greatly advanced before the Fire Department, including Ladder Co. 158 in Springfield Gardens, had arrived.

With conditions rapidly deteriorating and the fire closing in on them, Lt. Daniel Joyce of the inside team ordered his men to pull back, seconds before the room became engulfed. Shortly after getting to the front stoop of the house, FF Dwayne Campbell realized that Joyce hadn’t made it out.

Rushing back inside, Campbell soon found Joyce entangled in the clutter filling the room. Unable to pull Joyce out with force, Campbell, with the fire already overhead, risked standing up and used his knife to cut the straps of his lieutenant’s air pack to free him.

Campbell received the Captain Denis W. Lane Memorial Medal for valor.

Trapped in the basement

Ladder Co. 163 in the Bronx knew it was responding to a fire at a five-story multipleunit dwelling, with calls reporting people trapped in the basement apartment. The inside team, including FF Thomas Harrington of Bellerose, went to the outside basement entrance. Though he had the forced entry tools, Har-

FF Artur Podgorski

EMTs Shawn Griffin and Emmanuel Titus

EMT Brendan Burns

Lt. Ryan Daley

FF Justin Tallett

Cpt. Colm Brennan

FF Michael White

FF Dwayne Campbell

FDNY’s medal day honors Queens heroes

continued from page 28

rington tried the door and found it unlocked, saving valuable seconds. Still without a hose line, they proceeded in past the main body of the fire to conduct their search. Finding their way around numerous obstacles and in deteriorating conditions, Harrington reached a rear bedroom where he found a large-framed man who was prone, unconscious and barely breathing.

But with bars on all the basement windows, the path Harrington fought through on his way in was their only way out.

Turning the victim on his back, Harrington moved him toward the door while shielding him from flames and heat. Once outside the man regained consciousness and wrapped his arms tightly around the firefighter’s neck, causing Harrington to fall and injure his neck and back. Both men were taken to an area hospital for treatment.

“For his selfless bravery,” Harrington received the Fire Chiefs Association Memorial Medal.

A pro to the end Capt. James McAlevey was working the

final night tour of a 32-year career on May 25, 2023, when Ladder Co. 117 in Astoria responded to a fire in a private home. What could possibly go wrong?

A lot.

First, a sanitation truck parked right in front of the house blocked Engine 312’s access to a fire hydrant. Ladder 117 was unable to position its tower ladder directly in front for operations. It all combined to send McAlevey and his inside team into the fire without immediate hose protection while a truck-to-truck water transfer was set up.

Crawling through the fire, McAlevey came across an unconscious victim as the room approached flashover conditions. He was pulling the victim to the door when the ceiling came down on them, knocking McAlevey to the floor. He was assisted in taking the victim out before returning inside to continue searching. For his bravery, tenacity and experience in rescuing the victim, McAlevey was awarded the Fire Bell Club Medal.

Guns drawn

Fire Marshal Ian Brennan of Whitestone was wrapping up at the scene of a suspected arson in the Bronx this past Jan. 11 along with Supervising Fire Marshal William Rohr and

BECAUSE THE GROUND FLOOR IS JUST THE BEGINNING.

Fire Marshal Christopher Magas when Magas saw two men up the block acting suspiciously. Seconds later he heard gunshots from that direction

All three marshals took cover as the two men ran in their direction. As the approached, Magas drew his sidearm, identified himself and ordered them not to move, with Brennan and Rohr then emerging from behind a corner with their weapons drawn. The men were handcuffed and taken into custody, while help was summoned for the shooting victim.

All three were awarded the Deputy Commissioner Christine R. Godek Medal.

Three saved

The members of Engine Co. 304 and Ladder Co. 162 in Queens Village knew it was going to take time to stretch hose lines from the street to a burning three-story apartment building on July 11, 2023.

But they also knew they had credible reports of residents who did not get out.

Capt. Joseph Reznick of Engine Co. 304 made his way past the apartment with the main fire and up an open stairwell to the second floor. He had just heard Ladder Co. 162’s inside team of Capt. Michael Twomey

and FFs Santino DeGregorio and Timothy Brenner coming up behind him when he discovered an unconscious victim in the hallway.

Reznick, Brenner and DeGregorio took the victim out, and soon afterward heard Twomey transmit a second 10-45 signal from the hallway and headed back inside.

