Queens Chronicle South Edition 09-12-24

Following FBI raids, Queens pols weigh in

As questions engulf top Adams aides, Holden, others say Caban must quit

by Sophie Krichevsky Editor

Reports last Thursday that the homes of First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban and former NYPD higher-up Tim Pearson were raided by the FBI the day before sent the city’s political world into a frenzy, and Queens was no exception.

In addition to entering Banks’ home in Hollis, Wright’s in Harlem — which she shares with her fiance, Schools Chancellor David Banks — Caban’s and Pearson’s, the FBI is said to have seized electronic devices from all five.

Though it was initially unclear what the scope of the inquiry was, additional reports published late last Friday and over the weekend said Caban’s twin brother, James Caban, and a third Banks brother, Terence Banks, both had their homes searched last Wednesday and their electronics confiscated, as well. The actions were taken as part of at least one

federal corruption probe involving James Caban’s and Terence Banks’ respective roles in the nightlife and governmental consulting industries and their alleged use of and influence over the NYPD and city government in those positions.

Specifically, The New York Times reported Tuesday night, Terence Banks is being investigated as part of a possible bribery scheme involving his firm and its city contracts. Meanwhile, Gothamist reported Tuesday that Terence Banks had raised more than $90,000 for Adams’ 2021 campaign.

A separate inquiry is reportedly looking into James Caban’s work in the nightlife industry and whether he used his brother’s position to his advantage, allegedly working as a fixer for some of the city’s top clubs and restaurants.

Politico reported Monday afternoon that the city’s top cop is expected to resign in the coming days. As of press time early Wednesday evening, Caban had not left the NYPD.

continued on page 16

The FBI last Wednesday searched the homes of and took the electronics of Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, top left; Schools Chancellor David Banks, top center; First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright; ex-NYPD higher-up and Adams advisor Tim Pearson, seen here in 2007; and NYPD Commissioner Edward Caban. PHOTOS BY ED REED, TOP; AND BENNY POLATSECK, LEFT / NYC MAYOR’S OFFICE; JAMI MADAY, CENTER; AND SOPHIE KRICHEVSKY / FILE

Jamaica Bay marred by animal cruelty

Residents rally for gov’t solutions to remains, injured pigs near the shore

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

After repeated instances of alleged animal cruelty near Jamaica Bay, area residents and animal rescues are taking action.

The bay has seen its share of animal sacrifices. For decades, area residents and fishermen have told tales of wandering upon skeletal remains of chickens, rats and goats. Many attribute the presence of the remains to religious practices.

According to sources close to the matter, over the past month, there have been nearly 10 instances of littered skeletal remains found or wounded livestock roaming along Jamaica Bay’s shore.

Multiple photos of emaciated or injured piglets near Jamaica Bay or under the Addabbo Bridge have been posted to area Facebook groups. One photo showed a deceased dog wearing a diaper.

Some have attributed the sacrifices to “rogue Hindu” practices or Santeria. Sadhana, a progressive Hindu advocacy group that conducts cleanup operations in partnership with the Gateway National Recreation Area, told the Chronicle it recommends avoiding speculation on who is responsible for the activities.

“Though there is still some uncertainty on who is leaving these animal remains, we would like to highlight the adverse impact that such speculation about animal sacrifice would have on the Hindu American community,” the group said in a statement. “Hindus have a strong ethos of respect for animals. While some Hindus do practice sacrificial offerings of animals, it is a sensitive topic and not all Hindus observe this practice. We ask that concerned groups refrain from unfairly generalizing and assailing the religious beliefs of some

Hindus, and seek understanding before making accusations.”

The group is set to host a beach clean-up on Sept. 21 for International Coastal Cleanup Day.

“We recommend that Hindu community groups in Jamaica Bay are respectfully included in discussions about this issue, as Hindus are important stewards of Jamaica Bay beaches,” Sadhana’s board said via email.

Zion’s Mission Animal Rescue and Sasha’s Mission Animal Rescue, which call themselves “sister rescues,” have been visiting the spot consistently to check for animals that may need their help.

Sloane Quealy-Miner and Kim Fraser, longtime friends and founders of Zion’s and Sasha’s, respectively, were alerted to a pig roaming near the bay in July. Once that one was rescued, they got word of another, and kept an eye out while often combing the area, surveilling and getting to know the fishermen. Those with an inquiry can reach them at sloane@zionsmission.org.

Along the way, other animals the duo has found nearby include chickens, rats, cats, dogs and roosters. Last Tuesday, they saved three pigs that are now receiving care at Brucie’s Angels, a Long Island-based nonprofit. Updates can be found on facebook.com/BruciesAngels.

The affected areas, Spring Creek Park in Howard Beach and the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Broad Channel, part of Gateway National Recreation Area, are federal land.

U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Jamaica) and Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) did not respond to requests for comment.

However, politicians at the state and city levels have become involved, participating in a rally on Sept. 8 at

the Addabbo Bridge.

The event’s organizers, Howard Beach resident Angelica Katz and Broad Channel resident Jeanette Tuffy, told the Chronicle they saw posts about the issue on social media and decided to step up and organize what they called the Coalition Against Animal Cruelty Rally.

They called for the National Park Service to request permits from groups that would like to access the park or beaches after hours or hold them accountable for trespassing. Attendees also called for the installation of cameras and lights after dark.

Katz and Tuffy said more than 50 people showed up to the rally to show their support for the cause.

“Folks are angry,” Katz said. “They want to do something about this. So this was a way to bring everybody together, to have one uni-

fied voice, and to move it from social media to actual action.”

The next step, according to Katz and Tuffy, will be to create a coalition and collect signatures on a letter to NPS with their demands.

Anyone who wishes to help the cause can contact Katz and Tuffy at coalitionagainstanimalcruelty@ gmail.com.

On the rally stage, Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) called the acts heinous and said her office is working with federal partners to address the issue.

“We’re going to keep following up,” Ariola said. “We’re going to be persistent. ... We have a cleaning crew that goes under there constantly, and yet, in the dark of night, these heinous, evil crimes are taking place.”

She added, impassioned, “It’s never been worse than it is right now and it has to stop.”

Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach) also pledged her support on the rally stage, expressing her disgust at the recent incidents.

“This behavior has got to stop,” Pheffer Amato said before calling for more enforcement to the area.

“We need our own watch here,” she remarked, adding that her office will “continue to fight and get a resolution.”

Maribel Cosme-Vitagliani, the director of community outreach at Zion’s Mission Animal Rescue, said the rally went well and that everyone

appeared to be on the same page. Quealy-Miner and Fraser said that they felt both politicians genuinely cared about the cause.

“They promised a roundtable talk and they promised a task force,” Quealy-Miner said. “So, you know, they said the words yesterday, and now we’re going to hold them to it and work with them to make sure that it happens.”

On Sept. 9, Ariola took to social media to inform constituents that after conversations with NPS, the agency pledged to deploy mobile lighting units to the area. She said her office also secured a promise of increased U.S. Parks Police patrol in the areas of concern, and that the NYPD’s 100th Precinct will boost patrols on the parking lots on the south side of the Addabbo Bridge.

A spokesperson for the National Parks Service told the Chronicle, “The NPS and US Park Police are aware of the ongoing issue. US Park Police have increased patrols in the area. They have also initiated a joint investigation with NYPD’s Animal Cruelty Investigation Squad and are working to develop leads.”

The agency said if anyone sees something suspicious, they should call USPP Dispatch at (718) 354-4700.

While the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the right to animal sacrifice on religious grounds in a 1993 ruling, in New York State, animal cruelty is classified as a felony punishable by up to two years in prison.

A trio of pigs found roaming on Jamaica Bay are saved by Kim Fraser, left and Sloane Quealy-Miner, of Sasha’s Mission Animal Rescue and Zion’s Mission Animal Rescue, respectively.

COURTESY PHOTO

Coalition Against Animal Cruelty Rally organizers Angelica Katz, left, and Jeanette Tuffy at the event on Sept. 8, left; and a Jamaica Bay pig rescue in progress by Kim Fraser. COURTESY PHOTOS

Howard Beach keeps promise to never forget

With flags held high and hearts united, residents of Howard Beach came together on Sunday, Sept. 8, for the annual 9/11 Flag Carry and Remembrance Walk, organized by the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic.

In the first row, the community at noon marched down Cross Bay Boulevard, left, to the memorial plaza and mural for a ceremony, right, at 156-45 84 St. to honor both survivors and those lost. Attendees included veterans, 9/11 survivors and first responders, as well as current NYPD officers, including the commanding officer of

the 106th Precinct, Capt. Berkley Vantull.

Above left, community members and officials take pride in participating in the procession along the boulevard. Among those attending were Councilwoman Joann Ariola, center, and Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato.

Weighing heavy on minds and hearts was the late Dominick DeVito, a retired FDNY firefighter and 9/11 first responder who died earlier this year and was a fixture of the annual event. At right, officers and patriots show their respects at the mural. — Kristen Guglielmo

Collecting clothes for veterans

State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) is hosting an ongoing clothing and supply drive for veterans at his Woodhaven and Middle Village offices.

Requested items include sneakers, slippers, sweatpants, pants and jeans, hoodies, body wash, razors, shaving cream, neutral-colored washcloths and bath towels, 5-packs of men’s T-shirts, men’s socks and underwear.

Clothing sizes should range from medium to 2XL. All donations must be new and unopened.

Items can be dropped off Mondays

through Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays during the summer from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Addabbo’s district office, located at 84-16 Jamaica Ave. in Woodhaven, or at his Middle Village office, located at 66-85 73 Pl.

Once enough items are collected, they will be distributed to veteran organizations in the community and then collection will begin again, Addabbo’s office said. Items will be distributed as long as the need exists.

For more information, contact Addabbo’s office at (718) 738-1111. Q

Blood donations needed

“Donate Today, Save Lives Tomorrow” is the motto of the New York Blood Center, which is seeking donors as the state continues to face a blood shortage.

If interested in helping either via a blood donation or a financial gift to the nonprofit, visit nybc.org.

There are four places in and around Southeast Queens listed now to donate blood:

• St. John’s University, Taffner Field House room 202, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 12, 8000 Utopia Pkwy. in Jamaica Estates; blood drive coordinator

Safiyah Seelochan; • Ditas Solution Blood Drive, main hall, 11 a.m to 5 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 15, 187-12 Linden Blvd. in St. Albans; blood drive coordinator Daniela Calle; • York College, atrium, 12 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 25, 94-20 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. in Jamaica; blood drive coordinator Jean Phelps; and • Holy Child Jesus Church, gym, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 29, 111-02 86 Ave. in Richmond Hill; blood drive coordinator Helen Aviles. Q — Naeisha Rose

PHOTOS BY DANIEL HILL

CB 9: ‘Our voices go on deaf ears’

Board member threatens to resign after BP’s conditional approval of City of Yes

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

“I don’t want to be the guy to stand forward to do something, and then everybody stands back and leaves me by myself,” said Victor Starsky, a member of Community Board 9. “But I will say this action is enough for me to tender my resignation from the board.”

Starsky’s threat to resign comes in reaction to Queens Borough President Donovan Richards’ conditional approval of the mayor’s and Department of City Planning’s City of Yes for Housing Opportunity zoning proposal.

After months of hearings and input from community boards, which are largely in opposition of the plan, Starsky said he felt disrespected by the recommendation.

When a resolution on the housing plan was brought before the board last June, almost all in attendance voted to oppose the proposal. There were only two abstentions and no dissent.

“Several politicians and our BP gave a nod of approval to the City of Yes, when this good board — professional board — hands down, said,

‘no,’” Starsky said. “That is a real slap in the face.”

Sherry Algredo, the board’s chairwoman, told the panel she had discussed the situation with Starsky via email prior to the meeting.

“He said he wanted to say something, and I advised him not to,” Algredo said through tears, adding that she did not want the board to lose him.

“Victor said what we are thinking, and we are scared because we don’t want backlash,” she said. “We all said no to the housing part of City of Yes.”

Algredo also expressed frustration at the role community boards have played.

“When is everyone going to start listening to us? We were given the role so that we can speak for the community; however, our voices go on

deaf ears,” she said.

She said she was shocked by Starsky’s words, adding that she hesitated in letting him speak because she “didn’t want him to be removed, nor did I want to get in trouble.”

Algredo added, “I want everybody to give him a standing ovation for doing what we couldn’t do.”

The board members applauded, and Algredo urged Starsky to stay with them.

“We will speak up with you, and we will stand with you, and if we have to, write a letter to all the electeds and let them know that they have not listened to us, and how disappointed we are. But we are not going to accept your resignation,” she said.

“You are not going anywhere. I’ll see you next month.”

The panel praised Starsky, and Algredo said many board members are afraid to speak up after feeling slighted.

“Many of us are homeowners of small homes, and we are literally scared of what City of Yes is going to do to our community,” Algredo said. “Victor, if you didn’t stand up and threaten to resign today, I was

not going to speak up. So I want to thank you.”

Starsky later told the Chronicle he had not officially tendered his resignation, and will make a decision soon.

Asked for comment on the situation, Chris Barca, the communications director for Richards, said, “In his recommendation to approve City of Yes for Housing Opportunity with conditions, Borough President Richards directly acknowledged the concerns some Queens community boards expressed about the plan, while stating the need for robust collaboration between government and communities.”

