Queens Chronicle South Edition 10-05-23

SOUTH QUEENS EDITION

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

High tide and hefty rainfall bring floods to Hamilton Beach

PAGES 2 AND 6

PHOTO BY AMAURY PIANTINI

Residents of Hamilton Beach experienced significant flooding throughout their homes and streets last weekend as a result of Friday’s torrential downpour combined with the full moon bringing about a high tide. Other parts of Queens were also waterlogged, but some areas that common ly experience flooding were spared.

Floods spare many in boro

Weekend storm passes on recently hard-hit

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

With all the streets and homes that flooded, all the cars that were rendered useless, some abandoned in city highways and more than 8 inches of rain dumped on John F. Kennedy International Airport, a curious thing happened in select spots of Queens from about 2 a.m. on Sept. 29 to 6 a.m. on Sept. 30.

Some of the worst-hit places in the borough in storms of the last few years came through relatively unscathed.

“We didn’t have many complaints,” said Gary Giordano, district manager of Community Board 5. “One of our primary flooding locations is in the area of Penelope Avenue and 72nd Street. I got in touch with somebody over there and they said they were not flooded.”

Giordano also said the infamous Cooper Avenue underpass beneath the Long Island Rail Road tracks in Glendale also was not the issue that has earned FDNY members medals for hazardous rescues in the past.

“I drove beneath the Cooper Avenue underpass, and it had pooled, but not flooded,” Giordano said.

Not everyone was so lucky. Heading up north into Woodside, a resident of 48th Avenue who has been flooded multiple times in

recent years, sustaining tens of thousands of dollars in damage, sent the Chronicle a photo of a geyser bursting up from a manhole, the street at first glance resembling a section of whitewater rapids.

But moving east, Forest Hills fared well according to CB 6 District Manager Frank Gulluscio. Portions of it were hit badly by the remnants of Hurricane Ida in 2021.

“Forest Hills did very well,” Gulluscio said.

“We had maybe one or two incidents with trees, and they were fixed immediately, by the end of the day. But we didn’t have anything like Ida.”

Even residents of 63rd Drive in Rego Park appear to have caught a break. Homes on both sides of the street between Woodhaven Boulevard and Alderton Street have had more flooding in the last three years, some residents told the Chronicle earlier this year, than in the previous 10. And that has included massive sewage backups.

Resident Julius Adams told the Chronicle in an email that he and his neighbors did fairly well last weekend. But he qualified that.

“Most of us have new plumbing that includes a check valve with flood gate and manually closes off the water from coming in,” Adams wrote. “That was a $5,300 expense.” He also said a cleaning of the more than a dozen storm drains along the street

neighborhoods

back in August probably helped, though he said it still is done too infrequently.

Even Peck Avenue and adjacent streets in the Kissena Park corridor in Flushing reportedly did not flood as they often have before.

Giordano said that right across the border in Brooklyn things were far worse. He believes some sections of Queens benefited by the duration of the storm.

“The city’s drainage system is pretty much designed to take an inch and a half of rain per hour,” he said. “I think we didn’t get the flooding we could have expected because we didn’t get a crazy amount of rain in a short period ... And we probably got 7 inches.”

He said a storm on Aug 8, 2007, on the other hand, dumped 4.5 inches in 45 minutes, filling the Cooper Avenue underpass almost up to the bottom of the train trestle.

“That’s at least 12 feet, and we had flooding all over,” Giordano said.

There still was plenty of damage elsewhere, hardly surprising in a county that saw 11 people killed by Ida, many of whom drowned in basement apartments.

Gov. Hochul and Mayor Adams both declared states of emergency. Adams, speaking Friday after the brunt of the storm had passed, counted the city’s blessings.

“I want to thank all New Yorkers who followed our guidance and stayed safe today, and

I especially want to thank our first responders and city workers who stepped up to aid their fellow New Yorkers in need and keep our city going,” he said in a statement issued by his office.

While the Red Cross did not have to set up shelters as it did in Nassau and Westchester counties, a spokesman for the relief agency told the Chronicle that it had distributed more than 200 flood cleanup kits as of Tuesday, including 33 in Brooklyn and Queens. It also provided other support resources throughout the city. He said Red Cross workers were still in the field conducting outreach in Queens

continued on page 6

A driver on Friday posted a video of a flooded Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. CITIZEN SCREENSHOT

Put a lid on it! Gov. signs rail waste bill

Legislation sponsored by AM Rajkumar and state Sen. Addabbo becomes law

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

In 90 days, putrescible and nonputrescible waste transported by rail will be required to be covered with hard tarping to stop dangerous spillage and the emission of noxious gasses, according to bill A4928/ S2022, sponsored by Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar (D-Woodhaven) and state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven). It was signed into law by Gov. Hochul on Monday morning.

A joint press release from the offices of Rajkumar and Addabbo cited the importance of the bill’s passage by reflecting on the concerns of their constituents. Their offices said people shared stories of unbearable odors and toxic emissions from waste on trains at all hours.

One constituent living along rail tracks revealed he had been diagnosed with lung cancer, according to the press release. Administrators at Christ the King Regional High School reported students unable to concentrate due to headaches and nausea from nearby waste by rail.

Previous versions of the bill languished in the Legislature for 13 years. The legislation passed the state Assembly with a unanimous vote in April, and the Senate in May. According to the NYS Senate website, Addabbo has carried the bill each year since 2015.

In June, Rajkumar and Addabbo held a

press conference with Civics United for Railroad Environmental Solutions, a grassroots group that formed 14 years ago to fight for quality-of-life issues around the railroad. Together, they, alongside other community members, called on Hochul to sign the bill into law.

“I am proud to bring the people of New York State this monumental achievement for our environment and health,” Rajkumar said in a written statement. “By simply covering rail cars transporting waste, we will prevent noxious fumes and hazardous waste from endangering people.

“All we have to do is put a lid on it. lt is time to put a lid on the garbage, to put a lid on the noxious fumes, to put a lid on the hazardous waste. It’s time to put a lid on the destruction of our health and to put a lid on the destruction of our environment. Just put a lid on it. It is common sense,” she said.

“I am pleased that the concerns of our constituents who live in close proximity to rail activity have been answered,” said Addabbo, who also thanked the assemblywoman for her efforts, in a press release. “... Residents complained, their state electeds heard them, acted on it and resolved the issue. That is how government should work for its people.”

“Every New Yorker deserves to live in a safe and healthy environment,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx). “This legislation will ensure that the transportation of waste via rail does not put neighboring communities at risk from leaks, spills or odors and fumes.”

CURES Chair Mary Parisen Lavelle said, “It is with our deepest gratitude that we express our appreciation to both Assemblywoman Rajkumar and Senator Addabbo on their monumental accomplishment on getting state legislation passed to containerize waste in rail cars. The victory we’re celebrating today belongs to them. It belongs to the residents, the civics and Community Board 5.” Q

CUNY roadmap plans new goals for 2030

Chancellor Matos Rodríguez provides clarity at State of the University address

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

City University of New York colleges are undergoing ambitious changes, Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez said in his CUNY State of the University address on Oct. 3.

Opening remarks came from CUNY Board of Trustees Chairperson William Thompson, who shared that the institution has a “strategic roadmap to change the system by 2030.”

The plan consists of four goals, which are outlined on the CUNY website: Be a national leader in providing access to higher education for diverse populations of students; improve the ability to boost student outcomes and eliminate academic equity gaps; advance the community through comprehensive research, engagement and service; and modernize the CUNY system.

Matos Rodríguez said that in 2021, the organization began thinking about

life after the pandemic, wanting to create a “bigger, better, bolder CUNY.” Thus, the plan was imagined.

With the new goals come what Thompson described as an “ambitious advertising campaign.” CUNY ads can be found throughout all boroughs, on billboards and subways with the new slogan: “A degree for every dream.”

“New Yorkers won’t be able to miss CUNY,” Thompson said.

Matos Rodríguez told the audience at Hunter College that enrollment is on an “upswing.” For all of CUNY — which encompasses 25 colleges, including five Queens locations — freshman enrollment is up more than 4 percent, and transfer enrollment is up 7 percent.

Additionally, enrollment is up in both community and senior colleges. The chancellor also said there are more full-time students than ever currently enrolled.

The institution touts 175 fully

online programs, according to Matos Rodríguez, with 30 in development over the next year. CUNY hopes to double those numbers by 2030, he said. The institution is also reviewing new approaches to recruitment and financial aid, and exploring new methods of scheduling.

CUNY’s cutting-edge research is on the rise, with growing support from public and private funders. Last year, it raised $633 million in research funds, a record high, with a goal to increase that number by 20 percent by the end of the decade.

More than 80 percent of CUNY graduates stay in New York City, the chancellor noted. He said that students are “clearly well-prepared,” but they need reliable pathways to careers.

The institution is focusing on partnerships, already working with JP Morgan, IBM, Mount Sinai and Accenture in what it calls the New Jobs CEO

City University of New York Chancellor Félix Matos Rodríguez gave a State of the University address on Oct 3. LIVESTREAM SCREENSHOT

CURES Chair Mary Parisen Lavelle speaks alongside Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar and state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. at a June press conference calling on Gov. Hochul to sign bill A4928/ S2022 into law.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON / FILE

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Mother Nature brings floods to Ham Beach

Last Friday’s storm and weekend high tides wreak havoc on roads

by Kristen Guglielmo Associate Editor

Last Friday’s hefty rainfall and the weekend’s full moon bringing about a high tide created a perfect storm for residents of Hamilton Beach, who experienced heavy flooding in their homes and throughout the streets.

In a neighborhood Facebook group dedi-

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

cated to pictures of the area’s tide levels, neighbors showcased the havoc experienced over the weekend. Flooding in the area is common during high tides, so the group was especially active. A resident noted having to walk through at least 24 inches of water.

Amaury Piantini of 164th Avenue, a Hamilton Beach resident of four years, lamented the high tide level, posting a photo

of his block on Sunday at 10 a.m.

When asked if the area often experiences flooding to this degree, Piantini said, “It usually all depends on what’s going on in the ocean. Most times it’s just a regular tide cycle, which comes up average about 6 and a half to 8 feet,” he said.

Tom Rafaelle of 164th Road, a longtime resident of the area, was late to work on

Sunday due to the high tide, which flooded both the outside and inside of his home. Rafaelle told the Chronicle that his job offered 11 hours of overtime on Saturday, but he had to refuse because of the tide level.

One resident perhaps summed it up best, commenting on a post with the phrase, “You live here, you buy boots.” Q

Info available on storm repairs City offers tips for flooding cleanups

Following last Friday’s storm, the city’s Office of Emergency Management has released suggestions for owners and residents of damaged or possibly damaged buildings; and suggestions for safe, effective cleaning of areas that have been flooded:

• When surveying flood damage in a building look out for mold, any newly formed cracks along the wall and signs of foundation damage including bulging walls.

• Heavy flooding can have a significant effect on the structural stability of outdoor structures such as decks, porches and retaining walls. Take extra precautions near such structures, due to the potential for collapse.

• Flooding can also cause the soil around buildings to shift. Be cautious of sinkholes forming on a property, especially near septic systems. Avoid areas around large trees if the surrounding soil is soft.

• Owners who want to reoccupy damaged residences should first hire a New York state-licensed, registered architect or professional engineer to assess the building’s safety. Owners should take pictures of all damage and flood impacts and keep receipts for all repairs if they intend to apply for disaster assistance or to make an insurance claim.

• Extensive repair work in a building may require the services of a registered contractor as well as NYC Department of Build-

ings-issued work permits. Electrical wiring repairs will require the services of a licensed electrician. Gas plumbing system repairs will require the services of a licensed plumber.

• Before starting any major repairs on a building, one should contact a construction professional or the Department of Buildings.

• To make repairs, owners need to work with an engineer or architect who has the necessary city permits. Residents should obtain two or three quotes from different contractors before beginning the work, which can vary widely in price depending on various conditions. Owners who need assistance with applications for permits should call 311.

For cleaning after flooding:

• Dry all areas and items quickly and thoroughly.

