Door opens for federal receivership after poor conditions go unresolved Court rules city in contempt at Rikers
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
AManhattan federal judge last week said she may appoint a receiver to oversee conditions at Rikers Island after ruling that the city Department of Correction is in violation of 18 court orders to quell violence and excessive force at the prison complex.
“The court is inclined to impose a receivership: namely, a remedy that will make the management of the use of force and safety aspects of the Rikers Island jails ultimately answerable directly to the court,” U.S. District Judge Laura Swain wrote in her Nov. 27 ruling.
The ruling stems from the long-running 2012 class action lawsuit Núñez v. City of New York, in which current and former inmates alleged that they were subjected to excessive force by the Department of Correction. The Legal Aid Society and federal prosecutors are representing the defendants.
The court’s appointed monitor, Steve Martin, said in a report that violent conditions at the jail complex have continued, and found that the city is in contempt of the 18 court orders issued in 2015.
“The record in this case makes clear that those who live and work in the jails on Rikers Island are faced with grave and immedi-
ger,” Swain wrote.
that the more encouraging data may be the product of an undercount.”
Five inmates have died at Rikers Island this year.
The monitoring team is expected to file a joint status report by Jan. 14, 2025, detailing the framework for a receivership, according to the docket.
In 2019, the City Council voted to close the Rikers Island complex by 2026 and replace them with four borough-based jails. In 2020, the city said the closure would be delayed until 2027, though Mayor Adams has said he does not believe it can be done by then.
Following Swain’s ruling, in an appearance on WOR Radio’s “The Rob Astorino Show,” Adams said he believes receivership is the wrong decision.
“My job is to follow the rule and the law,” Adams said. “I think it’s the wrong decision to make, but I must take the hand that is dealt to me and carry out the best of my ability.”
He said his administration has made “enormous strides” at Rikers.
“We’re bringing down violence. We’re making changes. I’ve been on Rikers Island more than any other man in the history of the city doing firsthand inspections to make sure we’re treating people with the dignity and respect,” Adams said.
ate threats of danger, as well as actual harm, on a daily basis as a direct result of Defendants’ lack of diligence, and that the remedial efforts thus far undertaken by the Court, the Monitoring Team, and the parties have not been effective to alleviate this dan- continued on page 12
Swain said that while there is some data indicating that, in the second half of 2023, there had been a meaningful decrease in the number of use of force incidents that resulted in injury, “the Monitoring Team has warned
Blessings and Carols Performed by Shannon
6:30PM To 7:30PM A Festive Concert Dedicated To The Greatest EventThe Birth of Jesus Christ.
Followed By An Evening of Refl ection with Father Callahan For Advent 7:30PM To 9:00PM Please Take This Time To Refl ect Upon The True Meaning of Christmas.
December 18,
A federal judge said she is inclined to impose a receivership at Rikers Island after the city failed to meet 18 court orders that aimed to crack down on violent conditions and excessive force at the jail complex.
PHOTO COURTESY NYC DOC
Antipasto Platters
Sweet Dry Sausage, Extra Sharp Provolone, Pepperoni, Marinated Roasted Pepper Slices, Marinated Mushrooms & Mixed Olives
Accommodates 10 To 15 Persons $64.99
Sweet Dry Sausage, Extra Sharp Provolone, Pepperoni Mixed Olives, Marinated: Roasted Pepper Slices, Artichoke Hearts, Mushrooms & Fresh Mozzarella
Accommodates 20 To 25 Persons $129.99
Cheese & Cracker Platters
Extra Sharp Cheddar, Danish Bleu, Muenster, Extra Sharp Provolone, Italian Ricotta Salata, Reggiano Parmigano, Finlandia Swiss, Italian Asiago, Monterey Pepper Jack, Fresh Mozzarella or Italian Gorgonzola Cut Into Cubes, With Crackers
Your Choice Of 5 Cheeses
Accommodates 10 To 15 Persons ......$79.99
Your Choice Of 8 Cheeses
Accommodates 20 To 55 Persons ....$119.99
& CRACKER TRAYS
Cut Melon Platters
Pineapple, Honeydew Melon, Cantaloupe & Strawberries
Accommodates 10 To 15 Persons ..............$29.99
Watermelon, Pineapple, Honeydew Melon, Cantaloupe, Strawberries & Seedless Grapes
Accommodates 20 To 25 Persons .............$69.99
Cut Fruit Bowl
Cubed: Watermelon, Pineapple, Honeydew Melon, Cantaloupe, Strawberries, Seedless Grapes & Oranges
Accommodates 10 To 15 Persons ..............$29.99
Accommodates 15 To 20 Persons ..............$39.99
Vegetable Platter
Broccoli Florets, Sweet Peppers, Peeled Carrots, Cucumbers, Cauliflower
- With
Dip Accommodates 10 To 15 Persons
and
Florets, Celery
Tomatoes
Homemade
Hochul vetoes casino license legislation
Addabbo’s bill would have codified a timeline for application process
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Gov. Hochul on Nov. 22 vetoed a bill that would have accelerated the process for awarding three downstate casino licenses.
Sponsored by state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven), the chair of the Senate Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering, S9673A would have required the state Gaming Commission to close the application process by Aug. 31, 2024 and award the licenses by Dec. 31, 2025. Designed to put an end to delays, the bill passed the state Legislature in June, according to nysenate.gov. The licenses initially were to have been awarded in 2023.
In her veto statement, Hochul said as part of the 2022 budget, the Legislature and the executive established a process to select recipients of the three available commercial casino licenses. Potential applicants have been continuously working toward ensuring that their projects are compliant, Hochul said.
Flushing. The latter is part of Mets owner Steve Cohen’s Metropolitan Park proposal for the Citi Field parking lot.
“Since this planning process was established in 2022, I have consistently affirmed the need to operate a process that is fair to all parties,”
Hochul wrote. “The Gaming Facilities Location Board has already established timeframes to allow potential applicants the time necessary to navigate the process established by the Legislature.”
She said because the GFLB announced specific deadlines for applications and review, changing the timeline could help certain bidders and hurt others.
“I cannot support a bill that aims to change the rules in the middle of the process.”
— Gov. Hochul
“I cannot support a bill that aims to change the rules in the middle of the process,”
Hochul said. “This is not in the best interests of New Yorkers. Therefore, I am constrained to veto this bill.”
Two of the major applicants are for casinos in Queens: Resorts World in South Ozone Park, and Hard Rock in
According to nycasinos.ny.gov, applications will be due June 27, 2025. Community advisory committees must vote on their respective projects by Sept. 30, 2025. Applicants approved by their CAC will then sub-
mit supplemental application material to the GFLB. Decisions are expected by Dec. 1, 2025, followed by licensure by Dec. 31.
Addabbo last Tuesday said in a statement, “Codifying a timeframe for an already unduly, prolonged downstate casino process would merely improve the process by allowing it to actually begin accepting applications, thus informing the unions and residents of New York
when quality job creation could be expected, allowing the MTA to calculate when to expect the funds from the license fees and permitting it to project the significant future revenues from the casino’s operations.”
He said his legislation was attempting to bring credibility to the current state of the downstate casino process, “not ‘alter the timeframe’ as stated in the Governor’s Veto Message, since no codified timeframe to
start accepting applications exists at all.”
He said the veto further delays the creation of thousands of union jobs, funding for the MTA projected at $2 billion and ongoing tax revenue for the agency.
“Therefore, what rational reason is there for the state to hinder the submission of applications for a downstate casino process indefinitely, continued on page 12
Dispensary to open in Richmond Hill
Despite CB 9’s opposition, Office of Cannabis Management OKs biz
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
An application for a new cannabis dispensary has been approved by the state Office of Cannabis Management, according to Community Board 9, after the group voted against its approval a year ago.
The location, at 104-15 Jamaica Ave. in Richmond Hill, was on the board’s agenda during its December 2023 meeting.
At that time, the board was set to give opinions on 12 different prospective marijuana dispensary applications.
The group shot down all of the applicants, citing the surplus of illegal smoke shops and lack of guidance from the OCM, despite multiple applicants in attendance trying to plead their case.
“The Board received numerous concerns from residents regarding the proliferation of illegal smoke shops already operating in our
district and the negative impact these establishments have had on our community,”
Sherry Algredo, the chairwoman, wrote in a letter to the OCM, dated Dec. 21, 2023.
“Consequently, the Board will not support any new applications until these illegal operations are shut down.”
While community boards can make recommendations on applications, they do not have final say in the matter.
the opinion of the community. I mean, why give us a vote of an opinion? I hear from other board members and the community about how community boards are so irrelevant now because our input is not really being taken into consideration anymore. We demand a proper explanation as to why they ignored our choices!”
“They clearly could not care less about the opinion of the community.”
— Sherry Algredo, chairwoman of Community Board 9
“We are very sorry to hear yet again that OCM has not listened to our recommendation and has approved another legal cannabis license in CB9,” Algredo told the Chronicle on Tuesday. “They clearly could not care less about
Algredo said that the area still has unlicensed cannabis shops that are destroying quality of life.
One parent, Marlena Vasquez, told the Chronicle she is concerned about the prospect of a dispensary in walking distance of Richmond Hill High School, though the location meets the OCM’s requirement of being more than 500 feet away from the school’s entrance.
“It’s so close to the train station, to the bus stop. And it’s like 10 minutes from the high school,” Vasquez said. “The kids are going to be encouraged to go in.”
Licensed marijuana dispensaries are required to validate the ages of shoppers through proper identification, per the OCM, and are not allowed to have advertising “attractive to individuals under 21.”
The dispensary applicant, 10415 Jamaica LLC, could not be reached for comment. Q
“We are constantly being failed, and sadly, this is why our businesses along the commercial strips like Jamaica Avenue are suffering. ... Governor Hochul, step up and amend this law and stop this nonsense and close the loopholes that still allows illegal cannabis operations, and stop OCM from ignoring our opinions.”
Gov. Hochul, left, vetoed a bill by state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. that would have expedited the casino licensing process and codified a timeline.
PHOTOS BY SUSAN WATTS / NYS GOVERNOR’S OFFICE, LEFT, AND PETER C. MASTROSIMONE
Identifying counterfeits
Fugazi. It’s the street term for all things phony, fake or counterfeit.
In a cargo warehouse near JFK International Airport, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service last Tuesday put out a lavish display of some of the best-known names in luxury goods — all of it “fugazi.”
Counterfeit items included Rolex watches, Louboutin high heels with their trademark red soles, diamond-encrusted NBA Championship rings and — get this! — a near-perfect replica of the Super Bowl XXXI trophy given to the Green Bay Packers in 1997. The loot was only a fraction of the counterfeits intercepted at JFK this year.
More than $2.7 billion worth of fake goods were seized in 2024 — 25 percent of that at JFK, according to Port Director Sal
Ingrassia. The Homeland Security agency staged the display as a warning to consumers during the holiday season to be wary of the fakes. Keeping up with the flood of knockoffs is a game of whack-a-mole, according to Anthony Bucci, the spokesman for Customs’ New York field office.
