Rockaway Times 11-23-22

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving!

An Early Start for the Little North Pole

By Katie McFadden

Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right down Neponsit Ave. Right after he’s eat en his turkey and picked up some Black Friday deals for the Mrs., Santa Claus will be making a stop at the home of a good friend—Joe Mure. Christmas has come early this year to The Little North Pole, which will light up on Saturday, November 26.

In its 27th year, the annual light ing of the Little North Pole will take place the Saturday right af ter Thanksgiving, giving locals and visitors alike even more time to see this holiday delight. With hopes of the weather being a lit tle warmer, one of the Little North Pole’s little helpers being around on college break, and a December full of Joe Mure finding even more ways to raise funds for the Juve nile Diabetes Research Founda tion (JDRF), the end-of-Novem ber lighting made sense this year. And while Christmas is arriving early to Neponsit, it’s not stop ping Mure from pulling out all the stops for the annual event to light up his home.

On Saturday, head to 144-03 Neponsit Avenue for an evening

of festive fun. It all starts with a pre-show at 3 p.m. featuring per formances by local school and dance groups and the big show starts at 4 p.m.

This year, Joe Causi, WCBS-FM radio host, is back to emcee the event while sports radio host Sid Rosenberg and talk show host Todd Wharton will share co-host ing duties for the night. Plus there will be plenty of special guests taking the stage. Some may re member The Sopranos star Tony Sirico aka Paulie Walnuts as a regular visitor to The Little North Pole. In wake of his passing ear lier this year, another Sopranos star will be coming down to help light up the Little North Pole. Some may know him as Silvio Dante on the show, while others know him as Bruce Springsteen’s righthand man as lead guitarist of

Contact The Elected

Congressman Gregory Meeks 67-12 Rockaway Beach Boulevard Arverne, NY 11692 Phone: (347) 230-4032

Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato 9516 Rockaway Beach Blvd Rockaway Beach, NY 11693 Email: amatos@nyassembly.gov 718-945-9550

City Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers 1931 Mott Avenue, Suite 410 Far Rockaway, NY 11691 • 718-471-7014

City Councilwoman Joann Ariola 114-12 Beach Channel Drive, suite #1 Rockaway Park, NY 11694 Email: joannariola32@gmail.com 718-318-6411

State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. 88-08 Rockaway Beach Blvd Room 311 Rockaway Beach, NY 11693 Email: addabbo@nysenate.gov 718-318-0702

State Senator James Sanders Jr. 1931 Mott Avenue – Suite 305 Far Rockaway, NY 11691 Email: sanders@nysenate.gov 718-327-7017

Assemblyman Khaleel Anderson 19-31 Mott Avenue, Suite 301 Far Rockaway, NY 11691 Email: Andersonk@nyassembly.gov 718-327-1845

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McFadden MANAGING EDITOR

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AN EARLY START FOR THE LITTLE NORTH POLE

Continued from Page 2

the E-Street Band. Little Steven or Miami Steve himself, Steven Van Zandt, will be coming out to help support the cause. “He wants to help out the children and JDRF and he’s excited about it. I think he’s gonna add a lot to our event this year,” Mure said.

And of course, after the Little North Pole is all lit up, and eyes and ears are dazzled by the many performances, an even bigger star will close out the show, making a special entrance—Santa Claus. The big man in the red suit will have toys for all of the children in attendance at the end of the night.

The Little North Pole is made possible by the Mure family and many volunteers that make it come to life starting before Halloween. Some of his top helpers include Richie Keane, Tony Orzano, John Sluyk, Anthony Calamari, John Reinhardt and more. Mure says the Graybeards were also a big help in setting up this year among other volunteers. Dozens of performers and businesses will also be donating their time for this cause. There will be several food stands available, with options for everyone for a $20 donation toward JDRF. Among the vendors are Anthony Canonolli serving up cannollis and cookies, Whit’s End serving pizza, Beach Bagels serving up hot chocolate and food, Bagel Barista Station, Roccos of Roc Beach, Divinos, Matteos, Brunos and Brothers Ravioli of Howard Beach, Lucy Sausage and more.

All of these folks come together each year, and Mure keeps its going every year, for a good cause. “There are two reasons for lighting the Little North Pole. One, is to put a smile on every child’s face and give them a memory of the holidays that we believe will last the rest of their lives and two, to help a special group of children that need our help—those that live each and every day with juvenile diabetes,” Mure said.

That’s why every penny collected at the lighting event and

throughout the holiday season, goes towards the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which is always aiming to make advancements in the treatment of juvenile diabetes, with the hope of one day finding a cure. Most recently, JDRF celebrated the FDA approval of teplizumab, a drug that can delay the onset of type 1 diabetes in at-risk individuals. “JDRF was leading the fight to get this approved,” Mure said. Donations like those from the Little North Pole only help further such advancements. Last year, Mure was able to donate more than $80,000 to the organization from money raised through the Little North Pole.

Every penny counts from the donations collected at the event and online at www.LittleNorthPole.org. Some may also be presenting bigger contributions towards the cause, such as Owen Loof, the Best Dressed Man in Rockaway, who will be presenting a $600 check to JDRF, as part of the four charities he’s raised money for from the proceeds of his first book. It’ll all help the Mure family reach or maybe surpass their $80,000 fundraising goal this year.

But in addition to raising money for a great cause, Mure is most looking forward to those smiling faces on Saturday. “It’s not easy to keep doing this every year but when I see those smiles, it makes it well worth it. The holiday season is a good season to be happy,” he said. He'll see even more smiles on Monday, November 28, when he does it all again for five groups of children from special needs schools on Monday morning and the St. Camillus Special Olympics program and a group of fire department handicapped kids at 6:15 p.m.

“We want everyone to come down and help support the charity. We got a great show planned, a lot of talent, some nice surprises and we want everyone to enjoy it,” Mure said.

The Little North Pole is located at 144-03 Neponsit Ave. After Saturday, it will be lit up throughout the holiday season. Please support the cause by making a donation at the home or online at www.LittleNorthPole.org

Th is Week in History SPOTTED:

NOVEMBER 23

Christopher Warren was born. Nancy Cregan was born. Mary Ryan was born.

1945- The United States stopped rations after World War II. However, sugar rations still existed.

NOVEMBER 24

Sheila Dalton was born. Mary Sanford was born.

1963 -Jack Ruby shot Lee Harvey Oswald, JFK's accused assassin, in the garage of Dallas police headquarters.

1971 - D. B. Cooper parachuted from a Northwest Airlines flight with $200,000.

NOVEMBER 25

Margaret Powers was born. Jazmine Outlaw was born.

2002 - President George W. Bush signed into law the Department of Homeland Security and named Tom Ridge as head.

NOVEMBER 26

Billy Heeran was born. Cathi Ryan Lahey was born. Robert Hauck was born.

1789 - The first national Thanksgiving Day in the U.S. was proclaimed by President George Washington.

2000 - Katherine Harris certified George W. Bush the winner in Florida's presiden-

tial balloting.

NOVEMBER 27

Katie Honan was born. Melissa Fallon was born. Prerana Reddy was born.

1910 - New York's Pennsylvania Station opened.

1973 - Gerald R. Ford was confirmed by the Senate to become vice president, succeeding Spiro T. Agnew.

NOVEMBER 28

1520 - Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan passed through the strait which bears his name to the Pacific Ocean.

1990 - Margaret Thatcher resigned as prime minister of Great Britain; John Major took over.

NOVEMBER 29

Greg Sullivan was born.

1986 - Actor Cary Grant died in Davenport, Iowa, at age 82. 2001 - Beatle George Harrison died of cancer.

NOVEMBER 30

1940 - Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were married.

2004 - Ken Jennings ended his 74-game winning spree on the game show, Jeopardy!

THE TALK OF IRELAND

Legend has it that if you kiss the Blarney Stone in Ireland you’ll be blessed with the Gift of Gab. Knowing some in this group, we think that’d be a bit of overkill! We can’t imagine them becoming more gifted in gab. A large group of St. Francis de Sales parishioners from Rockaway made a trip to Ireland and a smart handful of them packed wisely. The Rockaway Times t-shirts, especially the green ones, had everyone in Blarney gabbing. Mark Spadaro, Father Jim Cunningham, Linda Spadaro, Eileen Davies and Pauline Kalish – you all look magically delicious!

Happy Thanksgiving. We are grateful for having loyal readers and simply awesome customers who have been so supportive this year (and every year!). We wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.

Don’t expect any final call on the NYS Assembly race between Stacey Pheffer Amato and Tom Sullivan this week. Ballots are still being counted and with this being a holiday week we expect no news on that front. The Queens Chron icle reported that just seven (7!) votes separate the two. Being so close, and with a lawsuit filed by Amato’s team, a recount is also ex pected. Let’s hope it’s sorted out soon, though calling the Queens Board of Elections doesn’t instill

much confidence in the process. We asked one person for info on the race, and she said, “I have no idea” and transferred our call. The next person said, “they’re still count ing.” When we asked when that would end, we got another “no idea.” Want to try it yourself? Call 1-718-730-6730. *****

Ho, ho, ho. Santa Claus is com ing early this year. The Little North Pole lights up this Saturday, No vember 26, just a couple of days after Thanksgiving. The fun starts off with a pre-show at 3:30 p.m. with the show of shows at 4 p.m. The fun will be emceed by Joe Causi and co-hosts Sid Rosen berg and Todd Wharton. The holiday tradition, the 27th an nual, is a seasonal highlight in Rockaway and best of all, funds raised goes to JDRF (the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). Joe Mure and his band of mer ry volunteers deserve heaps of praise.

