Queens Chronicle South Edition 11-21-24

Council votes 42-8 to shift burden to landlords; mayor’s move unclear Tenants could be free of broker fees

by Owen Lavine Chronicle Contributor

The New York City Council voted 42-8 on Nov. 13 to shove the burden of broker fees onto landlords.

The Fairness in Apartment Rental Expenses Act, branded the FARE Act, which is waiting on the mayor’s approval or veto, would mean that landlords who want to use a leasing broker to find tenants could not make renters pay for that. The fee can be an extra month’s rent, or sometimes, even more.

City Councilmember James Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows), who joined 11 of his Queens colleagues in voting for the bill, told the Queens Chronicle in an emailed statement that it “brings New York City in line with most other cities in the country, where, whomever hires the broker, pays the broker.”

“Families are struggling to move even when they have the means to afford the monthly rent because of exorbitant upfront costs,” Gennaro added.

Indeed, New York City is an outlier compared to other large cities such as Los Angeles, Miami and Chicago where broker fees are typically paid by the landlords, not the tenants.

“This just changes the process for renting out apartments, likely leads to fewer listings, and will temporarily create confusion,” the former assemblyman said. “In the end, we fear renters are going to be deeply disappointed when this bill fails to provide any actual affordability.”

City Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) told the Queens Chronicle in an emailed statement that the law “without a doubt, makes things more difficult for the renters of New York City.”

“Not only will landlords begin resorting to personal references — thereby turning the NYC housing market into a ‘who you know’ game — but those landlords that do opt to pay for brokers will simply pass the expenses on to their renters,” she added.

Mayor Adams also has cast his aspersions on the law, telling a Nov. 12 news conference, “I think the bill has the right intention, but sometimes good intentions do not get the results you’re looking for.”

However, Ciaramella qualified that landlords may be able to get tenants to pay the fee, which she said equals the first month’s rent 95 percent

Brina Ciaramella, a real estate agent and broker with offices in Forest Hills and Ozone Park, told the Queens Chronicle that she “feels like it really should have been like this the whole time,” citing Florida as an example of a rental market where the broker fees are paid by the landlords. Ciaramella contended that “the landlord, in most cases, is hiring the agent.”

of the time in Queens, by increasing rents. The bill does not stipulate against landlords doing so.

Kenny Burgos, the CEO of the New York Apartment Association, a group representing landlords, told the Queens Chronicle in an emailed statement that the law “doesn’t address the main cause of high rents: the lack of supply.”

Asked whether the mayor will sign or veto the bill, City Hall did not give a definitive answer.

“From day one, the Adams administration has been laser focused on building our way out of the housing crisis — creating more affordable housing for New Yorkers in need and

continued on page 16

CONZA | MCNAMARA

PLANNING ATTORNEYS

EDWARD R. MCNAMARA, ESQ.

Harvard University, A.B.

St. John’s University School of Law, J.D.

Many large cities already have landlords pay broker fees instead of tenants. PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON

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Blaze in Lindenwood apartment building leaves families in need Residents displaced after three-alarm fire

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Last Thursday morning, firefighters for more than two hours battled a three-alarm blaze at an apartment building in Lindenwood.

FDNY Assistant Chief Joseph Ferrante, the Queens borough commander, said at a press conference that at approximately 11:20 a.m. on Nov. 14, dispatchers began to receive 911 calls reporting a fire at 86-10 151 Ave., the Greenwood Arms apartment building.

“Our first two units got here within five minutes,” Ferrante said. “Upon further investigation, they found that there was fire in the walls of apartment 5D, on the fifth floor.”

Ferrante said that it quickly became apparent the fire had expanded.

“This is a nonfireproof building,” he said. “It’s primarily made of wood. On the inside, the fire got into pipe chases and heating vents, extended to the sixth floor, and then eventually into the cockloft area on the top floor, which is the area between the top floor ceiling and the roof boards.”

The fire escalated into a thirdalarm assignment, Ferrante said, which brought 33 units and 140 fire

and EMS personnel to the scene. He said it took two hours for the FDNY to get the blaze under control.

“There were no injuries to any civilians, two very minor injuries to firefighters who have been transported to the hospital. There was extensive damage to the building.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation, the FDNY said.

The American Red Cross was on the scene to assist civilians in need. Ferrante said he believed many residents needed to be relocated. The Red Cross told the Chronicle that following the fire, it registered 14 households and 32 individuals, including nine children and three older adults, for emergency assistance such as temporary lodging and financial aid.

Additional impacted residents self-relocated with friends or family, the Red Cross said.

In the fire’s immediate aftermath, the Red Cross opened a reception center, which is now closed, and provided care items and meals to impacted residents.

While an immediate full vacate order was placed on the property following the fire, according to the Department of Buildings website, it has since been reduced to a partial vacate order.

The DOB website shows a red notification that states that civil penalties are due for failure to certify correction of a Class 1 Violation on the property, defined as one that is “immediately hazardous and requires immediate correction,” according to nyc.gov.

The agency did not immediately respond to a request for more information regarding the state of the building.

Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) released a statement last Thursday, writing, “The fire today at the Greenwood Arms was devastating, and I commend the quick and heroic actions of the FDNY in bringing this under control before

even more damage was caused.”

She continued, “The fire has tragically left a number of residents displaced, and my heart goes out to them. My office will be in constant contact with the American Red Cross and the NYC Office of Emergency Management to ensure they get all of the services they need, and they can get back on their feet and into their homes as quickly as possible.”

Any residents impacted by the fire who need help with their recovery and have not already connected with the Red Cross should call 1 (877) RED CROSS (733-2767) and select Option 1.

Throughout the past week, Jeanette Tuffy and Andrea Scelisi of Century21 Amiable II Realty Group have been accepting donations for families affected by the fire.

Tuffy told the Chronicle her office was packed with clothing donations — so much so that a moving van had to be hired to transport the items. Because of that, those who wish to donate are encouraged to opt for gift cards.

Donations can be dropped off through this Friday, Nov. 22, at 82-17 153 Ave., suite 202 in Lindenwood, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Q

Efforts to fight illegal vending in S. Queens

Sen. Addabbo calls on city agencies to address illicit merchants in his district

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

“The worst is when I’m trying to rush to the train, but there’s just bins of fruit taking up half the sidewalk,” one Woodhaven resident told the Chronicle.

The issue of street vending has irritated plenty of people in the area, who say the illicit merchants are disrupting the quality of life. Unlicensed food vendors, produce stands and clothing and accessory merchants have caused street and sidewalk congestion on two high-traffic avenues, Liberty and Jamaica.

State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) has called for a multiagency response to combat the issue in his district by penning a letter sent to the city departments of Sanitation, Transportation, Health and Consumer and Worker Protection, as well as the NYPD.

“I am writing on behalf of my constituents, who are increasingly concerned about the negative impact of illegal vending has on our local economy and neighborhood safety,” Addabbo wrote in the Nov. 14 letter. “It is crucial that we take decisive action on fol-

Unlicensed street vendors have been popping up in South Queens, including along Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven.

lowing the current laws of our city and support our legitimate business owners. I urge the city agencies to collaborate on a series of targeted enforcement sweeps to address this issue head-on.”

In the letter, Addabbo highlighted the significant increase in both licensed and unlicensed vendors operating outside of city rules on Jamaica and Liberty avenues. He said the influx has had a detrimental

effect on area merchants and the community at large.

He proposed that enforcement operations be scheduled over the coming weeks, and requested that licensed vendors doing something in violation of city law be issued summonses on the spot, and that unlicensed vendors face immediate fines, confiscation of goods and a warning to vacate the area.

Addabbo also proposed the establishment of monthly enforcement operations to ensure ongoing monitoring. He encouraged dialogue between the appropriate city agencies and his office to facilitate the proposed actions.

The Chronicle reached out to the individual agencies for comment, but was referred to the Mayor’s Office, which did not respond by publication time.

City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) has also made efforts to combat illegal vending in her district.

“I’m glad that Sen. Addabbo is looking to take action on this issue,” Ariola told the Chronicle in a statement. “I’ve been working

continued on page 16

A three-alarm fire last Thursday at a Lindenwood apartment building, at 86-10 151 Ave., left many residents displaced. FDNY PHOTO / X

PHOTOS COURTESY NYC COUNCIL

Ozone Park schools receive $8.7M for playground renovations, tech Goddard campus will get upgrades

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Goddard Educational Campus, at 138-30 Lafayette St. in Ozone Park, recently received $8.7 million from the City Council allocated by Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) for a complete renovation of Rocket Park playground and schoolyard, and to invest in technology upgrades at the schools. The campus consists of two schools, Robert Goddard High School of Communication Arts and Technology and MS 202 Robert Goddard.

Staffers from Ariola’s office last Wednesday made their way to the Robert Goddard Educational Campus to present students and faculty with a big check.

“When I was elected, I made a promise to improve the quality of education throughout District 32, and to give our communities the parks and playgrounds they deserve,” Ariola said in a statement. “Through this funding, and funding like it for other schools throughout the district, I am making good on that promise. Our students and families deserve to have modern, engaging facilities, and that is exactly what I plan to deliver for them.”

The superintendent of Queens South High Schools, Dr. Josephine Van-Ess, thanked Ariola’s office for the investment in the campus.

“With this investment, we are able to provide our students with state of the art facilities, starting with the outdoor playground.,”

Van-Ess said. “We are grateful for that because athletics are so important. Students being able to get outside be in an environment that is modern and conducive to play is critically important, and this investment will help to support not only our current students, but students to come as well. This is an investment not only in the school, but also the community around us.”

“This project has been years in the making.”

—

“This project has been years in the making,” said Dr. Joseph Birgeles, the principal of Robert Goddard High School of Communication Arts and Technology. “I know myself and Principal [William] Fitzgerald [of MS 202] have been dedicated to having this schoolyard and Rocket Park renovated, so it can be something that will be a magnet to the community — something we can be proud of and a place where people can come not only to exercise but to relax and reboot

Tree lightings in S. Queens

As the weather chills and people get in the holiday spirit, area community groups and elected officials are hosting tree lightings throughout the season on:

• Nov. 30 at 4 p.m., at the “Welcome to Howard Beach” sign on Cross Bay Boulevard, hosted by the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic and Lisena Landscaping;

• Dec. 1 at 4 p.m., at the “Welcome to Ozone Park” sign on Crossbay Boulevard at 149th Avenue, hosted by Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park);

• Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m., at 101-18 101 Ave. in Ozone Park, hosted by the Our Neighbors Civic Association of Ozone Park;

• Dec. 6 at 6 p.m., at Forest Parkway and Jamaica Avenue in Woodhaven, hosted by the Woodhaven BID;

• Dec. 7 at 5 p.m., at the Richmond Hill triangle at 133rd Street and Liberty Avenue, hosted by the Richmond HillSouth Ozone Park Lions Club;

• Dec. 8 at 5 p.m., at 102-33 Davenport Ct. in Hamilton Beach, hosted by the West Hamilton Beach Fire Department; and

• Dec. 21 at 3:30 p.m., at 158-31 99 St. in Howard Beach, hosted by the Howard Beach Assembly of God. Q

staffer from

from a stressful day.”

Campus.

He added, “Without Councilwoman Ariola’s support and advocacy this never would have happened. We tried to get this done and funded in past, but it always fell on deaf ears until Councilwoman Ariola came in. We are so grateful and appreciative of her dedication to the Ozone Park community, to District 32, and to the Robert H. Goddard Educational Campus.”

The city Parks Department website says the playground design portion of the project is estimated to be completed by March 2026, when it will enter the procurement phase. Q

Help a family in need this holiday season Kiwanis in the spirit of giving

OLG food pantry is seeking donations

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, an estimated 13.5 percent of households in the country were food insecure at some point in 2023.

In the five boroughs specifically, according to the city’s 2023 Food Metrics Report, 39.5 percent of adults lived in a household at risk for food insecurity in 2022, a 4.8 percent increase from 34.7 percent in 2021.

Households with children were more likely to be at risk of food insecurity, at 48.4 percent.

Luckily, there are groups, such as the food pantry at Our Lady of Grace Church in Howard Beach, that try to help. The group, run entirely by volunteers, helps families fight food insecurity throughout the year.

But during the holiday season, the demand grows as residents in need look to put food on their tables.

The line is always long this time of year, a volunteer recently told the Chroni-

cle, and the demand is high.

Neighborhood community and civic groups aid the pantry through their own events. Just last weekend, the Rotary Club of Southwest Queens hosted a “Cram the Van” event to collect items for distribution at Our Lady of Grace.

