Queens Chronicle South Edition 07-20-23

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

Residents fight migrant plan for

Spotted lanternflies are back in your yard

The city’s advice to combat the pest? Same as last year: Kill them all.

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

Spotted lanternflies are flying all over Queens again, though residents may not realize they have been here all along.

“What is this spider?” Someone wrote in a community Facebook group. She posted a photo of an insect that looked like a large black spider with white spots — what was indeed a juvenile spotted lanternfly, also called a nymph. The younger nymphs are black with white spots, and the older nymphs look more like their adult counterparts: red, with some black and white details.

The comments section, of course, was filled with residents telling the poster to kill the bug, which was the primary advice given from the government in the past.

The spotted lanternfly (or Lycorma delicatula) is native to China. The state Department of Environ-

mental Conservation said the insect was first recorded in New York after being seen in Staten Island in August 2020; however, the city’s 311 website said it was first spotted in the region in July 2020.

The spotted lanternfly is extremely detrimental to the environment, feeding on a variety of crops and trees, including grapevine, hops, maple, walnut and fruit trees. If the bug continues to reproduce, it will negatively impact the city’s forests and agriculture.

“I’ve seen them, but I thought we were done with this nonsense,” said Woodhaven resident Tim Lester, who saw a lanternfly hovering by the tennis courts in Forest Park. “I thought they all died in the cold.”

It turns out the spotted lanternfly eggs can survive winter. With the hotter weather, the nymphs are out and growing into the adults that residents were all too familiar

with last year.

At this month’s Community Board 5 meeting, Steve Fiedler, the Parks and Recreation Services Committee chairman, discussed having seen the insect in the neighborhood.

“I did notice spotted lanternflies, the invasive species we have, everywhere. All over the place. And I was told that you’ve got to kill them,” Fiedler said. “I was just told tonight that the ones I took pictures of were babies. So they’re all over the place. I was in Juniper [Valley Park in Middle Village] near the batting cage, and I saw them on the plants. They’re spreading like wildfire.”

According to the DEC website, there is a plan in place to combat the pests.

“The goal is to find and treat SLF infestations early .... Extensive trapping surveys are being conducted in high-risk areas throughout the state ... DEC and partner organizations encourage everyone to be on the lookout for this pest.”

The city Parks Department wrote on its website, “Parks is not currently considering widespread treatment due to uncertainty of the success of

chemical treatments and the prohibitive cost; however, we may treat limited high-value trees at risk of infection if it is deemed necessary.”

It seems the only advice that can be offered is the same residents were told in the past: Kill them on sight, or the environment will suffer the

consequences.

“I saw someone take an empty bottle and hold the opening over one of the bugs, and it jumped in. Throw the lid on and throw it away,” said Deya Reed of Rego Park.“It works, but it’s a shame we have to hurt them. They’re pretty, don’t you think?” Q

The spotted lanternfly, first seen in New York during summer 2020, is a serious threat to the city’s agriculture.

PHOTO BY ANGELA CARCIONE / FILE

Spotted lanternfly nymphs.

PHOTO BY STEPHEN AUSMUS / USDA

SOP site no longer being considered for migrant tents after public outrage Aqueduct Race Track ‘off the table for now’

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

Aqueduct Race Track is now “off the table” as a migrant tent location, according to Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park). The announcement came at a rally on Monday evening in front of Resorts World Casino in South Ozone Park, where electeds, civic leaders and residents of South Queens gathered to express their opposition to asylum seekers being brought to the racetrack.

The disclosure that Aqueduct Race Track, along with the Creedmoor Psychiatric Facility in Queens Village, was under consideration to become a migrant shelter came Saturday evening, first reported by THE CITY with information from a source within the Adams administration. The source said each location was expected to house around 1,000 adults, and officials were aiming to open the tents within two to three weeks.

The resulting outrage from residents was impossible for local electeds and civic leaders to ignore.

A letter was penned by Ariola’s office, and signed by Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica), Councilmember Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills), Assemblymembers Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven) and David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows) and

community board Chairs Betty Braton (CB 10) and Sherry Algredo (CB 9).

In the letter, which was addressed to President Biden, Gov. Hochul and Mayor Adams, the officials pressed for the racetrack to be taken out of consideration for a migrant “base camp.” They also urged Biden to address the border crisis and send the city necessary financial relief, and encouraged Hochul to categorize the migrant crisis as a state of emergency.

The pushback from local electeds and residents resulted in the councilwoman receiving exciting news just minutes before Monday’s rally.

“Without all that we’ve done in the last 48 hours, I would not be able to make this breaking news announcement — that Aqueduct Race Track has been taken off the table as a tent city,” Ariola announced to the crowd.

“This is your victory, but remember the victory is only going to be shortlived if we continue taking so many asylum seekers without the help of our federal and state government,” she said.

The celebration included calls for the state and federal governments to act.

“Kathy Hochul, it’s time for action. Joe Biden, it’s time for action,” Ariola said. Her words were met with raucous enthusiasm from the crowd.

“If the federal government does not do its part, we have problems. And guess what? This site will be bad. So we can’t stop,” state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) said at the rally. “This crisis, like a rubber band, has stretched our resources. But before that rubber band snaps — or my constituents snap — we need to find solutions.”

Sen. James Sanders Jr. (D-South Ozone Park) was met with jeers from a disgruntled audience after suggesting that the mayor is in a “difficult position” and that the border

issue is beyond the mayor’s “domain.”

“Once folks come into this city, as the top elected official in the city, it’s his job to figure out what to do with them,” Sanders clarified to the crowd.

“This was a bad move, and I have said that to the mayor,” he said. “This is not the site. This is not the place.”

Rajkumar was met with similar discontent from protesters when she called on President Biden to help the city with

Men sentenced for 2020 armed robbery

Stole over $284K in cash that was on its way to vault at Aqueduct Race Track

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

Two men from Jamaica have been sentenced for their roles in a March 2020 armed robbery at Aqueduct Race Track in South Ozone Park.

As proven at trial, at approximately 10 p.m. following the 2020 Gotham Day stakes races at Aqueduct, Lamel Miller and co-conspirator Khaleel Williams held up several employees at gunpoint — including Lafayette Morrison, who was employed as a racetrack security guard — as they were transporting more than $284K in cash to a vault.

Miller and Williams emerged from their hiding spot in a stairwell and confronted the employees at gunpoint, taking the cash and employees’ cell phones, and forcing the employees into a closet.

Afterward, Miller and Williams went to a hotel where they divided up the robbery proceeds. Part of the money went to Morrison,

who had served as the robbery crew’s “inside man,” providing information in advance about where and when the money would be transported to the Aqueduct Race Track vault.

When interviewed by federal law enforce-

ment officers after the robbery, Morrison repeatedly lied, including by claiming to be a victim of the crime and misidentifying a photograph of Miller, a childhood friend.

A federal jury in Brooklyn convicted Morrison in October 2022 of Hobbs Act robbery, conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and obstruction of justice. Both Miller and Morrison were also convicted of brandishing a firearm.

Miller pleaded guilty to the robbery in September 2022. He was sentenced in a federal court in Brooklyn early last Thursday morning to 108 months of imprisonment.

Last month, on June 14, Morrison was sentenced to 90 months. He was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery and possessing and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, Williams

previously pleaded guilty and testified against the other two defendants. He was sentenced to time served.

“The criminals involved in this ill-conceived robbery plot have earned meaningful prison sentences for their roles in its planning and execution,” said then-NYPD Acting Commissioner Edward Caban in a statement.

“I commend and thank the NYPD detectives and ATF agents on our Joint Robbery Task Force, and the prosecutors in the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, for their critical work on this important case,” Caban added.

“These sentences are the finale to the armed robbery that played out like a Hollywood movie heist,” stated U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District Breon Peace. “Miller and Morrison made the wrong bet in robbing the Aqueduct Race Track and have been justly punished for their violent crimes.”

Lamel Miller, left, and Lafayette Morrison were sentenced for their roles in a March 2020 armed robbery at Aqueduct Race Track.

PHOTOS COURTESY U.S. ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

Councilwoman Joann Ariola speaks at a rally against migrant tents that would have housed 1,000 adults being placed at Aqueduct Race Track.

PHOTO BY KRISTEN GUGLIELMO

“

This crisis, like a rubber band, has stretched our resources.”

— State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr.

Creedmoor eyed as site for migrants

Empire State Development says no impact will be had on redevelopment

by Naeisha Rose Associate Editor

Frustration is the name of the game, and lack of communication is what remains the same, according to many elected officials who recently learned that the mayor intends to use Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens Village as a tent city to house up to 1,000 asylum seekers within two to three weeks.

After a report by THE CITY on Saturday named Creedmoor as one of two potential sites to house migrants, which was confirmed Sunday by Borough President Donovan Richards, eight Queens lawmakers released a joint letter Monday airing their grievances.

The electeds included Councilwomen Linda Lee (D-Oakland Gardens) and Vickie Paladino (R-Whitestone), along with Assemblymen Ed Braunstein (D-Bayside), David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows) and Clyde Vanel (D-Queens Village) and state Sens. Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Flushing), John Liu (D-Bayside) and Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans).

“Over the last year, New York City has been at the epicenter of our nation’s asylum seeker crisis. As our city welcomes individuals seeking refuge, this process must be carried out with meticulous planning and careful communication to ensure the safety of all involved,” read the letter.

The news of a large-scale shelter comes on

the heels of two others opening in Bellerose, according to the statement.

“Residents were not given prior knowledge about either of these additions to the community,” the letter continued. “The practicality of these shelters and safety for residents and the individuals housed within these facilities must be ensured.

“Eastern Queens is a transit desert, and those seeking asylum must have access to transportation that allows them to seek and receive the vital supportive services our city can provide.”

The city alone cannot shoulder the burden of solving the migrant crisis, instead it needs federal resources, the mayor and governor conveying information to city officials and the inclusion of stakeholders in ensuring the welfare of the people in the shelters and the communities in which they are being placed, according to the joint statement.

“There is much work ahead to improve access to housing, quell the record homelessness New York City is facing, and address the asylum seeker crisis.,” the elected officials added. “We look forward to ensuring transparency as this development unfolds, and we will share additional information as it becomes available.”

Richards, the proud son of a Jamaica immigrant, said the migrant crisis is a federal issue.

“I don’t want to put this at the mayor’s door-

step,” Richards told the Chronicle. “The mere fact that we have not seen comprehensive immigration reform for decades is what led to this specific crisis.”

Hundreds, if not thousands, of asylum seekers are coming to the state per week, and Richards believes because Queens has two major airports, which are in close proximity to several hotels, it might have the most migrants being housed compared to the other boroughs.

“I know for sure those hotels are being filled with not only asylum seekers but with DHS clients as well,” Richards said, referring to the Department of Homeless Services. “Then we have the scattered sites that are placing people. Anecdotally, I believe Queens is shouldering a lot of the placements.”

The city should establish a community advisory board for each location, he said.

“In the World’s Borough, we have always opened our arms to anyone who wishes to build that better life right here in our community,” he said in a statement. “The city must also leave no stone unturned to ensure the safety of all involved.”

Go back to the drawing board, said Braunstein at a press conference that was held at the Bethesda Church with approximately 20 others in Queens Village, on Wednesday.

“Plainly, putting hundreds of people in cots ... is not a humane situation,” Lee added. Creedmoor is “currently deteriorating” [see separate story].

The other site that was being considered was the Aqueduct Race Track, but that was nixed, Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) said at a rally held outside the facility on Monday. Richards believes that is a short-term victory.

“They didn’t want the heat,” said Aracelia Cook, president of the 149th Street South Ozone Park Civic Association, who was at the rally. “I think we also need to find out how many of these transitional houses or homeless shelters are in the borough of Queens.”

The city said via email that there is 53,000 asylum seekers in its care, but did not state how

continued on page 8

Lack of transparency looms as migrant crisis hits Eastern Queens Pols concerned by Creedmoor plans

by Ariella Kissin Chronicle Contributor

As Mayor Adams considers transforming open space at the Creedmoor Psychiatric Facility into temporary tent housing for asylum seekers, Eastern Queens elected officials, civic leaders and community members gathered in front of the Community Board 13 office in Queens Village Wednesday to voice their concerns.

Talk of the transformation comes as redevelopment plans for the campus have been widely discussed by city officials, community leaders and residents for the past several months.

The group was, for the most part, united in their opposition to the proposed plans and highlighted various reasons why the city should, as Assemblyman Ed Braunstein (D-Bayside) put it, “go back to the drawing board and find another solution.”

Among Wednesday’s speakers was Councilmember Linda Lee (D-Oakland Gardens), who referred to Eastern Queens, home to the Creedmoor site, as a “transit desert with little to no rail access,” and said it would leave asylum seekers “stranded and isolated.”

“The establishment of a large-scale tent shelter to house 1,000 migrants will place further stress on the lack of transportation infrastructure in our communities,” Lee said. “Plainly putting hundreds of people in cots ... is not a humane situation.”

The councilmember maintained that Creedmoor is “currently deteriorating” and advocated for an ethical way to mitigate the asylum seeker crisis. Though she said that the city must resolve the issue, she emphasized that Creedmoor cannot be the solution. “We have to put these shelters in places that make sense, where we have access to services and transportation,” Lee said.

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards reiterated Lee’s concerns about infrastructure, but highlighted an underlying issue: a lack of transparency regarding the city’s plans.

“We need to know what’s happening in real time,” Richards said. “We should not have to find out by the news.”

Richards stressed the importance of transparency not only for local officials, but for community members as well, who are vital to any discussions of redevelopment.

State Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Whitestone) agreed. “Transparency includes notifying the elected officials and letting us know what the plans are,” she said.

“We were notified about this via text this weekend,” Braunstein said. “These are the kinds of things that we need answers to.”

Several speakers also called on the federal

government to assist with shouldering the economic strain of the crisis. According to Lee, New York City has spent over $1.4 billion so far and is expected to spend $4.3 billion through June 2024 on expenses solely related to asylum seekers, but has yet to receive any federal aid.

The Creedmoor Psychiatric Hospital campus is being considered as a tent city for migrants.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHAIN

Eastern Queens community leaders, including SNAP Senior Center President and CEO Paola Miceli, at podium, voiced concerns Wednesday morning about housing migrants in vacant space on the Creedmoor Psychiatric Facility campus.

PHOTO BY ARIELLA KISSIN

“We need to know what’s happening in real time.”

— Queens Borough President Donovan Richards on the migrant crisis

Balloon bonanza luncheon

The Ozone Park Howard Beach Woodhaven Lions Club teamed up with Lenny’s Clam Bar on Cross Bay Boulevard, Sovereign Realty of NY and Queens’ own award-winning professional balloon artist Nick Rotondo, known as Nick the Balloonatic, to bring a free, entertaining luncheon to seniors in the community last Thursday.

A representative from state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr.’s office attended the event, presenting Rotondo with a citation for his service.

“Our Lions Club loves bringing social events to the local senior population. It’s a great opportunity for folks to get out, meet with friends, laugh and share a meal,” said

Aqueduct rally

continued from page 4

resources and to evenly distribute the migrants among other cities.

“I urge Governor Hochul to ask President Biden to declare a state of emergency so that this crisis is treated with the seriousness that it deserves to be treated with — because this is an emergency,” Rajkumar said, being met with jeers of, “Close the border!”

The overall consensus was that the fight is not over for those who wish to keep their neighborhood free from migrant tent cities.

Ariola explained that Aqueduct Race Track had been considered for migrants in the past, but once surveyed, did not fit the criteria.