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Help us hit some milestones. The Rockaway Times Facebook page has 23,355 likes and we’re aiming for 24,000. Can you give our page a like? The RT Instagram account has a healthy 12,500 fol lowers and we’d love a follow. And all this Social Media stuff reminds us to remind you: join our weekly email blast and get the full Rocka way Times in your inbox. Shoot us an email at Mail@Rockawaytimes. com and we’ll sign you right up. *****

Over the summer, to fend off soaring gas prices, Governor Ho chul and state lawmakers agreed to a suspension of New York State’s gas tax, helping drivers save about 17 cents per gallon. With gas prices on the rise again over the last couple of weeks, there’s a push by lawmakers to extend the gas break past the original December 31st deadline. Coulda fooled us, we thought the taxes had to be back on already, with prices so high. *****

Another plus for Beach 116th...

The Rose Den, a new DIY cock tail bar with food, art and enter tainment is opening at the old Lola Star location (174 B. 116th). They'll be hosting an open house event on Wednesday, 11/23 from 5 p.m. on. *****

It feels like it gets dark right after lunch these days, so it was a wel come sight to see Beach 116th get ting festive as holiday lights were strung up last week and bright ened the street. Much thanks for the merchants and supporters of Beach 116th who helped make it happen! *****

Want to skip Black Friday and maybe do something that’s basi cally on the other end of the spec trum? Go to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge: Winter Plant ID tour. No flowers? No leaves? No problem! Learn some simple techniques to help you identify trees, shrubs and all types of plants even in the winter. The free tour starts Friday at 12:30. Space is limited so please call (718) 318-4340 to make a res ervation.

WE'RE NOT JUST BAGELS CATERING FOR ALL OCCASIONS

Grateful For Silver Linings

By Lisa Hanna

Thanksgiving is a time to gath er with family and friends and feast on an abundance of food and drink. It’s about watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with loved ones while chaotically preparing turkey, stuffing and all the comforting trimmings from sweet potato pie to pumpkin pie – and so much more in between.

For sports fans, it’s a time to watch the football game, cheer on your favorite team and kick back with a few beers. And no Turkey Day is complete without tuning into a holiday classic like, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Oh, and let’s not forget about who retires early due to feeling comatose from overindulging and who is going to perk up with an espresso before heading out to the stores at midnight for some Black Friday deals?

But wait! Stop! While Thanks giving traditions are no doubt all about the above – let’s take a moment to pause and be mindful of the true meaning behind these festivities – to give thanks! For the Hanna family, this Thanksgiving is an extra special one because my husband, Brian recently un derwent a much-needed liver transplant at the Mayo Clinic. This year has been such an intense, emotional road. In mid-February, I started a fulltime job for the first time in 17 years. Just days before, Brian had to go out on short term disabili ty because he was beginning to have liver failure. We were grate ful that I would at least be able to compensate for Brian’s lost pay. However, just six short weeks af terwards, my work hours were cut from full time to part time. They say, “everything happens for a reason,” but I did not know what it was until a few weeks lat er when Brian was admitted to the intensive care unit at Mt. Si nai for internal bleeding – I was going to have to be there for him because the disease was failing him rapidly.

After his release from the hos pital, we were hopeful because the liver team said they may transplant him quicker than ini tially anticipated. Six weeks later to no avail. Yet, Brian was con tinuously losing weight, becom ing jaundiced, feeling weak and looked extremely frail. He was beginning to experience cramp ing in his hands and legs due to low hemoglobin. Still, no word on a donor. This went on for the next four months.

In early July, Brian applied to the Mayo Clinic to review his case. Two weeks passed with no response. By the end of July, I was

laid off from my job and learned Brian would need to go out on long term disability by the end of August. I remember sitting at Tribute Park one day with a friend and feeling scared, close to defeat, then suddenly, no joke, a black cloud came over our heads and started to rain. I cried, but my friend made me laugh at the irony of the moment. I was able to regroup, then headed home to learn that the Mayo Clinic want ed us to go down to Florida for a two-week evaluation.

Brian secured an itinerary which consisted of day-long ap pointments for a nine-day du ration, with various members of the transplant team from con sults to seminars to lab tests, etc. I was impressed just looking at the numerous pages of his sched ule. The other hospital’s consul tation was one full day. Despair began to be replaced with hope and even excitement.

Days before flying to Jackson ville, I learned that I could not file an unemployment claim because someone tried to file a claim in my name during COVID. Instead, I had to file a fraud claim, wait for it to settle before being able to apply for benefits.

Meanwhile, messages were coming in from numerous fam

ily members, friends, local not for profit businesses wanting to help us out by way of donations from money to airfare. Wow! Who does this? I remember feeling overwhelmed with gratitude. It’s hard enough going through the motions with a sick loved one, let alone have to worry if you will go broke in the process.

One week after the Mayo Clinic placed Brian on their liver trans plant waitlist – I was back to New York for what I thought was to see our daughter, Danielle, off to her first day of senior year and to attend a cousin’s wedding. It was going to be a surprise – they didn’t know I was coming. But, instead of me surprising them, I got my own surprise – a call from Brian telling me to get the next flight back to Jacksonville be cause Mayo had a donor for him, and he was scheduled for surgery at 1:00 a.m. Just one week after he was on the waitlist!

All has been very successful, with the exception of a few bumps in the road, but he is in the best of hands. Brian is a miracle and I mean that whole-heartedly. We have had to rent an apartment down here in Florida as he re covers in Mayo’s care. Donations continued with a full-blown ben efit held at Knights of Columbus.

Family and friends have stepped up by visiting us, helping us feel less stressed and alone. Guests have continuously come and gone like people go through a revolving door. My mother self lessly moved into our house to help out with Danielle.

So, this Thanksgiving, I want to thank you all for helping us with your prayers, donations, and time. We are forever grateful for all your generosity and are hon ored to have such a loving fami ly – to have caring friends and to be part of this amazing Rockaway community.

I recently saw a sign in a store that reads: “Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations” – I had to purchase it because it is Brian’s true story – and you all helped make it a reality.

Rhapsody Players Ready To Rock ‘One-Night Only’

By Dan Guarino

A big sound is coming to Rockaway this Saturday, November 26, at 8 p.m., as the Rhapsody Players hit the Rockaway Theatre Company stage for a post-Thanksgiving celebration in song.

The eight accomplished vocalists and six-piece band will be performing powerhouse hits from the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s and more at RTC’s Post Theater at Fort Tilden, with all tickets available directly at the door. For the group, it marks a welcome return.

“We’ve got to do a show in Rockaway,” said the Player’s John Heffernan recently at a Bay Ridge benefit concert. Speaking to many Rockaway friends and fans who came out, he noted, “This would be like a homecoming for us. We’ve got to make this happen.”

Besides previously playing here, the group has some strong Rockaway ties. “There are seven Rhapsody Player members who are still members of the Rockaway Theatre Company. In fact, Juliette Pannone Mallon and Samantha Caiati will be returning this Saturday for their first appearance at the theater as Rhapsody Players,” Heffernan told The Rockaway Times. Among other productions, just a few years ago Heffernan himself headlined as a lead character in RTC’s “La Cage Aux Folles.”

“Our group has fond memories of the theater. And we love returning to RTC. The setting and the Rockaway audiences are fantastic!!! We cannot wait to fill that room with the best songs and beyond,” he said.

Performing everything “from pop to classics, rock and roll to rhythm and blues,” Heffernan notes, “the evening does not stop except for intermission. Song after song, it’s ensemble numbers, as well as guy medleys and girl medleys mixed with solos and duets.”

Their set includes songs like ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’, ‘This Magic Moment’, ‘California Dreaming’, ‘At Last, Respect’, “It’s Too Late’, ‘Happy Together’, and ‘Midnight Train To Georgia’, from artists like Carole King, The Bee

Gees, Ray Charles, The Eagles, Aretha Franklin, Motown and more.

“We hear from our audiences how incredible the singers, harmonies and band sound, even better than some of the original recordings,” Heffernan said.

Besides Mallon, Caiati, and Heffernan, the Rapsody Players include singers Colleen O’Donnell, Anthony Marino, Bernard Smith, Kevin Sweeny and Kiernan Hamilton, along with musicians Steve Athanail (guitar), Peter Zaggare (bass), Tim Bayliss (keyboards), Howard Alper (drums), Ryan King (trumpet) and Matt Koza (sax).

Founded in 2006, the group had all worked together in various Brooklyn and Rockaway community theater groups. They decided to pool their talents and sing what they loved while raising funds for charitable organizations and worthy causes. According to Heffernan, the group has raised over $800,000 to date.

“They really put on a fantastic show!” said one Rockaway resident who saw them at an October fundraiser for Brooklyn’s St. Patrick’s Academy. “Just amazing!”

Heffernan and the Rhapsody Players invite all far and wide to hear their sound for themselves and spend a musical ‘one-night’ only with them right here in Rockaway.

Tickets are $20 per person, cash only, and only at the door on the night of the event. No tickets will be available online. Doors open at 7 p.m. Show starts at 8 p.m.

The New York Dippers Club Makes a Splash

By Katie McFadden

Before filling your bellies with warm turkey and all the fixin’s, consider starting your holiday in an invigorating way, with a cold-water dip. The New York Dip pers Club (NYDC) is taking off, and are welcoming all to join in on their daily dips into the Atlantic, or at the very least, for a gratitude dip on Thursday, November 24 as a warmup to their upcoming Full Moon Charity Dip on December 7.

Graham Cullis, a content crea tor, artist and philanthropist from the UK, took charge of this dipping mission just two days after arriving in Rockaway on October 5 to visit a friend. After creating a video blog about the experience and recruit ing people he’s met along the way, starting with a man named Dan iel, then Ty from Tiki, Gratitude Mike O’Donnell and Kate Rizzo, Cullis’ growing movement of dai ly dippers earned a name—the New York Dippers Club. Instead of having a cup of coffee, this group starts their day with a dip in the chilly Atlantic at 9 a.m.

Now why would anyone jump into the ocean during cold fall and winter months when we have per fectly fine beach days during the summer? “It’s a game changer for mental health,” Cullis said. “A lot of people do it for that reason. It’s also said to help all kinds of conditions like fibromyalgia, arthritis, lots of things. It’s all anecdotal but there are a lot of testimonies saying it re lieves symptoms, so why not give it a go?” he said. “Just always consult medical professionals first.”

