Queens Tribune Epaper

Vol. 41, No. 48 Dec. 1-7, 2011

Page 42

Tribune Photo by Ira Cohen

A NEW HOPE Q

Civic, religious and political leaders gathered in Flushing last week to sign a new Remonstrance for the future of the borough, a pledge against hatred and intolerance, and in support of the unity of our diverse cultures.

By Ross Barkan‌Page 16

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I N ­S I D E

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Residents Fume Over Asbestos Inside Pomonok

Occupy CUNY Takes Shape In Queens

US Post Office Eyes Moving Bulk To Bklyn

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Page 2 Tribune Dec. 1-7, 2011 • www.queenstribune.com

Queens Deadline Problems At Pomonok:

Asbestos, Poor Upkeep Mar Complex for a new apartment was never filed.

“This used to be a beautiful place to live,” she said. “I raised three children here. Now I’m ashamed to say I live here.”

Tribune Photo by Ross Barkan

By ROSS BA RKAN Eli Goldstein won’t let anyone from management into apar tment 3B any longer. He has been told, because of his weak heart, it’s not safe for him to get riled up. The Korean War veteran will sit indignant at his cramped kitchen table – a touch of fear bubbling in his ancient face – as he hopes that his daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren living with him will not be in danger much longer.

Judi Lol loway, Goldstei n’s daughter, burst into their clut tered apartment to confirm what they say building managers at Pomonok House s in South Flushing have allegedly been trying to deny or hide: asbe stos had been found in their bedroom tiles.

The victor y was shor t-lived; no one has yet come to get rid of it.

Pomonok Houses is a sprawling 60-yearold public housing development, and Eli Goldstein is one of its earliest tenants. When Pomonok creeps into the news lately, it is usually for the random acts of violence that plague any housing development, or in one instance, garbage that piled up on a handball court. Life there is generally free of the greater strife that plagues the more desperate, crime-riddled developments in the city.

Yet interviews w ith re sidents reveal a troubling truth. Life in Pomonok isn’t what it used to be, and relief is not around the corner. Mailboxes are ripped up and not repaired. Toilets are fixed, only to break again.

Lolloway, who is unemployed like her husband, lives with her three children in her father’s asbestos-tainted apartment. They are supported by the money her brother brings home, the disabled veteran checks her father receives – he was awarded the Purple

The asbestos-ridden floor tiles of the Goldstein apartment.

Hear t – and h is pension, which he earned as a retired postal worker.

“We can’t get answers,” Lolloway said.

“The apar tment looks like a bomb hit.”

A Rude Awakening When an exterminator came to their apartment at 69-25 Kissena Blvd. to rid a couch of bedbugs two months ago, he told the residents the apar tment had asbestos.

Soon after, at his request, Lolloway said te sters from Pomonok came to check for asbestos. She could never, she alleges, get

City Corrections Dept.

No Longer ICE-Tied immigrants who have been charged with another crime back on our streets, but makes no distinction between arrests for violent crimes and other crimes,” Vallone said in a statement.

But Councilman Danny Dromm (D-Jackson), who heads the Council Committee on Immigration, disagreed with Vallone’s stance and said the legislation will begin to build trust between the NYPD and immigrants throughout the City.

“It’s a good policing method,” said Dromm who has witnessed families torn apart after one member is deported. “What NYPD should be doing is building trust with immigrant communities, and the majority of the City Council views this as a good measure.”

Although there is a difference of opinion within the borough, Bloomberg said the legislation has already weighed both sides of the issue. “[Intro 656-A] strikes the right balance – protecting public safety for all New Yorkers while ensuring that individuals who have no record of criminal history or pending cases and who have no other record of being a threat to the community are released from Dept. of Correction custody at the conclusion of their case,” Bloomberg said in a statement after signing the legislation.

Reach Reporter Jason Banrey at jbanrey@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400, Ext. 128.

Looking To Help Assemblyman Mike Simanowitz (D-Flushing) has received Lolloway’s complaint and said he believes Pomonok building managers are not treating residents with respect. He has forwarded Lolloway’s asbestos report to NYCHA. “I’ve been in contact with the Housing Authority to express displeasure with the way management has been reacting in general,” he said. “There seems to be some sort of disconnect here.”

Like many public agencies over the past few years, N YCHA has struggled to keep what funding it has and stave off fur ther losses. Two weeks ago, President Barack Obama signed three budget bills that ensured funding levels of public housing authorities would be $4 billion less than 2011 levels. The fund that is dedicated to the physical upkeep of public housing will be shrunk by $165 million. A decade ago, NYCHA received as much as $410 million in funding, and will now receive around $250 million.

“I must say that I don’t know what the hell is going on over there these days,” said Roy Metcalf, the former director of publications and report s at NYCHA from 1970 to 1991. “Public Housing is dead as a social issue. One legitimate beef they do have is diminishing federal, state, and city subsidies, which are starving the projects.”

If public housing is dead as a social issue, residents of Pomonok are fighting again to revive it. For now, they wait warily for improvements to come their way.

“Pomonok was the jewel of Queens,” Stanford said. “It’s not anymore.”

Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at rbarkan@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400, Ext. 127.

www.queenstribune.com • Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 3

By JASON BANREY Mayor Mike Bloomberg signed a bill limiting the Dept. of Corrections cooperation with federal immigration authorities, which immigration advocates believe will reduce the number of unnecessary deportation of immigrant inmates who do not have criminal records.

The controversial bill, also known as, Intro 656, directs the city’s Dept. of Corrections to refrain from turning over many undocumented immigrants to the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency upon an individual’s release from prison.

According to a report provided by the Council’s Committee on Immigration, ICE placed “detainers” – orders to hold for deportation proceedings – on 3,506 immigrants in New York City in 2009. While only 22 percent had felony records and 20 percent had committed misdemeanors, the majority had no prior convictions.

Although the measure received an overwhelming amount of support before being signed into law on Nov. 22, Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria) urged the mayor to not sign what he termed “dangerous legislation” and return to his original position which supported the City’s continued cooperation with federal immigration officials.

“Make no mistake, this will make our communities less safe – it not only puts illegal

these test results. And Pomonok officials she spoke with denied knowledge of the tests ever occurring.

Pomonok’s superintendent and the assistant manager of 69-25 Kissena Blvd., Allen Guadagno, did not respond to requests for comment as of this printing. A spokesperson at the New York City Housing Authority said public comment about individual cases could not be made without the signed consent of those individuals.

Kevin Thorner, of the Dept. of Health & Mental Hygiene, said the tenant is supposed to call 311, which is required to respond to repor t s of disturbed asbe stos w ithin 24 hours. Goldstein said he made the call, but nobody ever came to check on the asbestos.

Eventually, after a slew of phone calls to various outside agencies, the family paid $300 to Environmental Management Services, Inc. to perform an independent round of tests. This time, the results were clear: asbestos was found in two different bedrooms beneath tiles, and in one bedroom, results were dangerously high.

Especially alarming was the 8.7 percent positive result for Chrysotile, the most common form of asbestos, found in floor tiles.

According to Mike Furda, a field environmental officer for Housing and Urban Development, any level over 1 percent can pose a health risk.

“It seems like the proper ty manager or landlord is playing this low and not making a big fuss,” he said. “It’s going to take a lot of time, money, and energy to replace the asbestos-containing materials.”

Lolloway’s complaints about the intransigence of building managers are not unique.

Timolyn Stanford, a resident of Pomonok for 22 years, is not shy about denouncing building managers who, in her opinion, have done nothing to halt Pomonok’s steady decline. In Ja nuar y, her leg was amputated, and she requested a larger special-needs apartment to accommodate her wheelchair.

Her daughter, missing a kidney, is on dialysis and needs more room to store her medical equipment. The assistant housing manager, Ms. Vargas – who would not divulge her first name – allegedly said she was placing Stanford on a waiting list for a new special-needs apartment that is not on the sixth floor, like her cur rent one.

Stanford later found out the application

They’re Not Alone Thadine Wormley, a neighbor of Lolloway, is a youth counselor who has lived in Pomonok Houses since 1970. He describes a housing development that was once a clean and efficient place where problems were quickly alleviated.

“Every thing is breaking down,” Wormley said. “I go back to a time living here, a monthly exterminator knocked on your door. Every thing was proactively fixed.”

Wormley said the roof tiles in his son and daughter’s bedrooms are chipped and water leaks through when it rains. He must put buckets in the room to catch rainwater. When he contacted the central call center to file a complaint, he said he was given two different dates for repairmen to come and fix the roofs.

One was in 2012. The other was in 2013.

Though he said a lot of people are intimidated by non-cooperative management, Wormley blame s Pomonok’s woe s on a lack of funding. Now, when an outdoor roof light goes out, it stays out. Nights are literally becoming darker.

“At one point, my front door was get t ing stuck. It was a fire hazard and it took almost a year to fix it,” said Charmin Ramsey, a resident who has lived in Pomonok for five years. “Always, you have to wait.”

Since a broken pipe in her kitchen meant that the water could no longer be turned on, Ramsey had to vacate her apar tment for Thanksgiving. She has been told the pipe will be fixed in December.

Tuition Hike Buoys Occupy CUNY

By JASON BANREY ness to explore new forms of political orgaAfter demonstrators were evicted last nization and protest.” month, offshoots of the Occupy Wall Street Immediately after visit ing Zuccot ti Park, movement began spreading beyond the Moldovan’s students developed the Occupy boundarie s of lower Manhattan.

CUN Y Facebook page and began reaching Within the demonstrators’ call for eco- out to other campuses throughout Queens. nomic equality and social justice, Occupy Today, according to Occupy CUN Y’s CUNY has emerged from the confines of Facebook page, students of York College Zuccot ti Park, not only taking on the plight have been active on campus, staging stuof students but also fightdent walk-outs and conducting for the academic freeing teach-ins along with pro“Students feeling dom of faculty within the fessors and faculty to eduCity University of New they can change cate the student population. things is just the York.

Immediately after propaFor Vadim Moldovan, beginning. As stugating information about inassociate professor of the dents get more proternal demonstrations, stuSocial Work Program at gressive and excited dents began to use the site York College in Jamaica, about this moveto coordinate dates of action his students’ interest in dethat saw numerous borough ment, they begin to veloping an occupation on students part icipate at protheir university campus see the bigger pictest s against the CUN Y’s was sparked after they ex- ture – and that says Board of Trustees’ vote to perienced the message of a lot about what‘s raise tuition Nov. 28. the Occupy Wall Street happening already.”

Although the hikes were movement on a class trip approved, and a series of —Vadim Moldovan, to Zuccot t i Park.

York College $ 3 0 0 a n n u a l t u i t i o n i n “That day my students creases will be instituted realized it was in the code each year through 2015, stuof ethics of a social worker,” Moldovan said. dents have promised to not stop fighting for “Polit ical action on the behalf of the op- a system that nearly three decades ago ofpressed is a must for us. It’s not an option; it fered a free college education. is something we must do. They took that Meher Moshin, an organizer and editor realization and ran w ith it.” of Queens College’s student newspaper, alMoldovan is also a member of the Profes- ready began to feel the pinch of tuition hikes sional Staff Congress/CUNY, one of the first even before the increase was announced. labor unions to show suppor t for the OWS Prior to student protests, she helped orgamovement. nize educational sessions informing students In October the union, which represents about the State budget cuts that eventually 25,000 CUNY faculty and staff, announced led to tuition hikes. a resolution commending OWS’s “willingFor Moshin, the goal of “occupying”

Queens College is to start developing a dialog about policy change that she hopes will eventual ly help influence CUNY’s Board of Trustees to make decisions that have positive impacts on students.

Despite the movement’s sudden burst from students, some campuses face challenges in get ting the majority to part icipate in Occupy CUN Y’s demonstrat ions.

With a student population that boasts more than 19,000 enrolled students, a majority of whom are commuters, Moshin said that it can be difficult to get students engaged into Occupy CUN Y’s message since they are already juggling a heav y workload.

“There’s a lot of apathy to the movement

in general at the moment,” Moshin said. “But with each event we will continue educating students about the issues CUN Y is facing.”

Although the bat tle against tuition h ikes was initially lost, Moldovan said there is a glimmer of hope within Occupy CUNY’s movement.

“Students feeling they can change things is just the beginning.” Moldovan said. “As students get more progressive and excited about this movement, they begin to see the bigger picture – and that says a lot about what‘s happening already.”

Reach Reporter Jason Banrey at jbanrey@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400, Ext. 128.

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‘Operation Sign Off’ Targets Posters

By DOMENICK RAFTER Make $50 an hour working from home.

Get cash for that old car. Free iPads. Get a free estimate for new windows!

Consider it a more traditional form of spam. On the borough’s telephone poles, lampposts, traffic lights, elevated train structures and even road signs, illegal advertisements promising a good deal or promoting a political candidate or new musician, have become a symbol of New York City life, and has led to the infamous “Post No Bills” warning on scaffolding at construction sites.

But even after the yard sale is over, the lost dog is found, or that mystery gold buyer is no longer buying, rusty staples remain imbed-

Illegal signs like these in Maspeth are “a form of urban blight,” said Councilman Peter Vallone Jr.

ded in the telephone poles, and the glue from the tape has done its damage to lampposts.

According to city law, it is illegal to post any type of flyer, whether a commercial ad or a lost dog poster, on any city-owned structure or tree. Now, the indecorous-looking signs are a target of a crackdown by the Dept. of Sanitation looking to get rid of the marketing eyesores that often damage city property.

On Nov. 21, Sanitation enforcement agents removed dozens of illegal signs in Ozone Park, Woodhaven and Richmond Hill in what was called “Operation Sign Off.” “These eyesores litter our commercial corridors, making the area less inviting for merchants and shoppers, and often block street signs at busy intersections,” said Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) who joined with Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) and two Sanitation enforcement agents to remove the signs. Sanitation used phone numbers listed on the signs to issue fines in accordance with city law.

Ulrich and Miller’s program is a good idea, said Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (DAstoria), who had been taking matters into his own hands in his district. “[The signs] annoy the hell out of me. I rip them down every time I see them, and I will call whoever’s sign it is and warn them that they’ll get a fine if they put them back up,” said Vallone. “It’s a form of urban blight.”

Vallone added he does not equate the signs with graffiti, and warns businesses before reporting them. He said he would look into doing his own Operation Sign Off in Astoria. Individuals and businesses can face fines of $75 for each sign taped or stapled to telephone poles and street lights.

On a tree, fines are doubled to $150.

Individuals can report illegal signs to 311 and enforcements agents will respond and

remove the sign within seven business days.

Many street-savvy New Yorkers tend to shrug off these ads as potential scams, but for the number of illegal signs that appear, they have been be cost-effective.

“We have been getting a lot of phone calls since we put the signs up,” said the owner of one company who posted illegal signs in Queens. The owner said he did not know it was illegal to post signs on poles and would

take them down immediately. Nevertheless, he said the signs have yielded business.

“People see what we’re offering and they call to find out. It works like any ad.” he said, adding that a lot of the phone calls he receives are from customers who are at first skeptical about his company’s legitimacy.

Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at drafter@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400 Ext. 125.

GOP’s Ulrich Selected To Run Romney NYC

By DOMENICK RAFTER Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park), considered a rising star in the borough and city’s small, but often influential Republican Party, has been named NYC chairman for the Presidential campaign for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari, Romney’s New York State campaign chairman made the announcement earlier this week.

“As the debate over our nation’s future reaches a critical stage, I am certain that Gov. Romney has the experience and ideas needed to get our country moving again,” Ulrich said. “In 2009 and 2010 the Republican party in New York City experienced remarkable gains in city, state and congressional elections. I am looking forward to working with Guy Molinari to build on those successes and elect Mitt Romney to the next president of the United States.”

Ulrich has been eyed for higher office,

including being floated as a potential candidate for the Congressional seat that was recently won by U.S. Rep. Bob Turner (R-Breezy Point), whom Ulrich endorsed early on.

Nationally, Romney, seen early on as a frontrunner and the strongest GOP candidate to face President Barack Obama in next year’s election, has been trailing former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in most recent national polls, and in early primary states like Iowa and South Carolina. New York’s Republican Presidential primary is scheduled for April 24, 2012. Romney has already received the endorsement of a number of top New York Republicans including State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Long Island), U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm (R-Staten Island) and U.S. Rep. Nan Hayworth (RHudson Valley).

Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at drafter@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400 Ext. 125.

www.queenstribune.com • Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 5

Edit Page In Our Opinion:

Clearing The Dust The fact that asbestos exists in an aging apartment complex is not unusual for Queens. It was a useful product that was widespread in its application all across our borough.

What strikes us as unusual is to see that when reported in a public housing setting, asbestos seems to fall into the same category as a leaky roof or cracked window – send it to the bottom of the long list of needed fixes and upgrades that ever-diminishing budgets preclude.

We do not fault the agency constrained by dwindling resources for its ability to react to every instance at the crack of a whip – that would be unrealistic. What we question is whether it has got its priorities straight. According to lab results, there are dangerous levels of asbestos in at least one Pomonok apartment, and the sheer size of the complex makes us fairly certain that this is not an isolated case.

