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Volume 11 Issue No. 52 Dec. 31, 2010 Jan. 6, 2011
Online at www.QueensPress.com
PAGE 22
Southeast Queens officials don’t believe the Mayor, who came to St. Albans Thursday to check on the progress of snow removal, understands the reality of the neighborhood’s poor blizzard clean-up. By Jason Banrey…Page 3
GJDC’s Carlisle Towery
Person Of The YearPage 9 & 10
Southeast Queens officials don’t believe the Mayor,
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News Briefs
Father’s Club Christmas
It was the night before Christ-
mas Eve, and more than 400 chil-
dren were celebrating at the Sec-
ond Annual Christmas Party
sponsored by Assemblyman Wil-
liam Scarborough, Honorary
Chair of the Million Fathers
Club; Andrene Williams,
Founder/Executive Director of
Lady Doves; Derrick Phillips of
Read Dads Network; Tammy
Greer Brown of Celebrating Real
Family Life; and Occasions Ca-
tering Hall.
Children were entertained by
local youth groups, had their pic-
tures taken with Santa, played or-
ganized games, had their faces
painted by NYC Dept. of Parks
and Recreation workers, re-
ceived Christmas presents of
their choice from the large selec-
tion and enjoyed cotton candy,
dinner and dessert. Children and
their families came from the
Saratoga Inn Shelter in Jamaica,
women’s shelters, and single fa-
thers and their children. Fathers
also received a Christmas
present: a warm scarf.
It took the resources and con-
tributions of many groups and or-
ganizations to stage an event of
this size. Local businesses, includ-
ing BBQ Pit, Marcel Robin Agency
State Farm Insurance, Enterprise
Car Rental, Springfield Diner and
other merchants joined local
groups, including United Black
Men of Queens, Jamaica Branch
of the NAACP Youth Group. Lo-
cal elected officials also donated
time and gifts, including Council-
man Leroy Comrie and Sen.
Malcolm Smith, who came by at
the beginning of the party with a
big bag of toys. Other contributors
included the 113th Precinct Com-
munity Council, Youth and Ten-
nis, and many more.
Assemblyman William Scarborough with co-host
Andrene Williams, Founder and CEO of Lady Doves,
and two of the children celebrating the night before
Christmas Eve.
Co-host Derrick Phillips of Real Dads Network (l. to
r.), Michael Johnson, Honorary Chair of the Million
Fathers Club Assemblyman William Scarborough, a
UBM Mentee volunteer who played Santa and Rodney
Pride of United Black Men of Queens.
Ph
oto
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y J
uliet K
aye
A color guard drapes a flag over the casket of Queens County Clerk Gloria D’Amico,
who was laid to rest Christmas Eve after succumbing on cancer on Dec. 21.
Saying Goodbye:
PRESS
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BY DOMENICK RAFTER
Did Sanitation supervisors purposely
botch the response to the blizzard to send
a message to Mayor Mike Bloomberg over
budget cuts? Councilman Dan Halloran
(R-Whitestone) said he’s been told yes,
but Sanitation officials and workers are
saying no.
Halloran said five workers, three Sani-
tation workers and two DOT supervisors
from Queens, contacted his office and
informed him that Sanitation supervisors
instructed workers to sit in their trucks
immediately during and after the blizzard
Sunday night and early Monday morning
and wait for instruction. They were left
waiting for 6-to-8 hours each without get-
ting assignments.
Halloran said workers were told by
supervisors from the Sanitation Dept. to
“take their time” and not worry about
missed streets. They were told, according
to Halloran, that “Mayor Bloomberg does
not care about Sanitation” and “this would
send a message.”
The lackluster response came during a
blizzard Sunday night that crippled the
City, with a 20-inch snowfall leaving city
services, mass transit, emergency re-
sponders and drivers abandoning hope of
getting anywhere.
Halloran said one of the Sanitation
workers came to his office independently
of the other two. The councilman became
suspicious when their stories corroborated
each other’s.
Halloran noted that the workers who
contacted him said the orders did not
come from their unions, but rather their
supervisors, and that union officers were
not at all involved in any decision.
At least 10 percent of the Sanitation
workforce did not show up to work dur-
ing the blizzard, Halloran said, including
400 workers who called in sick and 100
who requested an emergency day off. He
said that figure is not common during a
snowstorm.
“People want the overtime,” he said.
While he acknowledged it was possible
Christmas played a factor in the call-outs,
he said there was “no reason to think, for a
minute, we could not have had extra man-
power, even with the Christmas holiday.”
The City Council has scheduled a hear-
ing on the response to the blizzard on
Jan. 10. Halloran said the Council is ask-
ing the Sanitation Dept. to bring in tapes
from various units in the field to get a
closer look at the radio transmissions be-
tween supervisors and workers and com-
pare them to past storms. He stressed that
workers, many of whom have denied a
slowdown occurred, were just following
orders given to them by supervisors.
“These workers are proud to be city
servants, proud to work for City of New
York,” he said. “They were very upset by
this.”
Halloran said he was not exonerating
blame from Bloomberg and his adminis-
tration. He agreed the mayor should have
at least considered declaring a snow emer-
gency, which would have stripped the city
streets of buses, many of which later got
stuck, blocking plows from cleaning the
streets.
One Sanitation worker pointed the
blame at Deputy Mayor for Operations
Stephen Goldsmith, who joined the
Bloomberg administration earlier this year
and has butted heads with Sanitation
Commissioner John Doherty over issues
Bosses Suspected In Plow Slow Down
such as staff size and the use of private
contractors in snow removal. Doherty
said earlier in the week that there were
not enough private contractors helping
the DOS during the storm and suggested
pay may be a reason. Appearing with
Bloomberg at a press conference in St.
Albans on Thursday morning, Doherty
said he’s seen no proof of a slowdown
instigated by supervisors.
“There’s been a lot of speculation on
that. As a commissioner I am concerned
about that. I have not seen that,” Doherty
said. “I’ve seen a lot of dedicated people
out there working. I’ve been out in the
field with them. I talked with the officers
and met with them. Yes we have to look
at any allegations in this department, but
as of now, I cannot confirm that.”
At 153rd Avenue and 84th Street on Tues-day, plowing of this major route through
South Queens still had not occurred.
The Q8 Bus runs through Ozone Park last
Sunday. These buses were later stranded,
with the line not operating fully again untilWednesday.
Ph
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Halloran said the workers’ allegations
come specifically from the borough of
Queens and that there was no evidence
similar orders were given citywide.
Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at
drafter@queenstribune.com or (718) 357-7400
Ext. 125
BY JASON BANREY
Four days after the sixth largest New
York City snowstorm on record paralyzed
the city, Southeast Queens politicians were
still looking for answers as to why their
constituents were left out
in the cold to suffer.
At a press conference
held in Roy Wilkins Com-
munity Center on Thurs-
day, Mayor Mike Bloomberg
provided updates on the
city’s efforts to clean snow
left on some city blocks and
continued to defend criti-
cism about how his admin-
istration handled the clean
up.
“We are not making ex-
cuses,” said Bloomberg.
“We still have work to do.”
Joined by Borough President Helen
Marshall, and Councilmen Leroy Comrie
(D-St. Albans) and Ruben Wills (D-South
Ozone Park), Bloomberg assured New York-
ers that snow plows have been down most
streets throughout the borough, at least once.
In the aftermath of the blizzard, as
some Queens residents continued to clean
up snow untouched by city plows, Mayor
Bloomberg remained defensive about how
his administration responded to the storm
after addressing New Yorkers through the
city.
As of Thursday morning,
many of the 600 stranded
buses throughout the city
had been freed with the help
of Sanitation officials, fly-
ing over the city in helicop-
ters allocating snow plows
below into neighborhoods
that were still snowed in.
The mayor, who had
vowed to have every street
in the city cleared by 7 a.m.
Thursday, said there were
some exceptions to streets
sti l l being blocked by
stranded vehicles left behind
during the storm and were expected to be
cleared before noon.
The mayor assured the public that
his administration addressed the re-
cent snowstorm clean up with the same
– if not more – resources when com-
pared to previous storms that occurred
under his administration.
Deflecting questions about the delays
throughout the clean-up process the Mayor
stressed an investigation would follow after
all of the snow was cleared and that the
review would reveal how the administra-
tion reacted to the blizzard.
With 1,600 plows and 2,000 day labor-
ers still working around the clock to ensure
the city’s transportation infrastructure is
fully operational before the New Year’s
holiday weekend, local politicians still
questioned when their districts were going
to be entirely clean.
“There was definitely a different re-
sponse and it was an inadequate response,”
Comrie said.
Although there have not been any
deaths in his district related to delayed
emergency response, Comrie said he be-
lieves responsibility for the poor handling
of the clean up ultimately falls on the
Mayor and looks forward to the City
Council’s review of the administration’s
clean up response.
After fire apparatus vehicles faced diffi-
culties reaching fires in the aftermath of the
snowstorm within his district, Comrie is still
looking for answers as to why some areas in
his districts have still not been cleaned.
“[Mayor Bloomberg has] taken respon-
sibility; now we have to get to the root of
how this happened,” he said.
Wills believes his district suffered just
as much as many of the city’s outer bor-
ough neighborhoods.
When Wills found his vehicle stuck,
experiencing his first snowstorm as an
elected official, he took a shovel in his hand
and began to dig. He believes his efforts
inspired others to do the same as he wit-
nessed his constituents helping one an-
other free themselves from the snowy chaos.
“It was a poor response to a storm we
knew was happening,” said Wills.
Even though the city may have poorly
handled the response to storm, he said it
is the responsibility of local politicians to
address the concerns of their constitu-
ents.
“People don’t want to hear that it’s the
Mayor’s fault,” said Wills. “They want to
know that plows are coming down their
blocks and that we’re doing what we need
to do. We’re the face of city government.”
Reach Intern Jason Banrey at
jbanrey@queenstribune.com or (718) 357-
7400, Ext. 128.
Mayor Promises Clean SEQ Streets
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Mayor Mike Bloomberg de-
fends the City’s snow response.
Presstime
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BY SASHA AUSTRIE
Earlier this year, a few seniors and one
outspoken parent took umbrage with Jose
Cruz, principal of Mathematics, Science
Research & Technology Magnet High
School. A few more students and teachers
have joined the fray.
In June, the complaints were focused
on harsh punishment for minute offenses;
this time around, Cruz’s detractors are
alleging racist, unsupportive, inept and
inappropriate behavior.
“I have worked with three principals
and I have never come across anyone that
has exuded this level of incompetence,”
said a 9-year Dept. of Education employee.
“He has no leadership skills.”
Both students and teachers requested
anonymity for fear of retaliation. Cruz
took the reins in the 2009-2010 school
year and initially, there were high hopes.
“The first day of school, he came to us
smiling,” said a senior. “He told us we were
the most beautiful students.”
She said there were promises of museum
outings and an excursion to Spain, but she
contends those were false promises.
“We don’t go anywhere,” she said. “We
don’t even go up the block.
“This man spoke to us like Obama. Two
weeks later, we found out he was a fake.”
The DOE would not comment on the
specifics of the allegations lodged against
Cruz. Margie Feinberg, a DOE spokes-
woman, said there was an anonymous
allegation regarding Cruz currently under
review.
Washington Sanchez, a spokesman for
the United Federation of Teachers, said
the school has had problems for about a
year and a half. He said Cruz was supposed
to come in and lead the school.
“It is obvious to me during my visits
there that he hasn’t done that,” Sanchez
said. Though he wouldn’t comment on the
specifics of the allegations, Sanchez said
accusations need to be investigated.
Students and
teachers contend
that the Annual
Winter Wonderland
trip, which Cruz ap-
proved in Septem-
ber, was cancelled
because “last year it
wasn’t educational
enough,” said a 10-
year DOE em-
ployee.
The teachers
said the only outings
students are al -
lowed are sched-
uled and approved
by Cruz and those
in his inner circle.
“Anything that
was student -ori -
ented, he would just
shut down,” said a
15-year teacher.
The allegations are more serious than
cancelled and restrictive jaunts.
Teachers said Cruz embarrassed a col-
league in front of her English class. They
contend that Cruz told the teacher, “You
are a waste of funds.”
“He made her cry,” said the 10-year
employee. “The teacher had 14 years of
satisfactory experience and all of a sudden
she doesn’t know how to teach? She is an
excellent teacher.”
The teachers allege that Cruz insulted
another teacher by calling her “irrespon-
sible, childish, unacceptable,” regarding
her tutoring program.
Another alleged instance of Cruz’s
unprofessional behavior is when he
grabbed the arm of a female teacher during
an argument.
“He will flip out,” said the 9-year profes-
sional. “He has an anger management
problem.”
Including his insults, teachers said Cruz
threatened them with termination and
poor evaluations.
Since being appointed to his post, the
teachers contend that about 12 staff mem-
bers have either been fired or left on their
own volition.
“We are not happy,” said the 10-year
veteran. “We are very distressed.”
A 15-year teacher who was denied ten-
ure said Cruz lacks leadership skills. She
said a Spanish teacher with a success rate
of 98 percent was also not offered tenure
because “she was not a native speaker.”
“Since he came, employee morale has
dropped 100 percent,” she said.
The 9-year veteran said Cruz came in
with the idea of ridding the school of its
teachers.
“He said, if it was his choice, he would
get a brand new staff,” said the teacher.
Not only have teachers and staff suf-
fered, but teachers contend that students
are receiving the short end of the stick.
“This is not a school,” said a student.
“This is a prison.”
Principal Leaves School Crying Foul
Jose Cruz, principal of Mathematics, Science Research & Technol-
ogy Magnet High School, whose tenure at the school’s helm has been
a source of controversy.
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They paint Cruz as a hermit, who fears
the students and doles out insults to those
in his path.
“His door is always closed,” said one
student. “He is hiding from us.”
Michelle Thompson, a parent-teacher
association member and mother of a
sophomore, said since Cruz became prin-
cipal, “the whole environment [of the
school] changed. When you walk inside
the school, there is tension.”
