Queens Tribune Epaper by Michael Nussbaum

Vol. 42, No. 16 April 19-25, 2012

Page 34

School Daze

Delta Breaks Ground At LaGuardia Page 11

Racial Politics Consume 6th District Race Page 15

Athletes Discuss Their Road To The Olympics F

Page 18

As the vote on closures looms, Queens residents are holding out hope that the eight schools in the borough identified as underperforming can be saved. By Tribune staff …..... Page 3.

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I N S I D E Deadline....................................................................3 This Week.................................................................5 Editorial....................................................................6 Not 4 Publication.....................................................8 Police Blotter.........................................................10 Focus......................................................................14 Trib Pix....................................................................16 Leisure....................................................................18 Queens Today........................................................20 Classifieds..............................................................24 Confidential............................................................34

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Queens Deadline School Turnaround:

Tensions High As Vote Looms

Elected officials and community leaders spoke out against the closure of Flushing High School (left) and August Martin High School (right) last week.

Photo by Jason Pafundi

crowded Northern Boulevard, tensions are especially high because teachers and elected officials believe the school is not actually failing. Flushing earned a “D” on its latest report card, though graduation rates have been rising for three years. Its graduation rate is 60 percent, up from 54 percent three years ago. Elected officials and community members have joined together for two rallies to keep Flushing open thus far. A student and teacher-led rally, drawing hundreds, spilled out into the streets last month. Teachers at Flushing say that the school, with its large immigrant and English Language Learner population, faces unique challenges that higherperforming high schools do not. Since students no longer have to attend schools in the zones they live in, a “demographic breakout” is created, as Schools Chancellor Den-

Long Island Cit y High School students came out to support their school during a rally last week.

nis Walcott has noted. Non-immigrant students can flock to high schools with higher test scores and graduation rates like Bayside and Benjamin Cardozo, leaving Flushing to grapple with the twin challenges of educating students and ensuring they can adapt to an unfamiliar language and culture. “Michael Bloomberg, give us a chance,” said John Choe, founding director of One Flushing, a community economic development center. “School turnaround is not a green light for you to be a dictator. Flushing is 30 percent over capacity.” Attack On Immigrants? In Long Island City and Astoria, two schools that have been around for almost 200 years are on the mayor’s chopping block. Bryant and LIC have insisted that their schools are getting better, not worse, and are hoping the message from students, faculty, staff, parents and the community at large is heard by the DOE and the mayor. State Sen. Mike Gianaris (DAstoria), a graduate of LIC, said that he has yet to hear one specific reason why closing these schools is in the best interest of the students. “The schools are making slow and steady progress and are headed in the right direction,” Gianaris said. “There is no reason to take such a drastic step.” Many community leaders in Astoria and LIC say the closing of these two schools — both located in areas with very large foreign populations — is an attack on the immigrants that make Queens the most diverse county in the nation. Gianaris and Assemblywoman

Aravella Simotas (D-Astoria) expressed concern that Bloomberg just recently spared seven schools and removed them from his closure list, yet none of the schools were in Queens. “You have to look at who attends these comprehensive public high schools, and the majority of them are immigrant students,” said Simotas, herself a graduate of Bryant. “It takes them a little bit longer to graduate. Why should we penalize these kids and tell them that their school is a failing school?” Experience Needed June-like heat and humidity on April 16 did not stop elected officials, clergy and the community from gathering on the steps of August Martin High School in South Jamaica. An hour before the joint public hearing, dozens rallied to make sure their concerns were heard. “It’s so unfortunate that in this community, we have to continue to fight because the mayor does not understand. He doesn’t care,” State Sen. Shirley Huntley (D-Jamaica) said. August Martin received a “D” on its most recent report card, despite a rising graduation rate. According to PTA President Jose Ferruzola, the school’s graduation rate has risen to nearly 70 percent in the last three years and has seen improvement on Regents exam scores. The school started its school improvement plan at the beginning of the 2011-12 year and is already seeing progress. Adding to the animosity between the community and DOE is

the firing of Principal Anthony Cromer at the beginning of the month. According to Ferruzola, Cromer was walked out of the school in front of his students in the middle of the day. Cromer was replaced with a new principal to finish out the remaining months of the school year. “Stop sending these inexperienced principals to the schools in our community,” the Rev. Charles Norris Sr. said. “Give us somebody who knows how to handle our young people and these schools.” Ferruzola said the DOE and Walcott – who attended PS 36 and JHS 192 in St. Albans – were being used as puppets for Bloomberg’s plan. Vote Next Week Many have said the turnaround plan was implemented in retaliation for the disagreement between the DOE and the United Federation of Teachers on teacher evaluations. According to the DOE, even if the two are able to reach an agreement on evaluations, it will likely take at least two more years for poor performing teachers to be removed from the classroom. The agency argues that the stalemate led to the DOE examining other available options to improve the quality of teachers. Each Queens school will learn its fate next week when the DOE votes on the turnaround proposal on April 26 in Brooklyn. If passed, the plan will be implemented immediately. Reporters Ross Barkan, Veronica Lewin and Jason Pafundi contributed to this story. Reach the editorial department at (718) 357-7400 or email news@queenstribune.com.

www.queenstribune.com • April 19-25, 2012 Tribune Page 3

Unique Challenges At Flushing High School, where a neo-gothic edifice looms over

Tribune Photos by Ira Cohen

By QUEENS TRIBUNE STAFF “Save our school” has become the three-word mantra of Queens’ education scene in 2012. Rallies, town hall meetings and public hearings have all served as a public rebuke of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s educational policies as his third term wanes. Spanning the borough east to west, eight high schools have been targeted for closure as part of the Dept. of Education and the Mayor’s office’s plan to close 26 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 implement a federally approved improvement plan. From the viewpoint of parents, teachers and elected officials, the closures —known as “turnarounds” by the DOE — of Flushing, William Cullen Bryant, Long Island City, Grover Cleveland, August Martin, Newtown, Richmond Hill and John Adams will breed chaos and uncertainty for everyone involved because up to 50 percent of a school’s staff could be replaced. The DOE has been vague on the particulars of what the turnaround plan will entail, but it is likely the eight high schools will be broken into smaller institutions and given new names. According to the agency, all current students will be guaranteed a seat at the new school.

Towns Retirement Clears Primary Picture

Page 4 Tribune April 19-25, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

By DOMENICK RAFTER For the first time in more than a decade, Queens will elect at least two new members of Congress in November. U.S. Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-Brooklyn) announced that he would retire from Congress at the end of the year after weeks of rumors that he would step down. Towns faced a primary against Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries (D-Brooklyn) and Councilman Charles Barron (D-Brooklyn) in a Brooklyn-based district that was expanded in redistricting to include Ozone Park,

Lindenwood and Howard Beach. “After months of long family discussions, I have decided not to seek reelection for my seat in the United States House of Representatives,” Towns said in a statement released Monday. He has represented a district based in East New York and Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn since 1983. He has often been a target in Democratic primaries, especially after his controversial endorsement of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 1997. Giuliani lost his district badly in that year’s

election. Towns came close to losing in also submitted petitions. In the 12th district that includes Astoria 2006 when he defeated Barron by 10 percent in that year’s primary. From 2009 to and Long Island City, Chris Wight, who has 2011, Towns was the chairman of the House worked in the financial industry, announced Oversight and Government Reform Com- his candidacy as a Republican against U.S. mittee. He is the second most senior mem- Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Astoria). Wight has received the ballot line of the ber of New York’s House delIndependence Party and Conegation after U.S. Rep. Charles servative Party. Another GOP Rangel (D-Manhattan). Jeffries candidate, David Paul Garland, had recently picked up a cavalhas also filed petitions for the cade of labor support and reprimary. U.S. Rep, Joseph ceived the Working Families Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) will Party’s ballot line. Queens not face a primary, but two ReDemocrats had endorsed publican candidates; William Towns for reelection and Gibbons of the Bronx and Walter switched their endorsement to Iwachiw of Sunnyside have filed Jeffries on Tuesday. One Repetitions for the ballot, as did publican has filed for the race, one Green Party candidate, AnAlan Bellone and one Green thony Gronowicz of the Bronx. Party candidate as filed, Colin U.S. Rep. In Southeast Queens, U.S. Rep. Beavan, both of Brooklyn. Edolphus Towns Greg Meeks (D-Jamaica) will see Meanwhile Queens voters in other districts got a clearer picture of who a primary race against former Councilman will appear on their ballots. A third candidate Allan Jennings, hip-hop artist Michael Scala has jumped into the Democratic primary that and Joseph Marthone. Jennings has also filed already features incumbent U.S. Rep. Nydia to run as a Republican in the district that now Velazquez (D-Brooklyn) and Councilman includes all of the Rockaway Peninsula and Erik Martin Dilan (D-Brooklyn) for the new parts of Nassau County. All petitions for the June primary were 7th Congressional district, which includes Woodhaven and Ridgewood. Dan O’Conner, due Monday. Candidates have until Friday to an economist and businessman who lived in accept or decline party nominations. Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at China for six years, is running and courting 357-7400 Ext. 125 or the district’s growing Chinese community. ( 7 1 8 ) A fourth candidate, George Martinez, has drafter@queenstribune.com.

Queens This Week Solutions Sought For High Gas Prices

CB5 Supports New School Construction A proposed public school in Ridgewood moved closer to reality last week when Community Board 5 gave its support to the construction. The 444-seat primary school would be located at 360 Seneca Ave. at the site of the old St. Aloysius School between DeKalb Avenue and Stockholm Street. The parochial school, part of the parish that includes the imposing church with its iconic green bell towers a block away on Onderdonk Avenue, closed in 2009 due to low enrollment. Though the school building was built in 1966, the School Construction Authority said the building is insufficient to meet the needs of the new public school and SCA will demolish it and construct a new building on the 29,000-square foot site. Community Board 5 held a public meet-

Nursing Home Workers Attack Unfair Practices Seeking a new contract since 2010, the workers at Ozanam Hall Nursing Home of Queens are now appealing to religious leaders and community members to recognize what they believe are unfair and deleterious working conditions. Though Kate Meckler from UFCW Local 342's communications depar tment would not disclose the exact terms that UFCW Local 342, who represents the workers, and Bayside-based Ozanam Hall, a Catholic nursing home, are contesting, Meckler said the 400-plus member union seeks "fair wage increases and protecting every thing that was in effect in the old contract." The union is seeking a new contract since their old four year contract expired in 2010. Ozanam Hall, according to the union, wants to freeze wages and reduce the hours of the workers. Meckler also claims that after Ozanam Hall said financial difficulties were preventing them from giving workers wage increases, an accounting firm hired by the union found that Ozanam Hall was misrepresenting their finances and had money in their reserve accounts. Certified nurses' assistants, licensed practical nurses, housekeepers, service and maintenance workers and clerical staff make up the union. "I feel like they're not being respectful of workers wanting to work on new contract," Meckler said. "It's like they're indifferent to how workers will survive. There's a lack of urgency." A union release said that "heartfelt" letters and videos have been sent to religious leaders, though Meckler said there has not been a response so far. Ozanam Hall's latest proposal would include lump sum bonuses that, after taxes, do not amount to very much, the union claims. However, the union has not considered striking or picketing as of yet.

Cookie Sale:

Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder joined Daisy Troop 4286 and Brownie Troop 4615 from St. Barnabas in Howard Beach at their Annual Girl Scout Cookie Sale with Distric t Leader Frank Gulluscio and Deput y Borough President Barr y Grodenchik at Queens Borough Hall. In addition to raising money for their troop's ac tivities, the girls also raised money to send cookies to our troops overseas.