So where is the response? What is the priority? What is being done to put the health and well-being of residents at the top of the list? We applaud newly-minted Assemblyman Mike Simanowitz for vowing to get to the bottom of this, and hope he can get some answers, where the residents of Pomonok have been unable.

In Your Opinion:

Page 6 Tribune Dec. 1-7, 2011 • www.queenstribune.com

Non-Profit Gifts To The Editor: Thank you for the articles on local shopping in the Nov. 24 issue. I suggest a similar shopping guide for the borough’s non-profit gift shops. Our cultural, educational, and environmental non-profits contribute greatly to the quality of life in Queens and need our support, especially as their budgets have been hard hit by the recession. The merchandise in each nonprofit shop reflects the organization’s expertise in a specific field, such as items by local artists at Flushing Town Hall, ecology-themed items at the Queens Botanical Garden, and sciencethemed items at the NY Hall of Science. Thus, the selection of items in each non-profit’s field generally is better in its shop than in a small or big business.

The person who does not need more things may appreciate a membership or gift certificates for a nonprofit. The non-profit arts schools such as the Jackson Heights Art Club provide affordable instruction in the arts which enable Queensites to enjoy creating art without the trouble and expense of going to Manhattan.

Now that Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday are over, I hope Queens will be the first borough in the country to have “Non-Profit Weekend.” I look

forward to reading and using your non-profit shopping guide.

Maureen Chen, Flushing

Better Ser vice To The Editor: I recently started working in various parts of Queens and have found public transportation there to be deplorable. Buses and trains are constantly late or even non-existent.

I have been to Howard Beach three times and got out of work at 5:30 p.m. There is supposed to be a Q21 bus at 5:53 p.m.; three times that bus never materialized and I had to wait until the next one which came at 6:23 p.m.

Why even have bus schedules when they are not adhered to by the MTA? In addition, service on the A train is horrible. That train never seems to be on schedule. To top it all off, I have seen several buses with the old cushion seats where the fabric is in such disarray that it has to be held together with duct tape.

I also have seen springs actually being exposed and the cushioned seat is on the floor.

Service in Queens is a total disgrace. They need new buses. Also, how about updating some of the bus stop signs and building more bus shelters? I am from Brooklyn and I thought service on some lines here was bad, but in comparison to Queens it is actually good service

Michael Schenkler Publisher/Editor-in-Chief

here. C’mon MTA, give the people of Queens some better service.

Steve Yanowsky, Brooklyn

Super Committee To The Editor: We shouldn’t be surprised that the “Super Committee” was unable to reach an agreement on a comprehensive deficit-reduction plan. The blame game now begins, unabated until the next time Congress needs to make tough decisions about spending. Now the next countdown clock has started ticking: 13 months until the automatic spending cuts (or “sequestration”) kick in. It is essential that any workable path forward from this mess must include a balance of both spending cuts and additional revenue.

Congress has a solemn and Constitutional obligation to keep the federal government’s fiscal house in order. And Congress has the dual responsibility of not only ensuring fiscal stability, but also preventing the economy from tailspinning into an even deeper downturn. The majority party running the U.S. House of Representatives abdicated that responsibility by passing the Budget Control Act of 2011, creating a “Super Committee” that was as ineffective as the majority. I branded the Super Committee the “Kevorkian Commission,” which, if we couldn’t find a way forward, would threaten to deliver a take-it or leave-it dose of poison to the American people – senior citizens and folks of all ages.

If the current Majority in the House of Representatives continues to insist on an unbalanced plan, by cutting expenditures (which I agree we must do), but yet again refusing to consider any actual increase in revenue, then domestic priorities such as Medicare, as well as national defense spending, will be put at grave risk in 2013 by sequestration. A responsible deficit-reduction plan must consider the needs of all our nation’s citizens on a fair basis. It is fundamentally unfair to cut programs, such as Medicaid, that deliver health benefits to our most at-risk and vulnerable citizens, or break America’s historic commitment to provide health benefits to senior citizens through Medicare, while not asking any sacrifice from the wealthiest members of our society.

So, as we celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and family, I am reflecting on our basic principles.

The people I came to Washington to help need real help now. They need jobs, they need food on the table, and they need educational opportu-

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

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nities. That’s what I came here to do and that should be our collective commitment.

Gary Ackerman, U.S. Congress

Better Reps To The Editor: First of all, the so-called super committee is unconstitutional. Secondly, they couldn’t find any spending cuts? What comes to mind is that the Congress should have nothing to do with the economy, it’s not their job. It is disgraceful nothing could be found to cut. What about foreign aid? What about these very costly wars? What about the billions given to the America-hating UN? What about the socialist government departments like education, housing, and energy?

In a better world, ordinary citizens should be consulted on what could be cut. No doubt many spending cuts would be suggested.

What this country desperately needs is better congressmen who will uphold the Constitution. Hopefully citizens will fulfill that need next election.

Frank St. George, East Rockaway

Non-Profit Aid To The Editor: As many in Queens will tell you, there are many non-profit organizations throughout the borough that have helped thousands of people get back on their feet. Non-profit organizations have traditionally been exempt from paying property taxes on buildings they own and provide services in, like churches and non-profit affordable housing developers. However, the city has recently decided to require these organizations to verify their nonprofit status or risk losing their property tax exemption. In some cases these organizations would cease to exist without the property tax exemption.

Within the past month, the City has sent two notification letters with forms that the organizations are required to fill out to keep their exemption status. Out of the thousands of letters that were sent out there are still 3,928 organizations that the city is waiting to hear from and 738 of them are located in Queens.

For small organizations that do not have dedicated administrative staff, like many churches, this can be burdensome as they prepare to help people during this holiday season, especially considering the short notice they received – all verification forms are due Dec. 5.

One of them is Oneness Pente-

James Mammarella Director of Sales and Marketing Shelly Cookson Corporate & Legal Advertising Account Executives Donna Lawlor Elizabeth Rieger Shari Strongin Neil Wong

Merlene Carnegie Tom Eisenhauer Charles Galluccio Steve Lampart

Maureen Coppola, Advertising Administrator Accounting: Leticia Chen, Stacy Feuerstein

costal Tabernacle on Linden Boulevard; they have a small staff but have been a staple in the community for many years. They recently fed people who were looking for a meal on Thanksgiving and every Saturday they assess the needs of the neighborhood and give away food to the homeless. Unfortunately, they do not currently have a staff person dedicated to handling their finances, taking away time from the pastors running these programs.

While verification of these facilities may be necessary, it comes at a precarious time. It is during these hard economic times that members of our community seek out these services most. Yet, the city has so suddenly required these organizations to verify their property tax exemption status and the use eligibility of their facilities, and have only provided a small window of time to do so. Whether this was done intentionally or not to capture future revenues is uncertain. What is certain is that organizations will be required to exert what little time, energy and resources they have in turning around these forms, instead of concentrating on providing critically needed services.

The struggling economy has forced those of us in government to make tough decisions and many of these organizations have seen their funding dramatically slashed, at the same time, families in Queens have also had to tighten their belts, and many are desperately looking for any help they can get. With so many people unable to afford their mortgages, rent, health insurance and other necessities, this is not the time to impose onerous information requests from organizations that help people in need.

Accountability, transparency, and accurate reporting are essential to ensure compliance, but there has to be a better methodology employed that allows organizations – particularly ones with very little staff – to respond to these requests in an efficient and timely manner. Some 738 organizations in Queens have yet to respond to the City’s notice.

While I work with my fellow City Council colleagues to reach out to these groups, I will, not only advocate for more time to complete these forms, but ask why, while we are still struggling to get the economy moving again, we are suddenly burdening institutions that have been serving people for years by threatening to take their resources away?

For organizations that need help obtaining the forms, or any other questions, call my office at (718) 776-3700.

Leroy Comrie, City Council

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www.queenstribune.com • Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 7

Public Sees Congress As Fools or Knaves

By EDWARD I. KOCH fears and frustrations of those who Congress is a joke. Today there believe our system of government is absolutely no respect has failed them seizing for those who were absolute power with elected to represent us popular consent. in the House and SenThere will always be ate. The reasons for this those who say it can’t lack of respect are many. happen here.

Overwhelmingly, the I say, yes it can. public sees Congress as I don’t know of a fools because, while they single figure in governwere elected to address ment, from the Presiand solve the problems dent on down, who is be set t ing our nat ion, overwhelmingly reEd Koch including a nine percent spected. Congre ss is unemployment rate, members of now viewed favorably by only 9 Congress appear far more inter- percent of the public according to ested in party politics and reelec- a New York Times/CBS News poll tion. There appears to be no ma- of last month. No one expects jor effort to rise above party affili- universal respect, but that is a danation and responsibly address the gerously low number. Frankli n nation’s problems and save the Delano Roosevelt had a significant Republic. number of critics throughout his In a way, this is the behavior career, but overwhelmingly he was pat tern adopted by t he 1920s loved or at least respected. I don’t German parliamentarians during believe that is true of the way the the Weimar Republic, which led to public views President Obama. He the public’s turning to dictatorship has a current favorable rating of 45 and ultimately to Adolf Hitler for percent. leadership. We are lucky that in our What has happened to us that democracy, the extremist radicals we no longer seem to elect leadon the right and left have had no ers at all levels of government who significant electorate appeal. Nev- create confidence? Regrettably, in ertheless, the fact that our democ- many situat ions, t he ver y be st racy is not beset by radicals should people, the ablest people, will not not cloud our reasoning. There is consider running for elective office. always the danger of a charismatic They simply do not want to subfanatic rising up, manipulating the ject themselves and their families

to the slings, stones and arrows that are hurled at candidates every day of the year.

Many voters also see members of Congress as knaves. Witness the recent piece on “60 Minutes” on CBS-TV about two weeks ago reporting on members of Congress who, while enacting laws bearing upon the stock market, used inside information — not available to the public — to purchase or sell stocks, making profits in the millions in some cases. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi was alleged to be one such member. Apparently, members of Congress are not subject to insider information restrictions that apply to everyone else. It seems to me there is an easy way to prevent that abuse. Congress should require its members to place their stock portfolios in blind trusts, so members cannot use their insider information for themselves or others.

Also passing whatever laws are needed to apply existing insider information rules to Congress, as well as the public.

The bi-par t isan supercommit tee of six Senators and six members of the House, which was given the authority to come up with a plan to reduce the country’s $14 trillion national debt by $1.2 trillion over 10 years, reported last week its total failure to reach an agreement. The commit-

Page 8 Tribune Dec. 1-7, 2011 • www.queenstribune.com

Fair Lines Mean Fair Votes

By HENRY J. STERN For the past year, we have been watching closely the redistricting process in New York State. As you know, the U.S. Constitution requires the states to redraw legislative and congressional districts every 10 years, on the basis of the Census.

The Constitution doe s not, howe ver, specif y how t he state s Henry should do this, except to require that the populations of the various districts should be approximately equal. Recent court decisions require the protection of racial minorities. Beyond that, almost anything goes.

The historic practice of tailoring districts for partisan advantage is called gerrymandering, after Massachuset ts Gov. Elbridge Gerr y (1744-1814), whose surname was incidentally pronounced with a hard “G.” It describes a scheme involving convoluted district boundaries, structured to concentrate voters of one political party in a district where they could prevail, and to divide districts in which the opposition

party might have a majority.

These techniques have been rudely but rhythmically described as “stacking, cracking, hacking and packing.”

They are intended to frustrate the will of the voters by creating safe seats for incumbents, which would minimize the effect of the voters’ choice bet ween candidate s in compet it ive elections. When public Stern officials are frequently chosen in party primaries, rather than general elections, political bosses and party contributors generally have more influence. In cases where the general elections are decisive, the people, including those who choose not to join political parties, have a greater voice.

The blight of the gerrymander extends beyond unfairly drawing lines which favor one group over a nother. It i nfluence s t he choice of candidates by each party, the tenor of public debate, and the issues that will be raised in campaigns. In general, incumbents draw lines to favor other incumbents, so that the public seeking change is frustrated at how few

opportunities there are to have a realistic chance to elect new candidates to open seats. Although the trappings of democracy are maintained, legislative power is held by a self-perpetuating oligarchy. T h is hypocrisy le ssens people’s confidence in government for good reason: it is not their government but an array of cliques and regimes wh ich remain in power through adroit use of incumbency, patronage and gerrymandering; the legislators who draw the playing field have little inclination to keep it level.

This year there has been substantial public interest in districting reform, particularly in the demand for professional, nonpolitical panels to draw lines according to objective standards. Mayor Koch, Citizens Union and good government groups across the state, including NYPIRG, the League of Women Voters and Common Cause, have called for a nonpartisan commission; no one publicly opposes the idea. Gov. Andre w Cuomo has promised to veto any redistricting plan he deems unfair. It is however not easy to decide, precisely what is fair and, moreover, just how fair a plan must be.

tee failed in its mission despite the fact that it had a template on which to build — the SimpsonBowles plan — that involves debt reduction of $4 trillion through a combination of expense reductions and revenue increases. The Republicans on the supercommittee refused to accept any revenue increases, and the Democrats and President Obama were unable to change the mind of a single Republican on the supercommittee.

The commit tee member s should be shunned by their congressional colleagues for that failure and rejected by their constituents in the coming election of 2012.

Let me suggest the measures that the supercommit tee could have adopted which would have yielded close to $4 trillion in new revenues: 1. Allow Medicare to provide drugs to Medicare beneficiaries using volume discounts — now prohibited by law — in purchasing, saving a trillion dollars over ten years.

2. Create a national stock transfer tax covering everyone, no mat ter where the stock is purchased or sold, raising at least a trillion dollars over 10 years.

3. Require all corporations retaining profits overseas to repatriate those monies within one year or be subject to a 15 percent annual surcharge, providing billions of dollars over the next 10 years.

4. Reduce the value of all loopholes in the tax code by 50 percent until the tax code is revised. I believe that would raise another trillion over 10 years.

To t he above revenue i ncreases, I would add expense reductions three times as large. That would be the grandest of bargains.

One of the reasons our Congress is so ineffective is because of

the enormous power of private special intere st mone y to sway elections. Raising money for those not wishing to sell their souls in exchange for financial support is becoming very difficult. It is obvious that Congress is captive to Wall Street as a key source of campaign contributions. It would be wonderful if those contributions were made in support of good government.

But we know that isn’t true.

The United States was created by a revolution, a rebellion. A Founding Father, Thomas Jefferson said, “God forbid we should ever be twent y year s without such a rebellion.”

The time for that rebellion is now. Fortunately, it can take the form of a constitutional amendment. The amendment, introduced

by Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) and Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Dick Durbin (DIL), Charles Schumer (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mark Begich (DAK) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), would allow the federal and state governments to limit campaign contributions and campaign spending, not now limitable by law as a re sult of several U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

I believe this effort to limit the power of special interests at the federal and state levels is the most important issue before the American people today. All of us should volunteer when the campaign begins to pass the Udall amendment in Congress where a two-thirds vote in favor is required in both Houses and in the state legislatures where three-fourths of the states must ratify.

God Bless our Republic and its people.

Mayor Koch was a member of Congress from New York State from 1969 through 1977.

Not 4 Publication.com by Dom Nunziato

www.queenstribune.com • Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 9

QEDC Launches Mandarin Program

By JASON BANREY A new pilot program introduced by the Queens Economic Development Corp. promises economic opportunity to Mandarin-speaking Chinese immigrants, but one advocacy group feels it is only the first step toward helping a community integrate into the borough’s workforce.

Last week, the QEDC announced it is providing training courses in Mandarin for aspiring home-improvement contractors prior to taking the NYC Dept. of Consumer Affairs licensing exam.

The lessons will be accompanied by oneon-one busine ss advisory service s, such as

consultations on permits and licensing, business development, procurement and access to capital.

With the aim of addressing the language barriers many Chinese immigrants face before transitioning into mainstream employment, the pilot program would only address a small population of skilled workers within the borough.

Simon Ch ie w, director of t he Work Force Development Division at the ChineseAmerican Planning Council (CPC), has witnessed how language barriers deter immigrants from entering mainstream employment.

For nearly five decades, the CPC has provided social services to thousands of Asians Americans. Each year, around 1,800 clients – 90 percent of whom are Chinese – come into the CPC’s Workforce Development Division seeking employment and training opportunities.

Although Chiew agrees with the init iative’s aim, he said additional at tent ion must also be placed on unskilled immigrant workers who are finding difficulty transitioning into entr y level jobs after arriving in Ne w York City.

For Cheiw, t he mai n issue is t he la nguage barrier, which he has w itnessed lin-

Food Carts Could Be Graded

Page 10 Tribune Dec. 1-7, 2011 • www.queenstribune.com

By JASON BANREY Like restaurants, many of the borough’s popular food vendors may soon by fighting to be the next top spot on a block near you.

State Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) drafted legislation this week that would require local health departments to impose a similar letter grading system used in restaurants on food vendors.

The legislation comes after many of the Senator’s constituents complained about the cleanliness of the street carts and trucks serving food along the sidewalks of Roosevelt Avenue from Jackson Heights to Corona.