“To the administration’s credit, they really paid attention to what we were saying and the reasons why,” she told the Chronicle. “But with that many migrants coming in, honestly, there isn’t an area that they can turn down because there are too many people to house and to make sure that they’re taken care of. And that’s why I say this is off the table only for now,” she said.

“I know the mayor’s ears are open. I know the administration’s ears are open. I know the Council’s ears are open, but I want the government on the state level and our federal representatives to understand.” Q

PHOTO BY BRINA CIARAMELLA

Brina Ciaramella of the Lions Club and Sovereign Realty of NY, who organized the event at Lenny’s Clam Bar. “By coordinating with a venue, an entertainer and a corporate sponsor, we were able to put this event together absolutely free of charge.”

“It was a huge success and we would love to do more events in the future by utilizing this same formula, so if anyone that fits any of those three categories is interested in getting involved, we’d love to hear from you,” Ciaramella said. “As Lions we can’t solve every problem in the world, but each act of service matters to the community and to each other.”

— Kristen Guglielmo

Creedmoor

continued from page 6

many are in the borough or how many sites are being housed to shelter them throughout Queens.

A spokesman for Lee’s Office told the Chronicle that nothing has been confirmed but she knows Adams’ intentions and wants to learn how his decision will impact the redevelopment project planned at the Queens Village facility.

For months, representatives of community boards and civics, along with union members and residents, have been attending workshops, discussing on how best to revitalize dilapidated parts of the hospital complex.

During those talks, several people said they wanted affordable housing built there for young families and seniors.

Cook said she has nothing against the migrants, but Southeast Queens is already overwhelmed by its own issues, which includes a homeless crisis, and delaying a project that can create affordable housing is the wrong move.

“Southeast Queens should be off the table, period,” Cook said. “These spaces should be better used for housing, knowing that we have a housing crisis in our community, we don’t even have enough stock to take care of those in our community. We need urban housing solutions.”

Similar to Richards, Cook said the Mayor’s Office should bring civics to the table to learn what their needs are.

Community health fair in Richmond Hill

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

The Richmond Hill South Ozone Park Lions Club has teamed up with the 106th Precinct and NYC Health + Hospitals/ Queens to bring a health fair to the community on July 22 in Richmond Hill.

Offerings will include preventive care, testing, family planning and nutrition consultation from Queens Hospital, as well as medication review for residents with diabetes, hypertension and congestive heart failure.

“The hospital is going to bring around 70 members of their medical staff,” said Romeo Hitlall of the Lions Club. “Doctors, nurses, volunteers. They’re planning on bringing a triage center on site.”

Metro Plus and Emblem Health representatives will also be in attendance.

Representatives from MyChart will be providing enrollment and signup assistance. NYC Care will also be providing enrollment information at the event.

Co-sponsors of the fair include Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven), state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven), Councilwoman Joann

“It’s our understanding that [the migrant plan is] completely separate from Empire State Development,” said Lee’s spokesman, referring to the redevelopment project. “We are still awaiting details on how those two things are going to interact.”

Two public forums that were scheduled for July were pushed back to the fall, but the ESD said that the meetings were delayed to give ample review for all stakeholder feedback on the development project and the move is not related to the migrant situation.

Gov. Hochul’s office did not confirm whether it will move forward with plans to house migrants at Creedmoor, but said it will continue to help the city identify sites, spend money to fix them up and pick up a significant amount of the cost of housing.

“I commend the mayor for what he has been through,” Hochul said in a statement. “This is not a situation that anybody expected to continue.”

All options are on the table, according to a spokeswoman for the mayor.

“No humanitarian relief centers are final until announcd,” she said. “We need additional support from state and federal partners.”

The two Humanitarian Emergency Response and Relief Centers that were officially announced last Tuesday are the Crowne Plaza JFK Airport New York City in Jamaica, a hotel, and The Hall, an office building in Brooklyn.

A rally is set for Saturday at 11 a.m. at the hotel, which is located at 139-09 Archer Ave. Q

Ariola (R-Ozone Park), Councilwoman Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills), Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, all of whom will be attending.

In addition to healthcare offerings, the event will include food, music and games. Trinidadian singer Raymond Ramnarine will perform live. Metro Plus will provide a 360 photo booth, and the 106 will bring a rock wall and their K9 unit. There will also be plenty of giveaways.

Hitlall discussed the importance of the event, having been keenly aware of the health issues that face his community, which include lack of prescription knowledge, heart attacks and diabetes.

“Heart attacks are so common. Diabetes rates are very high. Queens Hospital has the statistics on it, and it is proven that it is true,” he said. “So doing this outreach is, I think, good for the community and for the hospital, because they get to meet and get to know each other.”

The health fair will be held on 120th Street and Liberty Avenue from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. Q

Asylum seekers

continued from page 6

“We need the federal government, the state and the city to work together,” Richards said. Stressing the importance of fast-tracking work authorizations, he added, “That’s our message to the White House.”

CEO and President of SNAP Senior Center Paola Miceli provided a different perspective in opposition to the Adams administration’s proposal: The SNAP Senior Center provides 400 meals to older adults every day through Meals on Wheels and is across the street from Creedmoor, but tents could literally stand in the way of those deliveries, she said, as well as other comings and goings from the facility.

“This is called pitting one vulnerable group against another,” Miceli said. “Without that roadway, we cannot load our vehicles to deliver meals. We cannot load and discharge other members that come. We have constant food deliveries of raw food, fresh produce and fruit ... you close down that area ... we’re out of business.”

“While it is clear that New York City must address this critical issue, the process must be carried out in a manner that meets the concerns of the neighboring communities, as well as these asylum seekers looking for refuge,” Lee said. Q

JFK Terminal 6 Concession Outreach Event

Thursday July 27th

12 PM - 3 PM

Challenge Charter HS, 15-20 Central Ave, Queens, NY 11691

Co-hosted by Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson, and Senator James Sanders.

Meet our team and learn about concession opportunities available at the future JFK Terminal 6.

t6concessionopportunities@vantageairportgroup.com

Selvena Brooks-Powers Council Member

Khaleel Anderson Assembly Member

James Sanders Senator

P

CB 9 puts its money where its mouth is

We’ve got to hand it to Community Board 9 for coming up with a great way to promote businesses in the area: going out to one and telling everyone about it.

There was a bit more to it than that when members of the board, which covers Woodhaven, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill and Kew Gardens, went to Neir’s Tavern, perhaps the most storied little barrestaurant in the borough, on a Friday night earlier this month. Staffers representing three elected officials — City Councilwoman Joann Ariola, state Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar and U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez — attended the event, and Neir’s owner Loycent Gordon received certificates and a proclamation recognizing his contributions to the community. State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr., being the everyman he is under those sharp suits, showed up personally.

Gordon deserves the accolades. Aside from operating Neir’s, he’s a city firefighter. Not too shabby. And Neir’s is, as it proudly declares on its website, “The Most Famous Bar You’ve Never Heard Of.” It’s possible you know that scenes in a little movie called “GoodFellas” were filmed there (may your visit bring less drama!).

Operating under a few different names, Neir’s has been in business most of the time since 1829. The joint’s 194 years old.

About 40 people, CB 9 members and family, were in the party that showed up because, as board Chairwoman Sherry Algredo put

it, “We truly want to support our local businesses. We want to show them our support, both in person and financially.” Bingo! CB 9 actually did what everyone says. We were glad to do our part too, by running an article on the event. And Algredo said it was not a oneoff; the board will continue its efforts to support area businesses. How great would it be if this habit spread to other boards? We’re not just talking about members who are friendly with each other going out for a couple drinks — that’s hardly news! — but concerted efforts like the one CB 9 put together for Neir’s. Small businesses need all the support they can get, as high costs, tight regulations and tech-driven change take their toll. The city’s unemployment rate remains stubbornly around 5 percent, notably higher than that of the state or nation as a whole. A few dinner parties out won’t fix that but they can help. Call us up ahead of time and we’ll be glad to cover them, giving publicity to both the businesses and the boards.

We can think of some great bars and restaurants to hit in all our community districts — keep the jokes about news editors to yourselves — but you don’t need our help on that. And it doesn’t have to be just meals: Members could flood a shopping strip or mall like some polite flash mob and pick up some new threads. Or even go to the movies. There’s certainly no end to the ways you can spend money in the world. Here’s one more way to do it with purpose.

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

The victims were loved

Dear Editor:

The women found dead at Gilgo Beach had families — mothers, fathers, cousins, aunts, uncles — and friends who loved them. They did not deserve to be killed and dumped at there. These families have been grieving and now with the arrest of suspect Rex Heuermann in several cases they may have justice. My heartfelt prayers go out to all who have lost so much.

Frederick R. Bedell Jr. Bellerose

Tip trends are jarring

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Trash on film

It’s so bizarre how filthy New York can be compared other civilized cities. And even worse than the litter we hate with a passion is its monstrous cousin: dumping.

Construction debris, furniture, what appears to be the contents of entire apartments — we’ve all seen it. And of course it’s worse in less welloff areas, though it happens everywhere. So we give credit to Councilwoman Nantasha Williams for her efforts to combat dumping in Hollis by getting more surveillance cameras installed. They can’t go on every block that could use them, but within budgetary reason, we say the more the better. Here’s a prime place for other Council members to allocate some discretionary funding. Deterrence, evidence — these things aren’t trash.

increase the percentage of the tip.

Another of my pet peeves about tipping involves being presented with a bill that lists the actual amounts for a tip of 15, 18 and 20 percent. They almost always base the tip on the bill and the tax. Since I never ordered the tax, I would never include this sum in my tip.

Another problem with tipping is that there is almost no relationship between the amount of service provided and the quantity of the tip. A server in a diner provides just about the same amount of service as does a server in an expensive steakhouse. Despite this fact, the steakhouse server probably receives a tip that is at least four to five times greater than the diner server. Does this make any sense?

Dear Editor:

Your editorial regarding guilt tipping was spot on (“Here’s a tip: Don’t guilt-trip people into giving one,” July 13). My comments are meant to add additional perspective to the problems of tipping.

In the mid-’60s the standard recommended tip was 10 percent. Around that time, the recommendation increased to 15 percent. This increase, and certainly the increase to 18 or 20 percent, is absolutely unnecessary.

Payments based on tips are one of the few payments that automatically adjust for inflation. Prices of food, both in supermarkets and in restaurants, have certainly increased at the rate of inflation, if not, as I suspect, more rapidly. Consequently, there is no need to

Michael Gallagher Forest Hills

Of Bacharach and life

Dear Editor:

More on Burt Bacharach, who died earlier this year. A friend sent this writer a page torn

from a Tennessee newspaper about Bacharach, but there was no mention of Dionne Warwick, who popularized his songs.

Burt was an excellent jazz pianist. I was a member of his Nola studio orchestra, sitting next to Kai Winding, who played with J.J. Johnson, the father of jazz bebop trombone playing. I also played trombone.

One day three of us, Fred Bird, Gilbert Henry and myself, went to Big George’s Restaurant in Corona, which isn’t there anymore, to play with Burt. He wanted us to play the background music he was writing and would want played for a singer.

Gilbert told me he played a gig with Bacharach. I knew Burt from high school days. He went to Forest Hills but he had a girlfriend in Newtown, which is where I went, because of the music programs there.

In life, circumstances can place you in careers that you never thought you’d be in. We’re called to go in different directions. Fred became a prominent fishing boat captain out of Montauk Point. His boat, “The Flying Cloud,”

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

may still be in service. Alto saxophonist Henry Gilbert joined the NYPD. He told me he broke the code of a foreign nation, and his race was changed from black to white for the records.

This writer likes to play “Happy’s” songs on his console piano, a small upright. When I hear Burt Bacharach’s music it brings back memories, and a greater appreciation of those memories, of the people I knew, few of whom are still here.

I never met Warwick, but I am grateful that I can play Bacharach and Hal David’s music. “That’s what friends are for.”

Charles Morton Jamaica

Story precedes park fixes

Dear Editor:

Sophie Krichevsky proved “the power of the press” with her July 6 story “Algae covers Bowne Park pond, again.” Within the first week of my contacting you, the third shower was working and the grass was mowed within the fenced area. Much of the algae was also gone from the surface.

On July 11 the fences were gone, as well as the surface algae. To my surprise, the bare electrical wires were taped and covered. I also think the filter is working because the other day I saw water being pumped into the pond. I am pretty sure that that is part of the filter system. I even saw one fish.

Hopefully the algae below the surface will be removed by the filter. I would have liked the showers to be continuous, but at least the three of them are now working.

Thank you so much for your prompt response and quick action. You have made a lot of people very happy.

Anthony Szymanski Flushing

Bank on my library plan

Dear Editor:

The Douglaston-Little Neck Library will soon be undergoing facility upgrade renovations. Long term, there are plans for a new library at another location.

Why waste funds on renovations when there is a vacant Capital One bank branch directly across the street which has sat empty for two years? It would be far easier to modify the existing building and add a second floor to create more space than construct a new library from scratch. The location also includes parking.

Diogenes (who said “Search for an honest man”) is searching for a brave elected official to come forward and reallocate funding in the current city or state budgets to finance this investment.

Larry Penner Great Neck, LI

Get real on Israel

Dear Editor:

Alacia Stubbs’ letter to the editor in the July 13 issue, “Blame the Israelis,” had several historical inaccuracies concerning Israel.

First, like the Palestinians, Jews have been living in Israel for centuries. The Old Testament is proof of that. While the number may

have changed over the years they have always been there.

In 1917, the British, who then controlled the area, issued the Balfour Declaration stating that they support the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. When the British turned over control the area in 1948 to the United Nations, the UN voted to have two independent countries in the region, one Jewish and the other Palestinian.

Everyone could have lived in peace except the Arabs and the Palestinians rejected the plan and attacked Israel the first second of its existence. Many Palestinians left the area before the fighting, figuring that they would return after an Arab victory which did not happen. That is why they ended up in refugee camps in other countries for years.

To claim, as Ms. Stubbs did, that Israel “began a vicious ethnic cleansing program” against Palestinians is just not true.

If there is no peace in the region, a major reason is that people like the writer promote hatred and violence. It is time for the hatred to stop.

Lenny Rodin Forest Hills

Supreme sorrow

Dear Editor:

Our American democracy created, in 1776, a federal government based on three branches: legislative, executive and judicial. For nearly 250 years they have worked together to create our wonderful government.

However, a new dangerous style of government, led by six ultra-conservative judges, of whom three were appointed by Donald Trump, has been formed to reshape our Supreme Court into an Ultra-MAGA court. The following (very unpopular) court rulings are my sincere concern: Roe v. Wade, student debt relief, racially restricted college admissions, LGBTQ rights and others.

Since these nine judges are appointed for life, many more issues will endanger our “branch harmony.”

Anthony G. Pilla Forest Hills

Editor’s note: The Constitution, with its three branches of government, was written in 1787 and took effect in 1789.

Biden’s well, Trump’s ill

Dear Editor:

I’m getting sick and tired of the relentless narrative from the right and the Fox News crowd that Joe Biden is “too old.” Let’s compare Biden and Trump. Biden’s doctor says he’s in fine health. Biden is at a perfect weight for his height. Trump is 40 pounds overweight. Trump has acute insomnia and sleeps only two to three hours a night. Trump has a diet of cheeseburgers and tacos. Plus, how about the stress of all of his legal troubles?