Big box shipments are down. These days, Customs finds most of the counterfeit goods not in the cargo areas but in the postal service part of the airport — either as one-off e-commerce orders from unsuspecting consumers or in small batches to dealers here.
Phony versions of Viagra are out. Fake Ozempic — an especially dangerous product — has been “the trend of the last nine, 10 months,” said Bucci. — Michael Shain
Recession unlikely, says NY Fed prez
John Williams visits East Elmhurst to talk inflation, the labor market
by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor
“The economy is in a good place,” said Federal Reserve Bank of New York President and Chief Executive Officer John Williams on Monday at an event hosted by the Queens Chamber of Commerce in East Elmhurst.
Williams delivered remarks to a crowd of about 40 regarding the economy’s current state, particularly in terms of inflation and the labor market.
Inflation has fallen to 2.25 percent, he said, a stark contrast to the 40-year high of 7 percent in June 2022.
Williams said there are “reasons to be confident” that inflation will reach the Fed’s goal of 2 percent.
One such reason, he said, is that rates for some goods and services have slowed to levels “roughly consistent” with those of years past when inflation really was at 2 percent.
The labor market also is in equilibrium, Williams said, and is “unlikely to be a source of inflationary pressure going forward.”
Though things are looking up, monetary policy will remain restrictive to get closer to the Fed’s 2 percent inflation goal, but he expects “it will be appropriate” to shift to more neutral policies over time.
Queens Chamber of Commerce President and Chief Executive Officer Tom Grech said some consumers lament high prices despite a recent increase in small business creation.
When inflation was high, Williams said, consumers felt trapped and paid the prices they had to, but there has since been a shift.
“I think a lot of retailers are now finding it more difficult to pass through price increases to consumers,” he said. “Consumers are saying, hey, I can now make choices and trade-offs. I can choose to do this or do that and that hopefully gets us back to a more normal kind of decision making.”
Asked how to change the impressions of consumers who see high prices and believe inflation is rampant, Williams said it is crucial to keep inflation low.
“I think they understand that the inflation rate is not as high as it was years ago, but the prices are still high. And then there’s just a question of people kind of adjusting to that,” he said, adding that wage growth has exceeded the inflation rate in a shift that changes the narrative.
Later asked by the Chronicle in a post-event media
availability whether people should fear a recession, Williams said there are no signs such as an increase in layoffs that would indicate one.
“Consumers are once again showing their willingness to spend. I think there are some reasons they can do that,” he said. “The labor market is solid. Obviously for those who own homes or own other investments, they’ve seen their wealth go up with the market moves.”
He said it is not a negative thing that consumers are more price-sensitive, but rather a sign of the economy’s normalization that people are comparing prices.
“If you were to ask me one of the biggest surprises in the performance of the economy over the past year, it’s that a year and a half ago, a lot of people were predicting recession, given the tighter monetary policy and other factors,” he said. “And we’re really not seeing any signs of that and I don’t see any signs of that today.”
Asked by Grech how the New York Fed factors policies such as congestion pricing, which will start Jan. 5, into its calculations, Williams said all economists can do is look at the best analysis, forecast effects and factor them into prices and employment.
“Like anything with the tax policy, it could have effects on some prices. It can have effects on some economic activity. It’s probably not something that’s inflationary for the country,” Williams said.
“I know you have no crystal ball,” Grech replied, adding that no one can predict the effects of policies such as President-elect Trump’s proposed tariffs on imports. “That’s not anything we can address today. We just think about it for the future.” Q
PHOTOS BY MICHAEL SHAIN
Queens Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Grech, left, and a crowd of about 40 heard remarks on the economy from New York Fed President and CEO John Williams on Monday in East Elmhurst. PHOTO BY STEPHANIE G. MEDITZ
Revved up for a good cause with NYFAC
The holiday spirit roared into action on Dec. 1 as the New York Families for Autistic Children Foundation hosted its 11th annual toy run, bringing joy and goodwill to families in need. A dazzling procession of hundreds of motorcyclists, led by a police escort, made its way from the Forest Park bandshell in Woodhaven to the American Legion Post 1404 in Broad Channel to drop off the toys. The event wrapped up at the legion hall with food, raffles and live music.
Santa Claus, left, who bears a striking resemblance to resident Mike Bilski, joined in on the festivities. At top center, the toy run’s
grand marshall, Kaitlin Long, poses with her grandmother and the big man himself. Above center, Leonard De Virgilio and Sophia VailaksDe Virgilio talk about their book, “Da Brooklyn I Remember,” which was auctioned and sold for $45. At top right, a motorcyclist makes his way down Cross Bay Boulevard with the rest of the procession. Right, Luka Brazzi takes to the stage at the legion hall to provide live entertainment.
This year’s toy run was in memory of William Fried, known as Uncle Bill, who was a fixture of the event in previous years. — Kristen Guglielmo
PHOTOS BY ZARA MARSH
EDITORIAL AGEP Deport criminal migrants
You would think that if there is one immigration policy everyone could agree on, it would be that unauthorized migrants who have committed crimes should be deported. You would be wrong.
Even today, even after the rape of a 13-year-old girl in daylight in Flushing’s Kissena Park while she was tied to her friend with shoelaces, even after the shooting of two police officers in East Elmhurst, even after a shoplifting-turned-violent robbery at Queens Center in Elmhurst — even after all that, we still have people in positions of responsibility who think that jobs programs are the answer.
One is City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams of Jamaica, who still wants the city to stand by its failed “sanctuary” laws. Those laws are unconstitutional because the federal government controls immigration. They’ve been tolerated for decades but that is about to change under incoming President Trump.
His border czar, Tom Homan, says Immi-
gration and Customs Enforcement will uphold U.S. law against criminal aliens whether city officials from here to LA agree or not. Luckily for New Yorkers who deserve to be safe, Mayor Adams agrees with Homan and not the Council speaker. We salute him for that.
As City Councilman Bob Holden of Maspeth suggests, Adams should reopen the ICE office at Rikers Island, shut down by his outto-lunch predecessor, so the agency can take hold of its targets in a controlled environment, not out on the streets. That would be a big step toward the “safety” the defenders of limitless immigration always claim they want.
As Adams pointed out at a press event, the U.S. Constitution and the rights it codifies are for Americans. So that should not be a problem when it comes to removing people who are threats. Finding countries that will accept them might be, but let’s see what hardball diplomacy can do about that. We have to play hardball. The lawlessness has to end, now.
Let the U.S. court run Rikers
It now looks all but certain that Rikers Island will go into receivership, meaning that a federal judge will appoint new management and the city will be sidelined. Good.
Mayor Adams does not want to cede his power over the jail complex to whomever is appointed, but we think he should welcome the change. Rikers is a horror show. The city has been unable to fix it. It’s so bad that a former City Council and the last mayor agreed to shut it down and spread its problems into the boroughs, under a law that is obviously impossible for our current leaders to comply with as written.
The shift to receivership will be the result of a 2012 lawsuit filed over the atrocious conditions at Rikers. The inmates can get out of control, and they’re not properly protected from
each other, or even from themselves. The guards operate under some of the most ridiculous work rules imaginable. Somewhere between one-quarter and one-third reportedly call in sick every day. It costs more than $400,000 a year to keep someone at Rikers, something like 10 times what it is in most of the country. Adams has been mayor for three years and has not been able to make substantial improvements. It’s time to pass the baton. See what a federal judge’s appointee can do.
One thing we hope a receiver could try to do is to block the plan to close Rikers. It should instead be rebuilt to humane standards. That may be a lost cause but there’s always hope. There’s room to do it. And once judges take power unto themselves, anything can happen. It might even be for the better.
MARK WEIDLER
President & Publisher
SUSAN & STANLEY MERZON Founders
Raymond G. Sito General Manager
Peter C. Mastrosimone Editor-in-Chief
Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Naeisha Rose Editor
Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor
Stela Barbu Office Manager
Jan Schulman Art Director
Moeen Din Associate Art Director
Gregg Cohen Editorial Production Manager
Joseph Berni Art Department Associate Dennis O’Brien Proofreader
Senior Account Executives: Jim Berkoff, Beverly Espinoza
Account Executives: Ree Brinn, Patricia Gatt
Contributors: Lloyd Carroll, Mark Lord, Ronald Marzlock
Photographers: Walter Karling, Michael Shain
Office: The Shops at Atlas Park 71-19 80th St., Suite 8-201
Glendale, NY 11385
Phone: (718) 205-8000
Fax: (718) 205-1957
E-mail: Mailbox@qchron.com
Website: www.qchron.com
LETTERSTO THE EDITOR
The way trains were
Dear Editor:
Stephanie Meditz’s Nov. 21 article “Standing clear through the years” was a delightful trip down mass transit memory lane (A Few of Our Favorite Things, 46th Anniversary special edition, Nov. 21).
I started riding the subway with my parents in the 1940s, when the fare was 5 cents. But even at that low price, riders complained about poor service. NYC had three separate subway systems back then: The IRT (Interborough Rapid Transit), BMT (Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit), and IND (Independent).
Riders quipped that IRT stood for “It Runs Terribly,” BMT meant “Broken Mass Transit” and IND was an acronym for “It’s Never Dependable.”
I began riding the subway by myself in the 1950s, when the fare rose to 15 cents, paid with tokens. These were replaced by MetroCards in 1993, enabling riders like me in “two-fare” zones to combine a bus and subway trip with one fare. I don’t understand why the MTA is wasting $472 million to replace MetroCards with OMNI. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
In your subway history story, Larry Penner recalled the agonizing time when riders in three-piece suits sweltered in 90-degree heat before subway trains got air conditioning, introduced in the 1970s. It took over a decade to fully air condition the entire subway system.
But riders still suffer in underground stations during summer heat. If the MTA can bring cell phone service and Wi-Fi to those stations, why can’t it equip them with air conditioning?
Richard Reif Kew Gardens Hills
QueensLink rail needed
Dear Editor:
I must take exception to your editorial remarks (“QueensLink won’t happen,” Nov 28).
You mistakenly believe that because $150 million-plus has been spent on the QueensWay, the show must go on. For years, QueensWay has been the fever dream of lawyers, bankers and realtors, aided and abetted by lobbyists and shadow actors.
That is not a reason to continue this cockamamie idea as it stands.
The Rockaway right-of-way is too valuable a resource not to use. Years ago, Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Glendale) proposed a compromise. Build the QueensWay from Queens Boulevard to Forest Park. The neighborhoods of Rego Park and Forest Hills could use more park space.
Then build QueensLink from Rockaway to Atlantic Avenue. There commuters could transfer to the LIRR’s Brooklyn line, avoiding Jamaica Station. This would have the additional benefit of preserving those small businesses located beneath the Rockaway viaduct in Ozone Park. It’s a win-win-win proposition. Queens would gain parkland, save well-paying jobs and improve public transportation in one fell swoop. What’s not to like? This is the position the Queens Chronicle should adopt. Thank you.
