Queens Tribune Epaper

Vol. 42, No. 12 March 22-28, 2012

Making History?

Ackerman Announces Retirement

Page 38

Story on Page 3 Editorial Page 6 Not For Publication Page 8

Mets Owners Ordered To Pay $162 Million Q

Page 3

F B E S

A J W

Deadline....................................................................3 Editorial....................................................................6 Not 4 Publication.....................................................8 This Week...............................................................10 Focus...................................................................... 11 Police Blotter.........................................................16 Leisure....................................................................21 Queens Today........................................................22 Classifieds..............................................................28 Trib Pix....................................................................37 Confidential............................................................38

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Queens County Democrats throw their support behind Assemblywoman Grace Meng’s candidacy for the 6th Congressional District seat.

Assemblyman Rory Lancman and Councilwoman Liz Crowley (inset) have also announced their candidacy for the seat, setting up a June primary.

By Domenick Rafter … Page 18.

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Queens Deadline

Ackerman: ‘It Was Time To Move On’

By STEV EN J. FERRA RI Making his first public comments since the announcement that he would not seek re-election, U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Bayside) said he wanted to find new ways to make contributions.

“I’m still very energetic,” he said during a conference call with reporters Tuesday afternoon. “If I’m going to do something different, now’s the time.”

Ackerman sent out a press release March 15 announcing his intentions, just a couple of hours after Assemblyman Rory Lancman (DHillcrest) sent out a release noting that he would not run in the newlycreated 6th Congressional District,

to avoid a primary run against Ackerman. The Congressman said he knew that his decision would come as a surprise to many.

“People were shocked I made the decision,” he said. “I’m shocked I made the decision to leave a job that I love.”

Lancman met with Ackerman in the hours before both made their announcements. Ackerman said he told Lancman that he had not made a decision, but that he did drop hints that he would not seek reelection. When Lancman announced that he was backing out of the race, Ackerman said it became “an ideal situation” to announce his retirement from Congress.

“Nobody was going to fire me,” he said. “I was going to have to do it myself.”

As the new congressional districts were being decided on, Ackerman said the final lines would be to his advantage if he decided to seek another term. Ackerman said he was a teacher within the confines of the new district and he started a newspaper in the district – Ackerman founded the Queens Tribune in 1970.

“Queens has been my base my entire life,” he said. “I know the district intimately. I have stories about every neighborhood in that district.”

With nine months left on his

time in Congress, Ackerman said he did not have any other offers on the table and that he was unsure of what he wanted to do next.

“I have until the end of the year to figure it out,” he said.

Until then, Ackerman said he would continue to fight for the dreams of the people he has served for the last 30 years and to continue to try and make a better world for his grandchildren.

“If you don’t fight for your dreams, your goals never come true,” he said.

Reach Managing Editor Steven J. Ferrari at (718) 3573400, Ext. 122, or sferrari@queenstribune.com.

U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman

Queens Delegation Protest School Closings

Tribune Photo by Ira Cohen

ment a federally approved improvement plan.

If passed on April 26, the following high schools will be closed: Flushing, William Cullen Bryant, Long Island City, Grover Cleveland, August Martin, Richmond Hill and John Adams. The schools would reopen, but under a new name and with half of the original staff. The plan was immediately denounced by schools and communities.

Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) said closing his alma mater William Bryant High School, and seven others, would be devastating to the students.

“That will cause a level of disruption in the lives of these young people that we’ll never be able to recover from,” he said.

Comrie said the turnaround plan was implemented in retaliation for the disagreement between the DOE and the United Federation of Teachers on teacher evaluations.

“This is not for academic excellence, this is not for academic pro-

Councilman Leroy Comrie (at podium) and other members of the City Council from Queens protest the turnaround proposal on March 15.

gression. This is just truly out of spite because [Bloomberg] is not having his way on a certain issue,” Comrie said.

Though these schools ended up on the PLA list, administrations have been working to improve outcomes for students. August Martin High School began their school improvement plan at the beginning of this school year and is already seeing progress.

According to PTA President Jose Ferruzola, the school’s graduation rate has risen to 70 percent in the last

three years and has seen improvement on Regents exam scores.

Though there has not been a vote on the plan yet, Ferruzola said Principal Anthony Cromer will lose his job at the beginning of next month because of the turnaround plan.

“As far as I know, before any principal gets thrown out of the school, they have to go through the process. The process doesn’t begin until April, so why is he being let go April 1?” Ferruzola asked.

On April 16, there will be a public hearing on the turnaround

proposal. Ten days later, the DOE will vote on the plan, which would go into effect immediately. Marshall said this sudden change at the end of the school year will be detrimental to students, especially those who will be graduating two months later.

“If we can all take ourselves back to our last year in high school and how we were going to go to college, that’s a very shaky time,” she said.

“This is not when they need trauma.”

Reach Reporter Veronica Lewin at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 123 or vlewin@queenspress.com.

Mets Owners Ordered To Pay $162 Million

By JASON PAFUNDI Inside the U.S. District Court in Manhattan on March 19, just before a civil trial against New York Mets principal owners Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz was set to begin, Judge Jed Rakoff announced a settlement between the team and a trustee for victims of convicted Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff.

Rakoff said the Mets and trustee Irving Picard came to a $162 million agreement on March 16, and managed to keep the deal quiet until Monday’s announcement.

According to the deal, which was announced 17 days before the Mets open the 2012 season against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field on April 5, no money will be paid for the next three years. Additionally, Picard has elected to dismiss the amended complaint that alleged that

Sterling Equities — the official name of the Mets ownership group — was willfully blind to the fraud conducted by Madoff.

Former Gov. Mario Cuomo was appointed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York to mediate the dispute between Picard and the Mets over the past year. Both parties thanked Cuomo after the settlement was announced.

“We believe that this is a fair and just settlement,” said David Sheehan, chief counsel to Picard.

With the season approaching, the cloud that this case hung over the team has seemingly dissipated.

Sterling Equities was facing losses of more than $350 million if the case had proceeded to trial, and now the focus can be strictly on baseball.

Later that Monday night, mul-

tiple reports confirmed that the Mets had sold 12 minority shares in the team at $20 million each and had also repaid two loans — a $40 million bridge loan to Bank of America and a $25 million emergency loan from Major League Baseball.

It remains to be seen if the team will increase spending now that these financial issues seem to be in the past. The team underwent the largest decrease in payroll from one season to another in baseball history, going from $142 million last year to only approximately $95 million for this season.

Madoff is serving a 150-year prison sentence for cheating thousands out of nearly $20 million for years.

Reach Reporter Jason Pafundi at jpafundi@queenstribune.com or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 128.

www.queenstribune.com • March 22-28, 2012 Tribune Page 3

BY VERONICA LEWIN Despite public opposition to the proposed turnaround plan that would close eight schools in Queens, the Mayor’s Office and the Dept. of Education have not backed down.

With a public hearing less than a month away, the City Council’s Queens delegation united last week to protest the closing of their schools.

Deputy Majority Leader Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans) and other members of City Council stood with Borough President Helen Marshall near Borough Hall March 15 to call on Mayor Mike Bloomberg to stop the controversial “turnaround” plan before it comes to a vote next month.

At his State of the City address in January, Bloomberg announced his plan to close 33 Persistently Low Achieving Schools in the City as a way to secure nearly $60 million in federal School Improvement Grant money. In order to be eligible for the funds, Bloomberg and the Dept. of Education had to imple-

NYCLU: DA’s Interrogation Unconstitutional

BY VERONICA LEWIN A pre-arraignment interrogation program used by the Queens District Attorney’s Office could soon be deemed unconstitutional following the filing of a legal brief by the New York Civil Liberties Union.

The NYCLU filed a legal brief Tuesday, arguing that the DA Office’s program - nearly five years old - is unethical and unconstitutional. The brief states when people are arrested and held in jail solely on a police officer’s assertion, the Constitution and State law require that a judge swiftly determine whether or not the arrest was valid, appoint

an attorney and determine the conditions of release to allow a person to return to their lives pending the disposition of the criminal case.

The union contends that under the DA’s program, wealthier suspects who can afford counsel are allowed to proceed directly to court for a post-arrest hearing. Suspects who must wait for a court-appointed attorney are intercepted by the DA’s Office and interrogated by prosecutors.

“The district attorney’s program violates constitutional and ethical protections that are designed to ensure fundamental fairness

and balance in the criminal justice system,” NYCLU Senior Staff Attorney Taylor Pendergrass said. “Any program where legally trained prosecutors intercept unrepresented suspects on their way to court and direct them into an interrogation room is unconstitutional and unethical. The program should be ended immediately.”

A spokesperson for Queens DA Richard Brown declined to comment as the matter is being litigated.

However, sources close to the DA say that the interview program, which started almost five years ago, is designed to get the charges right and ensure that the innocent are never wrongfully convicted. All interviews are videotaped and interrogations are not conducted until the person has explicitly waived their Miranda rights. The interviews can help the

Cyprus Donations:

Page 4 Tribune March 22-28, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

The Cypress Foundation of America recently donated copies of the book “Cyprus: Crossroads to Civilization” for each of the 62 Queens Library locations.

DA’s Office dismiss cases before any charges have been filed and reduce charges or lower bail recommendations in other cases.

While many people refuse to speak with the DA’s Office, some are eager to explain their side of the story. The NYCLU says this violates an ethical rule prohibiting lawyers from making misleading statements and an ethical rule prohibiting lawyers and prosecutors from giving advice to non-lawyers whose interests are adverse to the lawyer’s interests.

The NYCLU’s brief argues that the program violates the Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, noting that in 2004 the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a similar interrogation program in Missouri v. Seibert.

Reach Reporter Veronica Lewin at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 123 or vlewin@queenspress.com.

Occupy Queens Movement Goes On The Road and made the area safer instead â&#x20AC;&#x201D; also called The for walking.

Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Think Tank â&#x20AC;&#x201D; For Ray Dries of Ocfor where Queensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; more cupy Queens, it is less a subdued Occupy movequestion of who is right ment is headed. Schedand who is wrong than uled to meet every other having a free discussion week, the think tanks are about the controversy in free form, outdoor disthe first place. cussion groups that seek â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really about getto engage members of the ting people engaged at public in an open diathe local community logue. The topics of dislevel,â&#x20AC;? Dries, a Jackson cussion will be in flux, Heights resident himself, though Occupy facilitasaid. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The think tank is tors â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they eschew the part of it. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the old term â&#x20AC;&#x153;leaderâ&#x20AC;? in the spirit concept of the forum, the of their proud opposition Greek agora, the idea to hierarchical organizathat within a community tions â&#x20AC;&#x201D; will guide diapeople can come tologues. In the instance of gether on a regular basis the March 10 mobile and have real discussions think tank at the 37th about issues that are of Road Plaza, the topic was concern for them.â&#x20AC;? the plaza itself.

Dries, Cristian Mejia, Formerly open to auWalter Ditman, and tomobile traffic, the side street flanked by restau- Occupy Queens is holding communit y discus- Daphne Calvo â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who held the aforementioned rants, bodegas and vari- sion forums, called â&#x20AC;&#x153;think tanks.â&#x20AC;? This think tank recorder that will archive ous small businesses is occurred at the 37th Road Plaza in Jackson all think tank conversanow a pedestrian mall. Heights. tions, in conjunction Tables and chairs wait in the street. Elevated train tracks lie ers, claim the plaza has harmed with Occupy Wall Street, in the a block away. Opponents of the their businesses. Supporters believe Taminent Library at New York Uniplaza, many of them business own- the plaza has alleviated congestion versity â&#x20AC;&#x201D; worked together to enPhoto courtesy of Occupy Queens

By ROSS BARK AN It was not a whole lot like crossing the Brooklyn Bridge en masse, founding a now iconic micro-society in Manhattanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Zucotti Park, or turning Times Square into a frothing sea of bodies and protest signs.

Joined in a circle at the 37th Road Plaza in Jackson Heights, the apoplectic business owner, the softspoken teenager and the elderly woman who said her Congressman does not listen to her, spoke into a recorder so the others in the circle, and the unknown internet ears, would hear them. They spoke politely. They shouted. And they did not, based on the volatile cadences of their voices, always agree.

Occupy Queens, an offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movement, has been described as a leaderless resistance movement. Its plate of grievances continues to fill â&#x20AC;&#x201D; immigrant rights, income inequality and civil liberties abuses are just some of the myriad issues that will arise at any given meeting. At the heart of Occupy Queens, at least currently, is not the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;occupy.â&#x20AC;?

Do not bother trekking to Kissena or Flushing Meadows Corona Park to search for grizzled occupiers.

Look to the mobile think tanks

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courage people passing by to jump into the conversation being recorded in the plaza. Ditman, handing out fliers, explained that he does question the exact placement of the plaza, though is supportive of the idea. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great idea, unfortunately I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think it was well thought out,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s beneficial, I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, as Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure you heard from other people, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s having a deleterious effect on the store owners.â&#x20AC;?

Arms spread wide, a furious business owner, Nooruddian Dashdi, agreed. He argued that his businesses â&#x20AC;&#x153;were hurting,â&#x20AC;? and said the plaza was encouraging drunkards. Facilitators asked him, as he was shouting, to give other people in the circle a chance to speak.

Eventually, with his harangue complete, he did.

One woman taking part in the discussion did not like Dashdiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attack on homeless people and vagrants. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re people too,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They have rights. Many of them are very bright.â&#x20AC;?

Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 127 or rbarkan@queenstribune.com

Edit Page In Our Opinion:

Good Luck, Gary When the U.S. House of Representatives swears in its members in January, it will be without one of Queens’ strongest allies. U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman announced last week that he would not seek re-election to another term.

His tireless efforts in Congress include serving as chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia and made an historic visit to North Korea in the 1990s to discuss non-proliferation. When he returned to South Korea, he became the first person to cross the Demilitarized Zone since the Korean War. Before he became an elected official, Gary was a teacher in Queens. In 1970, he began the second phase of his career when he founded the Queens Tribune, serving as the paper’s editor and publisher.

In addition to his hard work and commitment to the community, Gary has always made us a laugh. It is with that spirit that on page 8 of this issue, in his column, “Not For Publication,” the paper’s current publisher – and Gary’s longtime friend – has a little fun at his friend’s expense with an early April Fool’s joke.

We will always think of his public service with a smile.

During an interview earlier this week, the Congressman said he wasn’t sure what he would do when his time in the House of Representatives ended in January. Whatever it is he chooses to do, we know it will be with the best interests of the people of Queens in mind.