Ozanam Hall did not respond to requests for comment as of press time. Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 127 or rbarkan@queens.tribune.com . -Ross Barkan

New York Superfoods Takes Grand Prize Long Island City-based New York Superfoods Inc. was the grand prize winner at the Third Annual Next Big Small Brand tasting event at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on March 27. Earlier in March, the company, which operates out of the Entreprenuer Space on 37th Street in LIC, won the Editor’s Choice Award for Food & Beverage at the National Products Expo held at the Anaheim Convention Center in California. Founded by husband-and-wife Jason and Catherine Walsh, New York Superfoods makes health bites called “Chia Chargers” and a full line of chia peanut butters called “ChiaKind.” All the company’s products contain the chia seed, a mild-tasting member of the mint family that ancient Mayan warriors allegedly used to fuel their bodies before battle. Chia seeds are high in fiber and protein and also contain Omega-3 essential fatty acids. Walsh said that a portion of the sales of ChiaKind nut butters will be donated to various charities. Reach Reporter Jason Pafundi at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 128, or jpafundi@queenstribune.com. -Jason Pafundi

Cookbook Raises Money For Autism Awareness April is "Autism Awareness Month" and Keil Bros Garden Center & Nursery in Bayside wanted to recognize the month in a way few institutions ever have. A fundraiser would be necessary, they realized, but two employees in part icular t hought of a slightly different fundraising method: selling a cookbook. During a brainstorming session last year, the employees of Keil Bros decided that they wanted to honor the great-grandson of Keil Bros' founder, Henry Keil. Alex Keil, 17, has autism, and the employees decided they would raise money for the charity Autism Speaks by selling a cookbook for $10 in their store. The cookbook, available now exclusively at Keil Bros, was printed by Morris Press and contains recipes from employees and customers. Chicken, fish, dessert and drink recipes are all available. Two longtime employees, Lynne Buckley and Kathie Cosky helped coordinate the effort s to create the book. "We wanted to do something to help those with autism," said Russ Bodenhorn, general manager at Keil Bros. "This was the way to do it." A local church had also fundraised with a cookbook and Bodenhorn said it was a hit in the store: ever yone was flipping through its pages. Keil Bros, founded in 1930, is celebrating its 82nd year of existence. It is located at 210-11 48th Ave. Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 127 or rbarkan@queenstribune.com. -Ross Barkan

www.queenstribune.com • April 19-25, 2012 Tribune Page 5

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) has announced he is introducing legislation in the State Senate that would require the City to compute its sales and compensating use tax for gasoline and diesel fuels at a flat, cents per gallon, rate rather than the current percentage per gallon rate. At Kramer's Service Station in Flushing, Avella joined the fray of local elected officials positing solutions to high gas prices. Councilman Peter Vallone (D-Astoria) has argued that gas taxes should be suspended for the summer months. Now running for congress, Councilman Dan Halloran (RWhitestone) has also placed lower gas prices at the center of his capaign. "As we all cr y out in pain over the rapid increase of gas prices the past few months, the City is quietly sit ting back and collecting an unfair and underserved surge in revenue," stated Avella. "Not only are consumers being gouged by the base price of oil but they are also being gouged by the City collecting a percentage rate. With the rapid increase in gas prices, the City is receiving an undeserved windfall tax revenue at the expense of its commuters." Gas prices are skyrocketing this year due to a variety of factors, including tensions in the Middle East and energy demands from growing nations like India and China. Recently, it was reported that a surprising boost in global inventories, par ticularly supply increases from Saudi Arabia, may drive gas prices back down. Avella argued that with prices in New York st ill over four dollars a gallon, a new way to assess gas taxes is needed. Currently, New York State taxes consumers a flat rate of 8 cents per gallon for retail gas sales. The flat rate remains constant regardless of the fluctuation in the price of gas. The City charges consumers a percentage of the sale price per gallon of gas on top of the State's sales tax. Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 127 or rbarkan@queenstribune.com. -Ross Barkan

ing on the proposed school on April 10 at PS 305, which is located across the street from the site of the proposed new school on Seneca Avenue. A spokesman for the Dept. of Education said the agency is still in the process of acquiring the site, so there is not yet any timeline for completion. According to a Notice of Filing issued in March, SCA is still accepting comments on the proposed school until May 5. The school will be one of nine primary schools to operate in Ridgewood, including seven already in existence and one proposed for the site of a former Rite Aid on Metropolitan Avenue which has already opened in its temporary location at IS 73 in Maspeth. Ridgewood is part of District 24, which includes Ridgewood, Maspeth, Middle Village, Woodside and Glendale as well as Corona, East Elmhurst and Elmhurst and is notorious for its crowded schools because of the large number of families living in these neighborhoods. Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 125 or drafter@queenstribune.com. -Domenick Rafter

Edit Page In Our Opinion:

A Game Of Chicken When it comes to the plans to close the 26 “persistently lowest achieving schools” in the City, confusion and uncertainty about the future have been the only constant. Many officials have expressed concern over the proposal and are still waiting for word as to why Mayor Mike Bloomberg’s turnaround proposal is the best way to go. Lost in the confusion is the fact that the proposal is largely a political ploy to secure federal education grants. A document circulated by the Dept. of Education during a public hearing on the closure of August Martin High School in South Jamaica noted that the “Restart” model is the result of the DOE’s and the United Federation of Teachers’ inability to come to an agreement on teacher evaluations. Some of these schools have shown marked improvement in graduation rates and other key criteria, but yet they remain on the closure list, a tactic used to rid the school system of potentially underperforming teachers. If the Panel For Educational Policy decides next week to approve the proposal to close the 26 schools, it will be because the DOE and UFT decided to play a game of chicken over teacher evaluations. Is this really the best way to ensure a quality education for the students in the City?

In Your Opinion:

Page 6 Tribune April 19-25, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

Hollow Outrage To The Editor: Recently, Assemblyman Rory Lancman, a congressional candidate in a four-way Democratic primary, blasted the Queens County Democratic organization for “injecting a fraudulent candidate into the race” after Jeffrey Gottlieb announced he would run. Lancman alleged that local Democrats were attempting to deceive Jewish voters in the district and siphon votes away from him. Lancman’s campaign manager went so far as to call Gottlieb’s candidacy a “malicious” scheme “designed to manipulate the electoral process.” Such patronizing statements about Jewish voters are deeply insulting. Is Assemblyman Lancman suggesting that Jewish voters are incapable of differentiating be-

tween candidates and automatically vote for the one with the Jewish sounding name? Does Mr. Lancman believe that only he can represent people of his faith and that he is justified in excoriating a candidate simply because he has a Jewish name and has chosen to challenge him in a primary? Such pejorative statements by Mr. Lancman unmask his public persona and belie a contorted view of his constituents. According to the local press, Mr. Gottlieb was installed into a taxpayer-funded patronage job at the Board of Elections by the Queens County Democratic organization. Lancman suggests that Gottlieb is a “sham” candidate put up by the County organization to split the Jewish vote so that their anointed candidate, Assemblywoman Grace Meng wins. Lancman calls Gottlieb’s entrance in the race,

Michael Schenkler Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

“Cynically fleecing Jewish voters with a sham candidacy…“and further calls it “particularly appalling.” What is particularly appalling is Lancman’s lack of concern about these tax-payer funded patronage jobs. His professed shock that the Queens County Democratic organization would do such a thing to help guarantee a win for their preferred candidate is disingenuous. Lancman’s mock outrage rings hollow, as he himself has been an obsequious and unquestioning insider and loyal field marshal for the Democratic County Machine for years. He knows very well this is nothing more than politics as usual, being himself the product of the county organization who dutifully served the role of spoiler for other candidates in the past. Suddenly he is critical of this practice, because he may not be the beneficiary this time. Bob Friedrich, Glen Oaks Village

Judge On Merits To The Editor: I fail to understand the brouhaha over the candidacy of Mr. Jeff Gottlieb in the Sixth Congressional District, claiming it is a ploy to deprive candidate Rory Lancman of the “Jewish vote”. (Challenger Raises Ire In Sixth District - Queens Tribune April 12-18, 2012) The criteria for one seeking public office is intelligence, honesty and a commitment to seek and support legislation that serves the needs and interests of all the people and not just the few with political and financial connections. Excluded are the person’s religion; one who wears religion on their sleeves; panders to a specific religious group and violates the constitutional requirement of separation of church and state by seeking legislation that infuses his or her religious beliefs. A claim Jews will only vote for a Jewish candidate, is demeaning, and insult to the many Jews who support a candidate based upon his or her merits and and not religious persuasion. In his quest for elective

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Honor Volunteers To The Editor: “Here’s to all volunteers, those dedicated people who believe in all work and no pay,” penned by speechwriter Robert Orben. This National Volunteer Week, April 15-21, the American Red Cross Greater New York Region is celebrating our own dedicated volunteers and partners, the people who make the American Red Cross run. Here in Queens, volunteers bring food, shelter, comfort and hope to nearly 2,500 residents each year faced with rebuilding after a fire, flood, building collapse or other local disaster. Volunteers provide services to members of the military, veterans and their families, including communications linking military members to their loved ones during an emergency. Red Cross volunteers teach first

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office, I wish Mr. Lancman luck but suggest he focus on important issues he will face and not on a dubious and irrelevant question of religion. As to Mr. Gottlieb, it should be noted in passing he spent decades working for the Queens Democratic Party without ever being nominated for elective office by the party bosses. The Queens Democratic Party leadership, far from being anywhere within the realm of a democracy and I say this as a lifelong registered Democrat, is known together, with boss politics in other boroughs as the nepotism capitol. In heavily entrenched one-party districts, primaries are expensive and rare and the boss selection gets the nod. That nod is often, the wife or the son of an official retiring or seeking other office. Mr. Gottlieb was never genealogically qualified as a member of the nepotism club. If he wishes to seek office, as does Mr. Lancman he has the right to do so, and he should be judged on his merits, not his religion. Benjamin M. Haber, Flushing

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aid, CPR, swimming, babysitting, and other health and safety courses. They staff community fairs to encourage their neighbors to learn these lifesaving skills and they organize celebrations to recognize people who use their Red Cross training to save lives. If you’re looking to serve your community, become a Red Cross volunteer. Right now the Greater New York Region needs people to help provide relief and comfort to their neighbors after local disasters. To learn more about ways to volunteer and how to sign up, visit www.nyredcross.org/volunteers. Dianne Auger, Interim CEO, American Red Cross Greater New York Region

Reactionar y Pr inciples To The Editor: Turning the clock back to Jim Crow, taking abortion rights back to the 1950s, returning women’s roles back to the 1950s, putting blacks back in their place, to put government in your bedroom and your doctor’s office, putting corporations in charge, to diminish union rights, to deny children, the poor and the elderly healthcare and to destabilize markets for political gain are not conservative principles - they are reactionary. Let’s call it for what it really is and stop pretending otherwise. Jay Stewart, Forest Hills

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The Jewish Congressional Seat Is Another False Idol

The Reform Jews have moved en mass to Long Island, leaving few thriving Reform synagogues, where there used to be many, in Queens. The Conservative Jews have moved to Florida – and their children quickly found comfort in the Reform movement – that is a first-hand observation. The Conservative Jewish synagogues which survive in Queens do so largely because mortgages were paid long ago and schools, camps and others provide rental income in terribly underused buildings. Orthodox Jewish synagogues are now abundant while in years

past they were few. Bukharian Jews who came here from central Asia (formerly Russia and currently Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) have begun to make a difference in New York elections. The surprise victory of Bob Turner and an uncertain result in a Brooklyn Senate Special election have demonstrated orthodox Jews can be gotten to vote as a block and make a difference. However, as we look at the Congressional Primar y in CD6, abuzz over which Jewish candidate is the real one, we must point out that a large number of the Orthodox Jews are registered Republican and cannot participate in the June 26 congressional primary. The concern of Jewish organizations that Queens has always had a Jewish member of Congress should not be a factor. It will have a quite capable one. Steve Israel, the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee – the third ranking Democrat in Congress – has been redrawn into a district that includes a large block of Queens Jews – Bay Terrace and North Shore Towers will both be represented by Israel. Presently, the only Jewish representative is

Gary Ackerman, whose district, like Israel’s, has a significant portion of Long Island. So, should there be a Jewish seat? Of course not. We should send a representative to Congress to advocate for all the people of the District. Does t he Je wish infighting mean anything? Not really; it’s politics as usual. But it has gotten down and dirty, with 40 year-old dirt being dug up on one of the Jewish candidates. Ror y L ancma n, who ar rogantly has declared he is the real Jew in the race, is otherwise a competent legislator with tie s to the Jewish community. Jeff Gottlieb is a lifelong civic activist with long time ties to the Jewish community. Grace Meng is an Asian American woman, a legislator who has been to Israel and has the same positions as Lancman and Gottlieb on Israel. I’m not sure where Liz Crowley, the other candidate in the race, stands, but my guess is that she’s pret ty close to Grace and Rory and Jeff on the defense of the only true democracy in the Middle East.