Like students and staff, Thompson said
she had high hopes, but they have de-
flated. She questions Cruz’s leadership
and motivation. Thompson alleged that a
scout from a college program asked to see
her son, but was denied access. Her son
claimed Cruz said, “The majority of you
won’t go to college anyway, so what’s the
point of stopping the school day.”
Thompson’s statement was buttressed
by the teachers. On many occasions, the
teachers said they have heard Cruz say,
“Those kids don’t need computers; this
population doesn’t go to four-year schools;
those kids are not motivated.”
“You are supposed to build morale,”
Thompson said. “You are supposed to
have these kids believing they are next
Barack Obama, the next Bill Gates. Not
the next inmate 246810.”
Allegedly, Cruz has cancelled computer
classes at the school and has not replaced
a science teacher out on maternity leave.
Thompson said her son is one of the
students who is being prepared for the
Living Environment Regents Exam by a
substitute teacher. She said she met with
the substitute, who is studying to be a
guidance counselor.
“[My son] will not be taking the test,”
she said. Thompson has complained to
311 and DOE. She said there is an inves-
tigation pending.
Allegedly, Cruz had ample notice to
secure another teacher to instruct the sci-
ence class.
Cruz’s detractors claim he has not only
failed as a role model and motivator for the
students, but he is also denying them a
complete high school experience. They claim
the school’s sports programs have suffered.
Darlene Newell, mother of a senior at
school, said the school does not function.
Her issues stem from the dirty environment
of the school to the loud and uncouth secu-
rity guards. With that said, Newell contends
A contingent of students, a member
of the parent teacher association and the
school leadership team alleged Principal
Jose Cruz of the Mathematics, Science,
Research and Technology Magnet High
School doles out harsh punishment for
minor offenses in June. They recounted
to the PRESS their alleged reasons for
suspension.
Cruz spoke to the PRESS brief ly, al-
leging the students were not truthful and
they had been party to other incidents,
which garnered them suspensions. He
later said the Dept. of Education would
not allow him to comment further.
• Romaine Spencer, 18, said he and
a few friends were suspended for lean-
ing against the wall while other students
were embroiled in an argument. The se-
nior, who has an athletic scholarship to
Texas Southern University, said he felt
Cruz singled them out.
• Sasha Clarida, 18, said he was sus-
pended for saying “mango” while Cruz
walked by. Clarida contends he meant no
disrespect and was not addressing Cruz.
• Andrew Downie, 18, said he was
suspended twice during the course of his
senior year. His first suspension was for
insubordination and starting a riot.
Downie said before
class two students he
had issues with ac-
costed him. Downie
said his teacher de-
manded he sit and he
complied. After -
wards the rabble-rous-
ers returned and,
though the skirmish
never came to blows,
he didn’t back down.
Downie said he re-
ceived a five-day sus-
pension, which he
d i s r e g a r d e d .
His second suspen-
sion came because he
and another student
were listening to an iPod in the lunch-
room. He said Cruz stared at them for a
few seconds until they put it away. His
suspension came a few days later for in-
Arbitrary High School Justice
subordination. This time he stayed home.
• Demi Braddy, 17, said she was sus-
pended on three occasions. Her first
stemmed from her involvement in a fight,
which did not take
place on school prop-
erty or during school
time. The senior said
she was suspended
days later after the
principal saw the
f ight on YouTube.
Braddy’s second sus-
pension came at the
scene of a f ight .
Braddy said she was
exiting the building
while a fight was in
progress and be -
cause she and
Nmesoma Okafor
did not move fast
enough, they re -
ceived five days suspension. She agrees
to the third suspension because, though
Braddy said she was not the aggressor,
she fought in school.
that the school’s biggest hindrance is Cruz.
“He treats teachers like they are non-
existent,” she said. “Those teachers are
there because they love those kids and
they care about them.”
Reach Reporter Sasha Austrie at
saustrie@queenspress.com or (718) 357-
7400, Ext. 127.
PRESS
P
ho
to
b
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ash
a A
ustrie
Mathematics, Science, Research and
Technology Magnet High School se-
niors Nmesoma Okafor (l. to r.), Demi
Braddy, Andrew Downie and Romaine
Spencer claim their overzealous princi-
pal has suspended students for minor or
illegitimate offenses.
In Our Opinion:In Our Opinion:
OF SOUTHEAST QUEENS
150-50 14th Road
Whitestone, NY 11357
(voice) (718) 357-7400 fax (718) 357-9417
email news@queenspress.com
The PRESS of Southeast Queens
Associate Publisher
Arnold Thibou
Executive Editor:
Brian Rafferty
Contributing Editor:
Marcia Moxam Comrie
Production Manager:
Shiek Mohamed
Queens Today Editor
Regina Vogel
Photo Editor: Ira Cohen
Reporters:
Harley Benson
Sasha Austrie
Joseph Orovic
Domenick Rafter
Jessica Ablamsky
Editorial Intern:
Angy Altamirano
Jason Banrey
Terry Chao
Art Dept:
Sara Gold
Rhonda Leefoon
Candice Lolier
Barbara Townsend
Advertising Director
Alan J. Goldsher
Sr. Account Executive
Shelly Cookson
Advertising Executives
Merlene Carnegie
A Queens Tribune Publication.
© Copyright 2010 Tribco, LLC
Michael Schenkler,
President & Publisher
Michael Nussbaum,
Vice President,
Associate Publisher
LettersEditorial
Blizzard Of ’10 Reminiscent of ‘69
A Personal Perspective
BY MARCIA MOXAM COMRIE
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Letters
Person Of The Year
In past years, the PRESS of Southeast Queens has honored people
who have made a difference in the lives of the people of Queens. We have
honored philanthropists, soldiers, public servants and dreamers.
Today, we honor a hard-working man and the institution he has led.
Carlisle Towery, though he will humbly defer to his organization and rest
the honor on the shoulders of all those who have supported the Greater
Jamaica Development Corporation through the years, is truly deserving
of this honor.
The changes that he has led, the initiatives that he has championed
and the battles he has fought - for the last 40 years - have helped trans-
form a neighborhood teetering on the verge of collapse into a thriving
destination, a great place to live and own a business.
Congratulations to Carlisle Towery, to the Greater Jamaica Devel-
opment Corporation and to the people of Queens who have benefitted
from all of the excellent work done on their behalf.
Send your thoughts, ideas,
opinions, outrage, praise,
observations about our
community
WRITE ON:
The PRESS of
Southeast Queens
150-50 14th Rd.,
Whitestone, NY 11357
e-mail:news@queenspress.com
fax: (718) 357-9417
SOUND OFFFailure!
To The Editor:
In my book, Mayor Bloomberg,
the Sanitation Department and
the MTA failed the people of this
great city of ours. I live in Glen
Oaks Village and many of our
streets were forgotten. In the
storm of '06, which had more
snow, the streets were better shov-
eled. The city knew in advance
and yet lives were put in jeop-
ardy.
The MTA was no better and
left many of us without proper
transportation. I think heads
ought to roll after this disaster.
We the people want answers and
promises that the city will be bet-
ter prepared next time.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.,
Glen Oaks
Normalcy?
To The Editor:
After the blizzard of Dec. 26,
how could Mayor Bloomberg say
to the media that there was nor-
malcy in the city? With nearly
1,000 buses and 120 ambulances
stranded in huge snowdrifts, as
well as scores of cars and other
vehicles. Things were far from
normalcy, Mr. Mayor!
You have some nerve telling
people to take in a Broadway
show, when many people were
struggling to clear their sidewalks,
driveways and cars from the
snow. You do not seem to realize
that Manhattan is not the only
borough in this city.
Take a tour of Queens, Staten
Island, Brooklyn and the Bronx if
you really want to see what chaos
this blizzard caused, and what
stress and hardships it continues
to cause for everyone.
John Amato,
Fresh Meadows
What Do I Do?
To The Editor:
I hope the local papers do a
story about The Blizzard of 2010
and the city's response to the
outer boroughs. Where are the
Sanitation Department plows? It
is almost 9 p.m. [Tuesday] and
the streets of West Maspeth have
not been plowed all day. What is
going on?
One member of The West
Maspeth Block Association
called me and wanted to know
why 62nd Avenue had not been
plowed. They are in back of the
fire house on Metropolitan Av-
enue.
She said there are elderly
people and babies on her block
who might need help.
I spoke to Lydon Sleeper [from
Councilwoman Elizabeth
Crowley's office] earlier today
and he said he would get back to
me on a time frame when the
streets would be plowed. I never
heard back from him. I told that
member to call Councilwoman
Elizabeth Crowley's office tomor-
row if nothing changes.
This is ridiculous. The city
wants to issue summonses to prop-
erty owners and they have not
plowed the secondary and ter-
tiary streets even once today.
How are emergency vehicles sup-
posed to get around?
I watch the news and see how
clean Manhattan looks, but here
in Maspeth the roads are impass-
able. Why is this?
This reminds me of when
Mayor Lindsay ignored Queens
back in the 60s. It seems Mayor
Bloomberg wants to be like him.
What should I tell members of
my civic association when they
ask about the snow plows? People
have to go back to work. People
need to get out and do errands
that can't wait.
C. Charlene Stubbs,
Maspeth
Even those of us who were not
around to see or personally re-
member it, we’re reminded of
John Lindsay’s neglect of Queens
in 1969, as we were snowed in
and left that way following the
holiday blizzard this week.
It was “de ja vu all over again,”
as Yogi Berra famously said.
Mayor Mike Bloomberg, like Lind-
say, now has egg on his face, or
perhaps we should say snow.
The accusation that most may-
ors see New York City as Man-
hattan only was given some cre-
dence again this week as the four
outer boroughs were left largely
unplowed while Manhattan
seemed pretty much fine. It was
not only frustrating but infuriat-
ing as well.
I am writing this on late Wednes-
day morning, Dec. 29th, and my
street and many others in my area
of Queens are as yet unplowed.
Like countless other New
Yorkers, I was due back at work
on Tuesday, but I was homebound.
The snow is almost knee-high
and there is nary a truck in sight
to clean and salt it so people can
go on about their business.
I forced myself to get out to
work on Wednesday, slipping and
sliding as in a Paul Simon song.
Thankfully, I made it in one piece.
It seems outrageous that a snow-
storm of less than two feet has
crippled our city for this many days.
The mayor keeps asking for
our patience; and he keeps blam-
ing the slow-to-plow situation on
“abandoned vehicles.” For sure
there were many knuckleheads
who did not heed the warning to
stay off the roads during the
storm. They ended up having to
abandon their cars where they
were as driving became impos-
sible. But it doesn’t seem that
there were that many abandoned
cars in a city this large to have
crippled the cleanup function.
So patience is in short supply.
Sanitation Commissioner John
Doherty actually went on NY1
and admitted, “The storm got
ahead of us […] We couldn’t keep
up.”
But you were forewarned of
the storm, Sir. Why weren’t you
more prepared? Ambulances, fire
trucks and other emergency ve-
hicles were unable to get to their
appointments due to the snow.
Homebound elderly folks were
left unfed because the free, pre-
pared food they rely on from the
likes of Meals on Wheels could
not be delivered due to the snow.
It is fair to expect some delays
caused by the hazardous condi-
tions presented by a snowstorm.
But lives are endangered by the
lack of proper coordination to
clean up the mess in a hurry.
In fairness to the Dept. of Sani-
tation, they usually respond well
in smaller snow storms. It may
take them a while to get to the
side streets, but they usually get it
done within the first 24 hours.
This time though, they really did
not rise to the occasion.
The mayor, like the Sanitation
commissioner, ought to just cop
to the failure and say, “We fell
short. Let us learn from this and
ensure it never happens again.
This nature-made hazard tested
our mettle and we failed.”
Experts predict that New York
is destined for a major hurricane
this century and we recently had
an earthquake tremor. They say
these are disasters waiting to hap-
pen. So this snow storm was an
opportunity to test our mettle and
we failed.
How will the response be if
and when “the big one” hits?
Clearly our disaster preparedness
needs work. This is New York, we
have come to expect better.
There are probably more bliz-
zards to come in 2011, so here’s
hoping they’ll get it right. In the
meantime, Happy New Year ev-
eryone!
Not 4 Publication.com by Dom Nunziato
Henry Stern
By HENRY STERNThe indictment of six people
by the U.S. Attorney, with the as-sistance of the City Departmentof Invest igation, broke open theCityTime scandal. ”Payrollgate”dwarfs many other thefts from theCity of New York. Thiscase is a biggie; it de-serves a name of it sown.
An early warning ofserious problems withthe contracts is laid outin a very specific six-page letter, written inFebruary 2003, signedby Richard Valcich, whoat the time was director of the Of-fice of Payroll Administration,which was in charge of theproject.
The Daily News, which wason the story f ir st, ran JuanGonzalez’s column on p3, the leadnews page. The letter by Valcichwas made available in response toa FOIL (Freedom of InformationLaw) request made by the News.Their repor ter and columnist,Gonzalez, has been writing aboutthe scandal for over a year. Sev-eral of his articles were publishedin the News over at least a year.Apparently, however, they wereignored by the authorities with the
power to correct the situation.As a result of recent revela-
tions, a dozen new questions cometo mind. We know it is easier toask questions than to answer them,but the City pays millions of dol-lars to supervise these activit ies,
in order to save the hun-dreds of millions that maybe wasted because of fail-ure to control a gang ofthieves, not to ment ionthe contract not being ful-filled.
1. Did Valcich sendcopies of his 2003 letterto anyone else besidesthe contractor?
2. Whom did he report toin the Mayor’s Office and theComptroller’s Office?
3. Were they informed ofthe situation?
4. Did SAIC re spond toValcich’s letter in any way? If so,how?
5. Did Valcich have any re-lationship with any contractor af-ter he retired in 2004?
6. Did he write anything atthe time of his departure to indi-cate any concerns about theproject?
7. What, if any, was his re-lationship with his successor, JoelBondy? Did he recommend Bondy
for the job?8. How were Valcich and
Bondy appointed to the OPA po-sition in the first place? How longdid Valcich serve? (The earliest ref-erence on the web to his time atOPA is a March 1997 article.)
9. During his tenure, didValcich ever have contact withoversight agencies, or city inves-tigators, over the situation that wasdeveloping with SAIC?