Neil C. Giannelli Woodhaven
You then failed to credit the QueensLink for raising the issue of public transportation in a borough that desperately needs more. We are being strangled by automobiles. There’s nowhere to park and we blame the streets rather than the cars.
LETTERSTO THE EDITOR
MTA, DOT way off-track
Dear Editor:
I disagree with your Nov. 28 editorial that QueensLink proponents should face reality by abandoning their dream. Let’s look at some other realities. Back in the 1990s restoring the Rockaway Beach branch now known as QueensLink was promoted as a new one-seat ride to JFK. Instead, the MTA chose a costlier option with fewer benefits, the AirTrain, which did not provide a one-seat ride and required an additional fare higher than the regular fare.
Then in 2017 the city Department of Transportation proposed Woodhaven Boulevard Select Bus Service to solve transportation problems in southern Queens, proclaiming that it would have the same benefits as the Rockaway Beach branch and promising a 30 percent reduction in travel times. The DOT stated that with SBS, there would be no need for the Rockaway branch to be restored.
Instead, trips were made faster by only 3 percent, and only if you rode three miles or more. Then the speed limit was reduced from 35 mph to 25 mph, making the SBS slower than the Limited it replaced. The MTA was wrong again, and is still wrong by not including QueensLink in its capital program.
We certainly need a feasibility study. A new transit line with parks makes far more sense than parks alone. We must not give up.
Allan Rosen Brooklyn
The writer is a former director of MTA New York City Transit Bus Planning with three decades of experience in transportation and a master’s degree in urban planning.
In honor of Adele Bender
Dear Editor:
Adele Bender passed away on Dec. 2, 2024, at 6:45 p.m.
Adele worked tirelessly and selflessly to make the world a better place. She was a strong activist for a clean environment, equal rights, working-class families, the senior community and animal rights. She was featured in the Queens Chronicle in the Oct. 27, 2011 article “Forest Hills woman occupies Wall St.,” by David Schneier (available at tinyurl. com/229cn3f6).
Adele worked from the heart with boundless energy. She traveled without boundaries all over town and from New York City to Albany, standing up for great causes. She worked at JASA, the Jewish Association Serving the Aging, as a senior advocate and volunteered for numerous organizations, educating and elevating. She was so thoughtful to never leave me out of anything. We ran all over the place. Whatever was going on politically, she made sure I knew about it, the lunches, the legislative forums. She was there for me.
Her spirit will always be with us. Drive on, fearless warrior!
Jeannine Boukas Stamford, Conn.
The writer is a former resident of Astoria and Kew Gardens.
Remember Pearl Harbor
Dear Editor:
A reminder to all readers to remember Dec. 7, 1941, Pearl Harbor Day. The tragic day we lost thousands of sailors, soldiers and airmen and when President Franklin D. Roosevelt labeled it “a date which will live in infamy,” as a reminder to never forget.
And so we pause that day to offer a prayer for those lost and to renew a solemn pledge to always speak up in defense of our nation, which we are thankful to live in.
God Bless America!
Thomas and Constance Dowd Oakland Gardens
Remember a Pearl hero
Dear Editor:
The surprise attack by Japan on Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, took America into World War II. But that attack brought another surprise. Some sailors fought back against the planes, including Doris Miller, the first Black American to defend our nation that day. Miller received the Navy’s highest honor, the Navy Cross. Here it is 83 years later, and we Americans should still respect Cook Petty Officer Miller’s historic role.
Anthony G. Pilla Forest Hills
Dems’ double standards
Dear Editor:
Democrats often use the phrase “No one is above the law” when referring to Donald Trump. Now that Joe Biden has pardoned his son Hunter, will any Democrat write a letter to the Chronicle condemning him for doing so?
This is another example of the double standards we have come to expect from the Democrats.
Lenny Rodin Forest Hills
Better news and debates
Dear Editor:
As Thanksgiving wraps up, I find myself reflecting on one of its unintentional traditions: heated political debates with loved ones. Could this year be one of the last times politics overshadows the holiday table?
What if we shifted our focus back to finding common ground rather than letting political affiliations define us? There was once a time when we debated policies and real issues — ironically under the rule of “never discussing politics.” Back then, disagreements were often generational, and progress felt like the right side of history.
This year, my family discussed why things feel so different now. Together, we pinpointed a major culprit: horse-race journalism. This approach reduces political reporting to poll numbers, sensational sound bites, and the drama of who’s “winning” or “losing.” Like betting on the Kentucky Derby, we’re encouraged to choose candidates based on superficial instincts —
matter less than the “color of the silks.” continued on next page
Receivership at Rikers Island
continued from page 2
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams (D-Jamaica) had a different take. She said, on X, that the mismanagement of Rikers “has fostered a culture of violence that harms people working and detained in the jails, undermining public safety in our city.”
She continued, “As a result of this history and the current Administration’s inability to make meaningful improvements, the City has been found in contempt and placed on a path towards federal court receivership. ... As the federal court system moves towards instituting receivership, the focus must be on improving the conditions on Rikers and moving towards its closure to improve public safety, save lives and end the humanitarian crisis in our city’s jails.”
Councilmember Tiffany Cabán (D-Astoria) took to the platform to write, “Alongside advocates, formerly incarcerated folks & their loved ones, we have been shouting this from the rooftops. Stepping foot on Rikers is a potential death sentence. The Adams admin has deepened the dysfunction & lack of accountability at the expense of everyone’s safety.”
She added, “Receivership, while appropriate at this time, is not a silver bullet. Rikers must close. We need to decarcerate and invest in true public safety solutions.”
Councilmember Bob Holden (D-Maspeth) told the Chronicle that the conditions
on Rikers Island are “unacceptable for both inmates and the hardworking public servants in our justice system, but a federal receivership won’t be a magic fix. These issues could be resolved if elected officials stopped tying the hands of our correction officers, hired more staff, and reinstated punitive segregation for repeat violent offenders instead of continuing with the insanity of closing the island and pushing the problems into our boroughs.”
“Rikers doesn’t need receivership — it needs resources,” Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) said. “Progressive policies have handcuffed our corrections officers, leaving them underfunded, undermanned, and overrun. It’s a free-forall in there, but if we give the guards the tools and support they need, they can restore order and lower the level of violence we’re seeing.”
Councilmember Shekar Krishnan (DJackson Heights) told the Chronicle that Rikers Island “continues to be a stain on our city and the Adams administration.”
Krishnan said, “Again, a federal judge has found the city in violation of court orders. This has become a never-ending broken record. Rikers Island must be placed under federal receivership, and I am glad the Court is inclined to agree. It is the only way to end the brutal violence there and ensure the complex is closed as city law requires.” Q
LETTERSTO THE EDITOR
continued from previous page
But what if more media outlets returned to unbiased reporting? Imagine if candidates were pressed to articulate their policies and platforms, allowing voters to make informed choices. Perhaps then, political discussions could stop being divisive and start reflecting what truly matters to us as a community ... as an electorate. I’m sure we would find we agree on more issues than we think.
Debrah Gordon Forest Hills
Disasters to come
Dear Editor:
The unthinkable has happened — Donald Trump, a racist, mean-spirited liar and felon, has been reelected president. Many Republicans who worked closely with Trump saw how dangerous he was and turned against him. How could so many Americans be so hoodwinked?
First, Trump will stop aid to Ukraine, enabling Putin to take over. He will ally us with dictators instead of democracies. Prices will skyrocket when Trump puts tariffs on imports. A Yale research center estimates this will cost $1,900 to $7,600 per household annually. Elon Musk verified Trump’s policies would create hardship, so be prepared!
Project 2025 wants to end Medicare drug
price negotiations and out-of-pocket caps. The retirement age will go up, and Trump repeatedly proposed Social Security and Medicare cuts.
The further loosening of gun control laws will lead to more massacres, violence and hate crimes.
Trump claims climate change is a hoax, so he’ll overturn more environmental laws, endangering lives.
Republicans will try to restrict abortion even further. Unhinged RFK Jr. will be in charge of healthcare, so he and Trump will endanger even more lives.
Thousands of long-term federal government employees will be fired and replaced with Trump loyalists.
There will be mass deportation of illegal immigrants and LGBTQ Americans will lose their rights.
Trump will get away with every illegal act because the Supreme Court will give him immunity. However, he will prosecute anyone who did anything against him.
Congratulations, America — you’ve elected a president and political party willing to overturn 248 years of Democracy. Trump said no one will ever have to vote again — because he plans to stay in power permanently. There will be a rude awakening once Trump’s plans go into effect. Linda Imhauser Whitestone
Bringing holiday cheer to HB
Residents of all ages joined in on the festivities and embraced the holiday season with a tree lighting last Saturday at the Welcome to Howard Beach sign on Cross Bay Boulevard, organized by the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic.
The evening saw enthralling festive live performances by Fazio Dance Center, Nicole Cicero, Bella Piazza and the Sun-
shine Studio singers. Hot cocoa and other delectable treats were provided by Sovereign Realty.
“Thank you to everyone who came out to welcome the Christmas season to Howard Beach,” the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic wrote on its Facebook page following the festivities. “Merry Christmas, everyone!” — Kristen Guglielmo
Gov vetoes casino timeline bill
continued from page 4
because without codifying a submission and completion date said process can meander on as it has been for over 2 years already,” Addabbo said. “Not the kind of inefficiency the people of New York deserve.”
Addabbo said he intends to introduce revised legislation that will codify Hochul’s proposed timeline to begin accepting applications in June 2025 and finalize the process in December 2025.
“Codifying a timeframe does not ‘change’ the rules in the middle of the process” as the Governor also stated in her Veto Message, as
is often done in government such as with Congestion Pricing, but will technically add validity to a process that is severely lacking structure and effectiveness by not having a statutory timeframe for accepting casino license applications nor completion,” Addabbo said.
Asked for comment on the matter, a representative from Hochul’s office sent the governor’s veto message to the Chronicle. Karl Rickett, a spokesperson for the Met ropolitan Park project, had no comment. Resorts World NYC did not respond to inquiries by publication time. Q
Our World Neighborhood Charter School 2
OWN2 Plans to Open Middle School!
We’re excited to announce plans for an OWN2 middle school and invite our community to share their input and hear our vision!
Information Sessions Dates Location
Wednesday, November 20th @ 6:00 PM
Tuesday, November 26 @ 4:00 PM
Thursday, December 12th @ 7:00 PM
Wednesday, December 18th @ 5:00 PM
Thursday, January 9th @ 5:00 PM
Contact us or visit our website for
Library at OWN2 135-25 79th Street Howard Beach, NY 11414
Beloved St. John’s coach dies at 99
Lou Carnesecca carried the men’s basketball team to 526 total
wins
by Stephanie G. Meditz
Associate Editor
Luigi “Lou” Carnesecca, the legendary St. John’s University men’s basketball coach, died on Saturday at 99 years old, just weeks shy of his 100th birthday.