“Roosevelt Avenue was really the catalyst for the legislation,” Peralta said, referring to the numerous mobile vendors that have saturated the densely populated area. “Constituents have also said they don’t actually know what they are eating and if they do know,

they are observing them preparing food in an unsanitary way.”

Not only does he believe the legislation would improve the quality of food street vendors offer but also develop a sense of pride owners have for their products.

“People who a see the A on the cart will most likely want to try the food because they trust its being served up to health standards,” said Peralta, who assumes more than half of the vendors along Roosevelt Avenue are not registered with the Dept. of Health. “I guarantee nine out of 10 individuals will want to eat at the cart that has an A, and that will make vendors boast about what they have.”

Currently, depending on the time of year, 115 to 150 inspectors from the Dept. of Health inspect mobile food carts and trucks to promote compliance with food safety regulations.

The inspections check for virtually the same requirements as those required of restaurants and carts, and trucks are issued violations for not meeting regulations. However, the information is not available on the Web and can only be obtained by calling 311 with the mobile vending unit’s permit or license number.

The Street Vendor Project (SVP), an advocacy group for mobile vending units, supports the measure.

“Many street vendors have been waiting for a letter grading system,” said Matthew Shapiro, staff attorney for SVP. “As long as the inspection and grading process is set in line with the way it is with restaurants we think [the legislation] a good thing.”

Reach Reporter Jason Banrey at jbanrey@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400, Ext. 128.

ger even after ma ny immigrant s take par t in pilot programs and recruitment sessions.

“Even though it is a good step forward,” Chiew said of QEDC’s program. “In the long run it might not prepare them to expand for the greater potential for business possibilitie s in the future.”

Assemblywoman Grace Meng (DF l u s h i n g ) , C o u n c i l m a n Pe t e r K o o ( R Flush i ng) a nd State Sen. Toby Stav isky (D-Flushing), who represent districts with high populations of Chinese immigrants, called the implementation of the pilot program a great oppor tunit y for local Chinese contractors to expand their businesses and find new employment opportunities.

The initiative was developed after the QEDC saw the need within the Chinese immigrant community. Although the initiative is currently limited to one industr y, there are hopes to expand.

“We will not only be looking at other industries and businesses in the Chinese community but also other immigrant communities,” said Nicholas Hardie, a business consultant overseeing the project for the QEDC. “There is a demand out there from other populations. If program is successful we will expand it.”

Before classes star t in Januar y, part icipants will be able to learn more about the training course at two orientation sessions.

The sessions will take place at 39-01 Main St., Ste. 509 in Flushing on Dec. 6, at 6:30 p.m.; and Dec. 11 at 1 p.m.

Reach Reporter Jason Banrey at jbanrey@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400, Ext. 128.

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The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) offers grants on a first-come, first-served basis to those who truly need help. For more information, call the NYC Human Resources Administration at 1-800-692-0557 today.

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Heroes Dedicate Bell For Survivors

By ROSS BARKAN New York City firefighters understand risk. A flaming building is a foe any firefighter is willing to combat. Cancer, though, is in many ways more dangerous and unknowable. When a bell was rung last week, firefighters took another step toward understanding that fire is not their only brush mortality.

At a Nov. 22 ceremony inside the North Shore-Long Island Jewish’s Monter Cancer Center in Lake Success, the Fire Cancer Support Network donated a 60-pound bell that will be rung every time a cancer patient completes their courses of treatment. Cancer-surviving firefighters spoke at the ceremony, including Lee Ielpi, a 26-year veteran

of the FDNY who lost his firefighter son in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and has survived a rare form of leukemia known as Waldenstrom Syndrome. Ielpi was the first to ring the bell.

“At the firehouse the bell rings and there’s this run of adrenaline, you really don’t know what it is,” said Dr. Louis Kavoussi, the chairman of urology at North Shore-LIJ. “In this case, the dedication is for our cancer survivors. The bell is for the living angels we have, the people who have completed the treatment to go forward, and also in memory for those who weren’t as fortunate.”

As attendees of the ceremony entered the center, they passed through a triangular arch formed by two extended fire ladders. Ronald Photos by Ira Cohen

Firefighters paid tribute to those they have lost at the Nov. 22 ceremony.

Barz, the assistant regional director of FCSN and a former chief of the Hauppauge Fire Department, wiped his eyes as he shared his story about surviving cancer and being able to know he could continue to see his family.

“We suffer from cancer like anybody else,” he said. “This bell will be in Nassau County, and hopefully it will be throughout the United States shortly.”

Speakers reiterated the importance of firefighters going to their yearly medical checkups. Ielpi, who is also president of the September 11th Families Association, which supports victims of terrorism through communication and peer support, spoke about how the culture of firefighters can sometimes shun medical attention because young, healthy individuals don’t want to be told they are not healthy. If they aren’t told their health is at risk, the faulty logic goes, they aren’t at risk.

“What is a cancer survivor?” Ielpi asked the gathering, requesting those who had survived cancer to raise their hands. “The rest of you, I can guarantee what you’re saying right now, ‘I’m never going to have cancer. It’s a guarantee.’”

“Because I was going to never have cancer,” he added.

Ielpi said that he realized overcoming horrific events would not be possible through hatred.

“Justice absolutely, we have to have justice,” Ielpi said. “But I’m moving in a different direction. It’s more important to educate

The bell, donated by the Fire Cancer Support Network, will be rung each time a cancer patient finishes treatment. our young people at the events of 9-11.”

Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at rbarkan@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400, Ext. 127.

www.queenstribune.com • Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 11

MTA-New York City Transit (NYCT) New York City Transit RFP for Paratransit Broker Car Service NYCT is seeking expression of interest from car service providers nationwide for an upcoming RFP for a Broker Car Service/Livery Network System.

For more information contact: Candace Sheppard at Candace.sheppard@nyct.com, 646-252-6041. DUE DATE is TBD New York City Transit

Compiled by ROSS BARKAN

100th Precinct WATER DEATH: On Friday, Nov. 25, at approximately 4:28 p.m. in the waters of Jamaica Bay, police responded to a 911 call of a man in the water. The NYPD Harbor Unit discovered a 39-year-old man unconscious and unresponsive in the water. EMS also responded to the scene and pronounced him dead on arrival. There was no criminality suspected. The identity of the man was pending proper family notification.

Page 12 Tribune Dec. 1-7, 2011 • www.queenstribune.com

THRILLING SEA RESCUE: On Sunday, Nov. 27, at approximately 1:19 p.m., a 46-year-old man called 911 from his cell phone to report that he was in the ocean about a mile from Jacob Riis Park, and his kayak was quickly taking on water. NYPD Harbor Unit boats immediately began searching for the lone kayaker.

Two NYPD SCUBA divers were deployed into the water from the helicopter and the fisherman was secured in a rescue basket.

Lifted into the helicopter for the flight back to Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, the fisherman was suffering from severe hypothermia. EMS met the arriving crew at the airfield and transported the man to New York Community Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.

station located at 138-19 Hillside Ave. When the cash register opened, the suspects held up semi-automatic handguns and removed approximately $1,500 and fled the location on the eastbound service road of the Van Wyck Expressway. There were no injuries.

One suspect is a black man between 20 and 25 years old, weighing 150 lbs. and wearing a red jacket with yellow stripes on the sleeve and “Brooklyn” on the front, blue jeans with a light beard, mustache, and corn rows in his hair. He was armed with a black semi-automatic handgun.

The second suspect is a black man between 20 and 25, weighing 150 lbs. and wearing a blue sweat shirt with white stripes on sleeves, blue jeans, dark knit hat. He was armed with a brown semi-automatic handgun.

Anyone with information in regards to either of these robberies is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577TIPS.

110th Precinct ELMHURST GROPER: The NYPD is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the following individual wanted for two incidents of sex abuse which occurred in Elmhurst.

On Nov. 7 at approximately 8 a.m. in the vicinity of 54th Avenue, the suspect pulled up 101st Precinct in a white sedan next to a 12SHOT IN THE HEAD: year-old girl, exited the vehicle On Thursday, Nov. 24, at and asked the victim if she 10:38 p.m. in front of 13-60 Beach Channel Drive, police Police are looking for knew an address. He then responded to a 911 call of a this man in t wo grop- showed her a piece of paper with numbers on it. The victim man shot. Upon arrival, po- ing assaults. entered the suspect’s auto lice observed Eric Norman, 18, with a gunshot wound to the head. EMS where he touched her intimate parts over her responded and pronounced him dead on clothing. The victim exited the vehicle and arrival at the scene. There were no arrests and the suspect fled the scene. The victim was not injured. the investigation was ongoing.

On Nov. 25 at approximately 4 p.m., in the vicinity of 55th Avenue, the suspect while 103rd Precinct DOUBLE STABBING: On Thursday, driving a white auto and stopped the same Nov. 24, at 11:57 p.m., in front of 90-19 girl and asked her for directions. The suspect 143rd St., police observed two victims showed the victim a piece of paper with stabbed. The first victim, a 26-year-old His- numbers on it. The victim told the suspect panic man, was stabbed numerous times in that she could not help him and he touched the torso and was transported to Jamaica her intimate parts over her clothing. The Hospital where he was pronounced dead. victim was not injured.

The suspect is described as an Indian The second victim, also a 26-year-old Hispanic man, was stabbed once in the torso and man, 6-feet and approximately 40 years old. was listed in stable condition at Jamaica The suspect’s car is described as a white sedan with a green, white and orange or red Hospital. There were no arrests. flag sticker on the driver’s door with an eagle in the middle.

104th Precinct L TRAIN ASSAULT: Tayari McClellan, 111th Precinct 19, was arrested and charged with assault KILLED ON CLEARVIEW: On Sunand harassment Nov. 8 at approximately 2:10 a.m., on the Queens bound “L” train at day, Nov. 27, at approximately noon, Farook Myrtle-Wyckoff. The victim, a 25-year-old Husseil, 57, was struck on the Clearview Expressway and 35th Avenue. Police determan, was assaulted by three black men. mined that Husseil, a passenger of a vehicle that was pulled over on the shoulder of the 107th and 108th Precincts GAS STATION HEISTS: The NYPD is southbound Clearview Expressway, was asking the public’s assistance in identifying struck by a 2010 Freightliner box truck also suspects wanted for gas station robberies. traveling southbound on the Clearview. EMS On Saturday, Nov. 19, at approximately 7:20 responded and transported Husseil to Flushp.m., the suspects walked into the Mobil gas ing Hospital where he was pronounced dead. station located at 96-27 Queens Blvd. and Both vehicles remained on the scene. There demanded money. The suspects, both of was no criminality suspected. whom were armed with semi-automatic hand113th Precinct guns, removed approximately $1,000 from DEAD BABY: On Wednesday, Nov. 23, the location as well as personal property from two employees and a customer. The suspects at 12:35 p.m. police discovered a newborn fled northbound on 63rd Road. There were baby boy unconscious at 164-19 120th Ave. EMS pronounced the baby dead. The Medino injuries.

On Saturday, Nov. 19, at approximately cal Examiner was to determine the cause of 7:50 p.m., the suspects entered the Gulf gas death and the investigation was ongoing.

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www.queenstribune.com • Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 13

Queens This Week The Manhattan parents who made a daring, almost cinematic, escape with their eight children from a Forest Hills foster care facility during a September visit are free, but face three years' probation.

Shanel Nadal, 28, and Nephra Payne, 34, of Amsterdam Avenue in Manhattan, pleaded guilty last month to two counts of seconddegree custodial interference and were sentenced on Nov. 23 to 60 days in jail and three years' probation. They were released on time served.

Nadal and Payne arrived at the Forestdale Agency's office at 67-35 112th St. in Forest Hills on Sept. 19 to see their eight children who had been living in various foster homes in South Queens. The visit was supposed to be supervised, but somehow the duo escaped through the rear of the property with the children without anyone noticing or giving them permission to do so.

Nadal and Payne were found with all eight children in good condition in Harrisburg, Penn. Sept. 26. The couple was arrested and the children were returned to Queens the next month. The couple claimed they believed the children, seven of whom are named Nephra Payne and ranging in age from 11 months to 11 years, were being abused in foster care.

At the time of their taking, the children were under the care of the Administration for Children's Services, delivering another black eye to the agency that has been criticized in the past for its perceived mishandling and overlooking of at-risk children; most notably 7-year-old Nixzmary Brown in 2006 who was tortured, beaten, molested and eventually murdered by her stepfather despite repeated attempts by others, including Brown's school, to notify ACS of possible abuse.

Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at drafter@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400 Ext. 125.

—Domenick Rafter

Page 14 Tribune Dec. 1-7, 2011 • www.queenstribune.com

Seven Years Of Discomfort In Park The row of portable toilets in the quiet, windswept Little Bay Park did not look very comforting. They haven't been, according to residents, for seven years.

"Here we are, seven years later, and no shovel has gone in the ground," State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) said at a press conference in the parking lot of Little Bay Park Tuesday. "Unfortunately, it seems to be systematic with the Parks Dept. with getting money and not moving ahead with the project."

Joined by Warren Schreiber, President of the Bay Terrace Community Alliance, District Leader Carol Gresser, Bayside Hills Civic Association president Michael Feiner, and residents from neighboring communities, Avella demanded to know where $1.3 million he allocated for a Little Bay Park comfort station actually went. The money, allocated seven years ago when Avella was in the City Council, has not led to the construction of a comfort station.

Avella accused the Dept. of Parks and Recreation of lacking transparency. He said every day that a capital project is delayed, costs go up, and residents desperately need a comfort station for a park that Feiner compared to a "little Cape Cod." "As Yogi Berra used to say, 'this is like déjà vu all over again,'" Schreiber said. "Seven years ago, we were standing in almost the same spot when we announced the funding toward the comfort station."

Jordan Goldes, spokesman for U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Bayside), attended the conference as well. Ackerman secured a $4.12 million federal transportation allocation - $1

million of which was dedicated to reconstruct and expand the parking lot; $3.2 million was intended for the reconstruction of the Cross Island Parkway Bridge overpass at 212th St. Schreiber said that the Dept. of Parks and Recreation took money from City and Federal sources, and now no one knows where the money is.

"The latest excuse from Parks and Recreation is that New York State Historic Preservation is holding this project up because they feel that this area may be of archeological significance, and I have no idea what that means," Schreiber said.

Avella said he could not find out the status of the project for many years. He said he would be immediately working on introducing state legislation to require all City agencies to list on their Web sites the status of all capital projects, including when they will be completed and where funding is coming from.

"If there's a problem with another city or state agency, let me know so I can advocate on behalf of the community," Avella said. "The community has a right to know where their money is being used and how it's being used."

Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at rbarkan@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400, Ext. 127.

—Ross Barkan

SJU Hosts Panel On Anti-Semitism A growing social issue has drawn the attention of one local politician in a district with a heavy Jewish population.

Assemblyman Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest) sponsored a discussion on modern antiSemitism and the Israeli delegitimization movement at the St. John's University Law School on Nov. 16, bringing in a worldrenowned panel of experts to explore the roots of anti-Israel advocacy.

"This is one of the most pressing issues facing Jewish communities across the world," Lancman said. "I wanted an event to explore anti-Semitism and to get experts to come in and speak about it."

Some of the panelists included: Charles Small, Director of the Institute for the Study of Global Anti-Semitism and Policy; Mitchell Bard, Executive Director of the Jewish Virtual Library; and Kenneth Marcus, Executive Vice President and Director of the Anti-Semitism Initiative at the Institute for Jewish and Community Research.

The featured panelists discussed boycott fronts on Israeli products, sanctions and divestment.

Small said that Israel is under attack by people propagating anti-Semitism and criticizing its religious and political practices.

"We are facing social groups trying to dismantle the Israeli democratic society," he said. "We're entering a new form of antiSemitism where we have nationalist criticisms of Israel. We have people who believe that if Israel was removed, the Middle East would be saved."

Bard, who also works as a political analyst, felt that delegitimizers of Israel make it obvious that their desire is to make that country disappear.

"Across the country, there are professors inside of classrooms pushing political agendas who propagate anti-Israel speech," he said.

"The best way to combat it is to talk about all of the great things that Israel is doing - beating the drum for Israel as a regular country."

The event was co-sponsored by the Consulate General of Israel in New York, The Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center at Queensborough Community College and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York.

The event was hosted by the Office of Community Relations at St. John's University.

Photo by Ramiro Fúnez

Kidnappers Get Two Months Jail

Panelists line up to speak on anti-Semitism surrounding Israel at a St. John'shosted event.

Reach Intern Ramiro Fúnez at interns@queenstriune.com or (718) 3577400, Ext. 124.

—Ramiro Fúnez

Star Concession Gets Mixed Review Councilman Dan Halloran (R-Whitestone) thinks the Star Nissan/Toyota tussle may have finally reached a détente. Rhea O'Gorman, president of the Station Road Civic Assocation, disagrees wholeheartedly.

Halloran, Star Nissan's most vocal critic among politicians, said that John Koufakis, Jr., president of Star Auto Group, is willing to install noise-reducing Plexiglas windows to lessen the cacophony that has irked residents of Auburndale for several years. Halloran made headlines for a taped harangue of a Star Nissan employee in October and staged a rally outside of the dealership on Nov. 21 that Koufakis attended. Now, the councilman says progress has been made.