He continued, “But as he has repeatedly made clear, the only realistic solution to the housing crisis facing Queens and New York City as a whole is to build housing as rapidly and strategically as possible. Should Mr. Starsky actually tender his resignation as a member of Community Board 9, Borough President Richards looks forward to filling his slot with a new neighborhood voice in his next round of community board appointments.” Q

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Victor Starsky, standing at right, threatened to tender his resignation to Community Board 9 at the group’s Tuesday’s meeting, citing alleged disrespect from officials regarding City of Yes. PHOTO BY KRISTEN GUGLIELMO

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EDITORIAL AGEP

Adams must fire the FBI’s targets in City Hall

Mayor Adams better clean house over at City Hall, before the federal government does it for him. He has to act immediately if he’s going to have any hope of re-election, and it may be too late already.

Federal investigations into suspected corruption among several of Adams’ top officials are engulfing the administration and soon could cripple its ability to govern effectively. The number of officials the FBI has moved against in recent days is stunning.

Police Commissioner Edward Caban, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phil Banks, First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright, Schools Chancellor David Banks, who is Wright’s partner, and mayoral advisor Tim Pearson all saw their homes searched and their phones seized in recent days. So did Caban’s twin brother, James Caban, and Terence Banks, the brother of Phil and David Banks.

Let that sink in. Among others, the commissioner of the New York City Police Department, the largest municipal law enforcement agency in the country, which constantly boasts that it’s the best in the world, has had his home raided and his phone seized by the FBI. Caban is supposed to be one of the city’s chief law enforcers. Is he

really one of its chief lawbreakers? And what about the city schools chancellor, whose biggest controversies should be things like whether to teach phonics? How ironic that the man who’s been weighing a cell phone ban in schools now has had his taken away. And he ain’t gettin’ it back down at the principal’s office when the bell rings.

What the heck is this? What’s going on?

There appear to be at least two investigations going on into Adams’ inner circle — three if you count the one we already knew about before last week, which is centered on the mayor’s campaign fundraising and saw his phone seized, too. The new ones, according to reporting in the likes of The New York Times and The City, are focused on James Caban’s role in the nightlife industry, and possible favoritism linked to his brother’s powerful position, and Terence Banks’ role in the lucrative world of government consulting, and possible bribery and fraud on that front.

The mayor may be loyal to a fault to this cabal he has surrounded himself with. The impulse is understandable — some of these ties go back decades, to when Adams was a cop, if not longer — but the time has come to make some serious changes. The first and most obvious thing is

to replace Caban. That may be in the works already and just a matter of time. But really the entire group is too tainted to continue on. There are plenty of good people in the government who are not tainted and can be tapped as replacements. There are, right? Because right now this administration is looking like the most corrupt since that of Ed Koch. (How are ya doin’, Eric Adams? Not so good.) It’s like a reincarnation of “City for Sale.” And it’s especially ironic for a mayor who puts crime-fighting at the heart of his administration to have so many top aides under investigation for possible lawbreaking.

And now Adams has taken to comparing himself to former Mayor David Dinkins, even calling himsel f “David Dinkins 2. He says people tried to diminish the accomplishment’s of the city’s first Black mayor, and now they are doing the same to him because of his race.

But the probes are not about race. They’re about possible corruption. In Pearson’s case, they’re about somebody who may use force or intimidation to get what he wants, including sex. Get rid of this guy, already, Mayor Adams. Take decisive action, put space between yourself and all of these people, and get to work governing the city.

MARK WEIDLER

President & Publisher

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LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

Yes to pizza box bins

Dear Editor:

Re The Sept. 5 editorial “Pizza box bins just a gimmick”:

I respectfully disagree with the idea that the Forest Park “empty pizza box bin” is just a gimmick and I would hesitate to poke fun at the idea until it has a chance to be fully tested “in the wild.”

As someone who has frequented the park quite a lot this year and knows exactly where this new bin is, (by the parking lot where there are two new futuristic solar-powered EV chargers) I have a fair idea of how many parties and get-togethers people hold by the Overlook where pizza is an easy, crowd pleasing choice — this being New York, the pizza capital of the world, after all!

One birthday party in late August (for a 1-year-old, no less) had 20 large pizza pies delivered. Guess what happens to all those empty boxes if people don’t bring their own trash bags? They rapidly clog up the regular bins or get stashed to the side of the bins, spilling messily out onto the ground. And they certainly don’t end up being recycled. Having a purpose-built recycling bin just for the unwieldy empties, with a posted reminder that they have no food or other trash inside, seems like a truly inspired solution to our rubbish problem that deserves time to be battle-tested and ultimately, accepted by the public.

I think that whoever at the Parks Department who was bold enough to sign off on this inspired solution deserves our praise, not ridicule. We need more “think outside the box” ideas like this in our city, not less!

Robert Fernando South Richmond Hill

Keep Rikers open

Dear Editor:

The Sept. 5 letter “Rikers jails must close” is either disingenuous or written by the uninformed.

The City Council’s altruistic intentions, over the years, have caused many of today’s problems.

For one, sanctuary city rules halted federal agents from interviewing inmates in NYC jails. Those interviews often led to an inmate being remanded into federal custody, reducing NYC’s burden of overcrowding and recidivism.

Prior to bail reform, historically the jail population would rise significantly as the weather

got cold. Destitute people would overtly commit crimes with the intention to get arrested and insure three hots and a cot for a warm winter stay on Rikers Island. Since bail reform the Rikers refuge is unavailable, and indigents are relegated to roam free in the NYC winte r streets, bringing about mayhem in an effort to survive and resulting in a blooming homeless population and increased crime.

Bail reform, touted as beneficial to minority communities, has had the opposite effect with minorities victimized by crime more frequently. The Council discusses mental healthcare without a viable long-term plan. The lack of follow-up treatment relegates patients involved in criminal actions to be thrown onto Rikers and into the custody of staff not equipped to humanely deal with mental health episodes. Inmates, violent and aggressive upon admission, become docile people after diagnosis and treatment by (contracted) mental health professionals on Rikers Island. Unfortunately, they then become prey for violent predatory inmates. The Council found a way to make healthy

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

people get vaccinated but has not found a way to make sick people take their meds. Closing Rikers Island does not promote the financial or social good.

If the Council is truly committed to advancing progress, lawmakers must recognize policy mistakes and then have the fortitude to take corrective action.

Thanks for the platform and your good work is appreciated.

Larry Vann Howard Beach

The same old stories

Dear Editor:

After going into the archives of the Queens Chronicle and reading my letters to the editor written 20 years ago, I find that the same topics I discussed and presented are essentially the same that are happening today. The more things change, the more things remain the same.

Thanks for presenting wonderful articles that enlighten us in so many ways.

Cynthia Groopman Little Neck

No change a big change

Dear Editor:

We just passed the 55th anniversary of NYC Transit bus drivers no longer having to use a coin collector to make change for riders. Aug. 31, 1969 was the first day that bus riders had to deposit either a subway token or the exact amount in coins directly into the fare box. Drivers were no longer required to make change. They could concentrate on driving instead of multitasking. It became the passenger’s responsibility to deposit the exact fare. All the driver had to do was look through the upper portion of the fare box and make sure that the fare was paid.

Previously, drivers had to deal with potential robbery while in service due to carrying cash. Safety increased for drivers, passengers and buses. There were fewer traffic accidents involving buses. Bus operators spent more time concentrating on driving and less making change for riders. Ontime performance improved as passenger boarding time sped up.

Drivers no longer had to deal with money when returning to the bus garage. Other transit employees, known as “vault pullers,” would unlock the bottom of the fare box and empty the contents. Coins and subway token revenue would be sorted, counted and wrapped within the safe confines of a secure money room within the garage.

Even with the most recent fare increase, MTA public transportation using your MetroCard or OMNY is still one of the best bargains in town.

Larry Penner Great Neck, LI

Write a Letter!

Letters should be no longer than 300 words and may be edited for length, clarity and other reasons. They may be emailed to letters@qchron.com.

Covid vs. Trump voters

Dear Editor:

If Donald Trump loses this election, he might have only himself to blame. His antivaxxer stance and his diminution of safety protocols endorsed by medical experts have led to these interesting outcomes: one, more Covid-19 deaths occurred in Republican controlled states than in Democratic ones; two, males died at higher rates from the virus than females; and three, unvaccinated people died at much higher rates than those fully vaccinated with boosters.

These factors might cost the former president a crucial number of votes in a close election, particularly if the deaths occurred among his MAGA followers or loyal senior citizens who normally have a high voter turnout.

Glenn Hayes Kew Gardens

Fighting prostate cancer

Dear Editor:

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and it is time to stand up to fight against prostate cancer. The pandemic of Covid-19 had kept many men from getting tested for prostate cancer. But now is the time to get tested.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death. But it is 99 percent curable when caught early. The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 36,600 men will die this year from the disease. The key is early detention, which will give a person a better outcome. I know that only too well.

I was diagnosed in 2016 with an aggressive prostate cancer. My general practitioner, after my regular physical, found my PSA was too high and recommended I see a urologist, which I did. It turned out I had an aggressive prostate cancer at age 66. I had surgery, which in my view saved my life, and am now 75.

Now I get tested every six months, and recently it was discovered my PSA is rising. Cancer cells were detected again. I am now seeing a doctor from the R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center and am being tested and treated. If I had not been tested, I would not be around to warn others to get tested. There are many treatments out there today for prostate cancer, depending on the progression of the disease. I call for all men over 45 to get tested, for your life depends upon it and your family depends upon you to live.

Frederick R. Bedell Jr. Bellerose

The good in everything

Dear Editor:

I love the world. Maybe it’s silly, stupid, weird, bizarre, strange, but I love the world and everyone in it. Today I celebrate you, in all your honor and glory. I celebrate the good and the bad.

It’s a lesson sent from long ago. I choose to see everything as a positive growth and positive thing. Today I celebrate you, shining, the way I’ll always think of you, no matter what happens or happened. Negativity doesn’t scare me. We will live long and prosper.

Eva Tortora Manhattan

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Estate Planning Fundamentals: Protecting the Family Home

By Cynthia J. Conza, Esq.

Placing a loved one into a nursing home or skilled rehabilitation facility is often an emotionally trying experience. The immediate focus is to get your loved one the care they need, but the implications of the high costs of long-term care soon become a reality. Without proper planning the overwhelming expenses of the nursing home can drain family bank accounts and also put the family home at risk.

Medicaid is a federal and state program that will pay for the costs of longterm care. However, income and asset thresholds limit those who are eligible for Medicaid benefits. The best way to qualify for Medicaid and also protect the family home and assets from nursing home costs is through proper planning. A Medicaid Asset Protection Trust (MAPT) is one the strongest tools available and is a trust that serves

two general purposes: the MAPT allows a person to qualify for long-term care benefits from Medicaid while also protecting assets from being depleted if long-term care is needed.

As long as the MAPT is created and assets transferred five years before applying for Medicaid benefits Medicaid will not impose a penalty for transferring assets and the MAPT’s existence will not impact Medicaid eligibility. When you transfer your home to the MAPT you can retain the right to live in your home for your lifetime and you will retain all of your real estate tax exemptions.

Proper planning will have a significant impact on your ability to protect your assets for your children and beneficiaries. Please feel free to contact me at cynthia@conzamcnamara.com or (718) 845-5555 if you would like to discuss further.

Perps sought for four robberies

Police ask for public’s

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Police are asking for help in identifying two men wanted for committing four separate robberies on Aug. 18 within the confines of the 102th and 106th precincts.

At approximately 8:15 p.m., near 103-25 Rockaway Blvd. in Ozone Park, a man, 61, was walking home when two unidentified men approached him on a two-wheeled vehicle, cops said. They displayed firearms and removed cash from the victim before fleeing eastbound on Rockaway Boulevard. No injuries were reported, police said.

Hours later, at around 10:35 p.m. near 102nd Street and 101st Avenue, a 66-year-old man was walking when two unidentified males approached him on a two-wheeled vehicle. Authorities said the first man displayed a firearm and demanded property from the victim, and the other took the his cell phone. Both perpetrators then fled northbound on 102nd Street, police said, on the two-wheeled vehicle which appears in a photo to be a moped or scooter. There were no reported injuries.

Less than an hour later, at approximately 11:20 p.m., in the vicinity of 85-69 130 St., police said a man, 48, was walking home when the two male suspects approached him, again on the two-wheeled vehicle. The first

help in identifying

unidentified man displayed a firearm, demanded property from the victim and proceeded to strike him in the left arm with the firearm.

Police said both suspects then fled northbound on 130th Street on the two-wheeled vehicle.

The victim sustained lacerations to his arm and hand. He was transported by EMS to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in stable condition, police said.

male duo

Police are searching for two suspects in connection with four robberies on Aug. 18.

About 10 minutes later, near 103-22 99 St., authorities said a 45-year-old man was standing next to his vehicle when two unidentified males approached him on a two-wheeled vehicle. The first individual displayed a firearm and demanded property from the victim. When he handed over his wallet, the second man took cash from it and gave the wallet back to him, police said. Both perpetrators fled on the two-wheeled vehicle southbound on 99th Street toward Liberty Avenue. There were no reported injuries.

The first robber is described as having dark

Man sentenced for deadly R. Hill crash

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

A Richmond Hill resident was sentenced on Sept. 9 to seven to 21 years for a drunk driving collision that killed two others, according to the Queens district attorney.

Tamir Khan, 23, on June 5, 2023, was driving a gray Audi A4 northbound on 117th Street in Richmond Hill at a high speed around 4:24 a.m, authorities said. He failed to stop at a stop sign at 111th Avenue.

Khan struck a silver 2001 Toyota Camry heading westbound on 111th Avenue and continued driving, according to the charges.

The Camry spun and hit a utility pole. Khan returned to the location about 30 minutes later and admitted to driving the Audi.

The Camry’s driver, Indero John, 64, of South Ozone Park, was pronounced dead at a hospital later that morning. John was a retiree who often volunteered to drive his friends and neighbors where they had to go, the DA’s Office said.