Here’s a guy who could drop dead any day now. He’s only a few years younger than Biden. And here’s a wager I’d like to make: Biden could drop down and give us 25 push-ups. Trump would collapse before he got to 10.

One more issue these ignorant, mean-spirited critics keep pushing: Biden’s supposed senility. And as evidence for this claim, they point to continued on next page

Appellate Division orders new districts for ’24 elections; GOP vows a challenge State court orders new U.S. House maps

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

The state Supreme Court’s Appellate Division has ordered the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission to craft new maps for congressional districts in time for the 2024 federal election cycle.

The July 13 ruling in Anthony S. Hoffman et al. v. New York State Independent Redistricting Commission et al. supports state Democrats who argued districts drawn up by a courtappointed special master after the 2020 U.S. Census were good only for the 2022 elections, as the state Constitution requires maps drawn up by the IRC.

Attorneys for the IRC and some parties granted intervener status in the case argued that the 2022 maps should stay in place until after the 2030 Census.

Many Democrats blame the existing districts for New York Republicans’ gain of four U.S. House sets in 2022. The map was approved in the 2022 case Harkenrider v. Hochul after the state Legislature declined to approve an initial IRC submission.

The vote was 3-2 with Presiding Justice Elizabeth Garry writing the majority opinion with Justices Molly Reynolds Fitzgerald and Eddie McShan concurring.

Justice Stan Pritzker authored the dissent, joined by Justice John Egan Jr.

“The IRC had an indisputable duty under the NY Constitution to submit a second set of maps upon the rejection of its first set,” Garry wrote. “The language of the NY Constitution ... makes it clear that the duty is mandatory, not discretionary. It is undisputed that the IRC failed to perform this duty.”

Garry wrote the Harkenrider ruling did not address “the IRC’s failure to perform its duty,” but noted “the Legislature’s unconstitutional reaction to the IRC’s failure ...”

While the court’s majority found the maps used in 2022 were intended to be interim at the time, Pritzker’s dissent states that since the map was considered final, there was no need for the IRC to submit a second set, and that the existing lines should remain in place until after 2030. Lines are redrawn after each Census.

Last Thursday’s ruling by a New York State appellate court could have an impact on a closely divided U.S. House of Representatives in 2024. Democrats are applauding the decision. Republicans are promising to go to the Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court. U.S. PHOTO / FILE

“Significantly, the judicial redistricting plan has been found to be competitive — although perhaps too competitive for some ...” Pritzker wrote.

He also cited a clause in which he says the state Constitution precludes a second redistrict-

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

continued from previous page

his mangling of phrases and sentences. Well, here’s the truth: As a young adult Joe Biden had a severe stuttering problem, which he bravely overcame. But as a carryover and remnant of this problem, he’s been fumbling words for the past 40 years and this has been a running light joke in Washington, DC. It never was and is not now “senility.” He has his wits about him.

These cruel, unempathetic critics should leave Biden alone and let him continue to do the good job he’s been doing.

Robert Vogel Bayside

Anthem as anathema

Dear Editor:

According to the Oxford English dictionary, an anthem is a rousing, uplifting song identified with a group or cause and sung on special occasions. It is both reverential and a sign of respect.

Obviously Ms. Jill Scott failed to reference this definition with her recent performance of the national anthem, in which while retaining the melody she aberrated the words to reflect a personal agenda and her personal criticism of American culture.

Ms. Scott is a 51-year-old African-American woman. Her albums have gone platinum and she’s the winner of multiple Grammy

awards, a songwriter, model, poet, actress and multimillionaire. She has often included what she perceives as inequities in American society in her music and writings. In a free society she has that right to self-expression as well as the right to have her viewpoints made public, but they should have been without her attacking and denigrating a national symbol that has been sacred since the War of 1812 and for which tens of thousands have given their lives.

If Ms. Scott believes she lives in such a repressive society, explain to me how she became such a wealthy woman, is honored nationwide by many in the music and publishing industries and is free enough to disrespect a time-honored national symbol without the fear of retaliation or economic consequences.

Perhaps a trip to the many African states where crime, corruption, civil war and enslavement exist might cause her to reevaluate American society and her place within it.

Bruce Carney Kew Gardens

ing for at least another seven years.

“To the contrary, the plain language of the NY Constitution provides the duration in clear terms,” he wrote. “‘... A reapportionment plan and the districts contained in such a plan shall be in force until the effective date of a plan based on the subsequent decennial census taken in a year ending in zero unless modified pursuant to court order.”

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn) could use those four seats back, as he presently has 212 members in his caucus, compared to 222 for GOP Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

Jeffries was decidedly in favor of Thursday’s ruling.

“The Appellate Division decision confirms that the New York State Constitution requires congressional district lines be drawn by an independent redistricting commission,” he said in a statement issued by his office.

“In contrast, the current congressional map was drawn by an unelected, out-of-town Special Master appointed by an extreme right-wing judge, who himself was handpicked by partisan political operatives,” he said. “It’s important that the Independent Redistricting Commission get to work expeditiously and present a map that fairly reflects the racial, ethnic, cultural, regional and socio-economic diversity of our great state.”

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Queens), the Queens County Democratic chairman, also hailed the ruling.

“Today’s decision reaffirms that New York’s congressional district lines be drawn by an independent redistricting commission as mandated by New York State’s constitution, as opposed to the out-of-town Special Master, appointed by a radical conservative judge,” Meeks said.

“It’s imperative that the New York State Independent Redistricting Commission work to create a map that provides New Yorkers with the fair representation they deserve,” he added.

House Republican Conference Chairwoman

Elise Stefanik (R-North Country) and state GOP Chairman Ed Cox took a decidedly different view in a joint statement:

“The Appellate Division majority’s conclusion guts the New York Constitution’s explicit prohibition against mid-decade redistricting,” the said. “When Democrats can’t compete, they cheat. Their illegal gerrymander violated the State Constitution and bucked the will of the voters. The Court of Appeals must overturn this ruling, or Democrats will gerrymander the map to target political opponents and protect political allies — all to the People’s detriment.”

Former upstate GOP Congressman John Faso issued a statement saying “On to the Court of Appeals,” the highest in the state.

“We remain confident the Court of Appeals will uphold the decision in Harkenrider v. Hochul — that the fair lines established by the District Court will be maintained and will preserve the New York Constitution’s prohibition against mid-decade redistricting,” Faso wrote.

“The public should also understand what is really going on. Democrats want to rig the congressional district lines in their favor,” he continued. “New York State now has more competitive congressional districts than any state in the nation. The current districts are fair and that is why Hakeem Jeffries and Albany Democrats are seeking to change the rules of the game.” Q

Senior Appreciation Day Giveaway 7/23

Bena Home Health Care Agency will be having its first Senior Appreciation Day Giveaway on Sunday, July 23, at the basketball court in Phil “Scooter” Rizzuto Park, located on 95th Avenue and 125th Street in South Richmond Hill, from 2 to 5 p.m..

Giveaway items include throw blankets, shirts and various raffle prizes. Food and drinks will be available.

Guest speakers include state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven), Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven), Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Richmond Hill) and Councilwoman Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills). Q

Vendors needed for RHBA’s park fair

The Richmond Hill Block Association is in need of food and craft vendors for its 48th annual park fair at Forest Park on Myrtle Avenue and Park Lane South on Saturday, Sept. 9, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information and applications, call the block association at (718) 849-3759, e-mail RHBA.1974.1@gmail.com or visit them at 110-08 Jamaica Ave. Q

Caban named new NYPD commish

Adams’ pick well-liked among cops, but Sewell’s exit looms large

by Peter C. Mastrosimone and Sophie Krichevsky

Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editor

Mayor Adams on Monday named Edward Caban the 46th commissioner of the New York City Police Department and Tania Kinsella its 45th first deputy commissioner, with their becoming the first Latino and first woman of color to serve in those roles, respectively.

A 32-year NYPD veteran, Caban became the NYPD’s first deputy commissioner in 2022 and was designated acting police commissioner earlier this month after the departure of Keechant Sewell. Through his time in the department, he worked at several precincts across the five boroughs and has held nearly every position within the force.

“Commissioner Caban is the right choice at the right time. Not only has Commissioner Caban climbed the ranks, serving in nearly every role within the Police Department, but policing is in his blood, as he follows in the footsteps of his father, another veteran of the NYPD,” Adams said in a statement. Noting Caban’s work with Sewell in decreasing shootings and murders last year, he added later, “I am confident that Commissioner Caban will continue that legacy of success while supporting our officers going forward every day.”

Kinsella became executive officer at the office of the chief of patrol in 2022, where she was subsequently promoted to deputy chief. Before that, she had served in precincts throughout the city.

“In her 20 years with the NYPD, First Deputy Commissioner Kinsella has devoted herself to bringing the police and the community together, building bonds, and making our city a better, safer and stronger place to live,” Adams said.

The appointments were announced on the steps of the 40th Precinct in the Bronx, with dozens of police and city officials, family, friends and other well-wishers cheering on the

top cops as they were sworn in to their new positions.

Sewell left her role as commissioner suddenly last month, with reports saying Adams was micromanaging the department and that Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks played a role in that. Those dynamics became a point of consideration in public discussion of Sewell’s replacement.

Among those concerned at the time was Joe Giacalone, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and former NYPD sergeant. He still had questions this week.

“Is [Caban] going to be able to run the department? Is he going to be second guessed? Is he going to be put in the position that Sewell was? Will he be able to deal with that?” he asked.

“To say that he doesn’t understand the position that he plays in this, I think is foolish on our part, because I think we all understand what his role is going to be. And it’s going to be he’s going to take a backseat.”

At the same time, Giacalone said appointing Caban was “a nobrainer,” noting his role as acting commissioner and his good reputation among the rank and file.

For that reason, Kevin O’Donnell, a retired detective who served in the 109th Precinct in Flushing, said he is “excited” by Caban’s appointment.

“He grew up in the NYPD, he knows the NYPD,” he said. “So I think he’s going to be a very big asset.”

Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park), who sits on the Public Safety Committee, agreed, pointing specifically to Caban’s long tenure in the NYPD.

“It really builds morale, when people are promoted from within the agency that they work for,” she told the Chronicle. “And oftentimes — I’ve seen it, even in private industry — when they do a search [and] they hire someone who’s qualified [over] three or four qualified people who have worked for the

‘Scooter shooter’ indicted

Thomas Abreu, 25, of Brooklyn was indicted Wednesday morning in the July 8 scooter shooting spree that killed 86-yearold Richmond Hill resident Hamod Saeidi and wounded two others, according to the Queens District Attorney’s Office.

The spree started at approximately 11:26 a.m. in Richmond Hill, according to surveillance cameras and an eyewitness, and lasted until around 1 p.m., when police spotted and apprehended Abreu in Jamaica. Abreu was charged with murder in the second degree, five counts of attempted murder in the second degree, two counts of

assault in the first degree, three counts of attempted assault in the first degree, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree. If convicted, Abreu faces up to life in prison.

“The scourge of gun violence continues to steal family, friends, and loved ones from our communities, leaving fear and misery in its tragic wake,” Queens DA Melinda Katz said. “The defendant will be held to account for the serious charges returned against him by the grand jury.” Q

— Kristen Guglielmo

company for 20 or 30 years, and they get passed up, it really does lower the morale of the company.

“So with this agency, which right now has a depleted morale, I think that they’re finally seeing someone who understands them, has done their job and can really relate to what

they’re going through as officers.”

One Northern Queens officer, speaking privately, was cautiously optimistic.

“I’m keeping my fingers crossed,” he told the Chronicle. “I’m pretty sure everyone hopes for an improvement — everyone wants an improvement.” Q

Ulrich to be indicted, sources tell the News

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

Former Republican Councilmember of Queens’ 32nd District and city Department of Buildings Commissioner Eric Ulrich is expected to face criminal indictment this week, according to a report from the New York Daily News, which cited three anonymous sources close with the investigation.

The report said a Manhattan grand jury has been hearing evidence involving Ulrich, who resigned from his position as DOB commissioner last November during a gambling probe by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, during which agents seized his phone and served a search warrant. He was appointed to the position by Mayor Adams in May 2022.

It was unclear what exactly is being investigated, or if Ulrich is the only person involved in the probe, but sources told the News it involves financial misconduct and possible ties to organized crime.

A source said Ulrich and his attorney, Samuel Braverman, were contacted by a prosecutor about testifying in front of a grand jury two weeks ago — meaning an indictment is likely near. The source said

Ulrich declined to testify.

In 2018, Ulrich penned a letter to a federal judge in the case of Robert Pisani, a Bonnano crime family associate, asking the judge to “go easy on [Pisani]” in a loansharking case.

It was said prosecutors were also investigating whether Ulrich had engaged in bribe-taking, including by renting an apartment at below-market price and whether a sofa was given to him or sold at a discount by someone doing business with his department.

Both the Manhattan DA’s Office and Braverman were unwilling to comment on the progress of the investigation.

In the past, Ulrich disclosed lottery winnings of over $50,000 on his annual financial disclosure form. Records also indicate that Ulrich garnered tens of thousands of dollars in gambling winnings while serving as councilman. In a Facebook post from April 2021, Ulrich was open about his struggles with alcoholism.

Ulrich announced in January that he is working as a licensed insurance broker in the Rockaways. He could not be reached for comment. Q

Mayor Adams on Monday named Edward Caban, right, the new commissioner of the NYPD, and Tania Kinsella, center, as first deputy commissioner.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL APPLETON / NYC MAYOR’S OFFICE

“I think we all understand what [Caban’s] role is going to be.”

— Joe Giacalone, professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and ex-NYPD sergeant

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Estate planning essentials to know

Naeisha Rose Associate Editor

“Be prepared” is not just the Boy Scout motto or a line in the Disney movie “The Lion King,” but a means to an end for a person to safeguard his or her assets during retirement, in case of incapacity or after death.

One of the best ways to manage, preserve or distribute one’s properties, prized possessions or resources to either leverage for the future or pass them on to loved ones, while minimizing confusion, is estate planning.

For many seniors 62 and older, leveraging one’s home via a reverse mortgage for a lump sum of cash, monthly payments or a line of credit to retire on may seem ideal, but could have drawbacks.

“That I would not ever recommend,” said Jeanette Wilson, a realtor and notary from Springfield Gardens. “If anything, I would definitely seek out an attorney and get everything in writing to put in order. You may never know what may happen. You always want to be prepared for the abnormal ... We have to learn to be prepared a different way.”

Before making any major decisions like obtaining a reverse mortgage, Wilson suggests that seniors share their plans with family members or friends they are close with.

“For seniors, I would definitely make sure that there is more than one person who is aware about what is going on with their house,” Wilson told the Chronicle. “As they get older, people have a tendency to take advantage of them. As far as estate planning in general, see an attorney, put everything in your will, put it on paper and make sure somebody knows where those documents are and have multiple copies of them ...

“Also, after a certain age, you definitely should have more than one person on the deed. That also helps with fraud. Make sure it’s someone you truly trust ... There’s a lot of equity there.”

To get more advice from Wilson, call her at (646) 335-6161.

Michael Corcoran, an attorney with Queens Legal Services, shared Wilson’s sentiment.

“For seniors who are interested in a reverse mortgage, it is really important that they have an attorney they can trust to evaluate the mortgage product they might be entering into,” said Corcoran, an attorney for QLS’ Homeowner and Consumer Rights Project, which protects clients from foreclosure. “There is a lot of good reasons for seniors to take out a reverse mortgage, but in my practice, I would say a vast majority of seniors ... did not adequately understand the terms of the mortgage or the implications of what they are doing.”