"Conversations with Mr. Koufakis have been very good," Halloran said. "We wind up in a situation where this is abated. The community will be very happy. This doesn't stop future owners from having these issues again, though."

Halloran explained that calls for Star Nissan's property to be down-zoned from an M-1 manufacturing designation (leftover from when the property once housed a factory) to a residential zoning designation to better fit the surrounding area were ultimately unrealistic. Legal and procedural hurdles prevent down-zoning a facility still in operation. The only way for the property to be turned over to residential use, Halloran said, would be for Star Nissan to vacate the property for a long period of time and for no new tenant to move in, thus forcing the City to reconsider the zone.

O'Gorman, who has worked with the councilman to address the noise, ventilation, and parking issues that have bothered Star Nissan's neighbors, does not think Koufakis is actually changing anything.

"The last time I was home was Saturday and it was business as usual," she said. "The bay doors were open. Koufakis is never going to change the doors because he's too cheap to put in the ventilation system. These windows are not the only problem."

"I don't see any progress at all," she added.

Halloran said a resolution was on its way, and more progress had been made than at any other point in time. He credited the efforts of the civic associations and the rally for making Koufakis willing to listen to the community's concerns. Unlike O'Gorman, Halloran said he has been encouraged by Koufakis' latest efforts to work with him. "[Koufakis] finally decided to come to the table and have this conversation," Halloran said. "I got a letter from him last Friday with the results of a test case window he used. The

sound will be reduced. "O'Gorman did not agree.

Reach Reporter Ross Barkan at rbarkan@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400, Ext. 127.

—Ross Barkan

Retailers Unite To Fight Cancer The holidays are all about giving, and in an effort to spread this season’s cheer seven small businesses in Astoria are opening their doors to bestow the gift of life to local shoppers.

On Dec. 3, retailers along 23rd Avenue in Astoria will donate 10 percent of their day’s sales to Shareing & Careing, a local nonprofit organization that has provided nearly two decades of support services towards those afflicted with cancer.

“We really wanted to do something to kick off the holidays in Astoria while also giving something back to the community,” said Kristie Foster, an organizer of the event and owner of KrisTEES, located at 24-01 23rd Ave. Since 1994, the cancer support service has evolved serving the needs of cancer survivors of all ages, offering pharmaceutical as well as transportation assistance, case management and psychosocial support.

Although 23rd Avenue is typically overlooked by buyers buzzing with the holiday spirit, local shop owners participating in the event believe their niche economy will appeal to neighborhood locals who believe in supporting a good cause.

Shoppers strolling along 23rd Avenue will notice holiday wreaths featuring positive words of encouragement decorated by cancer survivors hanging outside of participating retailers.

“The wreaths are symbols which will tie together Christmas and our efforts to give back to cancer survivors,” Foster said. Cancer survivors will also be on hand to lend words of encouragement to local residents at each of the shops partaking in the event.

“Giving Shareing & Careing a platform to talk to the community about what they do is a big part of this initiative,” said Peter Valcarcel of Peter Valcarcel Home. “It’s important for the community to know that they’re here to support them.”

The event also promises to have everything shoppers could want, from fashion and home accessories to one of a kind items from local artists and specialty items for pets.

As if that were not enough, shoppers who pick up a “Retail Passport” at any participating store and have it stamped by all seven shops will receive a free celebratory event tote from KristTEES, the last stop on the tour.

For more information about participating shops as well as the event go to Facebook and search for Shop-A-Holiday on 23rd.

Reach Reporter Jason Banrey at jbanrey@queenstribune.com or (718) 3577400, Ext. 128.

—Jason Banrey

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www.queenstribune.com â&#x20AC;¢ Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 15

2 WEEKENDS ONLY

A Pledge For Tolerance:

New Remonstrance Unites Borough Divided By Hate, Misunderstanding

Page 16 Tribune Dec. 1-7, 2011 • www.queenstribune.com

Tribune Photos by Ira Cohen

By ROSS BARKAN The little boy who drew swastikas in the laundry room of Assemblyman Mike Simanowitz’s (D-Flushing) building was caught red-handed, but his intent, as the assemblyman sadly noted, wasn’t inherently malicious. The boy had no idea what a swastika was. He was simply acting on the hate of others, and this, Simanowitz said, was unacceptable.

“We need to teach tolerance for all to our schoolchildren,” Simanowitz said.

“Unfortunately, in many cases, hate and intolerance is learned at the home, and we need to do more as a society to teach our children that our troops are overseas fighting for liberty and freedom, and we at home should not disgrace their sacrifice by not accepting people for who they are.”

Simanowitz was one of many politicians and local leaders to gather in Flushing Town Hall on Nov. 23, the day before Thanksgiving, to reaffirm that hate crimes are unacceptable and have no place in Queens, or anywhere else.

Organized by Queens Jewish Community Council board member and Queens Tribune Associate Publisher Michael Nussbaum, the event asked each speaker at the gathering – which included State Sen. Toby Stavisky (DFlushing), Councilman Peter Koo (RFlushing), Councilman Danny Dromm (DJackson Heights), Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing), Assemblyman Mike DenDekker (D-Jackson Heights), Assemblyman Ed Braunstein (DBayside), Rabbi Michael Miller, the Rev. Floyd Flake, and DA Richard Brown – to sign a pledge against intolerance.

Organizers viewed the new document as a reflection of the Flushing Remonstrance, a 354-year-old petition to early colonial leader Peter Stuyvesant protesting prohibitions against religious practices other than those of the Dutch Reformed Church. Intended specifically to

Local leaders gathered to stand up to hate crimes. tolerate Quaker worship, the document did not actually have any Quaker signers, and served as the first expression of the right of religious freedom in the Wester n Hemisphere – it was a blueprint for the First Amendment of the Constitution, which did not appear for another 180 years.

“The message today is we’re not going to accept hate crime and intolerance,” said Nussbaum, who said the new pledge would appear online soon.

This time, the Remonstrance has been granted new language to reflect the centuries that have passed since Flushing was called Vlissingen and Northern Boulevard was nothing but northern forest.

A recent spate of hate crimes, such as the appearance of swastikas on synagogues and libraries in Jackson Heights, motivated the collective of political, religious, and civic leaders to take a firm and public stand against such acts. Queens County is the nation’s most diverse borough, with immigrants comprising nearly

Borough President Helen Marshall signs the new anti-hate pledge.

50 percent of the population.

“We’d all have to agree there is a rise in hate crime,” said Flake. “As human beings we have a responsibility to one another. That responsibility is to each other,

which precludes our believing that anyone is less than we are, and that we are all equal in the eyes of God and we’re all equal the eyes of the law.”

After Flake and Brown spoke, each speaker took a turn reading from the updated language of the Pledge. As the only elected official in New York State of Dutch heritage, DenDekker said he felt a special connection to the reaffirmation of the Remonstrance.

“As our great nation was born, we carved from its foundations self evident truths and basic rights,” DenDekker read, beginning the pledge. “The concepts of liberty, of freedom, of spirit, and of hope are enumerated by our forbearers.”

With the Remonstrance signed, the leaders hope a new era of tolerance will be born in New York City.

“Please, keep up the wor k everybody’s doing,” said Borough President Helen Marshall. “No matter who the person is, if they need help, give it to them.”

Reach Repor ter Ross Bar kan at rbarkan@queenstribune.com or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 127.

A Pledge For Tolerance & Understanding As our great nation was born, we carved from its foundation of self-evident truths and basic rights the concepts of liberty, of freedom, of spirit and of hope as enumerated by our forebears, most of whom once had loyalty to a foreign crown. For more than two centuries now we have stood shoulderto-shoulder as men, women and children of every color, race, nationality and background, building communities, building schools and building futures.

We have chosen, wisely, an organic system of governance based not on our noblest traits but on our inherent tendencies: “But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary.”

As always, painful debates over our shared civic life threaten to set us apart from one another. As a growing rift between those of means and those without deepens, as differences of color, ethnicity, race and religion gain heated prominence in our increasingly diverse society, and as debates over infrastructure, housing and other aspects of urban living become acute, we must not let our inclinations toward separatism undo good work undertaken by generations of well-meaning ancestors.

We turn our eye to Queens County, New York, to a birthplace of freedom and tolerance in the Western Hemisphere, to the words of the freeholders of Flushing in 1657 who condemned the creation of a law that would stop people from living

free lives, and we say that though we enjoy our liberties and remain independent of tyranny, we must reaffirm our commitment to mutual dependence and prosperity based on the energy and dynamism of our multiethnic heritage.

Our greatest strengths lie in our differences, in the things that distinguish us from one another. Where one may fail another excels, and that knowledge of diverse experiences builds potency in us as a people. We have never been able afford simply co-exist, simply being tolerant of one another, but from time to time this truth – also self-evident – needs to be publicly reaffirmed. A focus just on differences divides us, splitting us under a veneer of unity, constructed by a continuous undercurrent of negativity. Our communities are better than this, and stand united in defiance of intolerance. Every man, woman and child of this county, this city, this state and this nation, regardless of ideology, histor y or philosophy, is our brother and our sister. Together we face an open future free from hate, bigotry, fear and persecution.

We, therefore, must be resolved to shun negativity and fear – the wellsprings of intolerance and hostility, embrace the new – a source of our strength and security, and seek enlightenment from those who do not act, speak, believe or think the way we do. It has always been through this commitment to interdependence that our communities and economies have prospered, and now, in our increasingly diverse city and county, it is how we will continue to progress.

www.queenstribune.com â&#x20AC;˘ Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 17

Business, Banking & Real Estate

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Boro Bulk Mail May Head To Bklyn

By DOMENICK RAFTER Citing the need to cut costs, the U.S. Postal Service is eyeing moving some of its operations in its main Queens Processing Center into a center in Brooklyn.

The Queens center is located in College Point, while the Brooklyn Center is located 12 miles away in East New York, on the border with Queens. The proposed move is part of a nationwide effort to cut costs.

USPS said it is losing money because of decreasing volume in what it terms â&#x20AC;&#x153;profitableâ&#x20AC;? types of mail, such as First-Class letters. In response, the postal service is cutting more than half of their processing centers nationwide, from 487 today to less than 200 by 2013; 252, including the Queens facility, are either eyed for consolidation or have already been approved to be consolidated.

The Queens facility, which handles bulk mail, is not a standard mail post office â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it serves zip codes that begin with 110, 111, 113 and 114, which includes the entire borough of Queens except the Rockaways and a few neighborhoods in Northwestern Nassau County, including Great Neck, Port Washington, Elmont and Franklin Square.

The consolidation will mean the loss of 702 jobs but save USPS over $30 million. Some operations in the Brooklyn facility will move to Manhattan.

The move would mean there could

be a change in local collection box pickup times, but delivery mail times to residences and businesses will not change.

The proposed consolidation would support a 2- to 3-day service standard for First-Class Mail items. Commercial mailers who ship to Destination Sectional Center Facilities in the 110, 111, 113 and 114 zip codes should expect changes if

the plan goes into place.

A spokeswoman for the USPS would not comment on specific changes, but those changes will be outlined in a public meeting on Friday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at Bayside High School. Public comment is also encouraged and will be accepted until Dec. 19. Those from the public who wish to submit comments can write them

to Manager, Consumer and Industry Contact, Triboro District, 1050 Forbell St., Brooklyn, NY 11256-9621 The plan is tentative and will not face final approval until after the public comment period has ended.

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

CarriĂłn, Pinsky Visit Crystal Crystal Window & Door Systems, the award winning national manufacturer, was recently pleased to host, on two separate dates, visits by Adolfo CarriĂłn, Jr. from the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Seth Pinsky of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC).

In visiting the notable, vibrant and successful Queens firm, they join a long and growing list of government, business and association officials including Mayor Mike Bloomberg, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, and U.S. Secretary of State (former U.S. Sen.) Hillary Clinton who have toured the factory.

CarriĂłn, the Administrator of HUD Region II, met with Crystal President Thomas Chen and Executive Vice President Steve Chen. The HUD guests toured

the factory to witness the fabrication of Crystal energy efficient aluminum and vinyl windows.

As the former Bronx Borough President, CarriĂłn is very familiar with the New York City housing situation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many Crystal products are used in HUD financed and subsidized residential housing properties throughout the nation,â&#x20AC;? said Steve Chen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This was a great chance for Mr. CarriĂłn to see the how our windows and doors can contribute to the quality and energy efficiency of HUD properties.â&#x20AC;?

The following morning, Steve Chen hosted Pinsky, who toured the 200,000square-ft manufacturing facility. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crystal is definitely an EDC success story,â&#x20AC;? said Steve Chen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ten years ago, EDC initiatives helped us to remain a New York

City manufacturer and locate our factory and headquarters building in the College Point Corporate Park, one of the industrial/commercial districts administered by EDC.â&#x20AC;?

The Crystal facility is particularly notable since it is the largest window fabrication facility and one of the largest manufacturers of any type in New York City. The factory employs about 300 workers on site, produces over a half-million window units annually and spans the length of an entire city block.

Crystal Window & Door Systems is also notable as an immigrant and minority manor business success story.

Thomas Chen founded the company in 1990 after immigrating to New York City from his native Taiwan a few years earlier.

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Douglaston Development was honored as Development Company of the Year during the 2011 MultiHousing News Excellence Awards ceremony recently held at the company’s signature luxury rental building, Ohm, in West Chelsea. Accepting the award on behalf of Douglaston was Chairman Jeffrey E. Levine and President Steven Charno.

“It’s an honor to have received this award for our work in the real estate industry,” said Levine. “We’re very proud of our portfolio and we will continue to produce top-quality projects across the city.”

The event began with an informative Q&A session between MHN Editor-in-Chief Diana Mosher and

Steven Charno. With a cast of honored real estate winners and finalists in attendance, Charno spoke about Ohm’s prime location adjacent to the recently opened north end of the Highline, the property’s fantastic amenity and design features as well as the development’s success, which he credited to members of the project team, which included Levine Builders, Stephen B. Jacobs Group, Andi Pepper Interior Design, and American Leisure.

The 34-story Ohm includes contemporary studio to three-bedroom apartments, each featuring open kitchens, hardwood floors, floor-to-ceiling corner windows.

Additionally, every apartment boasts several eco-con-

Biz, Banking & Real Estate

Boro Group Is Developer Of The Year scious features including filtered water, Energy Star appliances, and double-pane windows for U.V. protection. Residents of the buildings have access to a 5,100-square-foot landscaped sky deck complete with green roof and lounge chairs, Jeff Levine (l. to r.), Henry as well as the sec- Cisneros and Diana Mosher. ond-floor amenity space which includes a 3,400-square-foot lounge with fireplace, billiard and card tables, large screen TV and indoor shuffleboard; two-story state-of-the-art gym offering breathtaking Hudson River views; and video arcade featuring classic game machines, foosball, table hockey and pinball.

In addition to the MHN award, Douglaston Development has been recognized for its outstanding work by many organizations including, the Queens and Bronx Building Association, Buildings Magazine, Society of American Registered Architects, Construction Communications, the National Association of Home Builders, Queens County Builders and the Contractors Association.

Boro Icon 1 Court Sq. Sold Again Tribune Photo by Ira Cohen

www.queenstribune.com • Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 19

By BRIAN M. RAFFERTY Last month, SL Green Realty Corp. announced that it is selling the iconic Citicorp building at One Court Square to a private investor group for approximately $340 per square foot, which includes $315 million of existing debt, for a net gain of $42.8 million.

The 1.359 millionsquare-foot building is entirely leased by Citigroup. SL Green had purchased the building in 2007 when it acquired Reckson Associates The iconic Citicorp building is getting a new Realty Corp.

The transaction is subject owner. to certain conditions, including the lender’s approval of the transfer of ownership.

There is no assurance that the conditions precedent contemplated in the sale agreement will be fulfilled or that the transaction will be consummated at such time or at all.

Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and completed in 1989, the property consists of a 50-story tower and five-story low-rise buildings connected via glass rotunda and bridge, sitting on a 1.45 acre site in Long Island City.

A group of Israeli investors led by Joel Schreiber and David Werner have been identified as the buyers.

Schreiber, head of the real estate investment company Waterbridge Capital, purchased the lower seven floors of the Setai Wall Street in April for about $17 million. By June, Schreiber had arranged a deal to flip the office portion to a partnership between the real estate investment firm Declaration Management and the real estate services company Cassidy Turley for $10 million.

Brokers Adam Spies and Doug Harmon from the real estate brokerage firm Eastdil Secured handled the sale for SL Green.

Reach Editor Brian Rafferty at brafferty@queenstribune.com or (718) 357-7400, Ext. 122.