10. Which staff member, ifany, actually wrote the letter thatValcich signed? Are the employeeswho worked on this mat ter st illwith OPA?
11. What was the role ofComptroller William Thompson’soffice in all this? He had leader-ship responsibility for OPA from2002 until he left office in Decem-ber 2009. Did he ever say or doanyth ing about the bal looningcosts? Was he aware of the prob-lem? Did someone represent himin dealing with these matters?
12. Who in the mayor’s of-fice had responsibility for OPA? DidValcich and Bondy submit regularwritten repor ts dealing with thesituation? If they did, who read thereports and what did they do aboutthem? If they did not submit re-ports, who failed to demand them?If they submitted false reports, did
Valcich’s Letter Blew Whistle, But What Was Follow-Up?anyone check them?
We ask today, what agencies,if any, are trying to find the an-swers to al l the issue s in th iscase? It will take some time to com-pletely solve this massive case. Wewould hope there would be re-ports, from time to time, as factsare discovered by the probers.
The fraud here endured for sixyears. The investigation must notbe as protracted as the
wrongdoing. Although at first itappears like a case of “Who leftthe barn door open, and why,” itmay turn out that there were moreserious derelictions on the part ofindividuals with responsibility tooversee the contracts.
By the way, what ever hap-pened to the payroll reporting sys-tem SAIC and others were sup-posed to produce?
StarQuest@NYCivic.org
Goodbye 2010: That Was Another Year That WasBy MICHAEL SCHENKLER
The year in which the QueensTribune celebrated its 40th Anni-versary is coming to an end as Iwrite this; economically, politically,and in most ways, 2010 was a not-too-compelling continuance of theseveral years before.
The world was wrapped in ashroud of recession and, in spiteof signs of hope, Main St. Queenscontinued to struggle. The plagueof unemployment had not yetabated. The folks from Long IslandCity to Little Neck spent with cau-tion and worried that their retire-ment plans may be in jeopardy —except those who had no job -they just worried.
Politically, the Democrats paida price for the economic situation.The House of Representatives willno longer be in their control andthe Senate will no longer be fili-buster-proof. In New York, theState Senate went back to Repub-lican control – after the Democratsembarrassingly botched their first
shot at control in more than a gen-eration.
Hiram Monserrate is justifiablygone – shat on by his fellow Sen-ate Dems after buying back his vote– and then defeated at the polls.Although not Queens, Pedro Espadais gone too – only he appearsheaded for a long stay at a differenttype of publically-run facility.
Aravella Simotas and EdBraunstein are two new Queenselecteds — Assemblymembers go-ing to Albany to, well, be part ofthat mess. Mike Gianaris movedfrom the Assembly to a position ofleadership for the messed up StateSenate Dems – but in the minority.
David Paterson, a seeminglygood man, ended his embarrass-ing service as Governor with a$62,125 fine for his ethical mis-steps in ripping off Yankee tickets.This final straw is symbolic of hisvery disappointing term in office.
It was another year for a latebudget in New York – a very latebudget with a deficit we’ll be pay-ing off for generations. And a yearwhere the Aqueduct Racino con-tract was finally awarded after be-ing taken out of the hands of thelegislators and governor when theyappeared to be playing personalboard games with the Monopolymoney they thought they wereentitled to spread around.
Emerging Past, a horror filmcentered on the psycho-adventureof Pam, a Tribune photographer,
was shot in 2010 inour offices and ourborough by locally-grown director Tho-mas Churchil l . Itwon for Best Hor-ror Feature at theNew York City Inter-national Film Festi-val.
As a result ofthe 2010 Census,New York State willlose two seats in theHouse of Represen-tatives, bringing ourvoting influence toan all-time low.
Tom White andGloria D’Amico,two giant s of theQueens polit icalscene, left us to dotheir politicking in better places.
The long, drawn out pensionscandal centered in the office ofComptroller Alan Hevesi drews toan end as the once fair-haired in-tellect of Queens politics, coppeda guilty plea and acknowledgescomplicity.
Ed Koch reemerged from hismovie watching and semi-privatelife to lead NY Uprising, an effortto bring reform to Albany – whichwill soon be tested as the legisla-ture begins the budget process andplans for reapportionment.
The voters of New York City,for a third time, ratified a two-term
limit for City officials – only theCharter Revision Commission pre-sented them with the option of giv-ing all present office-holders anextra term.
Our friend and Trib columnistwho shares this page is leading theeffort to get the question back onnext year’s ballot to have thepeople’s two-term limit law takeeffect immediately.
At the end of a multi-year,multi-million dollar search, our newvoting machine premiered to: a lackof privacy, malfunctions, poorlytrained inspectors and result de-lays.
Our Junior Senator,Kirstin Gillibrand, emergedafter her election as an ef-fect ive leader, ski l l ful lyhonchoing the 9-11 FirstResponders Health Carebill to a year-end passage.
Carl Paladino came outswinging and quickly disap-peared into oblivion.
And son of Queens,Andrew Cuomo, takes thehelm of a dysfunctional shipof New York State govern-ment and attempts to righta terribly listing, old, tiredand corrupt vessel.
The Tribune, after 20years, moved its offices to
a sparkling new home one blocknorth of the Cross Island inWhitestone and the second logohand cut by my late father-in-lawwho crafted the original for ourmove 20 years ago, was hung inthe new Tribune office.
And it was the first time inyears that our whole family madeit to the annual Tribune HolidayParty to wish to our friends andreaders a Happy Holiday and Maythe New Year Bring only GoodNews to You and Yours.
May 2011 bring health, peaceand prosperity.MSchenkler@QueensPress.com
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Police BlotterCompiled By DOMENICK RAFTER
102nd Precinct
Burglar Loose
Detectives from the 102nd Precinct
are requesting the public’s assistance in
locating a suspect wanted in two resi-
dential burglaries in Woodhaven. The
first incident occurred on Aug. 13, be-
tween 7:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m., at 94-
31 Park Lane South. The second inci-
dent occurred on Sept. 3, between 8
a.m. and 9:45 p.m., at 76-50 85th Dr.
The suspect, Matthew Misla, 32, en-
tered via the rear of the locations. Once
inside, he allegedly removed money,
jewelry, and electronic equipment. He
is described as a Hispanic man, 6-feet,
180 lbs, with brown eyes, black hair and
a goatee.
Anyone with information in regards to
this case is asked to call the NYPD Crime
Stoppers Hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. Citi-
zens can also submit their tips by logging
onto the Crime Stoppers Web site at
nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting
their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then en-
tering TIP577. All calls are kept strictly
confidential.
Laundromat Thief
Police are asking for the public’s assis-
tance in locating a suspect wanted in con-
nection with a commercial burglary in
Woodhaven. The burglary occurred at
around 5:48 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 5, at
78-07 Jamaica Ave., at a laundromat, in
Woodhaven.
The suspect broke the front windows
at the location, entered the building, and
unsuccessfully pried open a change ma-
chine. The establishment was closed at
the time.
He is described as a Hispanic male, 5-
foot-10, 175 lbs, of light complexion, and
wearing a hooded sweatshirt.
Anyone with information in regards to
this case is asked to call the NYPD Crime
Stoppers Hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. Citi-
zens can also submit their tips by logging
onto the Crime Stoppers Web site at
nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting
their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then en-
tering TIP577. All calls are kept strictly
confidential.
104th Precinct
Knife Attacker Shot
On Wednesday, Dec. 22, at 9:36 p.m.,
inside of 64-49 Shaler Ave. in Ridgewood,
police responded to a 911 call of a man
with a knife. Upon arrival, officers were
confronted by Zach Bingert, 21, armed
with a knife. The Officers discharged their
firearms, striking Bingert several times.
EMS responded to the scene and pro-
nounced him dead at the scene. The of-
ficers were removed to Jamaica Hospital
for trauma and minor injuries.
106th Precinct
Two Men Shot
On Wednesday, Dec. 29, at approxi-
mately 12:51 a.m., inside of 103-14 135
St., in Richmond Hill, police responded
to a 911 call of shots fired. Upon arrival,
two men were found inside the location.
The first victim, Gary Bowlin, 35, was
found with one gunshot wound to the
head. The second victim, Cyprus France,
35, had one graze wound to the face and
one gunshot wound to the hip. EMS re-
sponded and pronounced Bowlin dead
at the scene. France was transported to
Jamaica Hospital where he was listed in
stable condition. The investigation was
ongoing.
From the DA
Two men traveling aboard a flight from
San Juan, Puerto Rico to New York have
been arraigned on charges of bringing 92
pounds of cocaine into JFK Airport on
Christmas Day.
The defendants have been identified
as Enmanuel Rojas Peralta, 24, and Is-
rael Rodriguez Jacobo, 25, both of Puerto
Rico. The defendants were arraigned in
Queens Criminal Court before Acting Jus-
tice Joel L. Blumenfeld on a charge of
first-degree criminal possession of a con-
trolled substance.
According to the criminal complaint,
a Drug Enforcement Administration
agent inside the Delta Airlines terminal
at JFK observed the defendants on Dec.
25, at around 6:45 p.m., following their
arrival from San Juan. He allegedly ob-
served them in possession of four pieces
of luggage containing 42 packages of co-
caine. A Port Authority Police Depart-
ment detective looked inside the suitcases
then recovered the cocaine. Each of the
defendants was alleged to have been in
possession of two baggage claim checks
for the checked suitcases.
The defendants were ordered held on
$100,000 bail each and ordered to return
to court on Jan. 19. They face 25 years
to life in prison if convicted.
Police are seeking the public’s assistance
in finding this man in connection with two
burglaries in Woodhaven.
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Boro Resident Endures New HorrorAfter Exposure To Mystery PowderGJDC Icon Was Destined For Jamaica
BY BRIAN M. RAFFERTY
Carlisle Towery has always felt at
home in Jamaica. He was raised in the
South during the era of Jim Crow, but was
always taught tolerance,
respect and understanding
for people of all races.
Raised in Montevallo,
Ala., a small college town
with a girls school of 2,500
and an adjacent popula-
tion of another 2,500, he
went to public schools
there, learning from pro-
fessors who were dis -
placed German Jews. By
the time he hit eighth
grade, the family had relo-
cated to Towery’s mother’s
hometown of Alexander
City, Ala., an industrial
area that today is still the home of Russell
Athletics.
He continued in the local school
until 10th grade, when he went to a
small private school, Mountain Brook,
just outside Birmingham. “That was a
l i fe -changing exper ience for me,”
Towery said of his time at the school.
“It was a very intellectually stimulat-
ing place.”
It was also in Shelby County, which
was heavily inf luenced by the Ku Klux
Klan.
Struggles In The South
His was the first graduating class – 12
kids in all, including two
who were non-white, fairly
unique for the racist tem-
per of the South. “I think
the school did that sym-
bolically,” he said of the
two students who were
Latin American, coming
from a rich family with a
sugar plantation.
The lesson did not go
unnoticed.
One of his teachers was
from Antioch College in
Ohio, and pushed the
young man toward the
progressive institution.
“I went to Antioch and met Coretta
Scott,” Towery said. “She came there
twice; I had lunch with her two times.
She was from Montgomery, where her
husband was a minister.”
Towery, who was beginning to find his
way in the world, went to picket a nearby
barber who wouldn’t cut black kids’ hair.
“It turns out that [Allen AME Pastor
Floyd] Flake picketed the same barber
when he was at Wilberforce,” Towery said.
Carlisle Towery:
“He was a well known bigot.”
Eye On Planning
Wanting to focus his studies on archi-
tecture, Towery transferred to Auburn and
found himself immersed in a challenging
program that few students survived.
“None of my credits at Antioch trans-
ferred,” Towery said. “I was a freshman
just like the other 300, and only 20 of us
graduated five years later.”
Upon graduation, Towery, now mar-
ried, had received marching orders from
the Army to report for duty a year later.
He applied to Columbia.
“They have a special program there, it
was what they would call geographic di-
versity, within the graduate school of plan-
ning and architecture with a focus on ur-
ban design, which is what I did,” Towery
said.
“They accepted 10 graduates from the
Southern U.S., from top schools. I was
the only one from Auburn, and I laugh-
ingly say I got to Columbia because they
needed some rednecks – they needed
some geographic diversity.”
Enrolling in the program, Towery stud-
ied under renowned architectural preser-
vationist James Marston Fitch.
“I was his f lunky for a year, and then I
went to Germany for my two-year tour,
which I extended for four or five months
in order to come back to Columbia in
time,” Towery said. His wife traveled with
him, pregnant, and by the time he was
back stateside and at Columbia, they had
two children.
A Jamaica Focus
Refocusing on his studies, Towery’s
master’s thesis was on 125th Street in
Harlem. That was in 1965.
Working with the precursor to the lo-
cal community board, Towery also
worked closely with modernist architect
Victor Christ-Janer. But on the jury review-
ing his thesis was Stanley Tankel, who
was head of planning for the Regional
Plan Association. He immediately offered
the young Towery a job at RPA.
“My first job was project-focused, an
analysis of the lower Hudson, on both the
New York and New Jersey sides,” Towery
said. “My second job was an analysis of
Jamaica, Queens as a regional sub center.”
The project focused on the develop-
ment of Jamaica Center, a regional hub,
focusing on transportation, open space,
regional economy, public participation
and political aid.
“Manhattan was always the center of
centers, and beefing up Manhattan was
always central to the mission, but they
were convinced that you had to have sub
centers,” Towery said.
“There were a dozen places in the re-
gion that warranted public and private at-
tention for all kinds of public purposes,
including social ones. Jobs were moving
out and leaving the people behind, leav-
ing open space. They were eating up land
with large lot zoning. It was causing huge
social problems.”
“The power to control land use was
keeping blacks out, and they did it effec-
tively using zoning law. So RPA was a
Towery sits in the waiting area of the GJDC.
Carlisle Towery around the time
he joined the Greater Jamaica
Development Corporation.
leader in addressing regional trends that
were not good for the region.”
“RPA at the time had a plan, very ob-
jective and brilliant, and I worked my ass
off to be relevant to these people,”
Towery added.
Through the analysis of Jamaica,
Towery and his colleagues at RPA had
uncovered a brilliant truth about the fu-
ture of urban development zones.