His passenger and neighbor, Charles Harris, 71, who was being driven to work, died the next day from his injuries.

An Intoxilyzer exam given to Khan about two hours after the crash indicated

that he had a blood alcohol content of .09 percent, above the DWI threshold of .08 percent, authorities said. The Audi’s windshield was tinted and had a light transmittance of 37 percent. The light transmittance on the front driver’s side window was 17 percent. Neither met the legal threshold of 70 percent or greater.

Khan pleaded guilty in July to aggravated vehicular homicide in satisfaction of all charges against him. In a statement, DA Melinda Katz called Khan’s actions “reckless and selfish” and added, “This is yet one more example of a preventable tragedy caused by drunk driving.” Q

complexion and was seen wearing a black hoodie with a skull-like design, light-colored jeans, black shoes, a black mask and holding a black firearm.

His partner is described as having dark complexion and was seen wearing a gray hoodie, light-colored jeans and a black face mask.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577-TIPS (8477), or, for Spanish, 1 (888) 57-PISTA (74782).

The public can also submit tips by logging onto nypdcrimestoppers.com, or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and then entering TIP577, or by going to @nypdtips on X. All tips are strictly confidential. Q

Photo contest!

Summer’s almost gone, but scientifically not over yet! And neither is the Queens Chronicle’s 16th annual Summer in the Borough Photo Contest. We hope your entry will arrive!

Go out and take your best shots of families gathering, children playing, workers working, lovely landscapes, birds on the bay — whatever you think best says “summertime in Queens.”

If you need any inspiration, take a look at a recent winner, taken by Mike McGevna on Jamaica Bay. As to the rules, there are several, so please go to tinyurl.com/y8wyhvwy for the full list.

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 winner will get a $50 gift card. The deadline is Monday, Sept. 23, the day after summer ends. Good luck! — Peter C. Mastrosimone

PHOTO BY MIKE MCGEVNA

Man, 43, arraigned for deadly 2018 shooting

May face life sentence for rapper’s murder

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

The Queens District Attorney’s Office announced last Friday that Johnathan Rice, 43, was indicted by a grand jury for the 2018 shooting death of Frank Snyder, a rapper and party promoter known as “Hollywood Play.”

According to the charges, on Oct. 7, 2018, at approximately 3:15 a.m., video surveillance showed Snyder, 35, with a group of individuals standing outside of the Tavern Lounge, at 97-07 Jamaica Ave. in Woodhaven. The DA’s Office said Snyder was hosting a birthday party.

A black sedan is seen in the footage driving by the bar’s entrance, with multiple muzzle flashes coming from the front passenger side window before the car speeds off.

Snyder, who authorities said was the only person hit by gunfire, falls to the ground. He was taken to a nearby hospital with gunshot wounds to his left torso and left thigh. He died from his injuries.

Motor vehicle registration records

showed that Rice, of 178th Street in Jamaica, owned a black Lexus that matched the description of the car seen on the video, the DA’s Office said.

During the investigation, authorities said phone records for Rice were obtained that placed him in the vicinity of the Tavern Lounge at the time of the shooting.

Rice was arraigned on one charge of second-degree murder. He is ordered to return to court on Nov. 14. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

“My office does not give up on cases,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a statement. “After a long-term investigation, we secured an indictment charging Johnathan Rice with the senseless 2018 murder of Frank Snyder.” Katz continued, “The defendant is alleged to have fatally shot the victim as he stood outside a Woodhaven bar where he worked as a promoter. I thank my prosecutors and the NYPD members who diligently investigated this cold-case homicide.”

A man was sentenced for a 2023 deadly car crash in Richmond Hill. QDA’S OFFICE PHOTO

NYPD PHOTOS

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Our Lady of Grace marks a century

Howard Beach church celebrates centennial, gets street co-named

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

“God bless them,” parishioner Patty G. said when asked about Our Lady of Grace Church, which marks its centennial on Sept. 15. “It’s a home. It’s well-loved, and I am grateful for its presence here.”

The church, at 100-05 159 Ave. in Howard Beach, is well known in the community. It was founded in 1906 and staffed by the Montfort Fathers, according to the parish’s website. Before then, residents would travel to Ozone Park to attend Mass, but often arrived late or left early due to train schedules.

The present church was built in 1921 after OLG’s congregation outgrew its original bungalow and residents wanted a church building safe from flooding.

Today’s pastor, the Rev. Dominick Dellaporte, told the Chronicle that to celebrate the church’s 100th anniversary, there will be a Mass on Sunday at noon given by Bishop Robert Brennan of the Brooklyn-Queens Diocese.

“We’re expecting a crown that’s going to be coming from Italy,” Dellaporte said. “And [Brennan] will bless it and crown the Blessed Mother statue that’s in the church, which is the church’s original statue.”

Brennan will then assist in the unveiling of a sign co-naming the corner of 101st Street and 159th Avenue as Our Lady of Grace Way.

“Our Lady of Grace has played an important role in the Howard Beach community for a century,” Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) said in a statement. “By conaming the corner of 101st and 159th in honor of OLG, we are ensuring that their legacy will remain in this neighborhood forever. I was proud to put this co-naming legislation through

OUR LADY OF GRACE IS HOSTING A PILGRIMAGE on Wednesday, September 25th To The National Shrine of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel / Our Lady of Knocks Shrine in Middletown, NY and the Marian Shrine in Stoney Pt, NY

in City Hall, and I look forward to another hundred years of OLG serving this neighborhood.”

Other 100th anniversary festivities include the burying of a blessed time capsule that contains messages from parishioners.

“Then, God willing, probably 25, 50 or 100 years from now, they’ll open it,” Dellaporte said.

After the events at the church, Dellaporte said, attendees are invited to Roma View, at 160-05 Cross Bay Blvd., for a dinner and Venetian hour.

Frank Gulluscio, a member of Community Board 10 and fixture in the Howard Beach community, has been going to Our Lady of Grace for more than 40 years. Asked what keeps him going back, Gulluscio said, “Community. It’s simple — community, and good Christian faith.”

He said the church has a small, different feel to it, and added that many great people attended the parish’s school, Our Lady of Grace Academy.

“So many people have come out of that school that have built that little part of 11414,” Gulluscio said.

Patty G., who has lived in Howard Beach for decades, said she started going to OLG for its convenience, but stayed because of its comfort.

“Walking into that church, I feel peace,” she said. “They do many things, events and such for the neighborhood, like in honor of Memorial Day or 9/11. They care.”

Within the next few weeks, Dellaporte said a new shrub, called the Grace Bush, will be planted in front of Our Lady of Grace.

“There will be a stone in front of it, saying this bush is planted and dedicated to parishioners past, present and future,” he said. Q

When: Tuesday’s, Wednesday’s & Thursday’s Time: 4:00 - 6:00pm

Place: Our Lady of Grace School Start date - end of September, beginning of October Price List:

1 Hour $40 - 2 Hours $70

2 Days $140 - 3 Days $185

Bus will depart OLG at 8:00 am and arrive at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel at 10:00 am walk the grounds of the shrine and attend Mass at 11:30 am. We will depart Mt. Carmel Shrine at 1:00 pm and will then make our way to the Marian Shrine with an arrival time of 2:00 pm. We will have personal time in the chapel and free time to walk and explore the shrine grounds. We will depart the Marian Shrine at around 3:30 pm and have dinner at Hogan’s Family Diner in Orangeburgh. From there we will make our way back to OLG. Arrival time back to OLG 7:30 - 8:00 pm. Cost is $65 per person. Snack will be provided Call the rectory for more info

3 Days for 2 siblings $325

All staff are professional educators

4 PM confession from 3:00-3:45 PM Please call 718-843-6215 For Information Regarding Registration. For Adults: Any Adult Interested in Becoming A Fully Initiated Roman Catholic, Please Contact The Rectory at 718-843-6218. Are You Not Baptized? Are Baptized in Another Faith Denomination? Are You Baptized But Seeking The Sacraments of Eucharist and Confirmation? The Only Requirement Needed is An Open Heart! Thank You and God Bless You!

PHOTO BY KRISTEN GUGLIELMO

Queens pols weigh in as FBI raids loom large

continued from page 2

The raids come less than a year after the agency searched the Crown Heights home of Brianna Suggs, a top fundraiser for the mayor’s 2021 campaign, taking multiple electronic devices and documents. Days later, the feds stopped Adams himself as he approached his SUV and confiscated his phones and laptop. It was later reported that both were in relation to a probe into whether the mayor’s campaign conspired to receive foreign donations from entities with ties to the Turkish government.

And earlier this year, searches were conducted at the New World Mall in Flushing and the two Bronx homes of Winnie Greco, Adams’ director of Asian affairs.

As for the FBI’s latest inquiry, however, a source familiar with the matter said it is seemingly unrelated to the Turkish probe.

Lisa Zornberg, chief counsel for City Hall, said in a statement Thursday, “Investigators have not indicated to us the mayor or his staff are targets of any investigation. As a former member of law enforcement, the mayor has repeatedly made clear that all members of the team need to follow the law.”

Adams told reporters last Thursday that “whatever information that’s needed, we’re going to turn it over, and I’m going to continue to be the mayor of the City of New York.”

The NYPD said in a statement that it is “aware of an investigation by the U.S. Attor-

ney’s Office for the Southern District of New York involving members of service” and that it is “fully cooperating.”

News of Edward Caban’s being investigated — which broke later last Thursday, hours after it was reported Wright and the Banks brothers were — quickly sparked some talk of whether the police commissioner should step down.

Though Adams had told PIX 11 Friday that “Commissioner Caban can continue to do his job,” the mayor seemed to do an about-face Monday when, after being asked whether he thought Caban would still hold the role in two months, he replied, “I don’t think anything in life is guaranteed.” On Tuesday, he dodged the question of whether he still has confidence in Caban by replying “I have the utmost confidence in the NYPD.”

Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth), a law-and-order, centrist Democrat, first told the Chronicle he is in favor of Caban’s resignation last Friday, saying that “the city doesn’t need any of this.”

“He is the symbol and leadership [of the department], and so he’s got to set the tone,” Holden said of Caban. “He can’t have any kind of mark like this against him, because even if he does survive this, it’s just, the appearance is not good for the department.”

Holden’s comments follow the same call from the New York Post editorial board and then from progressive Brooklyn Councilmember Lincoln Restler.

The Chronicle also asked Holden if Wright, Phil Banks, David Banks and Pearson should step aside as well.

“It’s up to the other individuals whether they want to resign or not,” Holden said.

Several declared and potential challengers to Adams in 2025 spoke in condemnation of the administration Thursday in response to the raids. That includes state Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-Jackson Heights) and Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani (D-Astoria), neither of whom have formally entered the race.

Quoting a post with the report of the raids last Thursday, Ramos kept it simple, saying only, “I’m tired of this, aren’t you?”

Mamdani, noting prior FBI probes into Adams’ “inner circle,” said in a statement the same day, “New Yorkers are facing a historic cost of living crisis. An administration plagued by corruption and distracted by scandal cannot effectively deal with it. We deserve better.”

Also speaking broadly was Councilmember Julie Won (D-Sunnyside). “Investigations are ongoing,” she said in a statement to the Chronicle last Friday. “No one, not even the mayor or former presidents, is above the law.”

Councilmember Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills) told the Chronicle last Friday that while she is waiting to see how things play out, she remains focused on serving her constituents.

Perhaps most critical of the FBI’s inquiry,

on the other hand, was state Sen. Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans), who told the Chronicle Friday it was “a fishing expedition.”

“They feel they have a case, they’re going to do whatever they can to prove their case,” Comrie said. “I think the mayor’s response has been calm and focused and cooperative — what are you going to do? There’s nothing else for him to do but to be as cooperative as possible.”

The senator had not heard of calls for Caban’s resignation before the Chronicle asked for his take, and was surprised to hear of them. Told more, he mumbled, “How did this get to him being ...” before trailing off, exasperated. He paused, then added, “It has to be something proven, as opposed to speculative.”

Still, many electeds have remained mum on the issue.

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica) had “no comment at this time.”

Also declining to comment were Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Councilman Jim Gennaro (D-Hillcrest), Councilmember Sandra Ung (D-Flushing) and Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park).

Even though little is known at this point, to Holden, “the whole administration has a shadow cast over [it].”

“We just don’t know what they’re looking for,” the councilman said, “but whatever they’re looking for, for the FBI to take these kind of drastic measures to raid officials who are leaders of New York City government, it’s kind of, it’s unnerving.” Q

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Kamala Harris is talk of the town in S. Rich Hill

by Haidee Chu

THE CITY

This article was originally published on September 9 at 5:00 a.m. EDT by THE CITY.

These days, visitors to South Richmond Hill’s ubiquitous roti shops pick up more than just curries and doubles — they’re also bound to hear spirited conversation about Democratic presidential nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Uncles gathering in restaurants on Liberty Avenue talk proudly about the campaign of a candidate whose mother was Indian and father was Jamaican. Aunties active on Whatsapp and Facebook groups circulate posts about the woman who could become the country’s first female president. All the while, young IndoCaribbean organizers are working to mobilize members of the politically divided community ahead of November’s election.

Some know this corner of South Queens as Little Guyana while others call it Little Punjab. Here, descendants of Indian indentured servants brought to the British West Indies to fill post-abolition labor shortages make up one of the largest Indo-Caribbean communities in the United States. They coexist with a large Sikh population along with other South Asians from elsewhere in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

And on a visit last week, the word “Kamala” — a common name among Hindu families that refers to the lotus flower in Sanskrit, but often pronounced incorrectly by many American voters and Harris’ opponents — seemed to be on every tongue.