In Your Opinion:

Page 6 Tribune March 22-28, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

No Separation To The Editor: Nowhere in the Constitution does it actually say that there is to be a separation of church and state. Religions are protected by the First Amendment and the First Amendment clearly says “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of Religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” The two key words are respecting and prohibiting.

So the separation of church and state is a very debatable assumption and not a law at all. That term I was told came from what Thomas Jefferson had written in some paper, but Jefferson’s writings are not law. As our forefathers were brilliant in writing the constitution and the first 10 amendments if they intended there was to be an abso-

lute separation between church and state, they would have said exactly that. Instead they wrote the ambiguous First Amendment as stated above and discussed in the following paragraph.

For example: in order to stop a religion from putting a religious article on the lawn of a government building, Congress would have to make a law prohibiting that act and to my knowledge no such law has been passed for this or anything like this, and would that law be considered prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Is allowing a religion to place an object on a municipal building an act of respecting that religion? If so then Congress can constitutionally pass such a law.

On the other hand “Congress cannot prohibit the free exercise thereof” and as public property is

Michael Schenkler Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

public then the public has a right to be on that property so by passing such a law “prohibiting” the use of a religious expression it might be unconstitutional. The mentioning of god is, respecting religions but not any religion in particular, so can Congress pass a law “prohibiting” the use of the word God on coins or other places?

Atheists have a right to believe that God does not exist, but they cannot impose their beliefs on others as the others cannot impose their belief in a god on the atheists.

And this is protected by “respecting” and “prohibiting” When an argument is based on “separation of church and state” that argument is standing on thin ice.

Unfortunately religious rights have been created by the Supreme Court and not Congress as intended.

So if you get your judges on the Supreme Court you can get the law you want. For example in 1985, New York and Rhode Island had a lawsuit about minerals and oil rights and in order to support big New York they determined that Long Island is not an island but a peninsula and Long Island Sound is a bay. Wrong, wrong.

Wrong. But that is now law.

Everyone knows that the wording of the First Amendment was not to deny or support the belief in God, but was clearly put in to stop the Catholic Pope (their main fear at that time), but for any other religious group as well, from ruling our country.

John Procida, Flushing

Plug In To The Editor: We Americans had better start thinking of developing a vehicle that only runs on battery power.

Never mind building electric powered plug-in cars, Hybrids or solar powered cars. Just build cars that run on battery power alone! Period.

Place a battery into your car, drive approximately 400 or, 500 miles, pull into a battery exchange shop and change the battery like an empty propane gas tank. Then, proceed on your journey. Until now,

Marcia Moxam Comrie, Contributing Editor Reporters: Harley Benson, Domenick Rafter, Veronica Lewin, Ross Barkan, Jason Pafundi

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nothing has been produced to achieve this task of all battery powered vehicles (BPV) and I predict that we are in for a terrible calamity in the near future. Perhaps we should employ graduates from MIT, Matchbox, Tonka, Nintendo, Intel and other manufacturers to team up with the car manufacturers and develop these cars. Or, just maybe, get some fifth graders to help. How about engaging the technical ingenuity of NASA to begin the development of these vehicles? Put the space exploration on the back burner for awhile and get this project started. Just imagine a car that will not catch fire when it’s in an accident because there isn’t any gasoline in it. Think of all that pollution, throughout the world, from the exhaust fumes, which cause illness to those that breathe in the fumes and reeks havoc to the environment.

I’m sure that without the emissions from every car’s exhaust it will certainly have an effect on the global warming situation and especially our health. Just imagine: no more oil spills.

With all the turmoil erupting in the Middle East, it will not be long before those in power today will be gone tomorrow and those oil producing countries will cease to permit oil to be sold to the United States. Let’s face facts people! We are not adored by a lot of people on this planet. Does anyone remember the oil embargo of 1973? Those countries that had the oil held us hostage. Have we not learned anything from that catastrophe?

The time has come to get off our butts and get rolling on those all battery powered cars. Now! We haven’t any time to lose. The longer we wait, the more oil we must purchase from those oil rich countries at astronomical prices and the deeper in debt we place ourselves.

Let’s not wait a second longer.

I am still trying to figure out where all the oil from the Alaska Pipeline and all the oil from those rigs in the Gulf is going.

I am going to laugh my butt off when some other country develops this BPV and begins to sell it to us.

We have built rockets that placed men on the moon and yet we can’t

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develop this BPV. What happened to us? Did we become “Brain Dead”?

It’s time to get off our butts and begin developing these vehicles.

Martin Schwartz, Bayside

Cuomo Sold Out To The Editor: After months of threatening to veto the incumbent-protected, gerrymandered legislative lines, the Governor punted and sold us out.

Former Mayor Ed Koch, good government groups, and numerous civic organizations like Eastern Queens United called on the governor to veto the legislative lines that are drawn every 10 years. Hundreds of civic activists including myself attended public hearings asking that communities be kept together and not divided. These public hearings were nothing more than a well-orchestrated dog and pony show conducted by legislators whose contempt and disdain for the civics was manifested by their brazenly community-busting gerrymandered district lines.

The Governor was afforded an opportunity to veto these lines and up until the last moment threatened to do so. That is until the three men in a room (Shelly Silver, Dean Skelos and the Governor) crafted their secret deal. They called the Governor’s bluff and he caved in. Gov. Cuomo is now spinning this agreement on district lines as a permanent fix. The so-called “fix” which is scheduled to take place 10 years from now after the next census, simply replaces one panel of politicians with another panel of political appointees. Allowing the same folks that created this mess to appoint a panel of political cronies to draw up new lines is not reform but politics as usual! This is a sham and a slap in the face to every civic organization that advocated for a process that would serve the needs of the communities rather than the interests of the politicians. The Governor sold us out and will now count on the short memory span of voters.

Bob Friedrich, Glen Oaks

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Off. loc.: Queens County.

SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served.

SSNY shall mail process to: 12-40 Clintonville St., Lower Level, Whitestone, NY 11357. Purpose: any lawful act or activity. ___________________________________ Notice of formation of WM BILLING CONSULTANTS LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 8/13/10. Office located in Queens County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process served against the LLC. 31-16 87 th st.

Jackson Heights NY 11369.

Purpose: any lawful purpose. ___________________________________ File No.: 2010-4392/A SUPPLEMENTAL CITATION THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK BY THE GRACE OF GOD, FREE AND INDEPENDENT To: Pamela Roberts Harold Wilson, Jr. Leslie Richard Wilson Mary Elizabeth Fulton Carolyn White Attorney General of the State of New York The unknown distributees, legatees, devisees, heirs at law and assignees of JAMES KEYE, deceased, or their estates, if any there be, whose names, places of residence and post office addresses are unknown to the petitioner and cannot with due diligence be ascertained. Being the persons interested as creditors, legatees, distributees or otherwise in the Estate of JAMES KEYE, deceased, who at the time of death was a resident of 11401 127 Street, S. Ozone Park, NY 11420, in the County of Queens, State of New York.

SEND GREETING: Upon the petition of LOIS M. ROSENBLATT, Public Administrator of Queens County, who maintains her office at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, Queens County, New York 11435, as Administrator of the Estate of JAMES KEYE, deceased, you and each of you are hereby cited to show cause before the Surrogate at the Surrogate’s Court of the County of Queens, to be held at the Queens General Courth o u s e , 6 th F l o o r , 8 8 - 1 1 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, City and State of New York, on the 29 th day of March, 2012 at 9:30 o’clock in the forenoon, why the Account of Proceedings of the Public Administrator of Queens County, as Administrator of the Estate of said deceased, a copy of which is attached, should not be judicially settled, and why the Surrogate should not fix and allow a reasonable amount of compensation to GERARD J. SWEENEY, ESQ., for legal services rendered to petitioner herein in the amount of $10,627.04 and that the Court fix the fair and reasonable additional fee for any services to be rendered by GERARD J. SWEENEY, ESQ., hereafter in connection with proceedings on kinship, claims etc., prior to entry of a final Decree on this accounting in the amount of 6% of assets or income collected after the date of the within accounting; and why the Surrogate should not fix and allow an amount equal to one percent on said Schedules of the total assets on Schedules A, A1, and A2 plus any additional monies received subsequent to the date of this account, as the fair and reasonable amount payable to the Office of the Public Administrator for the expenses of said office pursuant to S.C.P.A. §1106(4); and why each of you claiming to be a distributee of the decedent should not establish proof of your kinship; and why the balance of said funds should not be paid to said alleged distributees upon proof of kinship, or deposited with the Commissioner of Finance of the City of New York should said alleged distributees default herein, or fail to establish proof of kinship, Dated, Attested and Sealed 16th day of February, 2012 HON. PETER J. KELLY Surrogate, Queens County Margaret M. Gribbon Clerk of the Surrogate’s Court GERARD J. SWEENEY, ESQ. (718) 4599000 95-25 Queens Boule-

vard 11 th Floor Rego Park, New York 11374 This citation is served upon you as required by law. You are not obliged to appear in person.

If you fail to appear it will be assumed that you do not object to the relief requested unless you file formal legal, verified objections. You have a right to have an attorney-at-law appear for you.

Accounting Citation ___________________________________ NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: MUGA LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/13/12. The latest date of dissolution is 12/31/2112. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served.

SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, 147-04 8th Avenue, Whitestone, New York 11357. Purpose: For any lawful purpose. __________________________________ Notice of formation of THE H U M M I N G B I R D RISTORANTE LLC Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 03/28/2011.

Office located in Queens.

SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC to 34-75 Carey Lane, Baldwin, New York, 11510.

Purpose: any lawful purpose. __________________________________ JANUS ASSET MANAGEMENT LLC, a domestic LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 02/14/2012. Office location: Queens County.

SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 144-42 Jewel Ave, Flushing, NY 11367. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. ___________________________________ Notice of Formation of Jamaican Website LLC. Arts of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY SSNY on 12/08/2011.

Office location: Queens County. Princ. office of LLC: 13752 174 th Street, Springfield gardens, NY 11434 SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served.

SSNY shall mail process to c/ o Jamaican Website, LLC. At the princ. office of the LLC. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

411 (718) 977-4132. ___________________________________ Notice of Formation, Basicroot LLC. Arts of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 9/19/2011 Office loc.: Queens County.

SSNY designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copies of process served against LLC to: Basicroot LLC c/o Business Filings Incorporated, 187 Wolf Road, Suite 101, Albany, New York 12205 Purpose: all lawful activities. __________________________________ NOTICE of formation of Triple Win Healthcare Management, LLC. Arts of Org. filed with Secy of State of NY SSNY on January 30, 2012.

Office location: Queens County. Princ. office of LLC. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o 13318 41 Road, Suite 1R, Flushing, NY 11354. Triple Win Healthcare Management at the princ. office of LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity. ___________________________________ Notice of formation of Kerosene Studios LLC. Articles of Organization filed with Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on December 16, 2011. County: Queens.

SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served, SSNY shall mail copy of process toKerosene Studios LLC, 4705 Center Blvd #1904, Long Island City, NY 11109. Purpose: to engage in any and all business for which LLC’s maybe formed under the New York LLC Law. __________________________________ Notice of Formation of Career Outcomes Matter, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY SSNY on January 24, 2012. Office location: Queens County. Princ. office of LLC: 25-70 37 th Street, Long Island City, New York 11103. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Career Outcomes Matter, LLC at the princ. office of the LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity. __________________________________ 221-75 BRADDOCK AVENUE LLC a domestic LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 1/24/12. Office location: Queens County.

SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Law Offices of Marvin Evan Schiff, P.C., 1 Country Rd., Ste. 125, Carle Place, NY 11514.

General Purposes. ___________________________________ SUMMONS AND NOTICE– SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF QUEENS – GALAXY ASSETS CORP. against VANESSA WILLIAMS

AS ADMINISTRATRIX OF THE ESTATE OF RITA MUNGIN A/K/A RITA D. MUNGIN A/K/A RITA SINISTERRA, DefendantsIndex no. 42842/10. Plaintiff designates Queens County as the place of trial situs of the real property. To the above named Defendants–YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action and to serve a copy of your answer, or , if the complaint is not served with this summons, to serve a notice of appearance on the Plaintiff’s Attorney within 20 days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York) in the event the United States of America is made a party defendant, the time to answer for the said United States of America shall not expire until (60) days after service of the Summons; and in case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint. The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Honorable David Elliot filed on March 5, 2012.

The object of this action is to declare the interests of the parties concerned and for sale of the premises and partition of the proceeds in accordance with the declared interests against real property situated in the County of QUEENS, City and State of New York: 137-55 234th STREET, ROSEDALE, NY located at Block 12658 and Lot 16.0. Dated: October 12, 2011 Berkman, Henoch, Peterson & Peddy, P.C., Attorney for Plaintiff, By: Jonathan M. Cohen, Esq., 100 Garden City Plaza, Garden City, NY 11530 (516) 2226200. __________________________________ Notice of Formation of Kollabo Media LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY SSNY on 1/24/12. Office location: Queens County. Princ. office of LLC: 214-43A Hillside Avenue, Queens Village, New York 11427 SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o Kollabo Media., LLC at the princ. office of the LLC. Purpose: Any lawful activity. __________________________________ 126-15 Liberty Avenue Holding LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY

(SSNY) on 2/23/12. Office in Queens County. SSNY designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to 1954 Homecrest Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11229.

Purpose: General. __________________________________ SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS SUMMONS WITH NOTICE Index No. 1911/12 Assigned To Hon. Darrell L. Gavrin GAGENDRA KAMPTA & BIBI HACKIRAN KAMPTA Plaintiffs, -againstRUTH STENERSON, Defendant. TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to answer the complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the complaint is not served with this summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff’s Attorney within twenty days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service, or within thirty days after completion of service where service is made in any other manner than by personal delivery within the State. In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the complaint.