At this time, the food pantry is seeking donations for families’ holiday tables, including mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey gravy, canned vegetables, cranberry sauce and other nonperishable foods.

The organization also accepts items such as sauce, pasta, beans, rice, cereal, noodles, coffee, tea and oatmeal.

Our Lady of Grace is located at 100-05 159 Ave., and the food pantry is open on Tuesdays, from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

“We help everyone. All we ask is that they show identification,” a volunteer told the Chronicle. “The line is out the door.”

The group said it appreciates the community’s continuous support.

Those with questions should call the food pantry during operating hours at (718) 845-6635. Q

’Tis the season for giving!

The Kiwanis Club of Howard Beach has given $2,500 worth of grocery store gift cards to places of worship to be distributed to area families in need, keeping up the group’s tradition of generous holiday donations.

The gift cards, for neighborhood favorites Key Food and Food Emporium, went to St. Helen Roman Catholic Church, Howard Beach Assembly of God, Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, Saint Barnabas Lutheran Church and the Howard Beach Judea Center.

The religious institutions will distribute the gift cards to families based on their size and need, ensuring that all will have meals on their tables this Thanksgiving.

For more information on the Kiwanis Club of Howard Beach, a community service organization for more than 50 years, visit howardbeachkiwanis. org.

The group is also set to distribute a second round of gift cards to the same places of worship for the Christmas and Hanukkah season. Q — Kristen Guglielmo

A

the office of Councilwoman Joann Ariola, second from right, last Wednesday presented a check to Principal Joseph Birgeles of Robert Goddard High School, left, Principal William Fitzgerald of MS 202 and Queens South High Schools Superintendent Josephine Van-Ess for upgrades to the Goddard Educational

PHOTO COURTESY

Dr. Joseph Birgeles, principal of Robert Goddard High School

Aviles-Ramos fields questions and outlines her priorities at town hall Chancellor in the hot seat in D 25

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

School District 25 was vocal about its concerns, and new schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos was all ears on Monday evening at a Community Education Council 25 town hall at MS 185 Edward Bleeker in Flushing.

Aviles-Ramos, who took over for David Banks in October, before answering questions spent time making it clear that she is working for the betterment of schools and not eager to make unnecessary changes.

She said this is a “year of impact” and that it is important for the Department of Education to focus on initiatives started by her predecessor.

“We need to really make sure that things are working, and that we’re fixing what’s not working,” Aviles-Ramos said. “I do not intend to change anything that doesn’t need to be changed. This is not about putting in a vision that I think needs to happen without input from the community.”

Aviles-Ramos, who marked one month on the job last Friday, said she has three key commitments as chancellor: safety and wellness; job-embedded support and training for teachers; and family empowerment.

“We certainly are not going to change anything up in the middle of the year, but it is incredibly important to me that we double

down on those three areas, because if we get those three areas right, everything else that we’ve been working on is going to have even more impact,” Aviles-Ramos said.

In September 2022, Gov. Hochul signed a law that requires the DOE to create a five-year class-size reduction plan for all New York City K-12 community districts and high schools. The agency is currently in compliance with the class-size limits for this year, Aviles-Ramos said.

Asked how she plans to reduce class size and meet demands given building limitations, she said the agency knows the “years ahead are challenging,” and that it’s best to work on a case-by-case basis on the school level to address class-size issues.

The framework, called “Schools-Up” is optional, but allows the agency to address a school’s needs and plans when it comes to meeting class-size caps, and enables schools to submit funding requests as part of their applications.

“Essentially, what we’re saying to principals and superintendents is to take a look at your program, tell us where you need more teachers, tell us where you need to convert offices into classrooms,” she said. “Tell us what can be fixed at the school level.”

Asked if there are plans to expand or improve access to Gifted and Talented pro-

grams throughout the city, Aviles-Ramos said the topic has been an ongoing conversation “for the last few administrations.”

She continued, “And what I will say is that we listen to communities.”

She highlighted her new five-borough listening tours, which will feature structured discussions on education topics. The Queens event is on Dec. 3 at the Academy of American Studies High School, at 40-11 28 St. in Long

Island City, from 6 to 8 p.m.

“We really want to get a feel for the different neighborhoods within the boroughs and what best suits those districts,” Aviles-Ramos said. “So what I will say is that in the moment, we are engaging, we are listening and then we will make adjustments as needed. But you have a commitment from me to listen based on what the community need is.”

The CEC’s treasurer, Wendy Yu, expressed concerns regarding digital testing. She said students sometimes need assistance logging on, and the technology can fail.

“Can paper testing be reinstated throughout the city, or at least be given as an option, allowing students to choose which medium suits their test taking abilities best?” Yu asked.

“Many students will give more accurate answers because it’s easier to recheck their work on paper and annotate text in math work problems than it is on a screen.”

First Deputy Chancellor Dan Weisberg said the move to digital testing is a national trend, but students with accommodations that require paper tests will be given one. He said students are still taking paper exams, but they’re getting phased out.

“We feel like more kids at this point could be uncomfortable with paper,” Weisberg said. He said highlighting features and text to voice or voice to text are helpful in digital testing. Q

Join in 3 days of prayer for the Feast of OUR LADY OF THE MIRACULOUS MEDAL

Starting:

Monday, Nov. 25th, 2024

Tuesday, Nov. 26th, 2024 Wednesday, Nov. 27th, 2024 after the 8:30 AM Mass at Our Lady of Grace

The consecration to the Miraculous Medal will be on the feast day Wednesday, November 27th Blessed Miraculous Medals will be given out

9,

Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos, on Monday evening at MS 185 in Flushing, fielded questions from parents, educators and students during a Community Education Council 25 town hall.

SCREENSHOT VIA ZOOM / CEC 25

EDITORIAL AGEP

On our 46th anniversary: A Few of Our Favorite Things

You drivers out there, you hate the highways in Queens, don’t you? They’re always jammed up unless you’re a real night owl. And there are so many crashes — because let’s face it, everyone else can’t drive.

And you patrons of public transit, you hate the subways, right? Trains are always getting stuck, they’re just as jammed up with people as the streets are with cars, and let’s face it, you don’t feel as safe as you used to no matter what statistics the mayor and Police Department put out there.

Yeah, well, we love the highways, and the subways! We use both. We experience everything you do. But imagine trying to drive around this city, or to go in or out of it, without the Long Island Expressway, the Cross Island Parkway or even the dreaded Jackie Robinson Parkway. Or imagine trying to navigate Gotham without a car if the only public transit options were buses, ferries and commuter railroads. Either way, you very quickly realize how absolutely vital the highway network and the subway system are.

And that’s why we’ve included them in our 46th Anniversary special supplement, A Few of Our Favorite Things. Here you’ll find no raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens. Instead you’ll find 10 things Queens could not do with-

out — highways and subways included. You’ll likely learn things you didn’t know, from sources you didn’t expect.

We begin with that most beloved, and most frustrating, institution of them all: the New York Mets. Take a fun run with us through some key points in their Amazin’ history, and be sure to read our list of Mets fans’ favorite things and tell us what we missed!

Next we hit a beloved item no one could argue with: pizza. You’ve got your preferred spot for a slice or pie, and so do the folks in our story — including those who slide the raw ingredients into the oven and serve you a true New York delicacy a few minutes later. Where’s your favorite place?

You know all about Louis Armstrong, the Ramones and Run-DMC. Do you know 95 Bulls? Check out our story on the Queens music scene and you will! You’ll also learn some of the places to see emerging bands like them, if you’re cool enough to show up there.

On the other side of the sound spectrum, there’s the Queens Public Library. It’s got 66 locations, it’s one of the highest-circulating libraries in the country, and it’s a treasured place for those just learning to read, those looking to share their twilight years with friends and many in between.

Speaking of reading, Queens has some fine colleges, public and private, and we give a class in highlights at all seven. Did you know there are seven? That may be on the test.

We do realize that man and woman cannot live on pizza alone, so we then give a nod to a few of the borough’s top restaurants in a story that might have you making reservations before you get to the end of it.

Not far from the home of the Mets is another iconic sports location: the United States Tennis Association’s Billie Jean King. Queens loves the US Open, and the Queens Tourism Council really loves it. Swing down memory lane with us and see how the tournament came to Flushing Meadows Corona Park and how the USTA aids young players today.

Lastly we look at our BIDs. BIDs, you say? Yes, the business improvement districts that work behind the scenes, and sometimes out front, to keep our shopping districts looking their best and full of merchants and patrons alike.

So there they are, a few of our favorite things in Queens, with all due respect to Rodgers and Hammerstein and “The Sound of Music.” What are yours? Feel free to write us about them! After all, publishing letters to the editor with your deep thoughts is another of our favorite things.

MARK WEIDLER

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LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

Tolls and the polls

Dear Editor:

When it comes to congestion pricing, Gov. Hochul deserves the 2024 Transit Pinocchio Award.

First, she placed it on pause in June 2024. This action was clearly a political ploy to assist Democrats in regaining congressional seats as well as protecting NYC outerborough, suburban Long Island and Hudson Valley fellow Democratic state legislators. They might otherwise have faced competitive races from Republican challengers. Election Day has come and gone. How convenient she now will lift the pause, but with a basic toll of $9 versus the original $15 charge.

Second, assuming she is reelected for another term in 2026, along with fellow Democrats, it will be safe to implement a toll increase on Jan. 1, 2027. For decades, bridge and tunnel authorities have periodically raised tolls. It will be the same with congestion pricing. How could the MTA cover its capital plan with a $9 toll when state officials have said since 2019 that it would have to be $15? So much for honest bookkeeping.

Larry Penner Great Neck, LI

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

Rob Peter and rob Paul

Dear Editor:

Gov. Hochul might have lowered the EZ Pass amount to enter the city to $9, but she just said OK to putting in more red-light cameras all over the city, and Nassau and Suffolk too. Money grab!

Kathleen Schatz Rego Park

Red-light dis trick

Dear Editor:

You printed two letters explaining why the prime purpose of red light cameras is to generate revenue and not increase safety (“Red-light law flawed,” Nov. 7, and “Red-light revenue,” Nov. 14). Please print a third one. [OK. — Ed.]

Half of the summonses are issued to cars going through the red signal in the first few tenths of a second after it turns red. The crime of these people is in misestimating how long the amber signal will last. Since it varies by

intersection and by speed limit, and may not be calibrated correctly at every intersection, many motorists are unfairly caught by a re d signal, as Lee Rottenberg correctly pointed out in “Red-light revenue.”

A half-second or one-second grace perio d would not jeopardize safety, but would cut revenue in half. Quadrupling the number of cameras should more than make up for this loss of revenue. I asked my councilperson to introduce legislation to allow for a grace period, but didn’t even receive a response.

Shouldn’t our elected officials represent us? Allan Rosen Brooklyn

School standards fall again

Dear Editor:

Re. Kristen Guglielmo’s Nov. 7 report “No Regents for graduation?” and Michael Gallagher’s Nov. 14 letter, “Equity over education”: Don’t raise the bridge. Lower the water. That’s the message New York State’s Education

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

Department is sending by scrapping Regents exams for high school students starting in 2027. Those exams have been a basic requirement for millions of New York students for over 150 years. I had to pass them to graduate from Forest Hills High School in 1957.

They’re being sacrificed on the altar of equity, which demands equal outcomes for everyone, regardless of skill, work ethic, dedication and ambition. All students will receive worthless diplomas that do not indicate a quality level of learning. The Board of Regents’ equity rationale is “rooted in the racist belief that minority kids are unable to pass the tests at the same level as whites,” says the New York Post (Nov. 10). “Yet numerous charter schools, like Success Academy, whose minority students consistently show stellar results, prove that wrong year after year.”

This pathetic process cheats not only students, but also state taxpayers who, a couple of years ago, were spending $24,040 for each student, almost double the national average of $12,612, according to the state Division of the Budget. The winners are teachers union members who will face less pressure and accountability to provide students with the education they deserve. Equity means that everyone else loses.

Richard Reif Kew Gardens Hills

He don’t need no education

Dear Editor:

President-elect Trump must not by any means abolish the U.S. Department of Education (“Trump has pledged to abolish the DOE,” Nov. 14).

This would have an adverse effect upon our children’s education. Children are our future and we must teach them through education.

How could Trump do this? He is acting like a dictator again. There is fear amongst so many people in this nation. We must flex our political muscle and avoid his abolishing the DOE.

Thanks, Chronicle, for being the best hometown paper in town and letting us know about this terrible Trump promise.