Israel Is Safe

Photo by Ira Cohen

By MICHAEL SCHENKLER The “Jewish Seat” is something that has a cacophonous ring. I guess the children of Abraham once were a dominant force in Queens.

With so much talk about a Queens Jewish Congressional seat, our borough’s newest Congessmanto-be, Steve Israel, paid us a visit. He looked an awful lot like the Congressman we know from our newspapers in Huntington, Suffolk, L.I. Welcome to Queens, Steve. And now Dr. Bob Mit tman, another Jewish sounding name, I am told has been circulating petitions to join the three-ring circus. He’s an allergist, but I’d bet he agrees with the rest of the field on Israel. And Juan “Ada” Sheng, another Asian woman, has filed with what we hear are petitions unlikely to survive review, compounds the likely accustions of race splitting. Israel is not an issue in this race

and neither is Judaism. And those who are trying to say otherwise are divisive and self serving. The President’s position, this countr y’s posit ion a nd Israel’s safet y w il l remai n uncha nged whether the Irish Catholic, the Asian American or any of the Jews get elected. Where I come from, ballot access is much too difficult in New York and anyone showing the minimal effort should not have to go through extensive legal proceedings to keep their name on the ballot. This writer and this paper oppose the costly litigious process utilized in New York, where those with big dollars and big organizations with lawyers use their financial or legal power to exhaust another candidate – financially or energy-wise — in an undemocratic process of petition challenges. If you participate in such a process, you are anti-democratic. If you see it going on, condemn those who challenge. If you see it going on in the name of a religion, condemn those who challenge and pray for their souls. MSchenkler@Gmail.com

Page 8 Tribune April 19-25, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

A New York Banana Republic Sliced To Order By HENRY STERN Looking down at Albany as the 2012 legislative session begins its slow march into local history, we see an aura of tranquility, justified pride in a handful of modest achievements and, above all, relief that the institution survived its decennial brush with the State Const itut ion which regrettably now permits the disgraceful gerrymandering which enables a minority party to remain in power despite diminished political strength and popular support. The injustice of malapportionment extends to every fiber of the legislature and permeates whatever action it takes, even if the act is otherwise legitimate. New York has the ultimate opposite of a level playing field: a field that shifts capriciously and arbitrarily at the whim of favored players whose mission it is to make certain that no other faction, tribe or party gets the privileged place in government and the influence over the private sector which the insiders have enjoyed, sometimes justly and often unjustly, for a half-century.

The year began with the governor publicly committed to redistricting by an impartial body rather than by the legislature itself. The legislative session so far has already seen the abandonment of that principle, which had been rejected, and the great majority of the legislators, including all of the Senate Republicans, renouncing their public pledge to Mayor Koch and a coalition of civic leaders. The public may ask why anyone should believe promises made by politicians, even if they are in writing, signed, sealed and delivered. One could argue that politics involves the exercise of judgment by elected officials and that any prior commitment which impairs or limits the free exercise of that judgment, would impair the legislative process. A few of them used that excuse for not signing the pledge, claiming that it would limit their freedom to use their own judgment. If you believe that rationalization, there is no reason to seek or accept any pledge by a political candidate or to ask anyone to take

a posit ion on any mat ter. One could not violate a standard of truthfulness if there were no such standard. Others believe that, at least on basic issues and the absence of completely changed circumstances, candidates will appeal to the public to support them on the basis of certain issues and that voters who rely on candidates’ promises have a right not to be ignored and for their views to be respected. If the only remedy for lies by politicians is the opportunity to defeat those politicians in the districts they have gerrymandered for their personal convenience then democracy has suffered. Our newspapers look at countries around the world and grandly call them free, partially free or unfree dictatorships. If the electoral process is so corrupted by permanent fraudulent districting, which denies the public the right to elect representatives of their choosing, then we must consider ourselves only partially free, like Myanmar. Just because names of candidates appear on the ballot, does

not necessarily mean that voters have a real choice between candidates of different viewpoints. As long as districting is done arbitrarily, in secret and for the benefit of incumbents at the expense of everyone not part of the insider’s scheme, we cannot say that New

York State government is truly free. Our ship of state carries a great deal of baggage, which slows it up and threatens to drag it down. The voters may have the last word, but by then there may not be much left to say. StarQuest@NYCivic.org

Not 4 Publication.com by Dom Nunziato

By ROSS BARK AN Revolutionary War-era soldiers could not have fathomed a tube pumping gasoline into an automobile or a monstrous highway bearing those very same automobiles across a metropolis. The concept of a neighborhood devoted exclusively to repairing automobiles would have been equally alien. Yet there was Joseph Ardizzone, the only legal resident of Willets Point, walking about a Sunoco gas station clad in a tricorn hat and knickers, a wizened reminder that many had failed to transform Willets Point before Mayor Michael Bloomberg, including the master builder himself, Robert Moses. Ardizzone was one of dozens of protesters, including political rivals Councilman Dan Halloran (RWhitestone) and State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside), to pack a Northern Boulevard gas station to continue their fight against development at Willets Point, more particularly the use of eminent domain to seize private properties. Organized by Michael Rikon, an attorney for Willets Point development opposition group Willets Point United, the rally had a desperate

Tribune Photo By Ross Barkan

Willets Opponents Fight Eminent Domain

Joe Ardizonne, clad in Revolutionary War-era garb, stands with State Sen. Tony Avella, WPU lawyer Michael Rikon and Councilman Dan Halloran to support anti-eminent domain legislation. tenor because time may be running out for the property owners and workers of Willets Point: the Federal Highway Administration recently approved the City Economic Development Corporation’s proposal for new ramps on the nearby Van Wyck Expressway, implying that the traffic burden of an eventual Willets Point development would not be great enough to override the project itself. The State Dept. of Transportation must rule on the ramp plan as

well. “It’s always been my understanding that eminent domain should only be used in those isolated cases when we are talking about a public highway, a hospital, a school, something that has a real public purpose,” Avella said. “With this, we’re going to take somebody’s private business to give it to a big developer, who’s another private business, who’s going to make millions of dollars. To me, that’s the oppo-

site of the American dream.” Eminent domain refers to the ability of a governmental body to seize private property for public use. Critics of eminent domain use believe it has been abused to enrich a few private developers at the expense of many private property owners. Rikon called attention to the “Private Property Rights Protection Act of 2012,” a bill that would prohibit eminent domain use by any state or political subdivision for economic development if that state or political subdivision receives federal funds. The bill would also prevent the federal government from using eminent domain for economic development. The bill, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives, waits in the U.S. Senate. Supporters have conceded that it will likely fail to pass the Senate. However, if it did, the Willets Point development plan, approved by the City Council in 2008 and broken up into multiple phases, could be jeopardized. “I am upset at people who believe a Gucci store and luxury apartment buildings serve a greater public interest than repair and body fender shops,” said Benjamin

Haber, president of the Kew Gardens Hills Civic Association. Most Queens elected officials have endorsed the City’s plan to eventually clear Willets Point of its auto body shops and build hotels, stores and housing in its place. A convention center idea has been floated as well, though its feasibility is questioned. Workers at Willets Point, predominately Hispanic, have accused the NYPD of regularly harassing them in a concerted attempt to force them out of the Iron Triangle. The NYPD has denied these allegations. The City Law Department contends that proponents of the Private Property Rights Protection Act are not looking at the larger effects of the bill. “If this bill were to become law, important revitalization projects, such as the ones that gave new life to Times Square, Metrotech and Lincoln Center, wouldn’t be possible and it would also jeopardize the long-sought redevelopment of Willets Point,” stated Lisa BoyaHiat, Deputy Chief, NYC Law Department. Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 127 or rbarkan@queenstribune.com

www.queenstribune.com • April 19-25, 2012 Tribune Page 9

Compiled by JASON PAFUNDI

107th Precinct GIRL ASSAULTED: The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance in locating the suspect who is wanted in connection with a sexual assault that occurred on April 9. At 1:25 p.m. on that day, the victim, an 11-year-old black female, was walking in the vicinity of 76th Avenue and 160th Street when she was approached by the suspect, who grabbed her buttocks before fleeing. The victim did not request medical attention as a result of this incident. The suspect is described as being an Indian or Guyanese, 21-25 years old, 5-foot9 and 135 lbs with a spiked hairstyle. Anyone with information in regards to this incident 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.

Page 10 Tribune April 19-25, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

110th Precinct BUS DRIVER BUSTED: On April 12 at 9 a.m., officers responded to Christie Avenue and 99th Street for a 911 call of a child left alone on a parked bus. When police arrived, they discovered the victim, a twoyear-old Hispanic female alone and inside of the unattended parked private school bus. Police were able to gain entry into the bus and remove the child who was then taken to the 110th Precinct where she was reunited with her mother. EMS also responded to the precinct and determined the child was in good physical condition. Bus driver Ana Garcia, 62, was arrested and charged with Failure to Exercise Control of a Minor. 111th Precinct FATAL FIRE: On April 15 at approximately 4:40 a.m., police responded to a 911 call of a residential fire at 45-08 189 St. in Auburndale. Upon extinguishment of the fire by FDNY, officers observed the victim, 63-year-old Joanne Brown, unconscious and unresponsive. EMS responded to the location and pronounced the victim dead at the scene. 113th Precinct GUN-TOTING MAN ARRESTED: On April 11 at approximately 5:10 p.m., in the vicinity of 115th Street and 116th Road, detectives from the Queens Narcotics division attempted to pull over a blue 2009 Dodge Avenger sedan, occupied by three males. The vehicle fled northbound on 149th Street and collided into a parked and unoccupied minivan in front of 116-41 149th St., and then the suspects exited the vehicle and fled the location. One of the suspects was apprehended in the rear of a building on Sutphin Blvd. by responding officers and taken to Jamaica Hospital for minor injuries. A fully loaded AR 15 rifle and two fully loaded 380 caliber firearms were recovered. James Graham, 27, from Brooklyn, was

arrested and charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon - Loaded Firearm (2nd Degree), Reckless Endangerment (1st Degree) and Unlawful Fleeing a Police Officer in a Motor Vehicle (1st Degree). 114th Precinct LARCENER WANTED: The NYPD is asking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspects wanted for a grand larceny at a storage facility. On March 16 at 4 p.m., two suspects entered the Storage Deluxe storage facility, located at 39-25 21st St., and removed a Yamaha keyboard and a musician’s bench. The suspects are described as white or Hispanic males between 30-40 years old. Queens DA MAN SENTENCED: Queens DA Richard Brown announced that 29-year-old Shawn Forde, of 137-50 229th St., has pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in the October 2010 shooting death of a Queens bodega owner who was trying to protect his brother during a robbery. Forde has been in jail since his arraignment on Halloween 2010. Queens Supreme Court Justice Richard Buchter scheduled sentencing for May 1 and indicated he would sentence the defendant to 15 years in state prison. According to the criminal charges, Forde entered the Lucky Deli, located at 220-26 Merrick Blvd., at approximately 9:50 p.m., on Oct. 23, 2010, and displayed a .45-caliber pistol and grabbed the deli’s owner, Felix Torres, who was behind the cash register, and slammed his head into the counter demanding money. Immediately after Torres handed Forde money from the cash register, his brother, 54-yeae-old Juan Torres, who was in the back of the store, came to his aid and was fatally shot once in the head. Forde then fled the scene. MAN CHARGED: DA Richard Brown announced that 60-year-old Far Rockaway man Ronald Baker has been charged with sexually assaulting a woman during a robbery two months ago. Baker is awaiting arraignment in Queens Criminal Court on a criminal complaint charging him with predatory sexual assault, firstdegree criminal sexual act and first-degree robbery. If convicted, Baker faces up to 12 ½ years to life in prison. According to the charges, Baker followed his 66-year-old victim into her Jamaica apartment building on the afternoon of Feb. 27, placed a knife to her side and pushed her inside her apartment. Once inside, it is alleged that Baker demanded the victim’s money and jewelry or he would kill her. It is further alleged that after the victim gave Baker four bracelets, a silver necklace and silver earrings, he sexually assaulted her. Police secured a floor mat that allegedly tested positive for semen and DNA testing matched it to Baker, whose DNA profile was on file with New York State.