When an older person dies, the entire amount he or she owes on the reverse mortgage will have to be paid by their heirs or the property would go into foreclosure.

“We are routinely introduced to family members with modest or no income, who have been living in their home with their parents for

their entire life, and now that the parent has died, they are responsible for paying off a large mortgage and they don’t have the resources to do it. Sometimes that is the decision the parent made and sometimes they didn’t realize that would happen,” Corcoran told the Chronicle. “It is not the heir’s debt to pay, but the debt has to be paid through the sale of the house.”

If not represented by a real estate attorney with a specialty in closings, a senior can get taken advantage by a reverse mortgage broker who gives him or her a higher interest rate than there should be or push for a lump sum payment that is less than the maximum amount that one is allowed to borrow.

“Depending on what your circumstances are, you can take out a reverse mortgage with a maximum borrowing amount of $500,000, but actually borrow no money after closing and just have a credit line you can access in the future if you need to pay for any specific things you might want. Work with an attorney that has nothing to gain with you taking out a reverse mortgage.”

Lawyers at QLS have a significant number of clients who have been foreclosed on because of a family member’s passing and lack of estate planning.

“We have tried to develop programming to specifically address some of the unique issues that these families face in terms of trying to take a title in the name of the deceased homeowner and to put it into the name of the deceased’s heirs, the legacies or devisees named in a will,” Corcoran said. “We have not secured funding to provide estate planning services, but it is without question that every single family that we meet with, whether the homeowner is alive or dead, should be engaging in estate planning because the failure to do estate planning results in a myriad of unintended consequences.”

A lack of knowledge surrounding the state’s inheritance laws could result in the erosion of wealth that families have built up in their homes, said the attorney.

“In New York, when a person dies without a will their assets transfer in accordance with the state’s inheritance laws,” he added. “There is a hierarchy for who is entitled to inherit.”

In the Big Apple, half of one’s assets will go to their spouse and the other half to their children, Corcoran said. If there are no children, everything will go to the spouse or vice versa.

“If any of the children die, but had children if they predecease the homeowner, their children will step into the deceased child’s shoe,” he said.

If an individual is estranged from a child or spouse before passing and didn’t want that per-

son to inherit anything, but preferred someone else to distribute their home, in the absence of a will that does not matter, added Corcoran.

“Saying my parent would have never wanted this is of no legal import,” he added.

Partition sales are another means of heirs ending up without their stated stake in a home because of a loved one’s failure to change or add a name on a deed before passing.

Corcoran says there are real estate investors who intentionally seek to buy a stake in a home that has passed on to several heirs by seeking out one or more of the family members who are willing to sell their interest and then they force a sale of the property, even if the other relatives are still living there.

“This is not illegal,” said the attorney. “This is the perfect example of the failure to do any estate planning.”

In one egregious case involving a disabled woman, he said her father and uncle purchased a home 50 years ago, but since her uncle’s death, five of his children and additional grandchildren have sold their interest in the property for $15,500. By forcing the sale of the house, the investor will receive $350,000. The city Department of Finance says the home is worth $700,000, said Corcoran.

People should start estate planning as early as 18 or when they come into any assets, he added.

“It’s never too early to start planning,” he said.

QLS can be reached at (347) 592-2215.

The city Department of Aging agrees that the sooner one starts estate planning the better it will be for an individual later in life. The process will also reduce stress for a person’s family when they die.

“There are different types of powers of attorney that serve different needs,” said a spokesman for the DFTA.

Other forms of estate planning include living wills, an advanced care directive; and a health proxy, a document indicating a person who is aware of how someone would like to receive care. Then there are guardianships, which is when someone petitions the court to be assigned to make decisions on all aspects of an individual’s life due to the person being unable to adequately care for himself or herself or manage his or her affairs.

Older residents can call Aging Connect at (212) 244-6469 to receive a referral to pro bono legal services to help with a long-term estate plan.

Yan Lian Kuang-Maoga is a 9/11 victim’s compensation attorney, who also specializes in elder law, Medicaid planning, trust and estates planning, probate, estate administration and special needs planning.

“When we talk to seniors, they are concerned about two big issues,” Kuang-Maoga said: Where their assets are going to go after they die and how they will protect their assets if they need homecare or nursing homecare.

Kuang-Maoga recommends that elderly people sit down and spend time deciding how they plan to distribute their assets via a will or who will take care of them if they are incapacitated but alive.

“In addition to setting up a will, we also need to set up paperwork so our family can take care of us if we get sick or at a nursing home,” she said. “We still have to live and we still have bills to pay. The legal documents for a power of attorney or healthcare proxy are very important, in addition to having a will.”

Unfortunately, there is no health insurance for homecare or nursing homecare, according to the lawyer.

“Nursing homecare is $15,000 to $17,000 a month per person,” Kuang-Maoga said. “For homecare, it is going to be at least $25 an hour for an aide. “Long-term, the cost is tremendous.”

Nursing homecare and homecare aides can be paid via Medicaid if a person is lowincome, she said.

“We can plan for it,” Kuang-Maoga said. “We can put the house in a trust ... There are many trust options.”

An irrevocable trust is the best option for those on Medicaid, according to the attorney.

“It says between the senior and a trusted family, I no longer own the house, but I have the right to live here until I pass, then you guys can sell the house or decide how to divide the house,” she said. “A revocable trust is just for estate planning purposes to help avoid the court process after a person dies when there is a trust.”

For more advice from Kuang-Maoga, people can email her at lk@pittabaione.com.

Estate planning is always a good idea for consumers, said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, but to avoid potential fraud, never sign a document that was not read and always take the time to have paperwork explained to you by someone you trust.

“You should never feel pressured or rushed to sign any documents,” Katz said via email. “If you do, that is a warning sign that this may be a scam.”

Anyone who thinks he or she is a victim of fraud can reach Katz’s office at frauds@queensda.org or (718) 286-6673. Q

Estate planning is essential to protecting one’s assets as a senior or to pass on to loved ones after death. PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON

Yan Lian Kuang-Maoga

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Pickleball may be just your speed

by Stephanie G. Meditz Chronicle Contributor

Kathy Toner enjoyed her pickleball lessons at the Freeport Recreation Center before the Covid-19 pandemic put the world on pause.

She wanted to start playing again, but she knew her serve would be rusty after years of inactivity. She attended a beginner pickleball clinic at Commonpoint Queens Tennis and Athletic Center in Alley Pond Park to start fresh.

This time, her husband, Patrick Toner, tagged along, just to see what all the hype is about.

Glowing with exertion after a round of doubles, the Bellerose resident described it as “exercise, but not too much.”

“Tennis would be a lot more physical, and as I get older, it’s not really good,” he said.

Pickleball incorporates elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong and is played on a smaller court than tennis, so it does not require much running.

Kathy Toner enjoys watching tennis and figured pickleball would be a fun, low-impact substitute, especially for the senior citizens with whom she typically played in years past.

Gail Kahn from Forest Hills was a tennis player growing up but found that her stamina dwindled with age, making it difficult to keep up with the intense sport.

“You have to be in better shape, and tennis I think is more precision. You really have to practice and play a lot to get the moves and the serve and all that,” she said. “Pickleball is not as precision-oriented. I don’t think it’s as competitive as tennis, either.”

Commonpoint Queens Tennis and Athletic Center Tennis Director Aki Wolfson told the clinic’s 12 attendees that, while tennis and pickleball are similar in some ways, they are total opposites in others.

During her pickleball certification process, Wolfson was told she plays “too much like a tennis player” with the flick of her wrist.

A tennis background is not necessary to get started with pickleball.

Inspired by her colleagues who are seniors

and avid pickleballers, Woodhaven resident Karen Cannariato tried it out for the first time at the clinic, held late last month.

“It seems very popular now, and the thing that sparked my interest in a way was that it does seem like older generations are doing it and can do it,” Cannariato said. “I’m at an age where I’m up there, and I feel like it’s probably very good exercise, so I’d like to see if I can get into it.”

“I think it’s really good exercise ... and it’s not overtaxing your body,” Kahn added. “If you’re not a real athlete, you can still do it. It’s manageable ... I feel good after I do it. It lifts your spirits.”

Kahn started playing pickleball several months ago — she attended another clinic at Commonpoint Queens and regularly practices her volleys with a friend, whose apartment building includes a pickleball court.

“So many people that I know who play, they just rave about it,” she said. “I have a friend who sleeps very late, ’til one, two in the after-

noon, but because of pickleball, she’s getting up at 7:30.”

Ellen Kahaner advised new pickleballers to stay hydrated, wear a hat and stay in the shade as much as possible.

“It’s fun, it’s social, it’s not hard,” she said. “I think you should make sure you stretch beforehand and take a walk or take a bike ride beforehand just to loosen up, so you’re not coming in all stiff.”

Like many others, she was drawn to pickleball for its popularity — with limited space in public parks, pickleball courts are popping up in malls across the country to replace stores like Bed Bath & Beyond, Old Navy and Saks Off 5th.

“Pickleball is growing everywhere in general,” Wolfson told the Chronicle in an email. “There is a high demand for space as more and more people are getting involved in it.”

Parks in Queens are starting to meet public demand for pickleball courts.

The Commonpoint Queens Tennis and Athletic Center in Alley Pond Park boasts 10 pickleball courts, seven tennis courts and a 40-by60-yard turf field. Rockaway Beach 102nd Street installed a dedicated pickleball court last summer.

Handball courts at Ravenswood Playground in Astoria, St. Michael’s Playground in Woodside and Louis C. Moser Playground in Jackson Heights have spaces designated for pickleball. Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans includes four lined pickleball courts on its tennis courts, and Crocheron Park in Bayside has two permanently lined pickleball courts, though players must bring their own net.

Flushing Fields is home to eight tennis courts that can be converted into pickleball courts with chalk and a net.

Wolfson said pickleball is all the rage among older crowds, but it is suitable for all ages.

She said Commonpoint Queens wanted to host a kids’ pickleball clinic, but it did not garner much interest in the community.

“At the moment, [pickleball] is more appeal-

ing to the older community members, but more and more we are starting to see all adults gaining interest,” she said. “... Especially for the little ones, with the smaller space and lower net, it is a good way to start hand/eye coordination skills leading into playing tennis.”

Wolfson noted a lack of pickleball leagues in the area, and she hopes Commonpoint Queens can start one in the future.

According to NYC Pickleball’s website, organized leagues are a challenge due to lack of space.

This summer, Alley Pond Park is hosting an outdoor women’s pickleball league on Thursday evenings that started July 6 and runs through Aug. 17, as per LI-Kick.

With a membership, residents can play pickleball at the Al Oerter Recreation Center in Flushing, which is home to three wooden indoor courts.

Whether it’s an organized league, beginner clinic or open play in a public space, pickleball brings communities together and introduces people who may not have met otherwise.

Senior women at the Commonpoint clinic exchanged phone numbers between matches. They might meet again at a future clinic, or even an open court to play doubles.

Pickleball gives senior citizens the chance to feel young again — they can break a sweat without overdoing it, but also bond with new friends over a common interest.

“I think if you can walk, you can play pickleball,” Kahn said. Q

Pickleball clinic and tournament

Residents of state Senate District 15 are invited to a free pickleball instruction session and “friendly tournament” Sept. 23, hosted by Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven).

The event will be held from noon to 4 p.m. in Middle Village’s Juniper Valley Park, at Juniper Playground Softball Field 8. There is limited space, so anyone who wants to play must register in advance by calling Addabbo’s office at (718) 738-1111.

Evan Naumann, a 2023 graduate of St. John’s University, will provide the instruction. Naumann is the winner of the 2023 Three Lakes Tournament and head coach of the St. John’s Alumni Pickleball Johnnies.

State Senate districts recently changed. Addabbo’s runs from Lindenwood through neighborhoods including but not limited to Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Glendale, Middle Village and Forest Hills to the Long Island Expressway on the northern end. One may find a map on his Senate website. Q

— Peter C. Mastrosimone

New pickleballers practice bouncing the ball on their paddle, a basic skill necessary to play, at the Commonpoint Queens Tennis and Athletic Center in Alley Pond Park. PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE G. MEDITZ

Players practice their serves, including, in front, Patrick and Kathy Toner and, at rear, Karen Cannariato and her partner on the court.

Work opportunities for older adults

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

Many adults look forward to retirement: the day when one can sit back, relax and not have to worry about work anymore.

However, some seniors prefer to not settle down. Working can provide motivation to get up in the morning and go about the day, providing socialization and fulfillment that some goldenagers would not have in retirement. And then there is the income.

The city Department of Aging launched Silver Corps last May. The program, funded by AmeriCorps Seniors, provides opportunities for older adults who still want to work. It aims to increase financial mobility among older adults, combat ageism in the workforce and fill employment needs in local communities.

Silver Corps provides prospective employees with quality skills development and credential training in high-demand sectors and industries, leading to greater financial self-sufficiency and having a social impact, creating a sense of fulfillment.

The program consists of three tiers:

• Tier One, Explorer: rapid attachment to employment that may not require a credential or training.

• Tier Two, Navigator: up to one year of credential attainment or occupation skills training is required.

• Tier Three, Voyager: more than one year of credential attainment or occupation skills training is required.

Applicants must be willing to participate in skills training and specialized certification programs and willing to volunteer a minimum of 10 hours per week in a nonprofit or city agency.

“We know the demand is there among older New Yorkers who want to continue contributing to their communities and keep working, but too many times they are prevented because of ageist

biases people have. The Silver Corps program will allow us to help even more older residents who need the support to enter the workforce, and we are pleased to launch this program to help them find employment,” said DFTA Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez in a statement.

“I am glad that I found this program! I was looking for something to help me stay busy and I was ready for a job change,” Karen Sturgis, a member of Silver Corps, said in a press release. Another member, Tony Lorenzo, said, “Volunteering made me see life in a different light.”

Silver Corps is not the only job opportunity program for seniors living in the city; there are a number of alternatives.

The Older Adult Employment Program, according to the

Department of Aging, is designed to help city residents aged 55 and above secure employment and develop new skills in various professional fields.

Participants in the OAEP can secure employment in a variety of areas, including administration, human and social services and customer service, among others. They will be able to take classes on digital and financial literacy, as well as other areas of job preparation, in addition to being assigned an internship at a nonprofit or city agency to build their skills.

Another program, called Silver Stars, is an opportunity for retired city municipal employees to work part-time at a city agency to help contribute to the well-being of their communities. The positions for Silver Stars are temporary and project-based, typically limited to one year but determined by the agency’s business needs.

Civic Engagement Employment Service (ReServe) is a program designed for retirees 50 and older who want to work parttime for nonprofits or government agencies. Assignments will typically range from 10 to 20 hours per week and pay minimum wage.

Older adults that are keen on social fulfillment might consider the Foster Grandparent Program, which offers the opportunity to serve as mentors, tutors and emotional support for children and youth with special and exceptional needs. Volunteers in the program serve a minimum of 15 hours a week. They are placed in a variety of community settings, such as Head Start Programs, day care centers, schools, hospitals and family courts.

Anyone interested in the aforementioned programs can find out more information, including eligibility terms, by calling Aging Connect at (212) 244-6469, or by visiting the Department of Aging website. Q

The city’s Silver Corps program aims to provide older adults with financial mobility in a workplace free from ageism.

UNDERSTANDING TRUST TERMINOLOGY

By Donna Furey, Esq.

• TRUST - A Trust is a legal entity under which the “TRUSTEE” holds legal title to property for the benefi t of “benefi ciaries.” The Trustee must follow the rules provided in the trust.