A native New Yorker and the son of Italian immigrants, Carnesecca led the team then known as the Redmen to 526 total wins and 200 losses during his 24 seasons as coach. He never had a losing season.
The man who for many embodied SJU was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992 and the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993, the university said in a statement. He also was recognized by the United States Basketball Writers Association as National Coach of the Year in 1983 and 1985.
Known affectionately as “Looie” and described by St. John’s as “a colorful character with a raspy voice and salty language,” Carnesecca carried his team to the postseason every year he served as coach. The Redmen appeared in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Final Four in 1985.
“For all his professional success and celebrity, he had the most common touch,” St. John’s spokesperson and alumnus Brian Browne said. “He would stop and talk to a waiter or a waitress. He treated everybody as if they were the most important person in the world.”
Author and New York Post reporter David Russell attested to that — he attended St. John’s after Alumni Hall was renamed Carnesecca Arena in 2004.
As a student journalist, Russell said he saw Carnesecca on campus and told him his name
was misspelled on the campus map.
He said Looie told him, “Don’t worry, it’s been misspelled 1,000 times.”
“I think he saw all the tributes over the years to him and he stayed around and went to so many games, so I think he knew how much he was appreciated,” Russell said.
Gregg Cohen, vice president for communications for the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association and the Chronicle’s production manager, said he met Carnesecca after a basketball game in 1990 at what is now Carnesecca Arena.
A student journalist at Brooklyn College, Cohen was covering the game in which his own school lost to St. John’s 57-47.
After the postgame press conference, he said, Carnesecca came over to shake his and his friend’s hands, even though they represented the opposing team’s school.
Carnesecca maintained a presence on campus long after his formal retirement as coach, Browne said.
“You would see him stopping and talking to students in the cafeteria or in the parking lot,” he said. “And these are students whose parents would remember him, but who never experienced him as a coach, but they just knew of him.”
“He was always funny, positive, just everything that you aspire to be in life,” he continued. “Just really goodness personified.”
Browne said he and many others associate Looie with their entire St. John’s experience.
“He reflected in his persona the scrappy Queens character of our community. He was the public face of our university, and he
Lou Carnesecca, who led the St. John’s University men’s basketball team to 526 wins during his 24 seasons as coach, died Saturday at 99.
PHOTO COURTESY ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY
Merry and bright in OZP
For the first time, holiday lights are adorning the Ozone Park side of Crossbay Boulevard, from 149th to Liberty avenues, thanks to funding allocated by Councilwoman Joann Ariola.
“These lights help bring people together and build a kind of civic pride that turns a neighborhood into a community,” Ariola said in a prepared statement. “Through this, and other events like it, we can really foster that community spirit that is sadly
disappearing nowadays.”
To properly ring in the season, Ariola on Sunday partnered with the Cityline Ozone Park Civilian Patrol, Sovereign Realty, the Ozone Tudor Civic Association and the city Parks Department to host a tree lighting at the Welcome to Ozone Park sign on Crossbay Boulevard.
The event brought delightful performances, tasty treats and plenty of holiday cheer to attendees. — Kristen Guglielmo
Schools to be held harmless
City public schools will not see a loss in funding due to enrollment decreases during the 2024-25 school year, the Department of Education announced last week.
The agency said that approximately 50 percent of schools would have been subject to a mid-year adjustment, totaling $157 million, but will now be held harmless. The other 50 percent of schools are slated to receive an additional $146 million to support enrollment increases.
School leaders will receive personalized support from a field team of budget directors, the agency said, to ensure funds are
Donated gifts will go to residents of homeless shelters in Queens Chronicle spreads holiday joy and toys joy
by Stephanie G. Meditz Associate Editor
With a chill in the air, colorful lights lining the streets and festive tunes on the radio, the holiday season is already in full swing.
For the 28th year, the Chronicle once again invites those who wish to make someone’s holidays a little bit brighter to donate to its annual Toy Drive.
The drive seeks to bring tidings of comfort and joy to children, teenagers and families living in Queens’ homeless shelters.
The Chronicle is seeking brand-new, unused and unwrapped toys, games, puzzles, art supplies and various other items suitable for boys and girls of all age groups, from infants to teenagers.
Brand-new, never-worn clothing, hats, gloves and scarves for all age groups will also be accepted to help those in need beat the winter chill.
The deadline for donations is Thursday, Dec. 19.
“I am proud to be able to put on this toy drive once again. Seeing those less fortunate being able to enjoy the holidays makes all of us at the Chronicle feel good that we can take part in this endeavor,” Queens Chronicle Publisher Mark Weidler said. “Thank you to all who make donations.”
All items can be brought to the Queens Chronicle office at 71-19 80 St., Suite 8-201, at The Shops at Atlas Park in Glendale during business hours: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
QueensChronicle’s
used within the current fiscal year in compliance with DOE procurement regulations.
“Our top priority is to ensure that every school leader has the resources and supports to carry out their school’s mission and put our children on a path to lifelong success,” Schools Chancellor Melissa AvilesRamos said in a statement. “I am proud that in direct response to feedback from our school communities, schools will not only receive funding, but also personalized supports designed to help them make the most of this funding.”
Q
— Kristen Guglielmo
To make teenagers’ holidays, brand-new cosmetics, personal care items and gift cards are also sought.
The office is above HomeGoods, and the entrance to the building is where the sign says The Offices at Market Plaza.
28th Annual
Donations will be delivered to homeless shelters throughout the borough, helping bring light to children and families experiencing dark times.
In years past, contributors donated more than 1,500 games, toys and cold weather essentials, some of which were crocheted by hand.
Donations also can be dropped off at the following locations during their regular business hours:
• State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. at 84-16 Jamaica Ave. in Woodhaven; • Assemblyman Ed Braunstein at 213-33 39 Ave., Suite 238, in Bayside;
• Councilman Bob Holden at 58-38 69 St. in Maspeth; and
• Goldfish Swim School at 71-03 80 St., Space 7-110, in Atlas Park in Glendale.
Anyone seeking additional information on the toy drive may call the Chronicle’s Stela Barbu at (718) 205-8000. Q
PHOTOS
Chronicle Editor Naeisha Rose, left, Editor Kristen Guglielmo and Associate Editor Stephanie Meditz show off some gifts that may be donated in the annual toy drive. Drop-off locations include the Chronicle’s office and several other sites. PHOTO BY PETER C. MASTROSIMONE
CONQUERING HEALTH CARE'S GREATEST OBSTACLES. CHALLENGE ACCEPTED.
Curing a rare heart disorder with a short life expectancy.
Performing a life-changing brain surgery— without a single incision.
Helping a new mom give birth—and receive a new liver.
At Northwell's North Shore University Hospital, the nation's most brilliant minds come here to conquer health care's greatest challenges. So that whatever comes through our doors: challenge accepted.
North Shore University Hospital
Authorities say Kew Gardens Hills couple sold items in Queens and DR DA: High-end theft ring nets five arrests
by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor
Five Queens residents, including a married couple from Kew Gardens Hills, have been arrested for their alleged roles in a multimillon-dollar retail theft operation that focused on high-end cosmetics, beauty products, designer clothes and accessories.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, joined in her office at a Nov. 26 press conference by Gov. Hochul and law enforcement officials, said the ring paid drivers and others to steal merchandise up and down the East Coast from or headed to major retailers including Sephora and Ulta Beauty.
The merchandise allegedly was subsequently sold far below the retail prices, reportedly resulting in $2 million in sales over two years.
A press release said raids were carried out Nov. 22 in Kew Gardens Hills, Fresh Meadows and a storage site in Briarwood.
“These arrests once again prove that consumers should be extremely careful about buying items on social media or from unfamiliar vendors,” Katz said. “As we approach the holiday season, take great care to know the genesis of the products you are buying.”
She also said this marks the first time in New York that anyone has been charged for
the crime of fostering the sale of stolen goods, a new measure passed to stop the sale of such products through both online platforms and brick-and-mortar locations.
The press release from Katz’s office said Christopher Guzman, 35, Yvelisse Guzman Batista, 29, and Rosa Rodriguez Santana, 59, all of 75th Avenue in Kew Gardens Hills; and Johanny Almonte Reyes, 33, of 71st Avenue in Fresh Meadows, were arraigned on charges of first-degree criminal possession of stolen property; four counts of second-degree criminal possession of stolen property; fourth-degree conspiracy; three counts of third-degree attempted criminal possession of stolen property; fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property; and four counts of fostering the sale of stolen goods. They are due back in court on Jan. 15 and face up to 8 1/3 to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top charge.
Guzman is additionally charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.
Co-defendant Tiffany Leon Fuentes, 29, of 133rd Avenue in Ozone Park, is charged with first-degree criminal possession of stolen property; four counts of second-degree criminal possession of stolen property; third-degree grand larceny; fourth-degree conspiracy; three counts of fourth-degree grand larceny and petit larceny. She is due back in court Jan. 15, and faces up to 8 1/3 years to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top charge.
Katz’s office said none of the charges are bail-eligible under state law. The defendants will be subject to electronic monitoring and all had their passports seized.
The Guzmans allegedly directed retail theft crews to steal specific merchandise and then sold the pilfered products from their home and a storefront in the Dominican Republic. The couple is also alleged to have paid truck drivers to divert products bound for retailers from manufacturer warehouses to locations under their control.
“Organized retail theft is far from a victimless crime,” said William Walker, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations’ New York office. “Estimates show
the average American family pays over $500 annually in additional costs due to the impact of organized retail crime.”
Upon learning of the theft ring, undercover law enforcement officers conducted three sales of purportedly stolen merchandise at the Guzmans’ home and an apartment in Fresh Meadows.
They allegedly were paid $3,700 for merchandise valued at nearly $23,000.
They also allegedly were asked to steal certain products based on their popularity.
“Organized retail theft is far from a victimless crime.”
— Special Agent William Walker, Homeland Security Investigations
Another undercover operative allegedly purchased perfume from the Guzmans in their home, paying onethird of its retail value.
Search warrants executed on Nov. 22 allegedly recovered more than 50,000 retail beauty products, cosmetics, perfume, designer clothing and accessories with a total retail value of $1,096,004.74.
The total included approximately 31,622 products in their original wholesale packaging allegedly stolen from the Sol de Janeiro distribution center with a retail value of $795,560. Other recovered items included merchandise from the brands Maybelline, Fenty Beauty, La Roche-Posay, Benefit, Nars, Too Faced, Charlotte Tilbury, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Versace, Valentino, Prada, Zara, Ferragamo, Anthropologie, Victoria’s Secret, American Eagle and numerous others. Authorities also allegedly recovered a money counter; a label maker; sticker labels and thank you cards bearing the name “Yvelisse Fashion”; two large plastic shipping barrels; bills of lading; numerous books, ledgers and notepads; and two polymer ghost gun kits each containing one unserialized and unfinished firearm lower receiver along with lower part kits. Q
Donate blood at these sites
The New York Blood Center seeks donors across the borough as the state faces a blood shortage.
