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PR
ES
S P
hoto
by
Ira
Coh
en
Volume 12 Issue No. 1 Jan. 7-13, 2011
Online at www.QueensPress.com
PAGE 22
Jamaica High School students deal with overcrowding, a lack of guidance and no new technology while their peers at the schools co-located in their building have an abundance of aid, computers and assistance. By Sasha Austrie and Jessica AblamskyPage 3
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Presstime
BY SASHA AUSTRIE
AND JESSICA ABLAMSKY
In what could be a sad end to its illustri-
ous 100-year history, Jamaica High School
leaves its students walking the halls with
kids that have more.
Never meant to be a campus, the Ja-
maica High School building on Gothic
Drive just north of Hillside Avenue is home
to four schools – segregated into different
floors and wings – that share gyms, labs, a
lunch room and auditorium. Coordinating
shared facilities is a challenge that requires
careful coordination and what some feel is
too much of a compromise.
Though the cafeteria was designed to
hold 200 students, for safety’s sake, no
more than 150 were assigned to each
lunch period in the past. Today, students
start eating before 10 a.m., and each lunch
period sees students filling the room to its
maximum capacity.
Maximum capacity is the new normal
for students at Jamaica High School. The
average class has 34 students crammed
into each room.
With a dwindling population of 1,200
students, Jamaica’s resources are quickly
evaporating, and the effects manifest as a
graduation rate that hovers between 52
and 53 percent.
The Advanced Placement program at Ja-
maica High School is not what it used to be. In
2007, the school offered six or seven college
BY DOMENICK RAFTER
Sanitation workers are pushing back
against accusations that DOS supervisors
purposely ordered their workers to slow
down snow cleanup after last month’s
blizzard in protest of Mayor Mike
Bloomberg’s budget cuts.
Federal and local prosecutors have, at
the same time, opened criminal investiga-
tions into the alleged slowdowns.
The office of U.S. Attorney Loretta
Lynch in Brooklyn opened a criminal probe
into the response, as did the DAs of Brook-
lyn and Queens, to investigate if any crimi-
nal activity occurred in the accused slow-
down, even as Sanitation workers con-
tinue to deny it occurred.
“It’s not true. There was no work slow-
down” said Tony DiLeonardo, a Sanitation
worker from Bellerose. He said many of his
coworkers who were caught sitting in snow-
plows the day after the blizzard were there
because their trucks got stuck in the snow,
forcing them to wait for long periods of time for
rescue vehicles to come – sometimes hours.
“We couldn’t even see [while work-
ing],” he said. While plowing the LIE
between the Nassau County border and
Lefrak City, conditions were so bad that
DiLeonardo said he couldn’t see a few feet
in front of him. He said cars that had
gotten stuck during the blizzard blocked
plows from moving all over Queens, in-
cluding on the LIE.
DiLeonardo, who worked long hours
Inequality Reigns On Gothic Drive
Sanit Staff Deny Slow Snow Scheme
level courses. Today, they can only afford one.
While Jamaica has been slated for phase
out, Queens Collegiate, one of the co-lo-
cated schools in the same building, has plans
to expand. Housed on the third floor of the
Jamaica High School building, Collegiate
currently offers sixth, ninth, and 10th grades.
The school opened in September 2008 and
has more than 300 students.
Collegiate has two AP classes and plans
to add three more next year.
Though Collegiate has only one guid-
ance counselor and a counseling intern, its
smaller student population allows its 30
staffers to host an advisory program, with
a ratio of 15 students to each administrator.
Occupying one hallway of the sprawling
building is the Hillside Academy of Arts and
Letters, in its first year. Its philosophy is
that art fosters academic achievement. With
classes in session, all that can be heard from
the hall is a softly echoing chatter.
Hillside’s 90 students have access to
one guidance counselor, and meet weekly
in groups of 16 for sessions with an advi-
sory teacher.
Jamaica High School, with consider-
ably fewer resources in comparison, has
four guidance counselors for its 1,200
students. A catch-22, the school is pro-
posed for closure due to poor performance,
but the inadequate guidance staff makes it
tough to boost graduation rates.
Also in its first year, the High School for
Community Leadership was designed to
develop civic-minded critical thinkers. In
partnership with local organizations, stu-
dents perform nine-week, resume-boost-
ing internships.
Like the most elite private schools, you
will not find single desks at Leadership.
Classes are set up to encourage dialogue,
with students seated around brand-new tables.
Though the school can afford a com-
puter for each student, administrators
capped their purchase at one computer for
every two students.
Some classes have as few as 10 stu-
dents enrolled.
“Each new school gets start-up funding
for supplies and many chose to invest in
technology,” said DOE Spokesman Jack
The students who occupy the Jamaica High
School building may be separate, but they are
certainly not granted equal opportunities.
Zarin-Rosenfeld. “Struggling schools like
Jamaica see decreased enrollment because
parents are choosing better options for
their kids, and smaller schools naturally
have smaller budgets.”
After a walk through of the Jamaica High
School building, State Sen. Tony Avella (D-
Bayside) Council members Karen Koslowitz
(D-Forest Hills) and Danny Dromm (D-
Jackson Heights) and Queens clergy met.
They expressed their concern with the lack
of resources for Jamaica High School and
the bounty of assets at the other schools.
“Jamaica High School students are sec-
ond-class citizens,” said Avella.
Koslowitz said Jamaica students are
forced to learn in an environment that
promotes “psychological hindrance.”
“It’s like seeing a group of kids with a
Gucci bag and you are holding a paper
bag,” she said.
Avella vowed to fight the closure of
Jamaica High School. The electeds prom-
ised to attend the public hearings to staunch
the closure of the school and explore legal
options, including a lawsuit with the United
Federation of Teachers, if necessary.
“How can we stand here and watch our
children be neglected?” Koslowitz asked.
Both Dromm and Koslowitz feared
Newtown and Richmond Hill high schools
would be next on the chopping block, and
their students would meet a similar fate.
Reach the Queens Tribune newsroom at
[email protected] or (718) 357-7400.
during the blizzard, said the storm’s
strength, as well staff strength, were issues
for DOS. He said the agency did not have
the emergency personnel list they nor-
mally had during past blizzards and in-
stead had to rely on a Sunday list, which
left the department understaffed.
“The city sent us out 12 hours too late,”
he added.
Danny McCormick worked the night
shift around Flushing and Bayside the
night of the storm. He said getting to work
from his home in Nassau County was
uncharacteristically difficult because of
cars stuck on the roads. He denied there
was any purposeful slowdown.
“There was absolutely no work slow-
down,” McCormick said. “Everyone takes
the snow seriously. Even if there are dis-
gruntled supervisors get-
ting demoted, there was
no discussion on that at
all.”
McCormick said he and
his colleagues were ordered
to stick to primary roads on
the first night and no one
was sent to secondary
routes, which was uncom-
mon, but was done because
the primary roads were ab-
normally difficult to clear.
“I’m not management, so
I don’t know how they posi-
tion trucks,” he said. “But I
noticed this was the most
difficult storm I’ve experienced.”
He said many trucks, including his own,
got stuck in the snow, especially the day after,
which had also never happened before.
“I just think it was a combination of
many factors,” he said.
Councilman Dan Halloran (R-
Whitestone) said the workers who came to
Halloran’s office to confess to an organized
slowdown represented only a small portion
of the DOS, and he had never implied that
the slowdown was a citywide problem.
“Only a small number of DSNY super-
visors were behind the slowdown. The
vast majority of workers did their jobs, and
they should be commended,” said
Halloran. “They are rightly outraged, but
they should be mad at their colleagues who
put personal grudges over their obliga-
tions to New Yorkers.”
Halloran spokesman Steven Stites said
videos showing plows driving up streets with
their plows raised and pictures of sleeping
Sanitation workers in trucks that didn’t ap-
pear to be stuck in the snow generate anec-
dotal buzz, but don’t prove anything.
Last week, State Sen. Tony Avella (D-
Bayside) filed Freedom of Information
requests to access communications be-
tween the Mayor’s office, the DOS and
other City agencies during the blizzard.
“New Yorkers lives were put in jeop-
ardy following this storm,” Avella said.
“We must make sure that this does not
happen again.”
Unplowed streets are being blamed for
delaying emergency help to people in the
hours and days after the blizzard. Fire
Department officials had to dig their way
through snow-covered Elmhurst streets to
get to a five-alarm fire the day after the
storm. A Corona woman, Yvonne Free-
man, died, and a Corona newborn is cur-
rently on life support after emergency aid
was delayed in getting to them.
“I don’t know of another area in the city
where the consequences of failing to plow
streets in a timely manner were as devas-
tating as in my district,” said State Sen.
Jose Peralta (D-Corona).
The City Council will hold hearings on
blizzard cleanup on Jan. 10.
Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at
[email protected] or (718) 357-
7400, Ext. 125.
Plows made it to some major thoroughfares in the early hours
of the blizzard, but were quickly overwhelmed, according to
Sanitation employees.