Cynthia Groopman Little Neck

How far will Prop 1 go?

Dear Editor:

Last letter I wrote about how Proposal 1 will eliminate women’s privacy rights (“NYS women lose out,” Nov. 14). So what does it do to parental rights?

According to the wording of Prop 1, approved on Nov. 5, no person can be discriminated against “by any firm, corporation, or institution, or by the state or any agency or subdivision of the state, pursuant to law” because of age, among other things. So what does this mean? Does this mean that a child of, say, 13 years goes to get a tattoo and can’t be told no?

Write a Letter!

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

How about body piercing, body modification?

After all according to this Prop 1, they can’t be denied their civil rights because of age!

How about buying a gun? Since it is your constitutional right to bear arms, and according to Prop 1, you can’t be denied your rights because of age, can they buy a gun? Can they buy cigarettes, alcohol?

This amendment to our state Constitution is so badly written I foresee all of this happening.

We need our representatives to answer these questions and more! Hold your representatives responsible, attend your civic meetings and challenge them to answer the questions.

Parents, government is taking away your rights to raise your children in the way you see fit. Fight for your children! Demand that Prop 1 be repealed!

John Bluemke Howard Beach

Where ya bin?

Dear Editor:

I am wondering ... when June 1, 2026, comes around and we are all required to own the official garbage bin that the city sells, how many times will you be responsible to buy them after they are stolen from in front of your house? I know people in my neighborhood who already have had their pails stolen, and we still have a year and a half to go until they are mandatory. Has the city taken this under consideration?

Can someone in our “ brilliant” city government please let us know what the over/under number of stolen pails per person is before they start just giving them to you for free?

David Conlin Howard Beach

Tariffs are trouble

Dear Editor:

Tariffs to protect domestic manufacturing contributed to the Great Depression. When the U.S. imposed tariffs, other nations retaliated with tariffs of their own. As a result, the world’s economic output plummeted, causing the U.S. unemployment rate to soar to 25 percent and devastating the economy for 12 years: 1929 to 1941, until the U.S. entered World War II. Tariffs alone will not reverse a nation’s competitive disadvantage in manufacturing.

The U.S. and China account for approximately one-third of international trade. The whole world will be affected if they get into a tariff war. However, China might be better positioned to withstand one because its trading markets have not only increased tremendously worldwide but are much more diverse. For instance, China’s exports to Mexico have increased substantially in the past five years, and Brazil trades more now with China than it does with our nation. International trading partners appreciate the lower cost of Chinese products. Many American manufacturers rely on low-cost parts and supplies from China, and American families appreciate the bargain products from China they purchase.

No U.S. family will welcome higher prices caused by tariffs that will negatively impact their budgets. Tariffs are a very risky economic weapon.

Glenn Hayes Kew Gardens

Hochul says $9 plan will fund agency needs; Trump is known to oppose it Hochul, MTA approve congestion tolls

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority Board on Monday approved a new congestion pricing plan congestion that was introduced by Gov. Hochul last week.

Automobiles will be charged $9 during peak periods and $2.25 overnight. All other toll rates, including those for trucks, buses, and motorcycles, as well as all crossing credits, will be 60 percent of the initially approved rates.

The tolls will begin Jan. 5 absent any rulings on the lawsuits aimed at stopping them. Increases to the rates originally approved last year, including to $15 for most cars during peak hours, will be phased in between 2028 and 2031.

“Transit has to be preserved, expanded and improved or New York won’t be New York,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said Monday in a press release from the agency. “New York couldn’t exist without transit and I’m proud that with Governor Hochul’s leadership, we’re able to make more of those investments, so thank you to the Governor for getting us back on track — and to the MTA Board who along with the advocates and millions of everyday New Yorkers have never wavered — have never stopped fighting for better transit, a better city, and a better metropolitan area.”

Queens residents and others will be paying $9 a pop during peak hours to drive into Manhattan’s Central Business District effective Jan. 5.

Hochul announced the new tolls on Nov. 14, after hinting at them during a press conference the day after Election Day.

Daytime E-ZPass tolls will be $9 once per day for passenger vehicles; $4.50 for motorcycles; $14.50 for small trucks; and $21.60 for large trucks. Tunnel crossing credits will be cut by 40 percent from the original plan while

nighttime discounts will be 75 percent of daytime tolls. Taxis and black cars will have a 75-cents-per-ride fee. App-based for-hire cars will pay $1.50.

Drivers making less than $50,000 per year will be eligible for a 50 percent reduction after their first 10 trips in a month.

The governor last week framed the $9

mark as something that would save the average driver about $1,500 per year compared to the $15 toll, while opponents [see separate story in some editions or at qchron.com] are calling it a new tax on private vehicles and businesses.

The cost per year for someone going into the city five days a week, 48 weeks of the year, at peak time will be $2,160.

Hochul said whether the toll is $9 or $15, “congestion pricing is the law of the state.”

She also said the lower fee will generate the necessary revenue for the MTA to support its capital budget and secure $15 billion in loans.

Drivers entering Manhattan at or south of 60th Street will be charged based on their vehicle, the time of day and whether the vehicle has an E-ZPass.

While Hochul said she did not want to increase the cost for at least three years, she and senior members of her staff said Nov. 14 revenue projections will be monitored throughout to see if adjustments will be needed.

The plan will go into effect 15 days before President-elect Donald Trump — who has spoken of ending it — takes office.

Hochul paused the new toll on June 5, 25 days before it was scheduled to start. She reiterated that her actions were motived by eco-

Toll opponents stand firm; Jan. 5 looming

Congestion pricing critics: Drivers, businesses still can’t afford the cost

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

If Gov. Hochul thought Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows) was going to go quietly into the night last week when she announced the restart of congestion pricing ...

Weprin, at a Sunday morning press conference at his Fresh Meadows district office, called on Hochul once again to stop what he called a tax on workers and businesses.

He was joined by Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D-Flushing), a host of civic leaders and people from the trucking industry. The board of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which looks to gain $1 billion per year and security for $15 billion in loans from the program, voted the next day to approve Hochul’s recommendations with lower fees than originally approved [see separate story in some editions or at qchron.com].

“We’ve been fighting congestion pricing since 2007 when it was proposed by Mayor [Mike] Bloomberg,” Weprin said.

Like others, he reiterated that some people, because of health problems, concerns over subway safety or just lack of access to bus and subway service in places such as Northeast Queens sometimes have no good alternative to driving.

With the plan set to go into effect on June 30, Hochul ordered a temporary pause on

June 5, saying in her judgment that the proposed $15 toll was too high given present economic conditions.

“It will shut down businesses across New York City or force them to pass the cost onto consumers,” Weprin said. “All this after years of supply chain disruptions and record inflation. We are still recovering from the Covid-19 crisis. Simply put, New Yorkers cannot afford the imposition of this financial burden.”

Among those, he said, are a large number of yellow cab and rideshare drivers who live in his district, and who Weprin said are already struggling financially.

He also took issue with Hochul’s contention that a $9 toll amounts to a cost savings when compared to the original $15 fee.

“It’s $9 more than people are paying right now,” Weprin said.

Even the MTA is now admitting that congestion pricing will not eliminate traffic as much as move it to places like Northern Manhattan and the Bronx, he added.

Warren Schreiber of Bay Terrace, who serves as president of the Queens Civic Congress among other roles, was far less diplomatic.

“It’s a fraud and a scam,” Schreiber said, saying the intention is to balance the MTA’s books on the backs of the middle class.

He also said while proponents talk about the success of the program in London, the Brits do not charge overnight and built more rail service between London and its distant neighbors.

Zach Miller, director of metro region operations for the Trucking Association of New

York, said most trucking and logistics companies are small businesses.

“They will pass the costs on to their customers, who also are small businesses,” Miller said.

Larry Zogby, president of RDS Same Day

PHOTO BY SAMANTHA URBAN / FILE

Martha Taylor, the chairperson of Community Board 8, said people with medical conditions often have no choice but to drive into Manhattan. After a pause of more than five months, Gov. Hochul last week introduced a new toll plan with lower rates — for now. PHOTO BY MICHAEL GANNON

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Congestion tolls set for Jan. 5

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nomics and not politics.

“My aim was to take care of all New Yorkers while devising a different path for it,” she said. “Fifteen dollars was just too much.”

The money is slated to fund projects such as the Second Ave Subway Phase 2 extension; modern signal systems on segments of the A, B, C, D, F and M subway lines; accessibility upgrades at more than 20 stations; and hundreds of electric buses.

Hochul said the MTA was directed to improve service on at least 23 bus lines with priority given to outer boroughs.

While the toll is designed to reduce traffic, pollution and travel time in Manhattan, Hochul said the state will commit $100 million to offset anticipated impacts in the Bronx, Brooklyn, New Jersey and elsewhere. Queens was not mentioned.

The Bronx has been promised an asthma center and case management, air filtration units at some schools near highways and other programs aimed at reducing or countering pollution.

Supporters of the plan were quick to back Hochul.

“Subway and bus riders campaigned for the better part of a decade, held two governors accountable, and won a transformative plan to fix the subway,” said Betsy Plum, executive director of the Riders Alliance in a statement.

Andrew Rein, president of the Citizens Budget Commission, also was on board.

“We’re heartened that Governor Hochul is restarting congestion pricing, which is a smart way to fund critical projects in the MTA’s current Capital Program,” Rein said in an emailed statement.

He also was pleased that Hochul is supporting the MTA’s 2025-29 $68 billion capital plan, and encouraged her to work with the Legislature to fund the needed investment while ensuring New York’s competitiveness.

“The capital plan’s financing should be sustainable — not setting the stage for new tax increases every five years — and fairly apportion the cost across the region and among riders, drivers, and taxpayers,” Rein said.

Steven Rubenstein, chairman of A Better New York, also hailed the decision.

“Public transit makes New York City work,” Rubenstein said. “Everyone from our students to our CEOs has a stake in a safe, modern and reliable transit system. ABNY has supported congestion pricing for nearly two decades, and the window to seize this opportunity and make a generational investment in our subways, buses and commuter trains is fast closing. We are pleased to see Governor Hochul is putting congestion pricing back on track. Let’s get this done as if the city’s future depends upon it. Because it does.” Q

Toll opponents not yielding

continued from page 12

Delivery in Long Island City, said the nature of a small trucking or delivery service can make it very difficult to prepare and budget for what is coming.

“We make 25,000 trips a year into Manhattan,” he said, estimating it could cost RDS $600,000 or more per year.

While Weprin demanded more solid data on the program, both he and Rozic stopped short of saying they would submit a bill to require a forensic audit of the MTA’s finances. Such audits are conducted by certified specialists who are trained to spot financial irregularities.

“I’m on the committee that oversees the MTA,” Rozic said. “We look at their budget carefully.”

Weprin said to his understanding an audit would be under the purview of state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli.

Other things Hochul likely has unpaused are lawsuits aimed at stopping congestion pricing.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy filed the first suit against the tolls in July 2023, with Fort Lee, NJ, Mayor Mark Sokolich then doing so last November.

The United Federation of Teachers and Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella joined forces on a suit back in January. The 400,000-member Municipal Labor Council, which represents city employees, and 18 elected officials joined

the UFT-Fossella suit in February. The Staten Island chapter of the NAACP did so in March.

A class-action suit filed in January by New Yorkers against Congestion Pricing Tax, Inc., includes residents and businesses in and near Manhattan’s Lower East Side, as well as officials and Queens residents.

The Town of Hempstead, which borders Queens in Nassau County, LI, and Town Supervisor Donald Clavin filed a suit of their own in opposition on May 1.

The Hempstead, Staten Island and New Jersey suits all mention the added costs to drivers, while most of the cases also include concerns that traffic, pollution and related health problems would simply be moved to other communities.

A Manhattan Supreme Court judge in late September turned down motions from Hochul attorneys to dismiss a pair of lawsuits filed by congestion pricing advocates seeking to compel the governor to remove the pause, a point that now appears to be moot.

Politico reported back in June that Hochul ordered the pause at the behest of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn), who did not want the issue used against Democratic House candidates. Hochul first hinted at lifting the pause in a press conference the day after Election Day. Q

Many call for immigration reform and anticipate legal challenges Pols on Trump’s deportation plans

by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor

Immigration was a key issue for many voters and may have given President-elect Donald Trump an advantage over Vice President Kamala Harris, especially for those unhappy with current policies.

Upon entering the White House, President Biden worked to loosen Trump’s border restrictions. Migration surged by the end of his first year in office.