• Dry clean or wash and dry all clothing and other items. Clean floors, furniture and other surfaces with detergent and water.

• Stay out of deep water. Extensive flooding damage may require clean-up and restoration by professionals.

• If a basement or cellar is flooded, use caution when pumping out water. Pumping out water from a building too quickly could cause structural damage. The water must be drained slowly to equalize pressure on both

sides of building walls.

• Keep children, pets and people with compromised immune systems away until the area has been cleaned and disinfected.

•Use protective eyewear and waterproof gloves and boots when cleaning or coming into contact with sewage.

• Throw away any food (including packaged food) that may have been touched by sewage water.

• Use soap and water to clean surfaces

Storm survey

continued from page 2

and throughout the region to assess damage to homes in order to determine next steps and support needs.

Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) called for more city action on Friday evening on Twitter, aka X.

“The rising frequency of these storms shines a light on our need to address outdated infrastructure, more inspection of catch basins on our roads/highways, lack of enforcement on those paving over lawns and greenspaces, & the pressing issue of climate change,” Holden tweeted. “We

contaminated with sewage.

• To disinfect, wipe surfaces with a bleach solution (half cup bleach in one gallon of water). Nonbleach sanitizers can also be used. Never mix bleach with ammonia or detergents containing ammonia products since dangerous gases may be created. Bleach can damage some materials, so use with caution.

• To prevent mold growth, remove all wet, porous materials. Fix leaks or report them to your building owner as soon as possible. Use dehumidifiers if available. If the power is out, open windows for ventilation. Q

need to do more.”

The Queens Chamber of Commerce on Saturday posted two useful links for stormrelated city services.

One, reportdamage.nyc.gov, links homeowners, tenants and businesses with the city’s Housing Recovery Report Damage Portal. Information collected gives the city important data for future planning, and allows city agencies to see who might qualify for relief assistance.

The second, bit.ly/3tlIUns, links users to the website for Notify NYC, where people can register to receive emergency alerts from the city. Q Sophie Krichevsky contributed to this story.

The weekend brought flooding to Hamilton Beach, where high tide levels in the aftermath of Friday’s storm caused significant flooding. One resident posted a photo of the front of his home to Facebook, at right, saying there was no way he could make it to work on time in such conditions.

PHOTOS BY AMAURY PIANTINI, LEFT, AND TOM RAFAELLE

Narcan training event Oct. 17

Opioid overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S., with 80,111 reported fatalities in 2021, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Administering naloxone (also known by the brand name Narcan) at the onset of an overdose is a potentially lifesaving measure.

To help prevent overdoses, state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) is partnering with the Jamaica Community Adolescents Program to host a free naloxone training event for his constituents at The Shops at Atlas Park, located at 8000 Cooper Ave. in Glendale, on Oct. 17 at 5 p.m.

Participants will learn how to recognize the signs of an opioid overdose and how to administer naloxone. After the 20-minute course, participants will receive a certificate of completion and a naloxone kit.

“... I am proud to be working with J-CAP and the Shops at Atlas Park to bring this fast, simple, yet important program to the community,” Addabbo said.

To participate, call Addabbo’s office at (718) 738-1111 to RSVP. Space is limited and walk-ins are first-come, firstserved. Q

— Kristen Guglielmo

Educating our students to be independent thinkers and lifelong learners

Neir’s to celebrate 194th year on 10/7 Columbus Day event in HB

by Kristen Guglielmo

Associate Editor

All are welcome to celebrate Neir’s Tavern’s 194th anniversary at its annual block party event on Oct. 7, from 12 to 6 p.m, located on 88th Avenue between 78th Street (Neir’s Tavern Way) and 77th Street.

The event will feature fun activities for people of all ages. Kids can enjoy a bounce house and a table that will feature multiple activities, including face painting. There will be a pop-up market and a raffle for a basket of prices, including Neir’s T-shirts, caps and other surprises.

Free hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy and bottled water will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The Kelly Green Quartet will play jazz music, with a DJ to follow. Kwabs Dance Co. will hold a dance demo.

The Neir’s Ambassador Awards, held at 2:30 p.m., will feature surprise guests. The “GoodFellas Challenge” banner, with a cutout of where Robert DeNiro once stood during the iconic film, will give attendees the chance to pose for a souvenir photo.

The Steeplechase Course event, in which entrants “ride” a hobbyhorse down the

block, completing various activities along the way, will serve as a nod to the historic Union Course Racetrack. There will be a race for children and a race for adults. Participants who bring their own stick horse are requested to make a $5 donation for charity as an entry fee, or a “horse” can be purchased for $20, which includes entry fee.

The Kiwanis Club of Ozone Park-Woodhaven is sponsoring the event.

“We are so honored to have a sponsor that shares our community values,” said Loycent Gordon, owner of Neir’s Tavern.

“We would like to give a special acknowledgement to the new president of the Kiwanis Club, Walter Chaluisant, and to all of the Kiwanis Club members who are aligned with our concept of bringing the community together and always paying it forward,” he said. “We call it ‘multiplying the good’ — and this is certainly the case with the Kiwanis.”

A commemorative 194th anniversary journal will be distributed. This year’s celebration is dedicated to Ruschell Boone, an Emmy Award-winning journalist who passed away last month at 48 due to complications from pancreatic cancer. Q

In partnership with the Howard Beach Columbus Day Foundation, Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) is again bringing a Columbus Day celebration to Howard Beach.

From noon to 8 p.m. on Oct. 8, residents can enjoy Italian music, games and more along Cross Bay Boulevard, between 158th and 159th avenues.

“With Columbus Day under attack from so many in this city, it is great that we can all come together on this day and celebrate our shared history as Italian-Americans — and especially as Italian-Americans in New York City,” said Ariola. “We had a great turnout last year, and I am looking forward to an even bigger, better turnout this year.”

“Howard Beach has always been a vibrant community, with many ItalianAmericans contributing to the development and success of the area,” said Mario Faulisi, president of the Howard Beach Columbus Day Foundation. “I am proud to be able to bring this celebration back to the neighborhood once again, so we can remember our heritage and remember where we came from.” Q

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Adams must dissuade mass migration

Mayor Adams is right to seek a suspension of the “right to shelter” mandate in light of the unprecedented influx of foreigners pouring into the city. It’s just not right that any person on the planet who makes it to Mexico and then either walks into U.S. territory or presents himself or herself at a legitimate crossing and says the magical word “asylum” is entitled to room and board courtesy the taxpayers of New York City. Yet that’s how things stand right now, and that’s why anyone who doesn’t completely want to surrender our sovereignty is saying “Enough!”

Including, sometimes, Mayor Adams. It all depends.

Adams went to court Tuesday to say that the right to shelter — which is not a law but the result of a legally dubious consent decree ordered by a court back in 1981 — should be suspended. Its purpose was to provide for homeless people, many with mental or substance-abuse issues, who were roaming the streets. It was “never intended to apply to the extraordinary circumstances our city faces today,” Adams correctly asserts.

And as this page previously has pointed out, the section of the state Constitution the consent decree relies on only says that care for the needy must be provided “by the state and by such of its subdivisions” as the Legislature may determine. If the Legislature wants to determine that the subdivision of New York State known

as New York City must provide room and board for all and sundry it can say so. You know, make law the old-fashioned way. Until then, the mayor is right to seek relief. And if he doesn’t get it, he should seriously consider simply not providing housing to the migrants anyway, and waiting for someone to take him to court. That would take about 10 seconds. Then it all could be hashed out. Meanwhile, it’s great that Adams is going to Latin America to dissuade more of its residents from coming here. We’ve seen more than 122,700 migrants arrive since the spring of 2022. This is not sustainable. He puts the cost of providing for all these people at $12 billion over three years. That’s money that won’t go to services for those already here, native-born and not. The poor will suffer most. But Adams needs to stay on message. Just before he went to court about the consent decree, one of his aides called on the federal government to “close the borders.” She is exactly right. A nation is not a nation without borders. This influx, coordinated by cartels on one side of the border and nonprofits on the other, must stop. But Adams found himself compelled to say “the borders should remain open” — even while complaining about the result. No, Mr. Mayor, the answer is to keep people from coming here in these numbers. Go down there and tell them so, and let’s hope we can get our immigration system restored and even improved.

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

E-bikes can kill

MERZON

Be a filmmaker

The Queens World Film Festival has become one of the borough’s most beloved artistic events. If you want to watch some fine independent movies from around the world, you’ve got time — the festival is set for April. But if you want to make one of the films that will be shown, as the ads say, you must act now!

Submissions to the QWFF open Oct. 20, and the deadline is Jan. 15. The competition will be fierce, but you’ve got a shot: In the 12 festivals prior to next year’s, Queens World has shown 1,844 films, including 289 from the borough, according to the organizers. You can read more about what they’re looking for in a story in this week’s paper, or at qchron. com. Queens keeps moving up in the art world, this festival is one big reason why, and you can be a part of it. Release your inner Spielberg and press record!

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Dear Editor:

I’m 76 years old. I’d like to make it to 77. I’m worried I won’t. I’m not sick — quite the opposite, I’m in good health and do a lot of walking in Forest Hills and Rego Park. In the past year though, I have come thisclose to being killed. The would-be killer didn’t have a gun or knife. He had an e-bike.

I’m not prone to exaggeration but on these occasions, there was nothing more than an inch or a millisecond separating me from the next life. In your Sept. 21 issue, you ran a front-page story about a “Scooter Tsunami” (“Lunchtime labyrinth on Rego Pk. sidewalk,” multiple editions). The complaint was there are too many of them; they crowd the sidewalks, and the situation seems out of control. I get why people are upset but I think there is a much worse e-bike problem, a deadly one.

This year, according to Streetsblog, e-bike or moped riders have killed three pedestrians. This month alone, two women were struck in broad daylight in Manhattan. One died shortly after. In both cases, the e-bike rider was to blame. It won’t be long before that happens here.

My worst close calls have come at night. I wait for the green light. I look both ways. I start to step off the curb and then suddenly and silently, an e-bike whizzes past me so close the breeze almost blows off my hat. The machine was black, no light. The driver wore

dark clothing. There isn’t a sound. They were going the wrong way or against the light, or in one case, both.

The problem is obvious and the solution is simple: more and better enforcement of basic traffic laws. We’re all in favor of fast deliveries and cheap transportation but I am tired of dueling with death when I walk outside.

Dennis O’Brien Forest Hills

Queens loses again

Dear Editor:

Re “Mayor Adams shares housing zoning plans,” Sept. 28:

The mayor is advocating to reform zoning laws to achieve his new housing initiative. Naturally, middle-class areas in Queens are going to be “upzoned dramatically.” How is that not surprising?

Who won’t be upzoned? Let’s see if not leafy, gentrified nabes cleverly downzoned for

“historic preservation”; foremost bleedingheart, liberal-central, essentially migrantless, shelterless, affordable housing-less Park Slope, Brooklyn. There, housing is actually reduced as fat cats convert once multidwelling brownstones into nine-figure, single-occupancy mansions, while enjoying their built-in five-figure property tax discount, safe from any simila r change initiative.

Naturally a replacement for 421a, the tax credit for developers, is needed. Coming right up, because the same bunch in those Queens neighborhoods slated to be turned into teeming favelas will continue to pay plenty for the privilege. Let’s not be remiss and acknowledge once again here Queens’ own City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica) and Borough President Donovan Richards, naturally enthusiastic for the plan, stepping up as always in effectively serving up historic Queens and its denizens for Brooklyn elites.

Edwin Eppich Glendale

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

Preserve parking rules

Dear Editor:

Of course we need more housing, especially affordable. However, we need to increase our capacity to handle more people first. Schools are overcrowded, we have electric supply problems, our sewage system is overflowing, etc. But the most pressing issue for every neighborhood in every borough in New York City is parking. Look on any social media post, read community newspapers, watch the news or drive around and see for yourself. Every motorist has difficulty finding a parking space. Some drive around for hours trying to park. Others fortunate enough to have a driveway get blocked in by drivers who are themselves desperate to park and overhang the opening.