PR
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Center Spared Budget Axe Wrath
BY JASON BANREY
The City will continue funding a popu-
lar mental health service facility in Ja-
maica.
In a change of heart, the Dept. for the
Aging and Health Dept. will continue to
fully fund Friendship Center for the bal-
ance of fiscal year 2011.
Cuts would have phased out the facility
over a two-year period and left the facili-
ties participants with no place to go.
The Jamaica Service
Program for Older Adults
(JSPOA), which operates
out of the Friendship
Center, assists nearly 100
participants, some of
whom suffer from
Alzheimer's disease and
dementia.
Under last month's
proposed cuts, the Health
Dept. was expected to
axe significant funding,
which provides mental health services and
facilities throughout the city.
Keeping the facility's recovery-ori-
ented service open for seniors and eld-
erly participants until June 30 will make it
possible for the center to remain open,
said JSPOA Executive Director Carol
Hunt.
"We're very elated that the Dept. of
Mental Health and Hygiene made the
decision to fund us," said Hunt. "We
couldn't have gotten a better gift for the
new year."
When the center's staff announced
that the proposed budget cuts would no
longer be put into effect, some seniors
found themselves in tears after hearing
the good news.
"We don't leave the Friendship Center
until we die," said one senior.
As one of the only programs in Queens
to be affected by the proposed cuts, the
Friendship Center was ex-
pected to lose $147,781
by Feb. 28.
Although the Health
Dept. will cut the Friend-
ship Center's budget by
50% in July of this year,
"this gives us time to plan
for our future as we pre-
pare to move into a new
building in Downtown Ja-
maica," said Hunt.
Through the help of
borough politicians, the center was re-
cent ly prov ided wi th a to ta l o f
$2,126,000 to add 20,000 square feet of
space within the luxury rental building
called Moda.
Hunt says it will be difficult for the
center to make it through on their own.
With significant cuts coming from the City
in 2012, she hopes to ensure the same
quality of service they provide now will
Protesters decry the possible closing of the Friendship Center weeks ago, but the program
was spared the wrath of the budget axe.
“We couldn't
have gotten a
better gift for
the new year.”
- Carol Hunt, JSPOA
Executive Director
stay in place for her participants.
"Although government is there, they
can't always provide all the answers," said
Hunt. "Within this difficult economic
climate in the city, times have changed."
Reach Intern Jason Banrey at
[email protected] or (718) 357-
7400, Ext. 128.
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Jan
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BY DOMENICK RAFTER
Citing what he called "the most com-
mon complaint" with the new voting
machines this past election, State Sen.
Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Howard Beach) is
introducing legislation that would make
the font on the ballots bigger and easier
to read.
"Current election law does not con-
tain any requirements as to ballot read-
ability or usability, and only requires can-
didates' names to appear in all capital
bold-type letters with no minimum type
size, which made many ballots used in
New York City and elsewhere very diffi-
cult and frustrating for voters to read and
to use," Addabbo said.
The bill would require ballots to be
printed in "simple, easy-to-read type," such
Making Ballots Easier To Read
as Arial and Universe style font. It would
also mandate that candidates' names, their
office titles and political designations, as
well as the reading form of all ballot ques-
tions submitted, will be printed in capital
letters followed by lower case letters of at
least 12-point bold type.
The bill would also require that State
and City Board of Elections, as well as
Erie, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester
Counties, have a full-time staff member
trained in ballot use and design.
"Expertise in ballot design and usability
is lacking within our boards of elections,"
Addabbo said.
During the September primary and No-
vember general elections last year, voters
complained that the font size on the ballot
was too small and cramped, complicating
their ability to read names and discern
BY JESSICA ABLAMSKY
Just in time for those New Year's resolu-
tions, the City Dept.of Health unveiled a
new series of anti-smoking television ads,
directed by Spike Lee, that warn parents of
the short- and long-term health effects of
secondhand smoke on children: asthma,
bronchitis, ear infections and cancer.
"More than half of New York City non-
smokers are still inhaling noxious chemi-
cals from other people's cigarettes," said
Dr. Thomas Farley, New York City Health
Commissioner. "No one should have to
breathe secondhand smoke - whether at
home or in a public recreation area. If you
haven't quit smoking, protect yourself as
well as your loved ones by quitting today.
If you haven't made your home smoke-
free, now is the time. Choose health, for
yourself and your family."
The good news is that fewer adults in
the City are smoking. Between 2002 and
2008, smoking rates fell by nearly 6 per-
cent, or 350,000 fewer smokers, accord-
ing to a new report from the DOH.
When they do smoke, fewer are doing
it at home. Over the same period of time,
smoking at home fell by 9 percent.
The bad news is that more nonsmokers
in the City are exposed to secondhand
smoke than nationally.
In 2004, 57 percent of smokers in the
City, versus 45 percent nationally, had el-
evated levels of a chemical that indicates
recent tobacco exposure, possibly due to
Spike Lee, Health Dept. Urge Quitting
New York City's high housing density.
The DOH estimates that: 1.5 million New
Yorkers allow smoking at home, 150,000
with children in the house - nearly 60 percent
of smokers allow smoking at home;
Female smokers are more likely to al-
low smoking at home, and among them,
65 percent allow smoking in the home,
while only 53 percent of men do the same;
Black smokers are more likely than other
races to allow smoking at home;
U.S.-born smokers are more likely to
allow smoking in the home than foreign-
born residents;
Smokers from Queens are more likely to
disallow-in home smoking - half of all smok-
ers in Queens allow smoking in the house,
compared to 54 percent in Brooklyn and
68 percent in The Bronx and Manhattan;
Our youngest adults are more likely to be
exposed to smoking at home - among 18-24
year-old nonsmokers, 28 percent are ex-
posed to secondhand smoke at home, com-
pared to 16 percent of the 25 and up crowd;
Black and Asian nonsmokers report
more secondhand smoke exposer than
whites, 21 percent versus 15 percent.
Reach Reporter Jessica Ablamsky at
[email protected] or (718) 357-
7400, Ext. 124.
between different races. One problem with
the 2010 ballot was the number of races.
There were five statewide races, plus two
state legislative races and any local elec-
tions, as well as ballot issues, which all had
to fit on one ballot.
As a solution, Addabbo said the State
Board of Elections suggested a two-sided
ballot, which Addabbo does not favor be-
cause it could lead to voters missing races
on the reverse side. Instead, his position is
for a longer ballot sheet.
"I want to discuss this in committee and
I want to do it soon," said Addabbo, who
was chair of the Senate Elections Commit-
tee last year until Republicans took con-
trol of the Senate.
Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at
[email protected] or (718) 357-
7400, Ext. 125.
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 [email protected]
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.
Michael Schenkler,
President & Publisher
Michael Nussbaum,
Vice President,
Associate Publisher
LettersEditorial
Day One, Everything's Mean-Spirited
A Personal Perspective
BY MARCIA MOXAM COMRIE
During the aptly austere inau-
guration of Andrew Cuomo as
governor last week, he warmly
embraced the now-former gover-
nor, David Paterson, and every-
one sort of felt the love.
But the warm embrace grew
cold within a day or two when
Cuomo found out that Paterson
was being given an additional
month of security detail while he
re-adapts to civilian life.
Governor Cuomo II quickly
and unceremoniously cancelled
the initial courtesy. He tersely
announced that his father did not
leave with his security detail 16
years ago.
Are you kidding me?!
Mario Cuomo was not blind
and had no known difficulty navi-
gating his physical world. Ex-
presidents of our country are given
protection for the rest of their
Pa
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lives and our state cannot afford
to accommodate a visually im-
paired ex-governor for four
weeks?
We all know that the economy
of our state, like everywhere else,
is in the pit. Paterson himself had
been saying it for more than two
years. Cuomo has made the ex-
emplary gesture of cutting his,
the Lt. Governor's and top staff-
ers' salaries by five percent. We
get it. We can't afford to keep two
governors on the tax payers' dime
for security details. But to deny a
visually handicapped outgoing
governor a transitional detail is
really cold-hearted.
The new governor could even
have struck a compromise and
given Paterson two weeks. This
really is no way to start off your
new term, Mr. Cuomo.
Paterson himself said months
ago that due to the perk of having
people help him around all these
years, he has lost much of his
skills of physical independence
in the outside world. He an-
nounced he would have to return
for training at the Brooklyn facil-
ity where he had been trained
years ago.
Paterson was not bemoaning
the loss of his aides. And he
wasn't being arrogant. He was
just being conversational about a
reality of his transition back to
private life. I would have been
willing to see my tax dollars go
toward the funding of at least two
weeks of transitional assistance
for him.
This is a man who dedicated
about 25 years of his life to public
service and to deny him a couple
of weeks of help, given his situa-
tion, seems mean-spirited and
downright ill-mannered.
It says a lot for Cuomo's cam-
paign promise to "clean up Al-
bany," but it says nothing good
about his capacity for empathy.
And since he brought up his fa-
ther as an example, lest we forget,
a lot of what Albany gets criti-
cized for now was also going on
during the f irst Governor
Cuomo's reign in the 80s and
early 90s. Let's not get amnesia
here.