Turkey Giveaway

Black Friday Arrives In Queens

In scenes throughout Queens last Friday, shoppers jammed their way into retail stores hoping to catch some Black Friday deals. Clockwise from top left: The subway was overwhelmed with shoppers; lines stretched around Queens Center Mall; consumers finally make their way inside; shoppers wait patiently for the stores to open; the frenzy begins as shoppers file in. Photos by Ira Cohen

Mark Lacher from Koeppel Auto Group (l. to r.), Asian Community United Society Executive Director Warren Chan, Queens Auto Dealer Howard Koeppel, Councilman Danny Dromm and Make the Road NY Office Manager Charline Paredes help Koeppel donate more than 40 turkeys for the Thanksgiving holiday to local community based organizations.

pix

Syrup Expo

Queens Events Edited By Harley Benson

Baby Shower

Assemblyman Andy Hevesi joins parent coordinator Melissa Philips and students at PS 128 in Middle Village as they tour the V.V.S. Central School Maple Syrup Exhibit to learn the science behind the syrup’s production”

Page 20 Tribune Dec. 1-7, 2011 • www.queenstribune.com

LIBI Honors Vets Assemblywoman Grace Meng sponsored another successful community baby shower for mothers in need. As in previous years she gave away free books, clothing, and other necessities, joined by supporters who have generously sponsored this important event, including NYHQ, Baby Buggy, Bridge to Life, the Pajama Program, March of Dimes, Tutor Time, Queens Mamas and First Candle.

TKA Nerf Party

Leadership Breakfast

Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz and State Sen. Toby Stavisky stand with community affairs officers from the 112th NYPD Precinct and attendees of the second Bi-Annual Jewish Leadership Breakfast.

On Nov. 10, Long Island Business Institute was privileged to celebrate Veteran’s Day with some of Building Homes for Heroes’ honored leaders. Student Success and Retention/Veteran’s Affairs Coordinator Anna Venturino hosted a Chinese auction fundraiser Nov. 3 to raise money for this cause. With the hard work and support of the college community, Anna was able to raise $2,044. Along with LIBI President Monica Foote, Dean of Administration, Enos Cheung, and Homeland Security and Security Management Director, Richard S. Colt, Major General US Army Retired, Anna presented the Building Homes for Heroes representatives with a check. LIBI also had the pleasure of honoring some of their own student veterans as well as General Colt.

TKA Ozone Park Karate and Kickboxing School gave thanks to the parents of and its younger students, by hosting a pre-Thanksgiving Nerf Gun Party. The school’s staff Sensei Angel Sarmiento, Yoshu Joseph Freda, Sempei Loreana Contreras, and Sempei Maegan Cruz, donated their time and energy in entertaining and playing with the kids.

Photo by Nick Beneduce

LEGAL NOTICE FAMILY COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS Docket No. NA-17662/11 SUMMONS CHILD NEGLECT CASE In the Matter of a Proceeding under UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN Article 10 of the Family Court Act UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN Respondent IN THE NAME OF THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK NOTICE: PLACEMENT OF YOUR CHILD IN FOSTER CARE MAY RESULT IN YOUR LOSS OF YOUR RIGHTS TO YOUR CHILD. IF YOUR CHILD STAYS IN FOSTER CARE FOR 15 OF THE MOST RECENT 22 MONTHS, THE AGENCY MAY BE REQUIRED BY LAW TO FILE A PETITION TO TERMINATE YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS AND TO COMMIT GUARDIANSHIP AND CUSTODY OF YOUR CHILD TO THE AGENCY FOR THE PURPOSES OF ADOPTION. ALSO, THE AGENCY MAY FILE BEFORE THE END OF THE 15MONTH PERIOD. IF SEVERE OR REPEATED CHILD ABUSE IS PROVEN BY CLEAN AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE, THIS FINDING MAY CONSTITUTE THE BASIS TO TERMINATE YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS AND TO COMMIT GUARDIANSHIP AND CUSTODY OF YOUR CHILD TO THE AGENCY FOR THE PURPOSES OF ADOPTION. TO: UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN A Petition under Article 10 of the Family Court Act having been filed with this Court, and annexed hereto YOUR ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to appear before this Court at 151-20 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica, NY 11432, Part 1 On JANUARY 6TH, 2012 at 12:00 PM o’clock of that day to answer the petition and to be dealt with in accordance with Article 10 of the FAMILY COURT ACT. ON YOU FAILURE TO APPEAR as herein directed, a warrant may be issued for your arrest.

BY ORDER OF THE COURT HON. JUDGE MARYBETH RICHROATH JUDGE OF THE FAMILY COURT Dated: November 14, 2011 FURTHER NOTICE Family Court Act (statute symbol) 154(c) provides that petitions brought pursuant to Articles, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 of the Family Court Act, in which an order of protection is sought or in which a violation of an order of protection is alleged, may be served outside the State of New York upon a Respondent who is not a resident of domiciliary of the State of New York. If no other grounds for obtaining personal jurisdiction over the Respondent exist aside from the application of this provision, the exercise of personal jurisdiction over the respondent is limited to the issue of the request for, or alleged violation of, the order of protection. Where the Respondent has been served with this summons and petition and does not appear, the Family Court may proceed to a hearing with respect to issuance or enforcement of the order of protection.

been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: 6903 228 th St, Oakland Gardens, NY 11364. Reg Agent: Tom Romano c/o Nyscorporation.com, 1971 Western Ave. # 1121, Albany NY 12203. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. ___________________________________ Notice of Formation of Bayside Periodontics and Dental Implants PLLC, Art. of Org. filed Sec’y of State (SSNY) 9/27/11. 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 22215 Northern Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361. Purpose: any lawful activities. ___________________________________ Notice of formation of L & Z Broadway LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 09/29/2011. Office located in Queens County.

SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC 2 Bay Club Drive, Bayside, NY 11361. Purpose: any lawful purpose. ___________________________________ Riverside Group NY, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/ 25/10. Office in Queens County. SSNY designated agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served.

SSNY shall mail process to 310 Riverside Dr Apt #1222, NY, NY 10025. Purpose: General. ___________________________________ Notice of formation of Beach 96th Realty LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the Sect’y of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/6/2011.

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: 5318 Avenue N, Brooklyn NY 11234. Purpose: any lawful act. ___________________________________ DOGS PROWLING SOUTH LLC, a domestic Limited Liability Company (LLC), filed with the Sec of State of NY on 6/9/11. NY Office location: Queens County. SSNY is designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of any process against the LLC served upon him/ her to Jamie File, 13 Station Sq., Forest Hills, NY 11375.

General Purposes. ___________________________________ Notice of Formation of SMILE NEW YORK OUTREACH, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/04/11. Office location: Queens County. Princ. office of LLC: Richard J. Zall, Esq., Proskauer Rose LLP, Eleven Times Sq., Rm. 2572, NY, NY 10036. 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. ___________________________________ 5-21 BROWNSTONE OWNER LLC Articles of Org.

LEGAL NOTICE filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 10/14/11. Office in Queens Co. SSNY design. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to c/o Law Offices of Arthur J. Israel, 260 Madison Ave., 17 th Fl., NY, NY 10016. Purpose: Any lawful purpose. ___________________________________ MINA’S PIZZA LLC, a domestic LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/09/ 2011. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Monique Donigan, 169-13 110 th Ave, Jamaica, NY 11433. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. ___________________________________ Please take notice that the court appointed guardian is offering for sale real property located at 40-26 190 th Street, Flushing, NY 11358, Block 5354, Lot 15, sale terms no contingencies, “as is” condition, immediate 10% downpayment. Interested parties may bid at Queens County Supreme Court, Part 22G, on December 13, 2011 at 9:30 a.m, Index No. 23752004. ___________________________________ Mandalay Dynasty LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/1/ 11. Office in Queens County.

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

SSNY shall mail process to 28-39 33rd St, Astoria, NY 11102. Purpose: General. ___________________________________ Notice of formation of BIG ALICE BREWING COMPANY LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 09/29/2011. Office located in Queens County. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC: C/O BIG ALICE BREWING COMPANY LLC, 3826 Tenth St., Long Island City, NY 11101-6112.

Purpose: any lawful purpose. ___________________________________ SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF Queens Index No.: 23419/2011 Date Summons filed: 10/12/2011 Plaintiff designates Queens County as the place of trial The basis of venue is: PLAINTIFF’S RESIDENCE SUMMONS WITH NOTICE PLAINTIFF resides at: 87-37 9 5 th S t W o o d h a v e n , N Y 11421 Jubitza Mojica Paredes Plaintiff, -againstLuis Mojica Defendant. ACTION FOR A DIVORCE To the above named Defendant: YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to serve a notice of appearance on the Plaintiff OR Plaintiff’s Attorney(s) within twenty (20) days after the service of this summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within thirty (30) days after the service is complete if this summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York); and in case of your failure to appear, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the no-

LEGAL NOTICE tice set forth below. Dated 9/13/2011 Plaintiff X Attorney(s) for Plaintiff Address: Nicklaus Misiti, Esq. Misiti Global, PLLC 40 Wall St. 28 th Floor New York, NY 10005 Phone NO.: (212) 5374407 NOTICE: The nature of this action is to dissolve the marriage between the parties, on the grounds: **DRL §170 subd. (7) – irretrievable breakdown in relationship. The relief sought is a judgment of absolute divorce in favor of the Plaintiff dissolving the marriage between the parties in this action. The nature of any ancillary or additional relief demanded is: None, there are no children or property at issue here. Action for a Divorce To: Luis Mojica: The foregoing summons is served upon you by publication pursuant to an order of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Queens, dated 10/20/2011, and filed in the office of the clerk of the County of Queens at 89-17 Sutphin Blvd Jamaica, New York. The object of this action is to obtain judgment against the defendant for an absolute divorce, that the bonds of matrimony between the plaintiff and the defendant be forever dissolved and such other, further and different relief as may be just and proper.

Dated: 10/30/2011 Queens, New York Yours etc., Nicklaus Misiti, Esq. Attorney for Jubitza Mojica ___________________________________ Notice of Formation of SIX CENTRAL, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/08/11. Office location: Queens County.

Princ. office of LLC: 49-70 31st St., Long Island City, NY 11101. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served.

SSNY shall mail process to Corporation Service Co., 80 State St., Albany, NY 122072543. Purpose: Any lawful activity. ___________________________________ Notice of formation of Dominick 99, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on July 27, 2011.

Office located in Queens.

SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any processes served against the LLC, 59-21 57th Drive, Maspeth, NY 11378. Purpose: any lawful purpose. ___________________________________ Notice of Formation of LADIES AND GENTS OF 82 ND STREET LLC, a domestic LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/28/11. Office location: Queens County.

SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: The LLC, 11-11 44 th Drive, Long Island City NY 11101. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose. ___________________________________ PROBATE CITATION File No. 2011-2774 SURROGATE’S COURT – QUEENS COUNTY CITATION THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, By the Grace of God Free

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

and Independent TO the heirs at law, next of kin and distributees of Pearl Spiegel a/k/a Pira Spiegel a/k/a Pearl Weissman Spiegel deceased, if living, and if any of them be dead to their heirs at law, next of kin, distributees, legatees, executors, administrators, assignees and successors in interest whose names are unknown and cannot be ascertained after due diligence, and George Kovacs.

A petition having been duly filed by Veronica Varnai who is domiciled at 23-25 Bell Boulevard, #3E, Bayside, New York 11360. YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TO SHOW CAUSE before the Surrogate’s Court, Queens County, at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, New York, on January 19, 2012, at 9:30 o’clock in the fore noon of that day, why a decree should not be made in the estate of Pearl Spiegel a/k/a Pira Spiegel a/k/a Pearl Weissman Spiegel lately domiciled at 140-14 28 th Road, Apartment 5A, Flushing, New York 11354 admitting to probate a Will dated October 25, 1999, (a Codicil dated July 22, 2002) (a Codicil dated August 17, 2004,) a copy of which is attached, as the Will of Pearl Spiegel a/k/a Pira Spiegel a/k/a Pearl Weissman Spiegel, deceased, relating to real and personal property, and directing that [X] Letters Testamentary issue to: Veronica Varnai (State any further relief requested) Dated, Attested and Sealed NOV 15 2011 HON. PETER J. KELLY Surrogate /S/ MARGARET M. GRIBBON Chief Clerk. Law Office of Kramer & Shapiro, P.C. Attorney for Petitioner (718) 520-1600 Telephone Number 80-02 Kew Gardens Road, Suite 302, Kew Gardens, N.Y. 11415 Address of Attorney [NOTE: This citation is served upon you as required by law.

You are not required to appear. If you fail to appear it will be assumed you do not object to the relief requested. You have a right to have an attorney appear for you.] ___________________________________ Probate Citation File No. 2011-968 SURROGATE’S COURT – QUEENS COUNTY CITATION THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK By the Grace of God Free and Independent To: The heirs at law, next of kin, and distributees of FRANCIS T. MOSS a/k/a FRANK T. Moss, deceased, if living, and if any of them be dead to their heirs at law, next of kin, distributees, legatees, executors, administrators, assignees and successors in interest whose names are unknown and cannot be ascertained after due diligence The Public Administrator of

the County of Queens A Petition having been duly filed

by Co-executors, Michael Grasso, who is domiciled at 23 Rolling Ridge Road, Apt. C, Montvale, NJ 07645 & Paul Grasso, who is domiciled at 540 Bernita Drive, River Vale, NJ 07675 YOU ARE HEREBY CITED TO SHOW CAUSE, before the Surrogate’s Court, Queens County, at 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard Jamaica, New York, on the January 5, 2012, at 9:30 a.m. in the forenoon of that day, why a decree should not be made in the Estate of FRANCIS T. MOSS a/k/a FRANK T. MOSS, lately domiciled at 52-40 39 th Street, Apartment 8U, Woodside, Queens, NY, admitting to probate a Will dated May 20, 2008. (a Codicil dated: None) (a Codicil dated: (None) a copy of which is attached, as the Will of FRANCIS T. MOSS, deceased, relating to real and personal property, and directing that Letters Testamentary issue to PAUL GRASSO and Michael Grasso. Dated, Attested and Sealed, NOV. 14 2011 HON. PETER J. KELLY, Surrogate MARGARET M. GRIBBON Margaret M. Gribbon, Chief Clerk Attorney for Petitioner: Patricia A. Murphy, Murphy & James, LLC Telephone Number: 212-863-9607 Address of Attorney: 275 N. Middletown Road, Suite 2C, Pearl River, NY 10965 [Note: This citation is served upon you as requested by law. You are not required to appear. If you fail to appear it will be assumed you do not object to the relief requested. You have a right to have an attorney appear for you.] ___________________________________ COLLABO HOSPITALITY LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 9/8/11. Office in Queens County. SSNY design. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 6771 Yellowstone Boulevard Apt. 6H Forest Hills NY 11375 Purpose: Any lawful purpose. ___________________________________ Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County on 7/ 20/11, bearing Index Number NC-000591-11/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, grants me the right to: Assume the name of (First) Miyabi (Middle) Takiko Hanabi (Last) Mizuhana My present name is (First) Tiffany (Middle) Ann Luckish (Last) Berry aka Tiffany A Berry, aka Tiffany Ann Berry My present address is 109 42 167 Street, Jamaica, NY 11433 My place of birth is Brooklyn, NY My date of birth is July 14, 1988

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

www.queenstribune.com • Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 21

NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: TMK DEVELOPERS LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 08/05/11.

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, 98 Stratford Avenue, Garden City, New York 11530. Purpose: For any lawful purpose. ___________________________________ Notice of formation of World 23, LLC. Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State of New York SSNY on 11/2/11. Office located in Queens. SSNY has been designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC 175-06 Devonshire Rd. 4K, Queens, NY 11432. Purpose: any lawful purpose. ___________________________________ H2LC PROPERTIES LLC, a domestic LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 06/ 28/2011. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has

LEGAL NOTICE

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www.queenstribune.com â&#x20AC;˘ Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 23

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Leisure

Nonprofit Org Beats to a New Drum tion geared toward networking in the enterBy ALESSANDRA MALITO It was the first event held by Emerging tainment industr y, and its pre sident and Art ists Connect, and the president of the CEO is 22-year-old Jessy Taveras.

Taveras founded the company on her feelnonprofit group was a bit concerned. Worrying about the lights inside not working, ing that there was not enough camaraderie between artists in t he local she didn’t think much business. With just the idea about what someone asked that she kicked around with her, so she told her staff to friends, she got a few just set up the body paintpeople together and tried ing stat ion by the window. something out.

Slowly but surely traffic “I noticed a lot of artists started accumulating down are introver ted,” Taveras Bedford Avenue in Brooksaid, adding that the musilyn. She looked up and saw cians will work on their muthe faces of countless men sic and the artists will work slowing down in their cars on their ar t w ith the goal and staring into the winnot to sell out. “They don’t dows, eyes bulged out like realize they need others to those of a cartoon. Then she really expand. They need a realized something. Those team of others.” standing by the window preEnter EAC. paring to be body painted With a foundation that were naked. To her, it was a people need to work with sign that e ver y t h ing was going to be okay.

Emerging Artists Connect’s each ot her, rat her t ha n Emerging Ar t ist s Con- first event featured body a l o n e , t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n nect, EAC, is an up-and- p a i n t i n g , w h i c h t u r n e d brings art ists together that otherwise might not concoming nonprofit organiza- heads in Brooklyn.