“They were the first ones in the coun-
try to say the economy was not going to
be industrial, it was going to be office
space,” Towery said. “There are three
kinds of office activities: headquarters and
they can be anywhere; back office, which
is all the labor; and population related –
doctors, lawyers accountants, all the
people that serve the population.”
The Jamaica Center proposal, of copy
of which still sits in the offices of the
Greater Jamaica Development Corpora-
tion, called for a policy among the three
state governments (NY, NJ, Conn.) to
get a common vision that would shape
the region and not create growth patterns
that generated automobile demand.
It also called for the creation of the
Greater Jamaica Development Corporation.
The Final Step
After completing the project, Towery
left RPA and went into the private sector
while RPA went and created GJDC.
“And then they hired me,” he said.
“Actually, while I was on the other firm, I
consulted with them on the civil court; I
worked on that to argue that it belonged
in Jamaica. They needed to be grouped,
lawyers, jurors. Jamaica already had the
State Supreme Court; the family court was
here. We argued for consolidating su-
preme and civil in Jamaica – at one time
in this courthouse litigants and lawyers
in civil matters would share elevators with
shackled prisoners.”
Working with the Queens Bar Asso-
ciation, Greater Jamaica and Towery
sought to move the civil court out of Bor-
ough Hall and locate it on Sutphin Boule-
vard. They won that battle and Towery
came on full-time.
“Then I came to work here in 1971,”
Towery said. “I also was teaching at Co-
lumbia at the time.”
For the last 40 years, Towery and the
Greater Jamaica Development Corporation
have worked hand in hand with every
elected official that did or could cover Down-
town Jamaica, a host of local, city, state and
federal agencies too long to list and the
people of Jamaica who have welcomed this
Southern gentleman into their fold.
page 9
A Greater Jamaica Comes Into Focus
BY BRIAN M. RAFFERTY
Carlisle Towery may be the public face
that many who don't know better con-
sider the founder of the Greater Jamaica
Development Corporation, but even
though he has steered the ship for the
last four decades, he will be the first to
say that none of what has been accom-
plished could have been done without the
hard work and effort of the organization
as a whole.
"The [Regional Plan Association] and
the local Chamber of Commerce were the
parents," Towery, the president of GJDC,
said.
Local attorney Vincent Albanese and
home fuel oil entrepreneur Larry Cormier
were both active members of the Jamaica
Chamber of Commerce.
"I became involved in the community,
in the course of which I was asked to serve
as the president of the Jamaica Chamber
of Commerce," Albanese said. "I realized
that there were major problems with
Jamaica's future, and explored what to
do about it."
There were nine people who signed
the articles of incorporation of the
GJDC, but just how the organization
came to be was detailed in a film recently
commissioned by GJDC as part of a
records archive project.
The following is an excerpted tran-
script from the film, with direct interviews
of Albanese, Cormier, Towery and other
players:
Towery: Greater Jamaica was formed
at a time when a disinvestment was tak-
ing place. The downtown was being sur-
rounded by an economic noose of re-
gional malls, which was threatening
downtown, as was the uncertainty of eco-
nomic change.
Cormier: People were moving in from
Harlem, the Bronx and a lot from Brook-
lyn. Most of them were middle class
people, professionals.
Towery: The newcomers coming into
Jamaica were generally of higher in-
comes than the people that they had dis-
placed, the people that had fled. So it
was a real challenge, but also an oppor-
tunity.
Cormier: When the new people came
in, the perception is that we were differ-
ent, so they didn't know how to merchan-
dise, how to stock the stores to serve us.
All they had to do was do what they were
doing before and everything would have
been okay, but they didn't understand that.
There was no communication between
the new blacks and the old whites that
were here.
Towery: People were moving there by
choice and becoming stakeholders, and
while they were underserved, they were
still investing in the area and were creat-
ing what one prominent demographer
called a "zone of emergence," and that
was a favorable term for a place that was
evolving and growing.
Cormier: The Chamber of Commerce
was a real powerhouse at that time. John
Lindsay was mayor; Dave Starr was ac-
tive with the Chamber here.
Albanese: David Starr had suggested
to me and others that if we could get the
Regional Plan Association to do a study
on Jamaica, that would help us in under-
taking to do the kind of improvements
that needed to be done - transportation
and so forth.
Towery: Jamaica required thinking
about its future, its possibilities, its mar-
kets - given its attributes and given its prob-
lems. A plan was prepared, and it was
done by Regional Plan Association, who
had a regional vision of what the 31-coun-
try tri-state metropolitan area was under-
going.
Richard T. Anderson, President, New
York Building Congress: What RPA was
looking for was sub-centers, places where
development could be concentrated ap-
propriately rather than continue to allow
urban sprawl. The first prototype of an
urban sub-center was Jamaica. Jamaica
was an aging downtown in Central
Queens. But it had fallen from the hub of
economic and social activity that it once
had. So one of the first studies of the new
Stellar Beginning:
regional plan that RPA embarked on was
a study called Jamaica Center, a study for
the borough of Queens and, indeed, for
all of Long Island.
Never can a regional plan be imposed
on local communities. You need to work
with government, with voluntary organi-
zations, the business community. And so
one of the recommendations of the re-
port was the creation of a local develop-
ment corporation.
Cormier: The original members were
the members of the Chamber, and they
realized that they couldn't do it within
the framework of the Chamber.
Albanese: So we concluded to form
the Greater Jamaica Development Cor-
poration.
Cormier: And that's how Greater Ja-
maica was founded. I happen to have
been fortunate enough to be one of the
original incorporators of Greater Jamaica,
and we were funded to a great extent by
the Lindsay Administration.
Albanese: There was a companion
New York City effort, the office of Ja-
maica Planning and Development that
Mayor Lindsay established, and they set
up a partnership between the two.
Kenneth Patton, Former Deputy Mayor
for Economic Development, Lindsay Admin-
istration: He brought in the top urban
designers and planners and he embraced
planning with enthusiasm and develop-
ment to go with it, because he was of the
same mind as I was. You shouldn't just
make pictures and color maps. You should
bring the capacity to implement them to-
gether.
Albanese: He designated a gentleman
named Andy Maguire to act as his repre-
sentative in Jamaica, which was very
good because we had the mayor's own
man out there beating the bushes with us.
Towery: And thereby created one of
the city's first public-private partnerships,
dedicated to the revitalization of Down-
town Jamaica.
Patton: The first true local economic
development corporation for sub-center
development.
Albanese: And he consulted us to what
our next step would be, and the next step,
we concluded, was to hire an executive
Anderson: Carlisle Towery was a mem-
ber of the Regional Plan Association full
time staff. He was a colleague of mine.
But the people in Jamaica said he is abso-
lutely the best prepared to do this job,
and if you don't allow us, at least on an
interim basis, to have Carlisle, we can't
form the Greater Jamaica Development
Corporation.
Towery: The founders thought a 10-
year project was inevitable. They hired
me for four years, and they said we'll con-
sider renewing you after four years. We
want to see how far we get, but it's a 10-
year project.
Albanese: That was in 1970, and that
10-year relationship has continued to
date. With his leadership and the leader-
ship of the other representatives of the
various stores in Jamaica we undertook
to plan major improvements, such as
transportation and education - and that's
the beginning of the story.
In a separate interview, Towery said
that when he started with GJDC, he was
hired and had half a secretary and an as-
sistant. He was still teaching at Columbia
and the local business leaders did a lot of
the heavy lifting to make sure that GJDC
would get off the ground.
"It started out, in part because of
the budget, from the Fund for the City
of New York, matched with private
contributors like the Long Island Press,
Gertz Store, the Gertz family, Chase
Bank , Manufac tu re r s Hanover , "
Towery said. "There were several busi-
ness leaders, and we did it under the
aegis of the Jamaica Chamber of Com-
merce."
In mentioning Mayor John Lindsay's
role, Towery said the mayor was deeply
involved and had set up a satellite office
in Jamaica, holding cabinet meetings in
Queens.
Another hero, Towery said, was
Queens Borough President Donald
Manes.
Carlisle Towery
Vincent Albanese
Richard Anderson Kenneth Patton
Larry Cormier
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Underpass Project To Lift The GloomBY JOSEPH OROVIC
Nearly a year ago, New York City Eco-
nomic Development Corporation Presi-
dent Seth Pinsky gave a tour of the bor-
ough to members of the local media, show-
casing some of the bigger projects under-
way around the borough.
The day began at Jamaica’s transit hub,
with Pinsky pointing to a dank, depressing
stretch along Sutphin Boulevard, the Long
Island Rail Road clanging overhead. He
promised what was once an eyesore of
garbage loading docks will be transformed
into a stretch of shops, well lit and wel-
coming enough to match the upgraded
side across the street. Work began once
the Greater Jamaica Development Corpo-
ration got its hands on it.
The ground was broken for the Shops at
Station Plaza in December 2008. It will
create 5,500 square feet of retail space,
add new lighting, storefronts, and a new
sidewalk and roadbed. The project was
originally slated to be completed by the
end of this year.
The rejuvenation of the LIRR under-
pass on Sutphin is part of a larger plan for
Downtown Jamaica, one that will see the
languishing neighborhood rejuvenated. By
the time work is done, the EDC expects
the transit hub at Sutphin Boulevard and
Archer Avenue to become a mixed use
commercial district with residential units.
A New Vision:
Today, the underpass is dimly lit and forebod-
ing.
(Right) An artist’s rendering of the rede-
signed underpass.
“Something to look forward to will be
the $100 million infrastructure project in
the Sutphin corridor,” said Justin Rodgers,
Director Economic Development, GJDC.
“That project will consist of retail right
under the Long Island Rail Road under-
pass , and one really strong point that is
incorporated is that we are working really
diligently to attract local subcontractors
and get them work, and get them working
on these projects.”
The Sutphin underpass will be part of a
greater expansion of capacity called
“IMAX” (Inter-modal Enhancements/At-
lantic Avenue Extension), a $98 million
investment from City, State and Federal
sources. IMAX’s goals are to create new
gateways to Downtown Jamaica while
adding 30 new permanent jobs and 580
construction jobs.
The project is a three-phase under-
taking that not only includes Sutphin
Boulevard, but also, the extension of
Atlantic Avenue to connect with 95th
Avenue to improve access to the AirTrain
and LIRR from the Van Wyck Express-
way. The final arm of the project, which
will begin 2011, will realign the intersec-
tion of Archer Avenue and Sutphin Bou-
levard to relieve traffic and improve
streetscape.
The underpass is part of a 368-block
swath of Downtown Jamaica that was
rezoned in 2007. The rezoning called for
the creation of an Airport Village in the
area around the AirTrain. The Sutphin
Boulevard underpass project is the first in
the rezoned area.
According to GJDC, the Sutphin Bou-
levard project will cater to more than
300,000 daily commuters.
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Southeast Queens Events Edited By Harley Benson
pix
Sutphin BID Adopts Families
On Dec. 21, the Sutphin Boulevard Business Improvement District held itsfirst Adopt-a-Family corporate breakfast program at the JFK CorporateSquare across from the Air Train Terminal in Downtown Jamaica.
Featured-speaker Yvonne Reddick, Community Board 12 District Manager,and Simone Price, the Director of the Sutphin Boulevard Business Improve-ment District, welcomed arriving guests to the breakfast.
Corporate sponsors and recipients mingle for the camera: (Back Row) JoeGoldbloom from Councilman Leroy Comrie’s staff; sponsor Eon Parks;Linwood Smith of NYC Comptroller John Liu’s staff; George Taitt, Vice-Presi-dent of Capital One Bank; Chris Neville; (Middle Row) Community Board 12District Manager Yvonne Reddick; Signature Bank Vice-President and As-sociate Group Director Elizabeth Forgione; Barbara Neville; DominiqueNeville; Paradise Neville; Sutphin Boulevard Director Simone Price; (Bot-tom Row) Janiece Neville; Janaya Neville; and Jalilil Neville. The Nevillesare one of the program’s family recipients.
Recipient Mehki Littles playing withgifted toys with a program sponsor sonBryce Elliott and recipient Shawn Littles.
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A beaming recipient, Janaya Neville.
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Borough Beat
Queens Educators Support LiteracyBY DAN MILLER
Students, teachers and parents joined
their principal at Barnes & Noble on
Union Turnpike in Fresh Meadows re-
cently in a read-a-loud/fundraising pro-
gram.
The highlight of the evening was hear-
ing teachers from PS/IS 178 read their
favorite books to the Holliswood students
who attended the event with their par-
ents in the children’s section of the store.
The adult storytellers had selected
their favorite books to read to the stu-
dents . The program was part of
fundraiser to support children’s literacy
at the school.
Christine Passarella, a second gradeBY DAN MILLER
On Wednesday, Dec. 28, at about noon,
when many workers not on vacation were
preparing for their for lunch break, a 28-
foot truck skidded on an icy segment of
the eastbound Long Island Expressway
adjacent to 156th Street and wound up on
the snowy embankment.
The truck slammed to a halt on a 45-
degree angle from the roadway and ob-
servers feared that the disabled truck
would topple over onto the crowed LIE.
Emergency vehicles from FDNY’s
Tower Ladder Company 52, NYPD
Emergency Highway Services and later
teacher at the school, shared a book about
jazz great John Coltrane titled “Before
John was a Jazz Giant.”
“I have been participating in the
Barnes & Noble book fairs for the past
four years. It really brings the community
together in a special way. It is wonderful
to see the teachers reading aloud to the
children and their parents. We always
have a fun night and it’s for a terrific
cause,” said Passarella.
Special guest readers included teach-
ers Mrs. Simon and Ms. Kletzkin, who
read with great enthusiasm. The event
ended with the new Assistant Principal
Jason Chin and school Principal Jennifer
Ambert also reading to the children.
On the day following the event, each
class at the Holliswood school whose stu-
dents had participated was given a copy
of the book “Snow,” which was read on
the evening before at the book fair by the
Christine Passarella reads “Before John
was a Jazz Giant” to the students.
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Truck In Snow Shuts LIE
school’s principal. Some of the proceeds
from the event wil l go toward the
Holliswood School Book of the Month
program, which distributes a common
book title to all the teachers in the school.