The off icers who would
have protected and assisted the
outgoing governor are still go-
ing to be paid somehow. To the
best of public knowledge, they
are not retiring. They are not
fired. So why couldn't they
have earned their salary help-
ing a fellow-public servant get
his bearings?
Eliot Spitzer, that other para-
gon of empathy, said during the
campaign that he was supporting
Cuomo but in words too crass to
direct quote in this space, he said
he was not a nice person.
Governor, congratulations on
your new job - we know you'll
work hard. But please don't con-
tinue to prove Spitzer right.
There certainly are conflicting reports about what happened to the
clean-up of the snow that fell Dec. 26 and 27 across the City.
In Queens, there are allegations of a deliberate slowdown as a result
of staff layoffs at Sanitation. Some Sanitation employees allegedly con-
fessed to taking direct orders from supervisors to sit and wait rather
than plow.
If this is indeed true, and any loss of life or property can be attrib-
uted to the ordered inaction of the Sanitation Department, criminal
charges should be filed.
However, we cannot rush to judgment of an entire city department
because of the potential misdeeds of what may have been a select few.
There will be investigation at the City Council level, and prosecutors at
the county and federal level are already looking into the situation. Let us
be patient and await review before rushing to hasty criticism.
That said, we’re expecting more snow this weekend. The people of
Queens expect and demand clean streets. It’s time for the Dept. of
Sanitation to step up and show this borough what a good job it can do.
More Snow Coming
Send your thoughts, ideas,
opinions, outrage, praise,
observations
about our community
To the PRESS of Southeast Queens
150-50 14th Rd.
Whitestone, NY 11357
e-mail:[email protected]
fax:
(718) 357-9417
SOUND OFF
An A? Really?
To The Editor:
It is clear from anyone who
lives in Queens that the Sanita-
tion Department failed miserably
in last week’s snow storm and did
not follow its own operating pro-
cedures for snow removal as it
has done in other large snow
storms of the past.
The residents of Queens saw
the absence of snow plows for
two days or more after the storm
ended and now must listen to
Sanitation Commissioner John
Doherty telling the media that he
gives his department an “A” for
snow removal.
It’s unimaginable what a “D”
would be in Doherty’s fantasy
world. We do indeed live in an
“Alice-in-Wonderland” world
where fantasy is reality. Will
Doherty tell us that the sky is red
or the moon is made of cheese?
At least we can be thankful that
Bloomberg did not choose him as
our School Chancellor.
Bob Friedrich,
Glen Oaks
Union’s Fault
To The Editor:
The performance of the Sani-
tation Dept. during the recent
blizzard shows us how greedy
unions and spineless politicians
beholden to those unions have
conspired to saddle the working,
tax-paying citizens of New York
City with an unsustainable pen-
sion system based not on salary
but on overtime.
Perhaps the only way out of
this mess is to let all City-funded
pension plans declare bank-
ruptcy. Then, under court direc-
tion, a system of wages and pen-
sions could be developed in keep-
ing with New York’s shrinking
population and reduced tax base.
If something is not done, and
soon, New York’s population will
be reduced to those who either
are already on welfare or going
on welfare, all feeding at the soon-
to-be-empty public trough.
David Rivkin,
Jamaica
Answers Needed
To The Editor:
If it is indeed true that there
was a deliberate job slowdown by
Sanitation workers during the
recent devastating blizzard be-
cause they were angry about lay-
offs and budget cuts to their de-
partment, there needs to be a
thorough investigation as to why
this was permitted.
Certainly, the workers have a
right to be upset about layoffs and
budget cuts – they have families
to support and bills to pay. How-
ever, we all have to pay bills and
support families in this city. There
is absolutely no valid or logical
reason for the Sanitation workers
to deliberately slow down plow-
ing of streets and roadways.
There were so many streets that
were not plowed right after the
storm, all over the area, and this
caused very serious problems for
the fire department, police de-
partment, emergency services
and the MTA, with hundreds of
buses and other vehicles, includ-
ing ambulances and some fire
trucks trapped in the snow.
Yes, this was a very powerful
storm, with blinding, blowing
snow falling at the rate of 2-3
inches per hour, accompanied by
50-60 mph winds, thunder and
lightning. Certainly it made plow-
ing by the Sanitation Department
very difficult. However, you can-
not take out your frustrations at
the mayor for not doing the job of
plowing the streets and road-
ways, which is your responsibil-
ity. If this was the case, then it is
an absolute disgrace! Commis-
sioner Doherty needs to conduct
an internal investigation as to
why this occurred. What will hap-
pen when the next storm comes
along? After all, this was only the
end of December, and we have
January, February and March to
get through.
John Amato,
Fresh Meadows
© Copyright 2011 Tribco, LLC
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News BriefsBlock Captains Needed
When the plows didn't come to
Woodhaven after last month's blizzard,
Ed Wendell, president of the Woodhaven
Residents Block Association, talked with
elected officials like Assemblyman Mike
Miller (D-Woodhaven) about cleanup.
When Miller asked Wendell what streets
needed to be plowed, Wendell took to
Facebook to try to get information. It
proved, however, not to be the best
method.
"Although we heard back from many
residents, this was a haphazard and spotty
way of determining just how bad the situ-
ation was in our community," he said.
In response, Wendell is asking resi-
dents in Woodhaven to resurrect a long-
abandoned program aimed at quickly gath-
ering information neighborhood-wide. He
is asking residents to volunteer to become
"block captains."
"An orderly, grassroots gathering of in-
formation will greatly assist our commu-
nity when dealing with the next storm,
whether it be a blizzard, a tornado, or a
blackout," he said.
Also, he said, "block captains" could
assist in quality of life issues like loud late-
night parties, a common problem in
Woodhaven during the summer.
Any Woodhaven resident interested in
becoming a "block captain" should con-
tact the WRBA at info@woodhave-
nyc.org or call (718) 296-3735 or attend
WRBA's monthly meeting on Saturday,
Jan. 8, at 1 p.m. at the Woodhaven-Rich-
mond Hill Volunteer Ambulance Corps,
78-15 Jamaica Ave.
2011's First Babies
Queens parents are boasting their first
born babies as the city's first of 2011.
Two families that call the borough
home may have given birth to the first
babies born in the city this year.
In a special moment, which the family
already believed to be a once-in-a-lifetime
experience for them all, the Wong family
of Fresh Meadows welcomed Selina as
the New Year's first girl.
Entering the world at one minute into the
New Year, the 7-lbs, 12-oz, bundle of joy
greeted her proud parents for the first time
as the borough celebrated a new decade.
After checking into New York Hospi-
tal Queens at around 9 a.m. on Dec. 31,
parents Richard and Ting Li spent just
more than 15 hours in the delivery room
awaiting their first baby.
Despite the exhaustive natural deliv-
ery, both parents retained enough energy
to express their excitement after sharing
an "unbelievable" experience together.
"I never thought I would have one of
the first babies of the New Year," said Ting
Li, who originally hails from South China.
More than eight miles away, in Man-
hattan, Maspeth parents embraced, pos-
sibly what may be Queens' first resident
born in 2011. Born 57 seconds after the
clock struck midnight, Jacek and Marta
Kozlowski, welcomed Kacper, the city's
first-born baby boy as New Year's revelers
kissed 2011 into existence.
Nervously awaiting the arrival of his son
as he watched the clock, Kacper's father
waited outside the delivery room wonder-
ing what year his son would be born in.
"I waiting outside and I was so nervous
and I looking at the watch and what's
going on - is it going to be 2010 or 2011?"
said the new father.
State Pavilion Study
The New York State Pavilion is getting
a once-over by the City.
The Parks Dept. awarded a contract to
study the stability of the foundations of the
borough's iconic structures, as well as an
assessment of the observation towers' sound-
ness. The agency expects work to begin in
March and is expected to last four months.
The results of the study, paired with a 2009
study of the Tent of Tomorrow, will provide
Parks with a better understanding of the work
necessary to stabilize, or perhaps fully restore
the landmark buildings, as well as provide an
estimate for the cost of the work, according
to an agency spokesman.
The study's announcement was met
with open arms by park advocate Greg
Godfrey. Riding the high of two landmark
designations for the Pavilion on the State
and Federal level, Godfrey hopes this study
will be a step towards solidifying the former
World's Fair site's place as a City landmark,
as well as lead to its full restoration.
Traffic Test Ending
Half a year after its implementation,
the trial period for Flushing's revamped
Downtown Traffic Plan will come to an
end Jan. 17, followed by an assessment
of the new traffic f low's effectiveness.
The Dept. of Transportation has spent
the better part of the last six months com-
piling data, including counts of turning
movements, speeding and pedestrian lev-
els, according to spokesman Monty Dean.
The figures will be juxtaposed against pre-
pattern change levels to gauge the effec-
tiveness of the new pattern.
The agency will then provide a report
summarizing the results.