Yum Is Still The King

REVIEW

Jessy Taveras, president and CEO of Emerging Artists Connect.

“She knows her styles right, knows what meshes really well,” he said. “Not everyone wants to come see local bands who are not on the radio, not ever ybo dy knows where to go to promote themselves or show off their talents, and with EAC, she’s making it some more of a home so you know where to go present your talent and take it from there.

For Taveras, who grew up in Ozone Park, EAC takes up about 50 hours of the week.

“There is no decision that does not get run by me,” the CEO said. “I literally have a say in ever ything.”

As of right now, the organizat ion is going through the paperwork to become a nonprofit, but at the moment makes no money – just enough to pay off the venue fees, according to Taveras. EAC charges $10 in advance and $15 at the door for most events, which helps cover the costs of supplies, paint, costumes and venues, including security. Now EAC has a storefront in Brooklyn. For Taveras, EAC costs $1,500 a month, not including the rent for the shop.

“I pay out of pocket for all of the events, so if it doesn’t profit at the door, Steven and I pay for ever y thing,” she said. She is on the pursuit for finding a regular day-to-day 9-to-5 job.

Queens Kids To Sing At Carnegie Hall Show The Abigail Adams Children’s Chorus (A ACC) at PS 131 in Jamaica has been selected as the only children’s chorus from New York Cit y to per form at “Tim Janis: The American Christmas Carol,” benefit concert for Wounded Warriors and VA war Veterans across America and Ne w York, Mission to the Fatherless in Kenya and the overall project Celebrate America.

The concer t is schedule for the evening of Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. at Carnegie Hall, and the t wo other children’s choruse s per forming are ChildrenSong of New Jersey and Celebrate America Choir.

Tim Janis is an American composer w ith 10 Billboar d char t ing CDs, over 1 million albums sold and four National Public Telev ision Specials. PS 131 Abigai l Adams Ch i ldren’s Chor us w i ll per form with ChildrenSong of New Jersey, Celebrate America Choir , Steven Van Zandt, John Lloyd Young, Emily Bear, 2011Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame selected art ist Darlene

Love, and ot her up a nd comi ng pop ar tists.

This collaboration with other children and w ith renowned artists for the benefit of charitable causes is not only an honor for the Borough of Queens but also for New York City Board of Education. It w ill also help build our children’s character, pride of citizenship, and moral values, as well as fostering discipline, respect teamwork, emotional sensitivity, and mutual understanding through singing and music-making.

Founded in 2007, the Abigail Adams Children’s Chorus, a non-profit organization, is comprised of children ages 8-11, skillfully guided by Choral Director Marisol Ponte-Greenberg. The A ACC offers its children unique musical, educational and lifeenhancing experiences through a Kodaly based music education program and performance of the finest repertoire.

To learn more, go to carnegiehall.org/ events.

www.queenstribune.com • Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 25

size but the flavor of a Chinese-Italian fuKING YUM 181-08 Union Tpke., Fresh Meadows sion dish. And the turnovers, light and flaky, are actually pastr y stuffed w ith a (718) 380-1918 barbecue-style pork. Robin joked that CUISINE: Cantonese, Polynesian Hours: 11:30 am to 11 pm, Mon- they’re not on the menu yet because he’s Thu, 11:30 am to midnight Fri & Sat; the only chef in-house who knows how to make them. Time will change that. noon to 11 pm Sun Speaking of t ime, King Yum does not CREDIT CARDS: All Major rush its customers – they’re not looking PARKING: Street It has been a couple of years since the to turn tables over; they want you to have death of “Uncle” Jimmy Eng, the legend- a good time. Just ask our server, George, ar y proprietor of King Yum Restaurant in who encouraged us to slow down and enFresh Meadows. In the time that has joy. I think he also wanted us to stay for passed, the restaurant – one of the only karaoke, which kicks off at 8 p.m. ever y Friday night (and at 7 p.m. classic Cantonese-style left in the City – has undergone an internal RESTAURANT Wednesdays).

As we took our time, it seems transformation, coming to terms that the staff was not as laid back with its identity while leaving its – hurriedly putt ing together a classic exterior and décor unslew of dishes for our shared touched. main courses, which were inToday, King Yum’s ne w culispired and creative. nar y leader, Uncle Jimmy’s son, Wor Shu Beef, an enormous Robin Eng, has introduced to the sirloin on the bone with a barmenu some of the dishes he perbecued ginger sauce; General fected in his recent Culinary InTso’s Ch icken, light and spicy stitute of America training.

Though they may not all be on the printed without too hard of a kick; Polyne sian menu yet, we had a chance to sample some Duck, the breast of which is the best part, of the new dishes – and King Yum favor- with that succulent layer of fat and crisp ites – and walked away thoroughly satis- skin; and the non-menu item surprise that seems simple but is entirely uncomplicated fied.

L ast Friday night we sat in a corner, and brilliant – the Chinese Sausage Fried peering out at the rest of the diners, as a Rice, melding the zesty flavor and chew y sampling of appetizers were brought for texture of the sausage with the user-friendly our enjoyment. The night star ted with the familiarity of your classic fried rice dishes.

Needless to say, there were leftovers – classic Wonton Soup, filled with richly flavored broth, meaty wontons and fresh scal- which didn’t last 24 hours in our house. lions; a shor t and simple bouche amuse Each dish was a perfect execut ion of that (though certainly not the one-bite variety), Cantonese style with a flair for presentathe soup set the pace for things to come. tion and flavor combinations learned in This was followed by Spicy Chicken culinary school.

In shor t, King Yum has emerged from Wings, panko-crusted calamari with a sweet and spicy sauce, classic Cantonese its brief transition as strong a powerhouse Spare Ribs and a new CIA-inspired dish – as it has ever been, offering a mix of tradiPork Turnovers. The ribs and wings are tional and new cuisine that is sure to dejust what you would imagine them to be. light the most discerning palate.

—Br ian M. Raffer ty The calamari has a look of onion rings in

sider using an outside source.

For example, a band can use a painter to do album art. A photographer can use a model to do a photo shoot and headshots, and can film bands because they’re always so active on stage.

“Ever yone sort of needs each other but they don’t really realize it,” Taveras said.

“That’s where EAC comes in to help them notice their potential – to grow together rather than on your own.”

She’s seen progress in Queens, where she’s originally from.

“I feel like Queens is really star t ing to make a name for itself,” she said. “The whole Astoria/Long Island City area is very ar t istic and almost in competition with Williamsburg and the Lower East Side. You have more successful ar tists, more paying clients; that’s what I’ve personally noticed. I think the arts scene in Queens specifically is booming really fast.”

U n l i k e M a n h a t t a n , s h e ’s n o t i c e d , “Queens and other boroughs are more freeflowing, out of the box and quirky and do whatever they feel is more comfor table as opposed to whatever will make t hem.”

The CEO is a high school dropout turned college graduate.

“I wasn’t the best student in high school,” Taveras said. “I was really bad. I never went to class. The only class I did go to was chorus; that always stuck with me. It was my only solace.”

She ended up dropping out of high school, get ting her GED, which is a degree equivalent to a high school diploma, and at tending Full Sail University.

“I went from being a family screw up and drop out to gett ing a 4.0,” Taveras said.

Rob Lawless is Tavera’s cousin and a member of a band, Solmenta, which works with EAC, and sees her on professional and familial levels.

“She definitely knows the difference between the two,” Lawless said, adding that nothing changes because he is her cousin.

“She’s definitely got a good head on her shoulders. She knows the different times to be family and get ting down and busy.”

Because of EAC, Lawless found his bass player, who Taveras sugge sted to him.

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, c/o Regina.

IF YOUR ORGANIZATION MEETS ON A REGULAR BASIS, SEND ALL DATES FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.

SINGLES CHANUKAH DANCE Sunday, December 25 at 8 at the Little Neck Jewish Center, 49-10 Little Neck Parkway. 516-487-0674.

THEATER RUMORS Through December 11 “Rumors” by Neil Simon will be presented at the Bayswater Jewish Center in Far Rockaway. $15-18. 516-2392632.

TWO PIECES OF… Through December 11 “ With Over Two Pieces of Luggage” will be presented at the Greek Cultural Center in Astoria. 726-7329.

KILLING KOMPANY Friday, February 3 “Murder

by Marriage” at Riccardo’s in Astoria. The Killing Company performs mystery dinner shows. 1-888-SHOOTEM for information.

Page 26 Tribune Dec. 1-7, 2011 • www.queenstribune.com

PARENTS CHILD CARE GIVERS Monday, December 5 at the Langston Hughes library at 5:30. Learn about how children grow and learn, strategies for working with children in your home and more.

254-7354 to register.

RENAISSANCE SCHOOL Wednesday, December 7 Board of Trustees meeting at 6:45 at 35-59 81 st Street, Jackson Heights.

FAMILY BOOK TALK Thursday, December 8 family book discussion for parents with children in grades 4-6 at the Glen Oaks library.

Register.

PARENTING ISSUES Saturday, December 10 parenting issues at 3 at the Jackson Heights library.

DANCE COUNTRY WESTERN Saturday, December 10 Gunsmoke performs at the Christmas Dance with a visit from Santa. $12. Glendale Memorial Building, 72-02 Myrtle Avenue at 7:30. 7634328.

LINE DANCING Saturdays 2-4 at Holy Family RC Parish Church, Msgr.

Mahoney Hall, Fresh Meadows. Light refreshments.

TEENS JOB SEARCH Saturdays, December 3, 17 Job Search Boot Camp at the Central library at 10:30.

JEWELRY WORKSHOP Saturday, December 3 glass-beaded jewelry workshop at the Steinway library.

Register.

JOB SEARCH Saturdays, December 3, 17 job search boot camp at the Central library at 10:30.

AUTHOR TALK Saturday, December 3 Sister Souljah talks at 12:30 at the Langston Hughes library.

CROCHET DEMO Saturday, December 3 at the Langston Hughes library at 2.

ECO-FASHION Saturday, December 3 at the Broadway library at 2:30.

Saturday, December 10 at the Sunnyside library at 2:30. Making fashionable goods from recycled products.

YOGA FOR TEENS Mondays, December 5, 12 at the Cambria Heights library at 4.

TEEN STUDY Mondays, December 5, 12, 19, 26 at the Lefrak Cit y library at 4.

YOGA Mondays, December 5, 12 at the Cambria Heights library at 4.

CROCHET Monday, December 5 at the Rosedale library at 4.

COLLEGE TIMELINE Monday, December 5 college timeline process at the Pomonok library at 5.

START YOUR JOB Monday, December 5 strategies for starting a job at the Central library at 6.

TEEN STUDY Tuesdays, December 6, 13, 20, 27 at the Lefrak Cit y library at 4.

TEEN TUESDAY Tuesday, December 6 at the Hillcrest library at 4:30.

CHESS Tuesday, December 6 at the Rosedale library at 4.

BOOK CLUB Tuesday, December 6 Kings and Queens Book Club at 4 at the LIC library.

LIBRARY LEGERDEMAIN Tu e s d ay, D e c e m b e r 6 a t 3:30 at the Middle Village library. Thursday, December 8 at 3:30 at the Steinway librar y. Friday, December 9 at the Maspeth library at 3:30. M o n d a y , D e c e m b e r 12 at the Astoria library at 3:30. Learn the art of magic and prestidigitation.

TEEN STUDY Wednesdays, December 7, 14, 21, 28 at the Lefrak Cit y library at 4.

TEEN REC ROOM Wednesdays, December 7, 14, 21 at the Steinway library at 4.

NINTENDO WII Wednesday, December 7 at the Briarwood library. Register.

TEEN CRAFT Wednesday, December 7 at the Fresh Meadows library at 4.

SAT WORD Wednesday, December 7 SAT Word Search and Vo -

cabulary activities at the South Jamaica library at 4.

NATURAL JEWELRY Wednesday, December 7 natural jewelry making at the Steinway librar y. Register.

ANIME CLUB Thursday, December 8 at the Flushing library at 4.

MONTERS & HEROES Thursday, December 8 at the Ridge2wood library at 4.

TEEN STUDY Thursdays, December 8, 15, 22, 29 at the Lefrak Cit y library at 4.

CRAFT PROGRAM Friday, December 9 at the Bellerose librar y. Register.

NEWSPAPER HUNT Friday, December 9 newspaper scavenger hunt at the South Jamaica library at 3:30.

REFORMED VAMPIRE Friday, December 9 Ref o r m e d Va m p i r e S u p p o r t Group at the Broadway library at 4.

GIRL & BOY SCOUTS Fridays, December 9, 16, 23, 30 at the Laurelton library.

Register.

URBAN MANGA Friday, December 9 at the Cambria Heights library at 4.

YOUNG REFORMERS Friday, December 9 at the Laurelton library. Register.

TALKS FRESH MEADOWS Saturday, December 3 discussion and signing of “Fresh Meadows, New York” with authors Fred Cantor and Debra L. Davidson at 1 at Barnes & Noble, 176-60 Union Turnpike, Fresh Meadows.

WINDSOR PARK Monday, December 5 “The Red Tent” will be discussed at the Windsor Park library at 2. $ EMPOWERMENT Mondays, December 5, 12, 19 Financial Empowerment shows you how to work with your credit, debt, budget and more. Long Island Cit y L i b ra r y. Re g i ster 646-8104050, ext. 112.

ARCHITECTURE Monday, December 5 Architecture and You series at the Flushing library at 6:30.

PLAN FOR 2012 Mondays, December 5, 12 Get ready to start the new year with goal-setting and more at the LIC library at 6.

L AURELTON Thursday, December 8 “Holiday Mysteries” is the theme at 6:15 at the Laurelton library.

GLENDALE Thursday, December 8 “Half Broke Horses” will be discussed at the Glendale library at 6:30.

NIGHT BOOK CLUB Thursday, December 8 “State of Wonder” will be discussed at the Windsor Park library at 6:30.

BAY TERR ACE Friday, December 9 “My Father’s Paradise: A Son’s Search for His Jewish Past in Kurdish Iraq” will be discussed at the Bay Terrace library at 10:30.

FOR HOME OR OFFICE

YOUTH 5:45 at the Briarwood library.

Register.

YOGA AND ME Friday, December 9 yoga for pre-schoolers at the Douglaston library. Register.

PRE-SCHOOL CRAFTS Friday, December 9 at the Sunnyside library. Register.

ACTIVITITY TIME Friday, December 9 at the Briarwood library at 3:30.

URBAN MANGA Friday, December 9 at the C a m b r i a H e i g h t s l i b ra r y.

Register.

POLAR EXPRESS Friday, December 9 Polar Express Storytime at 7 at Barnes & Noble, 176-60 Union Turnpike, Fresh Meadows.

CROCHETING Friday, December 9 at the Hollis library at 4.

YU-GI-OH Friday, December 9 at the Queensboro Hill library at 3:30.

ARTS & CRAFTS Friday, December 9 at the East Flushing library at 4.

MATH CLUB Friday, December 9 at the McGoldrick library at 4.

FAMILY COLORING Friday, December 9 Family Coloring and Storytime at the Queensboro Hill library at 11.

GAME DAY Friday, December 9 BOOST Game Day at the McGoldrick library at 5.

CHINESE FUN Saturday, December 10 at the Forest Hills library at 2:30.

15 lbs. Carved Turkey CHOICE OF 2 SIDE SALADS: Sugar Free Israeli Salad Homemade Potato Salad Freshly Cut Cole Slaw Macaroni Salad 1 Dozen Assorted Rolls

Party Platter Plus for 10 ...... $129.90 2 Dozen Mini Potato Knishes 2 Dozen Mini Franks-In-Jackets 3.5 lbs. Assorted Prime Cold Cuts CHOICE OF 2 SIDE SALADS: Cucumber Salad Homemade Potato Salad Freshly Cut Cole Slaw Macaroni Salad Rye Bread & Assorted Pickle Tray Add $1 per person for sandwich platters.

Rotisserie Chicken for 10 .... $109.99 Raw Vegetable Platter with Dip 4 Rotisserie Chickens (cut in eighths) Warmed Pasta & Spinach

Larger Parties and Customized Orders Cheerfully Accommodated. Servers Available.

Delivery Anywhere Gladly Arranged.

Traditional ................... $229.99 Serves 15 People 3 lbs. Warmed Brisket of Beef with Natural Gravy 3 lbs. Warmed Breast of Turkey with Natural Gravy Rice Pilaf with Vegetables Vegetable Medley Assorted Dinner Rolls Rye Bread

Assorted Dinner Rolls

Kosher Luau .................. $299.99 Serves 15 People 2 lbs. Hawaiian Chicken Salad Mold CHOICE OF 2 ENTRÉES: Hawaiian Chicken Beef or Chicken Broccoli Chicken, Beef or Vegetable Lo Mein Polynesian Fruit Display 2 lbs. Almond Cookies & 2 Boxes Fortune Cookies

Get More Ideas At

Catering Hotline

www.bensdeli.net

1-800-344-BENS

Send A Gift Card!

© 2011 Ronald M. Dragoon

Tuesday, December 6 at the South Jamaica library at 3:30.