Liu Audits Slam Co-Op Assessments By ROSS BARK AN It was the cry heard around Eastern Queens: the assessments were just too high. Handed out by the Dept. of Finance early this year, co-op and condo property tax assessments seemed to hit Queens particularly hard, raising market values on average by 32 percent and increasing tax bills. Two recent audits handed out by Comptroller John Liu confirmed the concerns of elected officials, civic leaders and co-op residents, bashing the DOF for failing to explain changes it made to market value calculations and flawed decisionmaking. “It shouldn’t be up to these complaints and electeds getting involved,” Liu said. “The inaccurate assessment and market values obviously affect property taxes.” An April 13 press conference outside of Cryder Point co-op in Beechurst brought together numerous elected officials, including Borough President Helen Marshall, to celebrate the audits. The first audit addressed the DOF’s methodology, which changed in Fiscal Year 200809, for assessing property values. According to the audit, this change created tax and market value vola-

tility, pushing the DOF to revert to their old methodology for Fiscal Year 2011-2011. This switchback also led to angst for co-op residents, sending market values up as much as 50 percent and increasing taxes. The first audit also accuses the DOF of assigning “questionable” market values for co-ops by ignoring “comparable” nearby rental properties and instead choosing higher-valued properties to assess with the co-ops. At least 10 percent of Queens co-ops received higher property values than should have been allowed, according to the audit. The audit cited an instance in which a Forest Hills co-op was given a market value that was 227 percent higher than the DOF’s formula should have allowed. Liu’s second audit criticized the DOF’s Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal system (CAMA) for assigning property values to co-ops. The audit said the DOF made inaccurate comparisons, including assessing a condo building in Flushing by weighing it against a rental property in Far Rockaway. Liu accused the DOF of assigning “arbitrary values” to co-ops and condos throughout the borough.

The audits recommended that the computer system select appropriate comparable properties, revaluate properties that were over and under-assessed this year and notify the public of changes in assessment methods, evaluating those changes to ensure assessment criteria are consistently applied. One 2011 DOF assessment riled

residents in particular: adjacent coops in Beechurst were assessed at radically different rates, 147 and 101 percent. Warren Schreiber, president of the Bay Terrace Community Alliance, said he knew immediately something was amiss with the DOF’s assessments. “The DOF kept giving us different excuses, the best one was the computer glitch, that’s what I call

‘the dog ate my homework excuse,’” Schreiber said. “Those of us who were intimately involved new something was wrong.” Liu said the audits were not yet referred to the City Dept. of Investigation, though he would not rule out that option. Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 127 or rbarkan@queenstribune.com.

Delta Breaks Ground By DOMENICK RAFTER Even while the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey ponders what to do with LaGuardia Airport’s aging Central Terminal, next door ground broke on a $160 million project that would make Delta Airlines the airport’s major tenant and give the airline a domestic hub at LaGuardia. Delta will combine its Terminal D with U.S. Airways’ Terminal C. The two terminals will be connected with a passageway that will allow passengers to go from one building to the other without going through security. Delta has been operating out of both terminals since last

month when phase one of Delta’s expansion began with new routes including to Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Miami. The PA said Delta’s renovations at LaGuardia will support 700 new jobs along with an additional 125 construction jobs. Phase two, which occurs on July 11, will have Delta openings routes from LaGuardia to cities including Denver, Charlotte, Houston and Pittsburgh and will add a few new routes including Ottawa and Halifax in Canada. Joseph Perone, spokesman for Delta Airlines, said the work on the new Sky Club in Terminal C will be completed this summer and the con-

nector bridge between the terminals should be finished by the end of the year. Moving walkways will be installed, scheduled for completion in 2013. In the meantime, shuttle buses will move passengers between the terminals from behind security. The project stems from an agreement between Delta Airlines and U.S. Airways to swap slots at LaGuardia and Reagan National Airport outside Washington D.C. In return, U.S. Airways will gain some of Delta’s slots at Reagan National Airport. Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at (718) 357-7400 Ext. 125 or drafter@queenstribune.com

www.queenstribune.com • April 19-25, 2012 Tribune Page 11

Page 12 Tribune April 19-25, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

LEGAL NOTICE

SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS: CIVIL TERM Index # 1112/12 Plaintiff designates queens County as the place of trial SUMMONS WITH NOTICE Plaintiff resides at 132-20 60 th Avenue, Flushing, N.Y. 11355 County of Queens GARY BARR, Plaintiff, against- TARCISA AMPAC MERCADO BARR, Defendant. ACTION FOR A DIVORCE TO THE ABOVE NAMED DEFENDANT: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED 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 case of your failure to appear, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the notice set forth below. NOTICE: The object of this action is to obtain a Judgment of Divorce, dissolving the marriage between the parties on the grounds of irretrievable breakdown in the marriage for a period of six months or more immediately preceding the initiation of these proceedings (DRL Section 170(7)). The Relief Sought Is: A Judgment of Divorce in favor of the Plaintiff dissolving forever the bonds of matrimony between the parties. The nature of the ancillary relief demanded is: 1. Declaration of the Separate Property of Plaintiff. 2. Declaration of Title of Plaintiff’s Separate Property to Plaintiff. 3. Awarding Plaintiff exclusive use and occupancy to the Plaintiff’s residence located at 130-20 60 th Avenue, Flushing, New York 11355. 4. Granting each party the right to resume the use of any maiden name or other premarriage surname. 5. Granting Plaintiff such other, further, and different relief as this Court deems just and proper. Dated: Mineola, New York January 4, 2012 Yours, etc. MICHAEL L. FISHMAN, ESQ. Attorney for Plaintiff GARY BARR 194 Old Country Road Mineola, New York 11501 (516) 7461987 TO: TARCISA AMPAC MERCADO BARR Address unknown ___________________________________ 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. __________________________________ 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 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 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. __________________________________ 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 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. office 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 of Formation of CX Tower LLC, Art. of Org. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 2/6/ 12. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to Jiashu Xu, 13403 35th Ave., Flushing, NY 11354. Purpose: any lawful activities. _________________________________ 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. __________________________________ NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: LIVE VIDEO MONITOR LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/07/12. 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, 10723 71st Road, Suite 212, Forest Hills, New York 11375. Purpose: For any lawful purpose. _________________________________ Notice of Formation of CENTRE METRO REALTY, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 01/ 28/08. Office location: Queens County. Princ. office of LLC: 1647 Weirfield St., Ridgewood, NY 11385. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: The ownership and disposition of real property and all activites ancillary thereto. _________________________________ Notice of formation of GREINER-MALTZ PROPERTY SALES, LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the Sect’y of State of NY (SSNY) on 1/11/2012. Office location, County of Queens. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o Greiner-Maltz Company of New York Inc., 42-12 28th Street, Long Island City, NY 11530. Purpose: any lawful act _________________________________ Horsing Around LLC, A domestic LLC, Art. 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, 31-49 35 th Street Apt. 3 Astoria, NY 11106 _________________________________ Notice of Formation of Idea Mobile LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 3/15/12. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o Jaspreet S. Mayall, Certilman, Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP, 90 Merrick Ave., East Meadow, NY 11554. Purpose: any lawful activity. __________________________________ CUDDLE BUDDIES LLC, a domestic LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 02/ 21/2012. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 86-05 60th Rd., Apt. 2H, Elmhurst, NY 11373. Reg Agent: Maria Monique S. Maralit, 86-05 60th Rd., Apt. 2H, Elmhurst,

NY 11373. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. ___________________________________ Notice of Formation of 32-78 47TH STREET, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 03/27/12. Office location: Queens County. Princ. office of LLC: 31-16 30th Ave., Ste. 304, Astoria, NY 11103. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Any lawful activity. ___________________________________ MONNIES LLC, a domestic LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 3/15/12. 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, 81-12 170 th St., Jamaica, NY 11432. General Purposes. ___________________________________ Busiandre LLC, a domestic LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 3/12/12. Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process served to: The LLC, 4813 39 th A v e . S u n n y s i d e , N Y 11104. Any lawful purpose. ___________________________________ Notice of Formation of Amazing Worldwide LLC, Art. of Org. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 2/27/12. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 22-12 124 th St., College Point, NY 11356. Purpose: any lawful activities. ___________________________________ NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: 18-10 ASTORIA BLVD LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/ 18/12. 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, 18-10 Astoria Boulevard, Astoria, New York 11102. Purpose: For any lawful purpose. ___________________________________

1124 31st Ave., Ste. 7C, Long Island City, NY 11106. General Purposes. ___________________________________ DJ Maple, LLC. Arts of Org filed with NY Sec of State (SSNY) on 7/22/11. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: 134-43 Maple Ave., #C1C, Flushing, NY 11354. Purpose: Any lawful activity. ___________________________________ NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: 18-10 ASTORIA BLVD LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 01/ 18/12. 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, 18-10 Astoria Boulevard, Astoria, New York 11102. Purpose: For any lawful purpose. ___________________________________ Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County on 3/23/12, bearing Index Number NC-000095-12/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) Roslyn (Middle) Jacqueline (Last) Pinzon My present name is (First) Rosli (Middle) Jacqueline (Last) Pinzon aka Rosli Pinzon, aka Rosli J. Pinzon My present address is 2240 Mott Avenue, Apt. #2D, Far Rockaway, NY 11691-3029 My place of birth is Queens, NY My date of birth is April 14, 1985 ___________________________________

AMAZIN MEDIA LLC, a domestic LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/30/11. Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: c/o Daniel Perez,

Success 88 LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with SSNY on 03/27/ 12. Office Location: Queens County, SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: The LLC, 33-14 212 th St., Bayside, NY 11361. Purpose: to engage in any lawful act. ___________________________________ MISTRAST HOLDINGS LLC Art. Of Org. Filed Sec. Of State of NY 03/16/2012. Off Loc.: Queens Co. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY to mail copy of process to THE LLC, 718 Longacre Avenue, Woodmere, NY 11598. Purpose: Any lawful act or activity.

Jailed Taxi Drivers Speak After Release By ROSS BARK AN Describing jail was not too hard for Hong Xian Liu. “A room with a toilet, toilet paper, empty,” Liu said through a translator more softspoken than he was. Liu and Lin Guo, also jailed, are not working any longer and do not know when they will work again. Guo seeks therapy and both live off their savings, their faith in America crushed. The somber Guo, 50, and the livelier Liu, 55, were once drivers for Yes Taxi Service in Flushing, routinely facing the wrath of a taxi company that would allegedly demand that their drivers work 16 hour days with no overtime pay and hand over weekly “protection fees” to their boss, Tony Luo, which could total $275 a week. A New York Dept. of Labor investigation found that Luo had failed to pay unemployment insurance to Liu when he was eventually dismissed from Yes Taxi Service. Witnesses for Liu, including Guo, attested that he was a full-time employee. The judicial victory was shortlived. On Jan. 23, Liu, Guo and another former driver, Bi Sheng Liu, were arrested by the U.S. Dept. of Labor for attempting to defraud

the government. The charge: Liu was not actually entitled to unemployment insurance. The drivers said they were innocent and agents had been harassing and threatening them before the arrest. Guo and Liu were released from jail a month later, their case dismissed. At the Flushing Workers Center, Guo and Liu spoke of their fight for justice and their disillusionment with a country that they had hoped would be fairer than the China they emigrated from. Guo and Liu have joined with the Justice Will Be Served! Campaign, an advocacy group sponsored by the Chinese Staff & Workers Association, who have called on Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate the circumstances of the former drivers’ arrests. “The jail time affected me psychologically,” Guo said. “What they’re doing is illegal, they just took me.” Both worked construction jobs in China and had little driving experience when they joined Yes Taxi Service. Since they did not have Taxi and Limousine Commission licenses, they were placed on a grueling night shift. They claim they

were often denied overtime payments in their slightly more than a year-long tenure with the taxi service. “In America, we have these laws, how can this happen?” Liu asked, his hands waving in the air. “They had no explanation. They held me

against my will. They were trying to tell me that I was lying about what I was saying. The agents who arrested me probably have a connection with the boss [Tony Luo of Yes Taxi Service]. ” Luo did not return requests for comment as of press time.