Councilman Peter Koo's (R-Flushing)
office has not received a flurry of com-
plaints about the new plan, according to
his Chief of Staff James McClelland.
Koo will wait until the DOT provides
its final numbers before making any rec-
ommendations going forward.
The relatively hiccup-free transition to
the new f low, and the unusually low num-
ber of complaints, caught the plan's early
naysayers off guard, according to Com-
munity Board 7 Chairman Gene Kelty.
"I should be happy to the point that it
worked, that it proved us wrong," he said.
The plan came as a surprise to mem-
bers of the Board, who had spent an exor-
bitant amount of energy working with the
DOT on a previous project for several
years, a now-defunct dual one-way plan.
Kelty said the early results and lack of
complaints called in to the Community
Board are all welcome signs, but expressed
doubts the good news will be permanent.
With the monolithic Flushing Commons'
construction looming on the horizon, as
well as work on the RKO Keith's theater
site being planned, Kelty imagines the good
vibes may dissipate eventually.
"This is fine and dandy when there's
not construction going on," he said, add-
ing when work begins "all of a sudden
you'll see a lot of things popping up where
they weren't before."
And the chance to voice displeasure
may have passed.
"Those people who haven't said any-
thing until now, it's too late," Kelty said.
Not 4 Publication.com by Dom Nunziato
Henry Stern
Cuomo Takes The Helm Of A Troubled Ship Of State
By HENRY STERNThe flood of personal
criticism leveled at MayorBloomberg because of thecity’s poor response tothe blizzard is somewhatover the top.
Many factors contrib-uted to the city’s failureto clean the streets, andthere is likely to be at leastone invest igation to explore thesequence of events and offer pro-posals to prevent or mitigate arecurrence. Actually, the last twomajor snowfal ls had been wel l-handled, which led to the public’sexpectation that this storm wouldbe dealt with promptly and pro-fessionally.
The Mayor attracted criticismbecause of his init ial attitude to-ward the storm, treating it as anuisance rather than as a seriousblow to others, whose homescould not be reached by ambu-lances or were unable to get towork. As the crisis continued, theMayor changed his stance and tookthe situation much more seriously.
Actually, the MTA response tothe storm appears to have beenfar worse than the Department ofSanitation’s, judging from thelength of t ime that lines were outof service. We have not previouslyassociated the unpopular MTA withfailure to respond to snowstormswhich blocked the tracks, but theysure messed up this time.
With all the city’s faults, webelieve that the concentration ofblame on Mayor Bloomberg isunjustified. It seems to us as if the
media and the peoplefinal ly have found aplausible reason to ex-press their dissatisfac-tion at a number of un-popular decisions madeby the Mayor over thelast few years.
First, and most im-portant, was the 2008reversal of his long-held
public position on his own tenure,when he decided to seek re-elec-tion by using his puppets on theCity Council to rush through a lawextending eligibility from two tothree terms. The unfairness ofchanging the rules in the middleof a confl ict runs up againstpeople’s ideas of fair play.
A number of other mat tershave chewed at the Mayor’sreputation. The repeated indica-tions of pre-Presidential activities,travels and speeches, and the for-mation of nation-wide organiza-tions and coalitions for variousgood cause s, coupled with thesame denials Bloomberg made re-peatedly when he was askedwhether he would run for a thirdterm, tug a bit at the credibility ofthe non-candidate. Of course he isnot running today, but if circum-stances warrant a change of heart,there is no reason why he shouldnot run.
It was once seen as possiblethat he would be a more moderateand effective President than eitherMr. Obama or Ms. Palin,assuming they were to be the ma-jor parties nominees.
On Nov. 9, Mayor Bloomberg
suddenly announced the appoint-ment of Cathie Black as SchoolsChancellor. Ms. Black had abso-lutely no experience in education,but is an engaging and attractivemember of the mayor’s circle ofacquaintances. She required awaiver of State legal requirements,which was obligingly granted by theState Education Commissioner.
Then, on Dec. 12, the Mayorconfessed on NBCs Meet thePress that he want s to goout having a reputation as a verygood, maybe the greatest, mayorever. Although the context of thestatement may have been a denialof President ial ambit ions, thewords were criticized as overly self-referential.
As luck would have it, on Dec.15, the first (and hopefully the last)major scandal of the administra-tion broke, with $80 million re-ported stolen and uncounted mil-l ions wasted in a computerfraud. Although the Mayor was ob-viously unaware of the thieverygoing on, and expressed zero tol-erance for such behavior, the ques-tion at once arises as to who, un-der him, was in charge of theCityTime project.
We hope that the curse of thethird term worked itself out thisyear, and that the remaining threeyears will be happy and peacefulones for the cit y and for it sMayor. The problem is that sub-stantial budget cuts lie ahead, whichwill lead to reduced services andincreased unemployment.
These are hard times for any-one who governs. Mayor
Bloomberg knew that. In fact, hesaid on Oct. 2, 2008 at the pressconference announcing his inten-tion to seek a third term, that han-dling this financial crisis whilestrengthening the essent ial ser-vices such as education and publicsafety is a challenge he wants totake on for the people of NewYork.
As the year 2010 comes to amerciful end, we hope that 2011will be as good as it can be underthe circumstances. Rough times lieahead for all governments, but outof the three sovereignties: federal,state and local, it is the City ofNew York that has been most fi-nancially responsible for the lastdecade.
Bloomberg Beleaguered By Medley of MishapsWe have a decent, honorable
and intelligent mayor. His person-ality appeals to some, and not toothers.
A problem he will face in histenth year in office is that after awhile the people get tired of you.It happened to LaGuardia, Wagnerand Koch, all now highly regardedmayors.
The Mayor should try to doas much good as he can in a cli-mate of reduced sustenance for theCity and lowering clouds for him-self. We par t icularly recommendthat he “be kind to man andbeast.”
We wish all of you good healthand good will in the new year.
By MICHAEL SCHENKLERI am writing this as Andrew
Cuomo prepares to take the oathof office as New York State’s 56thgovernor. We anticipate calls forreform, budget restraint, no newtaxes and an attack on the mul-tiple levels of mini governmentsthroughout the state.
And while, l ike most suchspeeches, we expect few specifics,we do expect the ambitious anddriven Governor to make reform-ing the dysfunctional State Gov-ernment a priority. Natural ly, hewill offer to do so in partnershipwith a Legislature which is respon-sible for a continuous decline sinceAndrew first lived in the ExecutiveMansion with his father, GovernorMario.
Corruption, uncontrolledspending, off-the-books debt, per-sonal and patronage excess, mem-ber item abuses and catering tospecial interest s have been theshibboleths by which the legisla-ture has functioned. Cuomo nowhas the near-impossible task ofgoverning with the same legisla-ture that has brought New York tothe brink of bankruptcy while ca-tering to its own needs and thoseof the special interests which sup-port them.
He is not the first to be electedwith the pledge and mission of re-forming State Government. Onlyfour years ago, Eliot Spitzer camecharging in on a white stallion withan overwhelming mandate to re-form State Government. Well, theSpitzer steamroller ran into theBruno buzz saw and it did not takelong for the uncompromisingSherriff of Wall Street to be iso-lated as the a man who could notwork with others. And as soon ashis first misstep occurred, the pow-ers that be pounced upon his per-sonal (and legal) indiscretion andClient 9 was forced from office.
He was followed by a reform-
minded David Paterson, who inspite of years of legislative leader-ship, proved inept at achievingmeaningful reform.
Sheldon Silver’s Assembly andnow Dean Skelos’ Senate havebeen created on a diet of servingthemselves. Insuring their reelec-tion, delivering the bacon to theirsupporters at home, legislating tothe wishes of the special interestswhich support and fund them arepatterns that seem impossible tobreak.
You see, the people have tol-erated it. In spite of the generalacceptance that New York State’sLegislature is the most dysfunc-tional in the nation, the votersrarely if ever blame their local leg-islators for the problem. And yearafter year, the hordes of go-along-to-get-along legislators are returnedto office to continue the patternsof dysfunction.
Andrew Cuomo must bringchange. Cuomo has a state to run.A state buried in debt, mired in dys-function and so ethically challengedthat indictments are more com-monplace than heroics among pub-lic servants. We site for examples
several that made us take note:Alan Hevesi, Pedro Espada, TonySeminario, Joe Bruno, BrianMcLaughlin.
Cuomo also has the legisla-ture to work with. And that will bethe challenge.
He has the mandate for reformbut needs the votes to achieve it.
He can work with the legisla-ture or challenge them. The doubleedged option is likely to woundeven the most skilled politician.
The tests will not be in thisweekend’s speeches but in theearly months to come in 2011.
We look first to the budgetprocess. Will cutbacks be real? Willfiscal prudence trump special inter-ests? Wil l member items be se-verely curtailed, with larger grantsawarded competitively and moni-tored ethically? Will off-the booksauthorities be brought under con-trol and their debts be acknowl-edged by the State? Will a trulybalanced budget be approved andstill allow for effective governance?Will the budget be on time?