“I know she’s gonna win because I know a lot of people who are talking about her,” said 68-year-old George Hirnan, a retired Army metalworker who likes to people-watch and chat up neighbors while sitting outside a shoe store on Liberty Avenue.

“Everywhere you go you hear everyone talking about her,” added his friend Narine, a 62-year-old retired construction worker who declined to provide his last name because he’s undocumented. “I wish I could vote,” he said.

The vibe in Richmond Hill is a notable shift from the 2022 gubernatorial and congressional election. While the neighborhood voted solidly blue then, Republican candidate Lee Zeldin gained about 20 percentage points compared to the GOP standard-bearer in 2018.

Mohammed Q. Amin, executive director of the Caribbean Equality Project, a local social justice and human rights organization — and himself a Richmond Hill resident of Indo-Caribbean descent — said he’s seen how energized residents here

and in other Caribbean neighborhoods have been since Harris took over the top of the ticket.

Before President Joe Biden bowed out of the race, Amin said, perhaps five to seven people would register to vote at his organization’s outreach events, numbers that matched previous presidential elections. But at a drive in August, nearly five times as many people signed up, he said.

“Many green-card holders have come to us and said, ‘I wish I could vote in this upcoming election. I’ve applied for my citizenship but I don’t know if I’m going to get my interview in time to register. But I will come back and find you when I’m qualified,’” Amin said. “That’s the type of initiative that people are taking.”

Aminta Kilawan-Narine, a 35-year-old Indo-Caribbean organizer and founder of the progressive group South Queens Women March, said she’s noticed increased interest in Democratic politics among the neighborhood’s independent and swing voters.

“And I actually do think a big part of that, at least from my community, is because she’s from Caribbean and Indian descent,” said KilawanNarine, stressing that she was speaking for herself and not her organization.

Among the Kamala supporters were a group of five Indo-Guyanese friends spending their morning in a Burger King on Liberty Avenue. All were eager to offer their opinions, talking over one another when asked about Harris.

Roy K., a 70-year-old immigrant from Guyana and Richmond Hill resident of 30 years, said he’s an independent voter who’s backed members of both parties and doesn’t usually tune in for political conventions.

But he watched Harris speak in Chicago and her speech, he said, has helped change the minds of some of his friends and neighbors who usually back Republicans.

on Kilawan-Narine, who noted that many among the diaspora are also Muslim and some of them have so far remained uncommitted to Harris along with other Democrats over her position on the war in Gaza.

And on the other side of the political spectrum, she added, a number of community members have shifted to the right in recent years.

“Since the Trump election, for whatever reason, there has been a wave — a red wave — amongst the community,” KilawanNarine said. “I think a part of that is a lot of our folks, they have worked really hard to grow their American dream in all the ways that played out for them.”

“We’re just like Kamala Harris,” he said, gleaming with pride. “Our forefathers and grandparents from India, the same state that she came from, Tamil Nadu.”

Not yet sold on Kamala

While Harris’ candidacy has excited some of Richmond Hill’s voters, political divisions in the neighborhood do exist. That fact is not lost

Many Indo-Caribbean immigrants have become homeowners since arriving in New York City, she said, with some now building “mansions” in South Ozone Park where there were previously ranch houses.

This gradual accumulation of wealth, combined with internalized anti-Blackness from the colonial experience, she argued, have made some Indo-Caribbean voters receptive to conservative talking points about crime, immigration and the economy — and even the attacks from Donald Trump on Harris’ mixed-race identity.

While “people are paying a lot of attention because of the shared identity,” said Shivana Jorawar, cofounder of the progressive IndoCaribbean anti-violence and gender justice organization Jahajee Sisters, “I also think that Democrats have not

ris is “OK” but that she’ll be voting for Trump — though not because of his platform.

“I don’t know much about the politician, but I hear my children say they love Trump, and I’m not much educated,” said Luckmen, who recalled leaving school as a young girl in Guyana because her family couldn’t afford it.

The 64-year-old is selling on the street even after police slapped her with a thousand-dollar ticket for vending, she added, because her husband has a disability and she needs to help provide for the family.

“I don’t know much — I could read a little and write my name, so my son said, ‘Mom, make sure you vote for Trump.’”

done enough to address the economic issues that working families are facing.” (Jorawar noted that she was speaking on behalf of herself and not her group.)

Some local Indo-Caribbean voters told THE CITY that they have remained undecided about the race, even as they’ve felt the excitement of having someone who looks like them as the Democratic presidential candidate.

Pam Mohabir, a 62-year-old Burger King employee and undecided voter, told THE CITY during her break that she is not yet convinced that a Harris administration would be able to address her concerns about inflation.

“I’d be glad to know if a lady can rule the country. But then I don’t know — things got to go right, because it’s too much expensive stuff in the country.” Mohabir said. “Nowadays in the store you got your $100 and you don’t get much.”

With politicians, she concluded, “Sometimes they say they gonna do this, they gonna do that, but they ain’t doing one thing.”

Many residents in the area, Jorawar added, feel unclear or confused on what a Harris administration would actually do for the diaspora — for example, whether it would provide a pathway to citizenship for the neighborhood’s considerable undocumented population.

This, she charged, is a symptom of how the Democratic Party has long neglected to reach out, educate and build trust with many of her neighbors who would’ve otherwise found solidarity with the party.

“So now we’re in a situation where it’s not at all surprising there are people who are supportive of Trump,” she said.

Debbie Luckmen, a street vendor who sells Guyanese sauces and pickled fruits underneath the elevated A-train track, said she thought Har-

‘Voices at the ballot box’ Amin, in the meantime, said he will be focusing his work in the next two months on voter education in Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park and other Caribbean hubs in New York City.

“This election, every single vote matters,” Amin said. “They impact foreign policy, immigration, LGBTQ rights, reproductive justice, healthcare and so much more. And for us, we want to be able to have our community members’ voices at the ballot box.”

Kilawan-Narine is also ready to jump into action, having planned a number of voter education and getout-the-vote events in the next two months along with other local nonprofits, including Caribbean Equality Project and Jahajee Sisters.

A Harris victory would feel like a full-circle moment, she said, as she recalled how, as the first Indo-Caribbean member of her South Asian law student association more than a decade ago, she reached out to Harris, then the attorney general of California, to speak to the group.

Although Harris couldn’t attend due to a conflicting obligation, Kilawan-Narine remembers Harris personally calling to send her best wishes for both the event and the young lawyer’s career and telling her that she hoped they would cross paths one day.

“I remember the excitement I felt then, and I remember the excitement that I felt the night, recently, when I joined the South Asian Women for Harris Zoom call,” Kilawan-Narine said.

“I’m thinking about how a decade later, you know, she’s now potentially going to be the next president of the United States.” Q

THE CITY (www.thecity.nyc) is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to hard-hitting reporting that serves the people of New York.

Liberty Avenue and 123rd Street in Little Guyana. Below, all in Little Guyana, George Hirnan; Roy K. at Burger King on Liberty Avenue; and Debbie Luckmen at Liberty and Lefferts Boulevard, Aug. 29, 2024. PHOTOS BY ALEX KRALES / THE CITY

MTA Career Info. Fair

Saturday, Sept. 21

The event starts at 11 a.m. in Jamaica

by Naeisha Rose Editor

Community Board 12, in collaboration with SUNY-Queens Educational Opportunity Center, which is administered by York College, is hosting an MTA Career Information Fair on Saturday, Sept. 21, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Jamaica.

The career fair will be held at 158-29 Archer Ave. and attendees will have the opportunity to meet with MTA representatives from Bridges and Tunnels, the MTA Bus Co., the Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad, New York City Transit, Construction & Development and MTA Headquarters, according to CB 12.

To learn more, call (718) 658-3308 or email qn12@cb.nyc.gov.

“The MTA is committed to providing good-paying jobs with benefits and room for growth,” said MTA Chief Administrative Officer Lisette Camilo via email. “Recruitment fairs like this one in Jamaica are a great opportunity for those who are looking to build an exciting career that keeps the region moving.”

The event is sponsored by state Sen. Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans), Assemblymembers Vivian Cook (D-Jamaica), Alicia Hyndman (D-Springfield Gardens) and Khaleel Anderson (D-South Ozone Park), and City Councilwomen Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica), the speaker, Nantasha Williams (D-St. Albans) and Selvena Brooks-Powers (D-Laurelton). Q

Divine Mercy CATHOLIC ACADEMY

Joe Caruana, right, last Wednesday was sworn in as president of the Our Neighbors Civic Association of Ozone Park by none other than Mayor Adams. It will be the last time Caruana is sworn into the role, as the longtime civic leader intends to retire after this upcoming June.

The meeting, held at St. Sylvester’s Knights of Columbus at 101-18 101 Ave. in Ozone Park, garnered a packed house of

more than 50 attendees eager to witness the inauguration of the civic’s board. Caruana told the Chronicle that the swearing-in ceremony was “amazing.” He said Adams spoke about the importance of civic associations and lauded Caruana for his work with both them and his nonprofit, the Caruana Foundation, which aims to fight food insecurity and promote financial literacy. — Kristen Guglielmo

Divine Mercy Catholic Academy we offer:

• A dedicated and qualified faculty and staff

• A safe and structure environment (CCTV)

• Lifelong Christian Values – Daily Religion Classes

• Internet Access in Classrooms

• Classes with SMARTboards, Laptops, Chromebooks and iPads

• LearnIT reading and math classes

• Spanish Gr. 5- 8

• Family tuition rates available

• School lunch program

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• Variety of activities to keep students engaged and involved during school as well as after.

• Aftercare program from 3:00 to 6:00pm for all grade levels

An MTA bus driver on the job. PHOTO COURTESY MTA

Caruana sworn in by mayor

C M SQ page 20 Y K

Ed Kranepool, Mets icon, dies at age 79

17-year-old

’62 Met would win ring, play in two World Series in Flushing

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

Ed Kranepool, the only original New York Met who also would play for the 1969 Miracle Mets and the “Ya Gotta Believe” 1973 National League champions, died Sunday after suffering cardiac arrest in Boca Raton, Fla, according to a press release from the team.

The first baseman and 1990 inductee into the Mets Hall Of Fame was 79.

Kranepool, a Bronx native, was 17 when he entered his first big league game as a defensive replacement for his future manager Gil Hodges on Sept. 22, 1962. He would get his first start and first base hit the following day. And he would play for the Mets through the 1979 season.

His 1,853 games remains a team record, 265 more than David Wright in second place. Kranepool still is among the Mets’ top 10 all time in hits, at-bats, runs, plate appearances, doubles, runs batted in and walks.

He is the fourth 1969 Met to pass this year, after Bud Harrelson, Jim McAndrew and Jerry Grote.

Team owners Steve and Alex Cohen mourned the Mets icon in a prepared statement.

“We are incredibly heartbroken to learn of Ed Kranepool’s passing,” they said. “He was an original Met, who debuted at age 17 in 1962. After starring at James Monroe High School in the Bronx, he would go on to play for his hometown team for the next 18 years, the longest tenured player in franchise history, appearing in 1,853 games with the Mets.

He represented the Mets in the 1965 All-Star Game in Minnesota but did not play. As his career wound down he became a respected and feared pinch hitter, with his .486 average in 1974 still the record for substitute batsmen with a minimum of 30 appearances in a single season. He finished his career with 90 pinch hits.

Kranepool was born three months after his father was killed in World War II, on Nov. 8, 1944. In 2011 he was part of a group at Citi Field honoring Iraq and Afghanistan veterans that included active duty or military reserve veterans including Tom Seaver, Harrelson, Ralph Kiner, Ed Charles and Joe Pignitano

Kranepool hesitated when it was his turn to speak, saying he did not know why he had been asked to appear, as he had never served.

“I always knew he would be a great pro.”

“As a sole surviving son, I was exempt,” he said, though he did visit troops overseas with the USO. The servicemen didn’t seem to mind, mingling afterward with one overheard telling Kranepool that he and his family had already paid dearly.

— 1962 Met Craig Anderson on a 17-year-old Ed Kranepool

“Ed hit a home run in Game 3 of the 1969 World Series to help the Miracle Mets capture the title. He was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame in 1990. Ed continued to work tirelessly in the community on behalf of the organization after his playing career ended. We cherished the time we spent with Ed during Old Timers’ Day and in the years since. Hearing Mets stories and history from Ed was an absolute joy. We extend our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.”

from the expansion draft.

“Eddie was a big bonus baby and I wasn’t,” Jones said. “He never had an ego and was just one of the guys. He was a wonderful person.”

Art Shamsky said he was devastated.

“I knew Krane for 56 years,” he said. “We did so many appearances together. We had lunch last week and I told him I would be there next week to see him again. I’m really at a loss for words. I can’t believe he’s the fourth guy from our 1969 team to pass this year — McAndrew, Grote, Buddy and now Eddie.”

Original Mets pitchers Jay Hook and Craig Anderson also paid tribute.

“Very young but very respectful person in 1962,” Hook said. “He got a Thunderbird with his signing bonus and because we lived next to each other, he used to give me a ride to the park. He even let my wife use his car.”

Anderson said the teenager always tried to learn from the veterans.

he said. “He saved me a lot of stolen bases.” Cleon Jones said he had spoken with Kranepool only last week about their being the last remaining 1962 signees to not come

Kranepool had been in the headlines in recent years during his wait for a kidney transplant, which he eventually received in 2019.

Tributes poured in from former teammates. The Mets included them in their announcement.

“He battled for so long and never complained about anything,” said Ron Swoboda. “I thought once he got his kidney transplant things would be great. He was a wonderful guy and even better teammate. We went into the restaurant business together. I can’t believe he is gone.”

Jerry Koosman called him the best first baseman he ever played with.