To learn more or make a donation, visit nybc.org. There are several blood drives in Central and Western Queens listed now:
• Queens Jewish Center, auditorium, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 8, 66-05 108th St. in Forest Hills; blood drive coordinator Jonathan Herz;
• Enterprise Association of Steamfitters Local 638, auditorium, 12:30 to 6:30 p.m., Monday, Dec. 9, 32-32 48 Ave. in Long Island City; blood drive coordinator
Danny Knights;
• Queens Masonic District, meeting room, 8:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 14, 21-14 30 Ave. in Long Island City; blood drive coordinator Rodney Artis;
• The Shops at Atlas Park, next to TJ Maxx, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 21, 8000 Cooper Ave. in Glendale; blood drive coordinator Armando Echeverry; and
• NYPD 104th Precinct, muster room, 12 to 6 p.m., Monday, Dec. 23, 64-02 Catalpa Ave. in Ridgewood; blood drive coordinator Officer Jatara Edwards. Q
Designer clothing allegedly was stolen on consignment either from or on its way to retail stores along the East Coast.
Authorities say pricey cosmetics and toiletries were among the items seized in raids on Nov. 22.
Our team at BENSOL
Energy Assessments involve a detailed examination and evaluation of your home to determine which energy saving and weatherization enhancements, such as insulation and air sealing are required. They involve tests such as:
Combustion efficiency and safety tests to ensure your heating system’s optimal operation
Inspecting walls, attics or roof cavities for insulation
Use of thermal imaging, and blower door testing to assess draftiness and verify the correct placement of insulation
When homeowners combine proper whole home insulation with thorough air sealing, they can expect to:
1. Achieve reduced energy bills.
2. Enjoy greater temperature consistency throughout your home.
3. Reduce the strain on heating and cooling systems.
4. Enhance indoor air quality.
5. Experience year-round comfort in your home.
BENSOL TECH LLC
Budgeting past the graveyard: Adams and Hochul
NY leaders spend boldly despite likelihood of cuts from Trump, GOP Congress
by Greg David THE CITY
This article was originally published on Dec. 2 at 5:00 a.m. EDT by THE CITY.
Gov. Hochul and Mayor Adams are approaching their budget agendas as if the 2024 election didn’t happen.
But the victory of Donald Trump in the presidential race and looming Republican control of Congress seem likely to give them migraines, with enormous risks for New Yorkers who depend on government resources to educate their kids, provide healthcare and even inspect building sites.
The New York leaders’ approach may be understandable, in an environment of tense uncertainty.
“City and state budget makers are in a tough place because they don’t know what will happen, what policies will be implemented and what impact that would have on the city’s economy, tax revenues and federal aid,” said Ana Champeny, director of research for the fiscal watchdog Citizens Budget Commission.
In a November budget update, Hochul’s administration announced that tax receipts for the current fiscal year, which ends March 31, were $2 billion higher than expected — and that the projected budget deficit for the 2025 fiscal year has been slashed to $1 billion.
Adams also this month announced that revenues for the current fiscal year, ending June 30, are now expected to be higher than projected and expenses for sheltering migrants lower than estimated. He increased the current budget by $3 billion to $115 billion.
Adams’ November budget modification added 1,600 new police officers, $467 million into a cash-assistance program that helps lowincome New Yorkers pay for groceries and other bills, and $115 million into the city’s rental-assistance program.
Hochul even promised to find $1 billion in next year’s budget for city housing programs, helping to seal the deal that paves the way for Adams’ City of Yes rezoning to spur more construction.
But a focus on now could leave the state and city with big problems later, since Trump and Republicans in Congress have promised to
slash federal spending. Possible targets include funding passed down to the state and city for government programs and services.
The city’s current budget includes $8 billion in federal aid, according to Brad Lander, city comptroller and a candidate for mayor. The money is used for crucial programs that include education, cash assistance, healthcare and child care.
The money also funds some less obvious functions. That includes community development block grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that fund housing code inspectors, apartment repairs and a good share of the staff at the Department of City Planning, notes Rachel Fee, a former city housing official who is now executive director of the New York City Housing Conference.
The city also has won more than $2 billion in commitments from the infrastructure program launched by President Biden, money Republicans might seek to recapture.
Medicaid and more
The state dependence on federal money is far greater — about $85 billion, a little more
than a third of the total spending of $239 billion. Most of the money goes to Medicaid — New York’s program is the most expensive in the country on a per capita basis — and education. Those two areas are in the Republicans’ crosshairs for reductions.
Since the city also depends on state aid, pressure on state budgets historically leads to reductions in aid to local governments. One example: while the state required local governments to pay a portion of the Medicaid costs, it capped that number in recent budgets, saving the city about $5 billion a year. If the state winds up with a big hole in its Medicaid budget, it might seek to force the city to cover some of it.
The city and state budgets are not the only ones at risk. Federal aid accounts for $317 million or 7 percent of the annual budget of the public City University of New York, where 57 percent of students are receiving federal Pell grants worth $622 million a year. And budgetwatchers are still calculating the total exposure for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and New York City Housing Authority, which both rely heavily on federal funding.
Some of the local officials dependent on federal aid are holding out hope that Republicans in Congress won’t go along with sharp reductions in spending, in a replay of what happened at the start of the first Trump presidency in 2017 and 2018 when the GOP also controlled Congress.
“I guarantee that the representatives and senators from all those red states are supportive of their local institutions,” said CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez.
When any cuts would come down is also uncertain. There is some talk in Washington about passing a budget in the early spring. More likely that will come later in the year — after the state budget is passed around April 1 and the city’s by June 30.
But members of the city’s congressional delegation are resigned to seeing reductions in money coming to New York.
“We are committed to bringing as much money as we can, but there are limits to what we can do,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-Bronx) said at a recent breakfast held by the Citizens Budget Commission.
Some progressive Democrats are already calling for the state to step in to fill any holes.
“We need more housing, affordable child care, better and expanded public transit across the state, lower utility and medical bills, and higher wages. We need the state to help local governments and school districts to reduce upward pressure on property taxes,” state Sen. Liz Krueger (D-Manhattan) wrote in an op-ed in the Daily News. “Bold action will cost money, but the cost of inaction is far greater.”
She called for raising taxes on “the very rich and large corporations.”
One hope is that Trump and the Republicans will deliver on their pledge to repeal the $10,000 cap on federal deductions for state and local taxes. If it is lifted, experts estimate New Yorkers would save $19 billion a year on the income taxes they pay Washington. Some have suggested privately that the state could lay claim to some of that money to offset any reductions in aid.
However, the cost of restoring full deductibility is $1 trillion over years, a cost simply too high to make federal budget math work, noted Torres at the CBC breakfast, suggesting that an increase in the cap to, say, $20,000 is more likely.
Such a move would benefit upper-middleincome taxpayers who pay city income taxes or suburbanities who own homes and face stiff property tax bills. It would not result in a windfall for the wealthiest residents of New York State, where people with $1 million or more income pay 40 percent of all the income taxes collected.
The city comptroller says the math simply won’t work to offset the cuts.
“There would not be a way for the city to fill in all the cuts we are at risk of having,” said Lander. “There is no way the city and state could do that together.” Q THE CITY (www.thecity.nyc) is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to hard-hitting reporting that serves the people of New York.
Mayor Adams and Gov. Hochul take questions about the redevelopment of the Kingsbridge Armory, Aug. 8, 2023.
PHOTOS BY BEN FRACTENBERG / THE CITY
The mayor is using the bigger budget to increase the number of cops on the streets and boost bill-assistance programs. MTA workers in the F Line’s East River Tunnel on March 21, 2021. PHOTO, RIGHT, BY TRENT REEVES / MTA CONSTRUCTION & DEVELOPMENT / VIA THE CITY
SINCE 2009
Welcome To Cambridge Heating HVAC. Now There’s A Smarter Way to Cool and Heat Any Room With A HEAT PUMP SYSTEM
Receive Up To $12,000 Incentive Off Your InvoiceCon Edison Contribution (While funds are available) ( )
CAMBRIDGE HVAC can help you save money by switching to an energy effi cient heat pump. Why pay to install and maintain two heating and cooling systems? Cold-climate heat pumps are designed to work in both cold and warm climates. Heat pumps are the effi cient 2-in-1 clean technology to cool and heat your home. Cooling your home during the hot, humid summers.
A Mitsubishi Electric Ductless Heat Pump will keep you cool in the summer, cozy in the winter and energy-effi cient all year-round, and because there’s no need for ductwork, we can install it for you in hours, not days – no muss, no fuss
Up to $2,000 in Tax Credits* Now Available
Diamond Mitsubishi Contractor
Social Security Is reducing 800 number call wait times
ACHIEVED GOAL!
by Tiffany Countess and Chris Chapple
Social Security launched a national 800 number in October 1988. Today, our agents answer more than 28 million phone calls a year. Our new telephone platform makes it even easier to connect with us.
Why use our 800 number?
For more than 35 years, our toll-free number has been an easy way to contact Social Security without the need to travel to a local office. Our national 800 number – 1(800) 7721213 – allows you to access information and services with just a phone call, saving you time and money. It is especially helpful if you live in a rural or remote area, have limited mobility or transportation issues, or juggle a busy schedule.
For many people, the fastest and most convenient way to conduct business with us is online at www.ssa.gov. If you cannot or prefer not to use our online services, our enhanced telephone system offers new features that allow us to better serve you – whether you’re calling to update your personal record, check on the status of an application or appeal, or request a replacement Social Security card.
Our improved Call Back Assist feature saves your place in line without you having to wait on hold to speak with a representative. That means you can go about your day until a representative returns your call.
Our 800 number offers services in English and Spanish and interpreters in more than 200 languages and dialects. Our free interpreter services ensure most callers can access information and services in the language they prefer.
We also continue to offer teletypewriter services for people who are deaf, hard-ofhearing, or have difficulty using a traditional phone.
Wait times on our national 800 number are longer than we would like, mainly because of hiring and staffing challenges. We’ve worked hard to reduce wait times and have cut the average wait nearly in half – from 24 to 13 minutes. We’re putting into place new technology and business practices so we can shorten wait times even more and improve the customer experience. By the end of fiscal year 2025, our goal is to answer our 800 number calls within an average of 12 minutes.
Reducing call wait times is one of Commissioner Martin O’Malley’s top priorities, and he’s committed to providing the public with prompt and reliable service. Our new phone platform is a major step forward. To learn more about our efforts, visit our 800 number performance webpage.
When can you call Social Security?
To speak with a Social Security representative, please call 1(800) 772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The best times to call are early in the morning, later in the week, and later in the month when wait times tend to be shorter.