Test number two wil l comewhen the redistricting process isdefined. Cuomo and a majority of
the legislators have commit tedthemselves to a non-par tisan, in-dependent redistricting process.Commitment aside, we find it diffi-cult to believe that the legislaturethat has disappointed us so fre-quently in the past will live up tothe commitment they have made.It is just too easy for Skelos’ Re-publicans to draw the Senate lineswhile Silver’s Dems draw the As-sembly lines, insuring ten moreyears of comfort for the incumbentsand a best case scenario for theirpar ties.
A gubernatorial veto – or per-haps the threat of one – could forcethe legislature to do the right thingor throw the entire process to acour t-appointed master. Unlessthere is truly independent and non-par t isan redistr ict ing, AndrewCuomo will never earn his stripesas a good government reformer.
Should he produce an on-time, effective balanced budget andachieve independent redistricting,Andrew will quickly become themost talked-about Democrat onthe national scene.
And become our [email protected]
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Police BlotterCompiled By DOMENICK RAFTER
102nd Precinct
First 2011 Murder
On Saturday, Jan. 1, at approximately
5:34 a.m., police responded to 127th
Street and 94th Avenue in Richmond Hill
after hearing shots fired. Upon arrival,
Dwayne Haughton, 29, of 132-15 156th
St., South Jamaica, was found lying on
the ground with gunshot wounds to his
neck and chest.
EMS responded and transported
Haughton to Jamaica Hospital where he
was pronounced dead on arrival. There
were no arrests and the investigation was
ongoing.
Burglar Sought
Detectives from the 102nd Precinct are
requesting the public’s assistance in lo-
cating a suspect wanted in two residen-
tial burglaries in Woodhaven.
The first incident occurred Aug. 13 be-
tween 7:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. at 94-31
Park Lane South in Woodhaven. The sec-
ond incident occurred Sept. 3 between 8
a.m. and 9:45 p.m. at 76-50 85th Dr. in
Woodhaven.
The suspect, Matthew Misla, 32, alleg-
edly entered via the rear of the locations;
once inside he 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 is
asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers
Hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. The public
can also submit their tips by logging onto
the Crime Stoppers Web site at
nypdcrimestoppers.com or texting their
tips to 274637(CRIMES) then entering
TIP577.
Laundry Thief
Police are asking for the public’s assis-
tance in locating a suspect wanted in con-
nection with a commercial burglary in
Police are looking for Matthew Misla.
Woodhaven. The burglary occurred at
around 5:48 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 5, at
78-07 Jamaica Ave., a laundromat, in
Woodhaven.
The suspect broke the front windows
at the location, entered the building and
unsuccessfully attempted to pry open a
change machine. The establishment was
closed at the time.
He is described as a Hispanic man, 5-
foot-10, 175 lbs, of light complexion and
wearing a hooded sweatshirt.
Anyone with information in regards is
asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers
Hotline at (800) 577-TIPS. The public
can also submit their tips by logging onto
the Crime Stopper s Web site at
nypdcrimestoppers.com or texting their
tips to 274637(CRIMES) then entering
TIP577.
All calls are strictly confidential.
103rd Precinct
Final 2010 Murder?
On Friday, Dec. 31, at approximately
11:36 p.m., police responded to a call of
shots fired at the corner of Merrick Bou-
levard and 109th Avenue in South Ja-
maica.
Upon arrival, responding officers dis-
covered Jamal West, 26, of 160-18 107th
Ave. in South Jamaica, shot numerous
times in the back. EMS also responded
to the scene and pronounced him dead.
YOU DON'T
HAVE TO
REVEAL YOUR
IDENTITY TO
HELP SOLVE
A CRIME.
There were no arrests and the investiga-
tion was ongoing.
104th Precinct
Cops Shoot
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, uniformed po-
lice officers were confronted by Zach
Bingert, 21, armed with a knife.
The officers discharged their firearms,
striking Bingert several times about the
body. EMS responded to the scene and
pronounced him dead at the scene. The
officers were removed to Jamaica Hospi-
tal for trauma and minor injuries.
2010: A Look Back At Our News
YEAR IN REVIEW:
BY PRESS STAFF
A monster tornado, a new casino and
political upheaval were some of the big-
gest stories to dominate the PRESS head-
lines and front pages for 2010. Join us as
we take a look back at the news that
touched our lives and our hearts in 2010.
Casino Royale
In January, after weeks of delay, Gov.
David Paterson chose AEG to operate
video lottery terminals at Aqueduct.
Within weeks, AEG was under criminal
investigation, the lottery called the com-
pany unlicensable and the whole plan was
on the verge of collapse.
In May, promising a more transparent
process, new bidders were sought and,
though six ponied up the $1 million entry
cost to vie for the prize, only one team,
Genting New York, ended up in the race.
In July, Genting came to Community
Board 10 to pitch its merits.
There was a noticeable whiff of skep-
ticism in the room, but local elected offi-
cials, many having been through this pro-
cess before, tried to inject some optimism
into the crowd.
Genting took the opportunity to intro-
duce to the community the Malaysia-based
company and the principals involved in
the bid, including JCJ Construction and
Tutor-Perini contractors, who worked on
the AirTrain and the recent JFK runway
rehabilitation project. Genting’s manage-
ment team, including Michael Speller, who
is a former CEO of Foxwoods and helped
develop the Seneca Niagara Casino in
Niagara Falls, also introduced themselves
to the community members.
“We’re always sensitive to community
issues,” Speller said. “I can assure you
that’s what we’ll do here.”
In August, the New York Lottery made
Genting’s win official, and ground was bro-
ken in October for Resorts World New
York, the casino at Aqueduct Racetrack
that will have 4,500 video lottery terminals.
Political Change
One long-time Southeast Queens pub-
lic servant passed away while another
was ousted by the voters in 2010, as Coun-
cilman Tom White Jr. died and Sen. Frank
Padavan, the 38-year veteran, was de-
feated.
Councilman Tom White Jr. (D-South
Ozone Park) died Aug. 27 at North Shore
LIJ Hospital at the age of 71, after a long
battle with lung cancer.
“He did very well representing his
community,” said Adjoa Gzifa, Commu-
nity Board 12’s chairwoman. “He was very
much a person who cared about his con-
stituents.”
White served a combined 15-year ten-
ure in the City Council, beginning with a
10-year stint in the 1990s. After being
term limited out in 2001, he regained the
28th District’s Councilmanic seat in
2005.
“Today, Southeast Queens lost an
iconic advocate, and I lost a dear friend,”
said State Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-St.
Albans). “City Councilman Thomas
White Jr. served his community with great
pride and distinction for over three de-
cades, fighting to keep our streets safe
and drug free, and improve the quality of
life for seniors, children and small busi-
ness owners.”
“Tom served his community, his con-
stituency and his City with pride and dis-
tinction, and his voice will be sorely
missed in City Hall,” Sanders said. “New
York City has lost a great public servant;
working people have lost a tireless cham-
pion and fearless advocate; and I have
lost a dear friend.”
White is survived by his mother, two
children and two grandchildren.
As chair of the Council’s Economic
Development Committee, White was
praised for his prowess in bringing home
funds to Queens and his district. Smith
said White’s support of women and mi-
nority-owned businesses, along with the
revitalization of economically distressed
areas, have created “countless jobs and
helped families struggling to get by put
food on their tables and pay their bills.”
“He searched for ways to break the
cycle of poverty and violence,” said Coun-
cil Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhat-
tan). “He fought for job training and
placement programs, and investments in
long-term economic growth. He had a
particular soft spot for women and mi-
nority business owners, pushing for addi-
tional resources to help them stay af loat
and create good jobs for their neighbors.”
Councilman Leroy Comrie (D-St.
Albans) said White championed and se-
cured funds for seniors, educational, so-
cial services, youth programs and eco-
nomic development projects, all while
encouraging beneficial zoning changes.
“His tenure as chair of the Council’s
Economic Development Committee was
marked by his unrelenting pressure on the
City to ensure that minority and women-
owned businesses received
their fair share of contracts,”
he said. “Council Member
Thomas White was a quiet
leader and community ser-
vant who will be missed tre-
mendously. I mourn his pass-
ing and will miss my friend.”
After two consecutive
close races for the seat held
by Sen. Frank Padavan (R-
Bellerose) for the last 38 years,
former Councilman Tony
Avella threw the knock-out
punch, defeating the
borough’s last GOP state leg-
islator 54-46 percent. Cel-
ebrating at Sullivan’s in
Bayside on election night,
Avella was joined by Sen.-elect Mike
Gianaris, who gave up his Assembly seat to
run for the post vacated by retiring George
Onorato (D-Astoria). They were joined by
Sens. Toby Stavisky (D-Flushing) and Jose
Peralta (D-Corona), as well as Assembly-
woman Grace Meng (D-Flushing).
The rhetoric of the “Queens Coali-
tion” was focused on bringing true reform
and transparency to the most dysfunc-
tional state legislature in the country. Later
in the evening, Avella spoke of bringing
“democracy with a lower-case ‘d” back to
New York.