“We knew each other so well and I could tell by his eyes if a runner was going or not,”

“He was always picking the brains of the older guys,” he said. “I remember him talking to Gus Bell, Frank Thomas and Gil Hodges. I always knew he would be a great pro. He never took anything for granted.” Q

Helping neighborhood families

Nonprofit group River Fund made sure children are going to school prepared this fall, as it donated 400 backpacks and eager volunteers for a joint giveaway with Community Board 9, Assemblymember David Weprin and state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. on Sept. 7, at Phil “Scooter” Rizzuto Park in Richmond Hill. Board members, including those on its

Education Committee, along with Officer Nick Salamone of the NYPD’s 102nd Precinct and other community advocates, spent hours handing out the backpacks to appreciative kids and their families.

“When you have the best community partners, the community always benefits,” Sherry Algredo, Community Board 9’s chairwoman, said. — Kristen Guglielmo

Ed Kranepool would play long enough to see 1962’s Lovable Losers become the Miracle Mets. He still holds the club record for most games played.

Flood mitigation for the 21st century

by Naeisha Rose Editor

Gone are the days when simple construction projects and buttressing shorelines were the only methods of lessening the damage of storms.

Since taking office, Mayor Adams’ administration has spent $1.2 billion in flood mitigation efforts, the city announced on Monday, just days after the third anniversary of Hurricane Ida, which claimed the lives of 13 New Yorkers, 11 of whom were from Queens, including a mother and son from Hollis.

The investments range from using drone technology to warn residents of incoming heavy rainfall to investing in gray and green infrastructure to utilizing federal funds for Cloudburst projects to installing sensors citywide and more.

“In early August, for the first time ever, city public safety agencies deployed drones to support with public messaging and warning, ensuring that critical information reached those who needed it most,” said Aries Dela Cruz, the spokesman for Emergency Management. “The drone mission reflects our commitment to exploring innovative technologies that can enhance our emergency response.

“Drones have the added benefit of geographic specificity; during the early August flood events, the drones were sent to flood-prone neighborhoods to announce recorded warnings in English and Spanish.”

Last month, the city broke ground on its first Cloudburst Program project at NYCHA’s South

Jamaica Houses, said the DEP via email. The project should keep 3.5 million gallons of stormwater out of the sewer system.

According to the agency’s website, the Cloudburst system uses a combination of gray and green infrastructure management techniques to minimize storm damage from “cloudburst” downpours, or sudden short heavy rainfalls, to property.

The gray method includes using sewer pipes to transfer stormwater to underground storage tanks. The process also includes using porous materials for parking lanes and on basketball courts that absorb water into the ground preventing flooding.

The DEP is also installing slotted manhole covers that provide an alternate drainage point to help street level water drain into curbside catch basins in the event that storm drains get matted with leaves, debris or litter.

The green approach involves constructing curbside rain gardens and infiltration basins that intercept millions of gallons of floodwater, preventing overflow into waterways.

The city recently received $100 million in federal funds to construct two additional projects in Corona and Kissena Park and was shortlisted for $100 million more for East Elmhurst and Central Harlem. Engineers are designing a plan for St. Albans, which is anticipated in the coming months.

“I came into office with a clear focus on public safety and protecting New Yorkers’ wallets,” said Adams at a Sept. 9 press conference in Queens Village, in which the DEP completed its

The city broke ground last month on a Cloudburst project, which will use porous pavement to prevent flooding, at NYCHA’s South Jamaica Houses.

transformation of three acres of concrete medians into subsurface drainage chambers on Monday. “With climate change continuing to produce more intense and more frequent extreme weather, investments like these are a key part of our public safety and affordability strategies.”

The Queens Village project was created with rock and soil, ornamental grasses and perennial wildflowers that can collectively manage 5 million gallons of stormwater, said the city.

This week the city also installed its 200th flood censor in Corona well ahead of schedule, putting the administration on track to reach the mayor’s target of 500 by 2027, said the city. The

sensors are part of FloodNet, a network that provides real-time, street-level flood information through a free online dashboard. The data from the system allows residents, officials and emergency responders to immediately react and respond to flooding conditions.

Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven) hopes the investment in antiflood technology will help prevent further loss of life.

“Across all five boroughs, we have implemented sewer upgrades, 200 flood sensors, the first Cloudburst stormwater management project, 3 acres of bioswales, and more,” Rajkumar said in a statement. “This will keep millions of gallons of water from overwhelming our sewer system, flooding our streets and homes, and causing untold damage. This is a common-sense use of taxpayer dollars: studies show that every $1 in flood hazard mitigation saves $7 in recovery costs. Together, we will keep all New Yorkers high and dry and stop flood damage in its tracks.”

The city also has held Flood Preparedness Town Halls, where approximately 2,000 flood kits were given away.

“I recently attended a DEP flood preparedness event where homeowners watched a presentation and then were given sump pumps, flood barriers and a flood sensor alarm,” said Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Richmond Hill) in a statement. “This programming, along with the sewer and public safety infrastructure upgrades, will serve to prevent the damage we saw with Hurricane Ida.” Q

IMAGE COURTESY NYC DEP

On Roosevelt, three sides to every story

There’s old law, there’s new law, and there’s the ex-councilman

by Peter C. Mastrosimone Editor-in-Chief

The push for more action to clean up Roosevelt Avenue, revived last week with a press event and news release from a well-known figure in the area, has again reinforced the differing philosophical approaches to lawlessness in the area.

The issues include open prostitution, massage parlors that employ sex workers, drug use and drunkenness, illegal vending, mounds of garbage and rampant shoplifting.

The differences largely boil down to taking a strict approach to law enforcement or a more accommodating one that would legitimize things like sex work and more widespread vending, even while touting new public safety initiatives.

On the former side are the administration of Mayor Adams and City Councilman Francisco Moya (D-Corona).

On the latter side are other elected officials who represent the area, including state Sen. Jessica Ramos (D-East Elmhurst) and Assemblywomen Jessica González-Rojas (D-East Elmhurst) and Catalina Cruz (D-Corona), as well as Queens Borough President Donovan Richards.

And last week a third side reemerged: Democratic District Leader Hiram Monserrate. Along with his allies, the former councilman and state senator released “A Five Point Plan for a Better Roosevelt Avenue.”

Monserrate and the Let’s Improve Roosevelt Ave. Coalition, represented by longtime area resident Ramon Ramirez, also advocate a law-andorder approach. But Monserrate is toxic to many, including Moya, due to his being expelled from the state

Senate after being convicted of assault, and his serving federal prison time after pleading guilty to mail fraud related to the misuse of money he allocated while in the Council.

Monserrate also has run for office several times in recent years, for Council and Assembly. Only in a run for district leader has he prevailed.

The Let’s Improve Roosevelt Ave. Coalition, which also goes by the Spanish Vamos a Mejorar Roosevelt Ave., held a press conference Sept. 5 at 91st Street and Elmhurst Avenue, a short block off Roosevelt, and issued a press release calling for action.

“The Roosevelt Avenue Corridor has been taken over and is currently under the control of various organized crime syndicates, illegal marijuana shops, and hundreds upon hundreds of unlicensed vendors,” the release says. “This crisis cannot be corrected with an occasional sweep by the NYPD. The true solution will require a sustained police presence — along with a multi-agency response lead [sic] by the NYPD.”

The group’s five-point plan includes expanding the Roosevelt Avenue Task Force to 120 police officers, along with adding more cops to both the 110th and 115th Precincts, which share jurisdiction of the avenue; reconfiguring the precinct lines so that only one command would have authority; enforcing quality-oflife violations by issuing tickets to unlicensed vendors and seizing their goods; getting residents to give the city information and help beautify the area; and amending bail laws that allow repeat offenders to be released for crimes such as shoplifting.

“When I represented this community as a council member, we never allowed this,” Monserrate said in a prepared statement in the release. “Roosevelt Avenue has always had its challenges but what we have here now is complete lawlessness, it’s disgusting and must be fixed!”

Ramirez added that police do their jobs and must make arrests, and said people are not shoplifting because they are hungry but instead are selling stolen goods right on the street.

Moya, however, said in part that much of what the coalition is calling for already is being done.

“They say imitation is the best form of flattery,” he said via email. “For years, it has felt like I’ve been screaming into the void to get people to pay attention to the issues plaguing Roosevelt Ave. The reality is that only Mayor Adams and I have taken meaningful action to address the problems we face today.

“From hosting a Mayor’s Town Hall in 2023 in Corona and cleaning up Corona Plaza, to creating the Roosevelt Ave Task Force, introducing legislation requiring licenses for massage parlors, holding landlords accountable for renting to illegal businesses, and successfully closing over 20 brothels along Roosevelt Ave — these are the steps we’ve taken to drive real change.”

Ramos’ office pointed out that the state recently increased criminal penalties for retail theft and other associated crimes and that the governor just

signed the Retail Worker Safety Act, a priority of the senator’s.

“Roosevelt Ave certainly needs the City’s attention,” Ramos said via email. “As Senator I do what I can to include necessary upgrades to the MTA’s capital plan to keep our infrastructure up to date, and make sure the relevant State agencies that touch the avenue are paying attention, but the fact is the City has been removing trashcans, ignoring potholes, and ignoring the human trafficking that has been going on here since I was a child growing up in this neighborhood. Our neighbors have a right to be upset and to demand better from City Hall.”

Richards spokesman Chris Barca said, “We cannot criminalize our way out of poverty. That is why Borough President Richards is laser focused on scaling up the economic and societal infrastructure of Northwest Queens, through efforts like his Corona Plaza street vendor pilot program — which he is pushing to expand further into the community — and his $1.8 million allocation toward the construction of Make the Road New York’s new community center on Roosevelt Avenue.”

He also cited the borough president’s support for development initiatives as something that will provide good employment to area residents. Cruz could not be reached.

González-Rojas said public safety is a top priority and that she works with stakeholders including city agencies, the police and community groups to address concerns.

She cited the agreement limiting vendors in Corona Plaza as an example of cooperation and said via email, “This year we secured millions of dollars in the state budget and passed legislation to reduce gun violence, address retail theft and human trafficking, and strengthen local enforcement of illegal cannabis shops.”

She added that she will work with the “appropriate” people and institutions to find solutions and not those “who have been mired in corruption and don’t have the best interest of our neighborhoods at heart.”

Monserrate said in response to critics that “politics should be reserved for the campaign season” and everyone should work for the greater good. He also applauded Moya and the mayor for their efforts but said more must be done. Q

Garbage, much of it from vendors, such as these fruit boxes, was piled up on nearly every corner of a section of Roosevelt Avenue that the Queens Chronicle visited last weekend.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL SHAIN

At left, former City Councilman and state Sen. Hiram Monserrate, in suit, and retired engineer Ramon Ramirez hand out fliers at Roosevelt Avenue and 103rd Street in Corona, seeking support for the campaign to clean up the corridor. At center, young women loiter at the corner of Case Street and Elmhurst Avenue, just off Roosevelt, in Elmhurst. At right, a vendor with no license displayed.

Frequently asked questions about garage remodels

Homeowners tend to want to maximize all of the space they have in their homes. For some this may involve turning a garage from a utilitarian space into one that serves multiple purposes.

According to The Mortgage Reports, a home-buying and improvement resource, garage renovations can increase the value of a home and add living space. Garage remodels can create additional storage space, provide an area for a home gym or even create room for a home office. Prior to beginning a garage remodel, homeowners may have some common questions about the process.

living space. The firm Cottage, which pulled together a team of builders, architects and technologists, advises the average garage conversion provides an 80 percent return on investment. That ROI varies depending on location.

How can I upgrade the flooring?

Garages traditionally feature concrete floors. Although durable, concrete floors can feel damp, hard and cold underfoot. Both vinyl plank and epoxy flooring options can elevate the design and functionality of the garage.

Can I have the best of both worlds?

How much does the renovation cost?

Several factors will ultimately determine the final price of a garage remodel, but HomeAdvisor says the national average for a garage remodel falls between $6,000 and $26,000. Most homeowners come in at around $15,000 for a total garage conversion.

Will I recoup the investment?

A garage conversion adds value to a home if it creates new and usable

Sometimes a garage needs to serve many purposes. Lofting the garage means a homeowner can still park cars or utilize the lower space as a living area, all the while items are stored overhead. Some flip this design scenario and have the loft area as a bedroom or finished living space, while the lower portion remains a traditional garage area. Another thought is to finish only a portion of the garage. This works

well for two- or three-car garages where there will be room to park a car and the remainder will serve another purpose.

What are other ways to improve the garage?

Installing more windows or improving on the lighting in the garage can be important. The garage improvement experts at Danley’s say window installation enables people to circulate air in the garage without having to open the garage door. Improving the lighting means the

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garage can still be enjoyed or utilized after dark. Spread out lighting in the garage, and use a combination of overhead and task lighting just as one would in the home itself.

How do I deter bugs or other pests from entering?

Insects often want to hunker down in garages, and they may find it easy to get inside a garage. Keeping the garage clean and organized is the best way to deter pests and to spot infestations before they become problematic, indicates Mos-

quito Joe pest control company. Reducing water and humidity in the space, weatherproofing at the base of the garage door and other entry spots and utilizing insect repellents to make the garage less hospitable also can decrease the risk of insect infestation.

Remodeling a garage can ad d value and plenty of usable space to a home. Whether a garage houses cars or hosts neighborhood game night, a garage renovation can be well worth the investment. Q

Before remodeling a garage, homeowners may have many questions, including financing.

Our team at BENSOL

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Inspecting walls, attics or roof cavities for insulation

Use of thermal imaging, and blower door testing to assess draftiness and verify the correct placement of insulation

When homeowners combine proper whole home insulation with thorough air sealing, they can expect to:

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A beginner’s guide to fall planting and maintenance

Spring and summer are perhaps the busiest times of year for gardeners. However, fall also is a prime time to tend to gardens.