Our automated telephone services are available 24 hours a day and do not require you to wait to speak with a representative. You can request the status of a claim, a benefit verification letter, an SSA-1099 tax summary, and more. You can also listen to informational messages about a variety of topics.
Please let others know about improvements to our national 800 number and share on social media. P Tiffany Countess is the Acting Deputy Associate Commissioner and Chris Chapple is the Acting Associate Commissioner of the Office of Customer Service at the Social Security Administration.
Inspiring a new pathway for restful sleep
by Naeisha Rose Editor
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, the level-one trauma center in Richmond Hill, now has the distinction of being the first hospital in the World’s Borough to treat patients who have obstructive sleep apnea with Inspire therapy.
According to Dr. Adrian Ong, an attending surgeon at JHMC’s Department of Otolaryngology, which focuses on diseases of the ear and throat, there are an estimated 150,000 people in Queens suspected to have OSA, though only 40,000 are diagnosed. About 3,000 JHMC patients have been actively diagnosed.
“I’m pretty excited about offering the service in Queens,” Ong told the Chronicle. “There is a large population of patients who have sleep apnea here.”
The prevalence of OSA in the general population is around 25 to 30 percent for people ages 30 to 70, he said via email.
OSA is the partial or complete blockage of the airway during sleep, said Ong. Another form of the
disorder is central sleep apnea, which is the brain not telling the respiratory muscles to breathe during sleep. There is also mixed sleep apnea, which is a combination of both.
Symptoms of OSA include daytime sleepiness and fatigue, difficulty concentrating during the day, mood disturbances, irritability, snoring and waking up choking and gasping for air in the middle of the night.
The Inspire device, a surgical implant, helps people who have moderate to severe OSA or who cannot tolerate CPAP, or continuous positive airway pressure, therapy, said Ong.
don’t want to use it include the pressure being too high to get any slumber; the machine requiring a hose and mask, which can get tangled for those who toss and turn at night; and claustrophobia resulting in some ripping the mask off or failing to doze off, said Ong.
Inspire consists of three components.
“About 40 to 50 percent of patients are not using their CPAP devices,” said the attending surgeon. “This is a nice alternative for patients who are seeking out treatment.”
The CPAP device provides pressurized air to people to keep their airway open during sleep, but some common reasons patients
COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL IMAGING
3T MRI • MRA • 1.2 OPEN MRI LOW DOSE CT • CTA • FLUOROSCOPY
DAT SCAN • NUCLEAR MEDICINE
PET/CT SCAN • ULTRASOUND • DEXA
X-RAY • INTERVENTIONAL RADIOLOGY
CORONARY CT ANGIOGRAPHY CALCIUM SCORING
ECHOCARDIOGRAM • LIVER BIOPSY THYROID BIOPSY
PEDIATRIC RADIOLOGY
WOMEN'S IMAGING
3D DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY BREAST ULTRASOUND MRI BREAST
STEREOTACTIC BREAST BIOPSY
ULTRASOUND GUIDED CORE BIOPSY MRI GUIDED BIOPSY
“There is a sensing lead in the chest, a battery and computer system implanted in the chest and a stimulation lead that goes around the nerves to the tongue,” said the surgeon. “When you breathe at night, it senses the respiration or breath that you take and sends a signal to that battery and sends a signal then to the stimulation lead that causes the tongue to move forward and open up the airway during sleep.”
Ong said the surgery for the implant is significantly less painful than traditional sleep surgeries the hospital used to offer.
“Most patients are off narcotic medication within 48 hours and just rely on Tylenol or ibuprofen to control their pain,” said Ong. “Most people are healed up by two to four weeks and are
back to their normal activities by then.”
Most commercial insurance companies and Medicare, along with some Medicaid plans, cover the device, said the doctor.
“A primary care provider is a good starting point to get a referral to an ear, nose and throat doctor,” said Ong. “Most of these patients already have a sleep medicine doctor, who has been managing their sleep apnea, as well as their CPAP device. Once they get to the point they are no longer using or tolerating their CPAP, their sleep medicine doctor can also provide a referral to an ENT who does Inspire surgery.”
Not getting treated for sleep apnea
can result in high blood pressure and increased risk of heart attacks or strokes, said Ong. There is also a higher risk of motor vehicle accidents, because people sometimes fall asleep behind the wheel.
“The advantage of Inspire is that it is an easy-to-use device and more comfortable than using a CPAP,” he said. “There is no mask, there is no hose. It is just a remote you use that turns the device on right before you go to sleep. It helps people fall asleep a little more naturally without any attachments. Once a patient starts to sleep, that is when the device starts delivering the therapy you need to keep the airway open.” P
Dr. Adrian Ong, left, says Jamaica Hospital Medical Center is the first to provide Inspire therapy for obstructive sleep apnea. PHOTOS AND IMAGE COURTESY JHMC
Ground broken on NYCFC’s Etihad Park
NY’s first professional soccer stadium is set to open for 2027 MLS season
by Kristen Guglielmo Editor
Elected officials and eager soccer players, fans and executives gathered in Corona on Wednesday for the groundbreaking for New York City Football Club’s Etihad Park, the state’s first professional soccer-specific stadium and Major League Soccer’s first fully electric stadium. Elected officials, including Mayor Adams, Councilmember Francisco Moya (D-Corona) and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, participated in the ceremony.
In addition to the 25,000-seat stadium, which is expected to be operational by the 2027 MLS season, the project will also deliver retail, food and beverage facilities, office space and a plaza for community events called “City Square.”
The $780 million stadium, privately financed by NYCFC, is part of the Willets Point redevelopment, a project that is set to deliver 2,500 affordable homes, more than 40,000 square feet of public open space, a 250-key hotel, a 650-seat public school and retail shops.
The entire transformational project is expected to generate $6.1 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years, creating 1,550 permanent jobs and 14,200 construction jobs, according to the Mayor’s Office.
broke ground on Wednesday for New York
professional soccer-specific stadium in the state.
“Today, we are breaking ground on Etihad Park — our city’s first-ever soccer-specific stadium — for NYCFC to call home and finally deliver New Yorkers the soccer stadium they deserve,” Adams said in a statement.
“Along with cohosting the 2026 World Cup with New Jersey, this stadium puts us on the map as a world-class soccer destination, and it makes Willets Point the city’s premier sports hub.”
The commissioner of MLS, Don Garber, said the groundbreaking is a historic moment for NYCFC, MLS and “everyone who has believed in the promise of soccer in America.”
Garber continued, “We’ve always known that a world-class soccer stadium belongs in New York City. Congratulations and thanks to Mayor Adams, Councilmember Moya, Borough President Richards, the New York City
Economic Development Corporation, club ownership, staff, players, and fans of New York City FC on making Etihad Park a reality.”
“Today’s groundbreaking for Etihad Park is the culmination of decades of hard work, perseverance, and vision,” said Moya. “We carried it across the finish line through collaboration and with the leadership of Mayor Adams and his administration. As an Ecuadorian kid that grew up in Corona, Queens whose life has revolved around soccer — I couldn’t be more thrilled to bring this stadium to my neighborhood with union jobs and economic growth.”
“In what F. Scott Fitzgerald once called the ‘Valley of Ashes’ is rising one of Queens’ most triumphant victories, in the form of New York City’s first all-electric, privately financed professional sports stadium,” Richards said. “The World’s Game belongs in The World’s Borough, and I couldn’t be prouder of the history we’re making in Willets Point today to bring it here.”
He continued, “Etihad Park represents endless possibilities not only for NYCFC, but for the thousands of borough residents who will earn a living wage or grow their business there. The goal at Willets Point is to create a community where its residents thrive, elevating all of Queens in the process, and we are one massive step closer to doing just that.” Q
Holiday Deals as Bright as the Season
Dignitaries
City Football Club’s Etihad Park, the first
PHOTO VIA QUEENS BOROUGH PRESIDENT’S OFFICE / X
ARTS, CULTURE & LIVING
by Mark Lord
Just in time to join in the holiday celebrations, St. Mary’s Drama Guild presents “Alice in Winter Wonderland,” a contemporary reimagining of the stories and characters created by Lewis Carroll, for a fourperformance run beginning Dec. 7.
s h he e w s sy
Adapted by Janet Allard and Michael Bigelow Dixon, the play finds Alice writing a book report on Carroll’s original piece when she becomes drowsy, sees a white rabbit and follows it down a rabbit hole, landing her in Wonderland in the middle of winter.
In an interview she gave in conjunction with a production of the play by Commonweal Theatre in Minnesota, Allard described it as being about “a girl going on an adventure where she has to make sense of the world.”
“It’s almost like a game,” she said. “She’s got to learn the rules of this world and this game, and it all feels nonsensical, kind of like a riddle.”
According to Claire Spinetti, director of the St. Mary’s rendering, the time of year depicted in the play impacts its physical appearance.
“It will look different” from what people have come to expect of the Alice stories, she said. “Alice is trying to find the wonder of Christmas, in her search for the wonderful Christmas she imagined.”
The winter setting also presented one of Spinetti’s biggest challenges, including an opening scene that takes place at an ice-skating rink.
While no real ice is used, Spinetti promised that audiences will think the actors are actually gliding across the stage, thanks in large part to some special illusions employed in the production.
‘Alice in Winter Wonderland’ honors a classic on stage
r a ab b b bi i doowwn ndinng g her r n d in n t he er. view she ga g with a prrod o lay Commm re in Mi nn b ed it as g a bo bout ut on an adventure wh wherere e ake w ld and it all feels nonsensical, kinnd of impac c ts t ce l have come to expec c t of f the Alice ch h It took “a a lot of f t tech d ction began shortly h c am e to a n op en Lo in the e
It took “a lot of technical things to bring Wonderland to life,” she said. Rehearsals for the production began shortly after Labor Day, Spinetti said, with a cast that includes “a lot of new people,” who came to an open audition.
Selected for the title role was Crow Conway, an 18-year-old Woodside resident who has been involved with St. Mary’s since the age of 7.
King Crossword Puzzle
Oliver read the news today, oh boy, in Astoria I HAVE OFTEN WALKED
by Ron Marzlock Chronicle Contributor
Richard Oliver was born on Feb. 21, 1914, in New York. He became a New York City fireman and married 17-year-old Scottish-born Christine Moncreiff on March 13, 1938. Their firstborn child was Richard Jr., born April 11, 1939, followed by sons Gregory and Christopher.
They moved to 25-83 46 St. in Astoria. Richard Sr. took in his mother and mother-in-law to join the family. Richard Jr. excelled, graduating W.C. Bryant High School and earning a master’s from Columbia University’s School of Journalism.
Known as Dick, Oliver started as a reporter and city editor for the NY Daily News in 1961. His brothers followed him, also getting jobs at the paper. Starting in 1988, he became a household name on the TV breakfast show “Good Day New York.” Retiring in 2002, he went on to teach journalism at Columbia, Hunter College and
NYU. A lifelong three-cigar-a-day smoker, he died of complications from a stroke on Nov. 11, 2016, at age 77.