Twomey again handed the victim off to his inside team and Reznick. They again got the person outside when Twomey radioed another 10-45. Meeting again in the hallway, this time Reznick and Brenner got the victim to safety before Reznick rejoined his own team. Twomey’s team then reunited and searched all the apartments directly above the fire before being relieved.

All three victims survived.

Reznick received Firefighter Kevin C. Kane Medal for an outstanding act of bravery. Twomey would be accorded the Captain John J. Drennan Memorial Medal for acts above and beyond the call of duty.

Both Kane and Drennan died in the line of duty. Q

Eric Adams Mayor

ERICK - ELEVATOR INSPECTOR

FF Thomas Harrington

Capt. James McAlevey

Fire Marshal Ian Brennan

Capt. Joseph Reznick and Capt. Michael Twomey

by Sophie Krichevsky

“This is a show tune, but the show hasn’t been written for it yet,” says legendary jazz musician Nina Simone in her 1964 hit “Mississippi Goddamn,” written at the height of the Civil Rights Movement in response to the oppression of and acts of violence against Black communities.

Schwerner and Andrew Goodman. Queens College — where Goodman was a student — will premiere a special staged reading of the show on Tuesday, June 18, at 7 p.m. in the Goldstein Theatre.

Oxford, Ohio, where he and other volunteers were trained under some of the movement’s heroes, such as Jim Forman, Bob Moses and Fannie Lou Hamer.

Playwright and historian Ralph Carhart says he set out to write the sort of show Simone envisioned: His new play, “The Invaders,” tells the story of Freedom Summer Project of 1964, a volunteer effort to register Black voters across the South and educate people on civil rights more broadly, and the murders of James Chaney, Michael

The three-act play begins with Goodman’s time at Queens College, where he decided to join Freedom Summer, the effort led by the Coalition of Federated Organizations — which consisted of four key groups in the movement: the NAACP, the Student Nonviolence Coordinating Committee, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Congress of Racial Equity.

The third act takes place entirely on June 21, 1964, the day Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner went missing. Their deaths played a significant role in the shift of public opinion on the Civil Rights Movement.

Act Two follows Goodman to

Carhart’s research for the play was extensive. He began by studying Queens College’s Civil Rights Movement archival collection, much of which was donated by alumnus Mark Levy, one of the 10 QC students who volunteered for Freedom Summer.

Civil rights martyrs QUEENS COLLEGE TO HOST STAGE READING OF PLAY ON 1964 KILLINGS

Carhart interviewed Levy as well as several of the remaining others, about their experiences of the summer.

continued on page 33

King Crossword Puzzle

Met Ed Glynn pitched in the ballpark next door

by Ron Marzlock

Chronicle Contributor

Edward Francis Glynn was born on April 25, 1920, in New York City. He was raised in Jackson Heights and married Helen Reid in 1945. They had two daughters, Karen and Donna. On June 3, 1953, Edward Paul was born. The whole family lived in Helen’s parents house at 16205 45 Ave. in Flushing.

Edward Sr. threw himself into the Little League with son Edward and nurtured his love of baseball. Young Eddie worked summers as a hot dog vendor at Shea Stadium. After graduation from Francis Lewis High in 1971, he was signed by the Detroit Tigers. He came up to the majors as a left-handed pitcher in September 1975.

The childhood home of Mets pitcher Ed Glynn at 162-05 45 Ave. in Flushing, as it looked when he lived there as a boy in the 1950s. INSET VIA WIKIPEDIA / NY METS

Cleveland Indians at the start of the 1981 season. A reliever, he ended his career with Montreal on May 18, 1985.

He came to the Mets on June 1, 1979, pitching only six minutes from his childhood home. Sadly, he was traded to the

Mets pitcher turned broadcaster Ron Darling called Glynn “The Textbook Queens Guy.” Q

Rocket into nostalgia with Tom’s Elton Tribute

by Kristen Guglielmo associate editor

Get ready to feel the love on June 23 as Tom’s Elton Tribute rockets into Queens — though it took a little while for Tom Cridland, the man behind the dazzling homage, to get the Saturday Night’s Alright vibe.

“It’s not something you’d deliberately set out to do, or at least it isn’t for most people of my age,” Cridland told the Chronicle regarding the tribute. “When I was in university, Elton John was part of pop culture, and he had kind of legendary status.”

Cridland remarked that John went through “phases of being fashionable and unfashionable.”

“I mean, put it this way: He certainly wasn’t what most people in my year group were listening to,” he said. “Me included, up until the age of 18.”