Biden enacted tighter border restrictions later in his term, including an executive order to prevent migrants who illegally crossed the border from seeking asylum, but he also facilitated legal immigration and emphasized finding pathways to citizenship.

On the other hand, Trump on Monday confirmed his intention to declare a national emergency and use the U.S. military to perform mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, according to several published news reports.

Former Queens College political science professor Michael Krasner said Trump will get “whatever he wants on immigration from the emasculated Republicans” in Congress.

Trump would need approval for the appropriations to pay for his mass deportation plans, Krasner told the Chronicle in an email, but he could try to circumvent that by declaring an emergency. To do so would be “entirely fictional,” he added, but that would not slow Trump down.

“Then you’re back to whether or not the Republicans will try to stop him, and again, I would very much doubt it,” he said.

Also on Monday, the American Civil Liberties Union sued Immigration and Customs Enforcement for information about Trump’s deportation plans after the agency failed to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request submitted in August.

“Little is known about how President-elect Trump would carry out its mass deportation agenda, but what we do know is that this proposal has already instilled fear among immigrant communities,” Eva Bitran, director of immigrants’ rights at ACLU SoCal, said in a press release.

Many such communities are located in Queens — “We are a nation of immigrants and nowhere is that more true than here in the World’s Borough, and I myself am the daughter of immigrants from Queens,” Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) said in a statement. “But our immigration system is broken, and it desperately needs to be overhauled.”

Meng said she long has called for comprehensive immigration reform in Congress, from securing the border to addressing backlogs in the immigration system.

Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) said Biden “played politics with the lives of Americans by undoing policies that

Broker fees

continued from page 2

empowering tenants by holding bad actors accountable,” mayoral spokesperson Amaris Cockfield said in an email. “We are reviewing this bill, and look forward to continuing to work with the Council to make this city more affordable for New Yorkers.”

On Wall Street, the bill hasn’t elicited much reaction from lenders, bankers and investors, according to Thomas Taylor, senior manager of research at Trepp, a commercial real estate analytics firm. “I haven’t heard a lot of negative sentiment from investors yet,” Taylor said.

kept us safe,” such as Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy that required asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases were pending in the U.S. immigration court system.

“The 2024 elections led to a much-needed change in how we deal with the border and criminal migrant gangs terrorizing our city,” Holden said in an emailed statement.

Asked whether he draws a distinction between unauthorized immigrants who have committed crimes and those who have not, Holden said the focus should be on those who have committed crimes.

Councilmember Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills) said she is “deeply concerned” about Trump’s deportation plans precisely because they do not appear to make that distinction.

“While our nation’s immigration system needs significant reform, targeting lawful undocumented individuals — many of whom contribute meaningfully to our city — without distinction is unjust and counterproductive,” Schulman said in an emailed statement, emphasizing due process and pathways to legal status for law-abiding immigrants.

She said Trump’s proposals for mass deportation “may violate constitutional protections” and are likely to face legal challenges.

Krasner said that is a disputed area of the law. The Supreme Court has established precedents that exclude undocumented people from the usual constitutional protections, he said, but the Guantanamo Bay cases seem to have

Taylor told the Queens Chronicle that while his firm isn’t in the prediction market, he expects “that the people who stand to lose the biggest are the brokers.”

“I think everyone kind of knows that tenants find their own apartments anyway,” Taylor added, anecdotally pointing to his experience finding apartments without the aid of a broker in New York City.

However, Taylor cautioned that observers should look to median rents, vacancy rates, the number of concessions landlords give out, such as a free first month’s rent, and the length of rental contracts to know whether the bill is having the intended effect, as Gennaro and many of his allies have said, of reducing costs for renters. Q

shifted in the other direction.

“Given how right wing the current Court is, I think we can expect a nearly complete abdication by the Court of any role in protecting individuals,” he said. “They will approve whatever Trump does.”

To Councilwoman Vickie Paladino (R-Whitestone), asylum status is a likely source of legal trouble for Trump. She said the Biden administration “made a mockery of the immigration process” by granting asylum status to “anyone who managed to enter the country.”

“But I doubt much of that will hold up in the end, as the asylum laws do not guarantee a direct ticket into the United States from anywhere in the world,” Paladino said.

Krasner said people who have properly applied for asylum should be protected until their cases are heard, but it remains to be seen whether the Trump administration will honor that.

Paladino mentioned a shelter in College Point that she worked to shut down and surges in crime “as a direct result of transnational gangs” settling there.

“The community recognizes that these criminals have to go, and are looking forward to action by the new administration making their neighborhoods safe again,” she said.

Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) said she would not be surprised if “left-wing legislators” attempt to file a lawsuit to stop deportations, adding that it would be “completely on-brand for their political theater activism.”

“Illegal immigration has placed a tremendous burden on the people of this city, and I’m glad to see that something is finally being done about it,” Ariola said in an emailed statement. “For far too long, we’ve seen foreign-born criminals exploiting our overly lax laws to the detriment of New York’s taxpaying citizens.”

Krasner said “serious legal questions” would arise if Trump is serious about using the military for mass deportations. Since the military is only supposed to be deployed domestically in times of crisis, he said, doing so would violate the limits of presidential power.

“Given that most undocumented people are working and living peacefully (and are in many cases essential to the businesses and communities in which they work and live), it’s hard to see where the legally justifying crisis is to be found,” he said, adding that “the true crisis” will take place after people are deported, when businesses and communities must replace them. Q

Correction

The Nov. 7 story “Queens goes to the polls: an overview” misstated the fate of Proposal 6. It was voted down. We regret the error. Q

Combating illegal vendors

continued from page 4

to get rid of these illegal vendors in the area since I came into office, and I’ve been in regular contact with the NYPD, DSNY, Consumer Affairs, and Workforce Protection to have them shut down.”

She said the presence of illegal vendors harms brick-and-mortar stores and pulls business away from hardworking merchants who try to go about things the correct way.

“Getting rid of these illegal vendors will help to improve the economic prosperity of the whole area, and it’s great to

see that I have another elected partner in this initiative,” Ariola said.

A produce grocer on Jamaica Avenue who requested anonymity said the illicit stands that sell competing product are hurting his business.

“Why would anybody come in when there’s someone standing in the street selling the same thing?” he said. “And I have seen the quality — mine is better, and you know it’s good because I have permission to sell. They don’t have that.”

He added, “I hope they will maybe stay inside in the winter.” Q

President-elect Donald Trump says he will use the military to deport many migrants. Here, men arrive at the Creedmoor facility in Queens Village. PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHAIN / FILE

Agencies discuss drone deterrents, infrastructure, media campaigns Council takes on subway surfing

by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor

With at least six deaths from subway surfing so far this year, the City Council’s Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure, Public Safety, Education and Children and Youth held a joint oversight hearing on its dangers Monday morning.

The most recent young deaths in Queens were those of 13-year-old Adolfo Said Sanabria Sorzano on the M train in Ridgewood and 13-year old Krystel Romero on the 7 train in Jackson Heights last month.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s chief security officer, Michael Kemper, said the 7 line’s elevated platforms and scenic views make it a frequent site for subway surfing.

Majority Whip Selvena Brooks-Powers (D-Laurelton) asked if the MTA has explored infrastructure changes to deter subway surfing. The agency’s chief of staff, Franck Joseph, said it is looking at every possible solution, prioritizing both riders and employees’ safety.

Brooks-Powers later asked how the MTA can retrofit the 7 train to deter the dangerous behavior, citing the MTA’s rollout of barriers on platforms to prevent track intrusion.

Joseph said the agency cannot move forward with platform screen doors, but it targets a few stations a month to install barriers. They have proven useful, he said, according to monthly

customer surveys.

NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta said police have tackled the issue with home visits to young people with histories of subway surfing, presentations for students and staff at more than a dozen schools across the city and drones to identify subway surfers in the act.

Social media were frequently cited as a driving force of subway surfing. Kemper said the MTA has gotten Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat to remove more than 10,000 posts.

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The MTA, city Department of Education, city Department of Youth and Community Development and NYPD launched the “Ride Inside, Stay Alive” campaign last year, working with young people to create anti-subway surfing social media posts, station announcements and other assets.

Asked by Brooks-Powers how the campaign’s effectiveness is measured, the MTA said it works on that every day.

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members present to know that we are at the table together every day,” MTA attorney Jeremy Feigelson said, commending the DYCD for its outreach to students.

During the public testimony portion, Norma Nazario, whose 15-year-old son, Zackery, died subway surfing on the Williamsburg Bridge in 2023, said the MTA could do more to deter the behavior.

“The MTA got only statements and announcements. They need to do action,” Nazario said.

QueensLink, a 3.5-mile-long transit and park corridor proposal that would connect northern and southern Queens, was also on the hearing agenda.

Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park), who supports it, called for an environmental impact study to determine how the rail line would serve affected communities.

“It seems that the MTA is much more focused on making life more difficult for people from my borough through congestion pricing than it is in making public transportation more viable and attractive options for millions of potential riders,” she said.

Joseph said the MTA is working to improve service on the A line, which will be shut down for months, and mentioned the Queens Bus Network Redesign. The agency also held a capital plan open house in Jamaica last week. Q

The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) ends December 7. Don’t miss your chance to enroll.

Representatives from the MTA, NYPD, DOE and DYCD discussed ways to prevent subway surfing at a City Council hearing on Monday. YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT

Serial robber shot dead in the face

Cop and innocent bystander to recover at Jamaica Hospital: mayor

by Naeisha Rose Editor

A neighborhood coordination officer and a bystander who were shot by a Rochdale man who committed two robberies Tuesday night in Jamaica are expected to make a recovery, said Mayor Adams at a press conference at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center.

The suspect, Gary Worthy, 57, a Rochdale man with 17 priors, who was arrested just a week ago for narcotics possession and resisting arrest, was shot in the face by Police Officer Rich Wong, the 103rd Precinct cop he had shot in the thigh, said NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny. The bystander, a 26-year-old woman who was shopping at the time, was hit in the leg during the shootout.

up, Wong and his partner, PO Nicholas Pryor, who were canvassing the area for Worthy, were flagged down at approximately 6:24 p.m. by a witness of another robbery. He told them a man fitting Worthy’s description robbed a smoke shop at 92-18 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. in Jamaica, which is about three blocks away from the prior crime, according to Google Maps.

“We will be in courthouses around the country.”

— PBA President Patrick Hendry

The two cops approached Worthy at 161st Street and Jamaica Avenue and asked him to stop and stay still, but he ran east on the avenue, pulled out a gun and then shot Wong in the thigh, with the bullet going right through the officer, said Kenny. The bystander was also shot at that time.

According to a preliminary investigation, police received a 911 call at approximately 5:35 p.m. of a gunpoint robbery in progress at the Village Market and Grill bodega, located at 164-01 Hillside Ave. in Jamaica Hills within the 107th Precinct and that Worthy fled south into the 103rd Precinct.

Kenny said that after the bodega was held

After Wong was shot, he shot Worthy in the face. Worthy was dead on arrival at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, added the chief of detectives.

According to Kenny, Worthy had a criminal rap sheet that included murder, robbery, burglary and narcotics, and he was on lifetime parole on weapons charges. Despite that, he was arrested seven times since 2021 and was wanted for three additional gun-

point robberies on Halloween and Nov. 15.

Patrick Hendry, president of the Police Benevolent Association, who was just in court as Guy Rivera, 34, pleaded not guilty to the death of Det. Jonathan Diller, said the criminal justice system is broken.

Diller was shot and killed March 25, while conducting a traffic stop in Far Rockaway.

SO Park arsonist pleads guilty

Two people injured in home occupied by two children

by Naeisha Rose Editor

A South Ozone man pleaded guilty to arson in the second degree on Nov. 14 for setting cars and a home on fire in his neighborhood, according to the office of District Attorney Melinda Katz. At least two people who occupied the home, which also had two children in it, were injured in the July 4 incident. The DA’s office did not say if either of the children were injured.

Evan Person, 35, also had been indicted on two counts of arson in the first degree, burglary in the second degree, two counts of arson in the third degree, reckless endangerment in the first degree, two counts of criminal mischief in the second degree, criminal mischief in the fourth degree, petit larceny and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, said prosecutors.

Surveillance video footage shows Person in front of a home at 105-20 Van Siclen St. lighting the bumper of a BMW sedan on fire at around 4 a.m., causing it to melt. The bumper of a Toyota RAV4 parked behind the BMW also melted

because of the fire.

He was caught 12 minutes later on separate surveillance footage entering the driveway of a home on 132nd Street and then seen exiting it at 4:26 a.m., said prosecutors.