• IRREVOCABLE TRUST/REVOCABLE TRUST - An IRREVOCABLE trust is one that cannot be changed or rescinded by the person who created it and the person who created it cannot be the TRUSTEE, while a REVOCABLE trust allows the creator to change or rescind the trust and the creator can be the TRUSTEE.

Trusts are often used for Medicaid planning, tax planning, to avoid probate, to allow for someone with expertise to manage assets, to shelter assets and protect them from creditors, to protect assets for disabled persons, (Supplemental Needs Trust) and/or for long-term care planning.

• TESTAMENTARY TRUST CREATED THROUGH A WILL

WILL - A legally binding document that instructs who will receive your property at your death and appoints a legal representative, EXECUTOR, to carry out your wishes. A Will only applies to assets in your name alone that do not have a benefi ciary. A Will can also create a TRUST to protect assets for a benefi ciary. To enforce the provisions in a Will, the Will must be filed in the Surrogates Court for probate.

PROBATE - This is the process of notifying your blood relatives and beneficiaries you have passed away and that ownership of your assets should be transferred according to your wishes in the Will. The Court will issue LETTERS TESTAMENTARY to the Executor named in the Will. If the Will contains a Trust, the Court will issue LETTERS OF TRUSTEESHIP to the TRUSTEE.

Unfortunately, the Courts are extremely backed up due to COVID, therefore, you may want to consider creating a Trust that keeps your estate out of Court!

Our team of dedicated nurses is the backbone of our community. They work tirelessly to ensure our residents receive the highest quality of care and compassion. We are grateful for their hard work and commitment to improving the lives of our residents each and every day.

Western Queens folk rally to clear the air

Activists want Ravenswood stacks replaced with a clean power hub

by Stephanie G. Meditz Chronicle Contributor

Rise Light & Power’s plan to transition the Ravenswood Generating Station into a renewable energy hub was met with support from residents in the surrounding areas on Monday.

Established in 1963, Ravenswood provides 2,500 megawatts of energy to New York City by burning fossil fuels, which causes poor air quality in neighboring communities and nearby New York City Housing Authority developments including the Queensbridge Houses, the largest public housing development in the nation. The Long Island City plant produces about one-fifth of NYC’s electric power.

Rise Light & Power’s “Renewable Ravenswood” plan will repurpose existing infrastructure to connect offshore wind, upstate wind and solar power to New York City’s electric grid and advance the state’s goal of 70 percent renewable energy by 2030. It includes a large-scale battery storage facility on site to ensure reliable energy in the absence of wind and sun.

Rise Light & Power also pledged to work with local nonprofits to prepare community members for career opportunities in renewable energy.

Former Astoria Houses Resident Association President Claudia Coger raised seven children before the Ravenswood smokestacks were built, and they never had respiratory problems. However, her granddaughter and two great-grandchildren suffer from asthma.

“That really hit me to be involved, because I know that this made a difference,” she told the Chronicle, motioning to the stacks.

She told a crowd of 200 that children in the area known colloquially as “Asthma Alley” miss at least 30 days of school due to poor air quality.

Former City Councilmember Costa Constantinides said asthma rates, emergency room visits and hospitalizations for asthma west of 21st Street are higher than the borough average.

“The core principles of environmental justice theory show us how time and time again, Black and brown, lower income and public housing communities are left to suffer the harsh effects of pollution,” Bishop Mitchell Taylor said.

Asked how NYC would receive one-fifth of its electricity during Ravenswood’s transition to renewable energy, Mentors On The Move 4 Life CEO Tyrone Freedom Gardner said there is “no real healthy replacement.”

“I don’t see anything else where the result of it can help us with what we’re trying to push for,” he said.

“The whole plan is where they’re positioning these wind things along the water, and the water and earth, they create all of the energy and stuff that’s going on in the air,” he added. “That would be a perfect place to get the source from — the water. And also solar’s going to be involved with it.”

Coger also did not know how NYC would receive power in the interim, but she emphasized that the community intends to be

involved in the process.

“I do know that once they take these stacks down, there’s a transition that would take place,” she said. “That’s the number one thing we have to do right now is to take the stacks down. But also, we want to make sure, this is why we are here today, that we are keyed into ... the proposal that’s on the governor’s desk now.”

With many young students in attendance, several speakers emphasized that the transition to clean energy benefits future generations.

“By taking down the Ravenswood gener-

ating plants and transitioning to cleaner energy sources like wind energy, we can significantly reduce harmful emissions and improve air quality in our communities,” Take Down the Stacks organizer Stephen Michael said. “This not only benefits our health but also contributes to a more sustainable future for generations to come ... protecting our generations to come is what is necessary if we want to make a real impact.”

The plan requires local, state and federal approval to come to fruition. Attendees signed petitions for Hochul’s approval and texted their NYS representatives. Q

Inmates will get fees waived for civil service exams in boro lockups, in ’27 Tests for city jobs to be given in city jails

by Peter C. Mastrosimone Editor-in-Chief

The City Council voted 49-0 last Thursday to provide civil service exams to detainees held in jail for 10 days or more once the borough-based lockups designed to replace Rikers Island are operating.

The bill — which will not be implemented until 2027 — also requires that the inmates be given information about the exams by the city and allows the Department of Citywide Administrative Services to waive the fee for anyone who takes one in jail or within a year of being released.

Mayor Adams’ office said via email that the bill “will become law,” but not whether that would be through his signing it or by his doing nothing for 30 days, passively enacting it. Asked in a follow-up which it will be, a spokesperson did not immediately respond.

Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica) said the bill is important for employment equity.

“It is critical that we continue to expand equitable access to opportunities for all New Yorkers to enter our city’s workforce,” Adams said in an announcement of the bill’s passage. “This legislation will strengthen the pathway to civil service for justice-

involved New Yorkers and provide information to those who wish to learn more about the exam process. I first introduced this legislation in my State of the City last year, and I am proud that the Council is passing it today.”

The office of Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) noted that neither the Department of Correction nor the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, which administers the tests, objected to the measure, Int. 645, in testimony.

“If we want folks to get out of jail and be productive members of society, allowing them to take the exam and potentially get work with the city is a good thing,” Holden Chief of Staff Daniel Kurzyna said via email last Friday.

The bill was co-sponsored by 14 members of the Council, led by Adams and including, in Queens, Councilwomen Julie Won (D-Long Island City) and Selvena Brooks-Powers (D-Laurelton). Councilman Francisco Moya (D-Corona) did not vote on it, and Councilwoman Kamillah Hanks (D-Staten Island) was absent.

In addition to being given the exams in jail, detainees will be provided with study materials and practice tests. The measure also will require the city to report on the number of inmates taking the exams every year — beginning in January 2025, despite

the plan to not start giving the tests until 2027.

The fees for civil service exams posted on the city’s website this week range from $47 for a special officer, someone who handles physical security, safety, loss prevention and maintenance of order, to $101 for an oiler, someone who lubricates power plant and construction equipment.

Asked why the bill will only apply to people in the future jails and not those on Rikers Island today, the Council Speaker’s Office said it will take until 2027 to get the program up and running.

“Intro. 645 removes obstacles to civil service exams and makes study material more widely available to justiceinvolved New Yorkers, which will expand opportunities for economic stability and success when they return to their communities,” a Council spokesperson said via email. “The agreed-upon timeline for the implementation of this critical legislation will provide time for City agencies to design a program that can be properly implemented in the boroughbased jail system by 2027.”

One section of the bill says detainees held in any city jail may take the exams, but another says that particular subdivision does not take effect until Rikers is shut down. Q

Former City Councilman Costa Constantinides addresses the crowd at Monday’s event backing Rise Light & Power’s plan for clean power in Long Island City. At left, Claudia Coger, who spoke of the impact poor air quality has on children in the area. PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE G. MEDITZ

HOSPICE IS ABOUT LIFE

Hospice can be an uncomfortable topic. But the comfort and care it provides can greatly ease sadness, pain and fear during a difficult time. From medical support to peace of mind, understanding what hosp ice has to offer can help people decide if, and when, it's right for them. Some things you may not know:

1.

It's usually at home. Comfort, familiarity and the presence of loved ones are everything during these times.

It's typically covered by insurance. Most patients qualify through Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance.

It can last up to six months. Many people would benefit by entering hospice earlier.

Talking about hospice can be hard. We're here to help you understand the decisions and choices you may face along the way.

Northwell.edu/Hospice

It includes full medical care. A hospice team can include doctors, visiting nurses, social workers and other care providers.

It's not just for patients. Loved ones can receive counseling, learn how to help and much more.

Hospice isn't about death. It's about life.

Hospice helps make this difficult time more comfortable, supportive and dignified.

Hip-hop takes over Queens Public Library

Special limited edition cards released at Jamaica branch

by Naeisha Rose Associate Editor

In recognition of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, the Queens Public Library released a limited edition card to celebrate the musical genre at the Central Library in Jamaica last Thursday.

“This came about because we have a great team here at the Queens Public Library,” Dennis Walcott, president and CEO of the QPL, said. “Having a hip-hop coordinator like Ralph McDaniels really plays into what we are about — diversity and reaching all different populations. Today’s event really just captures that. The goal is to celebrate the 50th anniversary, but also with a very special hip-hop library card that allows us to attract a new group of people into the library.”

Walcott told the Queens Chronicle LL Cool J, Jay-Z and Slick Rick were some of his favorite rappers and he used to watch them on Video Music Box, the first series to feature hip-hop music videos, which was founded, curated and hosted by McDaniels.

While hip-hop originated in the Bronx, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said that artists here perfected the genre. McDaniels agreed.

“From Roxanne Shanté to Marley Marl ... and Nicki Minaj is amazing, she rapped on the corner across the street for the ‘On The Come Up’ music DVD music videos ... that is how she got a record deal,” McDaniels said. “From Long Island City to Queensbridge with Nas ... Jamaica, Hollis, Queens all these folks who were amazing were from here.”

McDaniels went on to shout out E-Love, LL Cool J, the Disco Twins and Play from the rap group Kid N’ Play, to name a few. He also included East Elmhurst and Corona as neighborhoods that played a part in hip-hop before introducing the Shirt Kings, the streetwear trailblazers who had a booth at the Colosseum Mall in Jamaica

in 1986, and created the art on the special edition library card.

Members of the Shirt Kings who attended the release event for the cards included Tyson Bowman of Hollis, Israel “Izzy” Garcia of Flushing and Clyde “Nike” Harewood of Brooklyn.

“Biz Markie was really the first rapper to put us on the map,” said Harewood. “He was followed by LL Cool J and E-Love representing us. Then came the ladies like Sweet Tee and Salt-N-Pepa.”

Growing up in Hollis as an undocumented English immigrant, Assemblywoman

Alicia Hyndman (D-Springfield Gardens) said that the only place she was able to get work as a teen was at the Colosseum Mall at another booth across from the Shirt Kings. Her strict Caribbean parents often made sure she that she still made time to study at Central Library, so to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop at the institution with the group at the library was a full circle moment for her.

“I remember when that was a club next door,” said Hyndman of Encore, a music venue where artists like Run-DMC and Roxanne Shanté performed. The library, which is located at 89-11 Merrick Blvd, has since expanded into the space where the club once was. “To the Shirt Kings, thank you for your legacy.”

Hyndman told the Chronicle that her favorite song was “Sucker MC’s” by Run DMC, and her favorite rapper is Rakim.

“In the ’80s, when my parents moved here is when I was introduced to hiphop,” Hyndman said. “I learned all the words to ‘Sucker MC’s’ ... I also had a rap group in the late ’80s and early ’90s.”

Hyndman allocated $750,000 to the Laurelton Library in her district and Richards allocated $7.5 million toward QPL capital projects, said Walcott, who was thankful for the funds.

Free mammogram screenings

The American-Italian Cancer Foundation will park its mammogram bus outside state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr.’s Woodhaven office at 84-16 Jamaica Ave., to provide free screenings to women on September 14. There are no co-payments or deductibles.

In order to receive a screening, individuals must be age 40 to 79 with health insurance or 50 to 79 without. They must currently live in New York City and have not had a mammogram within the year.

“When it comes to cancer, especially breast cancer, it is vital to get tested rou-

tinely to increase your chances at early detection. Catching a cancer diagnosis early can mean the difference between life and death,” Addabbo said. “That is why I am proud to sponsor this event ahead of Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October. I want to thank the American-Italian Cancer Foundation for bringing this great, free service back to my district.”

Registration is preferred, but walk-ins will be accommodated on a limited basis. To make an appointment, call Addabbo’s office at (718) 738-111 or the AICF at (877) 628-9090. Q

“While we try to recruit people to give us money, part of the challenge is to keep our buildings looking like this,” he said. “This year, we did not have to hustle for capital dollars from the city and state.”

Richards gave the Bronx its props for being the birthplace of hip-hop, but touted Queens’ history with the musical genre.

“There is a message in hip-hop,” Richards said. “It reflected the plight of our community. You will hear somebody rapping and you felt their story.”

Tammara “Shorty Tee” Tillman of St. Albans, who was one of the first female rappers, told the Chronicle her story.

“I started at Lincoln Park in 1976,” Tillman said. “I was on the mic before LL Cool J. I played with a lot of deejays back in the day. I remember when Sweet Tee came out ... They talk about the Bronx, but Queens has a deep foundation of hip-hop history and culture.”

Chaplain Jamillah “MC Glamorous”

Abdul-Kareem, born JoAnn Berry, was the first female hip-hop artist from Long Island to get a record deal. She started as an under-

ground artist in 1977. Later in life, she learned she was a second cousin of Chuck Berry after his passing.

As a single mother in high school in Long Island, Abdul-Kareem worked at her school and learned about different programs there.

“What was great about that was that I was the first to learn about things,” AbdulKareem told the Chronicle. “I got a chance to meet Kurtis Blow in person and asked him, ‘How do I get put on?’ He gave me a real number. He didn’t fake me out. He told me I got to do a demo. I came to Hollis and got discovered by Sweet Tee.”

Abdul-Kareem and Sweet Tee joined forces and they became the Glamour Girls, signing a record deal with Pop Art Records and releasing the song “Oh! Veronica” in 1986.

Abdul-Kareem has since converted to Islam and now makes clean hip-hop music and works primarily as a chaplain at a correctional center.

“I like being a Muslima rapping chaplain ... I’m still in the game, it’s just not the same,” she said. “From glam to Islam.” Q

MTA votes for Aug. fare hike

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Wednesday approved fare and toll hikes that will take place in August. The base fare for subway and bus rides will increase to $2.90.

Express bus fares will rise to $7, from $6.75. Seven-day unlimited-ride MetroCards will rise to $34 from the current $33, 30-day unlimited MetroCards rise to $132.00 from $127.00.

OMNY card users will get their bonuses over any seven-day period, rather than just from Monday through Sunday.

Tolls at MTA bridges and tunnels will

go from $6.55 to $6.94 for E-ZPass drivers, and from $10.17 to $11.19 for toll by mail. The Long Island Rail Road’s discount Atlantic Ticket, connecting Southeast Queens to Brooklyn, will be gone.

In a press release, Charlton D’souza, president of Passengers United, was disappointed. He said the fare should remain at $2.75 for subways and buses, and an express bus should be $4 rather than $7.