Cullis says the boost to mental health not only comes from taking the dip, but that sense of commu nity that the NYDC is starting to build. “When we get together, you have that therapy and community, that human connection. A lot of people said they wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t for the group. There’s also this act of cleansing in this cold water and having this feeling that shocks you every day. It’s like having 10 coffees when you jump in that water,” he added. “But it's that nice sense of community that keeps people coming back.”

The NYDC has grown to about 10 daily jumpers, and 25 who have given it a go. But he’s had bigger groups. He previously had a group called The Pevensey Plungers who regularly took the plunge in Pe vensey Bay in East Sussex in his parent’s village in the UK. “I post ed content and it went semi-viral and I asked if others wanted to come swimming,” Cullis said. “I had 100 people following me into the water.”

These cold-water dips are just a part of Cullis’ mission. “I travel the world in pursuit of starting and cre ating communities in the wellness and mental health space,” he said. It all started when he dealt with mental health issues himself, es pecially during the Covid pandem ic. “About two or three years ago, I was in Bali and I discovered I could paint. It helped my mental health and I quit my job because I started getting a following as an artist and I decided to use my art to do phi lanthropy and raise awareness for mental health. I’ve done different projects in the line of wellness since and have done these cold-water therapy projects in different plac es,” Cullis explained.

Cullis funds his effort through something he calls the Karma Card Project, in which supporters sub

scribe (www.patreon.com/Gra hamcullisart) to receive six unique prints every six months, so Cullis can continue using his art to raise awareness for mental health, well ness and to run philanthropy pro jects across the world.

When a friend who commis sioned his work invited him to Rockaway, he jumped at the op portunity. “I went to stay with her and then I found this nice family that adopted me on Beach 130th and now I’m here on an extended tourist Visa,” Cullis said. He’ll be taking his last Rockaway plunge on December 26, before hopping on a plane off to his next mission.

Before he leaves, Cullis has some goals. One is to encourage others to take the plunge and join the group for daily dips into the Atlan tic on Beach 62nd or Beach 67th (depending on whether or not the Army Corps is doing construction in these areas). A good opportu nity for all to try it out is Thanks giving morning. On Thursday, the group will be on Beach 62nd Street at 9 a.m. for a gratitude dip led by Mike O’Donnell, who will say a few words before the group takes the plunge. Cullis is hoping to draw a big crowd for this dip to bring more awareness to the effort in anticipation of an even bigger

event on December 7 at 4:30 p.m., in which the group will take a full moon dip to raise money for a spe cial charity—Camping to Connect.

Cullis learned about this char ity after seeing a film about it at the Rockaway Film Festival this fall—local filmmaker Alex Cullen’s “Wood Hood.” Cullis said, “Alex made this movie for this nonprof it, Camping to Connect, and what they do is lead hikes into nature, posturing leadership and men tal wellness, and it’s about local city kids that might not be able to afford an experience like this. It moved us to tears, so we thought, what can we do to raise money for this program?”

That led to the idea of a full moon dip, switching up the daily routine of starting the day with an ocean dip at 9 a.m., and doing one as the full moon emerges at 4:30 p.m. on December 7 (on Beach 62nd or 67th, depending on construction), while raising money for Camping to Connect. “We have a $5,000 tar get to run a program for 10 kids in the local area to have this experi ence,” Cullis said. He’s currently in discussions with those who run the St. John’s Home for Boys to poten tially send those who are willing on a camping trip. On December 7, there will be merch for sale and donation boxes to help raise funds. Cullis has also set up a GoFundMe for this effort which can be found at: https://gofund.me/99279af2

Although Cullis’ Rockaway stay is short, he hopes the NYDC continues beyond him. “I go into these com munities to plant a seed,” he said. He expects it to blossom under Captain Kate Rizzo, who will keep the NYDC going. “When I’m gone, this is gon na carry on. I can see there’s good people in this group that will be able to do that,” he said.

In the meantime, consider tak ing the dip for yourself and “come feel the magic,” as Cullis says. The group plunges every day at 9 a.m. on Beach 62nd or Beach 67th. For full details and daily updates, make sure to join the New York Dipper Club Facebook group and follow them on Instagram at: @ newyorkdippersclub

Waterside & Jump Team Up To Give

Waterside Children’s School re cently spent a morning GIVING in honor of Thanksgiving.

Ellen McDonough and the entire kindergarten grade part nered with JUMP Dance Studio on Beach 116th Street to help

fill the food pantry in the Rock aways.

The children learned a lesson in the spirit of helping their own community and they were so ex cited to be a part of giving this season. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

St. John’s Gains Ground as Premier Healthcare Facility

By Kami-Leigh Agard

St. John's Episcopal is on a roll. e hospital is steadfastly gaining ground as a recognized premier health faciltity. A recent upgrade by the Leapfrog Safety Grade adds to the hospital's recent achievements which include a Gold Plus with Elite Status for stroke care from the American Heart Association; recerti cation for stroke care from the Joint Commission; Planetree International Silver Certi cation for committment to person-centered care and special designation by the World Health Organization and UNICEF as a baby-friendly organization. And according to EHS Vice President and Chief Quality O cer Karen Gleason, though St. John’s is sometimes bemoaned as the only hospital on the peninsula, “where your hospital stands, where you live will not de ne the healthcare that you receive.”

St. John’s is no longer an “F” rated hospital when it comes to safety. On Wednesday, November 16, Leapfrog Group released its Fall 2022 hospital safety grades, in which bi-annually, hospitals are assigned a grade-rating of “A” through “F” on how safe they are for their patients. The grade is based on 28 criteria, including rates of preventable errors, injuries and infections, and whether hospitals have systems in place to prevent them. New York State ranked 39th in nationwide hospital safety, up from 44th in the Spring. And St. John’s received a grade of “C,” a major leap from its Spring 2019 grade of “F.”

Gleason explained that St. John’s “C” grade was mostly based on “lag” data. “Fifty percent of that current grade is from during the pandemic period from about 2020, and some of the information is even prior to that. So, you do have some current state data as well as lag data. Though we volunteer, and respectfully appreciate and support Leaf Frog’s mission to improve hospital safety across the

U.S., these grades do not always accurately show the current state or complete view of overall quality and safety within healthcare organizations.

“At EHS, we have seen an improvement in all of our patient safety initiatives. We wouldn't have been able to drive the dial forward without that. It’s not just about the letter, but what is behind it. For example, making sure that we're protecting our patients from falls and acquiring in-hospital infections. ese are things that we are doing each and every day and can never take our nger o the pulse. No organization can, and it's about striving to continually do that. Recently, we were even validated for our successful high standards for hospital safety with our Joint Commission reaccreditation. is commission comes in and looks at everything—from hospital-acquired infections to falls, and they have recognized that we are meeting national standards for quality and patient safety. is is a critical message that Rockaway needs

to be reassured about.” Gleason said.

e Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-pro t organization created in 1951 that accredits more than 20,000 U.S. health care programs and organizations with the mission to ensure quality healthcare for patients, prevent harm, and improve patient advocacy. About 70 to 80% of TJC functions directly address the issue of patient safety.

EHS also received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With e Guidelines—Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for the second year in a row. e award recognizes the hospital’s commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines based on the latest scienti c evidence.

Gleason said, “ is award shows that not only when patients come through our doors, they’re getting the best and latest care, but also with their transition from

hospital to home—our stroke care transition team makes sure they are connected to crucial services within the community. So, it's not that we just take care of our patients when they're in the walls of our hospital, but that we continue to partner with our patients and their families when they are back out into the community, which is critical for improved healthcare outcomes.

“For our all-encompassing patient care, our population health team was recognized by the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS), a statewide voice for NY’s hospitals and health systems, advocating to ensure that every New Yorker has access to affordable, high-quality care. So, being recognized by HANYS is a great boost to our dedication to providing the best healthcare for EHS’ community here in Rockaway and beyond.”

With all the strides EHS—from the executive team to the frontline workers—is making to improve healthcare and outcomes, Gleason hopes to debunk previous perceptions or even myths said about St. John’s with it being the only hospital on the peninsula.

“It is critical that people understand that it's not about being the only hospital. It is about being a provider in an organization of choice. Our hospital is striving towards high-quality, safe healthcare that will improve the healthcare outcomes of the community. I'm so proud to be a member of this organization that has a vision, a commitment, a drive to work collaboratively together with our patients, their families and the community at large—to drive improvement of healthcare outcomes, raising the bar every day on the care we provide. at’s what is critical to this organization’s success, from the CEO to the frontline team members, we are all aligned with that mission.”

For more info about EHS, including recent initiatives, visit: https://ehs.org/

The Anabas Boat Club

AN UPRIGHT SHIP ON THE RIGHT COURSE

By Katie McFadden

Back in July, The Rockaway Ti mes shared a story of a group’s mission to save the Anabas Bo at Club in Broad Channel, a 121-year-old club that had seen better days. Less than five months later, we’re happy to report that the sinking ship has been right ed and is on course to becoming something great once again.

On Sunday, November 20, the Anabas at 1820 Channel Road was packed with folks enjoying the Road Kill Country Outlaws playing some jams at the club’s latest fundraiser. The club itself looked a lot different than it did five months prior. It was brighter, cleaner and finally back to life.

Back in early summer 2022, Anabas member Pete Heinz wanted to do just that—bring new life to this historic club that, with low membership, was close to figuratively sinking. As the club was put on the market and its future was up in the air, a lawsuit was filed to stop the sale. The lawsuit has since been settled and the Anabas has been able to move forward. And move forward it has. The Anabas Boat Club has officially reached mem bership capacity—40 members as set by the Club’s bylaws, and already has a waiting list. And Pete Heinz is steering the ship as its new Commodore.