Displeased with working exclusively at night, Liu and Guo spoke with Luo. Luo allegedly told them if they “didn’t like it, they could leave.” Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 127 or rbarkan@queenstribune.com.

Marshall Puts Atrium Project On Hold By DOMENICK RAFTER A few weeks after parks advocates decried the destruction of a grove of cherry trees behind Borough Hall, the atrium project they pointed to as the reason for what advocates call the “arborcide,” is on hold by request of Borough President Helen Marshall. “The project is effectively stopped,” said Dan Andrews, a spokesman for Marshall said according to the blog A Walk In The Park. “We met with [Dept. of Citywide Administrative Services] and asked them to do a study of the remaining trees in the back.”

Andrews elaborated further that they were waiting on a study as to what happened with the trees. About a dozen cherry trees in the park behind Borough Hall along Union Turnpike were cut down earlier this month. Marshall said the trees were diseased and needed to be removed to prevent the disease from spreading to other trees. Advocates, including Geoffrey Croft of NYC Park Advocates, said the trees, which were blooming cherry blossoms at the time they were cut down, were removed to make room for construction equipment to build the proposed atrium behind

borough hall. The trees had their white blossoms already when they were taken down and pictures show the trees, with their fresh blossoms, in pieces strewn along the ground. DCAS met with Borough Hall officials last week and an arborist visited the site to inspect the trees. DCAS has said that the trees were confirmed to have “fungal and bacterial diseases” in 2009 and again this winter as preparations for work began on the atrium project, which is scheduled for completion in 2014. Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at (718) 357-7400 Ext. 125 or drafter@queenstribune.com.

www.queenstribune.com • April 19-25, 2012 Tribune Page 13

Queens Focus PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE. . .PEOPLE

Meal Deliver y:

Councilman Mark S. Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens) joined Meals On Wheels to deliver Passover matzoh and meals to seniors in Hollis Hills. Weprin (left) is pictured with Rachel Sherrow (right) of Meals On Wheels, delivering a meal to a Hollis Hills resident (center).

Page 14 Tribune April 19-25, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

Melissa Lee MD has been named the new director of outpatient services for Mount Sinai Queens. Raised in Woodside and Astoria, Dr. Lee has returned to Queens after studying at Yale and completing her residency at Harvard. Christie Ruggiere of Forest Hills was among the 70 University of Scranton students who participated in alternative spring break trips in March that allowed them to work with the homeless, former gang members, children with disabilities and others in need. Ruggiere participated in the trip to Young People Who Care Inc., in Frenchville, Maine. Yael Rosenstock of College Point and Jisu Ryu of Corona were among the students elected to SUNY Geneseo’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. Students from the college’s junior and senior classes are selected each spring for membership in the organization. Jocelyne C. Brillson of Forest Hills was named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2011 semester at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. Berkeley College has an-

nounced the names of local students who have been awarded scholarships to attend the college. They include: Fresh Meadows: Kai Wong, Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. Queens Village: Chandrapaul Ramlackan, Pathways College Preparatory School. Flushing: Zoe Chen, Benjamin N. Cardozo High School; Karina Rodriguez, Bayside High School. Corona: Rachel Moreno , John Bowne High School; Cynthia Ortiz, Academy of Finance and Enterprise; Cynthia Sarmiento, The Queens School of Inquiry; Freddy Varela, John Bowne High School. East Elmhurst: Ismael Garnica, Hillcrest High School. Elmhurst: Evelyn Bedoya , Martin Luther High School; Maria Seminario, Forest Hills High School. Frederick Louis Antoine was recently elected to the Student Senate at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia. He will serve for the 2012-13 academic year. Antoine, an economics major, is the son of Millicent E. Gregory of Queens Village and is a graduate of Aspirations High School.

The New York Lottery announced Jose Vinuela of Richmond Hill won $25,000 on the Lottery’s $1,000,000 Payday scratch-off game. Vinuela’s winning ticket was purchased at the Queens Deli & Grocery, 122-09 Liberty Ave., South Richmond Hill. The New York Lottery announced the names of area Lottery players who claimed a winning ticket from one of the Lottery’s recent live drawings. The following winners each received a cash prize valued at $10,000 or more. Zhi Qu of Bayside won $10,000 on the Mega Millions drawing March 23. Qu’s winning ticket was purchased at Tridev Corp., 35-04 Bell Blvd., Bayside. Susan Ng of Bayside won $250,000 on the Mega Millions drawing March 30. Ng’s winning ticket was purchased in Westbury. Efstathios Papahartofilis of Astoria won $10,000 on the Mega Millions drawing March 27. Papahartofilis’ winning ticket was purchased in Manhattan. Dimitrios Vastardis of Long Island City won $10,000 on the Mega Millions drawing March 16. Vastardis’ winning ticket was purchased at the Stop 1 Deli at 88-01 37th Ave., Jackson Heights. Kenyona Charles of Hollis won $30,003 on the Quick Draw drawing April 5. Charles’ winning ticket was purchased at Meadow Training, 61-46 188th St., Fresh Meadows. Theo Bell of Fresh Meadows won $10,000 on the Powerball drawing March 17. Bell’s winning ticket was purchased at George Service Station, 246-02 South Conduit, Rosedale. Mayhue Osborne of Arverne won $10,000 on the Quick Draw drawing April 4. Osborne’s winning ticket was purchased at Rupi Grocery in Inwood. Alexa Marchese of Belle harbor won $10,000 on the Mega Millions drawing March 30. Marchese’s winning ticket was purchased at Belle Harbor Chemists, 412 Beach 129th St., Belle Harbor. Satinder Sharma of Rego Park won $10,000 on the Mega Millions drawing March 30. Sharma’s winning ticket was purchased at the 63-28 99th St. Farm in Rego Park. Robert Webb of Forest Hills won $10,000 on the Mega Millions drawing March 30. Webb’s winning ticket was purchased at the Queensbury Wine & Liquor, 112-24 Queens Blvd., Forest Hills.

Veterans Meeting:

U.S. Rep. Bob Turner (right, R-Middle Village) recently met with members of Vietnam Veterans of America chapter 32, including president Paul Narson (center) and first vice president Paul Fedzern, (left). Not pictured is board member Michael O’Kane. Air Force Airman Veronica L. Lizama Sanchez 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. Sanchez is the daughter of Paula Lahoz of Flushing and is a 2011 graduate of Newtown High School in Elmhurst. The Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation will hold its monthly meeting 7:30 p.m. April 24 at St. Thomas the Apostle School, 87-49 87th St., Woodhaven. The agenda will include a discussion of general business matters, including plans for the group’s “Everlasting Spring” annual dinner dance on June 1 and the Wonderful Woodhaven street festival on Oct. 16. All are welcome and refreshments will be served. In recognition of Women’s History Month, Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz recently held a Women History Month award ceremony, recognizing six women for their accomplishments in community service, sports and philanthropy. Honorees included Bea Klier, a 94-year-old world traveler, researcher and philanthropist, and Lynne Wang, 10-year-old competitive swimmer. Other honorees include: Loraine Donohue, a longtime member of Community Board 4 who has been active in civic causes for more than 40 years. Gail Gordon, a member of the AIDS Center of Queens

County, a member of Community Board 4 and vice chair for the 112th Precinct. Sylvia Hack , founder and president of the Kew Gardens Improvement Association and former chair of Community Board 9. Lydia Musheyev, president of Family Serenity and administrator of the social adult day care center in Forest Hills. The Samuel Field Y will host the fifth annual golf classic and cocktail reception May 14 at the North Shore Country Club in Glen Head. Proceeds will support the SFY’s life-sustaining and life-enhancing services to more than 35,000 individuals in the community. For information, call (718) 2256750, Ext. 238, or email jcm@sfy.org. The 109th Community Council recently held its elections for the coming year. The council elected Sherry Levinson as secretary and Catherine Williams as treasurer. They will take office effective June 1. Other members of the council’s executive board include: Chrissy Voskerichian, president; Vana Partridge, vice president; Rhea O’Gorman, recording secretary; Kris Ram, corresponding secretary; and Richie Milligan, sergeant at arms

Send your people news to: Queens Focus, Queens Tribune 150-50 14th Rd. Whitestone, NY 11357

Racial Politics:

Diverse 6th District Could Foster An Ugly Campaign together the white working class Catholic demographic of Wester n Queens with a 17 percent Hispanic population, a 38 percent Asian population, a large Jewish population that ranges anywhere from 20 to 30 percent and a staunch organized labor voting bloc that blurs racial lines. These percentages reflect total population, not voting age population. Such a racially and economically diverse stew will test campaign operatives and the candidates themselves. To win the race, frontrunners Assemblyman Rory Lancman (DHillcrest), Assemblywoman Grace Meng (DFlushing) and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) will have to appeal to specific voting blocs. Lancman, who is Jewish, called Jeffrey Gottlieb’s entrance into the race a Meng campaign-driven ploy to split the Jewish vote. Since Gottlieb’s ballyhooed entry, a Chinese public access television show host, Juan “Ada” Sheng, and a Bayside allergist, Dr. Robert Mittman, have submitted petitions to appear on the ballot. With Anthony Weiner’s scandalous departure and U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman’s (D-Bayside) retirement, New York City is left with one Jewish congressman who represents a significant portion of New York City, U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-Manhattan). In the 1980’s, New York City could claim at one time as many as seven Jewish congressmen. Queens’ remaining and sizable Jewish population has ensured the issue of Israel’s security is at the forefront of all campaigns, including Councilman Dan Halloran’s (R-Whitestone) and Meng’s.

American Realities Most political insiders expect Lancman to carry the vast majority of the Jewish vote, while Meng will carry, according to

several sources, as much as 98 percent of the Asian vote. Of the 38 percent of the district that is Asian, many are not yet registered as Democrats, however. The unusually rapid growth of Queens’ Asian population in the 1990s and 2000s, especially in once predominately white Jewish areas like Flushing, has bred underlying ethnic tensions. During the 2000s, Queens’ Asian population grew at 300 times the rate of the rest of the borough. “All of New York City is changing so fast, demographically,” said James Hong, Civic Participation Coordinator of the MinKwon Center for Community Action, a nonpartisan Korean-American advocacy group based in Flushing. “Any number of candidates can try to unfortunately abuse racial dynamics in Northeast Queens.” Thus far, the Democratic candidates have publicly promised to keep the campaign focused on issues like America’s fragile economic growth and austerity measures being imposed by a Republican-dominated Congress. Hong

said he still has dark memories from 2009’s 19th District City Council race between Halloran and Kevin Kim. The acrimonious contest, swirling around Halloran’s pagan faith and Kim’s Asian heritage, included a Halloran mailing that superimposed Kim on a photo of downtown Flushing, warning against “your neighborhood” being overdeveloped. “The message ‘Don’t vote for the Asian guy’ will go down in the annals of history as one of the ugliest campaign slogans,” Lancman said in 2009. While Halloran’s campaign attacked Kim’s for an organized effor t to tear down campaign sites, the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund accused a Republican New York City Election Commissioner, Judith Stupp, of confiscating palm cards from Korean voters entering a polling site in Flushing. The voters, lacking English proficiency, struggled to vote, alleged AALDEF. Going back further, 1997’s City Council Democratic primary battle between Julia Harrison and current Comptroller John Liu, who would eventually win the seat when Harrison retired four years later, was a disturbing reminder of how American dreams can ram up against American realities: Harrison drew condemnation for characterizing her emerging Asian neighbors as part of an “invasion,” more like “colonizers than immigrants” in a New York Times interview.