This read-a-loud that included the
school’s teachers and administrators was
part of a month-long book fair during
which parents could purchase new books
at Barnes & Noble and have a percentage
of each purchase donated to the school.
a tow truck from Big
Apple Towing came
to the aid of the ve-
hicle.
Police closed off all
three eastbound lanes
of the LIE until the
tow truck could ma-
neuver the disabled
vehicle off the snow
bank and back onto
the roadway.
When put back on
the road, the truck was
able to be driven away
on its own power.
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The tow vehicle backs up to help free the teetering truck.
A A A A A &&&&& E E E E E
The Louis Armstrong House Museum
announced that cataloging for its three
largest collections is now accessible
through its website,
louisarmstronghouse.org, and that by the
end of 2011, the Museum’s entire catalog
will be online.
The Louis Armstrong House Museum
holds the world’s largest archives devoted
to a single jazz musician. Its collections en-
compass more than 5,000 sound record-
ings, 15,000 photographs, 30 films, 100
scrapbooks, 20 linear feet of letters and
papers and six trumpets. Researchers, record
companies, publishers, film producers, pub-
lic school students and many others rou-
tinely use these materials. Since 1994, more
than a dozen books and recordings have
been published based on research from the
collections, including Terry Teachout’s
Pops, a notable book of 2010.
“The world is more interested than
ever in Louis Armstrong,” said Michael
Cogswell, director of the Museum.
“That’s evident not only from the ever-
increasing number of people from around
the world who visit our Museum, but also
from the number of researchers using our
archives and the great popularity of re-
cent Armstrong films and books.”
The research core of the archives is
the Louis Armstrong Collection, compris-
ing Satchmo’s vast personal trove of
home-recorded tapes, photographs, scrap-
books, manuscript band parts and other
materials discovered inside his modest
house in Corona, after his
wife, Lucille, passed away in
1983. A grant from the Louis
Armstrong Educational
Foundation made possible
the Museum’s acquisition of
the world’s largest private
collection of Armstrong ma-
terial from Jack Bradley,
Armstrong’s friend and a
noted jazz photographer. As
might be expected, a strength
of this collection lies in the
hundreds of candid, previ-
ously unpublished photo-
graphs taken or collected by
Bradley over five decades.
The collections are currently
housed in the Benjamin S. Rosenthal Li-
brary at Queens College.
“One of our most common reference
questions is, ‘What kind of trumpet did
Louis Armstrong play?’ Now, anybody,
anywhere in the world 24/7, can simply
go on the web to learn the make, model
and serial numbers and to see photos of
Louis’s own gold-plated trumpets,” said
Cogswell.
The work of processing the Jack Bra-
dley Collection and publishing the
Museum’s catalog online is being funded
in part by a $105,384, two-year grant from
the Museums for America program of the
Institute of Museum and Library Services
(IMLS). The institute is the primary
source of federal support for the nation’s
123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums;
its mission is to create strong libraries and
museums that connect
people to information
and ideas.
“Thanks to the vision
and generosity of the
Louis Armstrong Educa-
tional Foundation, we
have been able to build a
world-renowned re -
search archives,” said
Cogswell. “And now,
thanks to this IMLS
grant, our catalog will be
online for everyone to
peruse and enjoy.”
After receiving the
grant from IMLS in Oc-
tober 2009, the Museum
launched a national search for a project
archivist. Ricky Riccardi, a well-known
Armstrong expert, was hired and he has
spent every workday for the past fifteen
months arranging, preserving and catalog-
ing more than 200 cubic feet of Armstrong
material.
“Working with this collection has been
an absolute dream come true, but getting
to share it online with other Armstrong
lovers from around the world really makes
this something special. And it’s not just
for Armstrong experts; the online cata-
log will appeal to music fans, art histori-
ans, 20th-century pop culture buffs, musi-
cians, photographers, you name it,” said
Riccardi. “There’s something for every-
one.”
Jazz History Lives On Through Web
Satchmo and all his works will be
available for perusal on the Web.
Restaurant Review
A Taste Of Mykonos
Mykonos Restaurant
37 Great Neck Road, Great Neck
(516) 773-8010
CUISINE: Greek
HOURS: Mon-Thu 11 am-10 pm; Fri 11
am-11 pm; Sat 4-11 pm; Sun 4-10 pm
PARKING: Street
RESERVATIONS: Accepted
CREDIT CARDS: Accepted
After a long day at work, a belly full of
Greek food was just what the doctor or-
dered. Eagerly anticipating far more than
I alone could eat, a guest and I ventured
out for a late dinner on a Monday evening.
Upon entering, Greek music fills the
air. We are quickly seated by our waiter
at a table set for two. Despite our post-
dinner rush arrival, the restaurant was
dotted with friends and family eating in
twos and fours.
As I study the thick leather menu, I
take a moment to look around.
The interior is simple, with clean
lines, white tablecloths and walls deco-
rated by Mediterranean seascapes.
Large windows and lush potted plants
lend an air of the exotic, so don’t be
surprised if you forget where you are.
To start off, we choose a very healthy
assortment of our favorite appetizers.
As a big fan of anything that can be
spread on pita bread, I narrowly avoided
devouring the homemade Hummus and
tangy Tzatziki (their yogurt is imported
from Greece).
I tentatively tried the Mussels, which,
sautéed in red wine and tomato sauce
with feta cheese, leave the fishy taste
completely behind.
Calamari is like pizza. Everybody’s
got it, and it’s usually okay. The
Kalamarakia Tiganita, seasoned with fen-
nel and lightly pan fried, is better than
most. The hint of fennel, brought out by
fresh-squeezed lemon, was just right.
As a seasoned falafel maker, I am a
critical judge. Mykonos offers what
might be my new East Coast favorite.
The thick falafel is a three- or four-bite
affair, and more lightly fried than many.
Never mind the dipping sauce, these
falafel are all about what’s inside – well-
spiced, creamy goodness, with a blend
of flavors that I could not identify. Don’t
forget to try it with the Tzatziki.
Spanakopita, spinach, feta cheese,
herbs and spices wrapped in f laky filo
dough, is my favorite way to eat spin-
ach and left nothing to be desired.
Rounding out our appetizers was,
Saganaki, imported Greek
kefalograviera cheese, pan seared in ol-
ive oil. What can I say about the
Saganaki? It’s fried cheese. How could
it NOT be good?
Already well stuffed, we dug into a
Roka Salad – arugula, walnuts and
shaved parmesan cheese drizzled in ol-
ive oil and balsamic vinegar. This salad
is all about the combination. Although
it can be a challenge, try to get every-
thing on one fork. The yummy mouth-
ful will make it worth the effort.
Not sure if I had room for the main
course, I managed several delicate bites
of the Mousaka, baked layers of egg-
plant, potato and sautéed ground meat
topped with béchamel sauce. The strong
taste of cinnamon, with the savory
meat, was a mouthwatering combina-
tion that I, sadly, could not finish.
My guest devoured his
Thalasomezes, char-grilled shrimp, oc-
topus and calamari. Pausing only to
comment that it was good and make the
token offer of a bite, I took that as a
sign of his approval and recommend that
you do the same.
The highlight of the meal was clearly
dessert. One of my all time favorites,
we chose Baklava, layers of filo dough
with walnuts in honey syrup, and
whipped cream on the side. Beautifully
plated and big enough to share, their
Baklava is lighter than many. Not
drenched in honey syrup (though
there’s nothing wrong with that), a
strong taste of cinnamon, combined
with the walnut filing, is culinary nir-
vana.
With prices that range from $6.50-
$13.95 for an appetizer, and $11.95-$29
for an entrée, make the drive. It’s worth it.
–Jessica Ablamsky
Based on Cuban and Puerto Rican folk-
lore, “La Cucarachita Martina/Martina, the
Little Roach” tells a comical tale of a little
roach who, in her journey towards finding
love, finds happiness and friendship.
The tale will come to the Thalia Span-
ish Theater for one performance on Jan. 8.
With the use of colorful bunrakú pup-
petry, designed by Puerto Rican master
puppeteer José López, children will be
transported into a rich, dream-like world
where they interact with the characters
and understand the communication of
animals through the use of playful sounds.
Audiences of all ages are sure to enjoy
the Rock and Latin sounds that create this
enchanting musical tale, which will be of-
fered in both Spanish and English.
After the show The Three Kings will
visit Thalia to give presents to the children
in this delightful Latino holiday tradition.
Tickets are $10 for children, $12 for
adults. Thalia Spanish Theatre is located
at 41-17 Greenpoint Ave, Sunnyside. For
information or tickets, call (718) 729-
3880 or go to thaliatheatre.org.
2011 looks to be a busy year at Thalia as
well. The National Endowment for the Arts
has awarded the theater a grant to support
its World Premiere of “You Tango?” an in-
Folklore Roach Tale
Settles In At Thalia
teractive musical celebrating the greatest
hits of Tango, featuring one of the world’s
finest tango musicians and composers:
Maestro Raul Jaurena (2007 Latin Grammy
Winner). The show also will star Marga
Mitchell and El Pulpo (last seen on our stage
in our 2001 hit “All That Tango”), dancers
Sara and Ivan, and many more. It will run
from Jan. 29 to March 20, 2011.
Meanwhile, back in Sunnyside, Thalia
will co-produce “Flamenco & Indian Mu-
sic & Dance,” with Andrea Del Conte
Danza España and Lotus Music and
Dance, on April 1, 2 and 3. Later in the
spring, in May and June, Thalia will pro-
duce the bilingual world premiere of “No
Problemo, Amigo,” a comedy written by
Jaime Espinal, winner of the Inter Ameri-
can Development Bank’s inaugural His-
panic-American Playwriting Competition.
The play is performed in English, Span-
ish, and “Spanglish.” The protagonist,
played by Jaime Espinal, is an office worker
by day, superhero by night, who comes to
the U.S. to work for an agency that links
exchange students with host families. It is
fun, funny and relevant, especially in light
of the endless debate about immigration.
Projections onstage will help everyone
navigate between the languages.
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Faith
NotebookYork College
Century-Old Church Tackles Bible
Word“Make your own Bible. Select and collect all the
words and sentences that in your reading have
been like the blast of triumph out of Shakespeare,
Seneca, Moses, John and Paul.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
BY MARCIA MOXAM COMRIE
The exclamation point in the York Col-
lege play, “Istwa!” denotes excitement and
that is exactly what Istwa! does – elicits
excitement from audiences both young
and grown wherever it is performed.
Adapted and directed by York College
professor Tom Marion and a team of stu-
dents, the play, based on four classic fairy
tales, opened at the College’s Little The-
atre in October 2010 to rave reviews.
But Dr. Lindamichelle Baron, a pro-
fessor in the Department of Teacher Edu-
cation, suggested to Marion that the play
should be taken on the road to area el-
ementary schools. Fast forward to Dec.
18 and Marion and 12 student performers
took the excitement with them to PS 40
in the York neighborhood, to the delight
of the K-5 set.
The hour-long production features
Theatre Arts majors as well as Education
and other majors, enrolled at York and
was developed in their Theatre Practice
class. Professor Marion picked the multi-
cultural folktales and the students adapted
the action and dialogue. The cast’s cul-
tural sensibilities of character and wry
modern wit made for a unique and charm-
ing creation of each story.
All the action takes place on a carpet
with no props. “The only ingredient
needed is the imagination,” said Marion,
who explained that the method
known as “story theatre” was devel-
oped in the 1960s. Marion became
interested in the art form while a the-
atre student under Joseph Hart, a
now retired professor from Rutgers
University.
Some of students in the play were
first-time performers, but they did not
disappoint. “They jumped right in
and learned what it is to build an en-
semble and what it means to dedi-
cate themselves physically, vocally,
York Theater Brings Show To PS 40and imaginatively
to create a script
that embodies a
river, a chair,” he
said.
Narrated in part
by York Theatre
veteran Joseph
Grasso, an upper
senior with plans
for law school, the
show mesmerized
the children at PS
40. According to
York students, the
joy was mutual.
“It makes me
more open to the
public,” said The-
atre Arts major
Arinze Nwogu, also an upper senior ap-
plying to graduate school at NYU. “It
makes me more sociable and be a kid
again. It was amazing. The kids enjoyed
us. They had fun. It made them enjoy sto-
ries. It was like educational TV.”
Angelica Johnson felt the love as well.
“It is much different playing for the
kids,” said Johnson, an Education major
in her junior year. “Some jokes the adults
Performers from York bring their energetic performance to PS 40.
The students, clearly, enjoyed the presentation.
at York laughed at and the kids did not;
and some the kids got and the adults did
not.”
But the play isn’t just about laughter.
In the jest were kernels of truth, which
was not lost on the children.
At the end of the play they were asked
what they got from the presentation. One
little girl summed it up: “’We learned that
it is important to be kind,’” she said.
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BY SASHA AUSTRIE
The Presbyterian Church of St. Albans,
always a hub of activity, is once again
opening its doors to lure the faithful.
On Jan. 5, the church is hosting a Bible
literacy program. Randy Frazee, senior
minister of Oak Hills Church in San Anto-
nio, Texas, and creator of The Story
Church-wide Experience, will be the guest
speaker at the event. It will from 1-2 p.m.
at 190-04 119th Ave.
The discussion will include, the church’s
“dirty little secret;” why people have the
perception that the Bible isn’t accessible and
how Frazee sought to move his
congregants’ Bible illiteracy to engagement.
For more than 100 years, the church
has been a staple in the St. Albans com-
munity.
Presbyterian Church of St. Albans grew
out of cottage prayer meetings. In 1898,
the year before the town of St. Albans
was officially named, a group of Chris-
tians started holding Wednesday evening
meetings in their houses.
Although the foundation was laid well
before there was a building to house the
spirit of the church, people worshipped in
the Community Hall built in 1903, which
is now the First Church of God in Christ.
The cornerstone known as the Presby-
terian Church of St. Albans was built in
1907.
The church stands as a symbol of its
resilience. Rev. Edward Davis said the
church has had three reconfigurations
since it has been built. Since he has taken
the helm as pastor, there have been
10,000 additional square feet.