It was then that Cridland saw a DVD of John playing live. He said, “The music found me. I got addicted to listening to them playing live, to collecting bootlegs.”

Then, Cridland started making clothing for Nigel Olsson, John’s drummer, through his eponymous clothing brand, which led to a friendship — and to Cridland to seeing John and his band play dozens of times.

Cridland, who had suffered from alcoholism in the past, said he got close to

drinking again during the Covid pandemic in 2020. He recalled John’s own journey to sobriety, and found comfort in his music. He taught himself piano and busied himself with learning to play and sing the piano maestro’s discography.

“I thought, ‘If I’m going to stay sober, I need to find something to do — something productive. ... I just set the challenge of getting good enough at singing and playing to play bars and parks,” Cridland said.

As he put it, “one thing led to another,” and now, as Tom’s Elton Tribute, Cridland has played hundreds of shows around the globe honoring the legend. In footage on his website, tomcridland.com, the musician practically embodies the Rocket Man himself.

Though he’s friends with Olsson, who even attended his wedding, and has recorded songs and episodes of his podcast with John’s guitarist, Davey Johnstone, and

has even met John, Cridland said he’s never asked them questions about playing music.

“I don’t bug them with my stuff,” he said. “Nigel’s a good friend, though, and we have a real laugh together.”

Cridland promises a fun show with all the hits, such as “Bennie and the Jets,” “Tiny Dancer” and “I’m Still Standing,” but he’ll also play some of the deep cuts.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to play music that I love,” he said. “Every time I think, ‘Oh, this is so weird. This is so unorthodox and I’m not sure how I feel about doing a tribute show,’ my many reservations go out the window when I play the music. So it goes to show that the music comes first.”

Asked how he creates the set list, he said, “I go by the expert — and that’s Elton himself.” He looks through what John has played live, and what the fans want, and, while playing, assesses the audience.

“I now completely understand why he why he chooses the certain songs, why he arranges them the way he does.”

Tom’s Elton Tribute is playing at the Claire Shulman Theater, at Queens Theatre, at 14 United Nations Ave. South in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park on June 23 at 7 p.m. For tickets to feel the love that night, visit queenstheatre.org. Q

Freedom Summer comes to stage in ‘The Invaders’

continued from page 31

In addition to reading a number of secondary sources about Freedom Summer, Carhart said he relied heavily on back issues of the college newspaper. He even took a trip to Mississippi, where he spent two weeks in the town where the trio was murdered.

Carhart knew from the beginning that the project would be an immense undertaking.

“Early on when I spoke to [Levy] and told

Crossword Answers

him what I was doing, he said to me, ‘That’s a terrible idea for a play,’” Carhart told the Chronicle. “And I asked him why, and he said that it was dangerous to make Andy the central character, because so many Black stories, of course, find this white savior to make the central character. And of course, he was 100 percent correct.

“What I try to do in the play is, Andy is our hook ... But once we get to Act Two, the story really becomes the story of SNCC and the activists and that world.”

Carhart noted that he, as a white man, felt comfortable writing the play because of the “collaborative nature” of Freedom Summer between Black and white people, but felt it was crucial to have a “Black collaborator.” He recruited director Renee Flemings to work on the project with him.

On top of that, though, Carhart wanted the play to be historically accurate. That’s how the 16-member cast ended up playing 40 characters.

“Between the fact that SNCC was a collaborative organization, they were the opposite of Martin Luther King’s SCLC. Once King was assassinated, the SCLC lost their central figurehead, and their organization suffered.

SNCC modeled themselves around group-centered leadership. No one person was in charge,” he said. “I wanted to make sure all of them got their due ... It’s a play that has a lot of people in it because it is a big, epic story.”

The show is being funded by board members of the Andrew Goodman Foundation, which seeks to amplify the voices of students and young people through voter registration efforts, in effect, continuing the work Goodman set out to do in 1964.

Among those board members is David Goodman, Andrew’s younger brother. “I think it’s fantastic that 60 years later, younger people are taking an interest [in this story],” the younger Goodman told the Chronicle. “The story of Goodman, Schwerner and Chaney — while I was related to Andrew, obviously — is an American story. It’s not my story. It’s your story as much as it’s my story.”

Above, a flier for a speech by James Chaney’s mother, Fanny. On the cover: The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. holds photos of Chaney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman. IMAGES COURTESY QUEENS COLLEGE

Tickets to the show are $45 or $20 for

QC students, and are available online at kupferbergcenter.org. A preshow VIP reception is another $30. Q

Tom Cridland, left, is bringing his homage to the Rocket Man, Tom’s Elton Tribute, to Queens Theatre this month. They met in 2023.