Tornado Alley
It was a typical Thursday afternoon in
Queens on Sept. 16. Rush hour had hit;
the highways were filled with cars carry-
ing people home. Most school buses had
City, state and Genting officials swing hammers to symbolically break ground at the Resorts
World Casino at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Ph
oto
b
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ria
n M
. R
afferty
Seen from atop Terrace on the Park, the tornado whips its way across Forest Hills and
toward Flushing.
Counci lman Thomas
White Jr. died of cancer in
August. He was replaced
in a special election by
Ruben Wills.
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delivered their charges; kids were doing
homework, playing with friends and help-
ing get dinner ready.
The sky turned gray, then black. Wind
swirled, buffeting the commuters, shak-
ing children in their houses. An ominous
sound bore down from overhead as the
sky turned green, lightning dancing across
the sky. Rain seemed to lift from the
ground, trees that had swayed now f lew
across the highway, over cars and into
homes.
And then it was gone.
For about 15 minutes,
this scene played out across
a swath of Queens running
from Ridgewood to Middle
Village and Rego Park, For-
est Hills, Flushing, Fresh
Meadows, Auburndale and
Bayside before exiting at
Little Bay. Each location
felt the force of the storm
for no more than 2 or 3
minutes.
The final verdict: an 80-
mph tornado that started in
Brooklyn cut into
Ridgewood and f lattened
out to a nearly five-mile-
wide “macroburst” as it
slammed into Middle Vil-
lage and Rego Park at 125 mph. From
that burst a new tornado formed, tearing
through the borough at 100 mph, but en-
tire sections of the borough – Astoria and
Jackson Heights in the Northwest, Ja-
maica and Floral Park in the South and
East – never felt it.
In the blink of an eye thousands of
trees were uprooted or ripped apart. In
the first 24 hours alone the Parks Dept.
reported 3,931 residential trees damaged
– that number does not even bear in mind
the ones inside Forest, Juniper Valley,
MacDonald, Flushing Meadows, Kissena,
Bowne or Crocheron parks.
Eventually, President Barack Obama
declared Queens a disaster area, freeing
up millions of federal dollars to help repay
the city – and some home owners – for
their expenses related to the clean-up.
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Borough Beat
BY DOMENICK RAFTER
As the new session of the state legisla-
ture begins, Queens' new representatives
in Albany are getting to work and aiming
to restore the tarnished reputation of an
institution that has become synonymous
with dysfunction.
State Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-
Astoria), who was elected to the Senate
after five terms in the State Assembly, said
there was "no t ime to waste" in
transitioning.
"We're busy right out of the box," he said.
Gianaris said going from the Assembly,
where he was in the majority and one of
150, to the State Senate, where he is in the
minority and one of 62, is "a very different
experience."
"Regardless of who is in control of the
Senate, the majority is so slim, every Sena-
tor counts," he said. "My influence mat-
ters and I'm seeing that already."
His key issue in the first weeks and
months is independent redistricting,
which he championed in the Assembly.
He said 53 of the 62 Senate members
support it, including the Republican lead-
ership.
"It's very rare we have that kind of over-
whelming agreement in the Senate," he
said. "We stand ready to pass it tomorrow."
Assemblyman Francisco Moya (D-Jack-
Newest Servants Head Up To Albanyson Heights), who won the Assembly seat
vacated by State Sen. Jose Peralta (D-
Corona) early last year, said putting to-
gether his staff was the easiest part of
transition; getting office space has proven
more difficult.
"We're waiting to get the office ap-
proved," he said.
If and when that does happen, Moya
will have his office located in the same
Jackson Heights site his predecessor oc-
cupied at 82-11 37th Ave. He said he
hopes to be in the office in the next few
weeks.
Moya said his main focus in that time
would be quality of life issues, including
gang violence, and unemployment, both
of which he described as "major prob-
lems" for his district. He said the state
government is going to have to work with
banks to get them to lend to local small
businesses because that is how the jobs
lost would come back.
"Small businesses employ locally," he said.
Moya said despite the transition and
lack of office space, he and his staff have
made themselves accessible to the com-
munity.
"We haven't stopped working since we
won," he said.
For Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas
(D-Astoria), her job as representative of
her community started the moment her
office doors opened Monday.
"We had a couple of constituents come
in already," she said, including one whom
she spoke to before she took office. Simotas
told the constituent to come in on the first
day her office opened, and she did.
Simotas, who occupies the Assembly
seat vacated by Gianaris, said the first few
days are mostly "administrative stuff," but
vowed to tackle her main issues, including
education and reform, once the session
gets into full swing.
"We need to make sure schools get
adequate funding so school programs are
not cut," she said, calling herself "an advo-
cate for students"
She said her top priority on the educa-
tion front will be to protect arts programs,
which she credited for giving her a leg up
academically as a student growing up in
Astoria.
On reform, Simotas said the state leg-
islature has to rebuild its constituents'
trust and get people to "look up to govern-
ment again." She said she would be a
strong advocate in ethics reform and fair
redistricting.
"We have to surprise people," she said.
With the help of former Assembly-
woman Ann-Margaret Carrozza,
transitioning into office has been a breeze
for Assemblyman Ed Braunstein (D-
Bayside).
"I'm excited about the swearing in," he
said in a phone interview on his way up to
Albany. "I'm looking forward to becoming
'official.'"
With a $9-$10 billion deficit projected
for the next budget cycle, his first month
in office will probably be focused on cut-
ting spending.
"From what I hear, it's going to be a
very painful, difficult budget," he said.
"It's just the reality of the situation. We're
in a terrible economy. I don't think the
state is going to be getting as much federal
money as we have in the past."
Though he was elected to a state-level
position, Braunstein is looking forward to
working on local issues like education and
quality of life.
Despite a tough election season that
saw the ousting of longtime State Sen.
Frank Padavan in favor of Tony Avella, a
former councilman, Braunstein is confi-
dent that he can work with both Republi-
can Councilman Dan Halloran (R-
Whitestone) and Democrat Avella.
"Absolutely, I think I can work with
both of them," Braunstein said. "I think
everybody is going to get together and put
the constituents first."
Jessica Ablamsky contributed.
Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at
[email protected] or (718) 357-
7400, Ext. 125.
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Southeast Queens Events Edited By Harley Benson
pix
So Long, Frank Padavan
Ph
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Bagpipers parade around the room as part of the farewell ceremony.
Queens DA Richard Brown pres-ents a citation to Padavan, thank-ing him for his service.
Mayor Mike Bloomberg greets outgoing 38-year veteran Sen. FrankPadavan at a special farewell party hosted on his behalf at Leonard’s ofGreat Neck last Wednesday.
Wel l -wishers raise a glass toPadavan and thank him for his de-cades of service to the people ofQueens and New York.
The three remaining Republicanofficials from Queens, Council-men Eric Ulrich (l. to r.), Peter Kooand Dan Halloran, thank FrankPadavan for his work.