Davis said the spirit of the church has
lasted a full century.
PR
ES
S P
ho
to
b
y Ira C
oh
en
The Presbyterian Church of St. Albans is hosting a Bible literacy program on Jan. 5.
“This church was founded March 5,
1907, by mothers and fathers in St. Albans
and the main thrust was focusing on the
children,” Davis said. “That same spirit
has penetrated every aspect of the 100
years. There is a great interest in young
people and youth.”
Reach Reporter Sasha Austrie at
saustrie@queenspress.com or (718) 357-7400,
Ext. 123.
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Profile
Wills’Agenda Coming Into FocusBY SASHA AUSTRIE
It is mid afternoon on a Thursday and
the City Council office on Guy R. Brewer
Boulevard is rife with activity. An unfurled
banner hangs in the front window. The
address may be the same, but the inhabit-
ant is definitely different.
For months, the future of the 28th
Council District has hinged on a Nov. 2
special election. Who would win the
people’s vote? What programs would be
implemented to solve the ills of the dis-
trict? Who could build on the late Coun-
cilman Tom White’s legacy?
With 36 percent of the vote, the
people chose Ruben Wills. He contends
that his current role in public office is a
mere extension of his community activist
role.
His victory came after his third politi-
cal campaign: Wills ran for Congress in
2008; in 2009, he challenged White; and
in 2010, he captured the district.
“I love it,” he said of his new post. “I
really think I was created to do this.”
Asked about building on White’s
legacy, Wills is mum. Lupe Todd, Wills’
spokeswoman, said the comparison is
unfair.
“What he is trying to do is forge his
own path,” she said.
Whether or not he will have White’s
longevity remains to be seen, but Wills
was appointed as chairman if the Sub-
committee on Drug Abuse. White was the
executive director of J-CAP, a drug reha-
bilitation program.
A month into his term,
Wills has wasted little
time. He set up shop in
White’s old office at 137-
42 Guy R. Brewer Blvd.,
as his office at Sutphin
Boulevard and 95th
Street is being readied.
On his agenda is the
educational future of stu-
dents in his district, the
foreclosure crisis and get-
ting a grasp on the other
issues plaguing the dis-
trict.
Wills has established a
Distance Learning Pro-
gram with 10 elementary
schools in the district. The
program uses video
conferencing to allow in-
teraction between stu-
dents and teachers in other schools. Wills
said the partnership was forged with
NASA.
By next year, he hopes to involve the
middle schools and eventually high
schools.
“These kids can conceivably talk to
people in China,” he said. “Imagine our
kids talking to astronauts on the space
station.”
Continuing on the
educational front, Wills
is hoping to save PS 30,
a school the Dept. of
Education has slated for
phase out. A town hall
is currently set for 6:30
p.m. on Jan. 13 at the
school.
Another issue on his
schedule is the bevy of
foreclosures in South-
east Queens neighbor-
hoods. He is drafting
the Good Neighbor bill,
which would not in itself
staunch foreclosures,
but it would force banks
to secure a home as
soon as the renter or
homeowner leaves the
property.
Wills said the bill
would levy fines against entities not in
compliance, and instead of the penalties
being stored in a general pool, the mon-
ies would be used to shore up the aban-
doned home and provide legal aid for
those engrossed in foreclosures.
Wills is also co-sponsoring a water lien
bill, which would stop liens from being
sold on to one-, two- and three-family
homes. He said Councilmen Leroy
Comrie (D-St. Albans) and Eric Ulrich
(R-Ozone Park) have pledged their sup-
port.
Though the bill would give a reprieve
to those that have a balance on their state-
ment, it does not forgive the debt. Liens
would go into effect after three years with
an outstanding balance of $1,000.
“It is just something for people to get
on their feet,” he said.
Wills is also planning five listening
tours across the district. “We want to paint
a total picture of the district and what we
want to work on.”
Along with the listening tours, Wills is
working with Ulrich to setup an immigra-
tion town hall. He said the meeting will
deal with everything from permanent resi-
dency to citizenship.
Both Todd and Wills contend that his
tenure will not be marked by separatist
politics.
“I’m not hear to deal with the non-
sense or divisive groupies,” he said.
“[People] deserve someone who is going
to fight for their services.”
Reach Reporter Sasha Austrie at
saustrie@queenspress.com or (718) 357-
7400, Ext. 123.
Councilman Ruben Wills
Queens TodaySECTION EDITOR: REGINA VOGEL
Send typed announcementsfor your club or
organization’s events atleast TWO weeks in
advance to “Queens Today”Editor, Queens Tribune,174-15 Horace HardingExpressway, Fresh Mead-
ows, NY 11365. Send faxesto 357-9417, c/o Regina.
IF YOUR ORGANIZATIONMEETS ON A REGULARBASIS, SEND ALL DATESFOR THE ENTIRE YEAR.
EDUCATION/GAMES/CRAFTS
SCRABBLE CLUBSaturdays at 10 at CountBasie Jr. HS, 132nd Street andGuy R. Brewer Blvd. 886-5236.PET OWNERSSundays (not on holidays)from 1-4 free workshops onpet behavior at CrocheronPark in Bays ide (weatherpermitting). 454-5800.CREATIVE WRITINGMonday, January 3 at theSeaside library at 2.KNIT & CROCHETMondays at the Douglaston/Little Neck library at 4.ENGLISH CONV.Mondays , January 3 , 10Eng l i sh Conver sa t ionGroups at the Bellerose li -brary. Register.ADULT CHESSMondays and Thursdays atthe Queens Village library at5:30.JIC JOB INFOMonday, January 3 at theCentral library at 7.COMPUTER CLASSTuesdays, January 4, 11 atthe Arverne library at 10.COMPUTER CLASSTuesdays, January 4, 11 atthe Sunnyside library. Reg-ister.BASIC COMPUTERTuesday, January 4 at theLIC library at 11.BEGINNER COMPUTERTuesday, January 4 at theSouth Jamaica library Regis-ter .ADULT SCRABBLETuesdays, January 4, 11 atthe Fresh Meadows libraryat 1.LIC CRAFT CLUBTuesday, January 4 at theLIC library at 1.INTRO COMPUTERSTuesday, January 4 at theMaspeth library at 1.LEARN TO DRAWTuesday, January 4 at theHillcrest library. Register.KNIT & CROCHETTuesdays at the WindsorPark library at 2.SCRABBLE CLUBTuesdays at the East Flush-ing library at 3:30.OPEN BRIDGETuesdays at 8 at the ForestHills Jewish Center. Call 263-7000 for fees.CHAIR YOGATuesday, January 4 at theEast Elmhurst library. Regis-ter .DUPLICATE BRIDGEWednesdays 10:30-3:00 atthe Reform Temple of For-est Hi l l s . $12 sess ion, in -cludes light lunch. 261-2900.WATERCOLOR CLASSWednesdays at 9:30 at NAL.Tradit ional and contempo-rary, all levels. 969-1128.INDOOR SOCCER – DADSWednesday evenings at theForest Hills Jewish Center.263-7000.ART LEAGUEStarting January 5 Explora-tions in Abstraction: UsingWatercolor and Mixed Me-dia from 1-4 at the NationalArt League in Douglaston.$100 for 4 classes. 516-223-7659.INTERMEDIATE COMP.Thursday, January 6 at theLIC library at 10.INTRO COMPUTERSThursday, January 6 at the
Pomonok library. Register.US CITIZENSHIPThursdays, January 6, 13Pathway to US Citizenshipat the E lmhurst l ibrary at5:30.QUILTING CLASSESThursdays 10-2 at the MariaRose Dol l Museum in S t .Albans. 917-817-8653 to reg-ister.OPEN BRIDGEThursdays from 8-10pm atthe Forest Hills Jewish Cen-ter . $12 per p layer . 275 -6615 to register.CHESS CLUBThursdays at the East Flush-ing library. Register.KNIT & CROCHETThursdays a t the F reshMeadows library at 6.KNITTING CLUBFridays at the Maspeth li-brary at 10.KNIT & CROCHETFridays at the Fresh Mead-ows library at 10:30.COMPUTER CLASSFridays, January 7, 14 atthe Middle Vil lage l ibrary.Register .SCRABBLEFridays Bananagrams andScrabble at the Windsor Parklibrary at 2:30.FM POETSSaturday, January 8 FreshMeadows Poets meet to dis-cuss their work at 10 at theForest Hills library.RESUME WRITINGSaturday, January 8 at theLIC library at 10:30.CAREER POTENTIALSaturday, January 8 at theCentral library at 2.COMPUTER CLASSMonday, January 10 at theFresh Meadows library. Reg-ister.JOB INFO SERVICESMonday, January 10 at theMiddle Village library. Reg-ister.CRAFT CLUBMonday, January 10 at theLIC library at 6.BALLROOM DANCINGMonday, January 10 at theForest Hills library at 6:30.INTRO E-MAILTuesday, January 11 at theQueens Village library. Reg-ister.WRITER’S WORKSHOPThursday, January 13 at theBayside library. Register.SIGN LANGUAGEThursday, January 13 at Al-l ey Pond Env i ronmenta lCenter. 229-4000 to regis-ter. For the entire family.JIC JOB INFOSaturday, January 15 at theCentral library at 11.POETRY WRITINGTuesday, Januar y 18 a tBa rnes & Nob le , 176 -60Union Turnpike, Fresh Mead-ows at 7:30.NOOK NIGHTWednesday, January 19 atBa rnes & Nob le , 176 -60Union Turnpike, Fresh Mead-ows at 7.DEFENSIVE DRIVINGSaturday, January 22 a tWes ley Uni ted Methodis tChurch in Franklin Square.516-872-8062.DEFENSIVE DRIVINGSunday, January 30 from 9-3:30 at the Forest Hills Jew-ish Center. $50. 263-7000to register.
JH ART CLUBClasses in all art forms daysand evenings for chi ldrenand adults. 899-0065.WOMEN’S NETWORKThe Queens Women’s Net-work can help with resumeass i s t ance , t yp ing andMic roso f t tu to r i a l s , j obsearch, interviewing tech-niques, GED and ESL classes,re fe r ra l s to t r a in ing p ro -grams. 657-6200.BAYVIEW BRIDGETuesdays (except July andAugust) Bayview Bridge Clubmeets at 6 at the Church ofthe Resur rec t ion , 100 -1732nd Avenue, East Elmhurst.ART CLASSESChildren and adults, day andevening, Monday throughSa tu rday. 926 -9821 .www.jacksonheightsartclub.org
ENTERTAINMENT
MOVIE & TALKMondays the F r iends o fPomonok present a movieand discussion. Bring lunch.1 at the Pomonok library.BINGOTuesdays at 7:15 at Ameri-can Martyrs Church, churchbasement , 216 -01 Un ionTurnp ike , Bays ide . 464 -4582. Tuesdays at 7:15(doors open 6) at the RegoPark Jewish Center, 97-30Queens Blvd. 459-1000.$3admis s ion inc ludes 12games.SYMPHONY 101Saturday, January 8 at 1 atthe Forest Hills and at 3 atthe Sunnyside l ibrary. Per-formance/workshop aboutthe different instruments inthe traditional symphonic or-chestra. For the entire fam-ily.KAISSASunday, January 9 African,reggae, jazz, R&B, makossaand Brazilian fusion music byKaissa at 3 at the Central li-brary.TROUBLED WATERMonday, January 10 show-ing of the film “Troubled Wa-ter” with English subtitles anddiscussion at 2 at the FreshMeadows library.OPEN MIC POETRYMonday, January 10 at 7:30at Barnes & Noble, 176-60Union Turnpike, Fresh Mead-ows.FAMILY GAME NIGHTMonday, January 10 at theSouth Jamaica library at 6.DINO ROSITuesday, January 11 con-cert of international songswi th D ino Ros i a t theAuburndale library at 3.KIDS’ CHOIRThursday, January 13 NYHospital Queens will host theSt. Francis Prep Children’sChoir from 3-4 in the LangAuditorium for a free con-cert. 670-1211 to register.ZOMBIE!Thursday, January 13 use ofzombies in literature, mediaand film at the Pomonok li-brary at 6.MLK JR.Friday, January 14 A Com-munity Conversation aboutthe legacy o f Dr . Mar t inLu the r K ing J r . a t theLangston Hughes library at7 .MLK JR.Saturday, Januar y 15 Tri-Boro Intergenerational Ser-vices of Jamaica invites all toan afternoon of reflectionsand entertainment at theirannual celebration dedicatedto the Life and Legacy of Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr. at 2at the Merrick Park BaptistChurch , 120 -02 B i shopCurtis G. Norton, Sr. Drive(Marsden Street), Jamaica.276-5039 information. Freewill offering.CON BRIO ENSEMBLESaturday, January 15 at theFlushing library at 2.,ASTRONOMYSaturday, January 15 from7-9 at Alley Pond Environ-mental Center. 229-4000 toregister. $12 adult, $7 chil-dren.LAS POSADASSaturday, January 15 Ra-dio Jarocho celebrates Las
Posadas at 3 at the Elmhurstlibrary.AMERICAN HEARTLANDSaturday , January 15Claremont Strings presentsMus ic o f the Amer icanHeartland at 3 at the JacksonHeights library.OPEN MICSunday, January 16 at theCentral library at 2.MLK JR.Sunday, January 16 ClergyUnited for Communit y Em-powerment, Inc. presents acelebration service of com-memoration for the Rev. Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. at 5at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church,202-03 Hollis Avenue.CON BRIO ENSEMBLESunday, January 16 at 4:30at Church in the Gardens,50 Ascan Avenue , Fores tHills. $12.GUITAR NIGHTSunday, January 16 Inter-na t iona l Gu i ta r N igh t a tQueens Theatre in the Park.760-0064 tickets.CON BRIO ENSEMBLESaturday, January 22 at 2at the Langston Hughes li -brary.CONCERTISunday, January 23 youngvir tuos i take the stage toper fo rm a p rog ram o fconcerti with orchestra. Allages. 997-3888.GOLDILOCKSSaturday , January 29Goldi locks and the ThreeBears at Queens Theatre inthe Park. 760-0064.BACK TO THE 60SSaturday, January 29 RonDante , Sonny Gerac i andDennis Tufano per form atQueensborough Commu-nity College. 631-6311.COFFEEHOUSEFebruary 5 at the Forest HillsJewish Center. 263-7000.TANGO BUENOS AIRESSunday , February 20 a tQueensborough Commu-nity College. 631-6311.