With this in mind, it is utterly absurd that Mayor Adams wants to remove the requirement that new housing includes off-street parking, and then add to it by allowing people to convert their garages into apartments. Can you imagine how much harder parking would be if there were more people, fewer garages, and new homes with no driveways or garages?

Lee Rottenberg Middle Village

It’s all about the donors

Dear Editor:

Isn’t there a misprint in your latest edition?

The mayor’s “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” should actually read: “City of Yes for Real Estate Opportunity Developers Who Fund My Political Career and Many of Those at City Hall.”

Ian Anderson Kew Gardens

Policies drive people out

Dear Editor:

Just when I started to think that Mayor Eric Adams and his cronies in City Hall and Albany couldn’t be any more out of touch, Adams goes ahead and makes a stupid statement like this:

“... a housing shortage that has forced so many people to leave this great city, making life increasingly difficult for those who stay” (“Mayor Adams shares housing zoning plans,” Sept. 28, page 2).

New York residents aren’t fleeing the city because they can’t find affordable housing here. They are selling the houses they already have and leaving by the tens of thousands to states like Florida, North and South Carolina, and others because they have had enough of the stupid policies that have ruined this city over the past decade or so. High taxes, failed public schools, poor quality of life, filth, rampant drug abuse, out-of-control crime, so-called criminal justice reforms that reward lawbreakers while

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demoralizing their victims and those who follow the law, wasteful spending with no real benefit to everyday New Yorkers, and a climate that is increasingly hostile to drivers, the middle class, people living in the outer boroughs, and businesses are driving New Yorkers away.

Mr. Mayor, people aren’t leaving New York because they can’t afford a house. They’re moving to places where they can enjoy a sense of freedom and a quality of life that hasn’t been found here for years.

Leonard Klie Glendale

End horse racing’s horror

Dear Editor:

Re “Horses return to Aqueduct as homestretch nears,” Sept. 21, multiple editions:

Two thousand racehorses die each year on American tracks. Horse racing is not a sport — horse racing kills.

Racehorses are injected with drugs to keep them running, even through pain and injury. What happens openly at the track would qualify as animal cruelty if done to our pets and people. A racehorse begins “training” at 18 months and is raced at 2 years old — way too young. Horse racing is not a sport; it is exploitation of a weaker species for a shameful reason: $2 bets. “Carnage” is “large-scale death and destruction,” exactly what is happening within the horse racing industry. And it is subsidized by taxpayer dollars, monies that could be used elsewhere.

The bodies of adolescent athletes (horses) are pounded into the ground without remorse. Athletes are kept in tight, solitary confinement for over 23 hours a day. Athletes are condemned to a life as (literal) chattel. Athletes are drugged and doped without consent. Athletes are whipped — beaten — for motivation. Athletes routinely die on the playing field. Athletes are brutally and violently slaughtered upon retirement (there is footage).

Racehorses are treated like Amazon products, kept isolated in small stalls and shown no affection, given no stimulation — just an existence that is cruel and merciless. Many “retired” racehorses are bled out and butchered in foreign abattoirs. The maiming and destruction of racehorses are inherent to the industry. Death at the track is an inevitable part of racing. This resembles no other sport. Visit horseracingwrongs.org.

We’re filled with gambling options for enjoyment: casinos, lotteries, real sports involving humans. Leave the horses out of it. Stop the betting. Bettors hold all the cards — no more bets, no more kills.

Mariya Smetaniuk Woodhaven

Good guy Don Harold

Dear Editor:

Regarding your “I Have Often Walked” column last week, “Don Harold saved city subway history for the future,” Don Harold was much more than saving subway cars for the transit museum. He was also a hell of a nice guy whom I first had the pleasure of meeting shortly after he was hired as a public information officer for the Transit continued on next page

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

continued from previous page

Authority in the late 1960s.

I often went to him for information for my college papers on transportation. He even provided me with a complete set of Brooklyn bus transfers, which I used for my master’s thesis showing how to ride 14 buses for one fare, while most trips with two buses required two fares. He told me how he spent an entire month working solely on the production of the first “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” movie. He would also rant on with me how he was a hawk regarding the Vietnam War. I never told him I opposed the war, but just listened. He will be missed.

Allan Rosen Brooklyn

The writer is a retired New York City Transit official.

Elon Musk vs. AOC

Dear Editor:

A recent fundraising email from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez complained that Elon Musk said on Twitter, “She’s just not that smart.”

AOC should have shown in the email how much smarter she is than Musk:

AOC graduated with degrees in physics and economics from the University of Pennsylvania. Musk graduated from Boston University with degrees in international rela-

tions and economics.

At the age of 28, AOC had formed a company that she sold for $307,000,000. At the age of 28, Musk was working as a bartender.

AOC’s company Tesla has sold over 4,500,000 electric vehicles that combat climate change. Musk’s Green New Deal has set unrealistic goals such as relying on 100 percent renewable energy by the year 2030.

AOC’s company SpaceX has placed over 5,000 satellites in its Starlink program. Among its benefits, Starlink provides internet service to remote First Nations homes in Canada. Musk is silent about NASA and the benefits of space exploration on his website.

AOC earned the Fritz Award for scientific and industrial achievement in any field of pure or applied science. Musk chased away tens of thousands of high-tech scientists and engineers who would have been employed at Amazon’s HQ2 in Queens. Virginia’s Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine and Mark Warner recently expressed their gratitude to Amazon for providing these high-tech jobs in Virginia. Amazon is also donating $160 million to 150-plus local nonprofits, community groups and schools.

Why didn’t AOC note these? Because for all of the above, AOC and Musk should be switched. I agree AOC is “just not that smart” and needs to be voted out of office.

David Soukup Sunnyside

Sen. Liu inspires future civics

State Sen. John Liu was the guest of honor last Tuesday morning at PS/MS 207 Rockwood Park in Howard Beach.

During the visit, Liu spoke to middle school students, like Alejandro Loubriel and Joshua Vasquez, seen above, about the different levels of government and the separation of powers.

Liu, who serves as chair of the NYC Education Committee, also discussed his pathway to becoming a state senator, detailing

his daily duties. He said that he started his studies with a major in mathematical physics, and told students it does not matter what they study as long as they are persistent, according to school social worker Melissa Meric.

Students from the school newspaper were able to ask Liu questions following his presentation, which had the main goal of inspiring civic engagement.

— Kristen Guglielmo

Leos Club meeting in Ozone Park, 10/6

In partnership with PS 64, the Ozone Park Howard Beach Woodhaven Leos Club will be meeting on Oct. 6, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the school’s cafeteria, located at 82-01 101 Ave.

While Leos Club membership starts at age 12, young leaders ages 10 to 18 will be able to meet and paint rocks for the school’s garden and create greeting cards to send to

Leos in Hawaii. Refreshments will be served. State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. is expected to attend.

Leo Advisor Jeremy Bucaria said the club’s goal is to offer leadership, experience and opportunities to youth.

To RSVP and claim a rock, email ozpkhbwoodleos@gmail.com. Q

OZP Residents Block Association meeting

The Ozone Park Residents Block Association invites all to attend to its monthly meeting on Oct. 12 at Majestic Marquis, located at 88-03 101 Ave.

A social hour will begin at 6 p.m., and the meeting will be from 7 to 9 p.m. The NYPD and Department of Transportation will be in attendance to discuss residents’ concerns. Q

PHOTOS BY MELISSA MERIC

City Council votes to lower property taxes

by Naeisha Rose Associate Editor

Some New Yorkers will receive a bit of relief as a result of four resolutions that were approved by the City Council last Thursday to lower property tax rates in the Big Apple.

More than 40 members said yes on Intros. 787, 788, 789 and 790, which act on a recently granted state authorization to amend the required formula for calculating fiscal 2024 levies on Class 1 and 2 homes.

Without the resolutions, the tax rate for Class 1 homes, or one- to three-family houses, would have gone up next year by 3.8 percent to 21.089 from 20.309 percent this year. Instead, it will go down 1.1 percent to 20.085 percent in 2024. Class 2 properties, or condos and co-ops, were expected to see a 5.5 percent jump in 2024 to 12.946 percent from 12.267 percent this year. The amendment decreases the rate hike to 1.9 percent or 12.503 percent.

Councilman Robert Holden (D-Maspeth) of District 30, which includes part or all of Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Ridgewood, Woodhaven and Woodside, voted no on all four resolutions.

“This is one of those bills that helps one group of people but hurts the other,” said Daniel Kurzyna, Holden’s chief of staff. “We try to speak to these finance chairs and we say, ‘You can’t bind certain causes together.’”

Kurzyna said that the resolutions punish condo and co-op owners in the councilman’s

Co-ops and condos still take a hit

district in the above-mentioned neighborhoods except for Woodside.

“There are mainly two-family homes in that Woodside area,” said the chief of staff. “Anyone who lives in co-ops and condos — we have a lot in this district — and so does Councilwomen Ariola and Paladino, are being punished, are being punished essentially. They are paying higher taxes.”

Holden did not like the resolutions for Class 1 and Class 2 properties being lumped together, added the staffer.

“Do you see what is going on in Congress right now with the Speaker’s race?” Kurzyna asked. “Speaker Kevin McCarthy is possibly going to be thrown out of office or at least out of a speakership because a bunch of Republicans are saying, ‘You are bunching all these appropriation bills together.’ That is basically what we are saying. You can’t put all these tax bills into one.”

An hour after the Chronicle’s interview with Kurzyna, it was announced that U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted as speaker with a vote of 216-210 in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.

“This will also punish people who rent condos,” Kurzyna said. “Their rent will go up because the property owner will have an increased tax burden.”

The spokesman for Councilwoman Joann

Ariola (R-Ozone Park) said District 32, which she represents, has condos and co-ops from Woodhaven down to Rockaway Park.

“What we want to see is real property tax reform, and the changes proposed here are virtually insignificant for Class 1 residential properties, and are actually detrimental for Class 2 properties — which are condos and co-ops,” Ariola said via email. “Already, many condo and co-op residents are struggling, and I could not in good conscience vote on anything that would place further strain upon them. I and my colleagues in the Common Sense Caucus want to see real reform to assist small homeowners, and to put it simply this package simply did not offer that.”

Councilwoman Vickie Paladino (R-Whitestone) said people are already facing financial disaster because of Local Law 97, which establishes carbon emission limits to the city’s largest buildings and takes effect next year. Property owners who don’t make green improvements risk being fined.

“New York City’s unfair property tax system has been punishing small property owners and working and middle class families in this city, which is why I have consistently voted against these property tax rates,” she said via email.

She represents District 19, which has coops and condos throughout it.

Councilwoman Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills), who also has a lot of condos and coops in her area, District 29, was not available for comment.

Councilmen Ari Kagan (D-Brooklyn) and Kalman Yeger (D-Brooklyn), both members of the caucus, voted in the affirmative for Intro. 787, however, Yeger voted against the other bills, while Kagan voted yes “with reservations.”

Intro 787 was approved 41-6, whereas Intros. 788, 789 and 790 were voted in the affirmative 40-7.

Kagan said that he thought the property tax rates were still too high, but that the amendment was better than what was voted for in June.

“Unfortunately, these rates are grouped together in one vote,” Kagan said. “The current rates are still far from a solution to a real problem. The tax system continues to burden working- and middle-class families.”

Holden’s office agreed about the burden on property owners.

“There was one member who voted yes because he had no condos or co-ops in his district,” Kurzyna said, referring to Kagan. “We just don’t think it’s conducive ... they can amend all they want, but we shouldn’t be increasing property tax rates at this time, especially when the cost of living has gone up and people are really hurting. The last thing we should be doing is increasing property taxes for anyone.” Q

Bill aims to reduce LL 97 condo impact

Lee proposes that green space be considered in emissions calculations

by Sophie Krichevsky

Associate Editor Councilmember Linda Lee (D-Oakland Gardens) last Thursday introduced legislation designed to ease some of the effects of Local Law 97 on condo owners and co-op and garden apartment shareholders.