Rabbi Marc Schneier, President Russell Simmons, Chairman
Amanda Ritz, Executive Director 1 East 93rd Street, New York, NY 10128
www.ffeu.org
Jerry W. Levin, President Alisa R. Doctoroff, Chair of the Board
John S. Ruskay, Executive Vice President & CEO130 East 59th Street, New York, NY 10022
www.ujafedny.org
Alan S. Jaffe, President Michael S. Miller, Executive Vice President & CEO
70 West 36th Street, New York, NY 10018www.jcrcny.org
Thu., Jan. 13, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.Beth Abraham Family of Health ServicesComprehensive Care ManagementMermaid Avenue, BrooklynDr. Martin Luther King Jr. CelebrationStorytelling, Singing, and“I Have a Dream” SpeechFor info: Esfira [email protected]
Thu., Jan. 13, 12:30 p.m.Rainbow PUSH Wall Street Project at Sheraton New YorkMinisters’ Luncheon Guest Speaker: Rabbi Marc Schneier, President The Foundation for Ethnic UnderstandingFor info: Veronica [email protected]
Fri., Jan. 14, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.Beth Abraham Family of Health ServicesComprehensive Care Management Mermaid Avenue, BrooklynDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Storytelling, Singing, and “I Have a Dream” SpeechFor info: Esfira [email protected]
Fri., Jan. 14, 11:00 a.m.Beth Abraham Family of Health ServicesComprehensive Care Management Greenburgh, New YorkA Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Featuring Vocalist/Musician/Storyteller Jamal RisbrookFor info: Leslie [email protected]
Fri., Jan. 14, to Mon., Jan. 17 Limmud NYWeekend of Jewish Learning:Three Jews at the March on Washington:Unpacking our Multiple Roles in Civil RightsFor info: Limmud [email protected]
Fri., Jan. 14, EveningCongregation Beth-ElEdison, New JerseyService: What Would Dr. King Say to Bullying?For info: Rabbi Bernhard [email protected]
Fri., Jan. 14, 6:00 p.m.Coalition for Mutual RespectNew Rochelle, New YorkDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dinner and ServiceFor info: Rabbi Amiel [email protected]
Fri., Jan. 14, 7:00 p.m.Congregation Beit Simchat TorahNew York CityAnnual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Shabbat ServiceGuest Speaker: Idit Klein, Executive Director, KeshetFor info: Alex Weissman1.212.929.9498 ext. [email protected]
Fri., Jan. 14, 8:00 p.m.Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont and Emanu-ElSounds of Peace: A Shabbat Shira Sermon in SongFor info: Cantor Chanin [email protected]
Fri., Jan. 14, 8:00 p.m.Temple Beth El of Northern WestchesterDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Shabbat ServiceFor info: Rabbi Joshua M. [email protected]
Sat., Jan. 15, 11:00 a.m.The Hampton Synagogue Shabbat Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Rabbi Marc Schneier will speak on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the Jewish community.For info: Rabbi Avraham Bronstein1.631.288.0534 ext. [email protected]
Sun., Jan. 16, 2:00 – 5:00 p.m.Children’s Galleries for Jewish Culture New York CityCelebrate the Civil Rights MovementFor info: Olivia Gradess1.212.924.4500 ext. [email protected]
Sun., Jan. 16, 4:00 p.m.Temple Israel of LawrenceNinth Annual Greater Long Island Jewish CommunityDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Guest Speaker: Rabbi Marc Schneier, President The Foundation for Ethnic UnderstandingFor info: Rabbi Jay H. [email protected]
Mon., Jan. 17, 2:30 p.m.Beth Abraham Family of Health ServicesComprehensive Care ManagementAllerton Avenue, BronxThe Man, His Life, The DreamFor info: Angelina [email protected]
Mon., Jan. 17, 5:00 p.m. Scarsdale Synagogue Temples Tremont and Emanu-El & Scarsdale Congregational ChurchA Young Children’s Service for Peace and UnderstandingFor info: Jody [email protected]
Mon., Jan. 17, 7:00 p.m.Hebrew Institute of RiverdaleTribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.For info: Sara Hurwitz1.718.796.4730 ext. [email protected]
Wed., Jan. 19, 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.Beth Abraham Family of Health ServicesComprehensive Care Management Cranford Avenue, BronxDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day EducationFor info: Eunsik [email protected]
Thursday, Jan. 20, 12:00 noonTri-Faith Chapels, JFK AirportInterfaith Memorial Service for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.For info: Rabbi Bennett M. [email protected]
Fri., Jan. 21, 7:45 p.m.Westchester Reform TempleDr. Martin Luther King Jr. Shabbat ServiceFeaturing The Rev. Dr. Dennis V. ProctorFor info: Felicia [email protected]
Fri., Jan. 21, 8:00 p.m.Congregation Beth EmethService of Remembrance: Remember, Reflect, RenewFor info: Rabbi Elliot [email protected]
Keeping the Dream AliveTogether, we celebrate the vision and honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. King’s words and deeds resonate deeply with all New Yorkers. In every neighborhood
and every community throughout our metropolitan area, his legacy of leadership
continues to inspire and hearten us — and to illuminate our efforts to turn his
dream into our reality.
To commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday on January 17th,
many community organizations and houses of worship will have
observance and memorial services. The Foundation for Ethnic
Understanding, UJA-Federation of New York, and the Jewish
Community Relations Council of New York invite you to
honor Dr. King’s legacy.
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Profile
Gillyard’s Sweet Dreams Coming True
By SASHA AUSTRIE
Sharon Gillyard promises nothing less
than satisfying soulful sweets in her home-
based business Sweets for the Soul.
Gillyard, an officer manager by day,
loves nothing more than the smell of
fresh baked goodies wafting from her
kitchen.
“I’d be in the kitchen
baking all day,” she said.
“It is relaxing.”
Gillyard’s l i felong
dream was not to be a
baker, but a pediatrician.
That dream was derailed
when she saw her first au-
topsy. As a nursing stu-
dent at Hillcrest High
School, she saw the body
of a little boy that was
struck by a bus.
“They were supposed
to put him away and they
didn’t,” she said. Gillyard
also participated in two au-
topsies that day.
“I wasn’t tough enough for that,” she
said.
Though she had never thought of bak-
ing as career, it was nurtured by her grand-
mother, mother and aunt.
In 2004, she finally heeded the ad-
vice of family and friends and started
charging for her treats.
“Basically everyone told me to stop
giving it away,” Gillyard said.
Whether your pleasure is a pineapple
coconut cake, red velvet cake or a batch
of chocolate chip cookies, she promises
delightful treats, which will make you a
repeat customer.
“This happily di -
vorced mom of two chil-
dren is trying to satisfy
people’s soul,” she said.
“Whatever is made is al-
ways made with love.”
Cynthia “Cinderella”
Newman of When We
Were Queens, on Merrick
Boulevard, is an avid cus-
tomer of Gillyards and
swears by the oatmeal
raisin cookies.
A batch of chocolate
chip cookies, three-to-
four dozen, will cost
about $18 and a small
cake can cost as little as
$10.
Her slogan states, “Blending great in-
gredients to make sure your soul is
satisfied…sweetly.”
Contact Gillyard at (917) 822-5865
or e-mail her at [email protected].
Gillyard’s baked goods, including her cup-
cake cakes (above) and a Tiffany-inspired
cupcake and cake combo, have become best
kept secrets.
Sharon Gillyard
Reach Reporter Sasha Austrie at
[email protected], or (718) 357-
7400, Ext. 123.
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Restaurant Review
An Ode To Our ‘Forgotten Borough’
Get A Slice At Fat Boys
BY DOMENICK RAFTER
Nicole Steinberg is a child of Queens.
She grew up in Jackson Heights near Junc-
tion and Northern Bou-
levards, went to school
in Bayside, Whitestone
and Flushing and even
had her first date at Bay
Terrace. But when she
talked to people from
elsewhere about her
home borough, she real-
ized just how little they
knew about Queens.
"People didn't know
anything about the bor-
ough," she said.
That inspired her to put
together a book of stories
that would really tell the
tale of Queens. The result is an anthology
of anecdotes and poems about her home
borough published by SUNY Press with a
title that many borough residents would
agree with, especially after the recent bliz-
zard clean-up: "Forgotten Borough."
"I want to generate interest and ex-
citement in the borough," Steinberg said.
In the book's introduction, Steinberg,
who said she has "a lot of Queens pride,"
opens with the infamous
quote about the 7 train by
former Atlanta Braves
pitcher John Rocker in
2000 that required him
to enter Shea Stadium
with extra security. She
then explains how
Queens, unlike the other
boroughs, does not have
a reputation of its own.
"People tend to for-
get about Queens," she
writes. "They're sur -
prised to hear culture ex-
ists here too, as if some
kind of force field exists
on the right hand side of the East River."
For the next 200 pages, more than
two dozen stories, poems and even
Queens-themed haikus take a reader on a
cultural tour of the borough, stopping in
neighborhoods from Astoria to the
Rockaway Peninsula, giving readers a thor-
ough taste of the densely-populated piece
of land they might only know for being
what's outside their vehicle's windows
when they're stuck in traffic. Some of the
stories revolved around real-life events,
such as the 2003 blackout and the demoli-
tion of the Maspeth gas tanks in 2001.
"I was looking for stories on different
perspectives on living there and on neigh-
borhoods," she said.
That led to some neighborhoods be-
ing the setting for more than one story,
but with a different theme, she said.
Steinberg began working on the book
when she was living in Sunnyside, but
while putting it together, she moved to
Philadelphia, where she currently works
at The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.
"It was pretty bittersweet," she said
of editing the book after having moved
out of the borough.
A poet by trade, Steinberg said she
found editing the book "rewarding, but very,
very difficult." She said she put her own
poetry on hiatus for the book and hopes
to focus on that in the future, but left often
the possibility of more Queens antholo-
gies if this one proves to be successful.
"There was a lot of stuff I didn't cover that
I could have the first time around," she said.
"Forgotten Borough" will be released
next month, and can be pre-ordered at
s u n y p r e s s . e d u / p - 515 6 - fo r g o t t e n -
borough.aspx
Reach Reporter Domenick Rafter at
[email protected] or (718) 357-
7400, Ext. 125.
FAT BOYS PIZZA
61-07 Utopia Pkwy., Fresh Meadows
(718) 321-0694
CUISINE: Pizzeria
HOURS: Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., week-
ends 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
CREDIT CARDS: Yes
DELIVERY: Yes
It’s impossible to live in Queens – or
anywhere in the New York Metro area
for that matter – and not have a favorite
local pizzeria. You don’t have to descend
from a Mediterranean ethnicity to enjoy
a good slice of pizza; just be hungry. In
Fresh Meadows, a new favorite local
pizzeria is serving the traditional Italian
dish with some unusual trimmings.