“We are outraged that the Atlantic Ticket weekly LIRR pass ... is being eliminated for Southeast Queens residents,” he said. Q

— Michael Gannon

Ralph McDaniels, Queens Public Library’s hip-hop coordinator, far left, Robert Brown, member of the Disco Twins, Shorty Tee, E-Love, MC Glamorous and b-boy Kid Freeze, along with Shirt Kings members Clyde Harewood, left, Tyson Bowman and Israel Garcia, were at Central Library in Jamaica for the release of a hip-hop library card, last Thursday.

PHOTO BY NAEISHA ROSE

“There is a message in hip-hop.”

— Borough President Donovan Richards

She’s got the key to R&B

R&B Singer-songwriter Valerie Simpson was celebrated with a key to the city Sunday at Roy Wilkins Park at the 22nd annual St. Albans Jazz and Rhythm and Blues Festival.

“I was born in the Bronx, and to receive a Key to the City from Mayor Adams at the St. Albans Jazz and Rhythm and Blues Festival was a true ‘wow’ moment,” said the co-writer

of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “You’re All I Need to Get By.” “I could feel all the love from the community. This was a special moment for me, and I’m humbled and appreciative of this honor.”

Every note in her songs has been infused with love and the soul of the city, Adams said.

— Naeisha Rose

‘Abandoned’ bikes begone: DOT

The city Department of Transportation says it now will remove bicycles that have been left on a rack for a week after being tagged as abandoned.

A rule allowing the DOT to remove abandoned bikes took effect in January 2022. It began tagging them last November but had not yet begun seizures.

“Cycling in New York is more popular than ever, and NYC DOT strives to make bike parking accessible to all by installing a record number of new racks and keeping racks clear of abandoned property,” DOT spokesperson Mona Bruno said via email.

“NYC DOT tags bikes when we receive reports that bikes are abandoned. This allows NYC DOT to verify if bikes are abandoned and to make room for bikes that are still being used.”

Functioning bicycles left locked up for a week after being tagged are considered abandoned and removable. They will be held at the police precinct in a given area for 30 days and may be retrieved from there. Nonfunctioning ones can be removed by Sanitation under a separate rule. The rules also apply to ebikes with pedals. Q

— Peter C. Mastrosimone

PUBLIC STATEMENT HEARINGS TO BE HELD IN PSC CASES 23-G-0225, 23 G-0226 – NATIONAL GRID NY AND NATIONAL GRID FOR GAS SERVICE

On April 28, 2023, The Brooklyn Union Gas Company d/b/a National Grid NY (KEDNY) and KeySpan Gas East Corporation d/b/a National Grid (KEDLI)(collectively, the Companies) fi led amendments to their gas tariff schedules proposing to increase their annual gas delivery revenues effective March 31, 2024. KEDNY proposes to increase its revenues by $414 million (a 28 percent increase in base delivery revenues or a 17 percent increase in total revenues). KEDLI proposes to increase its revenues by $228 million (a 24 percent increase in base delivery revenues or a 14 percent increase in total revenues). Although the actual bill impacts of these proposed changes on any particular customer class will vary based upon revenue allocation and rate design, the Companies state that a typical KEDNY residential heating customer will have a $30.95 average monthly bill increase and a typical KEDLI residential heating customer will have a $28.52 average monthly bill increase. The Companies state that the rate increases are largely due to the need to invest in critical infrastructure to comply with Federal and State pipeline safety mandates, increased costs to deliver expanded energy effi ciency and other demand reduction offerings, and economic factors such as rising cost of material due to infl ation, increased contractor costs, and increases in property taxes. The Companies state that their rate fi lings are focused on delivering safe and reliable service, meeting the needs of customers, and advancing the goals of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). They propose to effectively maintain the current pace of leak prone pipe replacements through a more targeted replacement strategy; aggressively repair gas leaks and target the repair of high-emitting leaks through the use of advanced leak detection technology; continue or expand customer oriented initiatives to ensure energy affordability, improve customer experience and maintain customer satisfaction; improve the resiliency of the distribution system by investing in automation, safety valves, and storm hardening projects; and continue or expand many CLCPA-supporting initiatives such as non-pipe alternatives, energy effi ciency and demand response programs.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that virtual public statement hearings will be held before Administrative Law Judges James A. Costello and Maureen F. Leary on:

DATE: Tuesday, August 1, 2023 TIME: 1:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M.

DATE: Wednesday, August 2, 2023 TIME: 1:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M.

A more comprehensive notice that contains further information on how to attend the hearings electronically is available at https://dps.ny.gov/ask-psc.

Any person wishing to provide a public statement must register by 4:30 P.M. Monday, July 31, 2023, for the August 1 hearings and Tuesday, August 1, 2023, for the August 2 hearings.

To register electronically: Registration information for participants who would like to provide a statement and will login to a hearing electronically may be found in the notice available at https://dps.ny.gov/ask-psc.

To register by phone: Any participant who is not able to login to a hearing electronically may participate by phone. Call-in participants who would like to provide a statement must register to do so in advance by calling 1-800-342-3330, where they should follow prompts to the appropriate hearing and provide their fi rst and last name, address, and phone number.

On the appropriate date and time of a hearing, all call-in users should dial 1-518-549-0500 and enter:

Access Code [2338 061 1494] and Password [28410176] for the 1:00 p.m. hearing on August 1

Access Code [2348 462 8182] and Password [28410676] for the 6:00 p.m. hearing on August 1

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Each public statement hearing will be held open until everyone who has registered to speak has been heard or other reasonable arrangements to submit comments have been made.

PHOTO COURTESY NYC MAYOR ‘S OFFICE

Pols give FDNY grand slam on tennis courts

Holden, Krishnan say other places are more suitable for temporary firehouse

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

Councilmen Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) and Shekar Krishnan (D-Jackson Heights) are in complete agreement that FDNY Engine Co. 287, Ladder Co. 136 and Battalion 46 need to be temporarily relocated while their station on Grand Avenue in Maspeth is rebuilt.

But the legislators beg to differ with the city’s definition of “community involvement” when it comes to the decision to place the temporary firehouse on tennis courts in Elmhurst used by teams at Newtown High School and others.

In a letter to Mayor Adams dated July 12, Krishnan and Holden expressed their “strong opposition” to the FDNY’s decision to place the temporary station on the tennis courts over their objection.

“There has been an egregious lack of community involvement in advance of this decision ...” the letter states. “As we have highlighted in multiple meetings with representatives from the Fire Department, the decision to use the tennis courts at Newtown High School in Elmhurst will deprive a predominantly immigrant, low-income community of already-scarce recreational space. The tennis courts are also located on 57th Avenue, a congested one-way street between two large shopping malls, creating serious concerns about

response times.”

One of the shopping malls is Queens Center on Queens Boulevard. The tennis courts sit directly across 57th Avenue from the back of Macy’s.

“There has been no meaningful community engagement on this relocation,” the letter stated.

The firehouse needs to be replaced after construction work on an adjacent property

Stay nourished and healthy at Citi Field

by Naeisha Rose Associate Editor

Throughout baseball season, Citi Field is giving back to businesses in the World’s Borough by featuring four of them as part of its Taste of Queens program.

Earlier in the season, Tang, a Korean restaurant in Flushing, and Fresco’s Grand Cantina, an LGBT-owned Latin Fusion restaurant in Astoria, were featured.

Next at bat through September is The Nourish Spot, a health food and juice bar, which is located at 107-05 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. in Jamaica.

Dawn Kelly, owner of The Nourish Spot, is happy to have the opportunity.

“All of us are new,” said Kelly, who started selling her food at the food village at the stadium this July. “We exhibited our food for a media day in March.”

Featured items at the entrepreneur’s booth include wraps, salads, smoothies and limeade.

“Our grilled chicken wraps are marinated with my daughter’s dressing,” said Kelly, who has been running the familyowned business with her children, Jade

and Owen Duncan, since 2017 after her corporate job was eliminated two years earlier.

“I’m glad God gave me this idea,” she said. Before losing her communications job at Prudential Financial, the entrepreneur started juicing to become healthier and to be a good example for her kids.

“I’m glad to have this showcase for my brand,” she added. “You can’t get bigger than Citi Field.”

The fourth business to get a spot will be named later. Q

endangered its structural integrity. The city is pursuing the matter in court. Estimates are that the fire station could be on the tennis courts for three years or more. The Fire Department, in an email on Tuesday, said there has been plenty of community engagement.

“The FDNY conducted an exhaustive search for a temporary new home for the quarters of Engine Company 287 Ladder Company 136 and Battalion 46 in Queens,” it said. “Based on community input, including conversations with elected officials and community partners, we believe we have chosen the best location, one that will be minimally impactful on response times and allow our members to continue providing fire and emergency medical protection to the Elmhurst area and surrounding communities.”

ing 15 submitted by the councilmembers.

But the councilmen told the Chronicle that at least some talks and visits took place after the FDNY and Department of Eduction signed a memo of undertstanding dating back to November 2022.

“They weren’t dealing in good faith,” Holden said.

“It tells me this was a predetermined outcome,” Krishnan, the Parks Committee chairman, added.

Melissa Casper, president of the Newtown High School PTA, told the Chronicle she had not heard of the decision until receiving the paper’s voicemail last week.

“It wasn’t brought up at any of the [School Leadership Team] meetings,” she said. Newtown High has a girls’ tennis team that competes in the fall and a boys’ team in the spring. Casper hopes any interference will be minimal.

“The only reason some kids make it through school is because of the sports they play,” she said.

But both the FDNY and Department of Education told the Chronicle in emails that the school’s sports programs will not be harmed, and that the FDNY will restore the property in better shape than it is now.

The DOE said the tennis teams will not be disbanded.

— Councilmen Shekar Krishnan and Bob Holden

The FDNY has begun the process of transforming an existing volleyball court on the school’s campus into tennis courts. The space will be lined for both tennis and volleyball, and have a convertible net that can be moved up and down to accommodate either sport. It is slated to be completed before the FDNY moves in. The goal is to have two full tennis courts, a regulation volleyball court and other upgrades.

Holden and Krishnan told the Chronicle in telephone interviews this week that they have suggested numerous other sites as alternatives over the last several months. The FDNY in an email, said it looked at 40 alternatives, includ-

The DOE said City Hall has authorized $10 million for upgrades to the athletic complex once the FDNY leaves, including lighting and additional water fountains, for the betterment of students, staff and the community. Q

Super mural fundraiser

Comic book artist John Stanisci of Forest Hills will participate in a fundraiser for a mural of historic area buildings being planned for Forest Hills.

Stanisci, who has worked for both Marvel and DC Comics, will sell drawings of people’s favorite characters from 3 to 9 p.m. at La Boulangerie, a restaurant and bakery at 109-01 72 Road in Forest Hills.

Proceeds will benefit a mural planned for the side of The Bagel Spot at 101-01 Queens Blvd.

The project is being organized by For-

est Hills historian, author and fifth-generation resident Michael Perlman, and will be painted by professional artist Gigi Chen, who is a native of Woodhaven and high school classmate of Perlman.

The mural will be dedicated to yet-tobe-determined buildings of historic, cultural or architectural importance to the neighborhoods of Forest Hills and Rego Park.

Further information on the fundraiser and the mural can be obtained by contacting Perlman by email at mperlman@ queensledger.com. Q

The Nourish Spot, a Jamaica-based business is at Citi Field. COURTESY PHOTO

The tennis courts at the Newtown High School athletic complex, seen from the Queens Center mall, will be the temporary site for two FDNY fire companies.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHAIN

“There has been no meaningful community engagement ...”

Realityremade

ARTS, CULTURE & LIVING

by Jordana Landres

Over at Mrs. in Maspeth, “Resounding, variegated, leaves” features three artists with diverse styles united by a shared quality: a penetrating creative vision. The exhibit offers a multiperspective panoramic view of seen and unseen worlds. It opened on July 15, with all three artists in attendance at the gallery, and runs through Aug. 11.

Drawing on pollution as inspiration, Los Angeles-based artist Annie Pendergrast crafts paintings revealing the darkness that can lie beneath a beautiful exterior, the danger cloaked by the decorative. She cites as analogy how the presence of smog can create beautiful sunsets.

The bright red clusters of neon blossoms that erupt from the canvas of “The Love Bomb” (gouache and flashe en panel, 2023) aren’t an arrangement, they’re a warning. Glowing with radioactive heat, their vivid neon beauty belies an ugly near future of toxic fallout turning the earth into a death garden where plastic debris and metal, fused and shaped by destruction, forcibly assume postures of flowers, of life within an atmosphere that can no longer support it. It’s architecture born of devastation, scenes of a ghost summer in the midst of a potential nuclear winter.

Twisted stems and growth choked at the root rise to meet a poisoned sun in “Blog Plant” (flashe en panel, 2023). Like the song by the band Sponge, “Plowed,” Pendergrast’s dystopian collection depicts a world of human and floral wreckage, extinction. Yellow petals blaze aflame against an orange wildfire sky backdrop in “The Rarest Most Beautiful Flower” (flashe en panel, 2023 ).

Life’s complex emotional interactions are the focus of Lily Ramírez’s work “Move” (acrylic, 2023). Also Los Angeles-based, Ramírez explores the bleakness and burden of accumulated stress in her work: the pressure of being trapped within others’ expectations, their demands that you suppress your feelings for their convenience, of being spoken over and disregarded. With a profusion of color against a black background, thick fingerlike

continued on page 33

Three artists contend with our present and future

King Crossword Puzzle

I HAVE OFTEN WALKED

Gia Allemand’s candle would glow all too briefly

by Ron Marzlock Chronicle Contributor

Eugene Allemand married Donna Coltrinari of Elmhurst in 1981. They moved in to a beautiful garden apartment complex at 22-39 78 St. in East Elmhurst. On Dec. 20, 1983 they were blessed with a baby girl they named Gia.

She was a model from the start, finding work doing ads for Johnson and Johnson and as a Gerber Baby.

Gia’s publicity bios said she was born in Howard Beach and she grew up in part on Staten Island. Her home was not a happy one, though, as her parents eventually divorced and she moved out to Manorville, LI. Her mother found new love, and Gia lived there with her and her stepfather.

At 19 she was encouraged to try modeling. She placed second in a Miss Hawaiian Tropic competition and was on her way. She appeared as a swimsuit model in Maxim in 2007 and was named Miss Bikini-USA’s Model of the Year in 2008. She also was selected as a cast member on the

Photo contest!

The Queens Chronicle’s 15th annual Summer in the Borough Photo Contest is underway! Send your best shots of children playing, workers working, lovely landscapes, birds on the bay — whatever you think best says “summertime in Queens.” Just check out last year’s winning photo, right, by Mike McGevna of South Richmond Hill.

Our usual prizes for the winners are passes to family-friendly performances, which have been hard to come by but we hope will be available soon. Please see all the rules at tinyurl.com/4dzdvf2t. Be sure to tell us where in Queens you live and send your high-resolution digital photos to peterm@qchron.com, or mail prints to Queens Chronicle Photo Contest, 71-19 80 St., suite 8-201, Glendale, NY 11385. The deadline is Friday, Sept. 22, the last full day of summer. Good luck!

Open auditions for a DCT play

Douglaston Community Theatre is holding auditions for the funny family comedy drama “Making God Laugh” at 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 25, and Thursday, July 27, at 8 p.m. at Zion Church Parish Hall, at 24320 Church St. off Douglaston Parkway.

Rehearsals begin the week of Sept. 11, and performances will be the first three weekends in November.

The play, written by Sean Grennan and directed by Joe Marshall, has three male and two female characters. Each will age 30 years over the course of the play. Auditions will be cold-readings from the script.