“Everything Goes” Lost in the discussion of the Asian population surge is the Hispanic demog raphic that constitutes nearly a fifth of the district. They are more scattered than the Asian community; a significant Hispanic population dwells in downtown Flushing, as well as Briarwood and Elmhurst. Jerry Skurnik, a political consultant and founder of voter file ven-

Who’s Running? Six candidates petitioned to run in the Democratic primar y for the 6th Congressional Distr ict. Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) was the only Republican to file petitions. The Democratic candidates are listed in order of when they filed. Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing) Residence: Flushing Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) Residence: Ridgewood Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest) Residence: Fresh Meadows Dr. Robert Mittman Residence: Bayside Juan “Ada” Sheng Residence: Briarwood Jeffrey Gottlieb Residence: Kew Gardens Hills

www.queenstribune.com • April 19-25, 2012 Tribune Page 15

By ROSS BARKAN “No worry I have kindergartners make pamphlet 4 English ppls to read Chinese signs. It be all ok. Me love you all long time! #NY06” In the context of a lifetime, or even a congressional race, they barely equated to the flicker of an eyelash: four tweets in total, fired across cyberspace to a handful of followers. Just one day later, they would be nonexistent. Yet within those four tweets from the Twitter handle Grace Mengowitz, a familiar dread crept through Adam Lombardi. The screen name on the micro-blogging site was just one example of a number of accounts created anonymously last week to mock candidates in the New York Sixth District’s Congressional Democratic primary. Queens may be hailed as the most diverse county on Earth, but Lombardi knows, like a foot soldier staggering home from a traumatic tour of duty, that in the world of local politics, racial and ethnic attacks — veiled or blatant — can become commonplace during an election. “I was disgusted, absolutely disgusted,” Lombardi, a member of the Clinton Democratic Club of Northeast Queens and the founder of the political blog Queens Politics, said. “There’s a fine line between satire and disparaging a person. I was not surprised at all when I saw the tweets, especially when stakes are so high for a congressional race.” Lombardi has worked on several Queens campaigns, both Democratic and Republican, and fears that the race for the open congressional seat in the freshlydrawn 6th District will devolve into racial and ethnic warfare. The district cuts across the heart of Queens, running from Middle Village and Maspeth all the way to the Cross Island Parkway, and encompasses several distinct demographics that all candidates will be desperately vying for. A true Queens district (all other congressional districts in Queens also include portions of the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn or Long Island), the 6th is a microcosm of the borough, lumping

dor Prime New York, said that he expects the demographic to mostly suppor t Meng, but believes that the turnout of Hispanic voters could be low since a Hispanic candidate is not running. However, other political observers believe the Hispanic demographic can be a swing vote in the election. Labor unions like 32 BJ SEIU, representing property service workers, 1199 SEIU, representing health care workers and the New York Hotel Trades Council all have a significant amount of Hispanic workers. 32 BJ and 1199 SEIU have endorsed Lancman, while the Hotel Trades Council has backed Meng. Lofty rhetoric of a campaign that transcends ethnic and racial divisions could quickly deteriorate into exactly the opposite. Most campaigns will likely cull ethnicsounding names from voter identification lists and bombard particular households with potentially denigrating campaign literature, according to journalist and political consultant Gary Tilzer. “My general experience is that in the last two or three weeks, everything goes,” Tilzer said. “In these congressional districts, the way they’re drawn, they’re drawn through communities that don’t have experience working with each other. They’re much more polarized.” Reach Repor ter Ross Barkan at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 127 or rbarkan@queenstribune.com.

Senior Visit

Donation Day

State Sen. Tony Avella recently visited with seniors at the Samuel Field Y and spoke with them about issues he has been dealing with Sandra Draves, a sergeant with the NYPD Auxas a State Senator in Albany. Avella donated several large packages of Passover Matzos to the Samuel Field Y as a part of their Passover The American Red Cross and the New York Mets held a iliary, donates blood during the drive. Photos by Ira Cohen. blood drive at Citi Field last week. food drive.

pix

And They’re Off

Page 16 Tribune April 19-25, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

Queens Events Edited By Harley Benson

Safety Talk

Happy Birthday!

The Ozone Park Kiwanis recently invited Kim WileySchwartz of the NYC Department of Transportation of Safety Education as their guest speaker. The main topic of the discussion was Bicycle Safety. Pictured (from left) are Jonah Cohen, Kim Wiley-Schwartz and Rosemary Ciulla-Frisone, Photo courtesy of NYPhotoByNick.

Queens Tribune photographer Ira Cohen celebrated his birthday this week with a cake at the paper’s offices. Photo by Steven J. Ferrari

Culinary Classic

Participants line up before the 6 and 10 Day Self-Transcendence Race at Flushing Meadow Corona Park on Wednesday. Photos by Ross Barkan

Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. recently was treated to lunch prepared by the students of Long Island City High School, who participate in the school’s renowned culinary program. Vallone joined community leaders and school officials for the annual spring community advisory committee luncheon. The group enjoyed several entrées, including seafood, chicken and vegetable dishes.

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www.queenstribune.com • April 19-25, 2012 Tribune Page 17

Leisure

Olympic Athletes Tell Their Tales Citi Team USA Flag Tour, wh ich has been visiting Citi sites across the countr y leading up to the London games, giving employees the opportunity to be a par t of the Olympic movement and hear of the athletes’ involvement in Citi’s Every Step of the Way program. “As we celebrate our 200th anniversar y, I cannot think of a better way to affirm our commitment to support ing the people on their journey from ambition to achievement than to support Team USA,” said Maria Veltre, Long Island City site president. Both Jones and Miller shared

A Good Spot For Goodfellas tablishment as “the Goodfellas diner;” a picture of Bobby DeNiro hangs on the wall by the door. Other than that, though, the décor is unassuming. It’s a diner, after all, and some of the best diners are no-frills places where people come to eat, not study the ambiance. The service that Friday night We had just taken a trip out to was right on top of things. Our Maspeth to pick up a package. It waitress seemed to know exactly was get t ing dark and we were when we were ready, appearing at hungry, looking for a place to sit the table almost instantly after we closed our menus to take and eat fast so we could head back home. Sur- RESTAURANT o u r o r d e r. A b a c o n cheeseburger and onion rounded by warehouses, rings for me, fish and we walked a bit towards chips for my girlfriend. a bus stop and surveyed The food wasn’t the area. There were gourmet. It’s not suppizza places, but that posed to be at a diner, didn’t interest us that but it was certainly satevening. isfying. There’s someOff in the distance, thing about a plate of the word “Diner” stood greasy diner food - a out to us and we agreed. A diner is always a good memory of the good ol’ days in choice for a quick, satisfying college eating at diners with meal, so we walked over to the friends at all hours of the night – Clinton Diner for a Friday night that just makes me happy. When we were finished, I dinner out. Having just moved to Queens wa l k e d to t h e AT M i n t h e last year, I’m not as familiar with entranceway and took out some the borough’s landmarks as I money to pay. The diner doesn’t probably should be. So it was a take credit cards, another part of pleasant surprise when I found out the place that gives it a throwI was sit ting in one of the filming back feel to another time. The Clinton Diner encapsulocations for one of my favorite m o v i e s , 1 9 9 0 ’ s m o b c l a s s i c lated e ver y t h ing a goo d diner should be: simple, unassuming, “Goodfellas.” If you’re not paying at tent ion satisfying and affordable. I’m lookinside the diner, you’ll maybe miss ing forward to going back. -Steven J. Ferrar i it. A small sign indicates the es-

Page 18 Tribune April 19-25, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

Clinton Diner & Bar 56-26 Maspeth Ave., Maspeth (718) 894-3475 CUISINE: Diner DELIV ERY: Yes CREDIT CARD: No HOURS: Open 24 hours

REVIEW

their stories about how they became Olympians — both got to where they are today after a traumatic life experience. Jone s got h is star t in swimming after a traumatic childhood experience. He nearly drowned after going down a water slide at Dorney Park in Pennsylvania. He was unconscious when he got to the bottom and had to be resuscitated. When he came to, he said the first thing he said was “what is the next ride we are going on.” He said he was never a child prodigy, then muttered “Michael Phelps” un- Kari Miller and Cullen Jones spoke about their Olympic journeys in der his breath, which got Long Island Cit y Wednesday morning. laughs from the audience. now one of the world’s best playSwimming was not natural to him, say, we were pret t y excited.” M i l l e r ’ s j o u r n e y t o t h e ers. so he had to work hard at it. She said that being an inspiraFast-forwarding to 2008, Jones Paralympics was also star ted by said that before the day of the something traumatic. She was hit tion to so many is rewarding but team’s gold-medal winning 4x100 by a drunk driver while out cel- sometimes difficult. “It is hard because you do not relay, the members of the men’s ebrating her impending promotion basketball team came up to their to an officer in the Army — the want to let anyone down,” Miller said. accident cost her both legs. rooms to w ish ever ybody luck. Based on the reactions of Citi She tried out for the wheel“We ran downstairs really excited, and I was the last one to chair basketball team but was not employees, Miller and Jones did not get down there. Lebron [James] good or tall enough. She ended disappoint anybody. Reach Reporter Jason Pafundi s i t s b a c k a n d s a i d ‘ y e a h , up switch ing to vol leyball, a spor t yeah…ya’ll got a brother on the s h e a d m i t t e d l y k n e w n o t h i n g at (718) 357-7400, Ext. 128, or team?’” Jones said. “Needless to about at the beginning, and is jpafundi@queenstribune.com.

‘The Best Man’ Ironically Timely By ELYSE TREV ERS L i ke a n E n e r g i z e r b a t t e r y, former Queens resident Angela Lansbur y keeps on going. At age 86, when most people have retired and moved to warmer climates, the actress is appearing in the revival of Gore Vidal’s 1960 award-winning political play, “The Best Man.” While the show is dated, it is ironically timely. The action centers on a presidential convention and the two frontrunners vying for their par ty’s nomination. They’ve gone through the primaries and now must await the decision of the delegates. According to the play, however, there’s much more going on behind the scenes than the delegate s know. Vidal’s character s seem strangely familiar, and the ones on stage appear to be composites of both the current Republican candidates as well as President Obama. Bill Russell (John Larroquette) is a philanderer, yet is highly prin-

cipled and won’t lie. Publicly, he’s happily married to Alice (Candy Bergen). But their marriage has been a sham for years. He’s wealthy, Harvard-educated, and intelligent so he’s not seen as a man of the people. His rival is a fiercely ambitious, spiritual family man Joe Cantwell, played by Eric McCormack. Some of the references are very 1960s-specific, including Adlai Stevenson, Ber trand Russell and Catholic candidates that may lose some younger viewers. As Mrs. Gamadge, the muchadored Lansbury is the Chairman of the Womens’ Division. What is most fascinating are the deals being made on both sides by the same people. Senator Carlin (Dakin M a t t he w s ) p ro m i s e s l a b o r t o Russell and at the same time promises the same support to Cantwell. Politics is a game, best explained by former Pre sident Hockstader, played by a charmingly avuncular James Earl Jones.

The be st par t of the play is the cast that features several TV celebrities. In addit ion to Lansbur y and Jones, audiences will recognize Candy Bergen as the poised, lovely devoted wife. She can still deliver barbed lines ala Murphy Brown. McCormack grows into his role, get t ing bet ter as the play pr ogre sse s. L ar roquet te play s against type, usually a sarcastic wise guy, and here is intellectual and philosophical. Kerry Butler as Mrs. Cantwell tries too hard and her accent is grating. Hers should have been almost a comic role, but instead is often irritating. Jefferson Mays does a wonder ful job i n his small role as a former army comrade of Cantwell. Times have changed, but politics still seems to be an ugly business with compromises and back room deals. By the end, with all the maneuvering, one questions whether t he country actually get s “The Best Man.”