The Plaintiffs reside at 45-15 156 th Street, Flushing, New York 11355. County of Queens. Queens County is designated as the basis of venue because the real property which is the subject of this action is located within the County of Queens. The relief sought in this action for a discharge of a mortgage of record for real property located at 45-15 156 th Street, Flushing, New York 11355, County of Queens and more particularly described in the complaint herein. The nature of this action is for a discharge of a mortgage of record pursuant to Article 15, RPAPL §1501(4). Dated: January 12, 2012 New York, New York Annie Ma, Esq. Attorney for Plaintiffs Fine, Olin & Anderman, LLP 39 Broadway, Suite 1910 New York, NY 10006 Tel: (212) 2671650

To Place Your Legal Advertisement, Call the Tribune at (718) 357-7400 Ext. 149 or E-Mail Your Copy to the Tribune at: legals@queenstribune.com

www.queenstribune.com • March 22-28, 2012 Tribune Page 7

LEGAL NOTICE

Ackerman Act IV: The True Story Of Gary’s Retirement

By MICHAEL SCHENKLER I can imagine how busy Gary Ackerman must be. He’s ducking interviews, handling phone calls and trying to control the spin on the public story of why Queens and Nassau’s favorite Congre ssman (sorr y Joe) decided not to seek another term.

As regular readers know, Gary Ackerman started the Tribune, has been my business partner since the late 70s and a close friend for 50 years, since 1962 – he was much older then; he’s much older now.

As a result of our relationship, I am able to share with you the truth about the season’s biggest political surprise; Gary’s retirement.

The truth (which will formally be announced April 1), will probably shock and surprise many but I believe it will bring joy to the people of New York City.

Let me tr y to tel l the story

chronologically: In On Dec. 10, 2008, Bernie Madoff’s sons informed the authorities that their father confessed to them that his asset management firm was a huge Ponzi scheme.

Ackerman, whose present district includes some of the wealthie st communit ie s on Nassau’s North Shore, met with a number of his constituents who were affected by the Madoff scandal including Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz, the principal owners of the New York Met s. Gar y’s distr ict extended through Queens all the way to parts of Jackson Heights and included then Shea Stadium and now Citi Field. Gary was a Mets fan since day one and could often be found at Mets games with some combination of his wife, three kids and four grandkids. Fred Wilpon knew Gary well and confided to him the impact the Ponzi scheme

could have on his personal and busine ss empire – including his prize holding, the New York Mets.

The story basically began to coale sce t he fol low ing mont h when Congressman Gary accompanied Mayor Mike Bloomberg on the Bloomberg jet for a visit to Israel. The two hit it off and Gary shared his perception that his favorite New York sports team was in danger of not having sufficient funds for a world-class payroll.

“Let me know if there is anything I can do,” Gar y said was Mayor Mike’s reaction.

Ackerman continued to meet with Madoff victims and continue to understand that his Mets, our Mets, could be in jeopardy.

Wilpon and Katz and their Sterling Equities, were long-time inve stors in Madoff’s firm, and were accused by Irving Picard, the court-appointed trustee, of build-

ing their business empire by willfully turning a blind eye to signs of Madoff’s multibillion-dollar fraud.

Picard sought to recover nearly $1 billion from Katz and Wilpon, who, because of their sophisticated investment knowledge, should also be compelled to return their $300 million principal investment for the benefit of Madoff victims.

When the Mets started seeking limited par tners, Ackerman

Page 8 Tribune March 22-28, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

Contempt For Fairness on District Lines

By HENRY STERN The golden age of cooperation between the branches of New York State government appears to have settled into an era of relative tranquility, during which traditional relat ionsh ips bet ween longtime incumbents are likely to continue their gravitational impulse on each other, rather than remake State governHenry ment into anything much more significant than it has been since the years of drift began.

When unexpected events occur, there are likely to be changes which may be required to avert fiscal catastrophe. To the extent that it legally is able to do so, the system will absorb these changes so as to minimize their effect. It is like the effect of well-regulated air conditioning, minimizing the variations that actually take place from time to time.

When changes are required by law, the y are made at t he last minute, with minimal public attention. This promotes the aura of continuity, which is a hallmark of a government of modest aspirations, acting when circumstances require action, but not generating any great activity on its own.

What we did learn this year is that government can work, in its own fashion, which ranges from lumbering - the usual pat tern of

activit y, aptly symbolized by the donkey and the elephant - to instantaneous, when unread bills are printed in the middle of the night to comply with externally imposed requirements of law. No law requires that any bills actually be read or understood, so that noncompliance is difficult to prove.

Nor would it particularly matter if the bills were Stern read, because the legislators rely on the decisions made by their caucuses, and the actual voting on issues is perfunctory.

I watched on the Internet the elaborate politene ss with which members addressed each other, as if they were in ancient Rome.

Whatever the subject, the broadcast proceedings cast the glow of an Animal House toga party over the declaiming solons, as they asked each other mock questions to which they had obviously prepared answers.

If I were younger, so much younger than today, I might have felt more demeaned by the proceedings taking place on the floor.

As it happens, however, familiarity eases indignation, so one sees the antic proceedings as what they are: an attempt by people of some ability to make sense out of legal proceedings and rituals, and to have an oppor tunit y to present

their views in a setting not designed for the distribution of information so that people can make more informed decisions than they would otherwise.

Perhaps the worst par t was the contempt shown for fairness and due process in apportionment.

As far as money is concerned, we are used to the insiders get ting more than their share; that appears to be a rule in business and life.

But denying people the right to vote, or hacking, stacking, packing and cracking the voters into packages where their influence is minimized beyond reason, with senior legislators braying in the background that they were in scrupulous compliance with the Voting Rights Act and defying anyone to contradict them did suggest the style and manners of a Southern courtroom sixty years ago. The fact that the same words and phrases are now being used to prove the opposite of what they were originally intended to mean leaves sorrow and discontent in the minds of those who worked so hard and so long for social change.

On the other hand, if you believe that people get the kind of government that they deserve, you might not be particularly disturbed

by Albany. In fairness, in redistricting you see the legislators at their worst, because their own personal interests are so directly affected by

the decisions that they are so deeply arranged in making and manipulating.

If one could take one sentence out of the deliberations, it should be gratitude that in our system, the powers of government are limited, because if the assemblage of our representatives had the authority to make decisions of greater impor tance to our lives, I would feel increasingly uncomfortable living in any area in which their writ would run.

StarQuest@NYCivic.org

called Bloomberg and several others of his wealthier acquaintances and friends. Ackerman put together a fund of more than half a billion dollars and enlisted some of New York’s top merger and acquisition attorneys to structure a potential deal should things continue to go bad for the Mets owners.

Ackerman and attorneys met with Mets ownership and their attorneys to agree on contingency plans should a sale be necessary.

Two weeks ago, on March 6, the cour t concluded the Madoff trustee was entitled to $83,309,162, which represented “fictitious profits” received by Katz and Wilpon.

And as of Monday of this week, agreed to $186 million settlement.

The next week was a whirlwind of un-structuring and restructuring.

It is my understanding that the deal is done and will close before the season opener. It will have Wilpon and Katz retain a 25 percent interest in the team and they will continue to control “SportsNet New York” and SN Y.tv and the broadcast rights to the Mets for a period of five years.

Ackerman will serve as Managing Partner and has promised me the Mets will soon return to greatness.

With opening day April 5, look for the big formal announcement on April 1. You’d be a fool to miss it.

And Gary, please save me two seats behind the plate.

MSchenkler@QueensTribune.com

Not 4 Publication.com by Dom Nunziato

www.queenstribune.com â&#x20AC;˘ March 22-28, 2012 Tribune Page 9

Tribune Photo by Domenick Rafter

Queens This Week

Councilman Eric Ulrich and Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe meet with a designer who explains how sidewalk repairs will be done in Ozone Park.

Page 10 Tribune March 22-28, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

Broken Sidewalks Work Begins Living in one- or two-family private houses on tree-lined streets is a luxury in New York City. There are not many places where it is possible, but there are plenty of places in Queens where this type of neighborhoods exists.

But living on a quiet tree-lined street does not come without its problems. Sidewalks and trees often battle it out for space, leaving behind a perilous situation for pedestrians. City law places the responsibility for broken sidewalks on the homeowner to pay for, which can often run up to $2,000.

In 2005, Mayor Mike Bloomberg and Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe established the "Trees and Sidewalks" program where the Parks Dept. would fix sidewalks affected by tree growth at no cost to the homeowner. The program scores the severity of a problem on a rating between 60 and 100, but fixes them based on when the complaint was filed.

City Councilman Eric Ulrich (ROzone Park) said sidewalk issues are a very common complaint made to his office from his district, known for its suburban-style tree-lined streets.

To expedite the problems in his district, he allocated $1.1 million to fix 317 broken sidewalk issues. Work started last Monday and on Thursday, he brought Benepe and Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski out to a project in the Tudor Village section of Ozone Park.

"This was their idea," Ulrich said. "I just provided them with some money."

Working with designers, Benepe said the program seeks to protect both the sidewalk and the tree. He showed an example of a "Trees and Sidewalks" project from 2007 on 86th Street in Ozone Park where the sidewalk was curved around

two trees to allow them to grow without effecting the sidewalk.

"New York is a city of walkers," Benepe said. "We need to make sure people can get around by foot, while also protecting our trees."

Benepe also praised Ulrich's move to allocate money for the project and said he hopes other local officials in districts with sidewalk issues will follow his lead. He said half of all the "Trees and Sidewalks" projects done by the City since 2005 were in Queens.

Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at (718) 357-7400 Ext. 125 or drafter@queenstribune.com.

—Domenick Rafter

School In Session For Area Dogs If you are an unruly dog - and one that can read a newspaper school will soon be in session for you.

Anthony Jerone's Doggie Boot Camp is celebrating its 25th anniversary, training problematic dogs from the second Saturday in April all the way through Thanksgiving.

Anyone with a dog that is disobedient or violent can come to Bayside's Crocheron Park from 1 to 4 p.m. and Jerome will teach him or her to be a good dog. A K-9 specialist in the Vietnam War, Jerome has four decades of experience in training dogs of all types and dispositions.

"Most dogs that come up to the park, we resolve their problems," Jerone said. "The number of dogs that come every week starts to dwindle."

Jerone often has to break dogs of what he calls "excessive behavior." Too much fighting with other dogs, barking and biting are common habits that owners want their dogs rid of. A pecking order needs to be established so dogs understand who is in control. Many dogs lack basic obedience.

"For example, the word heel means to walk," he said. "Dogs come up there, come up in harnesses which creates pulling. We change the equipment to a training collar, a nylon collar. We inform the dog pulling is negative-what we do is a lot of contradiction."

Through pulling, a dog learns what is negative, and through verbal praise or food awards, the owner demonstrates leadership and the dog learns to obey. If an owner decides they also have a passion for dog training, they can go to Jerone's School of Dog Training & Career Inc. in Whitestone.

For more information, visit www.dogschoolny.com/ index.html Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at (718) 357-7400 Ext. 127 or rbarkan@queenstribune.com.

-Ross Barkan

N e w N a m e s Fo r Douglaston Streets In a little pocket of Doulgaston, the past is now the present and future.

Residents, community board leaders and Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) celebrated the restoration of several street names in Douglaston's historic district on March 15. A bill sponsored

by Halloran passed the City Council and now six Douglaston streets will be transitioned from numbers to names, 240th Street will become Prospect Avenue, 242nd Street will be Hamilton Place, 243rd Street will be Orient Avenue, 42nd Avenue will be Poplar Street, 43rd Avenue will be Pine Street and 44th Avenue will be Church Street.

The bill to change the names to their historic origins had been an effort that was years in the making.

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside), then in the City Council, had also labored on a name-changing bill before he moved to the State Senate. The Douglaston and Little Neck Historical Society had been the engine behind the push, arguing that the small, winding streets could have their names restored to the way they were in the early 20th century without impacting Queens' larger grid.

"You don't change the name of Gettysburg to a number," said resident Bridget Mladinich.

Residents and historians point to 1920s street maps that display the original street names. Research spearheaded by the late Joe Helmann helped unveil this fact and begin the process of restoring the names. Community Board 11 Chair Jerry Iannece and District Manager Susan Seinfeld hailed the change as well.

Halloran said the cost to the

taxpayers of New York City would be relatively low for the restoration process, totaling $3,400. 911 will respond to the names of both streets until the change officially takes place, which will be within the next few months.

"Now we are off the boring grid system," Halloran said. "Douglaston is a unique community."

Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at (718) 357-7400 Ext. 127 or rbarkan@queenstribune.com.

-Ross Barkan

Independence Day Celebrated On Friday, March 16, elected officials, dignitaries and members of the Astoria community celebrated Greek Independence Day. Astoria’s electeds — Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas, State Sen. Mike Gianaris and Councilman Peter Vallone, Jr. — were joined by Borough President Helen Marshall and New York City Comptroller John Liu in commemorating the victory in the Greek War of Independence.

“As Greece’s economic problems continue, this year’s event was particularly meaningful as a sign of pride and unity for Greek-Americans throughout Western Queens,” Gianaris said.

Georgios Iliopoulos, the Consul General of Greece in New York, and Koula Sophianou, Consul General of Cyprus in New York, attended the event that honored special guests for their service to the Greek community.

Nick Diamantides, former President of the Federation of Hellenic Societies, Sophia Cotzia, member of International Coordinating Committee – “Justice for Cyprus,” Savas Konstantinides, President of Omega Brokerage and Angie Douris, founder of HANAC, received Citations of Honor.

Reach Reporter Jason Pafundi at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 128, or jpafundi@queenstribune.com.

-Jason Pafundi

Western Queens Gets $2M To Go Green Greening Western Queens, a three-year program by the North Star Fund, announced its second round of grants at a breakfast on March 15 at Sunnyside Community Services.

The distributed money totaled $2.034 million of the $8 million sum the North Star Fund has invested into the program.

“In the next year, the program will grow exponentially,” North Star Fund executive director Hugh Hogan said. “We expect to build or

renovate 10 additional gardens, plant hundreds of trees and provide over 10,000 youth and adults with green job training and environmental education.”

To select the grantees, North Star Fund brought together an advisory board that included both community members and experts in green infrastructure and urban forestry.

“Western Queens is becoming greener and healthier because the entire community is working together to make this program successful,” Hogan said. “From new immigrants to longtime business owners and from school kids to senior citizens, more than 10,000 people have participated in planning, planting and learning over the past year.”

The Jacob Riis Settlement House in Long Island City received a one year, $20,000 grant. It will be used to increase knowledge of, and access to, public green spaces and healthier food to public housing residents at Queensbridge Houses.

The public housing development is the largest in the U.S. and home to nearly 7,000 black, Latino and South Asian residents.

Through expansion of their community garden, Jacob Riis Settlement will increase the neighborhood’s green space and use this to foster inter-generational community connections. They will also provide nutritional counseling and a food program that will be on display during their annual Spring festival.