The tree and bare root retailer Bower & Branch advises that soil temperatures in many regions of the country may still be warm enough to encourage root growth well into the start of winter. Furthermore, fall is often the ideal time to plant, fertilize and keep a garden going or to get a head start on next year’s bounty.

Here are some tips to make the most of the fall gardening season.

• Think about fall annuals and bulb planting. Near the end of September, start planting coolweather-loving pansies and violas for pops of color as summer flowers fade. Also, it’s a good idea to stock up on bulbs that will bloom in the months to come before they sell out in stores. Wait until the temperatures really cool down b efore planting them in desired spots for spring sprouts.

• Sow salad seeds. Lettuce, spinach, radishes and arugula tolerate cooler temperatures. Try new and interesting lettuce varieties and enjoy salads well into the fall season.

• Take inventory of the sun.

Positioning a garden carefully means maximizing hours of sunlight, which begin to dwindle in the fall. Experts say gardens grow best in sunny locations that receive six hours of direct sunlight each day. This is where container gardens can be helpful, as they allow gardeners to move plants into spots that will get ample sunlight.

• Fill in landscaping gaps. Some fall plants can add color around the landscape and bright-

en up homes to add curb appeal. In addition to pansies and violas, asters, kale and chrysanthemums are fall blooms. Keep in mind that mums can come back year after year. So take them out of those flower pots and get them into the ground. They can be enjoyed next year as well, sprouting in early spring and developing leaves and buds through late summer.

• Clean up unwanted growth. Fall is an ideal time to cut back

spent vegetable plants and get rid of errant weeds. Rather than bagging leaves, mow them with a grass catcher and then add the mix to a vegetable garden as an excellent soil insulator. The nitrogen and carbon will fertilize the soil, enhancing growing possibilities and limiting weed growth.

• Propagate plants in the fall. As temperatures gradually begin to cool, start taking cuttings from perennials, gathering seed pods from azaleas and rhododendrons and dividing hardwood cuttings, says the resource Gardening Know How. Consult with a garden center or horticulturist on the proper ways to propagate stems using rooting hormone and other techniques.

• Continue to water plants. Water is essential in the fall and winter as roots can still be growing. Gradually reduce watering duration as plants go dormant.

Fall planting and maintenance can extend gardening season and improve the chances of growing a healthy spring garden. Q

— Metro Creative Connection

Well-maintained plantings can retain beauty and interest well into the fall.

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KEYSPAN GAS EAST CORPORATION d/b/a NATIONAL GRID

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by KeySpan Gas East Corporation d/b/a National Grid (“Company”) that it has filed with the New York State Public Service Commission (“Commission”) proposed tariff revisions to its Schedule for Gas Service, PSC No.1 – GAS, to become effective, on a temporary basis, September 1, 2024.

These revisions have been filed in compliance with the Commission’s Order issued August 15, 2024 in Case 23-G-0226. The table below compares the Company’s current rates (prior to September 1, 2024) to rates effective September 1, 2024 by service classifi cation.

S.C. No. 1A, 5-1A – Residential Non-Heating Service

S.C. No. 1AR, 5-1AR – Residential Non-Heating Service

Monthly usage

First 3 therms or less

Next 47 therms, per therm

Over 50 therms, per therm

Current Rates 09/01/24

$19.75 $21.75

$1.6275 $2.8472

$0.3971 $0.8453

S.C. No. 1B, 5-1B – Residential Heating Service

S.C. No. 1BR, 5-1BR – Residential Heating Service

Monthly usage

First 3 therms or less

Next 47 therms, per therm

Over 50 therms, per therm

Current Rates 09/01/24

$21.66 $24.59

$1.3528 $1.9054

$0.3185 $0.4487

S.C. No. 1B-DG, 5-1B-DG – Distributed Generation

Monthly usage

First 3 therms or less

Over 3 therms, per therm

Current Rates 09/01/24

$33.04 $34.89

$0.1786 $0.2849

S.C. No. 2-A, 5-2A – Non-Residential Non-Heating Service

Monthly usage

First 3 therms or less

Next 87 therms, per therm

Next 2,910 therms, per therm

Over 3,000 therms, per therm

Current Rates 09/01/24

$37.66 $41.50

$1.8441 $2.0820

$0.3739 $0.4931

$0.2404 $0.3269

S.C. No. 2-B, 5-2B – Non-Residential Heating Service

Monthly usage

First 3 therms or less

Next 87 therms, per therm

Next 2,910 therms, per therm

Over 3,000 therms, per therm

S.C. No. 3, 5-3 – Multi-Family Service

Monthly usage

First 3 therms or less

Next 997 therms, per therm

Over 1,000 therms, per therm

Current Rates 09/01/24

$37.66 $41.50

$1.8428 $2.0026

$0.4627 $0.6285

$0.3194 $0.4947

Current Rates 09/01/24

$74.66 $83.95

$0.5053 $0.6617

$0.2985 $0.4315

S.C. 9, 5-9 – Uncompressed Natural Gas Vehicle Service

Monthly usage

First 3 therms or less

Over 3 therms, per therm

Current Rates 09/01/24

$38.00 $ 42.44

$0.6165 $ 0.7771

S.C No. 15, 5-15 – High Load Factor Service

Monthly usage

First 10 therms or less

Over 10 therms, per therm

Current Rates 09/01/24

$153.35 $169.75

$0.2243 $0.2909

S.C. No. 16, 5-16 – Year-Round Space Conditioning Service

Monthly usage Current Rates 09/01/24

First 3 therms or less

Next 497 therms, per therm $1.7319 $2.1568

Over 500 therms, per therm $0.2969 $0.3698

S.C. 17 – Baseload Distributed Generation –Rate 1 – Less than 1MW Monthly usage Current Rates 09/01/24

First 10 therms or less $180.61 $204.38

Over 10 therms, per therm (Apr –

S.C. 17 – Baseload Distributed Generation –Rate 2 – Equal to or greater than 1 MW but less than 5 MW

S.C. 17 – Baseload Distributed Generation –Rate 3 – Equal to or greater than 5 MW but less than 50 MW

usage Current Rates 09/01/24 First 10 therms or less $949.35 $1,074.32

10 therms, per therm (Apr – Oct) $0.0376 $0.0572

10 therms, per therm (Nov – Mar) $0.0513 $0.0779 Demand charge per therm of MPDQ $6,252.00 $6,252.00

S.C. 18 / 19 – Non-Firm Demand Response Sales Service – Tier 1 Monthly usage

S.C. 18 / 19 – Non-Firm Demand Response Sales Service – Tier 2

Monthly usage Current Rates 09/01/24

First 10 therms or less $375.00 $375.00

Over 10 therms, per therm $0.1285 $0.1784

These revisions have been filed in compliance with the Commission’s Order issued August 15,2024 in Case 23-G-0226. Copies of the proposed revisions are available for public inspection and can be obtained on the Company’s website at https://www.nationalgridus.com/Long-Island-NY-Home/Bills-Meters-and-Rates/ or the PSC’s website (dps.ny.gov).

by Stephanie G. Meditz

The intricate art of weaving is a soothing, rhythmic experience for some Brooklyn-based artist Joell Baxter combines these ideas of order and chaos with her solo exhibition entitled “Iterate, Reiterate” at the Garage Art Center

The intricate art of weaving is a experience for some

Reiterate” in Bayside through Sept. 29.

“Iterate, Reiterate” beckons viewers through the gallery’s bright red doors into an ever-changing celebration of color with delicate, woven paper panels

“Iterate, Reiterate” beckons viewers t hrough ga llery’s red doors

this chaos and then looking for the order.”

this chaos and then looking for the order

Since the pa nels hang from one central point, they sway such that even people wa lking by can change the image that another viewer sees.

there [are] people in the space, they become part of it ... you never get the

“Wherever you’re standing, you’re going to get a different view than the person you’re next to based on where you are and also even just how tall you are,” the artist said. “And then also because ever yt hing is transp arent, i f become never same view twice.”

Visitors will see the woven ombre strips appear to change color as they walk around the panels. The brightly colored strands form complex, overlapping shapes to create a visual experience that changes with the viewer’s

Visitors will see t he woven strips appear to co lor as t hey overlappi ng sha pe s to create a visual exp erience that cha ng es with the viewer’s movement and stillness a like.

“You walk in and it feels like this very exuberant, playful color craziness, and then as you walk it, you start to realize that it has this underlying system to it,” Baxter said. “But because it’s got all this transparency, it never totally resolves into one or the other. You’re kind of going back and forth between

“YYou walk in and it t feels s like this s very exuberant , play ful color r crazinesss, and then a s walk it, start to realize that it ha s this under lying to it,,” Ba xter said “But because it ’s a ll this transpparencyy, it never tot ally y resoollves intto one or the e other You’ u re kiind o of going back and f fo t rth h betweeen

Garage Art Center’s intimate space Baxter to use its entirety to

The Garage Art Center’s intimate space inspired Baxter to use its entirety to create an immersive experience for the viewer. The panels are situated such that visitors can look through them at the geometric woven and drawn pieces

that visitors can look through them at the geometric woven and drawn pieces on the wa lls.

“LLooking the central kind of affec ts every thing g you see on the wall, and can also go around look at without the sculpt p ure,,” Baxter said. “I feel like this thing g in the center is kind of like a

“Looking through the central sculpture kind of affects everything you see on the wall, and then you can also go around and just look at the piece without the sculpture,” Baxter said. “I feel like this thing in the center is kind of like a

continued on page 31

King Crossword Puzzle

I HAVE OFTEN WALKED

Omar Minaya swung a mean bat in Corona, Elmhurst

by Ron Marzlock Chronicle Contributor

Omar Teodoro Antonio Minaya was born Nov. 10, 1958 in the city of Mao, located in the tobacco region of El Cibao in the Dominican Republic, to Lolo Minaya and Antonia Sanchez. He was named for Omar Khayyam, the Persian poet.

Lolo, after rotting in prison as a political prisoner, came to the United States in 1965. In October 1967, he brought Antonia, their two daughters, Adelina and Sixta, and Omar to Corona. Lolo was a laborer and Antonia a schoolteacher. They lived in several places in Corona, around 41st, 42nd and 43rd avenues. The last place they lived was 108-78 42 Ave.

When Omar entered Newtown High School in Elmhurst, he showed his talent for baseball. He hit .489 as a catcher. At age 19, in June 1978, he was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the 14th round.

Sadly, it didn’t work out due to injuries.

But Minaya became a scout, discovering he had a knack for finding talent in the rough. He was hired as assistant general manager for the Mets in 1998. He became GM for the Montreal Expos in 2002 and then returned as

GM to the Mets in 2004. His accomplishments and trades always made headlines. In 2023 he went to the Yankees as an advisor. His son Justin decided to go for basketball, which Minaya respected. Sadly, he lost his wife, Rachel, at age 55, on July 21, 2024 at their home in New Jersey — setting the family back as they mourn the loss. Q

One childhood home of former Mets General Manager Omar Minaya was in this building at 108-78 42 Ave. in Corona, as it looked in the 1950s. INSET

Making the World’s Fair a masterpiece

by Michael Gannon

qboro contributor

Robert Moses, the controversial master builder, wanted the 1964-65 World’s Fair to be not only successful but spectacular. Francis Cardinal Spellman, the archbishop of New York and the most influential Catholic leader in the country, wanted spiritual inspiration and healing in a time of deepening national division in the United States.

All they had to do was convince the newly chosen Pope Paul VI to allow one of Michelangelo’s greatest masterpieces to be put on display in the Vatican Pavilion in Flushing Meadows Corona Park for the better part of 18 months.

In her new book, “Our Lady of the World’s Fair,” Ruth Nelson tells the fascinating story of how the 465-year old sculpture “Madonna della Pietà,” better known simply as La Pietà, became its most popular attraction; and how the effort involved playing fields from religion and the arts to hardball city politics and international diplomacy.

Nelson is an instructor in art history at The College of DuPage in Illinois. Her family used to live outside the city, and visited the fair when she was young child. She has no clear recollection of seeing the Pietà, though family members do.

Her interest was kindled 20 years ago.

“I went back to work on my master’s in Italian Renaissance art,” Nelson told the Chronicle. “I think it was then that I thought of the Pietà and the New York World’s Fair. How would St. Peter’s [Basilica] ever let their masterpiece leave and end up in the World’s Fair, of all places?”

The sculpture depicts Mary cradling the body of her son Jesus taken down from the

cross. Michelangelo worked on it for two years, completing it in 1499.

Nelson did her first research at the New York Public library in 2017, and also had access to the archives of the archdiocese. It was, however, the Brooklyn Diocese archives that were the mother lode.

“A lot of preparation went into this, because it was such a risky undertaking,”

Nelson said. “That, and it was so outrageous to the Italians that they passed a law so it would never happen again.”

The book starts with chapters introducing Moses and Spellman, how their lives and careers took shape. Both were men of focus and powerful will, with long records of achieving what they set out to do. Both had a lot of very influential friends, and over time, would collect many dedicated enemies. On the latter, Nelson believes both were far too harshly judged by history.

Moses saw opportunity in bringing the World’s Fair to its 1939-40 site.

He knew if the Vatican could be persuaded to bring the Pietà, it would draw crowds. He reached out to Spellman, a religious and political conservative, who knew the Pope from his days posted in Rome and had the ability to secure financial support from Catholic dioceses across the country.

When Paul VI became the first pontiff to visit the Western Hemisphere, his trip to the fair was planned to be low-key, unofficial.