“The city’s goals for climate and sustainability are necessary, which was the original intent of Local Law 97. However, sometimes in the legislative process, unexpected consequences can arise,” Lee said at last week’s Council meeting. “This Council can reduce the city’s carbon footprint while also doing everything in its power to protect and maintain housing affordability for its working and middle-class residents.”

LL 97 aims to lower the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by placing caps on nongovernment buildings over 25,000 square feet. Those emissions limits could be achieved through upgrades to heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, among other renovations.

The law has been critiqued by condo owners and co-op shareholders in particular, as they would bear the cost of the upgrades.

Lee’s bill, Intro. 1197, calls for open and green space on co-op and condo property to be incorporated as part of the gross floor area to be included in calculating a building’s emissions, and by extension, its LL 97 penalty if

out of compliance. Lee’s bill is being co-sponsored by Queens Councilmembers Sandra Ung (D-Flushing), Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills), Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) and Vickie Paladino (R-Whitestone).

By including that space, according to Daniel Sparrow, Lee’s communications director, LL 97 would better assess a building’s net emissions. “Green space works to mitigate a

building’s carbon emissions and under the current law, there is no provision for this,” he told the Chronicle via email.

Bob Friedrich, co-president of the Presidents Co-op and Condo Council and president of the Glen Oaks Village Owners Co-op, agreed. “The law should have included our entire footprint,” he said. “And that’s what this bill purports to do.”

Sparrow argued that LL 97’s failure to include green space is an issue. “The way Local Law 97 is currently constructed, buildings might be incentivized to build over green space, so this is something we are trying to change by adding nuance to the law,” he said.

The bill also proposes LL 97 penalties for co-ops, condos and garden apartments with an assessed value under $65,000 be lowered, doing so in gradually decreasing increments. That would require, however, that those buildings had made prior retrofits that already lowered their emissions.

Friedrich said he’d prefer the bill cover all co-ops, condos and garden apartments with assessed values under $100,000. Still, he said Lee’s bill aims to “create sanity” in LL 97.

The bill’s introduction comes just weeks after the Department of Buildings began the second phase of its rulemaking process for the enforcement of LL 97, which proposes that penalties be mitigated for those who show a “good-faith effort” toward compliance.

Earlier this year, Paladino introduced legislation to delay the 2024 onset of LL 97 by seven years, which Friedrich and the PCCC supported. But Friedrich said the group’s backing of Lee’s bill does not mean it no longer backs Paladino’s. “We’re multitasking on this — we’re trying to do everything we can just to protect our residents,” he said. Q

Councilmember Linda Lee last Thursday introduced legislation designed to ease the effects of Local Law 97 on condo owners and co-op shareholders.

PHOTO BY EMIL COHEN / NYC COUNCIL

New bill would find home for big rigs

Tractor trailer measure to have city find nonresidential parking spaces

by Naeisha Rose Associate Editor

The City Council approved Intro. 906, a truck regulation bill introduced by Councilman Justin Brannan (D-Brooklyn), 46-1 at a chamber meeting last Thursday.

This comes seven months after he introduced the legislation that would require the mayor to designate an office or agency to identify at least three locations of off-street parking for tractor trailers and other commercial vehicles by Dec. 31. The parking spaces could include property owned by the city or by other government agencies. There was no indication whether one would be in Queens.

Mayor Adams would then be required to make sure the city creates the parking space by Dec. 31, 2025, according to a City Council official. Adams’ office said he supports the bill and has made the issue a priority.

City Council Majority Whip Selvena Brooks-Powers (D-Laurelton), chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, was pleased by the outcome.

“In the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, we’ve had conversations with so many stakeholders to understand how trucking is impacting communities and how we can work together to fix the problem of illegal truck parking,” Brooks-Powers told the Chronicle via email. “Communities like mine in Southeast

Queens are frustrated by the noise, pollution, and congestion that trucks generate on neighborhood streets.”

Brooks-Powers represents all or part of Arverne, Brookville, Edgemere, Far Rockaway, Laurelton, Rosedale and Springfield Gardens in District 31.

“We have also spoken with truckers, who often have trouble finding places to park after long, grueling shifts behind the wheel. Introduction 906 is about addressing community concerns and supporting truckers alike by finding dedicated, nonresidential locations where truckers can rest.”

City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica) said she was proud of the Council for passing the legislation.

“Illegal truck parking has been a persistent issue in Southeast Queens and communities across the city, which impacts public health and safety,” Adams said via email.

Enforcement against illegal truck parking still remains an essential component of the city’s strategy, said Brooks-Powers.

“The New York Police Department and [city] Department of Transportation must enforce the law, including the prohibition on 53-footers on city streets,” she said, referring to larger trailers. “The Council will continue to both explore legislative solutions and exercise its oversight capacity to ensure effective, vigilant enforce-

ment. This bill will make more parking available to truckers, and the city will have a responsibility to ensure they use it.”

Adams agreed.

“This important bill advances solutions that deliver relief for both residents and truck drivers,” she said.

The speaker represents another section of Southeast Queens, District 28, which encompasses all or part of Jamaica, Richmond Hill, Rochdale Village and South Ozone Park.

Councilmembers James Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows), Francisco Moya (D-Corona), Robert Holden (D-Maspeth), Vickie Paladino (R-Whitestone), Sandra Ung (D-Flushing), Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park), Lynn Schulman (D-Forest

Pols say GOPer pesters, threatens

CD 24 hopeful Rinaldi posts his encounters online

by Sophie Krichevsky

Associate Editor

Jonathan Rinaldi, the Republican candidate for Council District 24, allegedly has threatened and harassed several North Queens elected officials, as documented in numerous videos on his social media pages.

Rinaldi, who calls himself a journalist, is an anti-vaccine advocate and is known as a prolific sperm donor. In August, he posted a video of himself approaching Councilman Jim Gennaro (D-Hillcrest) about a debate. When Gennaro refused to talk to him, Rinaldi persisted. Gennaro then referred to Rinaldi as a white supremacist, sending Rinaldi into a frenzy.

“You talk to me like that, I’m gonna catch you outside and ... show you what a white supremacist is!” he said, to which the councilman said, “I think that’s a threat.” Rinaldi then replied, “Yeah, you better believe it’s a threat. You want to insult me?

I’ll whoop your a--!”

The video, which is publicly

available on Rinaldi’s TikTok page, as are many others on his various social media accounts, was first reported by City & State Tuesday.

Asked by the Chronicle for comment on his remarks to Gennaro, Rinaldi took issue with calling them “threats.” Instead of explaining how he would characterize his words, Rinaldi repeatedly asked why Gennaro’s comments were warranted. After

being asked several times, Rinaldi called his words “a response.”

Gennaro’s office posted on Facebook Monday that those seeking to visit his district office must make an appointment, which it did “at the direction of the NYPD Intelligence Unit.” He did not name Rinaldi in a statement to the Chronicle. “The NYPD has taken additional steps to enhance my personal security in response to what it character-

Hills), Nantasha Williams (D-St. Albans), Shekar Krishnan (D-Jackson Heights), Linda Lee (D-Oakland Gardens), Tiffany Cabán (D-Astoria) and Julie Won (D-Long Island City) also voted in the affirmative for the bill.

City data from 2021 shows that package deliveries have increased, resulting in a growing number of tractor trailers taking up curbside space, which blocks car traffic, bus lanes and bike lanes. Overnight truck parking in residential neighborhoods, which is illegal, also has been exacerbated, according to the City Council official. During a Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure meeting that was held earlier in the day on Sept. 28, Brooks-Powers said that 365 million tons of cargo enter, leave or pass through New York City annually with about 89 percent of it being carried by a truck.

“By 2045, the tonnage of cargo is expected to increase to 540 million tons with the same proportion delivered by trucks,” she said. “More and more trucks will enter, pass through and leave our city. These trucks and their drivers are essential to the economic vitality and wellbeing of the city.”

The majority whip said that the time pressure to make several deliveries has left truck drivers with few options as to where to park.

“Introduction 906 is about addressing community concerns,” said Brooks-Powers at the chamber meeting. Q

Blood donors needed: NYBC

izes as a threat from this individual,” he said.

Rinaldi also has shouted at members of Borough President Donovan Richards’ staff, videos he posted show. After he repeatedly attempted to speak with Richards’ constituent services team without an appointment, he was asked to leave several times and did not yield to police who asked the same. It’s not clear what happened next. Richards declined to comment.

Another shows Rinaldi outside the office of Assemblymember Nily Rozic (D-Fresh Meadows), asking for her oath of office and the contract for the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center migrant shelter, a day after police removed him from the lawmaker’s office. Rozic called Rinaldi’s conduct “belligerent,” saying police have removed him from the office at least once:

“His continued threatening behavior of lawmakers in various settings only serves to corroborate his unsuitability for public office.” Q

Each person who signs up to help quell the region’s blood shortage can help surgery and cancer patients, accident victims and new mothers and babies. Information on how to donate blood or schedule a drive is at nybc. org. Upcoming drives include:

• Baglung Welfare Society of America, Inc., 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 75-15 Woodside Ave. in Elmhurst;

• The Church-in-the-Gardens, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., on Sunday, Oct. 8, at 50 Ascan Ave. in Forest Hills;

• NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, noon to 6 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 12, at 80-02 41 Ave.;

• Jackson Heights Community Blood Drive, noon to 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 16, at 35-51 81 St. in Elmhurst;

• St. Margaret’s Parish, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22, at 66-05 79 Place in Middle Village;

• Queens Place mall, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 29, in the former Outback Steakhouse at 88-01 Queens Blvd. in Elmhurst; and

• The Shops at Atlas Park, 1 to 7 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 29; at 8000 Cooper Ave. in Glendale. Q

Councilwomen Selvena Brooks-Powers, left, and Adrienne Adams speak on how tractor trailers have negatively impacted their neighborhoods. SCREENSHOT / NYC COUNCIL

City Council candidate Jonathan Rinaldi, right, shouted “threats” at his opponent, Councilman Jim Gennaro, left. TIKTOK SCREENSHOT

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Aubry assesses 2023 legislative session

Hochul housing initiative, multiple casino issues still are unresolved

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

After nearly 32 years in Albany, Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry (D-Corona) has seen just about all the state Capitol can offer; as speaker pro tempore, he sees from the front of the chamber everything that everyone from both parties brings to the floor throughout the session.

And he still found himself surprised when rthe 2023 session broke up — but did not formally end — back in June.

“The most interesting thing was at the end, neither the speaker nor the minority leader came out to end the session — which almost never happens,” Aubry said. Formally closing the session is required.

“And that led me to believe that we would be brought back in some significant way before we start again in January,” he said. “Would they bring us back? There were a lot of issues we left open,” Aubry said last week in a sit-down interview with the Chronicle’s editorial board. “There were lot of issues we left unresolved.”

Those issues ranged from Gov. Hochul’s ambitious but ultimately thwarted housing plan to matters outstanding in regard to upstate Indian casinos.

“I think what was significant [about the 2023 session] was what we left on the table.”

Aubry said if they are not called back, Assembly leaders will likely close out the 2023 session in late December, a few days before the start of the new one in January.

Any bills introduced this year that have not been signed or vetoed will carry over to the new calendar year.

What also will carry over into January is an estimated $9 billion deficit that must be reconciled by the April 1 budget deadline — provided the 2024-25 budget does not come in late, as the present $229 billion plan was.

Aubry, a member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee, knows the budget process well. He said Hochul has directed agencies to reduce their spending requests.

“The question is whether those projections of deficits hold,” Aubrey said, adding

that the state has set aside a healthy reserve to guard against tight times, and that both his chamber and the Senate have a number of professional economic advisors.

“It’s not a guessing game, just any number we throw out,” Aubry said.

While Aubry characterizes upstate casinos as a major issue, he has been active in discussions around the attempt by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen to build one as part of an entertainment complex on what now is the parking lot at Citi Field. Aubry wrote the Assembly bill that would alienate more than 50 acres of what is technically parkland should Cohen’s group secure one of three proposed downstate casino licenses.