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Notice of Formation of DEPARTMENT PROJECTS LLC

Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/06/2024. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, 6061 68TH RD # 3, RIDGEWOOD, NY 11385. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

DEVAN MEDTECH SOLUTIONS

LLC Articles of Org. fi led NY Sec. of State (SSNY)6/3/24. Offi ce in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 83-11 Langdale St., New Hyde Park, NY 11040, which is also the principal business location. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of Eight Pillar Candles LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 09/13/2022. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: Eight Pillar Candles LLC, 211-14 23RD AVENUE, BAYSIDE, NY 11360, Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of FIRST PRIORITY PARALEGAL & PUBLISHING LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 12/07/2023. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, 107-29 PINEGROVE STREET, JAMAICA, NY 11435. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

C M SQ page 36 Y K

Legal Notices

Notice is hereby given that a license, number 1308035, for wine, and/ or beer/cider, has been applied for by Cabana Breeze, Inc., d/b/a Cabana Breeze Grill & Beer Garden, to sell wine, and/or beer/cider at retail in a tavern under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 135-01 Lefferts Boulevard, South Ozone Park, NY 11420, Queens County, for on-premises consumption. Cabana Breeze, Inc., d/b/a Cabana Breeze Grill & Beer Garden

Notice of Formation of 1721 Greene Avenue, LLC. Arts. of Org. fi led with Secy. of State (SSNY) on 5/17/24. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o The LLC, 1721 Greene Ave, Ridgewood, NY 11385. Purpose: any lawful activity.

83-30 264th Street LLC, Arts of Org. fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 5/3/2024.

Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 141 Crescent Dr, Albertson, NY 11507. General Purpose

Notice of Formation of AQA CREATIONS LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/22/2024. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: AQA CREATIONS LLC, 160-08 111TH AVE., JAMAICA, NY 11433. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

AVALANCHE BUILDER LLC fi led

Arts. of Org. with the Sect’y of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/6/2020. 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: c/o The LLC, 37-10 11th St, Long Island City, NY 11101. Purpose: any lawful act.

Legal Notices

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS Index No.704875/2024 Date Summons Filed:3/5/2024 MICHAEL JOSEPH MORRISSEY, Plaintiff, -against- MARTHA ISABEL ELIZALDE MORRISSEY, SUMMONS Plaintiff designates Queens County as the place of trial. The basis of venue is Plaintiff’s residence. Plaintiff resides at: 25-98 36th Street, Apartment 6J, Astoria, New York 11103. Defendant. ACTION FOR DIVORCE To the above-named Defendant: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer on Plaintiff’s Attorneys within twenty (20) days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service, where service is made by delivery upon you personally within the State of New York, or within thirty (30) days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint.

Dated: February 4, 2024 ZIMMET LAW GROUP P.C. By: Richard A. Schioppo, Esq. Attorneys for Plaintiff 477 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, New York 10022, (212) 922-1330 rschioppo@ zimmetlaw.com

ELLAWAY BLUES CONSULTING LLC Notice of Application for Authority of ELLAWAY BLUES CONSULTING LLC. a foreign limited liability company (LLC). Application for Authority fi led with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 3/8/2024. LLC organized in FL 11/15/2023. NY offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. The post offi ce address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/her is C/o Barakat + Bossa, PLLC 2701 Ponce De Leon Blvd, Suite 202 Miami, FL, 33134. Offi ce address in jurisdiction of organization: 20 North Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801 Copy of Articles of Organization on fi le with Secy. of State of FL, RA Gray Building, 500 South Bronough Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399. Purpose of LLC: Any Lawful Purpose.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR HARBORVIEW MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, MORTGAGE LOAN PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-5, -against- STACIE C. GRANT A/K/A STACIE N. C. GRANT, ET AL. NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure and entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on May 2, 2024, wherein DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR HARBORVIEW MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, MORTGAGE LOAN PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-5 is the Plaintiff and STACIE C. GRANT A/K/A STACIE N. C. GRANT, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE on the COURTHOUSE STEPS OF THE QUEENS COUNTY COURTHOUSE, 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD., JAMAICA, NY 11435, on July 5, 2024 at 10:15AM, premises known as 115-112 225TH STREET, CAMBRIA HEIGHTS, NY 11411; and the following tax map identification: 11306-57. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE FOURTH WARD OF THE BOROUGH AND COUNTY OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 722456/2022. Scott H. Siller, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