“But Robert Moses wasn’t going to waste the opportunity,” Nelson said. The papal motorcade was brought in through the main gate to a marching band.

The book, published by Three Hills, comes out Sept. 15 and is $29.95 wherever books can be purchased or ordered. Q

Suspended shapes and shadows on view in Bayside

continued from page 29

generator and these things on the walls are like the artworks that are emanating from it.”

Baxter has been told that her work’s tactility makes the viewer want to touch it. Visitors will get that chance by creating their own woven paper panels at her workshop on Sept. 28.

“We always do art workshops when we do these solo shows of artists, by the art-

Crossword Answers

ist,” Garage Art Center Founding Director Stephanie Lee said. “It will help the participants to understand the artist’s perspective deeper by doing what’s exhibited already there by their own hand.”

After the workshop, free and open to all, Baxter will invite attendees to add their pieces to her sculpture’s hanging element and allow the works to exist in conversation.

“I don’t sit down and say, ‘Hmm, what am I going to make?’ and write up some notes and then make it. It’s really like I just start making something and that rhythm of weaving helps me think,” she said. “I don’t know if it would do that for any of the participants, but it gives them that opportunity. It’s thinking through doing.”

Baxter became familiar with Bayside when she completed a commission at PS 41 as part of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs’ Art for Public Schools initiative.

“I find Bayside to be so relaxing. There is this spaciousness about it that I think translates into how I approached the work,” she said.

Another artist will weave her way into the Garage Art Center next month. As the

Works in the “Iterate, Reiterate” show at the Garage Art Center in Bayside. On the cover: Artist Joell Baxter among her paper panels.

temperature drops and cozy sweaters make a comeback, Mary Tooley Parker will reimagine wool and other fabrics through weaving in her solo exhibition, “Textile Compositions,” from Oct. 5 to 27.

“You don’t have to go to the city or further out. We just bring the quality visual art right into your neighborhood,” Lee said. Learn more about the Garage Art Center’s exhibitions at garageartcenter.org. Q

Ruth Nelson, top left, just published her book on Michelangelo’s “Piet à,” the star attraction of the 1964-65 World’s Fair in Queens.

PHOTOS COURTESY THREE HILLS, LEFT, AND OFFICIAL GUIDE BOOK VATICAN PAVILION, NEW YORK WORLD’S FAIR 1964-65, VATICAN PAVILION INC., ABOVE

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE G. MEDITZ

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SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION, -againstLAWRENCE HOUSE, ET AL. sNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on August 22, 2023, wherein PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION is the Plaintiff and LAWRENCE HOUSE, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction RAIN OR SHINE on the COURTHOUSE STEPS OF THE QUEENS COUNTY COURTHOUSE, 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD., JAMAICA, NY 11435, on October 4, 2024 at 10:00AM, premises known as 19043 112TH AVE., SAINT ALBANS, NY 11412; and the following tax map identification: 10951120. 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, COUNTY OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 709885/2015. Jose C. Polanco, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

Legal Notices

NOTICE OF SALE

In pursuance and by virtue of a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly granted and entered in and action entitled NYCTL

1998-2 Trust v. Sereth T. Hosty, et al., bearing Index No. 91862011 before the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Queens, IAS Part 6, Justice Tracy Catapano-Fox, on or about February 26, 2024, I, the Referee, duly appointed in this action for such purpose, will expose for sale and sell at public auction to the highest bidder on October 4, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., at the Queens County Supreme Court located at 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, New York 11435, the mortgaged premises designated as Block 11190, Lot 37 in the City of New York, County and Borough of Queens, State of New York and known as 22323 109th Avenue, Queens Village, New York 11429, directed in and by said judgment to be sold. The approximate amount of the judgment is $299,772.53 plus interest and other charges, and the property is being sold subject to the terms and conditions stated in the judgment, any prior encumbrances and the terms of sale which shall be available at the time of sale.

Dated: September 5, 2024 New York, New York Richard Gutierrez, Esq. Referee 118-35 Queens Blvd., Suite 1500 Forest Hills, New York 11375 (718) 520-0663. DAVID P. STICH, ESQ. Attorney for Plaintiff 521 Fifth Avenue, 17th Floor New York, New York 10175 (646) 554-4421

60-60 FRESH POND

ROAD

REALTY, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 08/19/24. Office: 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, 57-87 75th Street, Middle Village, NY 11379. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT SERIES I TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. ZELIA E. GREEN, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on May 13, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, on the second floor in Courtroom 25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on October 4, 2024 at 10:00 a.m., premises known as 224-06 114th Road, Cambria Heights, NY 11411. 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, County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 11268 and Lot 83. Approximate amount of judgment is $358,307.44 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index # 703963/2023. The Referee shall comply with the Eleventh Judicial District’s COVID-19 policies concerning public auctions of foreclosed properties. These policies, along with the Queens County Foreclosure’s Auction Rules, can be found on the Queens Supreme Court - Civil Term website.

Richard Gutierrez, Esq., Referee Greenspoon Marder, 1345 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 2200, New York, NY 10105, Attorneys for Plaintiff

Notice of Formation of David Physical Therapy PLLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 07/09/2024. Office 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 LLC, 66 ROCKWELL PLACE #6B, BROOKLYN, NY 11217. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

I, Anthony Brian Clements, am an American Indian proclaiming and reclaiming my birthright lineage & standing in the Americas which predates the United States corporation/government. I have expatriated from the United States Citizenship as well, as of September 2024. I am now superseding my New York State National status. My ONLY lawful standing in any of the Americas as well as Canada and the world is as an American Indian who is a free birthright sovereign man. I am neither a Dawes Roll, nor federal nor state recognized, nor am I of the five Civilized Tribe’s Indians. The Iroquois Confederacy never had nor has the authority to represent or speak for myself as an Algonquian Indian. I reclaim my home, the land it’s on and all former Algonquian lands free of charge and I only answer to peer federally misclassified “Black” Indians who stand outside of the United States jurisdictions as myself should I live freely outside of Algonquian lands. Though called “Indian” via colonization I reserve right to self-Identify due to the overwhelmingly bad faith in the United States and all of its affiliates.

My tribe known as the Pasquotank & part of the Weapemeoc Nation was a sister tribe to the Powhatan Confederacy; we were as I still am an Algonquian first birthright man of the land. Evidence of my birthright sovereignty lies in the discovery of my tribe by the English prior to the creation of the United States in 1585. My people are said to have had an unwritten “Gentlemen’s Agreement” with the English which is considered a form of a treaty in English law. A treaty is a contract between two or more sovereign nations. Therefor, I hereby reclaim my birthright sovereignty as my only lawful standing. I release myself and all peer Indians from all the spells against us permanently and in pepetuity shall they return to senders.

The original United States Constitution of 1787 was known as the Continental Constitution. In this constitution as well as in the 1789 and 1790 Constitutions it is stated in Article I, Section 2: “Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which may be included within this Union, according to the respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed....”

This Article establishes that American Indians are NOT represented in Congress because we are NOT to be counted in any state or federal Census for representation in Congress OR to be taxed in ANY way shape or form. To tax American Indians would be taxation without representation. Taxing American Indians is simply UNCONSTITUTIONAL. As well, as an American Indian I am outside of the entire United States government system this means the Unites States corporation has no legal authority over me nor am I bound to its laws, statutes, codes, rules, regulations etc. nor any of its president’s federal, state or international UN or United Nations executive orders, mandates, guidelines, suggestions, rulings of any kind.

I decree that NO contract I have signed or may sign under duress, without full disclosure or due to having NO OTHER alternative, will have the effect of removing me from my sovereign standing now, permanently and in perpetuity. I declare my immunity from waving my American birthright to any entity person place or thing corporate, religious, man, woman, nobility or otherwise.

In the spirit of good will towards so called “indigenous people” displayed in documents like UNDRIP, I expect the full cooperation of any corporate and/or government entity such as the United States, it’s leaders, members and member nations of the United Nations, all of its agencies and offshoots as well as its uplink owner(s) nobility and Catholic or any religion’s clergy.

As the doctrine of discovery has been denounced by the leader of the Roman catholic Church, I see no justification for the continuance of any subjugation under any corporation’s nobility or clergy. I will have my own form of identification to show my American Indian sovereign standing to any agents of the United States corporation, and it is to be honored as such by all entities I may show it to. The United States is to make all other corporate entities aware that this ID is FULLY valid and to be accepted. Any hinderance, delay or hostile retaliation constitutes unlawful continued terrorizing and genocide of American Indians. This public notice is subject to additional content and/or further edits. Also see the “Public Notice” video & this written statement as well as related information here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/ UCGA01rgh5TtdJ8IluF2udMw and here: (20+) Facebook

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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.

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Notice of Formation, 85-28 Owners LLC. Filed with SSNY on 08/02/2024.

Ofice: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 85-28 144th Street, Briarwood, NY 11435.

Purpose: any lawful

Ayllu Andino LLC. Filed with SSNY on 08/12/24.

Office: Queens County.

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DIVORCE SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION AND MAILING Docket No. BR24D0755DR Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Monica E Morocho Sacta vs. Jose P Paguay Siguencia. Bristol Probate and Family Court Office of Register Suite 240, 40 Broadway Taunton, MA 02780. To the Defendant: The Plaintiff has filed a Complaint for Divorce requesting that the Court grant a divorce for Irretrievable Breakdown. The Complaint is on file at the Court. An Automatic Restraining Order has been entered in this matter preventing you from taking any action which would negatively impact the current financial status of either party. SEE Supplemental Probate Court Rule 411. You are hereby summoned and required to serve upon: ldelta Dasilva, Esq. Lider, Fogarty and Ribeiro, P.C. 101 Jeremiah v Sullivan Drive Fall River, MA 02721 your answer, if any, on or before 11/20/2024. If you fail to do so, the court will proceed to the hearing and adjudication of this action . You are also required to file a copy of your answer, if any, in the office of the Register of this Court. WITNESS, Hon. Katherine A Field, First Justice of this Court. Thomas C. Hoye, Jr. Register of Probate Date: August 23, 2024

Notice of Formation of 57-57 & 57-05 47TH ST LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State (SSNY) on 4/30/24. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Dawn M. Torres, 119-19 15th Ave, 2nd Fl, College Point, NY 11356. Purpose: any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of SALIM GROUP LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 06/03/2024. Office 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, 8706 101ST AVE. APT 2, OZONE PARK, NY 11416. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

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 #: 701595/2020 Bank Of America, N.A. Plaintiff, vs United States Of America Acting Through The Secretary Of Housing And Urban Development, New York City Environmental Control Board, Millie J Austin, JR. As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee Aka Rosie Mae Wells, Alice M Walker As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee Aka Rosie Mae Wells, Janice A Diggs As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee Aka Rosie Mae Wells, Veral A Diggs As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee Aka Rosie Mae Wells, Henry J Diggs, JR. As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee Aka Rosie Mae Wells, Varnel L Diggs As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee Aka Rosie Mae Wells, Jennira S Roundtree As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee Aka Rosie Mae Wells, Curtis Alexander Eley As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee Aka Rosie Mae Wells, Lakeesha Natasha Eley As Heir To The Estate Of Rosie Lee Aka Rosie Mae Wells, Unknown Heirs Of Rosie Lee Aka Rosie Mae Wells If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, Any And All Persons Unknown To Plaintiff, Claiming, Or Who May Claim To Have An Interest In, Or General Or Specific Lien Upon The Real Property Described In This Action; Such Unknown Persons Being Herein Generally Described And Intended To Be Included In Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Real Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Widows, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, New York City Transit Adjudication Bureau, New York City Parking Violations Bureau, United States Of America On Behalf Of The IRS, People Of The State Of New York “John Doe #1” Through “John Doe #12,” the last twelve 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 Subject Property described in the Complaint, Defendant(s). Mortgaged Premises: 118-01 152nd Street To the Above named Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Queens. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Unknown Heirs of Rosie Lee AKA Rosie Mae Wells Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Tracy Catapano-Fox of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Sixth day of August, 2024 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens, in the City of Jamaica. The object of this action is to foreclosure a mortgage upon the premises described below, dated April 16, 2008 executed by Rosie Lee AKA Rosie Mae Wells (who died on November 26, 2020, a resident of the county of Wake, State of Florida) to secure the sum of $544,185.00. The Mortgage was recorded at CRFN 2009000260182 in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County on August 18, 2009. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed January 20, 2010 and recorded on February 17, 2010, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2010000054123. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed January 20, 2010 and recorded on February 17, 2010, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2010000054124. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed April 9, 2010 and recorded on May 7, 2010, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2010000154144. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by a gap assignment executed July 31, 2019 and recorded on August 14, 2019, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2019000259681. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed June 3, 2019 and recorded on June 27, 2019, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2019000203029. The property in question is described as follows: 118-01 152nd Street, Jamaica, NY 11434 NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this Foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: August 15, 2024 Gross Polowy LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100, Williamsville, NY 14221 The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. Jamaica, NY 11434 82201