An occupant called 911 when a fire

“These reckless acts of arson endangered the lives of New Yorkers and FDNY members.”

— FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker

erupted in the basement laundry room, said authorities. Two people were sleeping in the basement at the time of the fire. They were hospitalized for more than a month with serious injuries.

Person was caught on surveillance footage a third time entering a BMW on 132nd

Street and removing a backpack and then setting a trunk of a car on fire.

FDNY marshals arrested Person following an investigation and apprehension by the NYPD Warrant Squad, said the DA’s Office.

The city Department of Correction said he was arrested on July 24.

“These reckless acts of arson endangered the lives of New Yorkers and FDNY members,” FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker said in a statement. “Thanks to the excellent investigative case work of our fire marshals and our close collaboration with the Queens District Attorney’s Office, this perpetrator will be behind bars for a long time. I want to commend everyone involved for their efforts to ensure this dangerous individual does not harm any more New Yorkers.”

Person is due back in court on Jan. 6, 2025, said prosecutors. He is expected to receive 15 years in prison. Person is currently at the Otis Bantum Correctional Center on Rikers Island, according to the DOC. Q

“We will be in courthouses around the country demanding change,” said Hendry. “We need that change and we need that now.” Adams thanked New Yorkers for stepping up and helping out with the Worthy case. Q

Tisch named new top cop

Jessica Tisch, current commissioner of the city Department of Sanitation, will take the helm as commissioner of the NYPD starting Nov. 25, Mayor Adams announced Wednesday. She will be the second woman to serve as top cop in the Police Department’s 179-year history.

Tisch previously served as commissioner of the city Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications and citywide chief information officer from December 2019 to January 2022. Prior to her time at the DOITT, Tisch spent 12 years with the NYPD, serving as deputy commissioner of information technology and overseeing the department’s 911 operations.

“I thank Mayor Adams for the tremendous honor to now lead the NYPD, and I understand the solemnity of this great responsibility,” Tisch said in a statement.

Adams said Tisch is “one of the most successful managers in our administration” and that he is confident she will lead effectively.

The city did not immediately name a replacement for Tisch at the DSNY. Q — Kristen Guglielmo

A gun, inset, was recovered from the Tuesday night shootout in Jamaica between Police Officer Rich Wong and serial robber Gary Worthy, 57. SCREENSHOT VIA FREEDOMNEWS TV; INSET PHOTO COURTESY NYPD

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Addressing climate and gaps in Queens air quality OPINION

by Mehrab Hossain

Imagine stepping outside in any Queens neighborhood. An unseen threat lingers in the air, affecting everyone who breathes it.

There’s no question that air quality impacts respiratory health, but it’s also crucial to recognize that poor air quality is part of the broader climate crisis. As climate change worsens air pollution through higher temperatures, increased smog, and more frequent wildfires, communities in Queens suffer the consequences.

Queens, a borough with diverse demographics and historically under-resourced neighborhoods, faces the combined threats of air pollution and climate change directly, making these issues particularly pressing. The time to act is now — cleaner air and meaningful climate action will drastically improve Queens residents’ health and quality of life.

Although the effects of climate change are widespread, the burden on our health is unevenly distributed. Many Queens communities that already struggle with poor access to healthcare are becoming more vulnerable to the health concerns associated with the effect of climate change. These communities, which are frequently located next to highways, industrial regions, or flood-prone areas, are home to residents who face higher pollution levels, warmer temperatures and more extreme weather occurrences, all of which exacerbate preexisting health disparities.

Studies show that exposure to climateworsened pollution is creating long-term health disparities in Queens, affecting not only respiratory but also cardiovascular health. Rising temperatures from climate change intensify pollution by creating ground-level ozone, worsening conditions like asthma and chronic bronchitis, especially in children and the elderly. Studies by the American Lung Association and the American Thoracic Society highlight how such conditions impact daily life, limit educational and employment opportunities and increase healthcare costs over time, espe-

cially for Queens residents in lowerincome brackets.

Another growing climate-related problem brought on by increased rainfall and increasing sea levels is flooding. Every storm increases the risk of water contamination and mold development in Queens districts that are vulnerable to flooding, such as Rockaway and sections of Jamaica. These circumstances can worsen preexisting disorders such as asthma and cause respiratory infections. These additional health risks raise healthcare expenses, compromise livelihoods and exacerbate long-term health inequities for families that are already struggling financially.

While addressing emissions and promoting climate resilience are the goals of New York City’s 2019 “OneNYC” effort, the long-term objectives of the plan lack the urgency required for protecting Queens citizens who are currently experiencing health issues due to climate change. Reducing these inequities today, not in 2050, requires a focus on strategies such as increasing green areas, installing cooling stations and enhancing access to healthcare in neighborhoods that are at risk.

A substantial impact can be achieved by funding specific climate adaptation measures. In highly populated communities, adding green infrastructure — such as green roofs — could help reduce excessive heat. Enhancing flood control measures will safeguard residences and lessen exposure to dangerous chemicals following storms, especially in regions that experience frequent floods. Incorporating environmental resilience planning into healthcare systems and increasing access to affordable healthcare will also help ensure that people survive and recover from the negative health effects of climate change.

Chronic health disparities are being exacerbated by the effects of climate change. We must take immediate, focused action to protect the health and well-being of every Queens resident. In addition to the environmental concern, addressing these climate-driven health inequities is also a moral obligation to safeguard our most vulnerable neighbors. Together, we can create a future in which all Queens residents — regardless of ZIP code — breathe cleaner air, survive severe weather conditions and prosper in a healthy neighborhood. Q

Mehrab Hossain is a registered nurse and candidate for a master’s in public health degree at SUNY Downstate, and a former longtime resident of Jamaica now living in Nassau County.

Honoring Polish independence

City Hall had a guest of honor from Howard Beach on Nov. 12, as Nicholas Laurusevicius, second from right, a fourth-grade student at St. Helen Catholic Academy, joined Councilwoman Joann Ariola, right, to celebrate Polish Independence Night in the City Council Chambers.

While there, Nicholas, who attends Polish school at St. Faustyna in Ozone Park, was given a behind-the-scenes tour of City Hall. He also met Konrad Fijolek, the mayor of Rzeszów, Poland, left, radio personality Rita

Cosby, Councilman Bob Holden and other councilmembers and Polish Americans.

Nicholas, in a press release from Ariola’s office, said it was exciting to be part of a special event that honored Poland, his mother’s home country. He said the best part was the Polish American kids’ choir.

“It was great having Nicholas join us to celebrate Polish Independence in City Hall, and watch the love and passion for Polish culture and heritage carry on to the next generation,” Ariola said.

Drought warning for NYC; rain on the way

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

Mayor Adams on Monday formally elevated New York City to a drought warning status as unseasonably warm, dry weather continued.

The National Weather Service on Wednesday did forecast that Queens could receive 2 inches of rain or more from Wednesday night through Friday night.

The city has been under a drought warning since Nov. 3. Adams and city Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala were leaving nothing to chance in Monday’s press release.

“As our city and watershed continues to experience significant precipitation shortages, today, I’m upgrading our drought watch to a drought warning, pausing our Delaware Aqueduct repair project, and ordering our agencies to immediately implement water saving measures,” Adams said. “Our city vehicles may look a bit dirtier, and our subways may look a bit dustier, but it’s what we have to do to delay or stave off a more serious drought emergency. We need New Yorkers to continue to save water

too, so we can water our parks and fill our pools this coming summer. New Yorkers always look out for each other. We are resilient and we will get through this together.”

City agency water-saving measures include but are not limited to:

• The Department of Sanitation is suspending street flushing activities and reducing vehicle washing;

• The FDNY and NYPD are closing illegally opened hydrants and reducing vehicle washing;

•The Department of Parks and Recreation is limiting water use for fountains and golf courses and no longer providing makeup water for artificial ponds and lakes unless they are habitats for fish or other wildlife.

• The Housing Authority and Department of Housing Preservation and Development are requesting plumbing leak surveys and appropriate repair work, seeking to install low-flow plumbing fixtures wherever possible and restricting lawn watering; and

• Public schools are initiating water conservation awareness programming for students. Q

Flooding, such as that seen here in South Queens in 2016, brings respiratory health risks to affected communities. FILE PHOTO

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Library ‘banned books’ contest

There’s a little more than a week left to enter the Queens Library’s contest to design a special library card on the theme of book bans. It is open to teens and adults.

“The American Library Association (ALA) has reported historic highs in the number of banned and challenged book titles,” the library says in its flier on the contest. “It is more important than ever to stand against censorship and celebrate the freedom to read.

“To shine a light on this important and ongoing issue, we are asking for local artists and the general public, ages 13 and up, to submit original artwork that celebrates the freedom to read. The artwork may be inspired by books or authors who have been banned or challenged, or it may be inspired by your own interpretation of the freedom to read in Queens. Get creative!”

The winning artwork will go on the Banned Books Special Edition Library Card, to be released in 2025. The winner will also receive a $2,000 cash prize.

The deadline is Nov. 30. All the rules, and there are many, are posted by the library at tinyurl. com/27ad5xw9. Q

— Peter C. Mastrosimone

East High comes to Queens

Their dreams have no limitations! Little Mary’s Sunshine Studios, a Howard Beachbased vocal studio and performance training group, invites all to its final production of the year, Disney’s “High School Musical Jr.”

The younger MainStage performers will transform into East High’s wildcats as they belt out songs from the hit film at St. Francis Preparatory School, at 6100 Francis

Lewis Blvd. in Fresh Meadows. Sandro Norfo leads the cast as Troy Bolton, and Callie Cheng and Sophia Rodriguez alternate the role of Gabriella Montez. Performances are Nov. 22 at 6 p.m., Nov. 23 at 2 and 6 p.m., and Nov. 24 at 12 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance at littlemaryssunshinestudios.com/tickets.

— Kristen Guglielmo

Sidewalk sales oversight bill

Councilmember Sandra Ung (D-Flushing) has introduced a bill that would require the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, or, where applicable, the Department of Small Business Services, to notify community boards and councilmembers within five days of any stoop line stand license application being filed.

Stoop line stands allow businesses to display merchandise on sidewalks in front of their stores within defined guidelines.

Ung said in a press release that the legislation is particularly important in her district in Downtown Flushing, where unlicensed or improperly managed stands lead to overcrowding on some of New York’s busiest sidewalks.

“In Flushing, we’ve seen firsthand how improper use of sidewalks — whether through unlicensed stoop line stands or stands that extend too far into pedestrian spaces — creates challenges for residents, particularly seniors and those with limited mobility,” the councilwoman said. “This bill will help us reduce these issues in Flushing and other retail corridors across the five boroughs.”

Q

— Michael Gannon

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Airport declared Best in North America for second year in a row JFK wins Business Traveller’s award

by Naeisha Rose Editor

Improvements being made to JFK Airport must be paying off as Business Traveller magazine recently declared it the Best Airport in North America for the second year in a row, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced last Friday.

JFK beat out Los Angeles, Chicago O’Hare and Dallas Forth Worth international airports for the distinction, according to a Business Traveller report released on Nov. 7. The Business Traveller Awards are based on the readers’ votes, with results authenticated by an independent market research company.

Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said the honor is just the beginning of the accolades to come.

“When the transformation of JFK is complete in several years, travelers from around the

world will all come to recognize that this oncestoried airport is again among the world’s very best,” said O’Toole in a statement.

Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said the goal is to transform the airport into one that rivals the best in the world.

“Today’s award shows that we are not only well on our way to our goal, but that we are building a new world class airport while we are simultaneously operating what has been named the best airport in North America,” Cotton said in a statement.

Singapore Changi Airport, which picked up five Business Traveller awards, won Best Airport in the World.

As part of the 2017 JFK Vision Plan, the nation’s busiest international airport is undergoing a $19 billion redevelopment, which includes two new terminals.

The plan is also to modernize and expand

two other terminals, along with simplifying the airport roadway network, according to the PA. The first phase of work on the two new terminals is expected to be substantially complete by 2026. All facilities are expected to be complete with new gates in operation by 2030.

The New Terminal One, which costs $9.5 billion to develop, will anchor the airport’s south side and broke ground in September 2022. The new Terminal 6, which costs $4.2 billion to develop, will connect with Terminal 5 to create an anchor terminal on the airport’s north side, and broke ground in February 2023. Terminal 4’s $1.5 billion expansion is being led by Delta Air Lines and JFK International Air Terminal, and is substantially complete. Terminal 8’s $400 million expansion was completed in November 2022. That project was led by American Airlines, which operates the terminal. Q

Committed to the Cause Gala Dec. 7

The ceremony will help raise funds for sickle cell disease

by Naeisha Rose Editor

The Sickle Cell Awareness Foundation is hosting its first ever gala on Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Edward Davis Center in St. Albans, from 4 to 8 p.m., according to SCAF President Merlene Sotillo. Dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m.