The characters are Ruthie, a strongwilled woman in her late 40s or early 50s who loves her family but has trouble showing it; Bill, a kind and easygoing husband and father in the same age range; Richard, the eldest of the children, in his mid- to late 20s, an ex-football star still trying to find himself; Maddie, the middle child and only daughter, in the same age range, an actress and a lesbian; and Thomas, in his early to mid-20s, often referred to as “the good son” and planning to be a priest.

Any questions? Call (347) 408-4850 or email tellittojoe@gmail.com. Q

TV show “The Bachelor” in 2010 and started doing film work. But the pressures of fame took a toll, and Gia’s world crashed down when she and her boyfriend broke up. Her family and friends were shocked when she committed suicide on Aug. 14, 2013, passing away at 29 when there was so much promise in her future. Q

SPORTS EAT

Bad times at The Times

by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor

Last Monday, The New York Times, the nation’s “newspaper of record,” announced it will be disbanding its sports department and will instead reprint stories from its online subsidiary, The Athletic.

The Athletic was formed in January 2016 by a pair of successful tech entrepreneurs who happened to be huge sports fans, Alex Mather and Adam Hansmann. They saw a decline in sports coverage in daily newspapers and felt consumers would pay for quality coverage of local teams that were being underserved because of personnel cutbacks in the print world.

While The Athletic did make a splash by signing some big-name columnists like Ken Rosenthal and Jayson Stark, its business model was hiring younger, less expensive journalists to cover local teams in the four big sports leagues: MLB, the NFL, NBA and NHL. It also hired beat writers for sports with smaller followings such as Major League Soccer and the WNBA, depending on the market.

While the business plan sounded like a reasonable one for financial success, The Athletic instead hemorrhaged money. It badly misestimated subscription revenues and major costs such as the travel and payroll tax expenses of having beat writers in every city. Layoffs ensued.

It was not a surprise Mather and Hansmann

Bstarted shopping for a buyer. In January 2022, The Times purchased The Athletic for $550 million. Executives claimed the acquisition was done to attract new subscribers for both its print and online editions who would be getting access to more content. Times employees saw a Trojan horse. Last Monday, their fears were realized.

It is easy to understand the outcry over The Times’ decision to reassign all its sports journalists. The Times is synonymous with such sports writing legends as Red Smith, Arthur Daley, Dave Anderson and a pair of Queens natives, Jamaica’s George Vecsey and Rego Park’s Robert Lipsyte. One of the biggest thrills of my writing career was hearing Anderson tell me how much he enjoyed reading my columns.

Granted, The Times has gotten away from traditional local sports team coverage by focusing on national stories. Longtime baseball writers Tyler Kepner and James Wagner have done a terrific job with profiles of players and executives who do not work in our area. I believe a New York daily should not ignore what is going on in its own backyard. That, however, was management’s decision. Using The Athletic’s scribes, few of whom are up to the Times’ lofty standards, is not the solution.

The union representing Times journalists is suing management. I wish them well. Q

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

PHOTO BY MIKE MCGEVNA

The home of model Gia Allemand at 22-39 78 St. in East Elmhurst as it looks today.

ABC.COM PHOTO, INSET, VIA WIKIPEDIA

Let the city take you out to the movies

by Michael Gannon senior news editor

Movie theaters aren’t the only places Queens residents can see stars this summer if they visit a neighborhood city park to see a show.

The annual Movies Under the Stars program run by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department this summer is bringing free movies to the borough. Offerings this summer range from “Speedy,” Harold Lloyd’s final silent film, from 1928, to last year’s “Top Gun: Maverick” with Tom Cruise.

“We also serve popcorn as one of the perks,” said Chris Davis, chief of recreation for Parks and Rec’s Queens office.

Davis said the agency also works with police precincts, nonprofits, community boards and other groups to make sure they can maximize their reach. But he said City Council members, through their discretionary funding, make sure that a broad range of dramas, comedies and animated fare can reach every corner of the borough.

“We’re showing movies almost every night,” he said. “In late June and early July there are many night where we’re showing more than one movie.”

Councilwoman Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills) said all you have to bring is lawn chair.

“It’s extremely popular,” Schulman said.

“We work with the Parks Department and they tell us what is available. One of the first ones we showed was ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ which is pretty new, over Memorial Day weekend. That was a good choice. But we also showed the original ‘Karate Kid,’ so it’s a good mix.”

Schulman and Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth), another big fan of the program, said it is reminiscent of the days of drive-in movies. Both were very obviously smiling over the phone.

“Everyone got into the car and went to the movies,” Holden said. “It was an adventure.”

All movies are scheduled to begin after dusk. Future showings by Schulman’s office include “Thor: Love and Thunder” (PG-13) on July 26 at Phil Rizzuto Park in Richmond Hill; “101 Dalmatians” (G) on July 29 at Sobelsohn Playground in Kew Gardens; and 1984’s “The Karate Kid” (PG) on July 30 at Russell Sage Playground in Forest Hills.

Councilwoman Linda Lee (D-Oakland Garden) will sponsor “The Mitchells vs. The Machines” (PG) on Aug. 7; “Soul” (G) on Aug. 14; “Shang Chi & the Legend of the 10 Rings” (PG-13) on Aug. 21; and “Jungle Cruise” (PG-13) on Aug. 28. All are at Cunningham Park in Fresh Meadows.

Holden will sponsor “Speedy” on Aug.

17 at Juniper Valley Park Middle Village; 2019’s “Lady and the Tramp” (PG) on Aug. 31 at Elmhurst Park in Elmhurst; the animated “Flushed Away” (PG) at Frank Principe Park on Sept. 8; and Sept. 29, 2021’s “Tom and Jerry” (PG) at Reiff Playground in Maspeth.

Councilwoman Julie Won (D-Sunnyside) will sponsor “Spider Man: No Way Home” at Ravenswood Playground in Astoria on Sept. 15. Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán (D-Astoria) sponsors the animated “Inside

Out” (PG) on July 23 at Athens Square in Astoria.

The office of Councilwoman Nantasha Williams (D-St. Albans) said it’s planning a movie in August. Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers (D-Laurelton) has sponsored two this year and is planning more.

Councilman Shekar Krishnan (D-Jackson Heights) has sponsored eight films this year, most recently last Sunday. Q

Peter C. Mastrosimone contributed to this story.

Distinctive visions reflect an indistinct future

continued from page 31

shapes soften in shape, brightening in shade as they drift downward. They evoke a sense of relief, release, the happiness of escape from external and internal restriction, judgment, aggression. “I Can’t Swim” (acrylic, 2023) continues and expands on the theme of overwhelmingness with its repeating patterns that blur into a semicentrifugal, multidirectional whirl.

Originally from Montreal, now New York

Crossword Answers

City-based Fabienne Lasserre creates doublesided sculptures, a grouping of irregularly shaped ovals, that speak of portals, mirrors, frames forced to bend to accommodate transformative new realities — for better and for worse. Their rounded, wandering contours are visually soothing, an ocular respite from sharp edges and sharper truths.

Serene, yet haunting, “Oh. ah.” (2021, steel, acrylic polymer vinyl, enamel paint, plastic, foam) brings the translucent lightness of the sky inside to hold focal court in the center of the gallery. The piece’s transparent vinyl creates a cheval-mirror like lens effect.

In a kind of anthropomorphic role reversal, the frame captures anything close by, turning all who pass and pause into fleshand-blood art pieces, an otherworldly constantly shifting mutual reception. Gazing through its lens, you see and are also seen.

“More Than Just See” (2020, linen, steel, transparent vinyl) is a freestanding floor sculpture that evokes a detached, circular stained-glass windowpane. At once earthy and ethereal, it challenges the stagnancy of the indecisive, or the negatively habituated to literally come off their comfort zone wall, or at least change position.

It’s 2023. As natural and manmade disasters continue upending and shocking the

world, the need to learn to thrive within adversity, however grief-ravaged, has never seemed more urgent. The ability to view disaster differently is critical to preventing what can be prevented, as well as the ability to function and rejoice alongside bearing the pain of what can’t. “Resounding, variegated, leaves” leaves no doubt: An openness to alternate ways of seeing is part of Earth’s way forward. Q

“The Karate Kid” may come to a park near you, courtesy of Movies Under the Stars from the Parks and Recreation Department. IMAGE BY SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT / YOUTUBE

Lily Ramírez’s “I Can’t Swim,” left, Fabienne Lasserre’s “More Than Just See” and Annie Pendergrast’s “The Love Bomb,” all on display at Mrs. in Maspeth. On the cover: Ramírez with “Move,” Lasserre, and a young fan, with “Oh. ah.” and Pendergrast with “The Love Bomb.” PHOTOS BY JORDANA LANDRES

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171-71 46TH AVENUE, LLC, Arts. of Org. fi led with the SSNY on 07/10/2023. Offi ce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 17 Juego Road, Santa Fe, NM 87508. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

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38-06 20TH ROAD LLC. Arts. of Org. fi led with the SSNY on 05/09/23. Offi ce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 38-02 20th Road, Astoria, NY 11105.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

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65TH ROAD DEVELOPMENT, LLC Articles of Org. fi led NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 7/11/23. Offi ce in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 102-10 66th Rd., Unit 24D, Forest Hills, NY 11375, which is also the principal business location. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF QUEENS BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST CO. NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A., SUCCESSOR TO JP MORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., Plaintiff -against- WILLIAM H. HSU AKA WILLIAM HSU, et al Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered herein and dated March 17, 2023, 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, NY on August 4, 2023 at 11:15 a.m. premises situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, bounded and described as follows: BEGINNING at a point on the northwesterly side of Bayside Lane, distant 274.70 feet southwesterly from the corner formed by the intersection of the northwesterly side of Bayside Lane with southerly side of 26th Avenue 80 feet wide; RUNNING THENCE Southwesterly along the northwesterly side of Bayside Lane, 38.02 feet; RUNNING THENCE Westerly along the northerly side of 27th Avenue, 9.80 feet; RUNNING THENCE Northerly on a line at right angles to the northerly side of 27th Avenue, 110 feet; RUNNING THENCE Easterly on a line at right angles to the last mentioned course, 40 feet; RUNNING THENCE Southerly on a line at right angles to the last mentioned course, 86.90 feet to the northwesterly side of Bayside Lane, the point or place of BEGINNING. Block: 4902 Lot: 145 All bidders must wear a face mask/shield at all times and social distancing must be observed by all bidders at all times. Bidders who do not comply with the face mask and/or the social distancing mandate will be removed from the auction. Said premises known as 26-30 BAYSIDE LANE, COLLEGE POINT, NY Approximate amount of lien $463,926.20 plus interest & costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment and Terms of Sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Index Number 703556/2016. LESLIE J. LANOIX, ESQ., Referee, David A. Gallo & Associates LLP, Attorney(s) for Plaintiff, 47 Hillside Avenue, 2nd Floor, Manhasset, NY 11030 File# 5025.1240

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ANTONIO SCOTT NICHOLS LLC

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ANTONIO NICHOLS, 1070 CYPRESS AVE., 2F, RIDGEWOOD, NY 11385.

Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

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Double R One LLC, Arts of Org. fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 5/18/2023.

Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 10822 Inwood St., Jamaica, NY 11435. General Purpose

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS Supreme Court of New York, Queens County U.S BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE OF CHALET SERIES III TRUST, Plaintiff, -against- UNKNOWN HEIRSAT-LAW OF THE ESTATE OF RICHARD W. ALVEARI A/K/A RICHARD ALVEARI, DECEASED, NEXT-OF-KIN, DISTRIBUTEES, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, TRUSTEES, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, AND SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST AND GENERALLY ALL PERSONS HAVING OR CLAIMING UNDER, BY OR THROUGH SAID DEFENDANT WHO IS DECEASED, BY PURCHASE, INHERITANCE, LIEN OR OTHERWISE, ANY RIGHT, TITLE, AND INTEREST IN AND TO THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT; JESSE ALVEARI, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF RICHARD W. ALVEARI A/K/A RICHARD ALVEARI; JULIE ALVEARI, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF RICHARD W. ALVEARI A/K/A RICHARD ALVEARI; JAMIE ALVEARI, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF RICHARD W. ALVEARI A/K/A RICHARD ALVEARI; JACQUELINE ALVEARI, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF RICHARD W. ALVEARI A/K/A RICHARD ALVEARI; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (EASTERN DISTRICT); CRIMINAL COURT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK (QUEENS); NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; “JOHN DOE” AND “JANE DOE” SAID NAMES BEING FICTITIOUS, IT BEING THE INTENTION OF PLAINTIFF TO DESIGNATE ANY AND ALL OCCUPANTS OF THE PREMISES BEING FORECLOSED HEREIN, Defendants. Index No. 701327/2021. Mortgaged Premises: 25508 87th Road Floral Park, New York 11001 Block: 8830 Lot: 81. To The Above Named Defendant(s): YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a Defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service. If you fail to appear or to answer within the aforementioned time frame, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. NOTICE OF

Real Estate

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

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

Co-ops For Sale

Howard Beach/Rockwood Park, Southgate Bldg, 2 BR, 2 bath, 1st fl w/terr. Asking $399K. Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136

Houses For Sale

Howard Beach/Rockwood Park, call 917-796-6024 for appt. 40x100, Hi-Ranch, unique 5 BRs, 2 1/2 full baths, 3 BRs, 1 bath, top flr & 2 BRs on walk-in level. Reduced $959K. Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136

Open House

Howard Beach Rockwood Park, Ardsley Bldg, Sun 7/23, 12pm-2pm, 153-25 88 St, Apt 6K. 2 BR, 2 baths. Asking $239K. Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136

Storage Space

Howard Beach, storage space for rent on Crossbay Blvd. 200 sq ft. Call Vito 718-738-2300

NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT.

THE OBJECTIVE of the above captioned action is to foreclose on a Mortgage to secure $427,000.00 and interest, recorded in the Queens County Clerk’s Office on February 14, 2008 in Book CRFN 2008000064066, covering the premises known as 255-08 87th Road, Floral Park, New York 11001. The relief sought herein is a final judgment directing sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the mortgage described above. Plaintiff designates Queens County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the mortgaged premises is located. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME

If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. FRIEDMAN VARTOLO, LLP 1325 Franklin Avenue, Suite 160, Garden City, New York 11530, Attorneys for Plaintiff.

Notice of Formation: EF 2023 Realty, LLC, Art. Of Org. fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/12/2022. Offi ce Loc.: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 142-38 37th Ave., 1C, Flushing, NY 11354

Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of JACKSONS HAUS LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/21/2023. 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: SHAWN JACKSON, 319 BEACH 98TH STREET, APT 6B, ROCKAWAY PARK, NY 11694.

Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

To Advertise Call 718-205-8000

Legal Notices Legal Notices Legal Notices

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF QUEENS

WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND

SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS CERTIFICATE TRUSTEE OF BOSCO CREDIT II TRUST SERIES

2010-1, Plaintiff, Against PRADIP SAHA, ET AL. Defendant(s)

Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 05/23/2022, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, on the Courthouse steps of the Queens Supreme Court located at 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, NY, on 7/28/2023 at 10:30AM, premises known as 90-34 191st Street, Hollis, NY 11423, And Described As Follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York. Block 10446 Lot 29 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $266,249.74 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index #719792/2021 Gerald Chiariello, Esq., Referee. Leopold & Associates, PLLC, 80 Business Park Drive, Suite 110, Armonk, NY 10504 Dated: 5/17/23 File

Number: 6957747 SH

KKB Taxi LLC, Arts of Org.

fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 4/26/2023. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 16430 Hillside 10K, Jamaica, NY 11432. General Purpose

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS AND NOTICE–SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF QUEENS – PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION, Plaintiff, -against- KAREN BINGER, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF HERBERT BINGER, DECEASED; EARL BINGER AKA HERBERT BINGER, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF HERBERT BINGER, DECEASED; JULIA CHARLES, AS HEIR, DEVISEE, DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF HERBERT BINGER, DECEASED; ANY AND ALL KNOWN AND UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES AND ALL OTHER PARTIES CLAIMING AND INTEREST BY, THROUGH, UNDER OR AGAINST THE ESTATE OF HERBERT BINGER, DECEASED; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; NEW YORK STATE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CORPORATION; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; CARLENE

“DOE” (REFUSED LAST NAME) AS JOHN DOE #1” and JOHN DOE (REFUSED NAME) AS JOHN DOE #2 through #4, DefendantsIndex No. 711735/2022 Plaintiff Designates Queens County as the Place of Trial. The Basis of Venue is that the subject action is situated in Queens County. To the above named Defendants–YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff’s Attorney(s) within 20 days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. That this Supplemental Summons is being fi led pursuant to an order of the court dated May 26, 2023. NOTICE-YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME – If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who fi led this foreclosure proceeding against you and fi ling the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Honorable Timothy J. Duffi cy, J.S.C. Dated: May 26, 2023 Filed: May 31, 2023. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage and covering the premises known as 257 Fernside Place, Far Rockaway, NY 11691. Dated: June 27, 2023 Filed: June 28, 2023 Greenspoon Marder LLP, Attorney for Plaintiff, By: Meir Weiss, Esq., 590 Madison Avenue, Suite 1800, New York, NY 10022 P: (212) 524-5000 F: (212) 524-5050 No Service by fax) Service purposes only: Trade Centre South 100 W. Cypress Creek Road, Suite 700, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309 P: (888) 491-1120 F: (954) 343-6982

Notice of Formation of LIBRA NY LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 11/25/2022. 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: SUSAN TING, 110-19 68TH DRIVE, FOREST HILLS, NY 11375. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Loro Ventures LLC, Arts of Org. fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 4/11/2023. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Registered Agent Solutions, Inc., 99 Washington Ave., Ste. 700, Albany, NY 12260. General Purpose

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS INDEX NO. 719579/2021 Plaintiff designates QUEENS as the place of trial situs of the real property SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS Mortgaged Premises: 158-07 84TH DRIVE, JAMAICA, NY 11756 Block: 9787, Lot: 12 U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR RESIDENTIAL ASSET SECURITIES CORPORATION, HOME EQUITY MORTGAGE ASSET-BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-EMX1 Plaintiff, vs. SYEDA TOOFA AKTER, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MOHAMMED B. CHOUDHURY; RUKSHANARA CHOUDHURY, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MOHAMMED B. CHOUDHURY; SHEREEN CHOUDHURY, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MOHAMMED B. CHOUDHURY; SHAPNA CHOUDHURY, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MOHAMMED B. CHOUDHURY; SHAMIM CHOUDHURY, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MOHAMMED B. CHOUDHURY; SHALIM CHOUDHURY, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MOHAMMED B. CHOUDHURY; S.C., A MINOR CHILD, BY AND THROUGH THEIR NATURAL GUARDIAN, SYEDA TOOFA AKTER, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF MOHAMMED B. CHOUDHURY; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND DISTRIBUTEES OF THE ESTATE OF MOHAMMED B. CHOUDHURY, if living, and if she/he be dead, any and all persons unknown to plaintiff, claiming, or who may claim to have an interest in, or general or specific lien upon the real property described in this action; such unknown persons being herein generally described and intended to be included in the following designation, namely: the wife, widow, husband, widower, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors, and assignees of such deceased, any and all persons deriving interest in or lien upon, or title to said real property by, through or under them, or either of them, and their respective wives, widows, husbands, widowers, heirs at law, next of kin, descendants, executors, administrators, devisees, legatees, creditors, trustees, committees, lienors and assigns, all of whom and whose names, except as stated, are unknown to plaintiff; NEW YORK CITY PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU ; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; JANE DOE (REFUSED NAME) AS JOHN DOE #1; “JOHN DOE (REFUSED NAME) AS JOHN DOE #2; “JOHN DOE (REFUSED NAME) AS JOHN DOE #3; “JOHN DOE (REFUSED NAME) AS JOHN DOE #4; MIGUEL DOE (REFUSED LAST NAME) AS JOHN DOE #5 “JOHN DOE #6” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last seven names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the premises, described in the complaint, Defendants. To the above named Defendants YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service. Your failure to appear or to answer will result in a judgment against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. In the event that a deficiency balance remains from the sale proceeds, a judgment may be entered against you. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above caption action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure the sum of $521,000.00 and interest, recorded on October 23, 2006, in CRFN 200600059252, of the Public Records of QUEENS County, New York, covering premises known as 158-84TH DRIVE, JAMAICA, NY 11432. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. QUEENS County is designated as the place of trial because the real property affected by this action is located in said county. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. Dated: June 13, 2023. ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC, Attorney for Plaintiff, Aric Peymann, Esq., 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, NY 11590 516-280-7675

Notice of Formation of MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING

PATHWAYS P.L.L.C. Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/30/2023. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the PLLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE PLLC, 213-37 30TH AVENUE, SUITE 105, BAYSIDE, NY 11361. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of formation of NT General Construction LLC

Articles of Organization fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) 01/23/2023

Offi ce in Queens Co. SSNY designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC to 1909 Bleecker St APT 3FL, Ridgewood, NY, USA.

Purpose: Any lawful purpose

Notice of Formation of PND EVENTS, LLC

Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 06/26/2023. 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: PND EVENTS, LLC, 118-12 196 STREET, ST. ALBANS, NY 11412. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

To Advertise Call 718-205-8000

Legal Notices Legal Notices

BY VIRTUE OF AN EXECUTION ISSUED OUT OF THE SUPREME COURT, NASSAU COUNTY, in favor of CHICAGO TITLE INSURANCE COMPANY, and against ISAIAH MOULTRIE a/k/a GERALD ISAIAH MOULTRIE, to me directed and delivered, I WILL SELL AT PUBLIC AUCTION, by Dennis Alestra DCA# 0840217., auctioneer, as the law directs, FOR CASH ONLY, on the 6th day of September, 2023, at 2:00 PM, at: QUEENS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, 30-10 STARR AVENUE, LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11101 in the county of QUEENS all the right, title and interest which ISAIAH MOULTRIE a/k/a GERALD ISAIAH MOULTRIE, the judgment debtor(s), had on the 19th day of February, 2019, or at any time thereafter, of, in and to the following properties:

Address: 25-47 Beach Channel Drive, Far Rockaway, NY 11691 Block: 15785 Lot: 4

PARCEL A FORMER TAX LOT 1

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, designated on the Tax Map of the City of New York, for the Borough of Queens, as said Tax Map was on April 11, 1978 as Block 15785 Lot 1.

PARCEL B FORMER

TAX LOT 4

ALL that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, known and designated on a certain map entitled “Map of Ocean Crest Villa Sites, belonging to Mrs. Ann Norten, situate in the Village of Far Rockaway, N.Y. Thomas V. Smith, surveyed 07/19/86 in the Clerk of the County of Queens, 10/19/86 as Map No. 189 and by Lot Nos. 109 and 110, bounded and described as follows:

BEGINNING at a point on the Southerly side of Dickens Avenue (Franklin Avenue) distant 445 feet Westerly from the corner formed by the intersection of the Southerly side of Dickens Avenue with the Westerly side of Beach 25th Street (Cedar Avenue) as both of said street are now laid out on the Topographical Map of the City of New York;

RUNNING THENCE Southerly on a line parallel with the Westerly side of Beach 25th Street, 91.70 feet;

THENCE Westerly 50.01 feet to a point on a line running parallel to the Westerly side of Beach 25th Street, which point is distant 92.70 feet from the Southerly side of Dickens Avenue;

RUNNING THENCE Northerly and again on a line parallel with the Westerly side of Beach 25th Street, 92.70 feet to the Southerly side of Dickens Avenue;

RUNNING THENCE Easterly along the Southerly side of Dickens Avenue, 50.0 feet to the point or place of BEGINNING

DEPUTY SHERIFF V. LEONETTI 523

LEONETTIV@SHERIFF.NYC.GOV

(718) 707-2050

CASE# 23012208

C M SQ page 38 Y K

Supplemental Summons and Notice of Object of Action Supreme Court Of The State Of New York County Of Queens Action to Foreclose a Mortgage Index #: 701241/2022 Wilmington Savings Fund Society, FSB, Not In Its Individual Capacity But Solely As Owner Truste e Of CSMC 2017-RPL3 Trust Plaintiff, vs Corazon Bernabe As Heir To The Estate Of Bernard Antolin Who Was The Heir To The Estate Of I valdo

C. Nascimento AKA Ivaldo Nascimento, Natalia Perez As Heir To The Estate Of Bernard Antolin Who Was The Heir To The Estate Of I valdo

ANTHONY MIRANDA

Sheriff of the City of New York

NYC Department of Finance-Office of the Sheriff -nyc.gov/finance

A Notice of Formation of TCRH LLC, Art. of Org. fi led Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 7/28/2021. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: The LLC, 2713 Utopia Pkwy, Flushing, NY 11358. Purpose: any lawful activity.

C. Nascimento AKA Ivaldo Nascimento, Jose Ramon Bernabe As Heir To The Estate Of Bernard Antolin Who Was The Heir To The Estate Of Ivaldo C. Nascimento AKA Ivaldo Nascimento, Unknown Heirs Of Bernard Antolin If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, Any And All Persons Unknown To Plaintiff, Claiming, Or Who May Claim To Have An Interest In, Or General Or Specifi c Lien Upon The Real Property Described In This Action; Such Unknown Persons Being Herein Generally Described And Intended To Be Included In Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Re al Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Widows, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Ne xt Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, People Of The State Of New York, United States Of America Acting Through The IRS, New York City Parking Violations Bureau, New York City Environmental Control Board, John Doe (Those unknown tenants, occupants, persons or corporations or their heirs, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, guardian s, assignees, creditors or successors claiming an interest in the mortgaged premises.) Defendant(s). Mortgaged Premises: 25-47 123 rd Street Flushing, NY 11354 To the Above named Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance , on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. Th e Attorney for Plaintiff has an offi ce for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Queens. The basis of the venu e designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Unknown Heirs of Bernard Antolin, Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Timothy J. Duffi cy of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Ninth day of June, 2023 and fi led with the Complaint in the Offi ce of the Clerk of the County of Q ueens, in the City of Jamaica. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage upon the premises described below, dated August 8, 20 07, executed by Ivaldo C. Nascimento AKA Ivaldo Nascimento (who died on December 31, 2014, a resident of the county of Queens, Stat e of New York) and Bernard Antolin (who died on January 3, 2019, a resident of the county of Queens, State of New York) to secure the sum of $375,000.00. The Mortgage was recorded at CRFN 2007000469582 in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County on September 12, 2007. The mortgage was subsequently modifi ed on January 23, 2009. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed April 8, 2011 and recorded on May 17, 2011, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2011000178212. The mortgage was subsequently modifi ed on May 19, 2015. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed August 23, 2016 and recorded on January 24, 2017, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens Coun ty at CRFN 2017000031479. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed September 6, 2019 and recorded on September 13, 2019, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2019000296274. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by a corrective assignment executed February 23, 2021 and recorded on March 9, 2021, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2021000086826; The property in question is described as follows: 25-47 123rd Street , Flushing, NY 11354 HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS IN FORECLOSURE NEW YORK STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE SEND YOU THIS NOTICE ABOUT THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME. IF YOU FAIL TO RESPOND TO THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, YOU MAY LOSE YOUR HOME. PLEASE READ THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT CAREFULLY. YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONTACT AN ATTORNEY OR YOUR LOCAL LEGAL AID OFFICE TO OBTAIN ADVICE ON HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF. SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE The state encourages you to become informed about your options in foreclosure. In addition to seeking assistance from an attorney o r legal aid offi ce, there are government agencies and non-profi t organizations that you may contact for information about possible options, including trying to work with your lender during this process. To locate an entity near you, you may call the toll-free helplin e maintained by the New York State Department of Financial Services at 1-800-342-3736 or the Foreclosure Relief Hotline 1-800-269-0990 or vi sit the department’s website at WWW.DFS.NY.GOV. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME AT THIS TIME. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO STAY IN YOUR HOME DURING THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME UNLESS AND UNTIL YOUR PROPERTY IS SOLD AT AUCTION PURSUANT TO A JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AND SALE. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO REMAIN IN YOUR HOME, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR PROPERTY AND PAY PROPERTY TAXES IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL LAW. FORECLOSURE RESCUE SCAMS Be careful of people who approach you with offers to “save” your home. There are individuals who watch for notices of foreclosure actions in order to un fairly profi t from a homeowner’s distress. You should be extremely careful about any such promises and any suggestions that you pay th em a fee or sign over your deed. State law requires anyone offering such services for profi t to enter into a contract which fully de scribes the services they will perform and fees they will charge, and which prohibits them from taking any money from you until they have c ompleted all such promised services. § 1303 NOTICE NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who fi led this foreclosure proceeding against you and fi ling the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: June 20, 2023 Gross Polowy, LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221 The law fi rm of Gross Polow y, LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them wi ll be used for that purpose. 76898

Notice of Formation of

TONYA’SHOURCARESERVICE LLC

Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/05/2023.

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, 10001 220TH ST., QUEENS VILLAGE, NY 11429.

Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of VORES LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 06/09/2023. 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: ACCUMERA LLC, 911 CENTRAL AVE., #101, ALBANY, NY 12206. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

VRAI LLC. Filed 5/16/23. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. for process & shall mail 8532 168th St., Jamaica, NY 11432.

Purpose: any lawful.

CB 5 fit to be ‘tied’ over marijuana biz

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

While some members of Community Board 5 have a number of concerns about a legal marijuana shop proposed for Middle Village, they may need to get a bit creative to formally register those with the state’s Office of Cannabis Management.

A July 12 vote on a motion to notify the OCM of the board’s formal disapproval ended in a 19-19 tie, defeating it.

The board is not scheduled to meet in full again until September.

In a public hearing in June, Osbert Orduña, CEO of The Cannabis Place, spelled out plans to open a licensed dispensary at 74-03 Metropolitan Ave., the former site of a Chase bank branch. He presented plans for security, enforcing age restrictions and community involvement.

Following that meeting, District Manager Gary Giordano sent the OCM both an email and a formal letter outlining a number of concerns raised during the hearing.

Objections in the formal message voted on last week included:

• the site’s location within 500 feet of a preschool;

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• its location in the main area of the Metropolitan Avenue shopping area where teens walk to and from school and where children go to stores and restaurants with their families;

• the potential impact on the surrounding residential neighborhood;

• the possible inclusion of a cannabis delivery service and on-site smoking room; and

• the possibility that customers might elect to light up in public on Metropolitan Avenue or a nearby street.

Failure to garner enough votes to pass a motion outright equals defeat on the board. It also was brought up that a preschool may not specifically meet the statutory definition of a school.

Giordano said at the meeting he was able to get a two-week extension of the deadline for comment from the OCM, and that his previous notifications did include the objections that the board failed to pass on July 12.

He also told the members last week that they seldom convene during their August summer break unless there is an emergency. Q

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