Dozens of people lamented his passing on Fox 5’s Facebook page, several recalling his coverage on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. He was the first journalist to report the attacks on live TV. Q
The childhood home of newsman Dick Oliver at 25-83 46 St. in Astoria, as it looked in the 1940s when he was growing up there. INSET PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK /
Fundraiser aims to enhance beach accessibility
by Stephanie G. Meditz associate editor
The Tim Bear Foundation aims to make spirits as bright as a sunny beach day with its holiday fundraiser.
The nonprofit organization will host an event on Dec. 8 at Bantry Bay in Long Island City to raise money toward its mission of donating beach wheelchairs to people in need.
Some proceeds will also go toward gifts for a holiday toy drive by Dancing Dreams, a nonprofit that gives inclusive dance programs to children with special needs.
Tim “Bear” Bergin, the foundation’s namesake and a former NYPD officer from Maspeth, died at age 47 in 2020 from 9/11-related illness. He assisted in the rescue and recovery operations at Ground Zero following the terror attacks on the World Trade Center.
Bergin was “a gentle giant and larger than life to all those who knew him,” according to the organization’s website.
His brother, Patrick Bergin, told the Chronicle that Tim was a gen-
erous guy who would do anything for anyone, earning his affectionate nickname of “the bear” due to his warm heart and large stature. During the holidays, he used to dress up as Santa Claus for Patrick’s kids.
After Tim’s death, he and some family and friends got the idea to donate beach wheelchairs to people in need. Patrick’s own daughter had gotten to take her first trip to the beach because of Tim.
She uses a wheelchair, and after seeing how difficult it was to transport her onto the sand, Tim did some research and found one for the beach.
“He had mentioned to me that he wanted to either rent or sell beach wheelchairs maybe down at Long Beach or at Rockaway and he asked me to help him out with it, but I told him I’m too busy with my daughter,” Bergin said. “So we thought that would be a good way to keep his name going and everything and honor him by starting the foundation giving beach wheelchairs to people with special needs.”
year, too.
Made to cut through the sand, the wheelchairs have a large front wheel and supportive rear ones.
“A lot of beaches now, they do have mats, but they’re not gonna get you into the water,” Bergin said. “The wheelchair that we use, a person can go into the water with that.”
In the off-season, users can even add additional wheels or other accessories to move through snow or go on hiking trails with the wheelchairs. They also can fold up
and fit in a vehicle’s trunk.
“Personally, I do have one for my daughter. It does work very, very well,” Bergin said.
In 2022, the Tim Bear Foundation donated its first beach wheelchair to Finley Kirrane, a boy with cerebral palsy. Aidan Riley and Monica Chaffardet received beach wheelchairs in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
The holiday fundraiser on Sunday will include a buffet, a cash bar and live music by Allen Gogarty,
The Flynns and The McLean Avenue Band.
Attendees can also purchase raffle tickets for prizes such as an iPad or Apple Watch or for a cash payout.
Tickets for the latter raffle will be sold for $100 — the winner of the grand prize will receive $7,500, with the second and third prizes at $5,000 and $2,500, respectively.
The sellers of the winning raffle tickets will also receive smaller prizes of $750, $500 and $250.
Bergin said the organization’s big event with the most raffles is its golf outing, with plenty of donations from restaurants and community members.
More information can be found at timbearfoundation.org.
One may contact Patrick Bergin at timbearfoundation@gmail.com or via phone at (646) 996-6720 with questions.
“It’s a small foundation right now, which we’re trying to grow,” Bergin said, adding that he hopes the holiday fundraiser will become an annual event. This year marks the organization’s second one. Q
If you go chasing rabbits, it’s Winter Wonderland
“I grew up going there,” Conway said, singing in the church choir and appearing on stage for the first time as one of the orphans in “Annie.”
This production marks the first time Conway is appearing in a nonmusical, and it comes as somewhat of a relief, not having to worry about singing and dancing while acting.
“It’s much less stressful,” Conway said.
Crossword Answers
She indicated that the role is easy to relate to, saying, “Alice is a big fan of Christmas. I’ve always been a big fan of Christmas. Her journey in finding herself is relatable. She’s young and very excited. That excitement keeps her from seeing what’s around her. Her fantasies overpower her reality.”
Other leading performers in the cast of 10 include Rachel Marcus, a new member of the troupe, as The Red Queen, and Gregory Taule, a returnee, as The Mad Hatter.
Spinetti was assisted in directing the piece by Alessandra Alejandro, who also serves as stage manager.
This is but one stage treatment of Carroll’s novel and its sequel, which date to 1865 and 1871. They have become two of the most popular works in all Victorian literature, wielding a widespread influence on popular culture and having been adapted for the silver screen, radio, ballet, opera, musical theater and even theme parks, board games and video games.
Bringing the St. Mary’s show to its end (runtime is about an hour and 20 minutes including intermission) will be a sing-along of Christmas carols with special lyrics for the
occasion. Audiences will be invited to join in. Performances take place at the St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church gymnasium, at 70-20 47 Ave. in Woodside, on Dec. 7 and
14 at 6:30 p.m. and Dec. 8 and 15 at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are $20; or $15 for children 12 and under. For more information, call (718) 672-4848 or visit stmarysdramaguild.org. Q
Named for Tim “Bear” Bergin, inset, the Tim Bear Foundation helped give toys to children from the Dancing Dreams studio last year. It will do so this
Above are Crow Conway as Alice and Landon Browne as The March Hare, while at right are Jared Raso as The Cook, Gregory Taule as The Mad Hatter and Rachel Marcus as The Red Queen. On the cover: Alice stands with Padraig Gleason as Tweedledee, left, Eric-Christian Ramos as Tweedledum and Sophia Olaverri as The Mouse. PHOTOS BY DANIEL DIAMANDIEV
GOT AN UNWANTED CAR?? Your car donation to Patriotic Hearts helps veterans find work or start their own business. Fast free pick up. Running or not! Call 1-888-251-3135
SAVE ON YOUR TRAVEL PLANS! Up to 75% More than 500 AIRLINES and 300,000 HOTELS across the world. Let us do the research for you for FREE! Call 877-988-7277
AFFORDABLE TV & INTERNET. If you are overpaying for your service, call now for a free quote and see how much you can save! 1-855-399-2803
BEAUTIFUL BATH UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Superior quality bath and shower systems at AFFORDABLE PRICES! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Call Now! 1-855-399-2076
DIRECTV—All your entertainment. Nothing on your roof! Sign up for Direct and get your first three months of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ and Cinemax included. Choice package $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply. Call 1-888-534-6918.
PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodents, Termites, Spiders and other pests. Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! 1-866-448-8311. Have zip code of property ready when calling!
PLEASE CALL LORI, 1-929-361-0643 (Cell Phone). I PAY THE BEST, MOST HONEST PRICES FOR ESTATES, FURNITURE, CHANDELIERS, LAMPS, COSTUME JEWELRY, WATCHES (WORKING OR NOT WORKING), FURS, COINS, POCKETBOOKS, CHINA, VASES, GLASSWARE, STERLING SILVERWARE, FIGURINES, CANDLESTICKS, PAINTINGS, PRINTS, RUGS, PIANOS, GUITARS, VIOLINS, FLUTES, TAG SALES, CLEANOUTS, CARS
Classified Ad Special. Pay for 3 weeks and the 4th week is FREE! Call 718-205-8000
INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT? Don’t Accept the insurance company’s first offer. Many injured parties are entitled to major cash settlements. Get a free evaluation to see what your case is really worth. 100% Free Evaluation. Call Now: 1-888-454-4717. Be ready with your zip code to connect with the closest provider.
Consumer Cellular—the same reliable, nationwide coverage as the largest carriers. No long-term contract, no hidden fees and activation is free. All plans feature unlimited talk and text, starting at just $20/month. For more information, call 1-844-919-1682
ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY
USERS! Discover Oxygen Therapy That Moves with You with Inogen Portable Oxygen Concentrators. FREE information kit. Call 855-399-2719
Attention: VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special—Only $99! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 1-855-399-2582
HEARING AIDS!! High-quality rechargeable, powerful Audien hearing aids priced 90% less than competitors. Tiny and NEARLY INVISIBLE! 45-day money back guarantee! 855-819-7060
Declaration of Status
I Cheryl - Thomas/ Smith: hereby declare that I am not an enslegis, a corporate or artificial entity created by law. I am a living, breathing individual with inherent rights, operating under natural law. As such, I do not consent to being treated as a legal or subject to obligations intended for corporate entities. This is my statement of truth and assertion of
as sentient being.
Notices
Legal Notices
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 of formation of Lily Tung Psychiatry, LLC, a foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC). Application for Authority was filed with the NY Secretary of State (SSNY) on 09/05/2024. The LLC was organized in New Jersey on 08/19/2024. Office in Queens County. SSNY designated as agent for service of process and shall mail copies to: 209-34 Northern Blvd #1058, Bayside, NY 11361. Principal office: 6 Kilmer Rd #1216, Edison, NJ 08817. Certificate of Organization filed with the NJ Division of Revenue. Copies available upon request from: Lily Tung, 6 Kilmer Rd #1216, Edison, NJ 08817. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, ATLANTICA, LLC, Plaintiff, vs. MINCIA AGARD, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on 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, NY 11435 on January 3, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., premises known as 149-63 Weller Lane, Rosedale, NY 11422. 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 13676 and Lot 24. Approximate amount of judgment is $722,827.98 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #726578/2022. Scott H. Siller, Esq., Referee, Vallely Law PLLC, 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 165, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff
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.
Notice of Formation of HEAVENLY HOMES CLEANING SERVICES LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/08/24 Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, 228 PARK AVE S #601636, NEW YORK, NY 10003. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.
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 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
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.
Legal Notices Legal Notices
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.”
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.
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 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 NEW HORIZON - IMMIGRATION FORMS
PREPARATION & INCOME TAX SER-
VICES LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/19/2024. 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: YADIRA A JARQUIN, 8420 AUSTIN STREET, 6E, KEW GARDENS, NY 11415. Purpose: For any lawful 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.
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.
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.
22-57 CRESCENT STREET LLC.
Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/31/24. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 22-57 Crescent Street, Astoria, NY 11105. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
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 Rates & Information,
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.