The elegant evening will include dinner and live jazz music featuring vocalist Barbara Waldron, also known as Lady B, and the GMT Jazz Collective.

For tickets, people can Zelle Sotillo at (917) 373-8434, or reach out to Molino Sotillo at (347) 233-1069; Waldron at (718) 2170606; Marva Fredericks at (646) 371-3253; Margarita Cabral at (347) 286-3942; or Robin Hogans at (718) 926-8215. Tickets will not be sold at the center, located at 118-35 Farmers Blvd.

All funds raised from SCAF’s Committed to the Cause Gala & Ceremony will go toward spreading more awareness about developments in treating sickle cell disease and to educate people about the condition, said Merlene Sotillo.

Sickle cell anemia is an inherited disease in which there aren’t enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout one’s body. The disease predominantly impacts Black people.

Last year, Gov. Hochul signed the Sickle Cell Disease Detec-

tion and Education Bill. The prime sponsors were state Sen. James Sanders Jr. (D-South Ozone Park) and Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman (D-Springfield Gardens).

The new law requires the Minority Health Council, within the Office of Health Equity at the state Department of Health, to consider and advise the state commissioner of health on sickle cell disease. That includes the promotion of screening and detection of sickle cell disease, especially among underserved populations, educating the public on sickle cell and providing counseling services.

The MHC is also tasked with considering the feasibility of establishing a statewide public education and outreach campaign, the provision of grants to approved organizations and a healthcare professional education program.

awareness

detection of the sickle cell trait through pre- and post-conception genetic screening and on the management and treatment of the disease.

Councilwoman Mercedes Narcisse (D-Brooklyn) was the prime sponsor of the bill.

“We just want to make sure the community is aware,” said Sotillo, who wants people to learn more about the resources available to them surrounding the disease.

“We just want to make sure the community is aware.”

— President Merlene Sotillo, Sickle Cell Awareness Foundation

Along with that bill, Sotillo also advocated for a similar City Council measure, Intro. 0968B, which also was enacted in 2023.

It requires the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, in conjunction with New York City Health + Hospitals, to create guidance to educate medical professionals and the public on the

Sotillo thanked the officials for getting the bills signed into law after her morethan-decadelong fight to educate the public after the passing of her son Syd Sotillo to the disease in April 2012.

Earlier this year, “Sickle Cell in Frame, The Strength to Fight,” a documentary that features her and people living with the disease, won the New York State International Film Festival Best Documentary Award. The film was by Rick Guidotti of Positive Exposure.

To learn more about SCAF, which is located in South Jamaica, visit scafcorpint.org. Q

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Disc golf, volleyball up in the air at CB 5

Residents discuss quality of life in Ridgewood and Glendale parks

by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor

Flying plastic discs and relaxation time in nature do not mix, some residents near Highland Park said at Community Board 5’s meeting last Wednesday.

The 10-hole disc golf course in the westernmost portion of the park opened to the public in June, making it the first in the city.

The Chronicle reported in May that the New York City Disc Golf Association spearheaded a push to install the course by connecting with the city’s Parks Department and the Paul McBeth Foundation.

The course is in a one-year pilot period during which the Parks Department will review community feedback and determine the best route forward.

Tammy Green, who initially endorsed the program coming to the park, said some disc golfers have been harassing homeowners and longtime parkgoers, including with alleged discriminatory comments.

the space.

“It takes up this entire, beautiful, beautifully landscaped nature area where lots of families and people including myself relax and enjoy nature,” he said, adding that he does not blame either side and suggesting a separate area dedicated to disc golf.

CB 5 Chair Vinny Arcuri Jr. asked if the disc golfers had a permit from the Parks Department — Laxton said he did not know.

Jasmine Chino said it is “uncomfortable” for people to sit in the park when some have been hit by flying discs or asked to move.

CB 5 District Manager Gary Giordano said the speakers and several others sharing their beliefs live on the Brooklyn side of Highland Park, while the disc golf course is in Queens. Giordano said others have written to the board and said the course is “wonderful.”

“We are passionate about stewarding green spaces.”

—

New York City Disc Golf Association

“We will not tolerate racism from any organization or corporate organization that wants to come in and utilize our public parks,” Green said.

The NYCDGA said via email that it strongly condemns any disrespectful behavior, stating that comments in online forums that were recently brought to its attention are not tied to the organization.

Steven Laxton said proximity to Highland Park was part of why he bought his home nine years ago, but the disc golf course made it so parkgoers have conflicting objectives for

“It is our mission and personal commitment to be nothing but a positive presence in this community,” the NYCDGA said. “We are passionate about stewarding green spaces, fostering inclusivity, and creating opportunities for connection through disc golf.”

The group said it actively reminds players to prioritize safety and respect — it worked with the Parks Department to install clear signage at every hole warning players not to throw until it is clear.

The NYCDGA said it also has undertaken various community engagement efforts, including free teaching events, school programs and volunteer initiatives.

Giordano said Portia Dyrenforth, the Parks

Steven Laxton, at mic, said disc golfers and other park-goers have conflicting objectives at

land Park and suggested a separate area dedicated to the activity.

Department’s administrator for Highland and Forest parks, told him the agency is looking for a compromise.

The Parks Department said in a statement that it will continue to work with the Disc Golf Association and community members to find ways to best accommodate the sport and respond to parkgoers’ concerns.

Ridgewood’s Evergreen Park was also discussed — Cynthia Balzaretti-Torres said volleyball players come early in the morning and “completely take over the park,” making it difficult to walk or ride bikes there. She said the men gamble, drink alcohol, leave glass bottles behind, urinate in public and drill into concrete to set up metal hooks for their nets.

Giordano said police were there a year ago and he thought things had improved, adding that Rosemary’s Playground is “another big

problem. Volleyball players have “basically taken over numerous Ridgewood parks,” he said, and they are “fairly obnoxious.”

At the request of Councilman Bob Holden (D-Maspeth), the NYPD conducted an enforcement operation last weekend at several parks in his district, towing illegally parked vehicles and distributing summonses.

Evergreen Park and Rosemary’s Playground were among the parks targeted, as were Joseph F. Mafera Park and Grover Cleveland Playground. The latter two parks also have been a “major problem,” according to Holden’s office.

Also on parks, CB 5 Parks Chair Steve Fiedler said the track at Juniper Valley Park has been repaired.

“Don’t be too surprised if it doesn’t last too long because it’s not a great surface,” Fiedler said. Q

Development at 68-19 Woodhaven Blvd. is underway; permits filed Construction in the works in Rego Park

by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor

Permits have been filed for the long-anticipated development at 68-19 Woodhaven Blvd. in Rego Park.

The proposed development abutting the Haven Motel between 68th Road and 68th Avenue will be seven stories and approximately 140,000 gross square feet, according to Juan Barahona, the developer behind the project.

It will include 120 residential units, Barahona told the Chronicle via email, with 119 of them income-restricted at various levels. Rents for two-bedroom units range from $815 to $3,017 a month, he said as an example.

Parking will be provided below grade, he said, as well as on the first floor of the building.

Other amenities will include on-site laundry, free in-unit WiFi, a gym, a landscaped

rear yard and secure package lockers.

Construction at the site is underway. Barahona said it is in its foundation phase, with Monadnock Construction, Inc. as the general contractor. Mark Gordon of Shakespeare Gordon Studio is the architect of record.

The necessary rezoning to facilitate a development at the site was approved by Community Board 6 in 2021 on the condition that it would be seven stories instead of the eight originally planned. Another stipulation was that the developer would provide periodic inspections of adjacent properties during construction and mitigate damage to neighbors.

At that meeting, some residents voiced concerns about noise, nearby homes’ resale values and existing population density, the Queens Chronicle reported..

The project’s estimated completion date is in the third quarter of 2026, Barahona said. Q

High-

YOUTUBE SCREENSHOT

The residential development at 68-19 Woodhaven Blvd. in Rego Park is in its foundation phase, according to Juan Barahona of Restoring Communities HDFC. PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHAIN

by Michael Gannon

Pay a visit to the Queens Museum’s exhibit dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the 1964-65 World’s Fair, and one of the first things you may see is a 36-minute video featuring Walt Disney showing visitors just how the new art of audio-animatronics, his studio’s invention, created everything from the friendly dinosaurs to the singing costumed children they would see in the “It’s a Small World” exhibit.

Fair Queensappraisal Museum reexamines the 1964-65 extravaganza

But the theme of “A Billion Dollar Dream” takes a somewhat more serious look at the extravaganza that brought 51 million visitors to Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The exhibit, which opened on Nov. 3, is scheduled to run through July 13, 2025.

serious eadows made its debut there F i i R b t M t h t i l t bild d

A description on the museum’s website says the exhibit examines the fair through an environmental, social and political lens. Ample contemporary context for that existed as the fair took place during the height of the Cold War and the burgeoning civil rights movement in the United States.

Many of the 80 nations represented at the fair had gained independence from colonial rule in the quarter century since the 1939-40 World’s Fair held in the same spot. There also were more than 350 companies represented, including the oil and automotive industries. The iconic Ford Mustang even

Fair organizer Robert Moses, the controversial master builder and influential political titan, doesn’t come off well in the exhibit for the commercialization and accusations that he used the event as a political and propaganda tool for the country and its large industries.

Even before becoming home to the Queens Museum in 1972, the building and the World’s Fairs were inexorably linked. The structure was built to house the New York City Pavilion for the 1939-40 spectacular — Moses, then the city’s parks commissioner was instrumental in that one too.

And the museum’s most popular attraction today, the auditorium-sized scale Panorama of New York City, was created for the 1964-65 event.

continued on page 33

King Crossword Puzzle

I

Steve Karsay played hardball in College Point

by Ron Marzlock

Chronicle Contributor

Steven Karsay married Joyce Scribe on July 13, 1971, in Queens. They were blessed with a baby boy on March 24, 1972, they named Stefan Andrew Karsay.

The family lived in a middle-class home at 113-11 14 Road in College Point.

Young Steve was a born athlete, who reached 6-foot-3. He loved fishing and boating. He also played tennis and raquetball. But baseball was No. 1.

He started to break out and shine at Christ The King High School in Middle Village, which he graduated from in 1990. He was a first-round draft pick for the Toronto Blue Jays that year. He was traded to the Oakland Athletics in 1993 for Jose Herrara and Ricky Henderson.

Karsay’s promising career was marred by elbow surgery and he was put on the disabled list seven times. He later found success as a closer with the Cleveland Indians in 2000 and the Yankees in 2002. He played for the Bombers for three seasons, finishing with a 3.39 ERA in 91 games in 2005. He went to the A’s the next

season and retired the day after getting a win against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In November 2023 he was hired as the new bullpen coach for the LA Angels. Q

The childhood home of pitcher Steve Karsay at 113-11 Road in College Point. He is seen during a visit with U.S. troops abroad. GOOGLE MAPS IMAGE; INSET PHOTO VIA WIKIPEDIA

Go catch ‘Hay Fever’ from the Parkside Players

by Mark Lord qboro contributor

Next year, Noel Coward’s comic play “Hay Fever” will turn 100 years old, and, as currently being performed by Parkside Players in Forest Hills, it’s looking pretty good for its age.

There are laughs aplenty, thanks largely to the play’s rapid repartee, a cast that throws itself into the shenanigans hook, line and sinker, and a beautifully rendered English country house where the action takes place.

The play falls somewhere between a farce and a comedy of (bad) manners, leaning more compellingly into the latter category. It is definitely a period piece, taking stabs at the social and sexual mores of the 1920s. The play’s brief three acts, under the steadfast direction of William Frenzel, pass by quite pleasantly.

Sandy, an amateur boxer who is infatuated with Judith. He gets one of the evening’s biggest laughs simply by uttering the word, “Thanks.”

Rachel Hunt as Myra gets an equally robust response from a hand gesture that accompanies her exhortation, “Don’t touch me.”

Jason Wieder plays Richard, who has conventional manners and a polite air about him, while Mia Forman is Jackie, a rather brainless but good-hearted flapper. Jazmine Brown rounds out the cast as Clara, the long-suffering housekeeper.

The premise finds each of the four members of the Bliss family — mother, father and two adult children — inviting a guest to spend the weekend. Their eccentric behavior ultimately drives the guests away, unnoticed by the self-absorbed hosts.