SECOND SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS Index No. 720881/2019 STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT – COUNTY OF QUEENS METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, Plaintiff, -vs- THE HEIRS AT LARGE OF BETSY MIDDLETON A/K/A BESSIE MIDDLETON, deceased, and all persons who are spouses, widows, grantees, mortgagees, lienors, heirs, devisees, distributees, successors in interest of such of them as may be dead, and their husbands and wives, heirs, devisees, distributees and successors of interest of all of whom and whose names and places are unknown to Plaintiff; JERMAINE THOMAS; DANIELLE KIRKLAND; GREG RUSSELL; KERRY KATSORHIS, GUARDIAN AD LITEM AND MILITARY ATTORNEY; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; Defendants. Mortgaged Premises: 104-40 194th Street, Hollis, NY 11412 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 hereof. Your failure to appear or 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, unless the Defendant obtained a bankruptcy discharge and such other or further relief as may be just and equitable. 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 to 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 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. These pleadings are being amended to substitute the unknown heirs for BETSY MIDDLETON A/KA BESSIE MIDDLETON, Mary Middleton and by removing the unknown heirs of Thomas Kirkland a/k/a Thomas A. Kirkland, a/k/a Thomas Anthony Kirkland and Jermaine Thomas as Administrator to the estate of Thomas Kirkland a/k/a Thomas A. Kirkland, a/k/a Thomas Anthony Kirkland. QUEENS County is designated as the place of trial. The basis of venue is the location of the mortgaged premises. Dated: April 22, 2024 Mark K. Broyles, Esq. FEIN SUCH & CRANE, LLP Attorneys for Plaintiff Office and P.O. Address 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800 Rochester, New York 14614 Telephone No. (585) 232-7400 Block: 10887 Lot: 61 NATURE AND OBJECT OF ACTION

The object of the above action is to foreclose a mortgage held by the Plaintiff recorded in the County of QUEENS, State of New York as more particularly described in the Complaint herein. TO THE DEFENDANT, the plaintiff makes no personal claim against you in this action. To the above named defendants: The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of HON. TRACY CATAPANO-FOX Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, dated August 8, 2024 and filed along with the supporting papers in the QUEENS County Clerk’s Office. This is an action to foreclose a Mortgage. ALL that Lot of Ground situate in the County of QUEENS, State of New York

Mortgaged Premises: 104-40 194th Street, Hollis, NY 11412

Tax Map/Parcel ID No.: Block: 10887 Lot: 61 of the BOROUGH of QUEENS, NY 11412 82150

C M SQ page 36 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 #: 720532/2023 U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE OF BRAVO RESIDENTIAL FUNDING TRUST 2021-C Plaintiff, vs JOSE PEREZ IF LIVING, AND IF HE/SHE BE DEAD, ANY AND ALL PERSONS UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF, CLAIMING, OR WHO MAY CLAIM TO HAVE AN INTEREST IN, OR GENERAL OR SPECIFIC LIEN UPON THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THIS ACTION; SUCH UNKNOWN PERSONS BEING HEREIN GENERALLY DESCRIBED AND INTENDED TO BE INCLUDED IN WIFE, WIDOW, HUSBAND, WIDOWER, HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DESCENDANTS, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, COMMITTEES, LIENORS, AND ASSIGNEES OF SUCH DECEASED, ANY AND ALL PERSONS DERIVING INTEREST IN OR LIEN UPON, OR TITLE TO SAID REAL PROPERTY BY, THROUGH OR UNDER THEM, OR EITHER OF THEM, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE WIVES, WIDOWS, HUSBANDS, WIDOWERS, HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DESCENDANTS, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, COMMITTEES, LIENORS, AND ASSIGNS, ALL OF WHOM AND WHOSE NAMES, EXCEPT AS STATED, ARE UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, CRIMINAL COURT OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, QUEENS SUPREME COURT, ATLANTIC CREDIT & FINANCE SPECIAL FINANCE UNIT LLC A/P/O SYNCHRONY BANK, SOFI LENDING CORP. AS ATTORNEY-IN-FACT FOR WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR SOFI CONSUMER LOAN PROGRAM GRANTOR TRUST 2019-2, TRINCHESE CONSTRUCTION INC, DIAN FA SUPPLIES INC, JAWAM, INC D/B/A EMPIRE BAIL BONDS, NEW YORK CITY PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU, NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD, NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU, CEYLON LEASING LP, PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON BEHALF OF THE IRS JOHN DOE (Those unknown tenants, occupants, persons or corporations or their heirs, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, assignees, creditors or successors claiming an interest in the mortgaged premises.) Defendant(s). MORTGAGED PREMISES: 416 Beach 43rd Street Far Rockaway, NY 11691 To the Above named Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Queens. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Jose Perez Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Timothy J. Dufficy of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Ninth day of August, 2024 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens, in the City of Jamaica. The object of this action is to foreclosure a mortgage upon the premises described below, executed by Jose Perez dated the March 13, 2006, to secure the sum of $423,200.00 and recorded at CRFN 2006000172761 in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County on March 28, 2006. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed March 29, 2007 and recorded on July 17, 2007, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2007000367338. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed April 5, 2014 and recorded on July 8, 2014, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2014000226806. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed January 28, 2020 and recorded on January 30, 2020, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2020000039496. The mortgage was subsequently modified on June 29, 2020. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed June 29, 2023 and recorded on July 11, 2023, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2023000172281. The property in question is described as follows: 416 Beach 43rd Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691 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 or legal aid office, there are government agencies and non-profit 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 helpline 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 visit 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 unfairly profit from a homeowner’s distress. You should be extremely careful about any such promises and any suggestions that you pay them a fee or sign over your deed. State law requires anyone offering such services for profit to enter into a contract which fully describes the services they will perform and fees they will charge, and which prohibits them from taking any money from you until they have completed 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 filed this Foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: August 13, 2024 Gross Polowy LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221 The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 82158

H & S786 GROUP LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/07/22. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, c/o Haseena Shamin, 144-38 87th Ave, Jamaica, NY 11435. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of LUVENIA’S LEGACY, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 08/09/2024. Office 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: GERARD HASKINS, 217-15 110TH ROAD, QUEENS VILLAGE, NY 11429. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of Sand & Thread LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/28/2024. Office 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: GINA L. GONZALEZ, 465 SENECA AVE., 2R, RIDGEWOOD, NY 11385. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of SPONGE ELECTRONICS LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 07/31/2024. Office 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 LLC, 5919 57TH DRIVE, MASPETH, NY 11378. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS

Supreme Court of New York, Queens County AJX MORTGAGE TRUST I, A DELAWARE TRUST, WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, TRUSTEE, Plaintiff -against- JOHN FERRARO; STACY THOMPSON AS LIMITED ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF JACK C. CONTI, DECEASED; ROSEMARY CONTI A/K/A ROSEMARY FERRARO, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JACK C. CONTI, DECEASED; DOMINICK CARMINE CONTI, AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF JACK C. CONTI, DECEASED; UNKNOWN HEIRS OF JACK C. CONTI, DECEASED; UNITED STATES O/B/O INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; CITY OF NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU; CITY OF NEW YORK ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; NEW YORK STATE TRANSIT ADJUDICATION BUREAU; “JOHN DOE” AND “MARY DOE”, SAID NAMES BEING FICTITIOUS, IT BEING THE INTENTION OF PLAINTIFF TO DESIGNATE ANY AND ALL OCCUPANTS, TENANTS, PERSONS OR CORPORATIONS, IF ANY, HAVING OR CLAIMING AN INTEREST IN OR LIEN UPON THE PREMISES BEING FORECLOSED HEREIN, Defendants. Index No. 712867/2015. Mortgaged Premises: 158-15 98th Street Howard Beach, New York 11414 Block: 14168 Lot: 55 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 NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECTIVE of the above captioned action is to foreclose on a Mortgage to secure $480,000.00 and interest, recorded in the Queens County Clerk’s Office on August 6, 2008 in CRFN 2008000313092, covering the premises known as 15815 98th Street, Howard Beach, New York 11414. 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 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. FRIEDMAN VARTOLO, LLP 1325 Franklin Avenue, Suite 160 Garden City, New York 11530, Attorneys for Plaintiff.

OPEN HOUSE

Sunday, September 15th 2:00pm to 4:00pm 159-29 92nd Street

and conditions

High Ranch motherdaughter style, large above-ground pool, solar panels, and recently renovated

Seller Tip #1: Ensure you’ve received the best offer for your home by keeping it on the market until the contract is signed. Continue showcasing your property, as you might receive a better offer during the contract signing phase. OPEN

Saturday, September 14th 12:00pm-2:00pm 156-22 96th Street

HOWARD BEACH

Charming Raised cape nestled in Old Howard Beach. Three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, private drive, one-car garage, and large yard for outdoor activities.

OPEN HOUSE

Saturday, September 21st 12:00pm to 3:00pm 107-21 116th Street

HOWARD BEACH SOUTH RICHMOND HILL

2-family house, situated on one of the largest lots in the neighborhood, features a basement, driveway, garage, and a spacious backyard.

THE BROOKLYN UNION GAS COMPANY d/b/a NATIONAL GRID NY

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by The Brooklyn Union Gas Company d/b/a National Grid NY (“Company”) that it has filed with the New York State Public Service Commission (“PSC”) tariff revisions to its Schedule for Gas Service, PSC No. 12 – GAS, to become effective, on a temporary basis, September 1, 2024.

These revisions have been filed in compliance with the Commission’s Order issued August 15, 2024 in Case 23-G-0225. The table below compares the Company’s current rates (prior to September 1, 2024) to rates effective September 1, 2024 by service classification.

S.C. No. 1A, 17-1A – Residential Non-Heating Service

S.C. No. 1AR, 17-1AR Residential Non-Heating Service

Monthly usage

First 3 therms or less

Over 50 therms, per therm

Current Rates

$16.25

S.C. No. 1B-DG, 17-1B-DG – Distributed Generation

Rates

3

Over 3 therms, per therm

S.C. No. 2-1, 17-2-1 – Non-Residential Non-Heating Service

Monthly usage

First

S.C. No. 3, 17-3 – Multi-Family Service

09/01/24

S.C. No. 1B, 17-1B – Residential Heating Service

S.C. No. 1BR, 17-1BR-Residential Heating Service Monthly usage

First 3 therms or less

47 therms, per therm

S.C. No. 2-2, 17-2-2 – Non-Residential Heating Service

Rates

S.C. 4A-CNG, 17-4A-CNG – Compressed Natural Gas

1,000 therms, per therm

S.C. 7, 17-7 – Seasonal Off-Peak Service Monthly

S.C. 21, 17-21 – Rate 1 – Less than 1MW

usage

S.C. 21, 17-21 – Rate 3 – Equal to or greater than 5 MW but less than 50 MW

Monthly usage

Current Rates 09/01/24

First 10 therms or less $771.69

Over 10 therms, per therm (Apr – Oct) $0.0256

Over 10 therms, per therm (Nov – Mar)

S.C. 22 – Non-Firm Demand Response Sales Service –

Tier 1 (Commercial & Governmental / Multifamily)

Monthly usage

First 10 therms or less

Over 10 therms, per therm

S.C. 4A, 17-4A – High Load Factor

S.C. 4B, 17-4B – Year Round Air Conditioning Service

S.C. 21, 17-21 – Rate 2 – Equal to or greater than 1 MW but less than 5

10 therms, per therm (Apr – Oct)

10 therms, per therm (Nov – Mar)

S.C. 22 – Non-Firm Demand Response Sales Service –Tier 2 (Commercial & Governmental / Multifamily)

Monthly usage

Current Rates 09/01/24 $375.00 $375.00 $0.2325/0.1933 $0.2840/0.2360 Current Rates

First 10 therms or less

Over 10 therms, per therm

These revisions have been filed in compliance with the Commission’s Order issued August 15,2024 in Case 23-G-0225.

Copies of the proposed revisions are available for public inspection and can be obtained on the Company’s website at https://www.nationalgridus.com/NY-Home/Bills-Meters-and-Rates/ or the PSC’s website (dps.ny.gov).

B SPORTS EAT

On the Mark

by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor

The Mets are playing meaningful games in September for the first time since Steve Cohen purchased the team from the Wilpon family. While most of the plaudits for the team’s betterthan-expected season have rightfully gone to shortstop Francisco Lindor, the play of third baseman Mark Vientos also deserves recognition.

Vientos was a highly regarded prospect in the Mets farm system, but it was an uneven transition to the big leagues for him, as he spent most of 2023 shuttling between Syracuse and Flushing. I joked with him about being JetBlue’s best customer, and life in central New York State.

After a subpar spring training, Vientos began this season with the Syracuse Mets before being called up six weeks into the season when Brett Baty struggled yet again. When he saw me in May he quipped, “I am back from central New York State, and I don’t intend on returning!”

As was evidenced with his two-homer game last Friday, which was punctuated by a 10th inning walkoff blast resulting in a 6-4 Mets win over the Reds, Vientos has shown consistent power, and an ability to come through in the clutch. While he still strikes out around once per game, he has improved his ability to make contact as reflected in a batting average that has been close to .300.

While he will never be Brooks Robinson,

Vientos has worked on his defense. Manager Carlos Mendoza has not felt the need to replace him late in games when the Mets have a lead.

It has not been just his on-field heroics that have made him a Citi Field favorite; it is his upbeat attitude and profound sense of humor. I remember asking him in Spanish if he felt had to be a savior for the Mets’ offense by using the term, “el salvador.” He retorted, “My family is from Nicaragua,” without missing a beat. Vientos always makes time to speak with even the smallest news outlets, and interacts with fans.

An interesting factoid: Vientos’ agent is former Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen.

Mendoza surprisingly defended the umpiring crew, led by Vic Caparazza, who tossed closer Edwin Diaz from a game against the Cubs in Chicago for having an illegal substance on his hands. That resulted in an 11-game suspension for Diaz and a harmful effect on the Mets’ record.

Two weeks ago, the same crew caught Cubs reliever Justin Steele with a foreign substance on his throwing hand. Instead of tossing Steele, which would have resulted in a suspension, they allowed him to wash his hands without penalty.

Mendoza admitted this double standard bothered him, but he stopped short of saying Majo r League Baseball should come up with a uniform rule for overseeing these situations. Q

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

SAT SEPT. 28TH 11:00AM