He said Hochul’s housing initiative remains important for the state, and is not surprised that Mayor Adams has proposed a remarkably similar plan at the city level.

“What’s new?” he asked with a laugh. “We’re a copycat business. [Councilwoman] Nantasha Williams [D-St. Albans], who used to work for me, has put in a reparations bill. We have a reparations bill for the state. That’s how government works.”

Aubry said the reparations bill would authorize a study. A panel would then present its findings to Hochul and the Legislature.

“I’m on the bill,” he said.

Aubry said reparations are not unprecedented, citing payments to Japanese Americans who were interned during World War II; and payments to Holocaust survivors from Germany.

“So this is not a new, revolutionary concept,” he said.

His own belief — without committing himself on a future vote — would be limited to descendents of those who actually were enslaved in New York State. Aubry, the great, great-grandson of slaves, was born in Louisiana, coming to New York as an infant.

“So I’m immediately disqualified by my own definitions ... New York can’t pay for everybody’s history, and shouldn’t be expected to.”

E-bike crash injures teen

An accident involving an e-bike and a BMW has left the 17-year-old e-bike operator in critical condition, according to police.

On Wednesday, Sept. 27, at approximately 10:05 a.m., police responded to a 911 call of a motor vehicle collision involving an e-bike in Woodhaven, near the intersection of Woodhaven Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue, authorities said.

Upon arrival, officers observed a 17-year-old male, unconscious and unresponsive with head and body trauma.

EMS responded and transported the male to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center,

where he was listed in critical condition, according to police.

According to the authorities, a preliminary investigation by the NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad revealed that a 19-yearold male was operating a BMW traveling northbound on Woodhaven Boulevard when the male operating the e-bike merged into the driver’s lane, causing the BMW to strike the e-bike. The driver remained on the scene.

As of Wednesday, Oct. 4, police did not have an update on the status of the teen. Q

— Kristen Guglielmo

The 2019 bail and criminal reform codes still won’t go away.

“There were three components — there was speedy trials, there was bail reform and there was discovery. I sponsored the speedy trial bill,” he said. “They all got mixed into one bill in negotiations with [Gov. Andrew Cuomo].

“What our intent was, that there should be a way of unclogging local jails with individuals who should have the opportunity, until they were adjudicated, to be with their families as opposed to [on] Rikers Island.

“The three issues made sense to me. Now the political backlash ... It was an immediate weapon that we handed the Republican Party because they’re always accusing Democrats of being soft on crime.” Aubry believes political considerations were able to overcome moral ones.

“And, as you know, any criminal justice reform is only good enough until you have major crime.”

As for Rikers Island, Aubry became all too familiar with its pitfalls and horrors first as a nonprofit director and then as chairman of the Assembly’s Correction Committee. He believes the jail complex should have been rebuilt years ago.

While he appreciates the efficacy of the city building community jails “which we used to have,” he also anticipated the resistance that host neighborhoods have put up.

Aubry said he was not surprised that prostitution has erupted out into the open day and night along Roosevelt Avenue.

“Roosevelt has always had a tough reputation,” he said. “I don’t think this is new ... I’m not surprised under the current economic conditions. I think economic conditions are the driver of a lot of crime.”

He said there is a need to deal with the conditions that have left sex workers believing that is their only option for making a living. Aubry said government should weigh legalization and regulation, but did not say that is the answer.

“I’m saying it’s an option.”

On another topic, Aubry has “my own beef” with the Queens Public Library over first the constant flooding of the LeFrak

City branch and now its forced relocation.

He said he has long had questions about some QPL funding which he said needs more openness and accountability. Asked if he believes it might be better run as a city government agency, he said yes.

As to the explosion of complaints after the Legislature greatly loosened restrictions on e-bikes a few years ago, Aubry said he would reconsider under the problems that have sprung up with all kinds of twowheeled transportation.

“Sometimes we make mistakes,” Aubry said. But he also does not know if there would be the will to tighten regulations in the new session. Q

Correction

The Sept. 28 article “Safety project begins at Conduit and 79th” misstated how many recent fatal crashes in the area involved pedestrians. One did. We regret the error. Q

CUNY’s State of the University

continued from page 4

Council. The program aims to hire 25,000 CUNY graduates by 2030.

Additionally, Gov. Hochul designated $1.8 million toward paid internships for Careers Across the Disciplines, one of CUNY’s many paid internship programs.

Matos Rodríguez urged industries to partner with CUNY, saying, “We need you. And more importantly, you also need us.”

By the end of next year, students will be able to transfer between CUNY schools without losing earned credits towards their major, Matos Rodríguez announced. It is

estimated that the move will save students who transfer, on average, four excess credits and $1,220 in tuition by the time they graduate.

In discussing CUNY’s educational, cultural and economic footprint in NYC, Matos Rodríguez lauded the Louis Armstrong Center in Corona, which opened this past July in partnership with Queens College.

The chancellor also said that 70 percent of students with disabilities are employed after graduation, remarking that the number is double the national average. Q

Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry offered his views as the voice of experience after more than three decades in Albany. PHOTO BY PETER C. MASTROSIMONE

Judge OKs minimum wage, but DoorDash and peers aim to appeal Deliveristas’ pay rate is still unclear

by Sophie Krichevsky

Associate Editor

In a major victory for delivery workers last Thursday, a Manhattan Supreme Court judge ruled that the city could move ahead with its plans to establish a minimum wage for appbased food couriers.

“In rain, snow, sleet, hail, and heat, our delivery workers have consistently delivered for us — and now we can finally deliver for them,” Mayor Adams said in a statement. “We are grateful to the court for ruling in our favor, and to the deliveristas who have raised their voices in support of better pay and working conditions.”

But the win may be short lived: Last Friday, the delivery companies requested that the First Appellate Division entertain an appeal.

The rule change at issue was approved by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection in June. It was meant to take effect in July, at which point deliveristas were to make $17.96 per hour, compared to the average $7.09 they make now, according to the city. That, because they are independent contractors, is lower than the $10 minimum tipped employees make. Come 2025, the rate would be raised to $19.96 per hour, adjusting for inflation. It is one of several policy changes the city has pursued for delivery workers in recent years, including access to restaurant facilities.

The ruling comes after Uber, DoorDash and GrubHub sued the city in July to block the change, days before it was to go into effect.

The companies argued that the rule change is flawed for several reasons, including that it is based on what they say is a biased survey, that it arbitrarily pays drivers for on-call time and that it does not consider convenience and grocery store delivery people, among others.

But Justice Nicolas Moyne did not find

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those arguments compelling. For one, he wrote in his decision, the rule change did not rely solely on the survey in question. As for on-call time, he reasoned the DCWP had to balance the flexible hours delivery workers have with the fact that unexpected issues can arise, like delayed order preparation. “Higher compensation, including for on-call time, need not be mutually exclusive with worker flexibility, and it is not irrational to pursue both goals simulta-

neously,” the decision reads.

Relay, a delivery company, also signed on to the challenge in July. Moyne determined that because Relay’s business model differs from other delivery companies in that it has contracts with specific restaurants, it is entitled to proceed with its challenge.

In response to Moyne’s ruling, a DoorDash spokesperson said in a statement, “This is a deeply disappointing outcome for delivery workers, merchants, and customers who look to our platform. The city’s insistence on forging ahead with such an extreme pay rate will reduce opportunity and increase costs for all New Yorkers. We will continue evaluating our legal options moving forward.”

With DoorDash, Uber and GrubHub last Friday granted a stay of the decision, the minimum pay requirements will not take effect for the time being. The same DoorDash spokesperson said the bench should decide on whether to take the case Oct. 10.

“We are pleased with the appellate court’s decision to hear the merits of the Preliminary Injunction and grant a stay while we appeal,” said GrubHub spokesperson Patrick Burke.

DCWP spokesperson Michael Lanza, however, said the agency was “disappointed.”

“We will continue to fight for delivery workers’ right to earn fair pay and look forward to a quick decision.” Q

Capri Jet Realty, a respected boutique brokerage in North Brooklyn real estate for over 3 decades, recently hosted an insightful Investor’s Seminar on October 3, 2023. Held at Da Francesco restaurant in Williamsburg, this event provided a platform for attendees to delve into the world of real estate investing, mortgages, 1031 exchanges, and legal considerations, with a lineup of distinguished speakers.

Robert Napolitano, Capri Jet Realty’s founder, shared his seasoned insights into the current real estate market and the importance of working with real estate agents. His extensive knowledge and local ties lent credibility to his insights, enriching attendees’ understanding of the industry.

Mario Saggese, a CPA and tax consultant, expertly navigated the complexities of the 1031 exchange, offering invaluable insights for tax-savvy investors. Arun Perinbasekar, a knowledgeable lawyer, provided a clear picture of real estate laws, making legal matters accessible to all. Salvatore

Tomaselli, a prominent mortgage broker, delved into the available mortgage options to help investors to make informed decisions about financing their real estate ventures. What set this event apart was not only the expertise of the speakers but also the genuine enthusiasm and passion with which they shared their knowledge.

The networking opportunities allowed like-minded investors and entrepreneurs to connect and expand their circles.

In conclusion, the Capri Jet Realty Investor Seminar was an enriching and enlightening event that left attendees with a deeper understanding of the real estate market, mortgages, 1031 exchanges and legal intricacies.

Capri Jet Realty’s commitment to empowering the community shone through, leaving attendees eagerly anticipating future events from this well-established boutique real estate brokerage in Williamsburg. Contact

Food couriers were on the way to being paid at least $17.96 per hour before DoorDash, GrubHub and Uber applied to appeal last Thursday’s ruling. PHOTO BY PETER C. MASTROSIMONE

Vietnam vets salute The Wall That Heals

Despite the rain, veterans, elected officials and community members headed in droves to Flushing Meadows Corona Park last Thursday evening for the opening of The Wall That Heals, a three-fourths scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. Above, some of those who served in Vietnam salute the flag during the singing of the national anthem.

Attendees, like the man above in orange vest, made commemorative name rubbings. Continuing clockwise, Department of Veterans’ Services Deputy Commissioner for External Affairs Paul Vallone greets Mayor Adams, who found his own uncle’s name; and Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz pays her respects; as do Councilmember Sandra Ung, left, Adams and Borough President Donovan Richards.

Community members pay their respects as bugler Bob Magnavito plays taps.

The names of those killed in Vietnam shine off the wall, which was lined with wreaths.

Veterans await the beginning of the ceremony, left. The national anthem was sung by actress Michelle Della Fave, right, with her arm raised.

Veterans at the mobile information display with the Unisphere in the background, left. The Missing Man Table was prominently visible during the ceremony, right.

At left, City Councilmember Vickie Paladino, left, and Assemblyman Ed Braunstein, right, before the wreath laying commenced. At center, veteran Joe “The Dancer” Ferrante, who, with his colorful hair braid is a well-known presence at many musical events in Queens, reflects. To his right, Councilman Bob Holden, who chairs the Council’s Veterans Affairs Committee, was a featured speaker.

PHOTOS BY WALTER KARLING

Audience members during the on and off again rain.

John Rowan, national past president of the Vietnam Veterans of America, paid tribute.

Film festival open call starts on Fri., Oct. 20

Queens World entries due Jan. 15

by Naeisha Rose

Associate Editor

The Queens World Film Festival will return on April 16 and will run until April 28 in Astoria at the Museum of Moving Image and at Kaufman Astoria Studios.

So the time to prepare is now. The open call for submissions for QWFF’s 13th season is from Oct. 20 to Jan. 15, 2024, and the event organizer, Queens World, said it is searching for works with inspiring themes about courage, endurance, hope and resilience that embrace diversity and represent the vibrancy and innovative spirit of Queens and the world.

“Ultimately our storytellers reflect the world and there is no denying that we have survived blow after blow after blow over the last 3 years,” Katha Cato, executive director of Queens World, told the Chronicle via email. “We have alumni all over the world and hear from them regularly. Many of them share with us that they are working on new work, most of it very personal, most of it reflective of the challenges we have lived through.”