GrowNYC, an organization whose mission is to raise public awareness of environmental issues, estimates that only half of City public schools offer environmental education programming. The group received a two-year, $50,000 grant for their education program that will deliver hands-on, experiential learning in parks for 550 Western Queens youth that will result in local ecological restoration projects.

They also received a one-year, $100,000 grant to develop five gardens in local public schools and create a local public garden. From compost bins to raised beds, the gardens will be tailored to reflect each school’s needs, and provide much needed youth-oriented green space.

GrowNYC will also partner with LIC Roots Community Garden to expand green space in Western Queens, transforming a vacant MTA lot into a public garden filled with native plants.

For more information on the Greening Western Queens Fund, visit northstarfund.org.

Reach Reporter Jason Pafundi at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 128, or jpafundi@queenstribune.com.

-Jason Pafundi

Queens Focus PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE $12 for non-members. Light refreshments will be served. For information, call (718) 359-6227 or visit www.vomuseum.org.

Ziang Lin of Flushing has been awarded a Presidential Scholarship to attend Alfred State in the fall. Lin is slated to graduate this year from John Bowne High School.

Anne Coté Taylor New York Hospital Queens has elected Anne Coté Taylor to its Board of Trustees. Coté Taylor has worked at New York Presbyterian Hospital – Cornell Campus, beginning as a staff nurse in 1966 up until her retirement in 1994 as vice president of nursing. She is the widow of Paul E. Taylor, the first chairman of New York Hospital Queens after the hospital’s transition from Booth Memorial Medical Center in 1992.

The Con Brio Ensemble returns as a trio to the Voelker Orth Museum Bird Sanctuary and Victorian Garden 2 p.m. March 24 in the museum’s parlor, 149-19 38th Ave., Flushing.

Diana Mittler-Battipaglia (piano), Alan Hollander (oboe) and Alexander Meshibovsky (violin) will perform a musical selection featuring works by Haydn, Saint-Saens, Sarasate and compostions featuring the oboe

by Henrique and Sargon.

Admission is $10 for members,

Local students were named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2011 semester at Syracuse University.

They include: College Point: Jennifer Hong Flushing: Keara Bynum, Joe Chan, Ronald Man-Hin Chang, Janet Huang, Sona Kim,Young Kim, ChiTo Lao, Joyce Lee, Paul No, Winnie Pun, Lu Qiao, Natalie Rebeyev, Meenakshi Sharma, Wilson Tse, Jessica Yang, Justine Yi, Angela Yu, Xue, Rui Zhang, Guang Zheng.

Whitestone: Matthew Lum, Carmen Ramirez.

Major General Patrick A. Murphy recently announced the promotion of members of the New York Army National Guard in recognition of their capabilities for additional responsibility and leadership.

Flushing: Patrick Passantino of Flushing, serving with the 442nd Military Police Company, was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

The combined Queens Alliance-Queens Kiwanis Baseball League invites youth teams to register now for the 2012 season.

Divisions of play include 12&U, 14&U, 16&U and 18&U. For information, call Mike Rizzo at (718) 366-7717 or (718) 821-4487 or Bill Bellas at (917) 751-2682.

Two first grade classes at P.S. 21 in Flushing made 500 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which

Pinewood Winner:

Anna Gordan of Rego Park was named to the Honor List for the fall 2011 semester at Oxford College in Atlanta, Air Force Reserve Airman Gladielle Z. Cifuentes graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.

She is the daughter of Rosalba Cifuentes of Woodside and is a 2011 graduate of Newtown High School in Elmhurst.

Navy Seaman recruit Rainessia E. Clarke, a 2010 graduate of Forest Hills High School, recently deployed. Clarke along with fellow Saliors and Marines assigned to the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65), departed Norfolk Naval Station for the ship’s 22nd and final deployment.

Enterprise is slated to deploy to the U.S. Navy’s 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation as part of an ongoing rotation of U.S. forces supporting maritime security operations in international waters around the globe. Working with allied and partner maritime forces, the Enterprise and her accompanying strike group will focus heavily on maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts designed to maintain regional stability.

Major General Patrick A. Murphy has announced the recent reenlistment of members of the New York Army National Guard in recognition of their continuing commitment to serve community, state and nation as part of the Army National Guard.

Sergeant Eddie Vega of Kew Gardens has reenlisted to continue service with Company C, 169th Infantry.

Sara A. Finkle of Forest Hills, a senior psychology major at SUNY Oswego, is taking part in an internship program this spring through the college’s Experience-Based Education Program. Finkle will intern with

The Green Acres Mall recently hosted more than 100 Queens area Cub Scouts for the 10th annual Founder’s District Grand Prix Pinewood Derby. Christian Garcia of pack 263, who lives in Woodhaven, took second place in the Webolos division.

North Coast Yoga in Oswego.

Trinity United Methodist Church, corner of 86th Avenue and 108th Street in Richmond Hill, will host an indoor flea market March 31. Vendors are welcome; tables cost $25.

For information or to reserve a table, call (347) 251-8583.

Central Queens YM & YWHA in Forest Hills will hold a new Sunday Outdoor Tennis program for beginning students at the Forest Hills High School tennis courts. Bay terrace Tennis Center will provide professional quality instruction.

The center will hold a kick-off party April 1. Children ages 8-12 will play 1-1:50 p.m. and children 5-7 will play 2-2:50 p.m. Tennis classes will run for seven Sundays beginning April 15 at the same times.

Registration is required. For information or to register, call (718) 268-5011, Ext. 500, visit www.cqy.org/Tennis or email dberman@cqy.org.

Navy Lt. j.g. Sarah E. Kuehl, daughter of Ernest Kuehl of Bayside and Dolores De Meyere of Rensselaerville, recently deployed. Kuehl along with fellow Saliors and Marines assigned to the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65), departed Norfolk Naval Station

for the ship’s 22nd and final deployment.

Enterprise is slated to deploy to the U.S. Navy’s 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation as part of an ongoing rotation of U.S. forces supporting maritime security operations in international waters around the globe. Working with allied and partner maritime forces, the Enterprise and her accompanying strike group will focus heavily on maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts designed to maintain regional stability.

The Museum of the Moving Image will present a non-stop screening of Mary Ellen Carroll’s “Federal,” 9 a.m. March 24 to 9 a.m. March 25 in the museum’s Celeste and Armand Bartos screening room, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria. The 24-hour twin-screen movie was made by shooting the north and south facades of the Federal Building in Los Angeles for an entire day in 2003.

Mary Ellen Carroll and others will participate in a panel discussion 4 p.m. March 24 as well.

Tickets are free with museum admission from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

March 24. From 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day, admission is free, but museum galleries will be closed. For information, call (718) 777-6888 or visit www.movingimage.us.

www.queenstribune.com • March 22-28, 2012 Tribune Page 11

The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island will celebrate its 25th anniversary during a gala March 24 at CitiField, home of the New York Mets. The evening will feature an exclusive cocktail hour in the Delta Sky 360 Lounge, followed by a full night of entertainment.

Tickets start at $250 and several sponsorship opportunities are available. For information or to purchase tickets, call Jeanne Ellis, director of fundraising operations, at (516) 775-5683, Ext. 140, or email jellis@rmhlongisland.org.

Sarah Abigail Schlesinger and Christopher G. Celiz, both of Flushing, were named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2011 semester at SUNY Fredonia.

Jessica Lopez of Oakland Gardens and Andrea Palma of Flushing will be part of a performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s “Messa da Requiem” with other students from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam at Lincoln Center.

were donated to the Interfaith Nutrition Network in Hempstead this winter. Prior to making the sandwiches, Emily Wilensky, communications director of the INN, came to P.S. 21 to speak to the children about signs of homelessness.

Page 12 Tribune March 22-28, 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ www.queenstribune.com

Tribune Professional Guide

To reserve your space call 357-7400

LIRR Looks To Reopen Elmhurst Station

By DOMENICK RAFTER The 9:40 a.m. Long Island Rail Road train from Port Washington zipped by across the elevated overpass above Broadway in Elmhurst at 10 minutes past 10 a.m. on its way to an on-time arrival at Penn Station; the metallic train cars blurry to the eyes as they rolled by. In a flash, the train was gone. Less than a minute later, the 9:49 a.m. from Penn Station heads in the other direction, at a slightly lower speed despite being a few minutes late. Then, the tracks were quiet once again.

Elmhurst is merely a passthrough neighborhood for the trains of the busy Port Washington line. About halfway between the Woodside and Flushing stations, the trains don’t stop anywhere near here, but it wasn’t always that way.

Until 1985, there was a station above Broadway in this vibrant, growing neighborhood. It was closed due to low ridership and dismantled, but the signs of the old station - support buttress over Broadway and diagonal cuts in the stone structure where stairs once were - still exist.

Now, with the surrounding neighborhood growing, represented

by the under-construction apartment building overlooking the ghost station, U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley (DJackson Heights) and Councilman Danny Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) want to see the Elmhurst station come back to life, and have found an ally in the LIRR itself.

“We’re trying to get this station back to give Elmhurst the options other neighborhoods have,” Crowley said.

Below Broadway, the M and R trains give Elmhurst residents a 30minute commute to Manhattan. The LIRR would cut that commute in half.

LIRR President Helena Williams backed the plan and noted work being done along the Port Washington line, such as a new “pocket track” in Great Neck, allow them to run more trains and serve more passengers.

“It is operationally feasible to

stop trains in Elmhurst,” Williams said. “Not only have Elmhurst changed, but the LIRR changed.”

Williams said the station was closed 27 years ago because fewer than three dozen passengers used it per day. Crowley and Dromm believe many more than that would use a station in Elmhurst now, especially once the East Side Access project is completed and trains run to both Penn and Grand Central Terminal.

The next step will be a survey conducted in the neighborhood to gauge interest in a possible station.

Part of that will include a town hall on general transportation issues to be hosted by Dromm on April 11 at 6 p.m. at St. James Church in Elmhurst. LIRR officials are planning to attend.

Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at (718) 357-7400 Ext. 125 or drafter@queenstribune.com

Center Uses Queens For Roof Study

By ROSS BARK AN White roofs reflect more heat than black roofs, and this simple fact may revolutionize 21st century urban design, according to a new Columbia University study that used Queens as its testing ground.

Columbia’s Center for Climate Systems Research submitted the report, published this month in the scientific journal “Environmental Research Letters.” It found that white roofing surfaces with higher albedo (or reflectivity) are effective because they absorb less sunlight, keeping energy costs down and cooling overall city temperatures. Three facilities

were monitored in the study: Queens Botanical Garden, Queens’ Museum of Modern Art and a Con Edison building in Long Island City.

“It’s a way to brighten urban facades. It’s also such a fundamental, relatively uncontroversial technology for cooling the city down,” said Stuart Gaffin, an author of the study.

The study began in 2007 because, as Gaffin explained, one of Columbia’s CCSR specialties is searching for ways to alleviate climate change. The real goal of the study, however, was not to necessarily figure out how to best drive down New York City’s tempera-

tures. This mattered, though it was also the long term performance of existing roof types over time that captivated the researchers.

Gaffin and his team monitored three generic white roof types: an ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber membrane, a thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) membrane and an asphaltic multiply built-up membrane coated with white elastomeric acrylic paint. The paint product is important because City government is using it for the first urban albedo enhancement program in its history.

In the case of Flushing’s Queens

Botanical Garden, its Visitor and Administration Building was installed with the TPO, one of the most durable standards in the study.

Queens Botanical Garden, said Senior Museum Instructor Gennadyi Gurman, enthusiastically took part in the research.

“Environmental sustainability became a large part of our mission,” Gurman said. “We wanted to collaborate with any and all researchers that were looking at benefits of green roofs.”

Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 127 or rbarkan@queenstribune.com.

www.queenstribune.com • March 22-28, 2012 Tribune Page 13

Page 14 Tribune March 22-28, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

YALGAM ASSOCIATES, LLC, a domestic LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 2/7/12. Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 76-33 167 th St., Fresh Meadows, NY 11366. General Purposes. __________________________________ Notice is hereby given that a license, number 1258380 for beer has been applied for by the undersigned to sell beer at retail in an eating place under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at 3221 Linden Place, Flushing, NY 11354 for on-premises consumption, Golden Deli NY Inc. __________________________________ Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County on 3/7/12, bearing Index Number NC-000075-12/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, grants me the right to: Assume the name of (First) Paul (Middle) Salib (Last) Isaac My present name is (First) Bola (Middle) S. (Last) Ishak aka Bola Salib Ishak Keroles My present address is 506 Woodward Avenue, Apt. #1L, Ridgewood, NY 11385 My place of birth is Egypt My date of birth is February 01, 1988 __________________________________ Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County on 2/9/12, bearing Index Number NC-000059-12/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, grants me the right to: Assume the name of (First) Kazuki (Middle) Andrew (Last) Iimori My present name is (First) Kazuki (Last) Iimori (infant) My present address is 39-33 64 th Street, 1 st F l o o r , W o o d s i d e , N Y 11377 My place of birth is Elmhurst, NY My date of birth is July 21, 2008 __________________________________ Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County on 3/6/12, bearing Index Number NC-000101-12/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, grants me the right to: Assume the name of (First) Mohammed (Middle) Iqbal (Last) Hossain My present name is (First) Mohammed (Middle) Saiful

(Last) Alam aka Mohammed S. Alam My present address is 86-22 Dongan Ave., Apt. 2K, Elmhurst, NY 11373 My place of birth is Bangladesh My date of birth is February 10, 1971 __________________________________ BZ CONSTRUCTION OF NY LLC, a domestic LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 1/12/12. Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 75-15 35 th Ave., Jackson Heights, NY 11372. General Purposes. __________________________________ Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County on 3/6/12, bearing Index Number NC-000097-12/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, grants me the right to: Assume the name of (First) Lara (Middle) Zeyna (Last) Altinok My present name is (First) Zeyno (Last) Altinok My present address is 4052 75 th St., Apt. 7A, Elmhurst, NY 11373 My place of birth is Turkey My date of birth is October 17, 1965 __________________________________ Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County on 1/30/12, bearing Index Number NC-000011-12/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, grants me the right to: Assume the name of (First) Antor (Last) Rashid My present name is (First) Musnur (Last) Rashid My present address is 16640 89 th Avenue, Apt. #5I, Jamaica, NY 11432 My place of birth is Bangladesh My date of birth is May 02, 1993 _________________________________ Notice of Formation of GOLDEN HILL LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/6/12. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to princ. bus. loc.: 38-12 222nd St., Bayside, NY 11361. Purpose: any lawful activity. __________________________________ Notice is hereby given that an order entered by the Civil Court of the City of New York, Queens County, on the 26 day of January, 2012, bearing Index Number: 9/12, a copy of which may be examined at the office of the clerk,

located at 89-17 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, NY in room number 357, grants me the right to assume the name of Ben Yee Lee. My present address is 51-47 Manila Street, Elmhurst, NY 11373, County of Queens; the date of my date is December 27,1930; the place of my is Guangdong, and I am a citizen of the United States of American; my present name is Lee Ben Yee. __________________________________ NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: 23 EQUITIES, LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/08/12. Office location: Queens County.

SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, c/o Sacco & Fillas, LLP, 31-19 Newtown Avenue, 7th Floor, Astoria, New York 11102.

Purpose: For any lawful purpose. __________________________________ Notice of Formation: 200 & 202 Knickerbocker LLC. Arts of Org filed with sec of State of NY (SSNY) on 12/02/2011.

Office loc: Queens County.

SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served.

SSNY shall mail process to: 200 & 202 Knickerbocker LLC, 43-31 192 nd Street, Flushing, New York 11354. Purpose: Any lawful activity. __________________________________ CITATION File No. 20084433 SURROGATE’S COURT, Queens COUNTY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, By the Grace of God Free and Independent TO: IRMGARD FREUND, FRIEDA KERL, MARGARET VESTERLING, ANNA MARIE RICHLING, HUGO MOOG, TANJA LOHNE, TOBIAS MOOG, ERIKA HEINS STITT, HELGA KRAFT, GISELA FRANK, and any and all unknown distributees, heirs-at-law and next-of-kin of MARIE AUER a/k/a MARIE J. AUER and MARIA AUER, deceased, if living, whose names, whereabouts, and addresses are unknown to petitioner herein, and, if dead, having survived the decedent, their distributees, heirs-at-law, next-of-kin, executors, administrators, successors in interest and assigns whose names, whereabouts and addresses are unknown to the petitioner herein, and any other person who might have an interest in the estate of MARIE AUER a/k/a MARIE J. AUER and MARIA AUER,

deceased, as distributees or otherwise, all of whose names, whereabouts and addresses are unknown to petitioner herein, and cannot, after diligent inquiry, be ascertained by the petitioner A petition having been duly filed by JAMES F. ROONEY who is/are domiciled at 86-07 Jamaica Avenue, Woodhaven, New York 11421 YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TO SHOW CAUSE before the Surrogate’s Court, Queens County, at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, New York, on April 19, 2012, at 9:30 o’clock in the fore noon of that day, why a decree should not be made in the estate of MARIE AUER, aka MARIE J. AUER and MARIA AUER lately domiciled at 9007 Albert Road, Ozone Park, New York 11421, United States admitting to probate a Will dated March 9,1992 a copy of which is attached, as the Will of MARIE AUER deceased, relating to real and personal property, and directing that: X Letters Testamentary issue to JAMES F. ROONEY Dated, Attested and Sealed, MAR 08 2012 Seal HON. PETER J. KELLY Surrogate MARGARET M. GRIBBON Chief Clerk JOHN M. McFAUL Print Name of Attorney RIVKIN RADLER LLP Firm (516) 3573043 Telephone 926 RXR Plaza, Uniondale, New York 11556-0926 Address NOTE: This citation is served upon you as required by law. You are not required to appear.

If you fail to appear it will be assumed you do not object to the relief requested. You have a right to have an attorney appear for you. _________________________________ Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County on 1/11/12, bearing Index Number NC-001248-11/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, grants me the right to: Assume the name of (First) Derrick (Last) Roujae My present name is (First) Derrick (Last) Rector aka Derrick Roujae Rector, aka Derrick R. Rector, aka Derrick Roujre Rector My

present address is 2522 Mott Ave, Far Rockaway, NY 11691 My place of birth is NYC, NY My date of birth is July 28, 1963 __________________________________ Notice of Formation of Avoid Obvious LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 2/14/12. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: National Registered Agents, Inc., 875 Ave of the Americas, Ste. 501, NY, NY 10001, also the registered agent. Purpose: any lawful activities. __________________________________ NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: 30-06 HOBART STREET LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/23/11. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served.

SSNY shall mail a copy of process to the LLC, 30-06 Hobart Street, Woodside, New York 11377. Purpose: For any lawful purpose. __________________________________ Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County on 3/5/12, bearing Index Number NC-000085-12/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, grants me the right to: Assume the name of (First) German (Middle) Bolivar (Last) Parra My present name is (First) German (Middle) Bolivar (Last) Perez aka G.B. PerezTenecela, aka German Bolivar Perez Tenecela, aka German Perez My present address is 20-34 Crescent Street, Apt. #1C, Astoria, NY 11105 My place of birth is Ecuador My date of birth is July 30,1986 __________________________________ Notice of Formation of GWest Dental Center, LLC”.

Arts of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY SSNY on March 8, 2012. Office location: Queens County. Princ. of-

fice of LLC: 105-25 65 th Ave., Suite P3, Forrest Hills, NY 11375. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to c/o G-West Dental Center., L.L.C. at the princ. office of the LLC. Purpose: Any Lawful activity. _________________________________ Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County on 2/8/12, bearing Index Number NC-000051-12/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, grants me the right to: Assume the name of (First) Justin (Middle) William (Last) Morgan My present name is (First) Denzel (Middle) William (Last) Morgan My present address is 116-67 155 th St., Jamaica, NY 11434 My place of birth is Queens, NY My date of birth is November 04, 1991 _________________________________ Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County on 3/5/12, bearing Index Number NC-000091-12/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, grants me the right to: Assume the name of (First) Vyacheslav (Last) Alayev My present name is (First) Vyacheslav (Last) Alaev aka Vyacheslav Alayev My present address is 123-60 83 rd Avenue, Apt. #10U, Kew Gardens, NY 11415 My place of birth is Tadjikistan My date of birth is February 25, 1991 __________________________________ NOTICE OF FORMATION OF JR Accounting, Taxes & Small Business Solutions, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of NY (SSNY) on 02/01/2012.

Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. The Post Office address to which the SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon her, 229-22 Linden Blvd., Cambria Heights, NY 11411.

Purpose of LLC: To engage in any lawful act or activity.

You Can E-Mail Your Legal Copy to legals@queenstribune.com To Place Your Legal Advertisement, Call the Tr ibune at (718) 357-7400 ext. 149

New Bill Would Point Way To Police Stations

By DOMENICK RAFTER Do you know where your local police precinct is?

Not all of the borough’s police stations are on major thoroughfares or near busy intersections.

Instead, many are located on isolated streets far from major roads, hidden away from the most public places. That often makes them hard to find for citizens who may not know their way around neighborhoods off major streets. Responding to these complaints in the neighborhood they represent, two local City Council members are proposing legislation that will help you find your hidden police station.

Council Members Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) and Diana Reyna (D-Ridgewood) have introduced legislation that would mandate the Dept. of Transportation put up signs citywide directing people to their local precinct, similar to the signs that point people to hospitals and museums.

Under the bill, the DOT would be required to put signage in neighborhoods that deem them needed.

Crowley and Reyna represent neighborhoods served by the 104th Precinct in Ridgewood, which is located at 64th Street and Catalpa

Avenue, two blocks from Fresh Pond Road and far away from any other major thoroughfare. The 104th Precinct also serves the neighborhoods of Glendale, Maspeth and Middle Village, but is often difficult to find for residents who are not from Ridgewood.

“This is something that the community asked for,” Crowley said.

Crowley, who held a press conference with Reyna and other community leaders on Catalpa Avenue and Fresh Pond Road on March 15, came with a mock sign - a blue sign simply reading “Police Precinct” with an arrow pointing down Catalpa Avenue toward the 104th Precinct building two blocks away.

She and Reyna said they hope their legislation would force DOT to install signs like that on lampposts and telephone poles on major intersections directing people to police stations.

The 104th is not the only Queens police station that is located off a major thoroughfare. The 105th Precinct in Queens Village is located on a residential street two blocks south of Braddock Avenue and four blocks east of Springfield Boulevard — the main north/south route through the neighborhoods

the precinct serves. Other precincts like the 106th in Ozone Park and the 110th in Elmhurst are hidden in residential communities away from major streets. If the community boards and civic leaders say signs are needed, the bill would require

DOT to install them on major thoroughfares close to the precincts.

Crowley added that she believed the cost of the signs would be minimal and Reyna said the bill would include a fiscal impact study to find out what the true cost of such a

program would be. The bill has been introduced and Crowley said she hopes to hold a hearing on it soon.

Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at (718) 357-7400 Ext. 125 or drafter@queenstribune.com.

Firebomb Suspect Faces Trial

By V ERONICA LEWIN The Queens man arrested for the New Year’s Day firebombings across Jamaica now faces federal charges.

An indictment was unsealed Monday charging Ray Lazier Lengend, of Jamaica, with hate crimes and explosives offenses stemming from his racially and religiously motivated firebombings that took place on Jan. 1. He is also charged with an explosives offense in connection with the firebombing of a Hillside Avenue deli.

“This defendant allegedly sought to fan the flames of ethnic and religious tension. Those flames will always be extinguished by the rule of law,” said Loret ta Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.

A lit tle before 8 p.m. on Jan. 1, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at a deli located at 179-46 Hillside Ave. According to police, Lengend was thrown out of the deli on Dec. 27 for attempt ing to steal milk and a Starbucks Frappuccino. It is alleged Lengend used glass Starbucks Frappuccino bot tles in at least three of the attacks Sunday night.

Soon after, a homemade firebomb was thrown at the home of Mont y and Sonia Burnett on 107th Avenue, severely damaging the house. The couple have been identified as Christians.

Around 9 p.m. on Jan. 1, firebombs were thrown at the door of the Imam Al-Khoei Islamic Center, located at 89-89 Van Wyck Expressway, while about 80 people were inside. The final at tack oc-

curred at a home on 88-20 170th St. that housed a Hindu temple.

Police said the defendant picked his targets due to personal grievances. He allegedly targeted the mosque because he was not allowed to use the bathroom there. No one was injured in any of the at tacks.

Two days after the at tacks, police arrested Lengend, 40, and charged him with five counts of criminal possession of a weapon, one count of arson as a hate crime and four counts of arson.

He will be arraigned on March 26 at the United States Cour thouse in Brooklyn. If convicted of all charges, he could receive anywhere between 20 years to life in prison.

R e a c h Re p o r t e r Ve r o n i c a Lewin at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 123 or vlewin@queenspress.com.

www.queenstribune.com • March 22-28, 2012 Tribune Page 15

Compiled by JASON PAFUNDI

106th Precinct MISSING MAN: The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance in locating 71-yearold Jamaica resident Vernell McCallum.

McCallum was last seen inside of the Resort World Casino on March 15, at approximately 5:30 p.m.

He is described as being 5-foot-7, with brown eyes and black hair and was last seen wearing black corduroy pants and walking with a cane.

Anyone with information in regards to this missing person is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

Page 16 Tribune March 22-28, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

LARCENER WANTED: The NYPD is asking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect wanted for a grand larceny.

On Feb. 27 at 4:20 p.m., the victim, an 18-year-old Hispanic male, was walking in front of 118-05 Liberty Ave. when the suspect ran up behind him, removed his Beats by Dr. Dre headphones and fled. There were no reported injuries.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic male between 16-18 years old, 5-foot-7 to 5foot-9 and weighing 130-150 pounds.

Anyone with information in regards to this grand larceny is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at nypdcrimestoppers.com or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

108th Precinct SUSPECT WANTED: The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance with the whereabouts of Peter Kim, who is wanted in connection to a series of grand larcenies in the confines of the 108 pct.

On March 1, 12 victims were told they could move into 43-01 46th St. in Sunnyside after exchanging money with the suspect days before for an apartment that he advertised on “Craig’s List”. The suspect did not have permission or authority to rent the apartment.

Peter Kim (AKA Michael Hong) is described as a 31-year-old Asian male, approximately 5’8" tall and weighing between 130150 pounds.

Anyone with information in regards to Peter Kim and these incidents is asked to call Crime stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477).

The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are strictly confidential.

109th Precinct MISSING BOY: The NYPD is asking the public’s assistance in ascertaining the whereabouts of 14-year-old Wai Man Ng, of 25-09

College Point Blvd.

He was last seen inside his residence at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, March 7, wearing a blue jacket, blue jeans and white sneakers. The missing is 5-foot-3 and weighs 120 pounds.

Anyone with information in regards to this missing child is asked to call Crime stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

MISSING GIRL: The NYPD is asking the public’s assistance in ascertaining the whereabouts of 16-year-old Yu Dai, who was last seen inside her residence at 132-29 Blossom Ave. at 3 a.m. on March 15.

She is 5-foot-5 and weighs 105 pounds and was last seen wearing a grey jacket and blue jeans.

Distr ict Attor ney MAN SENTENCED: Queens DA Richard Brown announced that Jordan Hawes, a 32-year-old Astoria man, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for bludgeoning his wife to death with a baseball bat in their Astoria apartment in January. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter last month.

According to the court proceedings, the defendant admitted that on the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 31, he struck his wife, Tara Hawes, 33, in the head repeatedly with a baseball bat while she was asleep in bed.

Brown said that, according to the criminal charges, the victim’s body was discovered in her bed on Thursday, Feb. 2, at approximately 10:30 p.m., with extreme blunt force trauma to her head and body. Two knives with what appeared to be blood on them, a baseball bat covered with what appeared to be blood, skin and hair and the victim’s cell phone were recovered from the apartment.

On Feb. 3, a search warrant was executed at the defendant and victim’s residence and a note with what appeared to be blood stains on it was discovered which stated in the first paragraph, “Where to begin. My life has been great most of the time. I was raised perfectly by my mom and dad, and I have learned so much from child...” The note cut off and was missing a middle section before continuing and stating, in part, “I don’t know what...happened last night, but my life is destroyed. I killed my best friend.”

The victim’s Jeep Liberty was observed by Connecticut State Police at approximately 9:00 p.m., on Saturday, Feb. 4, inside of a McDonald’s parking lot located in Bridgeport, on the I-95 service area between Exits 20 and 21. The defendant, who had taken the vehicle, surrendered himself to the police in the parking lot and stated, “I did something wrong. I surrender myself.” Shortly thereafter, Hawes suffered an apparent seizure and was taken to a local hospital. After he recovered, he waived extradition and was returned to Queens.

www.queenstribune.com â&#x20AC;˘ March 22-28, 2012 Tribune Page 17

March Madness:

Queens Democrats Back Grace Meng For Congress

By DOMENICK RAFTER The streets of Forest Hills were just coming to life on this abnormally warm March Monday morning. Overhead, planes taking off from LaGuardia zipped across the sky, while trains carr ying thousands of commuters to Penn Station whizzed through the canyon created by the neighborhood’s apartment buildings. Life went on as usual in the centra l Queens neighborhood, seemingly unaware of the changing political winds occurring on the second floor of 72-50 Austin St. at Queens County Democratic Headquarters.