Tribune Photo by Ira Cohen

By JASON PAFUNDI Long Island City played host to two world-class athletes as Citi, one of the U.S. Olympic Team’s major sponsors, marked the 100-day countdown to the London 2012 Summer Games with an event at their campus in Cour t Square. Bronx-born Cullen Jones, a gold medal-winning swimmer in Beijing in 2008, and Kari Miller, a 2008 silver medalist in sitting volleyball at the Paralympics, treated Citi employees to stories that had everyone both laughing and crying as they spoke of their Olympic journeys. This was the sixth stop on the

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

www.queenstribune.com • April 19-25, 2012 Tribune Page 19

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.

MEETINGS

Page 20 Tribune April 19-25, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

VFW 4787 Monday, April 23 Whitestone VFW Communit y Post meets. 746-0540. GREATER WOODHAVEN Tuesday, April 24 7:30 at St. Thomas the Apostle, 87-49 8 7 th S t r e e t , f i r s t f l o o r , Woodhaven. FH VAC Wednesday, April 25 7932055.

TEENS TALENT SHOW Saturday, April 21 at the Central library at 2. ESSAY WRITING Saturday, April 21 at the Far Rockaway library at 2. TEEN GAMING Mondays, April 23, 30 at the Fresh Meadows library at 3:30. JEWELRY MAKING Monday, April 23 at the Bayside library at 4. LAPTOPS Mondays, April 23, 30 laptops for use at the Hollis library at 4. ART LESSONS Mondays, April 23, 30 learn drawing techniques at the L a n g sto n H u g h e s l i b r a r y. Register. FAMILY WII ZUMBA Mondays, April 23, May 7, 14 at the Lefrak City library at 6:30. SIGN LANGUAGE Monday, April 23 at 6 at the Laurelton library. CHESS & CHECKERS Mondays through May 28 at 3 at the South Ozone Park librar y. ADVISORY BOARD

Tuesday, April 24 Teen Advisory Board at 5 at the Flushing librar y. TEEN GAMING Tuesdays through April 24 at the Fresh Meadows library at 4. LAPTOPS Tuesdays through April 24 at the Hollis library at 4. FATHER’S DAY CARD Wednesday, April 25 make a card for soldiers to send home at the Douglaston/ Little Neck Parkway at 3:30. SAND ART Wednesday, April 25 at 4 at the Briarwood library. CHESS & CHECKERS Wednesdays through May 30 at the South Ozone Park library at 3. TEEN GAMING Wednesday, April 25 at the Fresh Meadows library at 4. LAPTOPS Wednesdays through April 25 at the Hollis library at 4. SISTER TALK Wednesdays through May 30 at the Pomonok library at 4:30. SAT PRACTICE TEST Thursday, April 26 at the St. Albans library at 3:30.

ENTERTAINMENT Music Chorale of Richmond Hill performs their annual Spring Concert at St. Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lutheran Church in Richmond Hill. $15. Tickets at the door in advance www.richmondhillny.com/ Art sSMC. OUR GOODS Sunday, April 22 OurGoods presents Queens Artist Barter 101, Idea Part y and Potluck 2-4 at the Queens Museum of Art. 592-9700. NAL RAFFLE/EXHIBIT Sunday, April 22 win a painting and enjoy a buffet lunch at the National Art League 2-4. 44-21 Douglaston Parkway. $3 per raffle, 3 raffles for lunch. All invited. FAMILY THEATRE Sunday, April 22 Fred Garbo Theater Company performs juggling, acrobat and mime at Queens College. $12-18. 793-8080. EULE DANCE Sunday, April 22 C. Eule Dance Company performs at the Bay Terrace Jewish Center at 3. $20. 428-6363. REX REED Sunday, April 22 Rex Reedâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Man That Got Away: Ira Without Georgeâ&#x20AC;? at Queensborough Communit y College. 631-6311. Ira Gershwin discussed by critic/author/lecturer Rex Reed. LIVE JAZZ & R&B Sundays, April 22, 29 live jazz and r&b 6-10 at DĂŠjĂ vu, 180-25 Linden Blvd., St. Albans. ITALIANS Monday, April 23 The Italians of NY: The Immigrant Experience at 2 at the Howard Beach library. READINGS Tu e s d a y , A p r i l 2 4 EL Doctorow. 7pm at the Queens College Music Building, Concert Hall. $20. 997-4646. GREEN FILM Monday, April 23 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Burning the Future: Coal in Americaâ&#x20AC;? at 6 at the Sunnyside library. SOUL LEGENDS Monday, April 23 musical tribute to soul legends Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye and more at 6:30 at the Arverne library. NIGHTCLUB SONGS Monday, April 23 Broadway and Nightclub Songs at 7 at the Middle village librar y. Also Tuesday, April 24 at the McGoldrick library at 1:30. KALEIDOSCOPE OF MUSIC Tu e s d a y , A p r i l 2 4 w i d e range of musical st yles at the Bellerose library at 2.

POPULAR DIVAS Tuesday, April 24 at the Briarwood library at 2. SPRING INTO JAZZ Tuesday, April 24 York College Blue Notes at 10 at Queens College. 262-2412. MUSIC & LIT Tuesday, April 24 creative translation featuring music and literature from Eastern Europe at DaMikelle Restaurant 6:30-8:30. $10. BLAST! Tuesday, April 24 YCMC Music Movie Time with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Blast!â&#x20AC;? at the Academic Core at noon. York College. 262-2412. SINATRAâ&#x20AC;Ś Wednesday, April 25 tribute to Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Bobby Darin at the Woodside library at 4. GOLDEN DOOR Thursday, April 26 Beyond the Golden Door tribute to Ellis Island at 2 at the Mitchell-Linden library. OPEN MIC Thursday, April 26 at the East Elmhurst library at 6. FILM SERIES Thursday, April 26 â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Bloodsport of Politicsâ&#x20AC;? 2-5 at Queens Museum of Art. 592-9700. MEET THE MAESTRO Thursday, April 26 at the Hillcrest librar y. Meet the Maestro â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Queens Symphony Orchestra Arts and Music Festival at 6. SCRABBLE GAME DAY Thursdays, April 26, May 31 at the Bellerose library at 6:30. FUNK DANCE F r i d a y, A p r i l 2 7 YC M C Dance at York College. 2622412. SPENT April 27 through May 6 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Spentâ&#x20AC;? performed at Queens Theatre in the Park. $25. 760-0064. CARNIVAL OF LOVE Friday, April 27 5 th annual Carnival of Love Fundraiser to benefit children with autism and special needs. $40. 646-529-5852. AUGUST WILSON Saturday, April 28 an evening with August Wilson at the Central library at 2. MURDER MYSTERY Saturday, April 28 at the castle with the Bayside Historical Societ y. 352-1548. #7 TRAIN Saturday, April 28 World of the #7 Train tour. Register jaconet@aol.com FAIR Saturday, April 28 Martin Luther HS Fair in the gym. $50 includes buffet dinner and dessert. 894-4000, ext. 133.

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GREEN SPACE BLOOMS Through April 22 Dance Entropy presents the 6 th annual Green Space Blooms, a Queens Celebration of new dance and music in LIC 9563037. GREEK PLAY Through May 6 the Greek Cultural Center in Astoria presents â&#x20AC;&#x153;In Laws From Tirana. 726-7329. RUSSIAN FESTIVAL Saturday, April 21 Russian Festival at the Flushing library starting at 12. BELLEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PLAYERS Saturday, April 21 at the Forest Hills library at 2. GREAT MUSIC Saturday, April 21 Great Music from the 30s to 70s with Eddie Lee Isaacs at 2 at the Peninsula library. JAZZ Saturday, April 21 Octogenarian of Jazz at 7 at Sunnyside Reformed Church. 917-667-5331. Free. STORY TELLING Saturday, April 21 How We Came to Queens: AN Intergenerational Storytelling Workshop at 2:30 at the Ridgewood library. YORK JAM Saturday, April 21 York Jam at York College. 262-2412. JANIS IAN Saturday, April 21 folk legend Janis Ian performs at Queens Theatre in the Park. 760-0064. EARTH DAY Saturday, April 21 Friend of the Environment Reception at 6. $25. John Flynn Concert at 8. $25. Sunday, April 22 Walk 4APEC at 10. Live animal program at 1. $15. Alley Pond Environmental Center. 229-4000. KIDSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; CARNIVAL Saturday and Sunday, April 21, 22 at the Queens Count y Farm Museum 11-6. $10. Carnival rides, midway games, prizes, hayrides, kids entertainment. 347-FARM. SUNDAY CONCERT Sunday, April 22 at the Central library at 3. BRONX WANDERERS Sunday, April 22 at Queens Theatre in the Park. 7600064. HONOR AUTISM Sunday, April 22 Something to Celebrate! In Honor of Autism Awareness Month 2-4 at Queens Museum of Art. 592-9700. EARTH DAY Sunday, April 22 Earth Day Festival for Families at Flushing Town Hall. 463-7700. SACRED MUSIC Sunday, April 22 Sacred

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Queens Today

Page 22 Tribune April 19-25, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Queens Today YOUTH

EDUCATION/GAMES/CRAFTS Wednesday, April 25 at the Broadway library. Register. INTRO POWERPOINT Thursday, April 26 at the Pomonok library. US CITIZENSHIP Thursdays through April 26 at the Forest Hills library at 5:30. EVENING CRAFT Thursday, April 26 at the Fresh Meadows library at 6:30. TOASTMASTERS Thursday, April 26 public speaking at the Briarwood library at 5:45. STAMP CLUB Thursdays, April 26, May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 at the Forest Hills library at 5:45. SIGN LANGUAGE Thursday, April 26 at the Steinway library at 6. WRITING GROUP Thursday, April 26 Shut Up and Write group at the Broadway library at 6:30. ME-BOOKS Thursday, April 26 MeBooks and Digital Music.

Learn how to download free e-books and music. LIC library at 6:30. KNIT & CROCHET Friday, April 27 at the Fresh Meadows library. Bring own materials. MAH JONGG Friday, April 27 at the Woodside library. Register. LEARN TO CROCHET Friday, April 27 at the McGoldrick library at 4. INTRO MICROSOFT Friday, April 27 at the Hillcrest library. Register. KNITTING CLUB Friday, April 27 at the Maspeth library at 10. INTRO COMPUTERS Friday, April 27 at the Poppenhusen library at 10. UNDERSTAND COMPUTER Friday, April 27 at the Jackson Heights library at 10:30. Monday, April 30 at the Flushing library at 10:30. Jargon-free talk to introduce you to computers, email, Internet and technology gadgets. .

HEALTH INSTRUCTION TO YOGA Saturdays, April 21, 28 at the Le f fer ts librar y. Register. BLOOD DRIVE Sunday, April 22, Thursday, April 26, Sunday, April 29 in Flushing. 670-6324. Saturdays, April 14, 28 in Jamaica. 670-1211. HEALTH CARE ISSUES Monday, April 23 at the Central library at 6. ZUMBA Mondays, April 23, 30 at the Richmond Hill librar y. Register. FAMILY WII ZUMBA Mondays, April 23, May 14 at 6:30 at the Lefrak Cit y lib ra r y. B r i n g a tow e l a n d bottle of water. ZUMBA Mondays, April 23, 30, May 7 Latin Dance fitness program at the Rosedale library. Register. LEARN CPR Monday, April 23 at the L aurelton library. Monday, April 30 at the South Ozone Park library. Register. TAI CHI Mondays and Thursdays, April 23, 26, 30 at the Cardiac Health Center in Fresh Meadows. 670-1695. MS SUPPORT Tuesday, April 24 at the Howard Beach library at 1. ALZHEIMERS Tuesday, April 24 Caregiver Support Group in Forest Hills. 592-5757, ext. 237. ORAL CANCER

Tuesday, April 24, Thursday, April 26 free oral cancer screenings in Fresh Meadows. 670-1060. INTRO CHAIR YOGA Tuesday, April 24 at the Ridgewood library and Rego Park library. Register. DEAL WITH STRESS Wednesday, April 25 at 11 at the Central library. FIGHT CANCER Wednesday, April 25 Fight Cancer Like A Pro at the Flushing library. 990-5197 to register. MASSAGE THERAPY Wednesday, April 25, Friday, April 27 at NYHQ Cardiac Health in Flushing. 6701695. ZUMBA Wednesday, April 25 at the Astoria library. Register. YOGA CLASS Wednesday, April 25 at the Cardiac Health Center in Fresh Meadows. 670-1695. STRESS & HEART Wednesday, April 25 stress management support group for heart patients at the Cardiac Center in Fresh Meadows. 670-1695. ZUMBA Wednesday, April 25 at NYHQ in Fresh Meadows. 670-1695. ZUMBA Thursday, April 26 at the Corona library. Register. ZUMBA Thursday, April 26 at the Queens Village library. Register.