Some of those new members were at the Club for Sunday’s fundraiser, to continue that sup port and reap the benefits that the club has to offer. Anabas Treasurer Paul Kearns-Stanley, of Richmond Hill, said he called Heinz over the summer, remem bering that he operates Rocka way Sailing. “I said, ‘what about my sailing lesson?’ The next day I rode down here on my bike and got inside and just went ‘wow.’” Kearns-Stanley officially joined in early July and as an avid fisherman and kayaker, has fully enjoyed all the club has to offer. “I fish all the time and wanted to get a fishing

kayak. That’s not an easy thing to transport back and forth, so when I saw this place, I saw somewhere where I could launch right into Ja maica Bay. That was my number one reason for joining. Number two was when I got inside and I realized this place needed sav ing, I knew it was worth saving,”

Kearns-Stanley said.

Kearns-Stanley became part of the early group that put in the work to revitalize the club this year. “We’ve done a substantial amount of work to the structure. We did work underneath, putting in planks and postings to shore up some of the areas that were missing. We dismantled and got rid of some of the derelict floats. We did some work on the docks. We increased our membership by ten times, we’ve had a few events and I think the biggest thing we’ve done is we’ve righted the ship and now we have direction,”

Kearns-Stanley said. “But we still have work to do.”

This summer, the Anabas saw plenty of activity from its dock. “This place is just amazing. Just to be able to access the bay right here is incredible. The club’s mission has always been to en courage nautical and aquatic ac tivities—fishing, boating, swim ming, and now kayaking and sailing. We got a couple kayaks donated and we’re starting to build a fleet, which is a draw, and Pete offers sailing,” Kearns-Stan ley said. “We had about eight boats docked here. I did a lot of kayaking and fishing out here. We had a great fall season. The striped bass were jumping in the kayak. It’s like a wonderland out there for me. This place has al ready enriched my life.”

Ingrid Ammann joined at the end of the summer. “I had a houseboat in Marina 59 for ten years and I just love Jamaica Bay. Just after Labor Day, I heard about the Anabas, and I came by one day and just fell in love. I felt fortunate that I joined when I did because membership filled im mediately,” she said. And in that short time, she’s seen some of the improvements to the space. “There’s been so much hard work done to secure and clean

the building, and landscaping of the front yard. It’s just been in credible to see what’s happened in a few months and I’m excited to see what happens in the sum mertime and to see this place thrive.”

Henry Lopez has been coming to the Anabas for several years with a friend who is a member. “We all have fishing boats, so we come here and go fishing al most every day. We usually go for porgies, striped bass and some blackfish,” Lopez said. He offi cially joined this year. And while the fishing is good, Lopez says the thing he appreciates most about the Club is the people. “I like the dynamic of the peo ple here. There are people from everywhere. We got Indians, Do minicans, Puerto Ricans, people from Poland, Italy, surfers from California, older people, younger people, and everyone is cool. We all get along and the vibe is good. We all bond and that’s what I like,” he said.

With a good crew aboard, the only thing left for the Anabas to do is to move forward. Sunday’s fundraiser was the last of the year at the Club, as without a gas hookup and hot water, it will soon be closing for the season. How ever, other fundraising efforts are in the works that will continue to help steer the Anabas in the right direction. “These fundrais ers enable us to stockpile money for the structural repairs. It would be nice to eventually have gas ser vice and hot water, and things like this help us get working capital,” Kearns-Stanley said. “We need to get the word out about this place because this really is a gem. It’s a diamond in the rough. It needs a lot of work but the amount of pro gress that we’ve made is incredi ble. This was a ship that was going down. Now—the ship is up and it’s going.”

For more updates about the Ana bas Boat Club, make sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram: @anabasboatclub

One family situated on 50 x 100. Lovely front porch and entrance. Living room with fireplace, hardwood floors, separate dining room, renovated kitchen and bath, three baths total. Four bedrooms, attic room with good sized bedroom and full bath. Huge unfinished basement, lovely grounds, spacious and lush backyard, two car garage.

Call Jackie 347-533-2635

Motivated Seller Reduced Price $875K

The floor plan

The first floor boasts a large foyer, enormous living room, spacious oceanfront family room, formal dining room with dual fireplace, large chef’s kitchen, and two half bathrooms.

The second floor includes four spacious bedrooms with ocean views and 1 full bath. The third floor has three additional bedrooms and a full bathroom. There is also a full basement with a bathroom.

Additional amenities include a beautiful large covered front porch with ocean views, a long double driveway, a new gas heating system, and a Huge 60 ft ocean-facing side yard perfect for beach entertaining and plenty of room for a pool.

Restore this original single-family or build it to bring your vision to life.

Spacious Newly Renovated ground floor corner apt. Two bedrooms, one and a half baths,large living room, formal dining room. Outdoor terrace, one car parking. Beautiful views of the Bay and City skyline.

SUMMER EFFECTS

BE THANKFUL

By Robin Shapiro

My brother-in-law likes to emphatically state: “There are no do-overs in life. This is not a rehearsal!” At this time of THANKSGIVING, it’s a good idea to take inventory of some things to be grateful for. If you are trying to sell your home, then there is some comfort in that the supply of homes on the Rockaway market remains relatively low. Prices in Rockaway may be down a bit from their all-time highs, but they are still high by historical standards.

The summer season has mixed effects on the Rockaway real estate market. On the one hand, we are a beachfront community and the draw of the summer activities does bring people here for: beaches, swimming, cycling, running, surfing, organized teams for kids and adults (although the pandemic may crimp some of these this year; thankfully the “end” is in sight). On the other hand, some sellers are reluctant to sell during the summer because they enjoy the aforementioned activities and don’t want to give them up so fast!

with other areas of NYC. The NY Times had an article last month about a lady who researched all of NYC for the best value and was thrilled to discover Rockaway where she bought a property that she loves. I sold it to her, although the article didn’t mention me.

It can be harder to sell real estate during the summer due to vacations by buyers and sellers alike. Summer activities can also occupy people instead of allowing them to focus on the home sale process.

The spring season has been generally good for our real estate market. There has been action across the board in all price categories with an emphasis on the range below $1 million (approx). Prices have firmed up within the framework of recent comparable sales and in some cases are creeping higher. Inventory levels remain very low. Call me, Love, Robin. 718-490-9463

If you are trying to buy a home in Rockaway, then you can be thankful that prices here are still very attractive when compared

We should all be thankful that we live in Rockaway, a truly wonderful place. Be thankful if you and your family members have your health. As the actor Lee Strasberg said in “The Godfather:” “Good health is the MOST important thing.” There are no rehearsals. Wishing you all a happy and healthy THANKSGIVING. Call me. Love, Robin.

During this season of thanks, the Keane family, on behalf of our beloved husband, father, brother, and son, John Keane, would like to express our gratitude to the entire Rockaway community, to our loving family, dear friends, and neighbors for the love and support that has held us up throughout John’s illness and since his passing.

John was so proud to call Rockaway his home and truly loved the beach and our incredible community. There is nowhere else quite like it. We could never express our thanks enough for how you have cared for our family during such difficult times. Even now we know how blessed we are.

Although we’d never be able to mention each by name, we sought to by including the following: St. Francis de Sales Church, St. Francis de Sales Catholic Academy, Father Jim, Father Bill, Fontbonne Hall Academy, The Graybeards, Rockaway WISH, TST Touros Soccer, COPA Soccer, The Richie Allen Memorial, The Spirit of Life Tommy Meo Jr. Foundation, Sunset Walk, The Wharf, La Sorrentina, The Harbor Light, St. Francis CYO and coaches, and so many others.

Cristi, Aiden, Lily, Dylan, Finn and Emma continue to feel the warmth of the generosity, love, and support shown by all of you. It is deeply appreciated. It always will be.

To our dearest John, thank you for being our everything. Until we meet again…

Serving the Rockaways Since 1982

Tech Incubator Opens in Rockaway

On, Thursday, November 17, the Queens Chamber of Commerce and the Queens Tech Council were joined by business, government and community leaders to celebrate the opening of the Queens Tech Incubator at 1 Beach 105th Street in Rockaway. The Rockaway location and the Queens Tech Incubator at the Greater Nexus in Jamaica are the first two spaces to open as part of this initiative, with plans to open additional locations in Flushing, Long Island City and Forest Hills.

“Supporting a strong tech ecosystem requires more than just attracting the world’s most prominent tech companies to Queens, we also need to be doing everything we can to help homegrown startups succeed. There is no better way to do that than through tech incubators,” Tom Grech, President and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce said “We are delighted to be here with our partners in government to celebrate the launch of the Queens Tech Incubator in the

Rockaways. Along with our location at the Greater Nexus in Jamaica, we are providing free office space, mentoring and valuable resources to seven startups to help grow the tech industry in Queens from the ground up.”

The 3D App, DevJee, Inc., and Mind Lightning Studio have taken space at the Queens Tech Incubator

32 Guns Collected at Buyback

the NYPD, Congressman Gregory W. Meeks, Office of the State Attorney General Letitia James, City Council Majority Whip Selvena Brooks-Powers, Church of God Christian, Academy, First Church of God and Food Bazaar Supermarket.

in Rockaway. B’ZT, FLVSH, Nourish, and Project Recess, Inc. have moved into the location in Jamaica. The 3D App is a platform for creating, managing, and viewing 3D tours of real estate properties for rental and purchase. DevJee, Inc. is a tech start-up focused on creating AI and ML solutions for the property management and healthcare industry. Mind Lightning Studio is a content, gaming, and production company.

tion. This includes supporting tech companies from existing giants in established industries to startups doing cutting edge work.

Applications to the Queens Tech Incubator were reviewed and selected by members of the Queens Tech Council. Companies chosen will have access to complimentary office space, mentorship opportunities from existing Tech Council members as well as resources provided by the Small Business Resource Network (SBRN).

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and the NYPD announced that 32 guns were collected on Saturday, November 19 at the Church of God Christian Academy in Far Rockaway. The gun buyback events seek to curb gun violence and the destruction it causes by accepting working unloaded firearmswith no questions asked - in exchange for compensation.