There, elected officials and district leaders from all across Central Queens gathered in a

cramped room - its walls covered by past campaign signs and now-obsolete State Assembly district maps. State legislators, City Council members, district leaders and other familiar faces in the Queens Democratic Party chatted over donuts and coffee as they waited to make official a historic candidacy for Congress.

Historic Nomination By a unanimous vote of those present, Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing), a second-ter m state legislator from one of the borough’s most vibrant communities received the county party’s nod to replace U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-

Bayside) in Congress, in a new district that takes in the heart of Central Queens. She was nominated at the Monday meeting by Councilman Mark Weprin (DOakland Gardens) who was one of six people considered for the Democratic Party endorsement for the seat.

“We’ve made our designation. Our choice is Grace Meng,” Queens County Democratic Party chairman and U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) announced to thunderous applause.

Crowley and Democratic leaders chose Meng after meeting with her, Weprin, Assemblyman Ror y Lancman (DHillcrest), who dropped out of the race last w eek when

Grace Meng

Page 18 Tribune March 22-28, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

Two-Term member of the New York State Assembly Born: Oct. 1, 1975 in Queens Meng is the daughter of Jimmy Meng, who in 2002 was the first Asian-American elected to the state legislature. Her father retired after one term and was replaced by Ellen Young in 2006. Meng defeated Young in the 2008 primary and was elected to represent Downtown Flushing that November. She is a graduate of Stuyvesant High School, received a B.A. from the University of Michigan and holds a law degree from the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University. She lives in Flushing with her husband Wayne and sons Tyler and Brandon.

Rory Lancman Three-term member of the New York State Assembly.

Born: March 1, 1969 in Queens Lancman was elected in 2006 after the retirement of former Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin. He represents a district that includes Kissena Park, Hillcrest, Briarwood and Richmond Hill. A graduate of Hillcrest High School, he also has a degree from Queens College and a law degree from Columbia Law School.

He was a First Lieutenant in the 42nd Infantry Division. Lancman eyed a run for Congress to replace Anthony Weiner in last September’s special election, but was passed over for Assemblyman David Weprin. He announced a run for Congress earlier this year against U.S. Rep. Bob Turner, but redistricting eliminated the district. He lives in Hillcrest with his wife and three children.

Elizabeth Crowley One and a half term member of the New York City Council Born: Nov. 27, 1977 in Queens Crowley is the cousin of U.S. Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) and daughter of Walter and Mary Crowley, who both served in the New York City Council.

She has an M.S. in City and Regional Planning from Pratt Institute’s Graduate School of Architecture and a B.A. in Restoration and Preservation from SUNY Fashion Institute of Technology where she was a Presidential Scholar and graduated Magna Cum Laude. She was elected to the NYC Council in November 2008, defeating incumbent Anthony Como to finish out the term of Republican Dennis Gallagher and was elected to a full term a year later, defeating former Councilman Tom Ognibene. She represents the Western Queens neighborhoods of Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale and Ridgewood. She lives in Glendale.

Acker man was still running, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), State Sen. Tony Avella (DBayside) and term limited Councilman James Gennaro (DFresh Meadows). Lancman and Crowley have both announced they would campaign for the Democratic nomination in the June 26 primary despite Meng’s candidacy. Avella, Gennaro and Weprin all endorsed Meng.

“It’s rare in the business that you meet someone like Grace Meng, she’s hard not to love,” Weprin said. “From the first time I met her, she’s someone I knew would be a star.”

Accepting the nomination, Meng called for unity and said she did not seek to see the ethnically diverse district segregated in the race.

“Our campaign for Congress to replace Gary Ackerman will resist any efforts to divide our communities,” Meng said. “We will reject any attempt to place one community against another.

We are all New Yorkers.”

The Sixth District Most of the territory in the new 6th Congressional District comes from the eliminated district of U.S. Rep. Bob Turner (RMiddle Village) who replaced for mer U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner in a special election last year, but a little more than a third of it - including Flushing and Bayside - are car ved from Acker man’s old distr ict. Although the district’s demographics put it at almost an even split between whites and Asians, the largest voting bloc in the Democratic Party in the district is Jewish voters. Many of the district’s Asian residents are not citizens and not able to vote. Among those who are citizens and registered to vote, many are independents. The Democratic primary is a closed primary and only registered Democrats can vote.

What advantage Crowley may have in the race is unclear.

Both Meng and Lancman come from the eastern part of the district and the number of Democratic voters in the western part,

which voted overwhelmingly for Turner in the 2011 special election, is fewer. Crowley could siphon some of the white vote from Lancman but may also take some of the women vote from Meng.

Rep. Crowley called for unity and said he expects the party to be united in November regardless of the primary.

“We still hope we can talk to the others about the historical nature of [Grace Meng’s] candidacy,” he said. He did not comment in depth on his cousin’s campaign. Instead he simply shr ugged his shoulders and said he had not spoken with her about it “My cousin is my cousin and I love my cousin,” he said.

The winner of the Democratic Party would be favored to succeed Acker man in Congress.

The district is solidly Democratic, and would have given President Barack Obama 63 percent of the vote in 2008. No notable Republicans have yet announced a candidacy for the seat, although some have been pushing Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) to get into the race. Neverthless, Rep. Crowley, leading a par ty still reeling after the loss of Weiner’s seat last September, said he would not take any chances.

“We take nothing for granted,” he said.

If elected, Meng would be the first Asian-Amer ican sent to Congress from New York State or any eastern state. She would be only the second ChineseAmer ican woman elected to Congress and the first Queens women elected since Geraldine Ferraro.

The pr imary is a first for Queens in a long time. The last competitive primary for an open Congressional seat was in 1998 when Weiner defeated then-Forest Hills Assemblywoman Melinda Katz by less than 500 votes in the Democratic primary to replace Chuck Schumer, who would successfully run for U.S. Senate that year.

Reach Repor ter Domenick Rafter at (718) 357-7400 Ext. 125 or drafter@queenstribune.com

New York’s 6th Congressional District Neighborhoods: Aubur ndale, Bayside, Br iarwood, Electchester, Elmhurst, Forest Hills, Flushing, Fresh Meadows, Glendale, Hillcrest, Hollis Hills, Jamaica Hills, Kew Gardens, Kew Gardens Hills, Kissena Park, Maspeth, Middle Village, Murray Hill, Oakland Gardens, Queensboro Hill, Rego Park, Ridgewood, Pomonok Population: 717,707 (Voting Age Population: 585,332) Demographics (Voting Age Population): White, non-Hispanic 39%; Asian 38%; Hispanic 17%; Black 4% 2008 Presidential Election Results: Obama 63%, McCain 36%

www.queenstribune.com â&#x20AC;˘ March 22-28, 2012 Tribune Page 19

Page 20 Tribune March 22-28, 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ www.queenstribune.com

Leisure

Doc Serves Laughs With Ventriloquist Show

By ROSS BARK AN Maybe it was when the old lady puppet gave the flesh and blood man a lap dance, or during the colon’s rendition of the Ghost Busters theme song — who ya gonna call: gas busters! — that audience members unfamiliar with the singular style of Bob Baker knew that this show was not going to be like any other that they had seen. Puppets in hand, Baker sought to electrif y an ancient art with modern (and hilarious) sensibility. He succeeded.

Baker, 60, will tell you that long b e fo re he w a s D r. Ro b e r t W.

Baker, a gast roenterologis t at Nor t h Shore Univer sit y Hospital and an assistant professor of medicine at Ne w York Univer sity School of Medicine, he was a practicing ventriloquist and magician. Most of his patients, when they do come in to complain about their irritable bowel syndrome or submit to a colonoscopy, are aware of his more enter taining side.

“When I was in medical school, I performed in the Borscht Belt in e ver y st i nki ng lit tle bungalow colony you’ve never heard of,” said Baker at his 8 p.m. third Thursday

Very Tasty Thai

REVIEW

The doc tor is no dummy. sonalities. The self-taught Baker explained that an effective ventriloquist must maintain two difficult illusions, which he successfully did once on stage.

“Illusion No. 1 is the illusion that you are throwing your voice — it is not possible to throw one’s voice.

The harder illusion is to create the illusion of life, so that that puppet becomes a living, separate entity from yourself. You’re basically an actor playing two separate parts simultaneously. You’re speaking and

act ing for both people.”

This challenge comes into play when the puppet is expressing one emotion and the ventriloquist is expressing another entirely different emot ion. Baker, in essence, plays the straight man to Lucille Goldman, the octogenarian mentioned above who is primarily fascinated with trying to have sex with younger men.

Midway through Goldman’s star’s turn, she was giving an amused man in the front row a lap dance.

Two more puppets, each as radically different as Goldman, sprung from Baker’s boxes.

Sigmoid Colon, an anthropomorphic colon, made in his raspy voice just about every bowel-related pun that could exist, and Otis Bigelow, an elderly black puppet who toyed with preconceived notions of race (and puppetry), emerged to repeatedly scold Baker.

And what, exactly, do a gastroenterologist and ventriloquist ultimately have in common?

“They both make people feel good,” he said. “And they’re both hard to spell.”

For more information, visit bobbakercomedy.com Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 127, or rbarkan@queenstribune.com,

New iPad A Hit In Queens

By JASON PAFUNDI As soon as Apple announced March 16 as the release date for its next version of the iPad, Woodside resident Anthony Watkins knew what he was going to do.

Watkins immediately called his boss and told him he would be taking that Friday off as a personal day. And just like he had for every recent Apple device from the original iPad and iPad 2 to the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, Watkins made plans to be in the front of the line on release day.

“I am a huge technology nerd, and I follow all the blogs and all the rumor sites, so I knew the new iPad was coming,” Watkins said as he clutched his new device outside the tech giant’s newest store in Grand Central Terminal. “My family thinks I’m crazy and my current girlfriend wishes sometimes I’d show more commitment to her, but whatever, I just love this company.”

Watkins was joined by hundreds, if not thousands, of fellow Apple fanboys to be the first to get their hands on the newest version of the top-selling iPad tablet.

The new device boasts a faster processor, 4G data capability, a new five megapixel rear camera and most-importantly, a high-definition screen that Apple calls the “retina display.”

Apple’s third Generation iPad. “When you put the old model [iPad 2] next to the new one, rity guards kept things organized it is like looking at a TV from 1990 and the lines to purchase the new and a TV from 2012,” said Xiang device moving smoothly.

“I got to the store around 10 Chu, a 22-year-old college senior from Flushing who rode the 7 train a.m. and got inside, got my iPad, for an hour to get to the Apple got a cover and was out of there store. “It has stunning picture qual- within an hour,” said Maspeth resident Miguel Ar deso. “And that is it y and is a work of ar t.”

At the store in Grand Central, pret t y good for a new pro duct which at 23,000 square feet is launch.”

Reach Reporter Jason Pafundi Apple’s largest in the world, long lines were common throughout the at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 128, or day, but Apple staffers and secu- jpafundi@queenstribune.com.

www.queenstribune.com • March 22-28, 2012 Tribune Page 21

which all the world’s paper currency has been exchanged for meat dipped in soy mustard. It was not a practical daydream.

We each ate duck for our main course and I, a tactical genius when it comes to ordering food, opted for the crunchy half duck known in Thai as Petd Num Daeng. The duck had little bone, maximum meat and unparalleled crispness.

Once again, here we were, the Yes, I have consumed larger and more intimidating sun shining down on Bell Boulevard. I, the intrepid RESTAURANT ducks, but never a duck with so much reviewer, was overdressed zest. Even the bone on an unseasonably warm had flavor. At Thai March afternoon. My restaurants, I typically friend was not. He smiled. choose pad thai, a It was time for Thai. noodle dish, but I was Bayside’s Erawan Thai glad to wade outside Cuisine deserves to be of my expanding hyped. The food is a riot comfort zone. of flavor and spice, sating Desser t brought its in the type of way that makes dinner unnecessar y if you own thrilling challenges. Our waithave already eaten lunch. It was ress suggested the mango sticky rice and fried ice cream. I was delunch time.

Craig Heed, my lunchtime termined to cont inue my de ssert companion, has accompanied me streak and gain enough weight to on the se sort s of excursions be- not be sexy for beach season. fore and provides a nice coun- Craig, unlike me, hates the beach. terweight to my paradoxical food Lit tle did I know, fried ice cream adventurism. For example, I will means your ice cream is literally lit eat anything, but will not devour on fire. This was fascinating and something that is too spicy. if I was just a bit dumber, I would Craig is the sort of maverick who have jumped the gun and eaten the thinks “too spicy” is not spicy ball of sugary fire, ruining my taste enough — his only fear is no fear. buds forever. Luckily, the ice cream As we discussed creating an was delicious, and I enjoyed stealinsanely self-indulgent blog to ing Craig’s mango and strawberry.

Erawan is the type of place you compliment our fantasy baseball l e a g u e , o u r g r e a t w a i t r e s s go to when you have tired of prebrought out some rich appetiz- dictable, terrible food and want ers. I devoured the beef and your life to change. Eat there, take chicken satay, strips of meat im- a pal, take a date, or go alone with paled on a stick. Stealing Craig’s an enthralling paperback. The soy mustard, I closed my eyes and food w ill be masterful, regardle ss.

-Ross Barkan imagined a paradise of satay, in Erawan Thai Cuisine 42-21 Bell Blvd., Bayside 718-428-2112 w w w.erawanthaibayside.com CUISINE: Thai DELIV ERY: Yes HOURS: Mon-Thu noon to 10:30 p.m., Fri-Sat. noon to 11:30 p.m., Sunday 3 to 10 p.m.

of ever y month show at the Great Neck restaurant Simply Fondue. “I was small time. I said, you know you’ve paid your show business dues when you do a show at one o’clock in the morning for a bunch of drunks that just got back from a losing night in Monticel lo.”

Baker, who first began learning ventriloquism and magic around the age of eight, was drawn originally to puppetr y.