Previous festivals have featured 1,844 films from people from 95 nations, including 289 films from Queens, the organizers say.

“Many ask us if we think that the work might be too dark for festivals and I tell them that making art is optimistic and hopeful,” Cato added. “To us, all submissions are hopeful, optimistic and inspiring. The creative strength and endurance these filmmakers show the world by bringing these films forward is so inspiring and uplifting to us.

“Seriously, when the lights go down and our audiences experience the work of filmmakers from their own community and from far away places, the films bring light into that darkness and we ask our audience to just experience these stories, just experience them.”

Donald Preston Cato, the co-founder and artistic director of Queens World, said he wants to see radical ideas on screen.

“This year, more than ever, we encourage ideas,” said the artistic director in a statement. “Ideas that excite, enrage or frighten us [and] educate [and] entertain us. Don’t be afraid of your ideas. Make your movie and share it with us.”

The festival has become a place for both established and emerging talent. In 2022, it was included in a top 20 list for first time filmmakers and in 2021 it was included on the MovieMaker Top 50 Festival list, according to Queens World.

Some of the blocks of work that the QWFF would like to see explored, which filmmakers are not limited to, are immigration and immi-

grants’ rights; the environment; strong documentaries about everything and anything; relationships: twisted and otherwise; horror and dance and animation (extra points for an animated horrific dance film); conflict resolution and social justice; experimental work; music videos; web series pilots; freedom of expression; the women in our lives; and stories of hope and resilience.

Queens World will designate awards in each of the above categories to recognize outstanding achievements, according to the organization. When there is work that deserves special attention, it will be awarded a jury prize to recognize that filmmaker’s accomplishment. There is also an InkTip prize package for three film festival participants. Winners will receive a four-month InkTip Pro membership. Thousands of filmmakers can find and read the scripts of Inktip Pro members, and participants will be able to pitch directly to production companies every week.

Every InkTip producer has been vetted via resume and references and demonstrated the ability to get movies made. With over 3,000 options and 400 movies made, InkTip is a major resource for independent filmmakers.

One of the sponsors for the event is Councilman Shekar Krishnan (D-Jackson Heights).

“For more than 10 years, Queens World has elevated films that are brave and bold, whimsical and wondrous, and as diverse as Jackson Heights,” Krishnan said via email. “Their annual festival consistently showcases the best of our community and city. They don’t just tell our stories, they develop our storytellers, and I’m proud to provide a grant to support their work.”

Submissions to the festival may be made at filmfreeway.com/QueensWorldFilmFestival or queensworldfilmfestival.org/ submit-your-film-to-the-queens-world-filmfestival.

The Museum of the Moving Image is located at 36-01 35 Ave. and Kaufman Astoria Studios is located at 34-12 36 St.

“Now is not the time to turn away from the storytellers, nor for them to be silenced,” said the Queens World executive director in a statement. “We need them now, more than ever. We look forward to hearing from the world.” Q

©2023 Hunter Douglas. All rights reserved. All trademarks used herein are the property of Hunter Douglas or their respective owners.

Katha Cato, left, and Donald Preston Cato, executive director and cofounder/artistic director of QWFF, respectively. Patrick Chen, a Queens filmmaker and Queens World Film Festival participant, being interviewed at the Museum of the Moving Image. PHOTOS COURTESY QUEENS WORLD

OPEN HOUSES

A RCHBISHOP

HIGH SCHOOL

MOLLOY

83-53 Manton St., Briarwood

Website: molloyhs.org

admissions@molloyhs.org

(718) 441-2100

Sun., Oct. 15, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

CATHEDRAL HIGH SCHOOL

350 East 56 St., Manhattan

Website: cathedralhs.org

jcastex@cathedralhs.org

(212) 688-1545

Sun., Oct. 15, 12 to 3 p.m.;

Wed., Oct. 25, 6 to 8 p.m.

Pre-registration is required.

CATHEDRAL PREPARATORY SCHOOL

56-25 92 St., Elmhurst

Website: cathedralprep.org

admissions@cathedralprep.org

(718) 592-6800

Sat., Oct. 14, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sun., Oct. 22, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

CHRIST THE KING REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

68-02 Metropolitan Ave., Middle Village

(718) 366-7400, ext. 240

Website: ctkny.org

Wed., Oct. 26, 6 to 8 p.m.

HOLY CROSS HIGH SCHOOL

26-20 Francis Lewis Blvd., Flushing

Website: holycrosshs.org

admissions@holycrosshs.org

(718) 886-7250, ext. 524

Sun., Oct. 15, 12 to 4 p.m.

MONSIGNOR MCCLANCY

MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL

71-06 31 Ave., East Elmhurst

Website: msgrmcclancy.org

admissions@msgrmcclancy.info

(718) 898-3800

Sat., Oct. 7, 9 a.m.- 12 p.m. and 1 to 4 p.m.

ST. EDMUND PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL

2474 Ocean Ave., Brooklyn

Website: stedmundprep.org

admissions@stedmundprep.org

(718) 743-6100

Tue., Oct. 17, 5 to 9 p.m.

ST. FRANCIS PREPARATORY SCHOOL

6100 Francis Lewis Blvd., Fresh Meadows

Website: sfponline.org

admissions@SFPonline.org

(718) 423-8810

Sat., Oct. 14, 12 to 4 p.m.

Pre-registration is required.

ST. JOHN'S PREPARATORY SCHOOL

21-21 Crescent St., Astoria

Website: stjohnsprepschool.org

admissions@stjohnsprepschool.org

(718) 721-7200

Sat., Oct. 14, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

THE MARY LOUIS ACADEMY

176-21 Wexford Terrace, Jamaica Estates

Website: tmla.org

admissions@tmla.org

(718) 297-2120, ext. 233

Sun., Oct. 22, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Note: All high school open houses are subject to change

Why choose a Catholic high school?

As parents, you want the best for your children. It is because you wish them success in all of life’s challenges that Catholic schools are the right choice. Catholic schools provide an educational program based on religious beliefs and values, enabling your children to grow in their understanding of themselves, their relationship with God and their relationship with others.

Catholic schools promote the education of young people to their full potential; their teachers respect and encourage real learning experiences. Your children acquire knowledge and develop the skills necessary for success in higher educational pursuits and a wide range of careers.

Catholic schools offer a community environment in which your children can discuss and live out the values upon which their education is based.

They are encouraged to contribute to society and to assume leadership roles in shaping public attitudes and programs. In Cath-

olic schools, young people learn to question, to establish confidence in their own good choices in life and to experience the sense of accomplishment stemming from individual achievement and responsibility. Take this opportunity to learn about Catholic schools in Queens. Whichever school you choose, you can be assured that you r child will receive a strong academic education in an environment structured to have a lasting value.

Catholic high schools :

• build character;

• foster community service;

• encourage involvement;

• develop real-world skills;

• shape leaders;

• reward achievement;

• reinforce values;

• allow for spiritual growth;

• embrace differences;

• raise standards;

• empower each student; and

• celebrate school spirit.

Q

— diocese of brooklyn.org/high schoo l

Cathedral High School

Starting on the Path to a Career in Medicine, Business/Finance and Law or STEM

Cathedral has been synonymous with academic success since it’s founding in 1905. Today, Cathedral High School maintains its commitment to educating young women who desire to persevere, grow, and thrive at Cathedral – a woman who desires to reach higher! As a college preparatory school, it offers a robust academic curriculum, a vibrant student life, and a culture of faith and Catholic values.

Its Honors Academy builds upon the honors classes and Advanced Placement courses and offers a rich academic and extracurricular program.

In the Cathedral’s Medical Gateways Academy through partnerships with New York’s world-class medical community, students have opportunities to observe medical professionals at work and to participate in internships while still in high school. The Academy includes a partnership with The Memorial Sloan Kettering Science Enrichment Program and Internship.

The Business/Finance and Law Academy features internship opportunities and career awareness.

The Science and Technology Academy is equipped with state-of-the-art technol-

APPLY TODAY

ogy and is paired with courses in biology, physics, chemistry, technology and extracurricular classes such as coding and robotics.

Our curriculum also includes an Art, Music and Dance program A full complement of extracurricular activities keeps the career-minded student body well rounded. From clubs such as the Drama, Newspaper, Dance and Travel and Culture to sports which include Basketball, Cheerleading, Soccer, Softball, Lacrosse, Track, Volleyball and more.

Cathedral prepares its students for the world that lies ahead of them. The Class of 2023 received over $45 million in college scholarships and grants and were accepted into schools such as Cornell, Howard, New York University, University of Pennsylvania and University of Notre Dame.

Open House will be hosted on Sunday, October 15th, and Wednesday, October 25th. Please rsvp at cathedralhs.org/ visit-our-school For more information please contact Johanna Velez at (212) 6881545 ext. 8652 or jcastex@cathedralhs.org. Visit Cathedral’s website at www.cathe dralhs.org.

TACHS # 202

2023-24 TACHS Calendar of Events

Now to November 4 Enter your HS choices at www.tachsinfo.com

Selecting your Catholic High School

THE PROCESS

• You should choose three high schools to which you want to apply.

• Your three high school choices will receive your TACHS scores.

(must be registered to enter HS choices)

You may update your choices until the deadline on Nov. 4 at 11:59 p.m. Failure to complete this information by Nov. 4 will result in scores being unavailable to your high school choices.

October 6 Deadline for submitting request and supporting documentation to diocese for extended testing time accommodation.

(Do not submit the request to the TACHS Exam Office. It will be returned).

October 26 11:59 p.m. deadline for internet and telephone registration. Do not miss the deadline!

November 1 Receive an email with your test session date/time/code. Students will be assigned randomly to a session at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. on their diocese-aligned test date (no time preference accepted). You may also access your test session date/time/code at www.tachsinfo.com. No paper notifications will be sent.

November 2–3 Call 1 (866) 61TACHS, 1 (866) 618-2247, if you are not able to obtain your test session code.

November 4 Deadline for entering your high school choices on tachsinfo.com.

SAT., NOVEMBER 4 TACHS ADMINISTRATION for Diocese of Brooklyn/Queens

December 13 Paper TACHS Applicant Records for public school students due to students’ three high school choices. (See Student Handbook for more.)

January 10, 2024 Earliest release of admission notices by high schools; delivery via email, mail, or phone.

January 19, 2024 (5 p.m.) Access your TACHS results / Home report online at tachsinfo.com

February 2024 Response Cards due back to high schools. Q — info courtesy tachsinfo.com

• Choosing which high school to attend is very important; you should consider your options carefully.

• The high schools’ websites, along with open house information, will be available through tachsinfo.com. This information also is available in the Student Handbook.

• Parents/guardians should accompany students to high school open houses and read school literature before selecting three high school options.

• Discuss your options with your teacher, guidance counselor or principal to determine which schools will be the best match for you.

• Be realistic in your choices.

• Make sure you are eligible for the schools to which you apply.

• Determine daily travel times from your home to the schools, and be sure you are willing to travel the distance involved.

• Admission and scholarship decisions are the responsibility of the individual high schools.

• After registering for the TACHS, you may enter your high school choices on tachsinfo.com.

• Enter your high school choices using the link with the “Registration” tab at the top o f homepage.

• Enter your TACHS ID provided at the time of registration and your email address.

• Use the pull-down menu to see a complete list of all high schools; it is not necessary to know a school’s three-digit code.

• Enter your three high school choices and save.

• If you need to change your high school choices, you may follow the same steps.

• You may change your choices until Nov. 4, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. EST.

• No changes or corrections will be made after Nov. 4, 2023.

• Failure to complete this process will result in your scores not being provided to any schools.

TACHS test information

This year there will be online test sessions rather than in-person test sites.

• Students will test on the day assigned to their aligned diocese.

• Students will randomly be assigned to a test time test at 8:30 a.m. or 10:00 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. on their test date. No time preferences can be accepted. All students with extended testing time will test at 8:30 a.m.on their assigned test day.

• There will not be admit cards.