ARTS & CRAFTS Tuesday, December 6 at the Auburndale library at 4.

SAND ART Tuesday, December 6 at the Briarwood library at 4.

CROCHET CLUB Tuesday, December 6 at the McGoldrick library at 4.

PINS & BARETTES Tuesday, December 6 recycled plastic at the Steinway library. Register.

MIXING IN MATH Tuesday, December 6 at the Central library at 4:30.

WORD OF THE WEEK Tu e s d a y, December 6 BOOST Word of the Week at the McGoldrick library at 5.

HAPPY HAPPY STORY TIME Wednesdays, December 7, 14, 21, 28 at the LIC library at 10:30.

CRAFTS Wednesdays, December 7, 14, 21, 28 at the Steinway library at 11.

READ TO ME Wednesday, December 7 at t he Bay Terrace libra r y at 10:30.

S TORY T I M E Wednesday, December 7 at the Steinway library at 10:30 and the Seaside library at 11.

S TORY T I M E Wednesday, December 7 at the East Elmhurst library at 11:30.

S TORY T I M E Wednesday, December 7 at the Broad Channel library at noon.

PRESCHOOL STORY TIME Wednesday, December 7 at the Maspeth library at 1:30.

MOTHER BEAR Wednesday, December 7 Mother Bear’s Christmas Dilemma at 3 at the Bay Terrace library.

WII TIME Wednesday, December 7 at the Briarwood library. Register.

HOLIDAY TREE Wednesday, December 7 holiday tree tales at the East Flushing library at 4.

SCIENCE LAB Wednesday, December 7 at the Central library at 4:30.

BOOST HEALTH Wednesday, December 7 BOOST health/science at the McGoldrick library at 5.

BOX CRAFT Thursday, December 8 Kwanzaa Golden Jewel Box craft at the Langston Hughes library at 4.

HOLIDAY CRAFT Thursday, December 8 at the Langston Hughes library at 4.

MONSTERS & HEROES Thursday, December 8 at the Ridgewood library at 4.

WINTER CRAFTS Thursday, December 8 at the Seaside library at 4.

BEAN BAG Thursday, December 8 at the Woodside library. Register.

BOOST READING Thursday, December 8 BOOST Reading Buddies at 5 at the McGoldrick library.

READ TO A DOG Thursday, December 8 at

Roasted Turkey for 10 ......... $109.99

ORDER ONLINE

SENIORS STAY WELL Mondays at the Central library at 10. Learn how special exercise and relaxation techniques make a difference in your life.

BASIC COMPUTER Tuesday, December 6 basic computer classes for older adults Baisley Park. Register.

Thursday, December 8 Corona library at 10:30. Friday, December 9 Far Rockaway library at 10:30.

AARP DRIVING CLASS Wednesday, December 7 at the Forest Hills library at 1.

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

DEFENSIVE DRIVING Wednesday, December 7 at the Forest Hills library at 1.

HORIZONS Thursday, December 8 Horizons, a club for those 55 and over, meet at the Reform Temple of Forest Hills, 71-11 112 th Street at 12:30 for a discussion on the traditions and a special Chanukah program. $3.

AARP 29 Thursday, December 8 at Grace House, 155-02 90 th Avenue, Jamaica.

STARS Fridays, December 9, 16, 23, 30 Senior Theater Acting Repertory at the Queens Village library at 10:30. 7760529.

www.queenstribune.com • Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 27

QUEENS LIBRARIES Many branches of the Queensborough Library offer toddler and pre-school programs. Contact your local branch for dates.

LIBRARY EXPLORERS Saturday, December 3 at the Central library. Register.

SAFARI Saturday, December 3 Alley Pond Environmental Center Safari for those 6-11.

229-4000.

BASEBALL CLINIC Starting December 3 LP Fam’s Winter Baseball Clinic.

835-9252.

S TORY T I M E Saturday, December 3 family story time at the Flushing library at 11.

LIBRARY EXPLORERS Saturday, December 3 at the Central library. Register.

FURRY FRIENDS Sunday, December 4 Adventure Hour at Alley Pond Environmental Center featuring “Furry Friends.” 1836 months with parental participation. 229-4000.

ONE WORLD Monday, December 5 at the Far Rockaway library at 3:30.

Meet animals from all over the world.

PLAY DOH PARTY Monday, December 5 at the Fresh Meadows library at 3:30.

LITTLE TOT Monday, December 5 at the Hillcrest library at 4.

CROCHET Monday, December 5 at the Rosedale library at 4.

HOLIDAY STORIES Monday, December 5 at 4 at the Windsor Park library.

BOOST WORD Monday, December 5 B O O S T C o m m u n i t y Word Project at the Central library at 4:30.

BOOST MATH Monday, December 5 at the McGoldrick library at 5.

ORNAMENT MAKING Monday, December 5 at the Seaside library at 5:30.

LITTLE TOT TIME Monday, December 5 at the Hillcrest library at 4.

GOING GREEN Tuesday, December 6 Going Green with LEAP at the Woodside library at 3.

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS Tuesday, December 6 at the Glen Oaks library at 11.

RECYCLED Tuesday, December 6 recycled plastic magnets, pins and barrettes at the Steinway library. Register.

MOTHER GOOSE Tuesday, December 6 at the Douglaston library at 1:15.

LEAP Tuesday, December 6 Going Green with LEAP at the Woodside library at 3.

AFTER SCHOOL FUN Tuesday, December 6 at the Broadway library at 3:30. Friday, December 9 learn about the planet and arts & crafts at the Broadway library at 3:30.

BOOK MAKING Tuesday, December 6 and Wednesday, December 7 at the Rochdale Village library.

Register.

JOKE WRITING

m you lun ch fro S ending h be st wis hes Ben's wit d ays. E njoy!! li for th e Ho

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

Queens Today

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT Page 28 Tribune Dec. 1-7, 2011 • www.queenstribune.com

Queens Today

Queens Today

EDUCATION/GAMES/CRAFTS JEWELRY WORKSHOP Saturday, December 3 glass-beaded jewelry workshop at the Steinway library.

Register.

HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS Saturday, December 3 holiday clay ornaments at the Lefferts library at 3:30.

JOB SEARCH Saturdays, December 3, 17 Job Search Boot Camp at 10:30 at the Central library.

BEAD WORKSHOP Saturday, December 3 glass beaded jewelry workshop at the Steinway library. Register.

BOOK PUBLISHING Saturday, December 3 book publishing workshop at the Langston Hughes library at 10:30.

PUBLIC SPEAKING Saturdays, December 3, 17 Learn to communicate effectively at Elmhurst Hospital.

646-436-7940.

POMANDERS Saturday, December 3 “Pomanders: Decorating for the Holidays” at the Voelker Orth Museum in Flushing.

359-6227 to register.

BALLROOM DANCE Mondays, December 5, 12, 19, 26 ballroom dancing at the Forest Hills library at 6:30.

CHILD CARE Monday, December 5 learn about how children grow and learn at the Langston Hughes library at 5:30.

BASIC COMPUTER Monday, December 5 at the Douglaston library at 10.

INTRO EMAIL Monday, December 5 at the Central library at 10:30.

START YOUR JOB Monday, December 5 strategies for starting your job search at the Central library at 6.

POETRY WORKSHOP Monday, December 5 at the Woodhaven library at 6:30.

INTRO COMPUTER Monday, December 5 at the Fresh Meadows library at 10:30.

INTRO E-MAIL Monday, December 5 at the Central library. Register.

FIND A JOB Monday, December 5 how to search the internet to find a job at the Central library at 6:30.

KNITTING CIRCLE Mondays, December 5, 19 Knitting Circle at Alley Pond Environmental Center. 2294000.

START A JOB Monday, December 5 strategies for starting your job at the Central library at 6.

BOOT CAMP Monday, December 5 computer boot camp at the Far Rockaway library at 10:30.

ORIGAMI Monday, December 5 make your gifts special with origami at the Corona library at 6.

SEARCH FOR WORK Monday, December 5 searching for work strategies at the Rochdale Village library at 6.

FIND A JOB Monday, December 5 how

to search the internet to find a job at the Central library at 6:30.

BASIC COMPUTER Tuesdays, December 6, 13, 20, 27 at the Rosedale library at 10:30.

BEGIN COMPUTERS Tuesday, December 6 at the Astoria library at 11.

BASIC COMPUTER Tuesdays, December 6, 13, 20, 27 at the Arverne library at 10:30.

PRACTICE LAB TIME Tuesdays, December 6, 13, 20 computer practice lab time at the Far Rockaway library at 4.

BASIC COMPUTER Tuesday, December 6 at the LIC library at 11.

INTRO EXCEL Tuesday, December 6 at the Central library. Register.

BASIC COMPUTER Tuesday, December 6 basics at the South Ozone Park library at 10.

INTRO INTERNET Tuesday, December 6 at the Queens Village library. Register.

COMPUTER CLASS Tuesday, December 6 at the Sunnyside library at 10:30.

INTRO COMPUTERS Tuesday, December 6 at the Maspeth library at 1.

TANGO CLASS Wednesdays, December 7, 14, 21, 28 at Buenos Aires Tango in Forest Hills. 347642-4705.

COMPUTER BASICS Wednesday, December 7 at t h e W i n d s o r Pa r k l i b ra r y.

Register.

BASIC COMPUTER Wednesday, December 7 at the Woodside library at 10:30.

HOLIDAY CENTERPIECE Wednesday or Thursday, December 7, 8 Holiday Centerpiece Workshop at the Vo e l ke r O r t h M u s e u m i n Flushing. 359-6227 to register.

KNIT & CROCHET Wednesday, December 7 at the South Ozone Park library at 1.

CRAFT GIFT Wednesday, December 7 holiday craft gift at the Fresh Meadows library at 2:30.

NATURAL JEWELRY Wednesday, December 7 at the Steinway library. Register.

INTRO POWERPOINT Wednesday, December 7 at the Central library. Register.

INTERMED. COMPUTER Thursday, December 8 intermediate computer class at the LIC library at 10.

HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS Thursday, December 8 holiday clay ornaments at the Whitestone library at 6.

INTRO COMPUTERS Thursday, December 8 at the Pomonok library. Register.

COMPUTER TUTORIALS Thursday, December 8 at the Woodside library at 6:30.

INTRO EMAIL Friday, December 9 at the Poppenhusen library. Register.

BASIC COMPUTERS

ENTERTAINMENT

Friday, December 9 at the Auburndale library. Register.

COMPUTER PRACTICE Friday, December 9 at the Arverne library at noon.

KWANZAA WORKSHOP Saturday, December 10 at the Langston Hughes library at 1.

ENVIRONMENT LEAVES! Saturday, December 3 bring your leaves to the Broadway library at 11 for Project LeafDrop.

ECO-FASHION Saturday, December 3 at the Broadway library at 2:30.

Saturday, December 10 at 2:30 at the Sunnyside library.

Making fashionable goods from recycled products.

HEALTH ZUMBA Monday, December 5 Latin dance fitness at the Glendale library at 6.

CANCER SUPPORT Monday, December 5 Franklin Hospital’s Cancer Support Group meets 2-4 in the cafeteria. 516-256-6478.

CANCER ACTION Tuesday, December 6 Western Queens Cancer Action Council meeting at the LIC library at 2.

ZUMBA Tuesdays, December 6, 13, 20 at the Ridgewood library.

Register.

BLINDNESS Saturday, December 10 Foundation for Fighting Blindness meets at the Forest Hills library at 10:30.

MAMMOGRAMS Sunday, December 11 free mammograms for those 40 and over. Call 1-800-5646868 for requirements and appointment.

FLEA MARKETS HOLIDAY SHOPPE Friday, December 2 noon-8 and Saturday, December 3 noon to 7. Our Lady of Mercy, 70-01 Kessel Street, Forest Hills.

XMAS FLEA Saturday, December 3 at All Saints, 214-35 40 th Avenue, Bayside 9-4.

FLEA MARKET Sunday, December 4 Trinkets to Treasures flea market 11-3 at Astoria Center of Israel. 278-2680.

BAZAAR Sunday, December 4 Sisterhood of Bay Terrace Jewish Center holds their Annual Bazaar 10:30-3:00 at 13-00 209 th Street, Bayside.

THRIFT SHOP Tuesday, December 6 9-2 a Jewish Center of Kew Gardens Hills, 71-25 Main Street.

CHRISTMAS CRAFT Saturday, December 10 104 and Sunday, December 11 9-3:30 Christmas Craft Sale St. Josaphat’s, Bayside.

FIGGY PUDDING Through December 4 short play fest featuring plays about the Christmas holidays in Sunnyside. 17-548-1086.

LORCA FLAMENCO Through December 11 flamenco tribute at Thalia Spanish Theatre in Sunnyside.

729-3880.

MOVING IMAGE Through January 16 Jim Henson Screenings and Programs. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35 th Avenue, Astoria. 777-6800. $15.

BELLS OF ST. MARYS Saturday, December 3 the film “The Bells of Saint Mary’s will be shown at 1 at the Greater Astoria Historical Societ y, 35-20 Broadway, 4 th floor, LIC. Free.

ORGAN RECITAL Saturday, December 3 at St. Josaphat’s Church in Bayside. 229-1663. Free.

INDO-PAK COALITION Saturday, December 3 Rudresh Mahanthappa and the Indo-Pak Coalition at F l u s h i n g To w n H a l l . 4 6 3 7700, ext. 222.

TAIWAN Saturday, December 3 Many Faces of Taiwan with four feature films at the Bayside library starting at 12:30.

SISTER SOULJAH Saturday, December 3 author talk with Sister Souljah at 12:30 at the Langston Hughes library.

JINGLE BELL SWING Saturday, December 3 jingle bell swing at 2 at the Flushing library.

SOUND ART Saturday, December 3 sound art is a new dialogue between music and poetry at the Langston Hughes library at 2:30.

AKSHIC BOOKS Saturday, December 3 African American fiction at the Langston Hughes library at 3:30.

SUNDAY CONCERT Sunday, December 4 Middle Eastern music and dance at 3 at the Central library.

HOLIDAY WASSAIL Sunday, December 4 Musica Reginae’s Holiday Wa s s a i l a t C h u rc h i n t h e Gardens in Forest Hills. $50.

HOLIDAY CONCERT Sunday, December 4 Sacred Music Chorale of RH presents their annual Holiday Concert at 3 in historic St. John’s Lutheran Church, 8 6 - 2 0 1 1 4 th S t r e e t , R i c h mond Hill. $15.

LIVE JAZZ Sundays through December 18 at 180-25 Linden Blvd., St. Albans from 5-9. $5 donation. 347-262-1169.

CITY OF NY Monday, December 5 “The C i t y o f G r e a te r N Y: T h e Story of Consolidation” at 7 at the Greater Astoria Historical Societ y, 35-20 Broadway, 4 th floor, LIC. Free.

HOLLYWOOD MUSICAL Monday, December 5 the MGM Hollywood Musical at the Richmond Hill library at 6.

BLUES GUITAR Monday, December 5 Edie Lee Isaacs and his blues guitar at the Lefrak Cit y library at 6:15.

SOUL LEGENDS Monday, December 5 musical tribute to the soul legends Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye at the Queens Village library at 6:30.

JUDY GARLAND Tuesday, December 6 songs of Judy Garland at the North Hills library at 1:30.

JAZZ KIDS Thursday, December 8 celebrate the winter holidays with the East Elmhurst Jazz Kids at 4 at the library.

HOLIDAY SHOW Thursday, December 8 Claremont Strings holiday show at 2 at the Windsor Park library.

CHRISTMAS CAROL Thursday, December 8 at the Woodhaven library at 4.

THE BLUES Thursday, December 8 at the Baisley Park library at 6:30.

LIVE JAZZ Fridays through December 13 at 180-25 Linden Blvd.., St. Albans. 347-262-1169 ticket information.

FULL MOON GAZING Saturday, December 10 at Alley Pond Environmental Center. 229-4000.

KWANZAA Saturday, December 10 at

the Langston Hughes library starting at 10.

HOLIDAY CONCERT Saturday, December 10 Holiday Music Concert at 2 at the Flushing library.

NINA SIMONE Saturday, December 10 celebrating the life of Nina Simone at the Langston Hughes library at 2.

LOVE SONGS Saturday, December 10 at the Broadway library at 3.

LINDA IPANEMA Saturday, December 10 holiday show at the Fresh Meadows library at 3.

COMEDY Saturday, December 10 Jon Fischer and Tina Giorgi perfo r m a t Te m p l e T i k va h i n New Hyde Park. $20 advance, $25 at the door. 516746-1120.

MESSIAH Sunday, December 11 Sacred Music Societ y of Our Lady Queen of Mart yrs performs “Messiah” and Christmas Favorites at 4. 268-6251. $20 adults, free for children accompanied by an adult.

HOUSE TOUR Sunday, December 11 24 th Annual Historic Holiday H o u s e To u r 1 - 5 w i t h t h e Queens Historical Societ y. $10. 939-0647, ext. 17.

NUTCRACKER Sunday, December 11 at F l u s h i n g To w n H a l l . 4 6 3 7700, ext. 222.