At 9 years old, he saw Chicago ventr i loquist Ter r y Bennet t flicker across his television screen, and a lifelong passion was born. Baker looks more like a doctor than a ribald comic; when speaking off stage, the bespectacled, balding gastroenterologist is in charge, not the madcap ventriloquist who dreamt up characters like Lucille Goldman, a sexually-charged octogenarian.

All of the proceeds of his shows are donated to charity. He has two children with autism and tends to give to autism-related charities.

Two strong comedians, David Wade of NBC’s “Last Comic Standing,” and local favorite Lori Palminteri, opened for him, but their fairly conventional joke-telling could not prepare an unsuspecting observer for Baker’s puppets — all hand-crafted by the doctor himself — and their wild per-

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Queens Today SECTION EDITOR: REGINA VOGEL

Send typed announcements for your club or organization’s events at least TWO weeks in advance to “Queens Today” Editor, Queens Tribune, 150-50 14 Road, Whitestone NY 11357.

Send faxes to 357-9417, IF YOUR ORGANIZATION MEETS ON A REGULAR BASIS, SEND ALL DATES FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.

MISCELLANEOUS MARCH FOR EARTH Sunday, March 25 celebrate the first day of spring, Earth Day, at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.

886-3800. 10-1. Free.

DANCE

Page 22 Tribune March 22-28, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

SQUARE DANCE Saturday, March 24 at Alley Pond Environmental Center.

229-4000. $15 non-members.

SENIORS ANNIVERSARY Saturday, March 24 38 th anniversary of the Allen Communit y Senior Citizens Center 1-5. 658-0980.

SENIOR YOGA Monday, March 26 senior yoga starts for a series of 10 weeks at the Bayside Jewish Center. 10-11. First session free. Bring mat or towel, wear a tee shirt and sweats.

CLEARVIEW SENIOR Monday, March 26 Music Appreciation at 12:30.

Wednesday, March 28 “Review and Wrap-up” talk at 11. Thursday, March 29 “Medication Management” at 10:15. Friday, March 30 movie at 12:45. Call for title.

Clearview Senior Center, 208-11 2 6 th Avenue, Bayside. 224-7888.

DUPLICATE BRIDGE Mondays Lunch, lesson and c o n g e n i a l p l ay. P r i d e o f Judea. 423-6200.

STAY WELL Mondays at the Central library at 10 and Wednesdays at 10:15 at the East Elmhurst librar y. Learn how special exercise and relaxation tech-

niques make a difference in your life.

TAX HELP Tuesday, March 27 at the Hollis library. 465-7355.

CAREGIVERS Tuesdays Caregivers Support group at 3:30-4:30 Selfhelp Clearview Senior Center, 208-11 26 th Avenue, Bayside. 631-1886.

BRIDGE Wednesdays Reform Temple of Forest Hills. 261-2900.

STAY WELL Wednesdays at 10:15 at the East Elmhurst library for exercise and other health related programs.

STARS Wednesdays at the Hollis library. Senior Theater Acting Repertor y. 776-0529.

HORIZONS CLUB Thursday, March 29 Horizons Club for those 55 and over, meets at the Reform Temple of Forest Hills, 711 1 1 1 2 th S t r e e t a t 1 2 : 3 0 .

Comparison of the screen and stage versions of “Sunset Boulevard” and the career of Gloria Swanson will be discussed. $3 includes

coffee and cake.

TAX HELP Thursday, March 29 tax counseling for low-income older adults at the Fresh Meadows library at 1.

PARENTS PSYCHOLOGICAL CENTER Social skills program with the goal of increasing children’s self-esteem and social skills in a supportive environment. Queens College Psychological Center.

570-0500.

DINNER IAAP Saturday, March 24 Queens chapter of International Association of Administrative Professionals meet.

516-437-7038 evenings.

ITALIAN LECTURE Sunday, April 24 “Leonard Covello” lecture at St. John’s starting at noon. $15.

Reserve by April 20 th.

RELIGION

TALKS

MITZVAH DAY Saturday, March 24 following the Shabbat service at 10 at the Reform Temple of F o r e s t H i l l s , 7 1 - 1 1 1 1 2 th Street. 261-2900.

WOMEN’S SEDER Sunday, March 25 at Te m p l e T i k va h . 5 1 6 - 7 4 6 1120.

SON OF APOLLO Saturday, March 24 “Revelations 911: Sun of Apollo” discussion and signing at 1:30 at Barnes 7 Noble, 176-60 Union Tu r n p i k e , F r e s h M e a d ows.

HONEY BEES Sunday, March 25 learn about the honeybee at Alley Pond Environmental Center.

229-4000. $8.

MOTIVATIONAL WORK. Monday, March 26 Motivational Workshop for Adults at the Laurelton library at 6.

BLUE OCEAN Tuesday, March 27 7:158:30 Blue Ocean strategies to take your career or business to new heights. Samuel Field Y. 224-0566.

SELLING CRAFTS Wednesday, March 28 learn how to sell your handicrafts online at the Central library. 990-5102.

CALLIGRAPHY Thursday, March 29 appreciation of classical Chinese calligraphy at the Flushing library at 6:30.

THEATER FUNNY THING Through March 25 “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way to the Forum” at Marathon Little Theatre in Little Neck. $18 adults. 229-4644.

RENT April 11-14, 18-20 at LaGuardia Performing Arts.

482-5151.

PSYCHO BEACH May 4 through 12 “Psycho Beach Part y” at the Shadowbox Theatre at Queensborough Communit y College.

631-6284.

RENT May 4 through 13 “Rent” at York College. 262-2412.

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT Page 24 Tribune March 22-28, 2012 â&#x20AC;˘ www.queenstribune.com

Queens Today YOUTH QUEENS LIBRARIES Many branches of the Queensborough Library offer toddler and pre-school programs and more. Contact local branches.

LIVE WOLF Saturday, March 24 wolf conservation center at Alley Pond Environmental Center.

229-4000.

STORY BOOK LADY Saturdays 12:30-1:30 reading enrichment program for 6-9 year olds at Maria Rose International Doll Museum in St. Albans. $7.50. 2763454.

SCIENCE LAB Saturdays Central library at 11.

MATH HELP Saturdays Flushing library at 10.

HOMEWORK HELP Saturdays 10-noon Bayside librar y.

CHESS CLUB Saturdays Flushing library at 2.

S TORY TIMES Saturdays at 11 and Tuesdays at 10:30 weekly story times at Barnes & Noble,

1 7 6 - 6 0 Un i o n Tu r n p i ke , Fresh Meadows.

LEGO BUILDERS Monday, March 26 at the LIC library at 6:15.

KNIT & CROCHET Mondays at 4 Douglaston/ Little Neck library.

HOMEWORK HELP Mondays 3:30-5:00 Bayside librar y.

BOOK BUDDIES Tuesday, March 27 at the Hillcrest library at 3:30.

CHESS CLUB Tuesdays LIC library at 4 and Rosedale library at 4:30.

HAPPY HAPPY STORY Wednesday, March 28 at the LIC library at 10:30.

S TORY T I M E Wednesday, March 28 East Elmhurst Story time at 11:30 at the library.

LIBRARY BUDDIES Wednesday, March 28 at the Auburndale library at 4.

KNITTING Wednesdays Bayside library at 4.

KNIT & CROCHET Wednesdays at the South Ozone Park library at 1.

GAME DAY

Wednesdays Poppenhusen library at 4.

3D ECO ART Thursday, March 29 at the Astoria library. Register.

DANCE & LITERACY Thursday, March 29 at the Cambria Heights library and the LIC library at 4.

CRAFT TIME Thursdays 3:30 Ozone Park library.

KIDS COLORING Friday, March 30 a t t h e Queensboro Hill library at 11.

LIBRARY BUDDIES Friday, March 30 at 4 at the Auburndale library.

ARTS & CRAFTS Friday, March 30 a t t h e Briarwood library at 4.

DANCE & LITERACY Friday, March 30 a t t h e Ridgewood library at 4.

WII GAMING Friday, March 30 a t t h e Astoria library at 4:30.

TODDLER CRAFT Fridays Briarwood library at 10:30.

READ TO ME Fridays Briarwood library at 3.

ENTERTAINMENT CON BRIO ENSEMBLE Saturday, March 24 at 2 at Vo e l ke r O r t h M u s e u m i n Flushing. $12. 359-6227.

CASINO NIGHT Saturday, March 24 casino and buffet 7-11 at the Comm u n i t y H o u s e i n F o re st Hills. 268-7710 reservations.

CINDERELLA Sunday, March 25 Moscow Festival Ballet at Queensborough Community College. 631-6311.

BEAUTY OF BALLET Sunday, March 25 at 1 and 3 free lecture-demonstration of the School of American Ballet. 760-0064 reservations.

HONEYBEES Sunday, March 25 honey and honeybees at Alley Pond Environmental Center. $8. 229-4000.

STAMP SHOW Sunday, March 25 Bayside Stamp Show at the Ramada Hotel, 220-33 Northern Blvd., Bayside 10-4:30.

LIVE JAZZ & R&B Sundays, March 25, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 live jazz and r&b 6-10 at Déjà vu, 180-25 Linden Blvd., St. Albans.

GUERILLA ARTS Sunday, March 25 ACSM Guerilla Arts Ensemble at F l u s h i n g Tow n H a l l . 4 6 3 7700.

FOLK SONGS Monday, March 26 folk songs from around the world at the Windsor Park library at 2.

READINGS Tu e s d a y, March 27 Chimananda Ngozi Adichie.

Queens College Music Building, Concert Hall. $20.

997-4646.

SONG & POETRY Tuesday, March 27 song and poetry with Felix Gurt at 2 at the Briarwood library.

SCRABBLE Tuesdays Fresh Meadows library at 1 and East Flushing library at 3:30.

CHESS Tuesdays 4:30 Rosedale library and 4 at LIC library.

MY FAIR LADY Thursday, March 29 at 1:30 at the Bay Terrace library.

TRIPS Thursday, March 29 Discovery Times Square and the Dead Sea Scrolls., May 29 tour of the UN.

EDUCATION/GAMES/CRAFTS Wednesday, June 20 NY B o t a n i c a l G a r d e n s . Tr i p s sponsored by the Samuel Field Y in Little Neck. 2256750, ext. 236.

GUYS & DOLLS Thursday and Friday, March 29, 30 JHS189 production at Flushing Town Hall. 437700 for free tickets.

CON BRIO ENSEMBLE Saturday, March 31 at the Forest Hills library at 2:30.

SING-A-LONG Saturday, March 31 sing-along to “West Side Story” at Queensborough Communit y College. 631-6311.

SPRING SWING Saturday, March 31 3 Spring Swing with the York College Big Band at JPAC. 262-2412.

YOUTH ARTS & CRAFTS Fridays at 2 Queens Village and LIC libraries. Briarwood library at 4.

GAME DAY Fridays Queens Village library at 2.

League in Douglaston. 3610628.

LINE DANCE Mondays beginner to intermediate lessons in Bayside.

917-886-0519.

ADULT CHESS Mondays and Thursdays Queens Village library at 5:30.

ONLINE LEARNING Tuesday, March 27 at the LIC library at 1:30.

INTRO WORD Tu e s d a y s C e n t r a l l i b ra r y.

990-0700 to register.

OWN BUSINESS Ever y Tuesday Owning Your Own Business: The Nuts and Bolts of Getting Started 6:30-7:30 at the Central library.

LI CHESS CLUB Tuesdays LIC library at 4.

KNIT & CROCHET Tuesdays Windsor Park library at 2.

PRACTICE LABS Tuesdays Arverne library at 10:30.

GET YOUR YARNS OUT! Tu e s d a y s a f t e r ev e n i n g Minyan at 8, knitters, crocheters, needlepointers, and others meet at the Forest Hills Jewish Center. 2637000, ext. 200.

RESUMES Wednesday, March 28 at t h e C e n t r a l l i b r a r y. 9 9 0 0700 register.

RESUME WRITING Wednesday, March 28 at the Arverne library at 4.

LEARNING LABS Wednesdays at the LIC library at 1:30.

KNITTING CLUB Wednesdays Bayside library.

Register.

INTRO COMPUTERS Wednesdays Central library.

Register.

DUPLICATE BRIDGE Wednesdays 10:30-3:00 Re f o r m Te m p l e o f F o r e s t Hills. $12 session, includes light lunch. 261-2900 DRAWING/WATERCOLOR Wednesdays Drawing and Wa tercolor classes at the National Art League.9691128..

OIL PAINTING CLASS Wednesdays Grace Lutheran Church in Forest Hills. 472-4055.

SOCIAL MEDIA Thursday, March 29 Social Media for Businesses at the Central library. 990-5102.

LEARN TO DANCE Thursdays ballroom smooth and Latin dances at the Samuel Field Adult Center in Little Neck. 225-6750, ext. 236.

BOOT CAMP Thursdays learn computer programs at the Arverne li-

brary at 10:30.

COMPUTERS Thursdays Glen Oaks library. Register. Rosedale library at 6.

QUILTING CLASS Thursdays 11-3 Maria Rose Doll Museum in St. Albans.

276-3454 East Elmhurst library at 12.

COMPUTER CLASS Thursdays Queensboro Hill library. Register.

KNIT & CROCHET Thursdays Fresh Meadows library at 6. Crochet at the South Hollis library at 6:30.

BOOT CAMP Fridays through March 30 at the LIC library at 2.

CHESS & CHECKERS Friday, March 30 a t t h e Astoria library at 3:30.

CHESS CLUB Fridays Auburndale library at 3:30.Tutorial Woodside library at 4.

BEGIN COMPUTERS Fridays Poppenhusen and Middle Village libraries.

Register.

COMPUTER LAB Fridays practice time at the Arverne library at noon.

KNITTING CLUB Fridays Maspeth library at 10.

KNIT & CROCHET Fridays Fresh Meadows library at 10:30.

COMPUTER COURSE Every Friday Ozone Park library. Register.

LINK UP WITH LINKEDIN Saturday, March 31 at the LIC library. Bring electronic copy of resume at 2.

BOATING SAFETY Saturdays, March 31, April 28 US Coast Guard Auxiliar y’s Boating Sa fet y Class in Fort Totten, Bayside.

917-952-7014.

SPRING WORKSHOP Saturday, March 31 and Sunday, April 15 Celebrate Spring with free workshops in Me x ic an P ape r A r t an d Andean Instrument-Making at Flushing Town Hall. 463-7700.

PUBLIC SPEAKING Saturdays, March 31, April 7, 21 learn to communicate effectively at Elmhurst Hospital. 646-436-7940.