SUMMONS Index No. 725806/2023 STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT – COUNTY OF QUEENS DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE, ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDERS OF THE J.P. MORGAN MORTGAGE ACQUISITION TRUST 2007-CH1 ASSET BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007CH1, Plaintiff, -vs- THE HEIRS AT LARGE OF LYNN MARKLEIN A/K/A LYNN D. MARKLEIN, deceased, and all persons who are spouses, widows, grantees, mortgagees, lienors, heirs, devisees, distributees, successors in interest of such of them as may be dead, and their husbands and wives, heirs, devisees, distributees and successors of interest of all of whom and whose names and places are unknown to Plaintiff; DAUN MARI WILCOX A/K/A DAUN M. WILCOX; CHERYL NAPIER; UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE; NEW YORK CITY ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARD; JOHN DOE, individual whose name remains unknown to the Plaintiff, Defendants. Mortgaged Premises: 86-05 104TH STREET, RICHMOND HILL, NY 11418 TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT(S): YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the Complaint in the above entitled action and to serve a copy of your Answer on the plaintiff’s attorney within twenty (20) days of the service of this Summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty (30) days after service of the same is complete where service is made in any manner other than by personal delivery within the State. The United States of America, if designated as a defendant in this action, may answer or appear within sixty (60) days of service hereof. Your failure to appear or answer will result in a judgment against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. In the event that a deficiency balance remains from the sale proceeds, a judgment may be entered against you, unless the Defendant obtained a bankruptcy discharge and such other or further relief as may be just and equitable. NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer to the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. QUEENS County is designated as the place of trial. The basis of venue is the location of the mortgaged premises. Dated: August 31, 2023 Mark K. Broyles, Esq. FEIN SUCH & CRANE, LLP Attorneys for Plaintiff Office and P.O. Address 28 East Main Street, Suite 1800 Rochester, New York 14614 Telephone No. (585) 232-7400 Block: 9200 Lot: 3 NATURE AND OBJECT OF ACTION The object of the above action is to foreclose a mortgage held by the Plaintiff recorded in the County of QUEENS, State of New York as more particularly described in the Complaint herein. TO THE DEFENDANT, the plaintiff makes no personal claim against you in this action. To the above named defendants: The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of HON. TIMOTHY J. DUFFICY Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, dated November 12, 2024 and filed along with the supporting papers in the QUEENS County Clerk’s Office. This is an action to foreclose a Mortgage. ALL that 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 Mortgaged Premises: 86-05 104TH STREET, RICHMOND HILL, NY 11418 Tax Map/Parcel ID No.: Block: 9200 Lot: 3 of the BOROUGH of QUEENS, NY 11418 83494
A seat on a bus escalated into an attempted murder of an officer: DA Jamaica cop shooter gets 39 years to life
by Naeisha Rose Editor
A Jamaica man was sentenced to 39 years to life in prison for shooting a rookie cop who attempted to apprehend him after he assaulted a passenger on an MTA bus last year, said the office of District Attorney Melinda Katz on Monday.
Devin Spraggins, 24, was convicted on Nov. 12 of attempted murder in the first degree, assault in the first degree, aggravated assault of a police officer and assault of a police officer for crimes committed against Police Officer Brett Boller, said prosecutors. He was additionally convicted for attempted assault and menacing of Boller’s partner, PO Anthony Rock, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, tampering with physical evidence and assault in the third degree.
The defendant was acquitted of attempted murder of Rock, said the DA’s Office.
“All of this started because of a seat on a bus,” said Katz in a statement. “A police officer has spent over a year with surgeries and physical therapy recovering from getting shot, and only by a twist of fate was not killed. Devin Spraggins used an illegal firearm and shot Police Officer Brett Boller.”
According to the charges, on April 5, 2023, at about 3:20 p.m., Spraggins was
aboard an MTA bus traveling on Jamaica Avenue, when he punched a fellow passenger as the bus neared 161st Street.
The bus operator flagged down Rock, who retrieved Boller, as the latter was assisting with an illegally parked vehicle, according to the testimony.
Both men tried to talk to Spraggins at the front door of the bus, but the defendant pushed Boller and ran off, which led to a foot pursuit by the officers.
Lou Carnesecca dies at 99
continued from page 14
embodied the values of our Catholic and Vincentian mission,” St. John’s University President the Rev. Brian Shanley said in a statement.
Carnesecca graduated from the former St. Ann’s Academy in Manhattan, now Archbishop Molloy High School, before enlisting in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II.
Upon his return, he enrolled at Fordham University and then transferred to SJU, where he played baseball for coach Frank McGuire on the team that made the 1949 College World Series. John “Jack” Kaiser, St. John’s baseball coach and athletic director, was also on that team. As a student, Carnesecca also coached future governor Mario Cuomo.
Carnesecca coached at the former St. Ann’s upon graduating from St. John’s in 1950. He later returned to SJU as an assistant to another Hall of Fame basketball coach, Joe Lapchick. He became head coach after Lapchick retired in 1965.
In 1970, Carnesecca left St. John’s for three years to coach the New York Nets of the American Basketball Assocation. He led the team to the playoffs in all three seasons.
“It’s funny, all the tributes were not even about him as a coach, but just the man he was, how nice he was to everybody who came in contact with him, just random fans who felt like family around him,” Russell
said. “He was just a very warm guy.”
Carnesecca became known for his iconic “ugly” sweater in 1985, when he was ill and his wife advised him to pack a sweater on the team’s trip to Pittsburgh, Pa. When he brought out a brown pullover with chevron stripes, Chris Mullin hit a winning shot at the buzzer.
St. John’s said he stuck with the sweater and the team earned a national No. 1 ranking.
“The idea of not going to an event and seeing him or not going to a game and seeing him, an empty seat in the arena where he normally sat, that’ll be sad,” Browne said.
“I saw somebody compare it to a triple overtime game that’s really fun and you don’t want it to end, even though you know it’s gonna end sooner or later,” Russell said.
Carnesecca is survived by his wife, Mary; daughter, Enes; son-in-law, Gerard; granddaughter, Ieva; her fiancé, Frank; niece, Susan Chiesa; nephew, John Chiesa; and his wife, Nancy; as well as extended family and friends.
Carnesecca’s visitation will take place on Thursday, Dec. 5 at Thomas F. Dalton Funeral Home in New Hyde Park, LI, from 2 to 8 p.m. His funeral Mass will be held at St. John’s University’s St. Thomas More Church at 10 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 6.
The Mass also will be livestreamed at stjohns.edu/church. Q
Boller closed the distance between Spraggins and the defendant shot him at pointblank range, piercing the officer’s femoral artery and shattering his hip, prosecutors said.
Spraggins attempted to shoot at Boller a second time, but there were no bullets left in the gun, as he had dropped his magazine earlier, said prosecutors. Moments later, the defendant racked the slide of his gun and prepared to shoot Rock, but ran into a park-
ing garage, where he can be seen on video surveillance footage wearing a blue jacket and sweatshirt and leaving in a white T-shirt.
“With the officer on the ground, this defendant did not attempt escape,” continued Katz. “Instead, he aimed that gun and pulled the trigger again. This would have been a cold-blooded execution, if not for the magazine dropping from the gun as Spraggins ran from the police.”
Near the site of the shooting, the corner of Jamaica Avenue and 161st Street, police found a shell casing and the loaded magazine with 15 rounds of ammunition.
Security footage showed Spraggins at 161st Street and Hillside Avenue getting into a Lyft vehicle that took him to his home on 215th Street.
A search warrant was executed at the property the next day and information led law enforcement to an address in the Bronx, where Spraggins was arrested on April 7, 2023, said authorities.
Boller was rushed to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, where he underwent surgery for his injuries, said prosecutors. He has since returned to modified duty and been promoted to detective.
“A jury has spoken, and this defendant has now been sentenced to prison,” said Katz. Q
Photo contest!
The Queens Chronicle’s 17th annual Holiday Photo Contest is underway!
Take pictures of anything that reflects the season — joyous children and families, lights, miniature villages, snowy landscapes, whatever it might be — and send them on in. Our main requirement is that the photos be taken in the borough this season. We also ask that you give us all the details you can, especially the location, the names of any people in a photo, when possible, and when it was taken. Avoid time stamps!
Please limit your entries to five. If you need some inspiration, take a look at this past entry from Steve Fisher of Middle Vil-
lage. Fisher is a prolific photographer who has published a book of his shots of birds and, after winning one of our contests, became a freelancer for the Chronicle.
The winner this time around will get a $50 gift card good anywhere. All winning shots, and many others, also get published in print and online.
Send your high-resolution digital photos to peterm@qchron.com, saying “contest” somewhere in the subject line, or mail prints to Queens Chronicle Photo Contest, 71-19 80 St., suite 8-201, Glendale, NY 11385. The deadline is Friday, Jan. 3. Good luck! — Peter C. Mastrosimone
PHOTO BY STEVE FISHER
The man who attempted to murder Police Officer Brett Boller, left, was sentenced to 39 years to life in prison on Monday. PHOTO BY NAEISHA ROSE, LEFT; PHOTO COURTESY NYPD / FILE
B SPORTS EAT
Sotomania
by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor
The Major League Baseball winter meetings will take place in Dallas starting Monday. The top storyline, obviously, will be the future of 26-year-old outfielder Juan Soto, who had his typical stellar year playing for the Yankees last season. Soto is represented by agent-to-the-stars Scott Boras. You can be sure Boras will enjoy holding court for the media in between negotiations with team owners at the Anatole Hilton, the site of the winter meetings,
My suggestion is to tune out the noise on sports talk radio, local sports TV shows, such as SNY’s “Baseball Night in New York” and “Sportsnite,” and the obligatory swirling rumors on social media. Even the best baseball reporters can get played. Last year, one of the best in the business, Jon Heyman, infamously reported the San Francisco Giants were about to sign Aaron Judge. As we all know, the Yankees captain decided to remain in the Bronx.
If I had to venture a guess, and I have zero “insider knowledge,” the Yankees would appear to be the landing spot for Soto and Boras. While they may not have Mets owner Steve Cohen’s resources, the Steinbrenner family will not need a GoFundMe page to land Soto. The team went to the World Series in 2024. Soto and Judge also have a very symbiotic relationship.
What about the Mets then? Yes, Soto could
opt to cross the RFK Bridge to come to Citi Field. Boras, knowing Cohen is an avid art collector, has called his client the Picasso of this year’s free agent class. There have been unsubstantiated reports that Cohen told Boras he would pay $50 million more than the best offer from any other team owner.
The $50 million over best offer story sounds apocryphal. Cohen may be wealthy, but he does not want to get played. He was at an indoor golf event in New York City last week, and, of course, was asked about Soto. “We’ll see,” he said.
Cohen may have been showing a poker face, or he may not be as obsessed with Soto as Mets fans hope. There is also the question of whether Cohen wants to go to war with Hal Steinbrenner. Cohen faced significant opposition to his buying the Mets from many MLB owners who feared he would raise their payrolls exponentially because of his resources. Steinbrenner went to bat (full pun intended) for Cohen and helped him win that fight. It would be hard to blame Cohen if he does not want to appear ungrateful to Steinbrenner by poaching Soto. The fact they share a city means they may need to have each other’s backs with officials sometime in the future.
No matter which team wins the Soto lottery, it is pitching that wins games. Both of our local teams have deficiencies in that area. Q
See the extended version of Sports Beat every week at qchron.com