DANCE
ISRAELI FOLKMondays 7:15 -10 :00 a tHillcrest Jewish Center, 182-02 Union Turnpike. $10 ses-s ion. 380-4145. Mondays7:30-9:30 at Kowalinski Post4, 61-57 Maspeth Avenue.$5. Cake and coffee. 565-2259 . Wednesdays 7:30 -9:00 at ANIBIC Center, 212-12 26th Avenue, Bayside (BayTer race Shopp ing Centerupper l eve l ) . 939 -4936 .Thursdays 7-9 in the base-ment of Ascension Church,55th Avenue and Van Horn,Elmhurst. $5. 848-482-0153.
HEALTH
NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS7 days a week. 932-6244.www.westernqueensna.org.WAITANKUNGSundays at 2. Waitankung isa great total-body workout.Join these ancient Chineseexercise classes in the Flush-ing Hospital/Medical Centerauditorium on 45th Avenuebe tween Pa r sons andBurling. Free. Jimmy 7-10pm347-2156 information.TAI CHIMondays and Thursdays at11 at the Card iac Heal thCenter in Fresh Meadows.670-1695. $5 a class.CHAIR YOGATuesday, January 4 at theEast Elmhurst library. Regis-ter .YOGA TALKTuesday, January 4 JamieEhrenthal, a certified instruc-tor of yoga, speaks at theRe fo rm Temple o f Fo re stHills, 71-11 112th Street at8:30. Free.YOGA DANCETuesdays 4:30-5:30 at theCard iac Heal th Center inFresh Meadows. 670-1948.$10 class.CAREGIVERS SUPPORTEver y Tuesday We ste rnQueens Caregiver Networkin Sunnyside. 784-6173, ext.431.OAThursdays a t the HowardBeach library at 10:30.MEMORY LOSSFridays Couples with onepar tne r exper ienc ingmemory loss meet a t theSamuel Field Y. 225-6750,ext. 236.OAFridays 6:30-8:30 at UnityCenter of F lushing, 42-11155 th S t ree t . Saturdays10:30-noon at ResurrectionAscension, Feely Hall, 85-1861st Road, Rego Park. Be-ginners meeting except thelast Friday of each month,which is a writing meeting.CO-DEPENDENTS ANON.Fridays 10-11:45 at Resur-rection Ascension PastoralCente r , 85 -18 61 st Road ,Rego Park. Women only.BLOOD DRIVESunday, January 9 blooddr i ve f rom 9 :30 -1 :30 a tTemple Tikvah, 3315 HillsideAvenue, New Hyde Park.
EXHIBIT
QUEENS HISTORICALTuesdays , Sa turdays andSundays 2:30-4:30 new ex-hibit “For Love of the Games:A H i s to ry o f Spor t s i nQueens,” Queens HistoricalSociety at Kingsland Home-stead, 144-35 37th avenue,Flushing. 939-0647, ext. 17.$2 seniors and students, $3adults.AMER. CIVIL RIGHTSThrough January “A JourneyI Stone and Wood,” sculp-tures by Gladys ThompsonRoth . February th roughApril “Bindu Masks from theImperato Collection.” Febru-ary through June “QCC ArtGallery: 20 Years of Collect-ing.” QCC Art Gallery. 631-6396.AFGHANISTANThrough January 13 “Win-dows and Mirrors: The Warin A fghan i s tan” a t theGodwin-Ternbach Museumat Queens College.NAL STUDENTSJanuary 3-29 National ArtLeague Students’ Art Exhibi-t ion a t the league, 44 -21Douglaston Parkway. Mondaythrough Thursday 1-4 andweekends 1-3. Free.FLUSHING COUNCILThrough September 2011“Within the Emperor’s Gar-den : ” The Ten ThousandSprings Pavilion.” ThroughNovember 14 “EndangeredArt/ists: China.” November19 through January 7 “Ko-rean Painting Exhibition: AWalk Through Nature.” Per-manen t d i sp l ays i nc lude“Jazz Live!”, “Flushing TownHall:” Fact or Folklore,” anhistorical exhibition on Flush-ing Town Hall and its placein history, “Legends of theQueens Jazz Trail” 463-7700.
MEETINGS
BEREAVEMENTNew bereavement g roupforming at the Forest HillsJewish Center . 263-7000,ext. 223 for information.FRESH MEADOW CAMERATuesdays the Fresh Mead-ows Camera C lub meets .917-612-3463.WOMANSPACEWednesdays Womanspace,a discussion group devotedto i s sues concern ingwomen, meets 1 -3 at theGreat Neck Senior Center,80 Grace Avenue.CENTRAL ROTARYThursdays 6:30-8:30 Comelearn i f Rotary is for you.465-2914; me1nc@aol.comCIVIL AIR PATROLFridays 6-10 at Vaughn Col-lege of Aeronautics, 86-0123rd Avenue, East Elmhurst.WOMAN’S GROUPFridays the Woman’s Groupof Jamaica Estates meets atnoon. Call 461-3193.UNITED 40SThursday , January 13United Forties Civic Associa-tion, Inc. meets at St. TeresaPar i sh Center , 50 -22 45th
Street, Woodside.
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Queens Today
RELIGIOUS
FOREST HILLSSunday, January 9 ShivaMinyan Breakfast at 9, aftermorning Minyan. $10. RSVPby January 6. Thursdays Tal-mud Class following Morn-ing Minyan. $10 non-mem-bers. Forest Hills Jewish Cen-ter. 263-7000, ext. 200.MLK JR.Sunday, January 16 ClergyUnited for Communit y Em-powerment, Inc. presents acelebration service of com-memoration for the Rev. Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. at 5at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church,202-03 Hollis Avenue.
MISCELLANEOUS
CANNED FOOD DRIVEThrough Saturday, January8 at the Hillcrest library.
TALKS
PARENTS
SINGLES
THEATER
BOARD OF TRUSTEESJanuary 5, February 2, May4, June 1 the RenaissanceCharter School’s Board ofTrustees meet at 6:30. 803-0060.ADHD OR PDDDaily after school programsto meet the needs of elemen-tary school aged chi ldrenwho have learning disabili-ties and ADHD or PDD at theBay Terrace Center, 212-0023rd Avenue, Bayside from2:30-6:00. 225-6750, ext .266.ANIBICAssociation for Neurologi-cally Impaired Brain InjuredChildren, Inc. sponsors pro-grams inc lud ing SaturdayPlay Group (5-17), Tutorial (5to adult), Weekend Respite(17+), Young Adult Program(17+) and Adult Respite Pro-gram (21+). 423-9550, ext.243.KIDS KORNERAfter School Center is at theCentral Queens YM-YWHAin Forest Hi l l s . 268-5011,ext. 201. Extended hours.PLAYGROUPThe CUMC Playgroup is ac-cepting registration for itspreschool parents’ coopera-tive program in Middle Vil-lage. Children 18 months to4 years are e l ig ib le . 894-2293.SCHOOL HELPFree school help for studentsof all ages, parents and teach-ers. FreeSchoolHelp.comSPECIAL NEEDSDay Camp Program for chil-dren with special needs, in-cluding autism and mentalretardat ion at the SamuelField Y in Little Neck. 225-6750, ext. 259.TOUGH LOVETuesdays a t 7 :30 p .m .Toughlove International Par-ent Support Group for par-ents of out-of-control chil -dren (teens, pre-teens andadult children) meet at IS158in Bayside. 393-7788.
SINGLES SOCIAL & DANCESundays , January 2 , 30 ,February 13, 27 singles so-cial and dance from 2-6. $10.Over 45. Rego Park JewishCenter, 97-30 Queens Blvd.,Rego Park. 459-1000.
AUBURNDALEMonday, January 3 “TheLast Time I Saw You” will bed i scussed a t 2 a t theAuburndale library.STEINWAYMonday, January 3 at theSteinway library at 6:30.RICHMOND HILLThursday, January 6 “Yearsof Wonders: A Novel of thePlague” will be discussed at3 at the Richmond Hil l l i -brary.CYBER BULLYINGThursday, January 6 at theRidgewood library. Register.EAST ELMHURSTThursday, January 6 at theEast Elmhurst library at 6.ST. ALBANSThursday, January 6 “Prodi-gal” will be discussed at 6:30at the St. Albans library.FLUSHINGFriday, January 7 “Every-thing Is Illuminated” will bediscussed at 1 at the Flush-ing library. Film at 2.WINDSOR PARKMonday, January 10 “Hotelon the Corner of Bitter andSweet” will be discussed at2 at the Windsor Park library.NYS LABOR LAWSMonday, January 10 Under-standing NY State Labor Lawat 6:30 at the Jackson Heightslibrary.SEASIDEMonday, January 10 “IslandBeneath the Sea” will be dis-
KILLING KOMPANYFriday, February 4 “Murderby Marriage” at Riccardo’sin Astoria. The Killing Com-pany performs mystery din-ner shows. 1-888-SHOOT-EM for information.
cussed at 6:30 at the Seasidelibrary.WHITESTONETuesday, January 11 “OliveKitteridge” will be discussedat 1 at the Whitestone l i -brary.HILLCRESTTuesday, January 11 “TheAssistant” will be discussedat 2 at the Hillcrest library.GLENDALEThursday, January 13 “TheAwaken ing” w i l l be d i s -cussed at 6:30 at the Glen-dale library.WINDSOR PARKThursday, January 13 “TheDiscomfort Zone: A PersonalHistory” will be discussed at6:30 at the Windsor Park li-brary.MYSTERY BOOKSaturday, January 15 Para-normal/Mystery Book Clubmeets at the LIC library at3:30.MOVIES & MUSICMonday, January 17 bookdiscussion focused on titleswith strong ties to music andmovies. “Love Is A Mix Tape:
Life and Loss, One Song at aTime” wil l be discussed at7:30 at Barnes & Noble, 176-60 Union Turnpike , FreshMeadows.
ADOPTION DAYSaturdays 11-2 Adopt ionDay for Cats and Kittens atPet Edibles, 254-07 NorthernBlvd., Little Neck.ADOPTION DAYSundays 11-4 Adopt a home-less dog, cat or kitten at theAnimal Center of Queens, ano-kill organization at 89-10E l io t Avenue , Rego Park .www.acq.pet finder.comADULT CHOIRMost Fridays the Adult Choiro f Temp le Be th Sho lommeets at 7. 172nd Street andNorthern Blvd., Flushing.AUXILIARY OFF.The 105th Precinct Commu-nity Council invites all inter-ested in becoming an Auxil-iary Police Officer to contact776-9268.BARBERSHOPWednesdays the Queenschapter of the BarbershopHarmony Societ y meets atthe school hall, 175-20 74th
Avenue, Flushing. 381-8689.COMMUNITY SINGERSMondays through May theCommun i t y S inge r s o fQueens, Inc. rehearses atMessiah Lutheran Church,42-15 165th Street, Flushing.New members we lcome .658-1021.FOOD PANTRYFr idays Grace Ep i scopa lChurch, 14-15 Clintonvil leStreet, Whitestone, from 10-11. 767-6305.FH VACThe Forest Hil ls VolunteerAmbulance Corps needs vol-unteers. They wil l sponsoryou for a NYS EMT course atno cost to you once youqualif y. 793-2055. Monetarydonations also needed POBox 750617, Fores t H i l l s11375.
SENIORS
STAY WELLMondays at 10 at the Cen-tral library. Tuesdays at 2 atthe F lu sh ing l i b ra ry andWednesdays at 10 at theEast Elmhurst library. Specialexercises and relaxation tech-niques.STARSWednesdays, January 5, 12at 10:30 at the Hollis libraryand Fridays, January 7, 14at 10:30 at the Queens Vil-lage library. Senior TheaterActing Repertory meets.WOMANSPACEWednesdays Womanspace,a discussion group devotedto i s sues concern ingwomen, meets 1 -3 at theGreat Neck Senior Center,80 Grace Avenue . Newmembers welcome.AARP 1405Mondays, January 10, 24Flushing AARP Chapter 1405meets at the Bowne StreetCommunity Church, 143-11Roosevelt Avenue at 1. Newmembers welcome.
ONGOING
YOUTHTEENS
CHESS CLUBSaturdays at the Flushinglibrary at 2.KNIT & CROCHETMondays at the Douglaston/Little Neck library at 4.COLLEGE BOUNDMonday, January 3 gettingfinancial aid, SAT exams andmore at 4 at the Central li-brary.MANGA CLUBMondays, January 3, 10 atthe Peninsula library at 4.LAPTOPS FOR TEENSMondays-Fridays, January 3-7, 10-14 at the Hollis libraryat 4:30.BOOK BUDDIESTuesdays, January 4, 11 atthe Hillcrest library at 3:30.CHESS & CHECKERSTuesdays, January 4, 11 at4 at the LIC libraryDUNGEONS & DRAGONSTuesdays, January 4, 11 atthe Baisley Park library. Reg-ister.CHESSWednesdays at 3:30 at theQueens Village library.TEEN GAMESWednesdays, January 5, 12at the Central library at 4.GRAPHIC NOVELISTWednesday, January 5 at 4at the Far Rockaway library.Meet and learn from graphicnovelist and children’s bookauthor Neil Numberman inthis art workshop.GAME DAYWednesdays, January 5, 12at the St. Albans library at 4.TEEN GAME DAYWednesdays, January 5, 12at the Kew Gardens Hills li-brary at 4:30.GIRL SCOUTSThursday, January 6 at theQueens Village library at 4.CYBER BULLYINGThursday, January 6 work-shop at the Ridgewood l i -brary. Register.HAPPY HOURFridays, January 7, 14 atthe Flushing library at 3.BOOK BUDDIESFridays, January 7, 14 atthe Fresh Meadows libraryat 4.GAMESFriday, January 7 at the Sea-side library at 4.CHESS CLUBFriday, January 7 a t theDouglaston/Li t t le Neck l i -brary. Register.GAME PLAYERSFridays at the Hi l lcrest l i -brary at 2.TEEN TUTORINGMonday, January 10 at 3:30at the Bayside library.RESUME WRITINGMonday, January 10 at 3:30at the Broadway library.TEEN ADVISORY BD.Monday, January 10 at theCentral library at 4.CHESS CLUBMonday, January 10 at theBayside library at 6.CRAFT CLUBMonday, January 10 at theLIC library at 6.GRAPHIC NOVELISTTuesday, January 11 at 4 atthe Bay Te r race l ib rar y.Thursday, January 13 at 4at the Richmond Hill library.Meet and learn from graphicnovelist and children’s bookauthor Neil Numberman inthis art workshop.