The event was co-sponsored by

“Gun violence will never become the norm in our communities, and we will continue to make every determined effort to rid our streets of this plague. My Office, in partnership with our faith- based leaders, local public officials and neighborhood residents, stand united in support of meaningful prevention strategies such as the gun buyback events, “District Attorney Katz said.

DA Katz’s administration has collected over 400 firearms at eight gun buybacks.

Nicholas Conway, Director of Operations for Alma Realty, which owns the Rockaway building where the Incubator is located, said, "Alma Realty welcomes the Queens Tech Incubator to the Surfside Complex. This center will be a critical resource for small businesses on the Rockaway Peninsula, fostering greater levels of entrepreneurism and propelling business growth in our local community. Alma Realty is so proud to work alongside Chamber leadership and play a proactive role in the launch of this project.”

The Queens Tech Incubator is a key initiative of the Queens Tech Council, which launched in February 2021. Council members include representatives from Google, Facebook, Amazon, Pursuit, LIC Partnership, Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, Crown Castle, JetBlue Ventures, Cornell Tech, and The Business Incubator Association of New York State. The Queens Tech Council focuses on building an economy that embraces innovation and promotes tech adop-

"As the Rockaways recover from the effects of Sandy and now the effects of the Pandemic, few places could use a business incubator better than we can,” said State Senator James Sanders Jr. “We congratulate the Queens Chamber of Commerce and the Queens Tech Council, as well as their local partners, for dedicating this space to the future enrichment of the Rockaways as a whole and New York in general."

“One of the most important actions we can take as elected officials is to help create job opportunities for our constituents, and this new Queens Tech Incubator space will provide local startup companies the resources to grow,” said State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr.

“The Queens Chamber of Commerce has really immersed itself into Rockaway's business districts, and this incubator is yet another way they're helping to improve the peninsula's economy,” Councilwoman Joann Ariola said. “With this location, we are laying the foundations for future investments in the area, and we will hopefully attract more innovators and entrepreneurs to establish businesses here as well. The future here in Rockaway is bright, and with resources such as this one it only seems to be getting brighter.”

Travels With Bob MET’S

MAYAN MAJOR

By Bob Nesoff

New York’s Metropolitan Mu seum of Art is one of the fore most cultural destinations in the world. It easily holds its own amongst other museums such as the Louvre in Paris, the Prado in Madrid and others. Its displays are incomparable.

The Met, as it is familiarly known, has a reputation for pre senting some of the best exhibits ever shown by any museum an ywhere. Currently “Lives of the Gods, Divinity in Mayan Art is on display until April 2, 2023. The display features amazing works from Mexico, Guatemala and neighboring countries.

To reach the second floor for the Mayan display, you see one exciting gallery after anoth er. But that is only a precursor for what is to come. The exhib it brings together hundreds of amazing artifacts that are rarely seen and some that have only re cently been seen.

The artifacts range from min iatures that require you to step up close to the display case while others are monumental. Each has a descriptive card explaining the meaning of the piece, where it is from and what era was it made. Most are seven centuries and older.

What comes to mind in viewing the various artifacts is the abili ty of the ancient craftsmen and skill with which they depict the gods. Several of the miniatures depict periods in the lifecycle of the gods from the moment of their birth to the transforma tion with some as flowers that are blossoming.

Some, while depicting the cy cle of life, are fearsome night creatures. The ancient artists were deep into the mysticism of their age and many gods were creatures to be feared. But the artists, for the time period they were in, knew how to make in tricate carvings, some six to eight feet tall, while others, as

mentioned, were miniatures. During what was considered the “Classic Period,” A.D. 250-900, especially in the royal cities deep in the tropical jungles of Guatemala, Honduras and Mex ico, depicted a world in which godly, human and the natural world became enmeshed with one another.

The Met, in presenting exhib its such as the “Maya,” takes a major step in preserving the an cient history of many countries from being forgotten, or worse, plowed over.

A special treat for those at the unveiling of the exhibit was a talk by Alejandro Rax Jul, in classic local clothing, while he told of the efforts to preserve and save the ancient artwork. He gave his talk in local dialect, understood by no one. But the entire talk was then read in English.

Exhibits such as this one at The Met serve a critical purpose. They not only bring history to life, but they protect monuments and art, especially those located deep in the jungle, from destruc tion by vandals and those who seek to steal and profit.

Very deep in the Guatemalan jungle, atop a slippery incline is a

who manage to reach the top of the slope are rewarded with the sight of a number of stelae, tombstone-like monuments that have stood there for the millen nia. One has a section missing. A crew from a Texas university flew in by helicopter and with a stone saw, cut a chunk out of it, flew back to Texas and put it on dis play at the university. It took the Guatemalan government years to get it back.

Incidents such as this make The Met’s display even more critical. While most museumgo ers will never get to see the Ma yan artwork in its natural habi tat, slowly walking through the several galleries brings the cul ture of the Mayan to the visiting public. And by creating interest in the amazing work of the an cient artists, preserving the art for coming generations.

Facts You Probably D on’t Need

 The first Thanksgiving was cele brated in 1621 over a three-day harvest festival. It included 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag Indians. Turkey wasn’t on the menu.

 Because they do not have teeth, turkeys have two stomachs to help them digest their food.

 The human population has offi cially passed 8 billion.

 Brad Pitt, while starring as Achilles in the movie Troy, rup tured his Achilles tendon on set.

 China has just one time zone (Beijing time) that covers the whole country. In the western most provinces, the sun may not rise until 10 a.m. or set until midnight. The border with Af ghanistan is the greatest border

time change in the world.

 Jack Ryan, the man who de signed the original Barbie doll, also developed missiles for the Pentagon.

 About 70% of people in Iceland have a Costco membership, and there's only one Costco in the country.

 Elmo is the only non-human to ever testify before the US Con gress.

 Potato plants are poisonous. The part that we eat is the only edible part of the whole plant.

Facts by Sean McVeigh, factolo gist.

historic site guarded by one man who lives at river’s edge. Those

Jimmy Crusher O’Neill

Turkey Trot

On Thursday, November 24, con sidering running this turkey day 5K on behalf of Jimmy O’Neill, a local 10-year-old boy who has been bat tling cancer. The race starts at 9:30 a.m. on the boardwalk at Beach 126th Street. Pre-register at Rock awaytc.org or go to in-person reg istration and bib pickup at the St. Francis Small Hall on Wednesday, 11/23 from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

100th Precinct Thanksgiving Dinner

On Thursday, November 24 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., head to the 100th Precinct at 92-24 Rockaway Beach Blvd. for a free Thanksgiving meal. If disabled or a senior, meals can be delivered. Contact Officer Victor Boamah at 917-783-5215 or Victor. Boamah@nypd.org

Winter Plant ID

On Friday, November 25 at 12:30 p.m., head to the Jamaica Bay Wild

life Refuge to learn some simple techniques to help you identify trees, shrubs and all types of plants even in the winter. Space is limited. Please call (718) 318-4340 to make a reservation.

The Little Holiday Market

On Saturday, November 26 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., head to the Wave building (88-08 Rockaway Beach Blvd, 2nd Floor) and support small businesses by shopping from local vendors selling candles, jewelry, art, soap, linens, gifts and more.

Creating Jamaica Bay

On Saturday, November 26 at 12 p.m., head to the Jamaica Bay Wild life Refuge for a guided walk to ex plore how the utilization of Jamai ca Bay has affected the life within our great estuary. Space is limited. Please call (718) 318-4340 to make a reservation.

Little North Pole Lighting

On Saturday, November 26 at 3:30 p.m., head to the Little North Pole (144-03 Neponsit Ave) for the

ceremony to light up this incredi ble holiday spectacle. Live music, performances, food, special guests, toys for all.

Jamaica Bay Nature Walk

On Sunday, November 27 at 12:30 p.m., head to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge to explore the West Pond with a park ranger and dis cover what the Bay is showing off today. This is an all-weather walk, so please dress for the conditions.

Fort Tilden Hawk Watch

On Tuesday, November 29 at 10:30 a.m., join a Park Ranger at Fort Tilden to see Osprey, Merlin, Bald Eagles and more during the peak fall bird migration, weather permitting. For more info call: 718318-4340

100th Precinct Community Council

On Wednesday, November 30 at 7 p.m., the 100th Precinct will hold its monthly community council meeting on Zoom. For meeting access, email vp100pctcc@gmail. com

BHYC Holiday Boutique

On Friday, December 2 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., head to the Belle Harbor Yacht Club (533 Beach 126th) for a shopping extravaganza featuring 40+ local vendors, raffles, live music and more.

Broad Channel Craft Sale

On Friday, December 2 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, De cember 3 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., head to the American Legion Hall (209 Cross Bay Blvd) to buy crafts made by local vendors. Proceeds benefit local churches and chari ties.

Holiday Makers Market

On Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., the Rockaway Brewing Company (415 Beach 72nd Street) is hosting a market featuring goods from local vendors.

Got events? Send an email to ka tie@rockawaytimes.com with de tails for consideration to be listed.

LEGAL NOTICES

31-39 83rd Holdings LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 10/4/2022. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 69 Pheasant Run, Roslyn, NY 11576.

General Purpose

Notice of Formation of 6910 34 AVE LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/02/22. Office location: Queens County. Princ. office of LLC: c/o Citizens Development Co., 111-15 Queens Blvd., Forest Hills, NY 11375. 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 law ful activity.

Notice of formation of 71-32 ROO SEVELT AVE LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 10/25/22. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom pro cess may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to: 8425 Elmhurst Ave., #6V, Elmhurst, NY 11373. Purpose: any lawful act.

Notice of Formation, H2Z Family Hold ing LLC. Articles of Org. filed with Sec retary of State of New York (SSNY) on 09/30/2022. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated for service of process. SSNY shall mail copies of any process served against the LLC to: The LLC, 141-07 20th Ave - STE 303,Whitestone, NY 11357. Purpose: any lawful purpose or activity.