MEETINGS PUBLIC SPEAKING Saturdays, December 3, 17, January 7, 21 public speaking and effective communication 10-12:15 at the Elmhurst Hospital Center Conference Room. 4249754.

HAM RADIO CLUB Tuesday, December 6 Emergency Communications Service meets in Briarwood.

357-6851.

TALK OF THE TOWN Tuesdays, December 6, 20 learn the art of public speaking in St. Albans at 7:15. 6407092.

PUBLIC MEETING Tuesday, December 6 department of education capital budget plan meeting at 7 at MS67, 51-60 Marathon Parkway, Little Neck.

BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT Wednesday, December 7 at Holy Family Catholic Church, 175-20 174 th Street, Fresh Meadows at 7:30.

TOASTMASTERS Wednesdays, December 7, 21 learn the art of public speaking at t he Voices of Rochdale Toastmasters Club in Jamaica. 978-0732.

KNIGHTS OF PY THIAS Wednesdays, December 7, 21 Queensview Lodge 433 meets in Whitestone. 917754-3093.

FLUSHING CAMERA Wednesdays, December 7, 21 Flushing Camera Club meets at 7:15 at Flushing Hospital. 479-0643.

LEADD CLUB Thursday evenings and one

Saturday afternoon. Recreation Socialization Program for Learning Disabled Adults. 18+, able to travel on public transportation.

Arn310@aol.com information.

STAMP CLUB Thursday, December 8 Queens Stamp Club at the Forest Hills library at 5:45.

DEMOCRATIC CLUB Thursday, December 8 Jefferson Democratic Club meets at the Clearview Gold Course Clubhouse at 7:30.

ILION BLOCK ASSN. Friday, December 9 Ilion Area Block Association meets at the African Center Communit y Empowerment, 11192A Farmers Blvd., St. Albans at 7:30.

WOMEN’S GROUP Fridays the Woman’s Group of Jamaica Estates meets at noon. Call 461-3193 for information.

RELIGIOUS LUTHERAN CHURCH Saturday, December 3 holiday spaghetti dinner 5-7. $12 donation. Wednesdays, December 7, 14, 21 Reservations 358-2744. Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 157-16 65 th Avenue, Flushing.

ORGAN RECITAL Saturday, December 3 at St. Josaphat’s Church in Bayside. 229-1663. Free.

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT

www.queenstribune.com • Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 29

Page 30 Tribune Dec. 1-7, 2011 â&#x20AC;˘ www.queenstribune.com

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

Spruced Up:

More than 7,000 volunteers fanned out across the city to revitalize 111 public schools as part of the 20th Annual New York Cares Day on Saturday, Oct. 15.

Volunteers painted colorful murals inside and outside the schools, repaired fences, re-organized libraries, planted flowers, and fixed-up playgrounds. This year, volunteers spruced up 14 schools in Queens. Pictured: painting a mural in the hallway of PS 319.

Dr Susana Rapaport (l. to r.), Dr Steven Stylianos, Pauline Marks.

The Francis Lewis High School JROTC Patriot Battalion Raider teams dominated the Nationals in both the male and female divisions over the backbreaking weekend. Victory was the sweetest it had

ever been, and history was made when the male team blew the competition out of the water by winning by 10 points. Individual raiders also placed for individual awards such as Ultimate Raider and Iron Man/ Woman. Cadet Captain Tiffany Lee had the best fitness score for females in the country.

The National Raider Competition is based on the U.S. Army Ranger Challenge.

The Raider Challenge involved five extremely difficult physical challenges. The Rope Bridge event, consisting of setting up a bridge mode of rope over a river and then dismantling it. Followed by the Army Physical Fitness Test which consists of pushups then instantly flipping to sit-ups. Third, the 5 kilometer run, followed by the Gauntlet in which the Raiders had to run through rugged terrain carrying 35 pound rucksacks holding up a stretcher with additional weight on it, continuing under a low crawl, and climbing over and 8 foot wall.

Since June, both Raider teams have been training hard in order to train for the Nationals. With 35 school and 660 cadets taking part, competing wasn’t going to be easy. However, with the dedication and motivation of the cadets, along with the support of the Army Instructors and the rest of the Patriot Battalion, both teams brought home the gold.

Billy Yang of Howard Beach, enrolled at Binghamton University, State University of New York, recently received Beth F. ’78 and Anthony ’77 Terrana Pre-Dental Scholarships.

These scholarships are awarded to outstanding seniors who intend to pursue studies at a dental school within the following year.

On Nov. 11, thousands of members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force gathered in New York City for the distinguished Veterans’ Day Parade.

Amongst the long lines of marching of the city, JROTC Patriots and cadets from neighboring schools were found lined up in Madison Square Park, proud to honor the dedicated men, women, veterans, and families of those that have risked and given their lives for our country. Despite the sun shining beating down on all of the cadets, and a surge of wind pushing them back, the

flags, and cheering on the marching cadets with signs that read “Thank You!” and “God Bless You!”. Smiles spread across the faces of young children as they watched the battalion march in amazement. As cadets of the Patriot Battalion, even more importantly, as Americans we all came together to show honor and respect. With each and every strong step we took, we represent and remember those who are and were in the armed forces.

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that an Order granted by the Civil Court, Queens County, on the 14 day of October, 2011 bearing Index Number 962/ 11, a copy of which may be examined at the office of the Clerk of the County of Queens, located at 89-17 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica, New York 11435, grants me the right to assume the name of (first) Danny (last) Ho My present name is (last) Male Choi a/k/a Danny Ho aka Danny Choi Ho. My present address is 124-15 Beach Channel Drive, Rockaway Park, New York 11694, County of Queens; the date of my birth is March 2, 1992; the place of my birth is County of Kings, State of New York. ___________________________________ NOTICE OF FORMATION OF LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. NAME: HERMES B NY LLC. Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/27/11. 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, 149-36 19 th Avenue, Whitestone, New York 11357. Purpose: For any lawful purpose. ___________________________________ “PUBLIC NOTICE Wireless Telecommunications Facility – Collocation 7-07 Beach 9th Street, Queens, New York Spring Nextel Systems Cor-

poration (Sprint) is proposing to collocate wireless telecommunications antennas and supporting equipment on the existing building at 7-07 Beach 9 th Street, Queens (Far Rockaway), Queens County, New York. Twelve antennas will be located at a centerline elevation of 71-feet, 10 inches above ground level on the rooftop parapet. Supporting equipment will be placed on a 200-foot square foot steel platform along the rooftop and will include PPC cabinets, four equipment cabinets, a coax supporting frame, a cable tray, platform with access stairs and a GPS unit.

Proposed electric, telco and grounding conduits will be routed from the first floor/ parking garage of the building and further along the exterior wall of the building to the equipment platform. Access to the facility will be from existing rooftop access points. Any interested party wishing to submit comments regarding the effect the proposed facility may have on any historic property may do so by sending such comments to: Kristin Tallamy, E2PM, 87 Hibernia Avenue, Rockaway, NJ 07866 or by electronic mail to: Kristin.tallamy@e2pm.com, and please refer E2PM Tracking Number P-11-46-01.” ___________________________________ Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County on 11/ 15/11, bearing Index Num-

ber NC-001080-11/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, grants me the right to: Assume the name of (First) Emma (Middle) Elizabeth (Last) Alayev My present name is (First) Elisheva (Middle) Katie (Last) Alayev (infant) My present address is 81-21 168th Street, Jamaica, NY 11432 My place of birth is Queens, NY My date of birth is September 14, 2011 ___________________________________ Notice is hereby given that an Order entered by the Civil Court, Queens County on 10/ 14/11, bearing Index Number NC-000971-11/QU, a copy of which may be examined at the Office of the Clerk, located at 89-17 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435, grants me the right to: Assume the name of (First) Ginger (Last) Portnoy My present name is (First) Regina (Middle) Amelia (Last) Kramer aka Regina A. Kramer, aka Regina Weisinger, aka Regina Portnoy, aka Ginger My present address is 1 Bayclub Drive, Bayside, NY 11360 My place of birth is Brooklyn, NY My date of birth is June 03, 1941 You Can E-Mail Your Legal Copy to legals@queenstribune.com To Place Your Legal Advertisement or call the Tribune at (718) 357-7400 Ext. 149

www.queenstribune.com • Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 31

On Wednesday, Nov. 2, a cocktail reception was held in the Board Room at Flushing Hospital Medical Center to welcome the new team of pediatric surgeons who recently joined the hospital’s medical staff. Attending the reception to greet the group of seven pediatric surgeons were over 40 community pediatricians with strong ties to Flushing Hospital.

Flushing Hospital Medical Center, through an affiliation with the Cohen Children’s Medical Center of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, will now be able to offer the latest advances in pediatric surgery to the community. Now community physicians no longer have to send their patients out of the borough to have these surgical procedures performed.

Dr. Susan Rapaport, Chairperson of the Department of Pediatrics, welcomed the surgical team to Flushing Hospital and told the guests how excited Flushing is to have this renowned group of surgeons working at the hospital. Dr. Steven Stylianos, the head of the pediatric surgical group, remarked that the group is very happy to be working at Flushing Hospital and is pleased to be offering this expertise to the community.

The Pediatric Surgical group specializes in minimally invasive procedures that are performed laparoscopically. Laparoscopic surgery is a highly specialized method of performing a surgical procedure. Rather than using one large incision as is used in traditional “open procedures,” this type of procedure uses several much smaller incisions. These techniques have demonstrated significant benefit to the pediatric patient including fewer post-op complications, less pain from healing, less scaring, shorter recovery times and less time spent in the hospital overall. Most of these procedures allow the patient to return home the same day.

For further information about Pediatric Surgery at Flushing Hospital please visit the hospital’s website at flushinghospital.org or call 718-670-3007 for more information.

cadets were eager to participate in the most important parade of the year.

The Battalion’s Cadet Commander, Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Ahlyjus McPherson led well over 700 cadets in the march up 5th Avenue. The Patriot Battalion Honor Guard, Drill Team, and Drum Corps performed during the march. As the Patriot Battalion Cadets stepped in cadence and with pride, thousands of spectators came to fill the city streets, waving their

www.queenstribune.com â&#x20AC;˘ Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 41

Nicki Thanks Taylor

Models Of Queens

My Michelle For Michelle Jia, modeling has been a great way to boost her self-confidence and have a great time.

Sure, her real dreams may lay with accounting – yes, that is her dream job, but in the meantime, thanks to the folks at Shortstack Models, she’s been having a great time.

“I’ve been with Shortstack for three years, and it’s working out really good for me,” she said. “I’ve gained a lot out of it.

Shortstack is a Queens-based organization that opens petite girls to the world of modeling while also building self-esteem and friendships.

Michelle, a high school senior, is already gaining college credit through an early college initiative at her school and said that working with Shortstack and working some pageants and shows has “definitely helped my confidence, and I’ve gained a lot of new friends.”

When she’s not hitting the books or the runway, Michelle spends time with friends, does some volunteer work and reads. She also has an Michelle Jia Home: Fresh Meadows affinity for karaoke – but mostly by herself.

Though in a perfect world Michelle would Age: 17 really like to be an artist, she knows that Height: 5’ 2-1/2” accounting is a great opportunity – and more Weight: 105 realistic, though she still creates and enjoys her Stats: 32-25-32 time in front of the camera.

Page 42 Tribune Dec. 1-7, 2011 • www.queenstribune.com

Greening Queens

Queens native Nicki Minaj opened up November’s American Music Awards with her hit song “Super Bass,” wowing the crowd with clocks on her chest and speakers on her butt.

Minutes later, Minaj won her very first AMA for favorite rap/ hip-hop artist. Her acceptance speech wasn’t much different from most acceptance speeches, until she took the time to thank a special person: teen Country music sensation Taylor Swift.

Really? It turns out part of the success of “Super Bass” is due to Swift rapping her song on YouTube and radio stations whenever she could. However the song made it to the top of the charts, congrats on your mainstream success, Nicki!

Feeling Blue And Seeing Red We can all thank the late Tim Russert, longtime host of “Meet The Press,” who introduced us to the concept of Red and Blue when it came to Republicans and Democrats. Many credit his electionnight coverage in 2000 for setting the cultural standard on the map with “Blue States and “Red States.”

So it may be safe to assume that when it comes to social media and the ubiquitous logos for both Twitter and Facebook that seem to be everywhere, the fact that they both work off a blue color scheme must have some Republicans seeing red.

Well, newly-minted Queens Congressman Bob Turner has decided – or at least somebody in his staff did – to take a stand against the blue social media, which is, of course, different from

Queens’ residents have hit it big.

In a lucky streak that can only come once in a lifetime, three out of four lottery winners announced last week at the Resorts World Casino at Aqueduct Raceway came from the borough.

William Iozzino collected his $1 million check, but before heading home, as if that fat check in his hands wasn’t enough, Lady Luck blessed Iozzino with an additional 50 bucks for placing the right bet at the new Big Queens Lottery winners with Yolanda Vega at Aqueduct racino.

Resorts World.

Photo by Ira Cohen A pre-Thanksgiving fire at the JFK It didn’t stop raining down dollars there. Jackson Heights’ own Maria Sandoval scratched her way to Confidentially, New York . . . the bank, winning $1 million on the Mega Money Multiplier while Marco Sierra of Woodside also collected about $625,000 after taxes.

With the holiday season in full swing we hope that the lucky borough streak can trickle down to us before Christmas.

We’d definitely love to be celebrating our holidays gleaming green.

“Come on, Daddy needs a new pair of shoes!”

Cheater, Cheater, SAT . . .

We heard last week that two Queens students were being probed for the now infamous SAT/ACT cheating ring.

How could our own be so foolish? You’d expect this sort of stuff out of a Brooklyn kid or a Manhattan kid, but not our guys and gals. The police won’t yet divulge who these dopes are, but here’s hoping the next time they try to do something for someone else, it’s at a soup kitchen, and not in the middle of a high stakes test.

Nicki Minaj shows off her… awards.

The Turner version of familiar logos the regular liberal, gotcha media like us, that the GOP typically rail against.

Turner’s subtle yet effective change of the Facebook and Twitter buttons (with black-white-andred YouTube thrown in for good measure) into deep red icons in some of his press e-mails is a clever symbolic twist, a renaming and rebranding of sorts to show that the GOP needn’t bow to liberal, social or any other media bias that favors Donkeys over Elephants.

Now here’s a quick one for ya, Bob: Frank Sinatra is known as Ol’ “What Color” Eyes?

Tarmac Fire File this under “Smooth Move Sherlock” One day before one of the busiest travelling days of the year, at the beginning of the holiday season, its natural travelers are worried in the post 9/11 world about being targets of terrorism. So imagine their surprise when holiday travelers peeked out of the window of the JetBlue terminal to see a fire near the runway.

The sight, captured by one passenger, frightened many waiting to board a flight at Gate 14 with one woman refusing to board the plane. The story spread like… well… wild fire through Twitter.

The Port Authority said the fire was part of a controlled burn and had been set for a training exercise with the FDNY. Great going guys, like we haven’t been on edge every holiday season since the government started changing the color of our terrorist alerts more often than we change our underwear. What’s next, a dirty bomb drill at Rockefeller Center the weekend before Christmas?

C H O O S E strength UnitedHealthcare® and Lenox Hill Hospital, a proud member of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, are working together to help keep you healthy.

Committed to serving Medicare members, UnitedHealthcare has plans and provider partnerships that offer coordinated care and wellness programs. This means that network doctors, specialists, nurses, pharmacies and other providers, including Lenox Hill Hospital, a proud member of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, all work together to help make sure members get the right care at the right time. That’s the strength of the local coverage and care you deserve.

Join UnitedHealthcare at a neighborhood meeting, where one of our agents will explain your Medicare Advantage, Part D and Medicare supplement plan choices. Enrollment Period ends December 7. Last chance to enroll for 2012.

Dec 1, 2pm & Dec 6, 10am Whitestone Diner 149-21 14th Ave Whitestone, NY 11357

Dec 2, 2pm Palace Diner 6015 Main St Flushing, NY 11355

Dec 6, 2pm Buccaneer Diner 93-01 Astoria Blvd Flushing, NY 11369

Dec 7, 10am Blue Bay Diner 5850 Francis Lewis Blvd Bayside, NY 11364

Call UnitedHealthcare 1-855-301-7510, TTY 711

www.ChooseUHC.com

2012 enrollment dates: October 15 – December 7

Other providers are available in our network.

The benefit information provided herein is a brief summary, not a comprehensive description of benefits. For more information contact the plan.

A sales person will be present with information and applications. For accommodation of persons with special needs at sales meetings, call 1-855-301-7510, TTY 711.

The family of UnitedHealthcare® Medicare Solutions plans includes Part D Prescription Drug Plans, Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans and Medicare Advantage Plans featuring the UnitedHealthcare,® or AARP® brand names. Plans are insured or covered by UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company or one of its affiliates, a Medicare Advantage organization with a Medicare contract and a Medicare-approved Part D sponsor.

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www.queenstribune.com • Dec. 1-7, 2011 Tribune Page 43

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