QUEENS LIBRARIESMany b ranches o f theQueensborough Library of-fer toddler and pre-schoolprograms. Contact your localbranch for dates.CHESS CLUBSaturdays at the Flushinglibrary at 2.STORY TIMESSaturdays at 11 and Tues-days at 10:30 weekly storytimes at 7 at Barnes & Noble,176 -60 Un ion Turnp ike ,Fresh Meadows.KNIT & CROCHETMondays a t 4 a t theDouglaston/Li t t le Neck l i -b ra r y. B r ing need les andyarn.HOMEWORK HELPMondays-Fridays, January 3-7, 10-14 at the Lefrak Citylibrary at 3.AFTERSCHOOL TIMEMonday, January 3 for those7-18 at the Arverne libraryat 3.CRAFT KIDSMonday, January 3 at theFlushing library at 3.LITTLE TOT TIMEMondays, January 3, 10 atthe Hillcrest library at 4.BOOK BUDDIESTuesdays, January 4, 11 at3:30 at the Hillcrest library.CHESS & CHECKERSTuesdays, January 4, 11 atthe LIC library at 4.DUNGEONS & DRAGONSTuesdays, January 4, 11 atthe Baisley Park library. Reg-ister.CHESSWednesdays at the QueensVillage library at 3:30.NATURE EXPLORERSWednesdays starting Janu-ary 5 a 10 session activityfor those in grades 3-5 at Al-l ey Pond Env i ronmenta lCenter. 229-4000 to regis-ter .TIMELESS TALESWednesday, January 5 atthe Central library. Register.CRAFTSWednesdays, January 5, 12at the Steinway library. Reg-ister.GAME DAYWednesdays, January 5,1 2at the St. Albans library at 4.TRIVIA FOR KIDSWednesday, January 5 atthe Seaside library at 4:30.AFTERSCHOOL TIMEThursday, January 6 at theArverne library at 3.STORY TIMEThursday, January 6 at theKew Gardens Hills library at3 .GIRL SCOUTSThursday, January 6 at 4 atthe Queens Village library.CYBER BULLYINGThursday, January 6 at theRidgewood library. Register.MOTHER GOOSEFriday, January 7 a t theBriarwood library at 10:30.FAMILY STORY TIMEFriday, January 7 at 11 atthe Seaside library.PRESCHOOL CRAFTSFriday, January 7 a t theSunnyside library. Register.WII SPORTSFriday, January 7 a t theMaspeth library at 3:30.CHESS CLUBFridays, January 7, 14 atthe Poppenhusen library at3:30.
GAME DAYFr idays a t 3 :30 a t theQueens Village library.ARTS & CRAFTSFridays, January 7, 14 at theEast Flushing library. Regis-ter .GAME PLAYERS CLUBFridays at the Hillcrest libraryat 4.LEARN TO ACTFriday, January 7 at the Pen-insula library at 4.GAMESFriday, January 7 at the Sea-side library at 4.GAME TIMEFridays at the Windsor Parklibrary at 4.CHESS CLUBFridays at the Douglaston/Little Neck library. Register.MATH HELPSaturday at the Flushing li-brary.MAD SCIENTISTSaturday, January 8 at Al-l ey Pond Env i ronmenta lCenter for those 8-12. 229-4000 to register.SCIENCE LABSaturdays, January 8, 15 atthe Central library at 11.FOOTPRINTS IN SNOWSaturday , January 8 fo rthose 3 -4 and Saturday ,January 22 for those 5-6 atAl ley Pond EnvironmentalCenter. 229-4000 to regis-ter .SYMPHONY 101Saturday, January 8 at 1 atthe Forest Hills library and at3 at the Sunnyside library.P e r f o r m a n c e / w o r k s h o pabout the dif ferent instru-ments in the traditional sym-phonic orchestra.AFTERSCHOOL TIMEMonday, January 10 at 3 atthe Arverne library.TEEN TUTORINGMonday, January 10 at theBayside library at 3:30.WINTER CRAFTMonday, January 10 at theQueens Village library at 4.FAMILY GAME NIGHTMonday, January 10 at theSouth Jamaica library at 6.PJ STORY TIMEMonday, January 10 at thePomonok library at 7.NUTRITION WORKSHOPTuesday, Januar y 11 fo rthose 11-14 at the LIC l i -brary. Register. Also at theL IC l ib ra ry on Thursday ,January 13. Register.ACTING WORKSHOPTuesday, Januar y 11 fo rthose 10-14 at the Peninsulalibrary,. Register.STORY TIMEWednesday, January 12 atthe East E lmhurst l ib rary.Register .PRESCHOOL CRAFTWednesday, January 12 atthe Windsor Park l ibrary.Register .PICTURE BOOK TIMEWednesday, January 12 atthe Rego Park library at 3:30.SKATEBOARDWednesday , January 12Personalize your own skate-board at the Lefrak Cit y li-brary at 4.ANNIE THE DOGThursday, January 13 at theQueens Village library at 4.PUZZLE PROJECTSThursday, January 13 at theHillcrest library at 4:30.
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PeopleYork College senior men’s basketball
standout Marcel Esonwune (Lagos, Nige-
ria/Marist Brothers) once again has found
himself atop the NCAA Division III
leader board. The first statistical rankings
for NCAA Division III men’s basketball
were released and Esonwune was lead-
ing the nation in blocked shots per game
(4.7 per game) and double-doubles, (10)
and was second in rebounding (13.5 per
game). In addition, he also ranks 38th in
the nation in scoring (20.1 ppg).
Last season, the 2009-10 All-Ameri-
can finished the year as the leader in
blocked shots and is on pace to defend
his title this season. He also finished sec-
ond in rebounding a year ago.
York and Esonwune were idle until
Thursday night, when they hosted
Manhattanville.
Signature Bank announced that it has
appointed a new private client banking
team to be based out of its newly estab-
lished Jamaica office.
Joining Signature Bank are Norman
Burak, who was named Group Director
and Senior Vice President and Elizabeth
Forgione, appointed Associate Group Di-
rector and Vice President.
Most recently, Burak, who has 30 years
of banking expertise, spent 24 years at
HSBC, USA, NA and its predecessor en-
tities, including Marine Midland Bank. He
served as Vice President and Branch Man-
ager for the past 13 years at the Jamaica
branch on Hillside Avenue. Over the
years, Burak established relationships
with court-related businesses, law firms
and real estate entities.
Forgione spent 22 years at Sterling
Bank. For the past four years, she served
as First Vice President and Branch Man-
ager in Jamaica. She specializes in court-
appointed accounts as well as serving
small to mid-sized businesses and profes-
sional services firms, such as legal prac-
tices.
Allison Corbett and James McCurry,
who will each serve as Senior Client As-
sociates, join Burak and Forgione. They
had both previously worked with Burak
for more than 13 years.
Concurrent with the new team’s ap-
pointment, Signature Bank opened its
24th private client banking office. The
Jamaica private client banking office is
located at 89-36 Sutphin Blvd.
“The appointment of Norman and
Elizabeth demonstrates the Bank’s con-
tinued ability to attract veteran bankers
with long-established client relationships
in need of a bank that can provide supe-
rior service. Both Norman and Elizabeth
have decades of banking experience, pri-
marily in the Jamaica area, making their
team a perfect fit for our new office, our
third in Queens,” noted Joseph J.
DePaolo, President and Chief Executive
Officer at Signature Bank.
Burak and Forgione stated why they
were attracted to Signature Bank: “Signa-
ture Bank’s perspective of serving the cli-
ent and meeting their needs through one
team and a single-point-of-contact ap-
proach was appealing to us because it
will afford our team a better opportunity
to truly service our clients. At Signature
Bank, we are able to work in an entrepre-
neurial manner since we manage our own
book of business and are responsible for
ensuring we meet our clients’ needs and
exceed their expectations.”
Burak resides in East Meadow. He
serves as Chairman of the Sutphin Busi-
ness Improvement District (SBID), an
organization focused on improving the
business along the corridor of Jamaica’s
Sutphin Blvd. He is also a member of the
Greater Jamaica Development Corp. and
the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce. He
holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Busi-
ness Administration with an emphasis in
marketing from Baruch College in New
York City.
Forgione lives in Woodhaven and was
raised in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. She
serves as treasurer of the SBID, where she
and Burak initially met. She is also a mem-
ber of the Queens Boulevard Kiwanis Club.
Sen. Malcolm Smith toured PS 138 in Rosedale and dropped off toys to students at the
school as part of his annual Winter Wonderland Toy Drive. Pictured l. to r.: Assistant
Principal James McEnaney, PTA President Yvette Small, Smith, Principal Michelle
Andrews and Dean/UFT Representative Paula Miller.
Winter Donation:
Conf ident ia l ly, New York . . .
This Old AmpSymire JonesJamaicaAge: 20Height: 5’ 3"Weight: 115 lbsStats: 34-27-37
For years, Symire Jones thought of delving intothe modeling industry, but standing at 5-foot-3, thepetite beauty did not think it was possible.
Living by the motto, where there’s a will there’sa way, Symire has decided to pursue a career in print
and commercial modeling.“When I am in front of the camera, I feel so happy,” she
said. “If you want something, then you go after it and youwill get it.”
Symire has hinged her future on more than justher pretty face. She is currently enrolled atLaGuardia Community College and hopesto transfer to the Fashion Institute of Tech-nology in June.
“I want to be around the fashion in-dustry,” she said.
Symire’s transfer to her dream schoolrests on her ability to sew, but she isconfident in her abilities. She said hermother taught her to sew and she has takenclasses to fine tune her skills.
Symire has tunnel vision where hergoals are concerned; hobbies and hang-outs have taken a backseat to her fu-ture.
“My days consist of school, thenwork, shows and photo shoots,” shesaid.
In five years, Symire would like to haveher own high fashion clothing line.
We’ll keep looking.
Fashion Forward
Time’s Up
Workers remove Christmas
decorations two days before
Christmas.
As we ran out by our new officeduring our lunch hour, to get thosefinal gifts for our loved ones onDec. 23, we were momentarily de-tained by City workers on 150thStreet in Whitestone while theyworked.
We were a little shocked to seetheir job for the day was takingdown the Christmas decorationsthat were hanging joyfully overthe street for the last month or so.As the workers took down the redgarland from the telephone polesin front of Cherry Valley Deli, wenoticed there were quite a fewother decorations in the back ofthe truck, confirming that this wasnot an isolated incident.
Apparently, for the City of NewYork, Christmastime ends two daysbefore Christmas.
Or maybe it just costs too muchto leave them out. That’s whathappens when you start puttingthem up in October.
What Is In A Name?Finding a name can sometimes
be a challenge; just ask any parentwho struggled even after the babywas born.
But for bloggers, who oftenkeep their real identity secret, bor-rowing an old name or displayinga twist on a classic is fairly com-monplace.
We think, though, that theblogger who goes by the nameSheaStadiumBK, and whose onlinephoto is simply a reworked designof the former Mets home seating chart, might be confusing people intothinking that the stadium that was branded as the worst in Major LeagueBaseball before it was demolished, was somehow located in Brooklyn.
Hey, you guys had Ebbets Field, the Dodgers and Jackie Robinson,but you certainly didn’t have Shea.
Perhaps the real question to ask hearkens back to Shakespeare:“What is in a name?” Would a borough by any other name still smellas bad?
Hmmm… perhaps SheaStdiumBK might say the same about ourMets. Touché, in advance.
SheaStadiumBK’s Blogger avatar.
Madonna Stretches Privilege
We’ve always known Madonna to be flexible.
Not even Madonna can fly dur-ing an epic blizzard.
Stranded by snow on a plane inHeathrow Airport, the Material Girlfound a novel way to pass thetime. To the dismay of the formerCorona resident’s fellow first-classpassengers, the well-known work-out fanatic began doing her yogaroutine in the aisle.
After about an hour, a bus re-trieved Madge and her 15-memberentourage, while the flight’s lessfortunate passengers had to waitanother two hours before disem-barking.
It’s good to be the Queen ofPop.
TurncoatThe Mets have had their fair
share of Benedict Arnolds, sowe’re not too surprised to seereliever Pedro Feliciano switchover to New York’s other team.
The lefty declined arbitrationwith the Mets, instead opting fora multi-year deal reportedly worth$8 million with the Yankees.
The reliever set a franchiserecord for the Amazin’s by ap-pearing in 86 games in 2008, 88games in 2009 and 92 games in2010.
We’re torn. As a reliablepitcher, he served us well… Buthe’s going to the Yankees. Wewish him nothing but the worst ofluck.
Former Met and new Yankee
(right) Pedro Feliciano
We wonder whose guitar buzzed
through this box.
The label shows that the
amplifier was made in Woodside.
This old Ampeg guitar ampli-fier from the 1950s, recently postedfor sale on Craigslist, is made by acompany with an address inWoodside. It’s not clear if themanufacturing was done there aswell, but we never knew they wereassociated with Queens at all.
Ampeg is still big today andwas always used by the biggestnames in popular music – you’dsee them in the background of anyfootage of Bob Dylan or the Roll-ing Stones in the 60s. Yet anotherspot for Queens in the history ofRock and Roll.
Edited by: Michael Schenkler.Contributors: Jessica Ablamsky, SashaAustrie, Marcia Moxom Comrie,Mike Nussbaum, Joe Orovic, BrianRafferty, Domenick Rafter.
You can reach us by email atConf@QueensTribune.com
Who We Are
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