Notice of Formation of Native Craft’s LLC, Articles of Organization Filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 10/14/22. Office location: Queens, NY. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail pro cess to Native Craft’s LLC, 23020 58 th Avenue, Apt 1, Oakland Gardens NY 11364. Any lawful purpose

Aran Mor LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 9/8/2022. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 75 22 Metropolitan Ave., Middle Village, NY 11379. General Purpose

DION REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/19/2022. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Constantina Frangakis, 14710 11th Avenue, Whitestone, NY 11357. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

Suri’s Smoke Shop LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 10/24/2022. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Neera Dukhi, 111-50 143rd St., Jamai ca, NY 11435. General Purpose

CAVALIERE 80 LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/20/22. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 6906 Grand Avenue, Maspeth, NY 11378. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

2528 LOR LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/30/2020. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been des ignated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 18-33 41st Street, Astoria, NY 11105. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

Notice of Formation of the Sunnyside Piano Studio LLC, Articles of Organiza tion Filed with the Secretary of State on 8/25/2022, Office located at 39-60 54th St. #5A, Woodside, NY (Queens). The Secretary of State of New York has been designated as agent of the limited liability company upon whom process against it may be served. The lawful purpose of the company is to provide piano instruction.

Notice is hereby given that a license, number 1344191 for restaurant wine has been applied for by the undersigned to sell beer, cider and wine at retail in a Restaurant under the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law at XIN SUSHI CORP DBA LOTUS 1. 41-19 31ST AVE, ASTORIA, NY 11103 for on premises consumption.

LEGAL NOTICES

Be Rockaway Enterprises LLC Articles of Org. filed NY Sec. of State (SSNY) 1/04/2016. Office in Queens Co. SSNY desig. agent of LLC upon whom process may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to 114-04 Beach Channel Dr., Rockaway Park, NY 11694. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

F&N 92 Enterprises LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 10/3/2022. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 101-35 94th St., Ozone Park, NY 11416. General Purpose

Go Green

CLIMATE CHANGE WORLD CONFERENCE AND HOW IT AFFECTS US

By Tom Last

With temperatures in November starting off a full fifteen degrees warmer than the usual average temperate at this time of year and Hurricane ‘Ian’ being only the second recorded November hur ricane in Florida’s history, maybe it’s time for us to focus our atten tion on what is taking place a few thousand miles away in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

The 2022 United Nations Cli mate Change Conference (re ferred to as COP27) is being held from November 6 until Novem ber 18, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. Diplomats, ministers, and world leaders from 200 countries will be attending this most important event. Those who still think cli mate change is a myth may want to think again as basically every nation in the world is attending the conference.

President Joe Biden addressed the convention to proclaim Amer ica’s commitment to be the world leader in fighting climate change and to stress a full commitment to stop the world from an envi ronmental catastrophe, by the continued warming of the planet. The President also apologized for the former administration’s with drawing from the Paris climate agreement in 2017.

Mr. Biden came to Egypt with his climate change fighting creden tials that include the landmark bill

‘Inflation Reduction Act of 2022’ that provides a record $370 billion in clean energy and climate invest ment over the next ten years. This Bill will help us in our fight to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis. The window of opportunity to avoid catastroph ic climate and biodiversity loss is quickly closing, and world leaders have no time to waste to work col lectively to steer the fate of life on Earth back to safety.

One of the main topics at the Conference will be related to rep arations to the poorer nations because of the effects of climate change. Since climate change and global warming have been caused mainly by the industrialized countries such as the U.S., China, France, and others, many believe these industrialized countries owe support to the poor nations of the world who are suffering climate disasters but who have limited resources to deal with the effects of climate change. Some of the poorest countries affected the most by Climate Change include – Zimbabwe, Kenya, Chad, Bang ladesh, Fiji, and many of the other smaller island nations.

Several European countries said they supported the creation of a loss and damage fund and made cash pledges. The U.S. has burned coal and electricity since 1880s and is the biggest historical emit ter of greenhouse gases, so there

is pressure on President Biden and the U.S. to follow suit in a pledge to support the investment of fighting climate change in the poorer countries. So far Mr. Bid en has made no mention of rep arations in his speeches, but he has mentioned the responsibility of developed nations to help sup port developing nations to fight climate change.

After the climate change sum mit, President Biden traveled to Bali, Indonesia to attend the Group of 20 summit. At the sum mit Mr. Biden met with Chinese President Xi Jinping of China and agreed to restart discussions on fighting climate change. This is a critical breakthrough to avert devastating global warming, as previously talks between the two countries had been frozen for months due to rising tensions regarding global affairs such as

trade, Taiwan, and a host of other security issues. Many experts feel without both countries being fully onboard and working together to fight climate change that it would be extremely difficult to avoid en vironmental catastrophe.

The United Nations Climate Change World Summit, the agreement between the U.S. and China to restart climate change talks, and the Inflation Reduc tion Act are all positive signs in our fight against climate change. However, our world continues to heat up at a dangerous pace and it will take a truly global ef fort, including technology and resources sharing, amongst the richer and poorer nations, to win the climate change battle. What will you do to reduce your carbon footprint and help save the plan et?

Remember, there is no Planet B.

Wanna Wiggle at RISE?

substitute.

Spizuoco studied dance at Temple University, and teaches five dance classes a day and then instructs kindergarteners through sixth-graders in an after school program. She has been looking for more opportunities to teach in the Rockaways, her home for the past six years.

By Stephanie Castillo Samoy

Monday, November 28, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., is your opportunity to express yourself, let go, and improvise. Maria Spizuoco, dance teacher extraordinaire, is offering a free class at RISE (Rockaway Initia tive for Sustainability & Equity), 58-03 Rockaway Beach Boule vard. She is filling in for Ann Fos teris of Fitness to You, who was gracious enough to get her as a

“Move and Groove be gins with stretches and slower movements, followed by inter active faster rhythmic dance,” says Spizuoco. “It is inspired by various international dance forms such as Bollywood, Latin, West African, and belly dance. Class winds down slowly, ending with gentle relaxation.” Spizuo co explains, “Move and Groove is unique in its ability to create unity and community. No prior dance experience is required.”

Ask the DOC

Ask the DOC

made from that nut, although you might want to check with your al lergist first.

By Peter Galvin, MD

By Peter Galvin, MD

Cooking Oils

There are many different is sues to consider when it comes to choosing a cooking oil. Taste is just one factor. Fat content is another factor. Obviously, in the context of this column, how the oil may affect your health is a major factor. Last January, the Journal of the Amer ican College of Cardiology pub lished a research article that found that people who consumed more than 7 grams (0.25 ounce) of olive oil exhibited a significantly lower risk of death. Olive oil is a major component of the Mediterranean diet, a very healthy and heart-con scious diet.

Saturated fat raises lev els of LDL, or “bad” cholesterol. Polyunsaturated fats are better, but the healthiest fats to consume are unsaturated, or monounsatu rated fats. Oils that contain high levels of saturated fat include co conut, palm, and palm kernel oil. Incidentally, a number of oils are made from nuts, which concerns those with nut allergies. Be not afraid. Oil is lipid that is extracted from the nut. In most cases, those with nut allergies are reacting to surface proteins found on the nut. Therefore, those with nut allergies can usually safely consume oil

Heating oil can change its char acteristics. Oils that are healthy at room temperature can become unhealthy when heated, especial ly if reheated multiple times. This is because heating the oil oxidizes the fatty acids that some oils con tain, creating chemicals, some of which may be carcinogenic. An oil’s resistance to change when heated is called heat tolerance. Some oils, if used, for example, in a deep fryer (avg. temp. 338 to 374 degrees), may need to be changed a few times a week. It has been rec ognized since the early 1900s that palm oil can withstand high heat ing and resist oxidation, making it ideal for use in deep fryers. It is also stable at high temperatures making it good for high-temper ature commercial baking. Plus, palm oil is high in antioxidants. The trade-off (isn’t life full of them) is that palm oil is high in saturated fat. That is why deep-fried foods should be consumed in modera tion.

Oil also degrades when exposed to heat, light, or oxygen, which is why it comes in tinted bottles or metal containers. Manufactur ers often place a layer of an inert gas like nitrogen at the top of the container before sealing it. This is called blanketing and prevents ex posure to oxygen. The smoke point is the temperature at which the oil begins to burn. Fatty acids in the oil are responsible for the oil burn ing. Refining, which removes fatty acids, gives the oil a higher smoke point. Foods cooked in smoking oil will have a burnt flavor. The flash point is where the vapors ig nite but do not remain lit. As this is usually above 500 degrees, it will not normally affect household use. Even higher is the fire point where the oil vapors will ignite and burn. Lastly, margarine is made from oils and should never be used for frying because, as an oil, it will undergo chemical changes when heated. It may, however, be used for baking if butter cannot be used.

Send comments to editor@rocka waytimes.com

Sadhana Gupta, MD Zoya Koroleva, DO

Spotlight on Estate Planning:

TEST YOUR ESTATE PLANNING KNOWLEDGE:

By Nancy J. Brady, RN, Esq., Partner Brady & Bader LLP Attorneys at Law

In the State of New York, if you have no formal estate planning done, and you pass away with assets titled in your name alone (no joint owner or beneficiary designation) without a Will (intestate) the Estate Powers and Trusts law establishes who will inherit from you (distributees), and in what order of priority. If you prefer a different distribution of your assets, you should have a Last Will and Testament. In addition to the Will, there are documents you should have in place so that family or loved ones can assist you with important matters during your lifetime. Those documents are commonly known as basic estate planning documents. More

extensive planning – for estate tax purposes, or to avoid probate, would involve different types of trusts.

1. Are the following statements

True or False:

i. Only high net worth individuals need to have a Last Will and Testament.

ii. If you die without a Last Will and Testament (intestate) your estate passes to the State of New York.

iii. Having a Will in place does not avoid the probate process (legal steps to prove Will valid)

In addition to delineating who should inherit your assets, a Will can nominate guardians for minor children, and can authorize the named executor to establish trusts for minor children or disa-

bled beneficiaries.