BERGWELL LLC. Arts. of Org. fi led with the SSNY on 05/29/24. Offi ce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 68-43 Ingram Street, Forest Hills, NY 11375. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

REFEREE’S NOTICE OF SALE IN FORECLOSURE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF QUEENS DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR INDYMAC INDA MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2007-AR9, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-AR9, Plaintiff - against - MOHIBUL ISLAM, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered on November 23, 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 the 28th day of June, 2024 at 11:30 AM. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Queens, City and State of New York. Premises known as 8709 150th Street, Jamaica, (City of New York) NY 11432. (BL#: 9707-90) Approximate amount of lien $886,832.90 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed judgment and terms of sale. Index No. 716393/2021 FKA 29577/2009. Helen Eichler, Esq., Referee. Davidson Fink LLP Attorney(s) for Plaintiff 400 Meridian Centre Blvd, Ste 200 Rochester, NY 14618 Tel. 585/760-8218 For sale information, please visit Auction.com at www.Auction. com or call (800) 280-2832 Dated: May 6, 2024 During the COVID-19 health emergency, bidders are required to comply with all governmental health requirements in effect at the time of sale including but not limited to, wearing face coverings and maintaining social distancing (at least 6-feet apart) during the auction, while tendering deposit and at any subsequent closing. Bidders are also required to comply with the Foreclosure Auction Rules and COVID-19 Health Emergency Rules issued by the Supreme Court of this County in addition to the conditions set forth in the Terms of Sale.

BRANNOCK DALL, LLC, Arts. of Org. fi led with the SSNY on 05/06/2024. Offi ce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Ilya Kiriakis Dall, 148-18 3rd Avenue, Whitestone, NY 11357. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

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

Howard Beach/Lindenwood, 1 BR, 1 bath, duplex. Call owner for details. Avail 7/1. 718-521-6013, leave a message.

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Discover a charming Raised cape, uniquely nestled in the heart of Old Howard Beach. This property boasts three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, a private drive, a one-car garage, and a large yard for all your outdoor activities. The first fl oor, renovated in 2013, offers the potential to be dormered out, creating even more living space.

B SPORTS EAT

London hero Luis

by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor

After being soundly beaten by the Phillies 7-2 in London last Saturday, the Mets flipped the script on Sunday by winning a thrilling 6-5 nailbiter, rallying twice from deficits, including scoring three runs in the ninth inning to take the lead for the first time.

As usual, the bullpen gave the Flushing faithful aggravation in the bottom of the inning. A heads-up play by catcher Luis Torrens to turn a broken-bat dribbler by Nick Castellanos into a game-ending double play made duty-free shopping at Heathrow Airport and the transatlantic flight home a happier experience.

Torrens has done an admirable job filling in for the injured Francisco Alvarez. His defense has been stellar, and he is not an automatic out as a hitter. He hit two home runs in a game against the Washington Nationals just prior to the Mets crossing the pond.

It is impossible to overstate how important Torrens’ game-saving play was for the Mets’ season. They swept the three games with the Nationals in DC, and finally resembled a quality baseball team. Despite their putrid play the first two months of the season, the National League overall has been equally inept. Shocking as it may sound, the Mets are still very much alive in the race for a wildcard playoff berth. Losing both games, which were televised nationally, would

have been humiliating and could have set them off into yet another June tailspin.

A key reason why the bullpen has been terrible is because the starting pitching has not been much better. Neither Sean Manaea nor Jose Quintana made it past the fourth inning over the weekend. Manaea has been better than that, but the London outing was stereotypical for Quintana. His consistent failure to get through five innings has caused wear and tear on relievers. They need Quintana to pitch as well as he did in 2023 if they are to have October aspirations.

The weekend London series was Major League Baseball’s attempt to grow the game in the United Kingdom. The Mets brought former star players Mike Piazza and David Wright, while the Phillies countered with Chase Utley, Cole Hamels and Ryan Howard. Their missions were to teach the fundamentals of America’s pastime to kids who had never seen a baseball game, and to promote the game to the British media. They clearly enjoyed themselves.

While the Mets were in London, the Cricket World Cup playoffs were taking place in Nassau County’s Eisenhower Park. Considering Queens is the “World’s Borough,” and has a sizable number of both cricket fans and players, it would have been fitting for those matches to have been played in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Q

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