TALENT SHOW Saturday, April 21 at the Central library at 2. EARTH DAY Saturday, April 21 celebrate Earth Day with Dr. Seuss and more at 11 at Barnes & Noble, 176-60 U n i o n Tu r n p i ke , F re s h Meadows. FAMILY STORY TIME Saturday, April 21 at the Flushing library at 11. CHILDREN’S THEATER Saturday, April 21 LaMicro Children’s Theater at the Sunnyside library. Register. PJ TIME Mondays, April 23, 30 at the Central library at 7. ETIQUETTE Mondays, April 23, 30 Etiquette and Character Education at 4:30 at the Hollis library. PLAY DOH PART Y Monday, April 23 for those K-3 at the Fresh Meadows library at 3:30. REPTILE EDVENTURE Monday, April 23 at 4 at the Broadway library. Tuesday, April 24 at the Maspeth library at 3:30. Wednesday,

April 25 at the Rego Park library at 4. Thursday, May 3 at 4 at the Cambria Heights library. See, touch and learn about reptiles and amphibians. EARTH DAY Monday, April 24 at the Central library at 4. READ TO ANNIE THE DOG Monday, April 23 at the Queens Village library. Register. LEARN TO CROCHET Mondays through May 21 at 5 at the Arverne library. PAPER CRAFTS Mondays through April 30 at the McGoldrick library at 5. FAMILY WII ZUMBA Mondays through May 14 at the Lefrak Cit y library at 6:30. CHESS & CHECKERS Mondays through May 28 at the South Ozone Park library at 3. READ WITH MS. M Tuesday, April 24 at the Middle Village library. Register. BOOST EARTH DAY Tuesday, April 24 at the

Central library at 4:30. SLEEPING BEAUTY Tuesday, April 24 at the Hillcrest library at 4:30. WORD OF THE WEEK Tuesday, April 24 at the McGoldrick library at 5. MATH DRILLS Tuesday, April 24 at the McGoldrick library at 4:30. CIRCLE OF FRIENDS Tuesday, April 24 at the Glen Oaks library at 11. CHESS & CHECKERS Tuesdays through May 29 at 3 at the South Ozone Park librar y. FATHERS DAY CARDS Wednesday, April 25 make cards for soldiers to send home at the Douglaston/ Little Neck library at 3:30. SEASONAL CRAFT Wednesday, April 25 at the Fresh Meadows library at 3:30. SAND ART Wednesday, April 25 at the Briarwood library at 4. MOVING STORY TIME Wednesday, April 25 create a story with images that move at the East Flushing library at 4.

www.queenstribune.com • April 19-25, 2012 Tribune Page 23

DEFENSIVE DRIVING Saturday, April 21 at American Mart yrs in Bayside. 631-360-9720. LEARN TO SAIL April 21 to June 11 the American Craft Association is offering 7 weeks on the water at Flushing Meadow Park. 347-438-1863. ONLINE LEARNING Saturday, April 21 at the Far Rockaway library at 10:30. CLEAN YOUR COMPUTER Saturday, April 21 at the Central library at 11. PUBLIC SPEAKING Saturday, April 21 learn to communicate effectively at Elmhurst Hospital. 646-4367940. ESSAY WRITING Saturdays, April 21, 28 at the Far Rockaway library at 2. INTER. COMPUTER Saturdays, April 21, 28 LIC library at 2. SIGN LANGUAGE Monday, April 23 at the Laurelton library at 6. INTRO EXCEL Monday, April 23 at the Maspeth library at 6. LEARNING TO LISTEN Monday, April 23 at the Rochdale Village library at 6. Thursday, April 26 at the Baisley Park library at 6. Learn effective listening techniques. JOB READINESS Mondays, April 23, 30, May 7, 14, 28 at the Arverne library at 5:30. LIC CRAFT CLUB Mondays, April 23, 30, May 7, 21 at noon at the LIC library. KNIT & CROCHET Mondays, April 23, 30, May 7, 14, 21 at the Douglaston/ Little Neck library at 4. Bring your own needles and yarn. INTRO EMAIL Tuesday, April 24 at the Queens Village library. Register. SEARCH INTERNET Tuesday, April 24 introduction to searching the internet at the Maspeth library at 1. COMPUTER CLASS Tuesday, April 24 at the Sunnyside library. Register. INTRO COMPUTERS Wednesday, April 25 at the Windsor Park library. Register. MOCK INTERVIEWS Wednesday, April 25 at the Far Rockaway library. Register. SOCIAL MEDIA Wednesday, April 25 Social Media and the Job Search at the LIC library at 1:30. BRAILLE WORKSHOP

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Queens Today

Yuliya Daurove Home: Forest Hills Age: 28 Height: 5’5" Weight: 126 lbs Stats: 33-27-36

Models Of Queens

Fresh Face

Yuliya is a fresh face in the modeling industry, having recently started her new hobby. She has done some magazine ads and promotional events already. Yuliya became interested in modeling while attending school. “I’ve never thought seriously about modeling until I was enrolled into the theater department of Queens College last fall. Then, I realized it’s an opportunity for me,” she said. Yuliya said she wants to pursue a professional modeling and acting career in the future. She said she is confident that the Big Apple will be an open door for her. “I’m still in the process of getting into the business, but it is not that hard in New York. There are many agencies, photographers, events where people invite you. I use special websites,” she said. When the cameras aren’t clicking at her, Yuliya attends Queens College and works as a business development manager at a foreign law firm. She also enjoys literature and theater. In her leisure time, Daurova gets friendly in the Forest Hills. “Austin Street is awesome!” she said.

The Queens Library, where reading tablets includes more than Moses.

Library Of The Future The Queens Library is going where no library has gone before: digital. First, the library began offering music downloads to library cardholders. Now, the library has announced that the Central Library in Jamaica will become the first City library to offer 50 e-readers on loan as part of a pilot program. Each e-reader will be

preloaded with one of five themes: best sellers, romances, mysteries, teen or children’s books, along with 50 works of classic literature. E-readers will be available to library cardholders and a photo ID to check out the devices free for 21 days. Who says libraries don’t know how to attract the younger generation?

Fuzzy Math

The iconic towers of the New York State Pavilion in Flushing Meadows Corona Park are known to anyone who grew up in Queens. The rustic discshaped structures rise from the park like a marker for the borough. For those who aren’t familiar with Queens, the question of “what are those?” is often asked. Though the towers, vacant for more than four Keith Olberman tweeted this pic of the towers in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. decades, made a triumphant return into familiarity after they were cast as spaceships in the 1997 movie “Men in Black,” Confidentially, New they often receive curious stares from anyone driving back on their way to the airports or to Long Island. The towers caught the attention of now unemployedt television host Keith Olbermann last week as he headed for a New York Mets game at CitiField. Olbermann uploaded a photo of the towers on Twitter followed by a tweet; “Still the weirdest piece of scenery in NYC,” the tweet read. The Westchester native included hastags that identified the towers’ place in history #WorldsFair #MIB That’s why we stand out, Keith. Manhattan may have a skyline of boxy skyscrapers and Brooklyn may have its brownstones, but we in Queens love our landmarks that show off our individuality.

Squirrels Gone Wild Get your cameras ready – it’s Spring Break and the squirrels have gone wild. Instead of Mexico, some rodents decided to take a vacation in Glen Oaks Village. Aggressive squirrels have reportedly been roaming the neighborhood, even setting up shop in the hood of someone’s car. One especially rowdy squirrel was caught slipping through a window and eating someone’s cookie. Surprisingly, the Dept. of Health does not have a squirrel removal policy, so the squirrels remain free to party. Hey, everyone should have a chance to let loose on Spring Break.

Photo by Ira Cohen

Page 34 Tribune April 19-25, 2012 • www.queenstribune.com

A Landmark Tweet

York . . .

Peter Vallone’s Facebook page is always a good place to get a more candid view of the colorful councilman. On April 5, after the Mets’ opening day win, Vallone posted, “some mets observations - santana’s still the man even without run support; jason bay still has warning track power, wherever that track may be moved to; we got a good 6 innings out of our spankin new center fielder; and we’re one game over 500!! woohoo!” The Mets were 1-0 and a comment pointed out that they had a 1.000 winning percentage, in response to Vallone’s one game over .500 remark. Confusion set in. Who was right and who was wrong? New York Observer wrote a blog post called “Peter Vallone’s Fuzzy Math.” And who would come to set the record straight? The great compromiser, Councilman Mark Weprin jumped into Vallone’s comment thread. “You’re both right. We are .1000 but only 1 game over .500,” he wrote. Weprin meant 1.000, not .1000, which would be a historically awful winning percentage. Maybe the whole City Council should retake a sixth grade math class?

OF THE The Queens Tribune and its advertisers are pleased to once again present our “Mother of the Year” contest. Our Mother’s Day issue will feature winning entries plus thoughts from the children of Queens. This is our small way of paying tribute to the moms out there who help make Queens a better place to live. The contest rules are simple. Just submit 250 (typewritten when possible, otherwise legible) words or less as to why your mom is special. You or your mom must be a Queens resident. Entries must be received by Friday, April 27, 2012. Enclose a photo of mom, with her kids if possible (sorry they can't be returned).

Mother's Day Prizes Include:

The entries will be judged in three age groups: A) 8 and under; B) 9-12 and C) 13 - adult. Judging will be based on content, creativity and sensitivity. We are open-minded about this contest and even mother-in-law entries will be accepted. Don't Delay: get your entry in today and pay tribute to your special "MOM" (and get Mother's Day gifts too!)

Mets Tickets

OVER $1,000 IN PRIZES Attach this or a facsimile to your entry

CONTEST RULES

Age

Your Name Address Phone Mom's Name Mom's Address Phone

Mail to “Mother of the Year” Queens Tribune, 150-50 14th Road, Whitestone, NY 11357.

1. Submit 250 words as to why your mom is special. You or your mom must be a Queens resident. 2. Entries must be received by Friday, April 27, 2012. 3. Give your age (18+ acceptable), address, phone number, plus mom's name and address. 4. Enclose a 4x6 photo of mom or mom and her kid(s) where possible; put full names on back of photo. Sorry, they can't be returned. 5. Mail entries to “Mother of the Year,” Queens Tribune, 150-50 14th Road, Whitestone, NY 11357. 6. The entries will be judged in three age groups A) 8 and under; B) 9-12 and C) 13 - adult. Judging will be based on content, creativity and sensitivity.

www.queenstribune.com • April 19-25, 2012 Tribune Page 35

Mail entries to “Mother of the Year” Queens Tribune, 150-50 14th Rd., Whitestone, NY 11357.

Over $1,000 In Prizes Plus

QUEENS LIBRARY CONNECTS ME TO

JOBS

“I work at Queens Library, helping other people to search for jobs: for free.” Nazarae, Queens Library Employee

www.queensl ibrary.org Queens Library is an independent, not-for-profit corporation and is not affiliated with any other library system. 6031b-1/12