First and foremost, there’s Judith, the

matriarch, a flamboyant retired stage actress who continues to engage in theatrics. She is played here by Susan Young in an over-the-top performance that is just right. From her first entrance, sporting a wide-brimmed floral hat that could be seen from miles away (the smart costumes are courtesy of Young and Nili Resnick), we know exactly who she is. And Young gets to sing a bit, too!

Judith is married to David, brought to life

by Jim Haines, who turns in a robust performance as a novelist who is intent on completing his latest book.

Hannah Marian is daughter Sorel, the only one who expresses concern about the family’s unorthodox behavior. Her equally high-spirited brother, Simon, is played by Jo Jo Collins, who gets to display a lot of physical dexterity throughout the performance.

Each of the guests gets ample opportunities to shine, as well. Matthew Frenzel is

Kudos to the brothers Frenzel and Glenn Rivano for their outstanding design of a set that looks good enough to move into.

Remaining performances of the play, which was reviewed via video of its opening night performance on Nov. 16, take place at Grace Lutheran Church, at 103-15 Union Tpke. in Forest Hills, on Nov. 22, 23 and 30 at 8 p.m. and Nov. 24 and Dec. 1 at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $22; or $20 for seniors and students.

For further information, call (718) 3537388 or visit parksideplayers.com. Q

Museum offers different look at 1964-65 fair

continued from page 31

The gallery for the new exhibit includes period photos of iconic attractions, such as the New York State Pavilion. Step outside the main entrance to the museum and glance to the south and one can see the Pavilion covered in scaffolding as it undergoes restoration. There are displays including fair employee uniforms, contemporary posters, newspapers, magazines and souvenirs.

There also are exhibits depicting the

Crossword Answers

struggles of organized labor to raise awareness and set up worker protests.

Another section pays tribute to the Brooklyn and Bronx chapters of the Congress of Racial Equality, which, while unable to create a traffic stall on nearby highways, were able to carry out small protests on the grounds of the fair, including during President Lyndon Johnson’s opening ceremony speech.

And 60 years later, the Disney film can still amaze viewers, though a card points out that some of the film, particularly in how some children are presented, might show harmful images.

Disney himself leads a tour through his company’s workshops where technicians craft the frames that will come to life underneath the visage of a child, a housewife or a brontosaurus.

In the years before modern Hollywood special effects, a computer was used to synchronize a character’s mouth movements and facial expressions to recorded dialogue.

The Queens Museum is located in the park opposite the Unisphere just east of the Grand Central Parkway.

Hours are noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. week-

ends. It is closed Monday and Tuesday. Suggested admission is $8 for adults and $6 for seniors and students. Children 12 and under are free. The museum is accessible to wheelchair and mobility-device users. Nonelectric wheelchairs are available for use free

of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. There is parking, and the site can be reached via the No. 7 subway line using the stop at 111th Street or Mets-Willets Point. More information is available online at queensmuseum.org. Q

Performing Noel Coward’s “Hay Fever” are Jazmine Brown, left, Hannah Mariani, Susan Young, Jo Jo Collins, Jim Haines, Jason Wieder, Mia Forman, Matthew Frenzel and Rachel Hunt.

PHOTO BY GABRIELLE FIDIS

Walt Disney, background, figured prominently in the 1964 World’s Fair, but so did causes such as racial equality and labor rights. On the cover: The exhibit displays many contemporary posters and other memorabilia, including a film of Disney and his vision of a living, moving dinosaur.

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL GANNON

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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.

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House

Howard Beach/Rockwood Park, Fri 11/22, 4:30-6pm, 161-35 90 St. Lovely Hi-Ranch, 4 BR, 3 full baths, 41x100 lot. Ex-lg master BR w/walkin closet & new bath. 2 more BRs upstairs w/full guest bath, CAC & more! Asking $999,999. Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136

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Houses For Sale

Howard Beach/Rockwood Park, Move-in cond, 5 BR, 2 full baths, A-Line Cape, 40x100 lot.Full finished bsmnt, beautiful flrs. Low taxes. Asking $839K Connexion Real Estate, 718-845-1136

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At a lAS Part 11 of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, held in and for the County of Queens, at the Courthouse located at 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11435, on the 31st day of Oct., 2024. ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE Index No.: 721867/2024

PRESENT: HON. DENISE N. JOHNSON J.S.C. SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS In the Matter of the Application of THE ADVISORY BOARD OF THE NEW YORK DISTRICT OF THE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE n/k/a THE METRO NEW YORK DISTRICT CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE. and SOLID ROCK CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE, Petitioner, For Approval of the Sale and Mortgage of Real Property Located in the County of Queens, State of New York and Owned by a Religious Corporation pursuant to Section 12 of the Religious Corporations Law and Sections 510 and 511 of the Not-For-Profi t Corporation Law “PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that THE ADVISORY BOARD OF THE NEW YORK DISTRICT OF THE CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE n/k/a THE METRO NEW YORK DISTRICT CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE, a New York religious corporation, and SOLD ROCK CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE, a New York religious corporation will on the 17th day of December 2024, apply to the Supreme Court of the State of New York, the County of Queens at a Term, Part, 11 thereof, to be held in and for - at 10 o’clock in the forenoon of that day, for an order to (1) approve and authorize the sale of the Property by Metro Petitioner in accordance with the Contract of Sale pursuant to the Religious Corporations Law § 12 and in accordance with New York Not-For-Profit Corporations Law§§ 510 and 511, (2) approve and authorize the mortgage of the Property by Solid Rock Petitioner, pursuant to the Religious Corporations Law § 12 and in accordance with New York Not-For-Profit Corporations Law §§ 510 and 511, and (3) grant Petitioners such other and further relief as this Court deems to be just pursuant to Religious Corporations Law§ 12 and in accordance with New York Not-For-Profit Corporations Law§§ 510 and 511.”

C

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, U.S. BANK TRUST

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE OF THE TRUMAN 2021 SC9 TITLE TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. PRIVTHI RAJ ARORA, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on September 17, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, on the second floor in Courtroom 25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on December 6, 2024 at 10:00 a.m., premises known as 5822 84th Street, Middle Village, NY 11379. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Second Ward of the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 2910 and Lot 15. Approximate amount of judgment is $506,887.06 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #704877/2019. Lois M. Vitti, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff Firm File No.: 231611-1

Notice is hereby given that a license, number NA-0240-24143308 for Restaurant Wine (RW 341) has been applied for by LY Time Restaurant Inc. to sell Beer & Wine at retail in a Restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 1540 128th Street College Point, NY, 11356, Queens County for on premises consumption. LY Time Restaurant Inc. DBA LY Time Restaurant

STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF YORK IN THE FAMILY COURT OF THE SIXTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT CASE NO.: 2024-DR46-1279 SUMMONS FILED - RECEIVED 2024, JULY 22 AM 8:45 ANGIE M. BRYANT FAMILY COURT YORK COUNTY, SC, WAYNE PAUL GORDON, Plaintiff, V. Marisha Natalie Mead, Defendant. TO THE DEFENDANT ABOVENAMED: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED and required to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action, a copy of which is herewith served upon you (and which has been filed in the office of the Clerk of Court) and to serve a copy of your answer upon the subscriber, at his office located at 925-D Wappoo Road, Charleston, South Carolina 29407, within thirty (30) days after the date of such service, exclusive of the day of such service, and if you fail to answer the Complaint within the time aforesaid, judgment by default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint. THE MCMILLIAN LAW FIRM By: William J. McMillian, III (SC Bar #: 68314) 925-D Wappoo Road, Charlston, South Carolina 29407, Phone: (843) 900-1306 Fax: (800) 861-3096 Email: Jay@mcmillialawsc.com Attorney For Plaintiff July 8, 2024 Charleston, South Carolina

Notice is hereby given that a license, number “Pending” for beer, cider, liquor and wine has been applied for by the undersigned* to sell beer, cider liquor and wine at a retail restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control law at 80-60 Cooper Ave, Glendale N.Y. 11385 for on premises consumption. *Queens Beer Garden L.L.C DBA Queens Beer Garden

NOTICE OF SALE

SUPREME COURT: QUEENS COUNTY FRANK BIANCANIELLO and JOSEPH GULOTTA v. ZDE ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LLC, et al. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale dated September 17, 2024 and filed with the Clerk of the Supreme Court, Queens County on October 9, 2024, bearing Index no. 715701/2022, I will sell at public auction on December 6, 2024 at 11:00 am in the second floor, Courtroom 25 of the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, 88-11 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, NY 11435, the premises known as 25-54 12th Street, Unit 5A, Astoria, NY 11102 (Block: 904, Lot: 1013) and 25-54 12th Street, Unit 5C, Astoria, NY 11102 (Block 904, Lot: 1015). Premises sold subject to filed Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale and Terms of Sale. Judgment amount $1,031,821.72 plus interest and costs. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with the Unified Court System Safety and Operational Protocols in effect at this time. Auction location and time are subject to revision based on Court policy, current protocols and health conditions. Arthur Nicholas Terranova, Referee. Harry Zubli, Esq., attorney for plaintiff (516) 487-5777.

Notice of Formation of LB Knickerbocker Newco LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State (SSNY) on 11/5/24. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail/ email process to: The LLC, 22111 Kingsbury Ave., Oakland Gardens, NY 11364, laundrybeeinc@gmail.com. Purpose: any lawful act or activity.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT–COUNTY OF QUEENS BLUE IRIS HOLDINGS CORP., Plaintiff against WAAA MIDDLE VILLAGE PROPERTIES, LLC, THE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF MIDDLE VILLAGE CONDOMINIUM and KEYU LONG, Defendants. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on April 22, 2024 I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction on the Courthouse Steps of the Queens Supreme Court, located at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, New York on the 13th day of December 2024 at 11:00 in the forenoon. Premises description as follows: All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York Said premises known as 62-48 Mt. Olivet Crescent, Units A and B, Parking Spaces 15P, 16P, 17P and 18P, Middle Village, New York 11379 a/k/a Block 2773, Lots 1001, 1002, 1045, 1046, 1047 and 1048. Approximate amount of lien: $379,696.20, plus interests and costs. Premises will be sold subject to the provisions of the Judgment and terms of sale. Index No.700506/2023 Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee. Kye Law Group, P.C. Attorneys for Plaintiff 201 Old Country Road, Suite 120, Melville, NY 11747 631-616-8200

Notice of Formation of Limited Liability Company (LLC). Name: PATOKILO LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/14/24. Office Location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process to LLC at: 2 Bay Club Drive 6Z1, Bayside, NY 11360 US. Purpose: Any lawful activity or purpose.

Notice of Formation of NORMAN COURIER LINKUP LLC

Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/21/2024. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: NORMAN BARNES, 165-26 144TH DRIVE, JAMAICA, NY 11434. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Dynamics Werx LLC filed 10/10/24. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. for process & shall mail to: c/o Kritika Kumar, 8900 Sutphin Blvd., #LL5, Jamaica, NY 11435. Purp: any lawful.

House Wanted

Open House

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT QUEENS COUNTY ASPEN PROPERTIES GROUP, LLC AS TRUSTEE OF AG3 REVOCABLE TRUST, Plaintiff against ELAINE HUITT, et al Defendant(s) Attorney for Plaintiff(s) Leopold & Associates, PLLC, 80 Business Park Drive, Suite 110, Armonk, NY 10504. Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered October 10, 2024, I will sell at public auction to the highest bidder at the Queens County Supreme Court, Courtroom #25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on December 13, 2024 at 10:00

AM. Premises known as 18918 Keeseville Avenue, Saint Albans, NY 11412. Block 10440

Lot 9. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough of Queens, City and State of New York. Approximate Amount of Judgment is $116,642.80 plus interest, fees, and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No 712333/2020. The foreclosure sale will be conducted in accordance with 11th Judicial District’s Covid-19 Policies and foreclosure auction rules. The Referee shall enforce any rules in place regarding facial coverings and social distancing. Referee will only accept a certified bank check made payable to the referee. Michael Cervini, Esq., Referee File # 6918741

Notice of Formation of Jake7716Investing LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/08/24. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Clifford Schlosser, 313 Tuscarora Ave., Ocean, NJ 08005. Purpose: Real estate holding

For Legal Notice Rates & Information,

NOTICE

OF

SALE

SUPREME COURT - COUNTY OF QUEENS WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE FOR STRUCTURED ASSET SECURITIES CORPORATION, MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-OPT1 Plaintiff, Against DIOVANI GUTIERREZ; ET AL Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale, duly entered 12/19/2023, I, the undersigned Referee, will sell at public auction, at Queens County Supreme Courthouse located at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY, on the second floor in Courtroom 25, on 12/6/2024 at 10:00AM, premises known as 9124 85th Street A.K.A. 91-24 85th Street, Woodhaven, New York 11421, And Described As Follows: ALL that certain plot piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough And County Of Queens, City And State Of New York. Block 8978 Lot 17 The approximate amount of the current Judgment lien is $540,301.45 plus interest and costs. The Premises will be sold subject to provisions of the aforesaid Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale; Index #713967/2019 Lois M. Vitti, Esq., Referee. MCCABE, WEISBERG & CONWAY, LLC, 10 Midland Avenue, Suite 205, Port Chester, NY 10573 Dated: 10/21/2024 File Number: 19-301355 CA

QUEENS LUBE LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 10/29/24. Office in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 93-25 Rockaway Blvd., Ozone Park, NY 11416, which is also the principal business location. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS DEUTSCHE BANK

NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR AMERICAN HOME MORTGAGE ASSETS

TRUST 2007-5, MORTGAGEBACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2007-5, -against - BEULAH FIGEROUX F/K/A BEULAH BLAKE, ET AL.