2. Tax planning is part of Estate Planning. The basic exclusion amount, or the net value of assets an individual can leave to heirs (other than a spouse) without incurring taxes has been increasing over the past several years.

i. In 2022 what is the amount an individual can leave without Federal tax consequences?

ii. What is the amount an individual can leave without New York State tax consequences?

3. True/False: A Health Care Proxy is the document that designates an agent/representative as well as an alternate agent to make any medical decisions should an individual be

unable to make decisions. In contrast, a Living Will is specific instructions to be followed for end of life or terminal care.

4. A Durable General Power of Attorney is a document which allows an individual (principal) to appoint representatives (agents) for financial, personal and business transactions. Are the following statements True or False:

i. It is possible to have multiple agents named on a Power of Attorney.

ii. A valid Power of Attorney can be used after the principal has died.

iii. The principal can revoke or terminate a Power of Attorney.

Rockaway's Most Trusted Eye Care!

FREE PRIVATE PARKING

Rockaway's Home For Board Certified Eye Doctors Practicing Complete Medical And Surgical Eye Care.

Expanded hours - the office is open Monday through Saturday. Early morning hours available.

Turkey Meatloaf with Pico de Gallo

By Sharon Feldman

on a baking sheet on parchment paper. Make it into a mold. Add the rest of the Pico De Gallo over the top.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Put the meatloaf in the oven and cook one hour. It’s done when it reaches 160 degrees.

I made mashed cauliflower with it. You can substitute the panko crumbs for crushed crackers, uncooked rice, matzo meal or anything else that will bind it.

Happy Anniversary, Doc

Directions:

In a medium bowl, add two eggs. Scramble them. Add the panko crumbs and toss to they are coated. Add the ground turkey. Mix. Add ¾ container of Pico de Gallo. Mix thoroughly. Put the mixture

Our Ask the Doc columnist, Dr. Peter Galvin and his bride, Maryellen, are celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary this Friday, November 25. They were married at St Vincent Ferrer Church on Glenwood Road in Brooklyn (it poured - good luck they say). This photo was taken at their reception at the Carlyle, a catering hall that once stood on Avenue D in Brook-

lyn (right across the street was Mahoney's, where they all went after the reception). At the time, Galvin was in medical school, so they put off a honeymoon until Christmas week, when they went off to celebrate the magic of their marriage at Disney World, which in 1977, only had the Magic Kingdom. Happy Anniversary, you lovebirds!

ROCKAWAY GOOD TIMES

By Kami-Leigh Agard

Thanksgiving is finally here, and all through our little slice of heaven— there’s plenty to do to burn those delicious Turkey Day calories. Plan your Rockaway Good Times weekend crawl with our entertainment guide below.

LIVE MUSIC

WEDNESDAY, November 23

6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Join The Three Amigos—Taylor, Pete and The Butthead—at Harbor Light for a Thanksgiving Eve to remember! Giddy up!

129-18 Newport Avenue

7 p.m.

Rocco’s transforms into NYC’s hottest dance club with DJ Matt Finley spinnin’ classic disco to classic house—and everything in between!

115-10 Rockaway Beach Blvd

7 p.m.

At Rockaway Tiki, it’s not just TGE, but also their one-year karaoke anniversary. Join the celebrations with DJ Tony and crew for Tiki’s 2,000th song milestone!

67-20 Rockaway Beach Blvd

7 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Before Turkey Day, Tap That ignites your Thanksgiving fun-a-thon with The Kearney Brothers’ red-hot brew of Southern rock, and NYC blues and roots.

111-04 Rockaway Beach Blvd

8 p.m.

Giving thanks for life is one grand, sweet song—and tonight at RBQ—join Walker and The Brotherhood of the Grape as they start the melody. 97-20 Rockaway Beach Blvd

9 p.m. to 1 a.m.

Rogers celebrates the season of giving thanks with a foot-stompin’ rock feast with Hell or High Water. 203 Beach 116th Street

10 p.m.

Hit the dance floor at Pico as DJ Cash gets the party poppin’! Plus, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., $5 tequila shots from Hornitos Tequila.

419 Beach 129th Street

*For showtime, call 718) 474-2374

Connolly’s is open this week only, and you definitely can’t miss tonight’s epic bash with DJ Brother Rich waxin’ the vinyl. For more info, follow: @con-

nollysbar on Instagram.

155 Beach 95th Street

*For showtime and reservations, (718) 945-0202

Take a break from the kitchen and head to Breezy for Mike & Miley’s classic rock feast at Kennedy’s.

406 Bayside, Breezy Point

FRIDAY, November 25 6 p.m.

Be thankful for the long holiday weekend, celebrating at the Rock-AWades’ classic rock jam at Knights of Columbus.

333 Beach 90th Street

7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Award-winning bluesman Kerry Kearney and his band are back at Bar Marseille for an encore of their original American roots and blues.

190 Beach 69th Street

8 p.m.

Unlock your Thanksgiving food daze with a night of laughs and a rockin’ good time with Fools Night Out at RBQ. 97-20 Rockaway Beach Blvd 9 p.m.

Interboro—dubbed, “The best damn Alternative/Class Rock band in NYC & Long Island”—electrifies The Sugar Bowl with a sizzlin' dance party.

15 Bedford Ave, Breezy Point

SATURDAY, November 26 8 p.m.

RBQ offers a special post-Thanksgiving treat with acoustic band—Wood Vibrations’ incredible range of dance anthems—from the Beatles to Rihanna.

97-20 Rockaway Beach Blvd 9 p.m.

Burn off your Turkey Day paunch at The Sugar Bowl’s post-Thanksgiving fête featuring Anthem Acoustic—full band!

15 Bedford Ave, Breezy Point 9 p.m.

Rogers adds some Irish gratitude to your Thanksgiving celebrations with The Brooklyn Bards marchin’ in with classic and contemporary Irish folk songs. Go mead Dia thú!

203 Beach 116th Street

*For showtime and reservations, (718) 945-0202

Flap your wings and fly to Kennedy’s for heavenly sunset views, food and music from the Songbirds.

406 Bayside, Breezy Point

To advertise in The Rockaway Times call 718-634-3030 · ads@RockawayTimes.com

SUNDAY, November 27 4 p.m.

Sing, dance and toast to another memorable year of giving thanks with the Rock-A-Wades at Rogers. Sláinte! 203 Beach 116th Street

MOVIE NIGHT

FRIDAY, November 25 8 p.m.

Movie Night at Tap That has been such a hit, it’s definitely more than a Friday night fling. For tonight’s feature, follow: @tapthatrbny on Instagram. 111-04 Rockaway Beach Blvd

THEATER AUDITIONS

RTC PRODUCTION: “CABARET” Sunday, December 11, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, December 12, 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The Rockaway Theatre Company is holding auditions for their electrifying new musical production, “Cabaret.” Bring headshot and resume if available. Sides will be provided. Callbacks will be Tuesday, December 13 at 7 p.m. Show performance dates are March 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26, 31, and April 1 and 2. Cast members must be available for every performance. For further info., including character descriptions, visit: https://www.rockawaytheatrecompany.org/cabaret Post Theater, Building T4, Fort Tilden

SPECIAL MENTIONS!

CELEBRATE ALL YOU ARE THANKFUL FOR AT THE ROCKAWAY HOTEL THURSDAY, November 24

From one grateful heart to another—celebrate the bounty of giving thanks with family and friends at The Rockaway Hotel’s Thanksgiving feast. Executive Chef Chris Tyler has crafted a special pre-fixe menu for both the hotel’s rooftop and Margie’s. Admission: adults $55 per person, children $25. For menu, reservations and more info, visit: https://www.therockawayhotel.com/happenings 108-10 Rockaway Beach Drive

RHAPSODY PLAYERS COMING TO TOWN!

SATURDAY, November 26, 8 p.m.

One night only on full blast at the Rockaway Theatre Company, the

Rhapsody Players breathe life into your favorite jukebox Motown and doo-wop hits. Prepare to be spellbound by their rapturous renditions of songs by Aretha Franklin, The Eagles, Bee Gees, Carole King and more! Door admission: $20 (cash only).

Post Theater, Building T4, Fort Tilden

CONNOLLY’S OPEN THIS WEEK ONLY!

Daily until SUNDAY, November 27

Soccer and American football fans—this week only, Connolly’s is open! Besides Thanksgiving week, it’s also kickoff to World Cup 2022, and with the U.S. back for a goal to redemption since 2018’s crushing blow, the longtime, popular pub is open daily for folks to watch games, have a beverage and indulge in Seany Slices’ seriously decadent pizza until his dough runs out. For more info, follow: @connollysbar on Instagram or call: (718) 474-2374. Connolly’s is closed Thanksgiving Day. 155 Beach 95th Street

BROTHERS ROCKAWAY & LA FRUTERIA WEEKEND POP-UP FRIDAYS, SATURDAYS & SUNDAYS

Every weekend through December 4, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.—concessionaires, Brothers Rockaway and La Fruteria, are serving up their fan-favorite breakfast and lunch dishes at the Beach 97th boardwalk concession. Also, don’t miss their juicy Friday burger nights, special guest chef popups, and live deejayed moonlight party on the boards. For more info, follow @brothersrockaway on Instagram. Beach 97th Concession

SHOP LOCAL SATURDAY, November 26

12 to 5 p.m.

It’s Small Business Saturday! For one-of-a-kind holiday gifts from Rockaway Candle Co., Betsy’s Bungalow and more vendors, check out Little Holiday Market at GoodForm Studios.

88-08 Rockaway Beach Blvd

Got info. on local live music, arts and more? Email: editor@rockawaytimes.com

XAVERIAN HS VOLLEYBALL SWEEPS

GCHSAA TIER ONE CITY CHAMPIONSHIP

By Coach Marie Raico

The road back from Covid and two flooded seasons out of their gym seemed long and endless at times, but the Xaverian High School Girls volleyball program has completed the goal they set for themselves when going to Co-Ed 7 years ago. On Wednesday evening, November 9, the Xaverian Junior Varsity and Varsity Volleyball pro gram finished a clean sweep and took home the CHSAA City Tier One Championship Title.