• On Nov.1, 2023, you should get an email with your test session code, date and time. If you do not receive this email by Nov. 2, 2023, you may find this information on www.tachsinfo.com using the “Find my test session code/date/times” link. Locate this information no later than No. 2, 2023 (for Nov. 3 tests) and no later than Nov. 4, 2022 (for Nov. 5 tests).

• Enter your TACHS ID and the email address you provided at the time of registration to access your information.

• You will not be able to “enter” your test if you do not have this code.

• Please read all data system and device requirements and complete the Proctorio set-up and required installation at least one day prior to testing. These directions can be found through the “Proctorio Set-up and Installation Guide” link on the www.tachsinfo.com homepage and in the Student Handbook.

• If you are ill or have technical issues on the day of testing, you will be assigned to a make-up session. Revisit the “Find my test session code/date/times” link Nov. 8, 2023, for your new test session code, date and time. Your original test session code will not work for the make-up exam.

• If at any time you are not able to access your test session code, call 1 (866) 618-2247 for assistance.

We get it — Medicare can be complicated. If you have Medicare and Medicaid coverage, you may need more dedicated care team to help you manage your care and get the most from your plan. Plus, you won’t lose any of

Aetna Medicare is a HMO, PPO plan with a Medicare contract. Our DSNPs also have contracts with State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in our plans depends on contract renewal. Plan features and availability may vary by service area. To send a complaint to Aetna, call the Plan or the number on your member ID card. To send a complaint to Medicare, call 1-800-MEDICARE (TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048), 24 hours a day/7 eligibility criteria, participation in a disease state management program). Participating health care providers are independent contractors and are

How the body changes with age

RIGHT PLACE,

Our perception of aging inevitably changes over time. Young children often cannot wait until they get older because of the freedoms that seemingly come with being more mature. On the flip side, adults often wish they were young again. Time waits for no person, and with aging comes countless changes, many of which manifest physically.

The following are some components of healthy aging that go beyond graying hair and wrinkling skin.

Bones, joints and muscles

According to the Mayo Clinic, with age bones may become thinner and more fragile. Joints will lose their flexibility, while muscles lose mass and strength, endurance and flexibility.

These changes may be accompanied by a loss of stability that can result in balance issues or falls. It's common for the body frame to shrink, and a person may lose a few inches from his or her height.

A doctor may suggest a bone-density test or supplementation with calcium and vitamin D to keep bones as strong as possible. Physical activity that includes strength training can help keep muscles strong and flexible.

Body fat

As muscle mass diminishes, body fat can increase. The Merck Manual indicates that, by age 75, the percentage of body fat typically doubles compared with what it was during young adulthood. The distribution of fat also changes, which can adjust the shape of the torso.

Heart

Organs in the body also age, and cells begin to die off, making those organs work less efficiently. The heart is one such organ that changes with age. It pumps more than 2.5 million beats during one's lifetime. As a person gets older, blood vessels lose their elasticity, and the heart has to work harder to circulate blood throughout the body, reports Johnson Memorial Health. Exercise can help keep the heart as strong as possible.

Urinary tract and kidneys

The kidneys become smaller as a person ages, which means they may not be able to filter urine as effectively. Urinary incontinence may occur due to hormonal changes or because of an enlarged prostate. Furthermore, the bladder may become less elastic, leading to an urge to urinate more frequently.

Memory and thinking

Older adults experience changes to the brain as they age. Minor effects on memory or thinking skills are common and not usually cause for worry. Staying mentally active by reading, playing word games and engaging in hobbies can help. Following a routine and making lists (as multitasking may become challenging) are some additional ways to address memory issues.

These are just some of the changes that can come with aging. Generally speaking, exercising, using the brain and adhering to a balanced, healthy diet can help keep the body functioning well into one's golden years. P

— Metro Creative Connection

A s physically active individuals age, they typically must change how they approach exercise. Physical activity that includes strength training can be very beneficial to seniors.

Minimizing financial abuse for people living with dementia

by Eryn Zayas

Financial crime against older Americans is a growing problem. People living with dementia are at an especially high risk of becoming victims. That’s why we’re committed to combating fraud.

As their memory and other thinking skills decline, people with dementia may struggle to make financial decisions. They may not remember or report the abuse — or understand that someone is taking advantage of them. This abuse can occur anywhere — including at home or in care settings.

Victims of fraud who are 80 years and older lose an average of $39,200 every year. Studies show that financial exploitation is the most common form of elder abuse. However, only a small fraction of these incidents are reported.

You can help protect others by learning to recognize common signs of financial exploitation and abuse, including:

• unopened bills;

• unusual or large purchases;

• utilities being shut off due to unpaid bills;

• money given to telemarketers or soliciting companies; and

• unexplained withdrawals from the person’s bank account.

There are also many simple things that caregivers can do to reduce the risk of financial abuse for people with dementia and similar conditions, like

Alzheimer’s. Do your best to make sure they’re involved in deciding which safety measures to put into place.

Some options include:

• agreeing to spending limits on credit cards;

• signing up for the “Do Not Call” list at DoNotCall.gov;

• setting up auto-pay for bills instead of paying them by check;

• signing up to receive automatic notifications for withdrawals from bank accounts or large charges to credit cards;

• requesting electronic bank and credit card statements and watching for unusual purchases or

changes in how the person typically spends money;

• asking credit card companies to stop sending balance transfer checks and opting out of future solicitations; and

• creating a separate account where you can keep a small, agreed-upon amount of money that the person can use for recreational activities, meals with friends and so on.

To learn more about combating elder abuse, visit our blog at https://blog.ssa.gov/world-elder-abuseawareness-day-combating-injustice/.

Please share this with those who may need it. P

Eryn Zayas is a Social Security Public Affairs Specialist located in Queens.

Celebrating 88 years of Social Security

For 88 years, Social Security has provided income protection to millions of retirees, people with disabilities, dependents and families who lose a wage earner. This year, we will administer more than $1.3 trillion in benefits and payments to more than 70 million beneficiaries. In addition, we issue millions of Social Security numbers each year, maintain wage records and more. We are proud to serve the American people every day.

To better serve you, we have prioritized our

online customer experience. Our website SSA.gov makes it easier for you to find what you need. More than 180 million people visit our website every year. Whether providing service in person or online, our goal is help you understand what you may qualify for and transition you to an application process.

We have also worked to make sure our programs, particularly Supplemental Security Income (SSI), remains accessible to the people

who need it most. Last year, we launched an online tool that allows you or your representative to request an appointment to file for SSI and protect your filing date. A Social Security employee will then schedule a full interview. Find more information about SSI at www.ssa.gov/ssi/.

We remain committed to helping maintain the well-being and protection of the people we serve. We strive to ensure that every person who is eligible for or receives benefits gets them timely and accurately. That is how we help you secure today and tomorrow.

P

— Eryn Zayas

We’re Here For You and Your Family!

Attend

Congestion pricing tab drawing closer

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

“HOW DO I PROTECT MY HOME AND MY

Monday, October 16th, 2023 at 4:00pm

Thursday, October 19th, 2023 at 1:00pm

Guardianship Process from Incapacity to Court Appointment

Monday, October 30th, 2023 at 4:00pm

Discover

The panel that will make recommendations on congestion pricing fees and regulations appears to be down to four options, all of which were discussed during a one-hour meeting on Monday.

The Traffic Mobility Review Board has been charged with setting up a tolling system for all drivers who enter Manhattan’s Central Business District, defined as 60th Street and points south.

The stated aims are to raise $1 billion annually for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s capital fund, and to divert traffic congestion and pollution from Midtown and Downtown Manhattan. The proposed base fee for cars is expected to be somewhere between $9 and $23.

“You want to keep the toll as low as possible while still meeting program needs,” Juliette Michaelson, who is working with the panel as a consultant, said during the meeting at MTA headquarters.

That, she added, would require as few exemptions as possible, lest the base fee would rise to meet financial expectations.

The first proposal would offer 50 per-

cent discounts from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Drivers entering by tolled crossings would get a $7 credit. Taxis, green cabs and black cars would be charged $1.50 per trip, with app-based for-hire vehicles paying $2.

Scenario two would have 50 percent discounts from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and 25 percent from 8 to 10 p.m. and 5 to 6 a.m. The crossing credit would be $5.

Taxis, green cabs and black cars would be charged $1 per trip; and app-based FHVs $1.50. Their tolls would be discounted 50 percent overnight.

Scenario three would offer 75 percent discounts from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., with a $5 daytime crossing credit, which would be reduced 75 percent overnight.

Taxis, green cabs and black cars would pay $1 per trip, with app-based FHVs paying $2. The latter would pay an additional 75 cents for each trip taking place completely within the CBD.

Scenario 4 offers a 50 percent discount from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and 25 percent from 8 to 10 p.m. and 5 to 6 a.m. There would be a $4 crossing credit.

Taxis, green cabs and black cars would pay $1.50 per trip and FHVs $2. Q

big hit

by Michael Gannon

There will be no designated hitters, no pitch counts, not even gloves when the New York Mutuals take on the Brooklyn Atlantics on Oct. 7 at the Fort Totten soccer fields for a game of vintage baseball played under 1864 rules.

Even the name wasn’t the same, according to Atlantics team captain Frank Van Zant.

“During the Civil War, base ball was a two-word sport,” Van Zant said.

The players and the Bayside Historical Society are inviting fans of all ages to come out with their lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets for the contest scheduled to get underway at 11 a.m.

Admission is free, though donations are appreciated.

“The biggest thing fans will see is that we don’t wear gloves — not even the catcher,” said Tom Fesolowich, who founded the Mutuals 25 years ago

after attending a vintage game at the Old Bethpage Restoration Village in Nassau County.

“Pitching is done underhand, as it was in 1864,” he said. Pitchers will be standing 50 feet away from their adversaries, as opposed to the 60 feet, 6 inches of today.

“Today, when an outfielder makes a barehand catch, it makes ESPN and everyone oohs and ahhs,” Van Zant said. “Our players do that for 27 outs of every game.”

Fesolowich said both clubs existed back in 1864, and, like today’s players, played each other multiple times. They wear replica uniforms of flannel shirts and long pants or knickers.

The Mutuals are an extension of the vintage team at Old Bethpage, which is its home field.

“We’re the travel team,” Fesolowich said. And both the Mutuals and the Atlantics, who call Smithtown, LI, their home, do a great deal of traveling.

Van Zant said his club has been from Maine to

Florida; and also to the “Field of Dreams” in Iowa.

“When we go to Gettysburg we play by 1863 rules,” said Van Zant, who said soldiers on both

Saturday only · · · See base ball asinplayed 1864 · · · continued on page 35

I HAVE OFTEN WALKED

Colden was warm to the idea of Queens

by Ron Marzlock Chronicle Contributor

Charles Senff Colden was born on June 3, 1885, in Whitestone. He was a direct descendant of New York Colonial Gov. Cadwallader Colden, born in 1688, and great-nephew of New York City Mayor Cadwallader David Colden, who served from 1818 to 1821.

Charles married Gunhild Dose on Aug. 25, 1909. They had a daughter, Helen, born Sept. 6, 1911, and a son, Charles Jr., born Oct. 26, 1915. Charles became a lawyer. A Democrat, he was appointed Queens County district attorney by Gov. Franklin Roosevelt in 1932.

In 1934 the New York Parental School in Flushing was shut down due to abuse of students. Colden started a movement to convert the grounds into Queens College. In 1937 it was opened. For his efforts one of the buildings was named Colden Hall and he was called “the father of Queens College.”

Colden lived at 149-42 19 Ave. in Whitestone. He was elected state Supreme Court Justice for Queens. After he reached the mandatory retirement age he continued as a court referee until his death from complications from a fall while on vacation in Cam-

College

The home of state Supreme Court Justice Charles Colden, “the father of Queens College” at 149-42 19 Ave. in Whitestone, in 1950, when he lived there. INSET COURTESY CHARLES COLDEN COLLECTION QUEENS COLLEGE DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS AND ARCHIVES

den, Maine, on Sept. 14, 1960. He was 75. The home he lived in proved to be a wise investment, selling recently for $917,000. Q

BQE Weekend Closure

Interim

Avoid

October

trips using BQE

This 50-hour closure will allow for critical repairs

When? 2:00 a.m. Saturday, October 14 until 4:00 a.m

Monday, October 16

34

BQE Closure Atlantic Ave Sands St

Where? Atlantic Avenue to Sands Street

Queens-bound BQE will be fully closed from Atlantic Avenue to Sands Street

Questions?