NOTICE OF SALE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to a Final Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens on October 1, 2024, wherein DEUTSCHE BANK

NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR AMERICAN HOME MORTGAGE ASSETS TRUST 2007-5, MORTGAGE-BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2007-5 is the Plaintiff and BEULAH FIGEROUX F/K/A BEULAH BLAKE, ET AL. are the Defendant(s). I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the QUEENS COUNTY SUPREME COURT, 88-11 SUTPHIN BLVD, COURTROOM 25, JAMAICA, NY 11435, on December 13, 2024 at 11:00AM, premises known as 14306 FERNDALE AVENUE, JAMAICA, NY 11435; and the following tax map identification: 11935-3. ALL THAT CERTAIN PLOT, PIECE OR PARCEL OF LAND, WITH THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON ERECTED, SITUATE, LYING AND BEING IN THE BOROUGH OF QUEENS, COUNTY OF QUEENS, CITY AND STATE OF NEW YORK Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index No.: 714058/2020. Michael A. Cervini, Esq. - Referee. Robertson, Anschutz, Schneid, Crane & Partners, PLLC, 900 Merchants Concourse, Suite 310, Westbury, New York 11590, Attorneys for Plaintiff. All foreclosure sales will be conducted in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines including, but not limited to, social distancing and mask wearing. *LOCATION OF SALE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DAY OF IN ACCORDANCE WITH COURT/CLERK DIRECTIVES.

Trankoskla LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 9/16/24. Office in Queens Co. SSNY design. Agent of LLC whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 3906 47TH ST, FL 1, SUNNYSIDE, NY, 11104. Purpose: Any lawful activity.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO NATIONAL CITY BANK, Plaintiff AGAINST ROGER LEE, ET AL., Defendant(s) Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered October 10, 2024, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, on the second fl oor in Courtroom 25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, New York on December 13, 2024 at 11:00AM, premises known as 15720 27th Avenue, Flushing, NY 11354. 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: 4868 Lot: 14. Approximate amount of judgment $84,578.26 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #702009/2023. The aforementioned auction will be conducted in accordance with the QUEENS County COVID-19 Protocols located on the Office of Court Administration (OCA) website (https://ww2. nycourts.gov/Admin/oca.shtml) and as such all persons must comply with social distancing, wearing masks and screening practices in effect at the time of this foreclosure sale. For sale information, please visit Auction. com at www.Auction.com or call (800) 280-2832. Gregory LaSpina, Esq., Referee Fein, Such & Crane, LLP, 28 East Main Street, Rochester, NY 14614 PNNYC015 83087

Notice of Formation of KEISHA CHRISTIAN ENTERPRISES LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 11/02/2024. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: KEISHA CHRISTIAN, 218-10 MERRICK BLVD., UNIT 130474, SPRINGFIELD GARDENS, NY 11413. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Erlina Perez, Esq. Attorney ID #: 006632008 ERLINA PEREZ LAW FIRM, LLC 20 Banta Place, Suite 212, Hackensack, NJ 07601 Tel. No.: 201-880-7070 Attorney for Plaintiff SUPERIOR COURT OF NEW JERSEY CHANCERY DIVISION: FAMILY PART: PASSAIC COUNTY DOCKET NO. FM-16-950-24 CIVIL ACTION SUMMONS JAVIER D. BARRETO, Plaintiff vs. ROSEMARY VELEZ BARRETO,: Defendant From The State of New Jersey To The Defendant(s) Named Above: ROSEMARY VELEZ BARRETO YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED in a Civil Action in the Superior Court of New Jersey, instituted by the above named plaintiff(s), and required to serve upon the attorney(s) for the plaintiff(s), whose name and office address appears above, either (1) an answer to the annexed complaint, or (2) a general appearance in accordance with R. 5:4-3(a), within 35 days after the service of the summons and complaint upon you, exclusive of the day of service. If you fail to answer, judgment by default may be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint. You shall promptly file your answer or your general appearance and proof of service thereof in duplicate with the Passaic County Superior Court Family Part, County Administration Building 8th Floor, 401 Grand Street, Paterson, NJ 07505 in accordance with the rules of civil practice and procedure. A filing fee in the amount of $175.00 payable to the Treasurer, State of New Jersey must accompany your answer or general appearance. If you cannot afford to pay an attorney, call a Legal Services Office. An individual not eligible for free legal assistance may obtain a referral to an attorney by calling a county lawyer referral service. These numbers may be listed in the yellow pages of your phone book or may be obtained by calling the New Jersey State Bar Association 732-249-5000. The phone numbers for the county in which this action is pending are: Lawyer Referral Service, 973-578-9223, Legal Services Office, 973-523-2900. /s/ Michelle M. Smith MICHELLE M. SMITH CLERK OF THE SUPERIOR COURT Dated: February 2, 2024

SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF QUEENS – U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR VRMTG ASSET TRUST, Plaintiff, -against- MIGNON PALMORE FOSTER; GAIL MIGNONE ARCHER, JR.; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; THE UNKNOWN HEIRS-AT-LAW, NEXT-OFKIN, DISTRIBUTEES, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, TRUSTEES, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, ASSIGNEES, LIENORS, CREDITORS, AND SUCCESSORS IN INTEREST, AND GENERALLY ALL PERSONS HAVING OR CLAIMING, UNDER, BY OR THROUGH THE DECEDENT GAIL PALMORE ARCHER BY PURCHASE, INHERITANCE, LIEN OR OTHERWISE, ANY RIGHT TITLE OR INTEREST IN AND TO THE PREMISES DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT HEREIN; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA O/B/O INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; NEW YORK CITY PARKING VIOLATIONS BUREAU; “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #10” inclusive, the names of the ten last name Defendants being fictitious, real names unknown to the Plaintiff, the parties intended being persons or corporations having an interest in, or tenants or persons in possession of, portions of the mortgaged premises described in the Complaint, Defendants - Index No. 718971/2023 Plaintiff Designates Queens County as the Place of Trial. The Basis of Venue is that the subject premises is situated in Queens County. To the above named Defendants– YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your Answer or, if the Complaint is not served with this Summons, to serve a Notice of Appearance upon the Plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days after the service of this Summons, exclusive of the date of service or within thirty (30) days after the service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York. If you fail to so appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. That this Supplemental Summons is being filed pursuant to an order of the court dated September 25, 2024. NOTICE-YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME – If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to the mortgage company will not stop the foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR VRMTG ASSET TRUST) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Honorable Phillip Hom, J.S.C. Dated: September 25, 2024 Filed: September 27, 2024. The object of this action is to foreclose a mortgage and covering the premises known as 107-29 and 107-27 165th Street, Jamaica, NY 11433. Dated: September 20, 2023 Filed: September 20, 2023 Knuckles & Manfro, LLP, Attorney for Plaintiff, By: Mark R. Knuckles, Esq., Of Counsel, 120 White Plains Road, Suite 215, Tarrytown, New York 10591 Phone: (914) 345-3020

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, as Trustee for the benefit of the Freddie Mac Seasoned Credit Risk Transfer Trust, Series 2019-4, Plaintiff, -against- Lourdes Marie Dorce’s unknown heirs-at-law, next-of-kin, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, devises, legatees, assignees, lienors, creditors, and successors in interest, and generally all persons having or claiming, under, by or through said defendant, who may be deceased, by purchase, inheritance, lien or otherwise, any right, title or interest in and to the premises described in the complaint herein, Steven Fequiere as Heir to the Estate of Lourdes Marie Dorce, Ernest Fequiere a/k/a Ernest Fiquiere a/k/a Ernest Figuiere, Commissioner of the Social Services of the City of New York Social Services District, New York City Parking Violations Bureau, New York City Environmental Control Board, New York City Transit Adjudication Bureau, New York State Department of Taxation and Finance, United States of America - Internal Revenue Service, Natasha “Doe” (Refused Last Name), John Doe (Refused Name), John Doe (Refused Name), John Doe (Refused Name), John Doe (Refused Name), John Doe (Refused Name), Defendants. Index No.: 725737/2023 SUPPLEMENTAL SUMMONS Plaintiff designates Queens County as the place of trial. Venue is based upon the County in which the mortgage premises is situated. TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT(S): 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 attorneys for the plaintiff within twenty (20) days after service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service; or within thirty (30) days after service is complete if this Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York; or within sixty (60) days if it is the United States of America. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. NOTICE OF NATURE OF ACTION AND RELIEF SOUGHT THE OBJECT of the above captioned action is to foreclose a Mortgage to secure $240,000.00 and interest, recorded in the office of the clerk of the County of Queens on July 18, 2008 in CRFN 2008000285943 covering premises known as 21512 Murdock Avenue, Queens Village, NY 11429. The relief sought in the within action is a final judgment directing the sale of the premises described above to satisfy the debt secured by the Mortgage described above. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. Dated: Bay Shore, New York. April 11, 2024 Frenkel, Lambert, Weiss, Weisman & Gordon, LLP /s/BY: Linda P. Manfredi Attorneys for Plaintiff 53 Gibson Street Bay Shore, New York 11706 (631) 969-3100 Our File

B SPORTS EAT

New Yanks radio voice

by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor

Going with the assumption that 85-year-old John Sterling is going to stay retired, Audacy, the broadcasting rightsholder of Yankees games, hired veteran broadcaster Dave Sims to be the team’s play-by-play voice.

Although he has spent the past 18 seasons in the Pacific Northwest serving as the radio voice of the Seattle Mariners, Sims is familiar to New Yorkers of a certain age. He was a sportswriter for the Daily News in the 1970s when it was an important media voice in this town. He also cohosted a popular midday WFAN show with Ed Coleman from 1989 to ’93. He also has called basketball games for ESPN. Sims is one of the most likable, down-to-earth people you will meet in a sports business known for egos. He is a total pro.

The rumored runner-up was Yankees Spanish radio broadcaster Rickie Ricardo, who handles the same duties for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. Ricardo, who was born in Newark, NJ, may have been a victim of his bilingual skills. The Yankees did not want to have to start searching for his replacement on 1280 AM, WADO. Ricardo was terrific calling Yankees games on the FAN in a fill-in role this past season.

On a personal note, one of the greatest honors I have had as a sports columnist for the Queens Chronicle was Rickie requesting me to be a

guest when he was hosting a late-night show on WFAN. He also treated me as a VIP when I called into his show on Philadelphia’s sports talk leader, WIP, to discuss the New York Mets.

Two young broadcasters, Emmanuel Berbari and Justin Shackil, deserve a big tip of the hat for their fine work for stepping up when asked by Audacy and the Yankees to take over when Sterling retired over health issues.

I have always enjoyed Sterling’s work on the air, and even his blown calls were entertaining. I thought it was disgraceful, however, that Sterling decided to return to the radio booth in September when it appeared the Yankees would have a good shot at a World Series championship.

Sterling’s not-so-surprising return stole a chance for some well-deserved glory for both Berbari and Shackil. I would not have objected to John calling an inning of every October game, but he should have had the grace to let those who did the bulk of the heavy lifting during the regular season to have their moments in the sun.

Speaking of the postseason, Major League Soccer is amid its own. This Saturday, our two area teams, the New York City Football Club and the New York Red Bulls, will meet at Citi Field for the Eastern Conference championship. MLS commissioner and Bayside High School alum Don Garber must be thrilled. Q

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