ENVIRONMENT MARCH FOR EARTH Sunday, March 25 celebrate the first day of spring, Earth Day, at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park.

886-3800. 10-1. Free.

TALONS Sunday, March 25 learn about hawks, falcons and more at Alley Pond Environmental Center. 229-4000. $10.

www.queenstribune.com • March 22-28, 2012 Tribune Page 25

DEFENSIVE DRIVING Saturday, March 24 at Holy Family in Flushing. 631-3609720.

DEFENSIVE DRIVING Saturday, March 24 at the Knights of Columbus in Valley Stream. 341-0452.

SEWING CLASSES Saturdays 12-3 at Maria Rose International Doll Museum in St. Albans. 2763454.

SCRABBLE CLUB Saturdays at 10 at Count Basie Jr. HS. 886-5236.

PET OWNERS Saturdays (not on holiday weekends) from 1-4 free Doggie Boot Camp at Crocheron Park in Bayside (weather permitting). 4545800. Reservations required. Donations accepted.

TALONS Sunday, March 25 learn about hawks, falcons and more at Alley Pond Environmental Center. 229-4000. $10.

HONEY BEES Sunday, March 25 learn about the honeybee at Alley Pond Environmental Center.

229-4000. $8.

DEFENSIVE DRIVING Sunday, March 25 at the 109 th Police Precinct. 917841-7827.

VICTORIAN FLOWER Sunday, March 25 “The Victorian Bouquet and the Language of Flowers.” $20.

Bayside Historical Societ y in Bayside. 352-1548 to register.

BALLROOM DANCING Monday, March 26 at the Forest Hills library at 6:30.

JOB SEARCH Monday, March 26 at the South Jamaica library at 2.

POLISH RESUME Monday, March 26 at the Central library. 990-0700.

CROCHET Monday, March 26 at the Rosedale library at 4.

JOB SEARCH Monday, March 26 job search strategies at the Central library. 990-5102.

LI CRAFT CLUB Monday, March 26 at the Long Island Cit y library at 1.

JOB INTERVIEW PREP Monday, March 26 at the South Jamaica library. 9905135.

INTRO COMPUTERS Monday, March 26 at the Central library. 990-5102.

BRIDGE Mondays except holidays 12-4 at Pride of Judea in Douglaston. Lesson & play $10. Partners arranged. 4236200.

DRAWING CLASS Mondays National Art

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Queens Today

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Queens Today MEETINGS IAAP Saturday, March 24 Queens chapter of International Association of Administrative Professionals meet.

516-437-7038 evenings.

ST. ALBANS CIVIC Sunday, March 25 St. Albans Civic Improvement Association meets at 1:30 at St. Albans Lutheran Church, 200 th Street and 119 th Avenue in the undercroft.

JEWISH VETS Sunday, March 25 Jewish Wa r Ve tera n s o f th e U SA Lipsky/Blum Post meet at Garden Jewish Center. 4634742.

VFW 4787 Mondays, March 26, April 9, 23, May 14, 28 Whitestone VFW Community Post meets. 746-0540.

CIVIL AIR PATROL Mondays Falcon Senior Squadron at 7 at JFK Airport.

781-2359.

GREATER WOODHAVEN

Tuesdays, March 27, April 24, May 22, June 26 Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation Meeting at 7:30 at St. Thomas the Apostle, 87-49 87 th Street, first floor, Woodhaven.

MEN’S CLUB SOCCER Tu e s d a y e ve n i n g s F o r e st Hills Jewish Center 8-9:30.

263-7000.

FRESH MEADOW CAMERA Tu e s d ay s Fre s h M e a d ow s Camera Club. 917-6123463.

ADVANCED WRITERS Tuesdays Advanced Bayside Writers’ Group meets at 6:30 in t he Terrace Diner, 212-97 26 th Avenue, upper level.

FH VAC Wednesday, March 28 Fore st Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corp. 793-2055.

WOODHAVEN CULT. Wednesday, March 28 Woodhaven Cultural and Historical Societ y meets at

Page 26 Tribune March 22-28, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

TEENS LIVE WOLF Saturday, March 24 wolf conservation center at Alley Pond Environmental Center.

229-4000.

CHESS CLUB Saturdays Flushing library at 2.

TEEN STUDY Mondays through Thursdays at the Lefrak Cit y library at 4.

KNIT & CROCHET Mondays Douglaston/Little Neck library at 4.

TEEN CHESS Mondays at 6 Bayside library.

HOMEWORK & GAMES Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays homework help and teen gaming at the Fresh Meadows library at 4.

LIC CHESS CLUB Tuesdays LIC library at 4.

BOOK BUDDIES Tuesdays Windsor Park library at 4.

RESUME WRITING Wednesdays 4 Arverne library.

GAME DAY Wednesdays Howard Beachme: and St. Albans libraries at 4.

CHESS Wednesdays at 3:30 Queens Village library.

KNIT & CROCHET Wednesdays South Ozone Park library at 1. Knit at the Bayside librar y. Register.

KNITTING CLUB Wednesdays at the Bayside librar y. Register.

3D ECO ART Thursday, March 29 create

an environmentally themed painting at the Astoria library. Register.

MOTIVATIONAL WORK. Thursday, March 29 motivational workshop for teens at 5 at the Laurelton library.

DANCE & LITERACY Thursday, March 29 at the Cambria Heights library and the LIC library at 4. Friday, March 30 at the Ridgewood library at 4.

DANCE & LITERARY Thursday, March 29 Dance and Literary Workshop at the LIC library at 4.

JUST 4 TEENS Thursday, March 29 at the Hillcrest library at 3.

TEEN THURSDAYS T h u r s d ay s B ay Te r ra c e l i brary at 3.

CHESS CLUB Thursdays 4-5:30 Douglaston/Little Neck library. East Flushing library at 5.

WII GAMING Friday, March 30 wii gaming at the Astoria library at 4:30.

DANCE & LITERACY Friday, March 30 a t t h e Ridgewood library at 4.

TEEN HAPPY HOUR Fridays at 4 Flushing library.

CHESS CLUB Fridays Auburndale library a t 3 : 3 0 . Tu t o r i a l a t t h e Woodside library at 4.

ARTS & CRAFTS Fridays Briarwood library at 4.

GAME DAY Fridays Woodhaven library at 4:30.

Emanuel United Church of C h r i s t , 9 1 st A v e n u e a n d Woodhaven Blvd., Woodhaven at 1.

PUBLIC SPEAKING Saturday, March 31 learn how to communicate effectively. 10-12:15 at Elmhurst Hospital. 424-9754.

FLEA MARKETS SPRING FAIR Saturday, March 24 9-3 at UUCQ, 147-54 Ash Avenue, Flushing. Crafts, vendors, kids’ room, flea market, food and more.

FLEA MARKET Saturday, March 24 9-4 at Plattduetsche, Renken Apartments Great Room, 1140 Hempstead Turnpike, Franklin Square.

SPRING TREASURE Saturday, March 24 9:303:30 and Sunday, March 25 11:30-3:30 at Church of the R e s u r r e c t i o n , 8 5 - 0 9 1 1 8 th Street, Kew Gardens.

FLEA MARKET Saturday, March 24 9-4 at O u r L a d y o f H o p e , 7 8 th Street and Eliot Avenue, Middle Village.

INDOOR FLEA Saturday, March 31 at Trinit y United M e t h o d i st C h u r c h , 8 6 th A v e n u e a n d 108 th Street, Richmond Hill.

CRAFT/FLEA Saturday and Sunday, March 31, April 1 at Forest Hills HS, 67-01 110 th Street. 9-4.

HEALTH PSYCHOLOGICAL CENTER The Women’s Relationship Building Group provides a safe, respectful and accepting environment to learn about 5the impact of attachment st yles through the life cycle, explore current patterns and learn skills targeted to helping develop healthy relationships and connectedness, as well as to enhance self-esteem and well-being. Queens College Psychological Center. 5700500.

WILLING HEARTS Saturday, March 24 at the Cambria Heights library at 3. Wednesday, March 28 at the Douglaston/Little Neck library at 2. Willing Hearts, Helpful Hands workshop show how to provide your elderly fair loved ones with the care needed.

ALZHEIMERS Tuesdays, March 27, April 10, 24 Caregiver Support Group in Forest Hills. 5925757, ext. 237.

Parade Day

Councilmen Dan Halloran and Peter Vallone Jr. walked in Saturday’s parade.

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer salutes the crowd.

A contingent from St. John’s University shows some school pride in the parade. Photos by Ira Cohen.

Graduation Day

pix

Queens Events Edited By Harley Benson

Free Testing Corona resident Jimmy Hong, a dispatcher with MTA, watches the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Manhattan this past weekend.

Queens DA Richard A. Brown recently attended the first graduation ceremony of the Queens County Veterans Court. Pictured (from left) are The Hon. Sol Wachtler, The Hon. Marcia P. Hirsch, Brown, The Hon. Judy Harris Kluger, and the Hon. Fernando M. Camacho.

Dromm Honored

Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (right) joined McGruff the Crime Dog and members of the NYPD to call attention to the rise of thefts of smart phones and other electronic devices, typically taken right out of people’s hands, especially while riding the subway.

Queens County Bar Association hosted a mobile mammogram and clinical breast exam van at the Jamaica Supreme Court. Pictured (from left) are Barbara Flatts, Macon B. Allen Black Bar Association; Donna Furie, Queens Women’s Bar Association; Morgan Lancman, Brandeis Association; the Hon. Cheree Buggs, Queens County Bar Association and chairwoman of the Cancer Awareness Committee; Peter Lane, Catholic Lawyers Association; and Terry Catapano-Fox, Columbian Lawyers Association. Photo by Walter Karling.

Councilman Daniel Dromm (right) was recently honored at the fourth annual Gay St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Dance.

Dromm, pictured with fellow honoree Gail Kelley, was commended for being a founding member of St. Pat’s For All, Queens’ LGBT inclusive St. Patrick’s Day parade and celebration.

www.queenstribune.com • March 22-28, 2012 Tribune Page 37

Only You!

Models Of Queens

Acting The Part Ya Han Chang, like a lot of residents of Queens, loves the fact that the neighborhoods in the borough represent such an interesting diversity of cultural and ethnic groups. She enjoys sampling different cuisines, and likes that there are many places she can go for peace and quiet, unlike crowded and noisy Manhattan.

Chang, a 31-year-old who lives in Forest Hills, graduated from the American Musical and Drama Academy, and was focused on her musical and acting career, so she did not begin modeling until about four years ago.

She mostly does commercial work, but has had some lifestyle and casual wear gigs too.

She thought she was too short to be a model, but after working with photographers doing hair and makeup, she decided to step in front of the camera.

She is a professional musical theatre actress. When she is not involved in a Ya Han Chang production, she is busy pursuing a career Home: Forest Hills as a performing and recording artist, and she also teaches both voice and piano.

Age: 31 Though she's very busy, she does have Height: 5’7'’ time to enjoy things around the City, inWeight 127 cluding Flushing — where she works, 34-25-35 Forest Hills — where she lives, and Long Island City — with great night view along the East River.

Her goal has been to focus on anything connected to art and beauty, and being an actress, singer and model were careers she always wanted to pursue.

Page 38 Tribune March 22-28, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

Keeping An Eye Out Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. may be the elected official with the most entertaining Facebook page.

Vigilante justice is one of Vallone’s specialties. He posted on Monday, March 12 (this has 121 “likes” as of press time), “hey guy with the dirtbike, i saw you run it up into astoria park and ran your tail down with my bike and wrote down your license, 96GT15. expect a visit from 114 [precinct] tomorrow. guys like you give us all bad name...”

But Vallone’s license plate

posting was to no avail and the aggressive hog rider posted on Tuesday: turns out dirtbag on dirtbike is using a stolen plate. what a surprise. 114 and i cant wait to see you again at the park :) hey i know why don’t you stop by one of the thurs night concerts or the fireworks show i fund?? i got a good look at your face, so i’ll say hi, we can catch up...

Dirt bikers beware, Peter Vallone is watching you. And he ain’t no Easy Rider.

(Above right):Vallone on his hog

Stiffing Uncle Sam Queensbridge’s own rapping scoundrel, Nas, is at it again. This time, he is accused of keeping $339,000 in federal income taxes he owed in 2010.

According to official documents obtained by celebrity news agency TMZ, the government has placed a lien on his property.

And not paying taxes, amazingly, is not a new thing for the rapper born Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones. According to public Nas can’t stay out of trouble records, Nas is also on the hook for more than $6 million in back taxes from previous years.

So not only is Nas good at rapping and getting into feuds [see JayZ], but he is also good at stiffing Uncle Sam.

British PM David Cameron and U.S. President Barack Obama at a White House State Dinner, last week, dining on dessert with a Queens heritage.

With Queens For Dessert While Queens is quickly become the epicenter of the newish multicultural foodie phenomenon, it was some good ol’ eary American fare making the news. At last week’s White House State Dinner when British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha, were hosted and toasted by the Obamas, Queens food was front and center . . . for dessert.

According to State Dinner Program prepared by the White House: The dessert is Steamed Lemon Pudding, a nod to the traditional British treat. The pudding

is prepared with Idaho Huckleberry Sauce to unite the British and American favors. At the bottom of the pudding are Newtown Pippin Apples, which are believed to have been developed in Queens, New York in the early-18th century, and were grown by Thomas Jeferson and George Washington. Newtown Pippin Apples serve as a symbol of the American-British partnership—the apple was so favored by Queen Victoria that she had the customs duty on them eliminated.

Next time some grilled guinea pig from Corona?

Beginner’s Luck One Queens mom is thanking her tot for being $1 million richer.

Afsheen Ahsan credits her 2-yearold daughter, Anaya, for picking

Confidentially, New York . . .

her winning New York Poker instant scratch-off ticket.

She said her daughter reached up and touched the ticket at a Brooklyn convenience store, which she took as a sign to buy it.

Ahsan will receive $31,152 a year until 2031. Nice pick, Anaya!

Wedding Blues Days after a wedding, one of the things newlyweds look forward to is the arrival of photos from the big day. For one Queens couple, their candid shots became a part of a smear campaign. After complaining about missing photos, Richmond Hill’s Glamour Me Studio allegedly posted photos of Edward and Camile Handy Photoshopped into risqué poses.

The couple says the studio went out of their way to demean them, including Internet claims that Ed Handy is a sex offender and posting their home address online.

So much for wedded bliss.