(347) 647-0876 or NYC311 anavalurkar.consultant@dot.nyc.gov

How we react when children are gunned down

by Mark Lord qboro contributor

On the morning of Oct. 2, 2006, in the tiny hamlet of Nickel Mines, Pa., the Amish, who go to great lengths to spend their lives out of the public eye, found themselves the focus of a media frenzy, thanks to an event that took place in their one-room schoolhouse — a mass shooting that left five young girls dead.

Now, 17 years later, almost to the day, a one-woman play based on the tragedy is being performed for the first time in the borough at The Secret Theatre. Only four performances remain.

The play, “The Amish Project,” written by Jessica Dickey, was first produced in 2008. It is presented by Between Us Theatre Co., a nonprofit that focuses on innovative works by immigrant artists and minorities.

It features an intrepid actress named Annie Kefalas, who first encountered the piece when she was a freshman in college. She would go on to perform it for her senior thesis.

“It feels like a drastically different performance this time,” she said. “I’m a little bit better of an actor than I was in college. Life experience has helped. My physicality is also different.”

Kefalas takes on the challenge of playing

all seven of the play’s characters, ranging from a 6-year-old girl to a 56-year-old man, encompassing various accents from British to Southern to New Yorkese.

Playing such a wide range of characters has proven to be “very physically and vocally taxing,” she admitted in a recent telephone interview. “It’s a giant game of make believe.”

She and her director, Dominika Zawada, spent six months working together on the piece. They have gone to great lengths to ensure that each character is as specific as possible to prevent any possible confusion among the viewers.

“My biggest focus was in telling the story of the characters,” Zawada said. She emphasized that the goal was not to make a politi-

cal statement. “We’re simply telling a story; we’re not trying to talk about gun violence. We’re trying to show everyone’s point of view.”

Still, the play, which unfolds through a series of monologues delivered by the various people who were affected by the shooting, representing both the Amish and outside communities, remains relevant.

According to Kefalas, the play deals to a large extent with how the modern community reacted to how the Amish community reacted to the day’s events, as it investigates the path to forgiveness.

Kefalas felt the play cried out for a female director, someone who would best be able to understand her and be most helpful in her transitions from one character to another.

“Annie was open to any of my ideas,” Zawada said. “She knew the show. Now she understands things on a different level.”

The play was originally written for one actor, but it has since been reincarnated as an ensemble piece, Zawada said. Here it reverts to its original form and Zawada couldn’t be happier. She loves “the intimacy of one person” playing all the parts.

Remaining performances at The Secret Theatre, at 38-02 61 St. in Woodside, are on Oct. 5 to 8 at 7:30 p.m. For further information, visit betweenustheatreco.org. Q

Take me out to the vintage ball game in Bayside

continued from page 33

sides of the Civil War played the game in their down time, leading to an explosion of its popularity.

Fesolowich said the Mutuals have gone from Canada to Florida and as far west as Missouri.

The players are in their 20s through their 60s. They can be teachers, lawyers, architects — from all walks of life. Many, like Van Zant and Fesolowich, played

Crossword Answers

extensively before they even learned of vintage teams.

“There isn’t really a league, but there is a loose confederation of teams around the country,” Van Zant said.

“What the fans are going to see is living history, without being a re-enactment” Fesolowich said. “They’re going to see a real game without a predetermined outcome.”

“Both sides are trying to win,” Van Zant said.

Fesolowich said after the game children from the crowd are invited on to the field to mingle with the players and participate in a baseball ancestor game called rounders, complete with pitching and striking, which was 1860s vernacular for hitting.

For those interested in possibly joining one of the clubs, both teams require commitments of time and cost, such as uni-

forms and travel. And of course, the ability to play.

But Fesolowich said the Old Bethpage games are not necessarily out of reach for someone interested in just giving it a shot.

“Old Bethpage takes new players in,” he said. “If they show up, we could suit them up that day.”

More information can be found online at brooklynatlantics.org and nymutuals.com. Q

Annie Kefalas plays all the parts in “The Amish Project,” maintaining the show’s intimacy. It runs through Oct. 8 only at The Secret Theatre in Woodside. PHOTO BY REIKO YOO YANAGI

The New York Mutuals and Brooklyn Atlantics will play base ball by 1864 rules — and with 1864-style base balls — on Oct. 7 at the Fort Totten soccer fields. On the cover: A Mutuals striker takes his cuts. PLAYER PHOTOS BY TOM FESOLOWICH; TEAM PHOTO BY PHIL REECE

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Notice is hereby given that an on-premises restaurant liquor license, Serial #1370785 has been applied for by Sodexo Operations, LLC to sell beer, wine, cider and liquor at retail in a Restaurant. For onpremises consumption under the ABC Law located at LaGuardia Airport, Terminal B, Floors 1A & 1B, Flushing, NY 11371.

170-21 JAMAICA AVENUE, LLC. Arts. of Org. fi led with the SSNY on 08/22/23. Offi ce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 89-05 138th Street, Jamaica, NY 11435. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

35-06 REALTY LLC Articles of Org. fi led NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 6/22/23. Offi ce in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 2-21 148th St., Whitestone, NY 11357, which is also the principal business location. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

9155 Gold LLC, Arts of Org.

fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 4/6/2023. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Frances Ariola, 157-05 91st St., Howard Beach, NY 11414.

General Purpose

Notice of Formation of BAISLEY OASIS LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 08/22/2023. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: PATRICE DAVIS, 161 08 BAISLEY BLVD., JAMAICA, NY 11434. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of PARADIES LAGARDERE NY EE DINING, LLC

Arts. of Org. fi led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 09/25/23. Offi ce location: Queens County. Princ. offi ce of LLC: 2849 Paces Ferry Rd., Ste. 400, Atlanta, GA 30339. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 12207. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Notice of Formation of SAROJ LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 08/17/2023. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: SAROJ KUMARI, 9559 113TH STREET, S. RICHMOND HILL, NY, 11419. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Little Bits and Little Pieces, LLC, Arts of Org. fi led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 8/29/2023. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Jared –Jean Baptiste, 117-32 222nd St., Cambria Heights, NY 11411.

General Purpose

To Advertise Call 718-205-8000 Legal Notices Legal Notices

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR NAAC

2007-2, Plaintiff AGAINST SUNEEL RAMPERSAD, et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered August 15, 2023, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Courthouse steps of the Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, New York on October 13, 2023 at 12:00PM, premises known as 116-29 143RD STREET, JAMAICA, NY 11436. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, BLOCK 12002 LOT 90. Approximate amount of judgment $1,024,197.48 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #709993/2017. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the QUEENS County COVID-19 mitigation protocols and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale.

Robert John Aiello, Esq., Referee Gross Polowy, LLC 1775 Wehrle Drive Williamsville, NY 14221 00295569 77666

Notice of formation of CUCCHIARA FAMILY, LLC, a domestic LLC in NY. Articles of Organization fi led with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 08/14/2023. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to: 87-11 163rd Avenue, Howard Beach, New York 11414. Purpose: Any lawful act.

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS HSBC Bank USA, National Association as Trustee for the Certificate Holders of Merrill Lynch Mortgage Investors, Inc., Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates MANA Series 2007-A3, Plaintiff AGAINST Rebeka Howlader; Mizanur Rahman; et al., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered January 31, 2023

I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the steps of Queens County Supreme Court, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on October 13, 2023 at 10:15AM, premises known as 3216 53rd Place, Woodside, NY 11377. All that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 1154 Lot 90. Approximate amount of judgment $1,074,662.95 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #722631/2021. The auction will be conducted pursuant to the COVID-19 Policies Concerning Public Auctions of Foreclosed

Property established by the Eleventh Judicial District.

Kristen Dubowski, Esq., Referee LOGS Legal Group LLP f/k/a Shapiro, DiCaro & Barak, LLC Attorney(s) for the Plaintiff 175 Mile Crossing Boulevard Rochester, New York 14624 (877) 430-4792

Dated: July 27, 2023 77295

Notice of Formation of Broelle Media LLC. Art. of Org. fi led Sec’y of State (SSNY) 9/22/23. Offi ce location: Queens Co. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served.

SSNY shall mail process to: 30-42 38th Street, Apt 1, Queens, NY 11103. Purpose: any lawful activities.

QUEENS - INDEX NO.: 704245/2020 –SUMMONS. Plaintiff designates QUEENS COUNTY as the place of trial based upon the location of the premises herein described having tax map Block 12647, Lot 43, JAMAICA A/K/A SAINT ALBANS, NY, County of QUEENS – CITIMORTGAGE, INC., PLAINTIFF, -against- AVIS JACKSON, TERRENCE BENJAMIN, YVETTE ROBINSON, CACH OF COLORADO, LLC, NEW YORK CITY PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU, “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 premises, described in the complaint, DEFENDANTS. YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this summons, to serve a notice of appearance on the Plaintiff’s Attorney within 20 days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this Summons and Complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered against you 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: Syosset, New York, September 26, 2023. Roach & Lin, P.C., attorney for Plaintiff, 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 185, Syosset, NY 11791. Tel: 516-938-3100. To the above-named defendants: The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an Order of the Hon. Timothy J. Dufficy, a Justice of the Supreme Court, State of New York, dated June 8, 2023 and filed with the QUEENS County Clerk together with the supporting papers thereon. This is an action to foreclose a mortgage held by Plaintiff on the premises known as Block 12647, Lot 43, JAMAICA A/K/A SAINT ALBANS, NY, County of QUEENS as described in the complaint on file and commonly known as 191-17 120TH AVENUE, JAMAICA A/K/A SAINT ALBANS, NY 11412. 78066

Notice of Formation of CLEAR PATH PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES, PLLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 07/20/2023. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE PLLC, 249-30 VAN ZANDT AVE., LITTLE NECK, NY 11362. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

DARYAN HOME LLC, Arts. of Org. fi led with the SSNY on 08/21/2023. Offi ce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Jie Rezaei, 1567 216th St., Bayside, NY 11360.

Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

DS11, LLC, Arts. of Org. fi led with the SSNY on 08/29/2023.

Offi ce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Simon Blitz & Daniel Gazal, 11-11 44th Drive, Long Island City, NY 11101.

Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

Notice of formation of Gold Stone Property Holding LLC Articles of Organization fi led with the Secretary of State of N.Y. (SSNY) on September 6, 2023. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to Jiemin Shang, 137-81 Northern Blvd., Flushing, NY 11354. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

To Advertise Call 718-205-8000

OZONE PARK APARTMENT FOR RENT $2,100

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Real Estate

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

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

Apts.For Rent

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Notice of Formation of MR. IOGGI LLC Art. of Org. for MRLODGI LLC were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/03/2023. Cerf. Of Amendment for MR. IOGGI LLC was fi led with SSNY on 02/09/2023. Off. loc: 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, P. O. BOX 570009, WHITESTONE, NY 11357. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NY CLEANING SERVICES GROUP

LLC Articles of Org. fi led NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 7/28/23. Offi ce in Queens Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to Diana Yazmin Lozano Lopez, 7137 68th St., Glendale, NY 11385. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

Furn.Rm.For Rent

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Co-ops For Sale

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NY HAMMERS LLC. Arts. of Org. fi led with the SSNY on 09/26/23. Offi ce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 52-86 73rd Street, Maspeth, NY 11378. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of OROZ PAINTING LLC Articles of Organization were fi led with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 09/08/2023. Offi ce location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: OROZ PAINTING LLC, 91-19 35TH AVE, 1 FLOOR, JACKSON HEIGHTS, QUEENS, NY 11372. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

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