Finishing the regular season as the top seed going into the playoffs (11-1), the Junior Varsity squad qualified for their trip to City’s by winning the Brooklyn-Queens Tier 1 Championship Game. The “Breezy-Rockaway” heavy Clip per squad beat TMLA 2-0 in their Semi-Final match and met Arch bishop Molloy in an epic match that brought the top-seeded Clip pers to the Molloy gymnasium for the finals. The Clippers lost the first set in front of an intense home crowd, but rallied to win set two and completed the come from behind victory, sealing a trip to the City Championship game. There, they beat Maria Re gina High School in straight sets to capture their Fourth Consecu tive Tier One City Championship. The Undefeated regular season champion Varsity squad entered the playoffs as top seed (12-0). They met their Shore Road ri vals of Fontbonne Hall in their Semi-Final match. Fontbonne

had tarnished the Clippers “un defeated” record last season when they upset the Clippers in the BQCHSAA final. Always a for midable opponent, the Clippers were able to take down Font bonne in a spirited and compet itive “Breezy-Rockaway” heavy match. They would meet up with St. Francis Prep in the second half of the BQCHSAA Championship match. Prep came out for blood and played nearly perfect vol leyball for two sets. The Clippers went down 0-2 but began to right the ship in Set 3 and never looked back. They won 3-2 in a come back match for the ages. It would be the first Brooklyn-Queens Tier One Championship in Xaverian Girls’ Volleyball history. It would be followed by a 3-0 win in the City Championship game against Maria Regina High School which would give the squad the first Tier One (Undefeated) City Champi onship title in school history and a bid to the State Tournament.

The girls traveled to Niagara Falls and met with some of the best volleyball the State Tour nament has seen. They finished second in pool play and met with Long Island powerhouse St. Anthony’s in their Semi-FI nal match. The Clipper squad was locked in and beat the Friars in straight sets to secure a meet ing with 18 time Champion, St. Mary’s of Lancaster, NY. The Clip pers fell to the perennial champi ons in a two and a half hour five set match that was described by

the Buffalo TImes as “a thriller and epic state match for the ages”. After going down 0-2, the Clip pers dug their way back to tie the match at 2-2. The fifth set was 35 minutes long and a side out match until the end. Nineteen-time State Champion Coach Don Pieczynski would go on to say this, “The final match vs Xaverian was special. A well-coached worthy opponent. There were so many well played rallies, both teams played with re lentless effort that was deserving of victory.”

SPOTLIGHT ON ESTATE PLANNING

Continued from Page 40

5. There are many different types of Trusts, some are cre ated during one’s life, and some are to be established as instructed in a Will, after one’s passing. The trusts es tablished in a Will are known as testamentary trusts. Are the following statements true or false:

i. A Trust created during one’s lifetime remains a private agreement and will avoid the cost and delays associated with the probate process.

ii. Avoiding the probate process can avoid challenges by disin herited parties.

Some days the effort just has to be enough! Finishing as State Fi nalists in their first appearance has brought all involved in the journey a tremendous feeling of pride and laid the foundation for future success. Every day these Clipper squads hit the gym was a gift to their coaches, parents, school community and each oth er! They are a group of girls who are “Really good at Volleyball and great at Life”! That is the mark of their Champion DNA and it is al ways, always enough!

iii. An Irrevocable Trust can both avoid probate and pro tect the value of assets held in the trust from future long term care costs.

iv. An Irrevocable Trust CAN be revoked if all necessary par ties agree as per NY State Es tates Powers and Trust law.

Answers: 1i) False. 1ii) False. 1iii) True. 2i) $12.6M. 2ii) $6.11M. 3) True. 4i) True. 4ii) False. 4iii) True. 5i) True. 5ii) True. 5iii) True. 5iv) True.

The content of this article is for informational purposes only. You are welcome to attend one of our upcoming seminars to learn more about Estate Planning, call our of fice at 1-718-945-7777 if you would like to schedule a consultation or make a seminar reservation.

LOCAL COLOR: READERS SEND IN THEIR

PIX

Deanna Augustinas

Iryna Medvedovska (On another coast)

Dolores Koo

Mark Eidinger

Patricia Hickey

Vincent Moriarty

Tedd Havlicek

Joe OBrien

Far Rockaway Center’s Honors Our Veterans

Far Rockaway Center, the 100bed skilled nursing facility on Virginia Street in Far Rockaway, celebrated Veterans Day with a ceremony on Friday, November 11, to acknowledge the twelve veterans residing at the facility. Leadership thanked them for the freedom we all enjoy. Veterans at Far Rockaway Center served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Navy and their ranks range from Private, Specialist, Sergeant, Petty Of ficer and Captain, rankings that should be commemorated.

The Veterans Day ceremony

opened with a bagpiper leading a resident veteran, Mr. Wayne Council, who carried the Color Guard in. Then everyone stood for the famous recording of the “National Anthem” sung by the late Whitney Houston. In the past, Far Rockaway Center pre sented their heroes with certifi cates, medals and personalized plaques, but this year, following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Recreation team, led by Zelideth Reyes presented the veterans with a gift, U.S. Army and U.S. Navy hats, gifts with which they can express their pride as veter ans on a daily basis.

These gifts went over extreme ly well, as all were excited when they opened them. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house and both Administrator Sol Blumenfeld and Director of Nursing, Flo ra Jones, nearly cried when the residents showed their emotions when they each placed the hats on their heads. Each veteran also

received a United States hand held flag.

The ceremony continued with the bagpiper playing a medley of military anthems and then everyone took a photo in front of

a banner that read “Thank you Veterans.” Later, a variety of hors d’oeuvres and juices in patriotic red, white and blue-flagged de signed cups and napkins were served as refreshments.

NYC Plover Project Hosts Free Educational Series

Rockaway-based non-profit will hold free webinars for residents to learn more about the plight of the endangered shorebird. NYC Plover Project, our local Rockaway volunteer effort to pro tect Piping Plovers, has kicked off a free webinar series on Zoom. The series began this week with a presentation by Dr. Grainne Maguire who leads the shorebird protection effort for the Hooded Plover in Australia. “While not a Piping Plover effort, we wanted to kick off this series by highlighting a very successful effort to protect vulnerable shorebirds, 18 years running, in Victoria, Australia,” said Chris Allieri, founder, NYC Plover Project. “We have a lot to learn in NYC from efforts as far away as Australia, but as close as New Jersey and Upstate NY.”

Next week, on November 29, Dr. Alison Kocek, SUNY College of Environmental Science and For estry, will discuss Piping Plovers on the shores of New York’s Great Lakes. She will cover how they

have had success with select cap tive rearing of chicks who have been orphaned. On December 6, Chris Allieri will give a sober take on the troubling situation for Pip ing Plovers on our peninsula. He will discuss efforts the group has made since it began in March 2021. The group’s 75+ volunteers conducted more than 2,500 vol

unteer hours in 2022 alone.

“There was widespread vandal ism of shorebird nests including American Oystercatchers and an adult Piping Plover killed this season,” Allieri said. “It was dis appointing to see that there was basically zero reaction from the community. We share this penin sula with these birds, they are our

neighbors and they are very much New Yorkers too.”

On December 20, Christina Da vis of N.J. Division of Fish and Wildlife and Todd Pover of Con serve Wildlife NJ will discuss their efforts to protect Piping Plovers in the Garden State.

All of the Tuesday evening webi nar events – November 29, Decem ber 6 and December 20 – will begin at 7 p.m. and last about an hour. You can sign up for one or all at the events page of NYC Plover Pro ject’s website – www.nycploverpro ject.org/events.

Wrestle Talk

LATEST WRESTLING NEWS

By Eric Jayden

I want to wish all the readers of Wrestle Talk, and The Rockaway Times a very happy and safe Thanksgiving!

We have news from All Elite Wrestling (AEW), that former WWE Commentator Renee Paquette has been officially signed to an AEW contract. Most of you will know Renee as the wife of AEW Superstar Jon Moxley. Renee had left the WWE in 2020, and it has been reported that before signing with AEW, the WWE had made her an offer to return to the company, as a backstage interviewer for the WWE Raw Brand. Renee declined their offer and chose to join AEW instead. We wish Renee all the best in her position with AEW. We have a report coming out of the World Wrestling Enter-

tainment (WWE), that they have a verbal agreement with the City of Nashville, Tennessee to host WrestleMania 43, which is scheduled to take place in 2027. The plans are contingent on the City of Nashville, to build an enclosed stadium in time to host the WWE's Biggest Show of the Year.

Staying with the WWE, we are hearing reports that WWE Superstar Becky Lynch will be returning very soon. Becky Lynch, who was injured in her match against Bianca Belair at SummerSlam, and suffered a separated shoulder, is said to be in training for her return.

In the world of All Elite Wrestling, we have seen the return of Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks. They were previously suspended from the company, following a backstage altercation

with CM Punk and Ace Steel, after the AEW's All Out media scrum. As previously reported here on Wrestle Talk, CM Punk’s status with the company, currently points to him not returning back to AEW. We still haven't heard any news on the state of his contract but it all appears, that but CM Punk and AEW want to go their separate ways.

The Question of the Week comes from Gerry R. in Belle Harbor and he asked, "Who do you think will be in the Wom-

en's Wargame Match this year?"

Hey Gerry, so far, I have heard that it will be Damage CTRL's Bayley, Dakota Kai and IYO SKY, Nikki Cross and Rhea Ripley going against Bianca Belair, Asuka, Alexa Bliss, Mia Yim and a fifth member who hasn't been announced as of yet. I'm excited to see this match!

Please send any questions or comments to eavil183@yahoo. com, Have a great Thanksgiving! See you all next week!