When one orders pizza, the most
popular toppings are obvious; pep-
peroni, sausage, meatballs, mushrooms
– but the favorites of the customers at
Fat Boys, which opened on Utopia Park-
way, one block south of the Horace
Harding Expressway, in 2009, are not
any of the above. One of their most popu-
lar slices, especially among the local stu-
dents from Francis Lewis High School
who frequent the establishment before
and after their classes, is the Philly
Cheesesteak Pizza. Imagine a pizza
topped with crispy green peppers,
melted cheese, onions and juicy slices
of steak. The recipe for the pizza came
from owner Nick Vorrais’ grandfather
back in Greece, who recently passed.
Another favorite, especially among
Fat Boy’s older crowd, is the Baked Ziti
Pizza. This is Fat Boy’s traditional
cheese pizza topped with a generous
helping of baked ziti pasta cooked to
perfection, or if you’re Italian, the way
your grandmother used to make it, ac-
companied by dollops of ricotta cheese.
If you’re brave enough to tackle spicy
food (and who isn’t up for such a chal-
lenge?) try the Buffalo Chicken Pizza.
One bite and you’ll forget what spicy
Buffalo chicken tastes like when not
piled on top of a pizza.
These slices cannot be eaten the tradi-
tional New York way, folding them in half
like a paper airplane and chomping down,
stuffing your mouth with as much pie as
possible. Instead they must be eaten like
they are in Europe, with a fork and knife,
savored piece by piece. For those who
aren’t that adventurous and prefer tradi-
tional pepperoni or mushroom, Fat Boys
has it, as well as a wide array of more
American-style food like hamburgers,
French fries, and Buffalo wings (not on a
pizza). Fat Boy’s also does not forget its
owners’ Greek heritage; the traditional
Greek gyro is on the menu as well.
Fat Boy’s puts its own personal
touch in their pizzas and nearly every-
thing on their menu. All their dough and
breads are homemade, baked on site.
Until about 6 p.m., Fat Boys caters
to its student crowd. Downstairs from
the main restaurant is a game room, with
two billiards tables frequented by stu-
dents during the day that doubles as a
party room or catering hall. After the
students go home for the evening, Fat
Boys gets its regular locals, who enjoy a
delicious meal.
Don’t feel like going outside? Fat
Boy’s delivers, and also does curbside
pickup, so you don’t have to worry about
finding that parking spot on your way
home from work.
—Domenick Rafter
The New York Mets will host their an-
nual Winter Blood Drive in partnership
with the New York Blood Center this
Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the
Caesar's Club.
On Jan. 6, fans donating blood will
receive a voucher redeemable for one pair
of tickets to a select Mets game in April
2011. In addition, fans can show their
voucher at the Mets Team Store at Citi
Field to receive 15 percent-off regularly-
Mets Fans Give Bloodpriced merchandise.
Season Ticket Holders who give blood
can show their voucher and ID card to
get 20 percent off regularly-priced items.
The discount will only be honored Thurs-
day, Jan. 6.
Fans may park in Lot G on 126th
Street between the Right Field Gate and
Roosevelt Avenue, and enter in the first
base VIP, named for Mets legend Gil
Hodges.
BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO
Romance is in the air this New Year
as the poet Valentinno brings his readers
a book filled with words to soothe our
hearts and spark the romance in all of us.
"A Romantic's Passion: The Tenth
Muse" is a modern-day love story told in
several different styles.
The book is a collection of prose po-
ems, love letters, essays, extended verse
and intimate photos, with quotes under
each photograph to enhance the beauty.
The story is of a poet who is deeply in
love with his muse; she becomes his life's
work and for the rest of his life, his po-
etry is based on her.
Aside from the various styles used in
the book, it also serves as an example of
how a woman should be treated, said the
poet. "The muse is reflected as all women;
they should be loved as God says - the
most beautiful creation," Valentinno said.
After spending time researching and
reading poetry and books written in clas-
sic styles, Valentinno brings his readers
back to the Romantics, getting inspira-
tion from poets Lord Byron, Percy Shelley
and John Keats. He said the language
brings more beauty and meaning rather
than the modern language of contempo-
rary poets.
Valentinno, 36, was born, raised and
still lives in Glendale. He began writing
Love Oozes Its Way
Onto Boro Poet’s Page
poetry at 14 and has not stopped since.
He has won two awards at the CNU Writ-
ers' Conference, has been nominated for
best book award and the Dickinson
Award. He has been credited with more
than 60 literary honors and was inducted
into the "Who's Who of Poets."
Through his years of writing, he has
written a poem for Queen Elizabeth II and
has worked with Tony Blair, former Brit-
ish Prime Minister, in writing and collabo-
rating with 20 authors from 20 different
nations for The Millennium Movement,
fighting against malaria.
"Poet Valentinno is a romantic in the
best sense of the word. He captures the
divine romance of life through his bril-
liant prose," said William McDonald,
President of the American Authors Asso-
ciation. "One can almost feel this inner
joy and 'light' he projects with images
from his words and phrasing."
"I like that when I write something,
the reader could feel the same exact emo-
tions that I feel. They will cry or they will
smile. That's the ultimate thing for a
writer; if you could make that person feel
the same you did, then you have done
your job," said Valentinno.
Set for release later this year, "A
Romantic's Passion: The Tenth Muse"
will be found on Amazon and Barnes &
Noble. For more information on the book
and the poet, visit valentinno.com.
Faith
NotebookStudious Kids
New Manna At Hollis Presbyterian
Mast HS Students
Pursue Science
BY SASHA AUSTRIE
Hollis Presbyterian Church is hosting
additional services during the week for the
faithful.
As of the New Year, the church is host-
ing 9 a.m. manna every third Sunday.
Regularly scheduled services will follow
at 11 a.m.
Including the supplementary Sunday
service, mid-week manna is held every
third Wednesday at 7 p.m. The church is
located at 100-50 196th St.
The services are a chance for mem-
bers of the community to come out and
share praise and worship with Hollis Pres-
byterian Church. It is a chance for songs
and to bear witness to the testimonies of
others. The services will be lead by guest
speakers and preachers, as well as the
church's Pastor Mark Chapman.
Though Chapman had been the in-
terim pastor at the 86-year-old sanctuary
off and on since 2001, he is entering his
second year as Hollis Presbyterian's pas-
tor. An ordained pastor since 1987,
Chapman had spent the
bulk of his career in the
classroom as a profes-
sor.
From 1980 to 1984,
he attended Morehouse
College. He later at-
tended Union Theologi-
cal Seminary to get his
masters, but he was per-
suaded by a professor to
get his Ph.D.
According to
Chapman, his professor
said, "We have enough
pastors, we need more
scholars."
He received his
Ph.D. in systematic the-
ology. He'd settled into the life of a pro-
fessor at Rollins College and later at
Fordham University. A thriving educa-
tional ministry at Sing Sing prison and his
tenure as a professor was not able to en-
tirely sustain him. There was something
missing.
"There was still a gnawing sense God
was calling me to be more engaged,"
Chapman said previously. "Being the pas-
tor of a congregation is even deeper a con-
nection to people beyond a classroom. It is
a much deeper and intimate connection."
Hollis Presbyterian Church will be hosting additional services
every third Sunday.
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Word“Our religious institutions have far too often
become handmaidens of the status quo, while
the genuine religious experience is anything but
that. True religion is by nature disruptive of
what has been, giving birth to the eternally
new.”
Marianne Williamson
Reach Reporter Sasha Austrie at
[email protected], or (718) 357-
7400, Ext. 123.
Keepin’ The Faith?
Then it’s time to share...The PRESS
wants to hear about the special
programs in your faith community. Send
your thoughts, stories, prayers and photos to: The
PRESS at 150-50 14th Rd., Whitestone, NY
11357. All stories will be considered. Photos
cannot be returned.
BY BOB HARRIS
Three students, Nicole Ximines, Maya
Joseph and Alison Egbon, are typical of
the motivated students in the small Math,
Science Research and Technology HS.
Ximines has an 86 average, is in Arista
and wants to be a Forensic Scientist. She
has been accepted into the Queens Bridge
to Medicine program of York College
where after the regular school day, she will
attend enrichment courses with students
from other Queens high schools. She is a
member of the FDNY Explorers program
which meets in the Campus Magnet Com-
plex. The students attend actual firefighter
training where they act as injury victims
for the paramedics. They also give cloth-
ing and food to the needy, work with Meals
on Wheels and with the program Part of
the Solution.
Joseph is also in the FDNY Explorers
program and has been taking
College Now courses at
Queens College, including ur-
ban studies, college writing and
currently drama. She is think-
ing about a career in early
childhood.
Egbon also is enrolled in the
College Now Program at
Queens College where she took
a Science class during the sum-
mer. She is thinking about be-
ing an environmentalist or a
chemist.
The Principal of the Math,
Science, Research Technology
HS is Jose M. Cruz.
Tracking History
Mary Basile, principal of
St. Clare School in
Rosedale, was very proud
of her seventh grade re-
cently. These students, un-
der the guidance of their
science teacher, Mrs.
Baptiste, attempted to re-
search their genealogy and
present it in a family tree.
Many of them, with the
help of their parents, went
back as far as five genera-
tions, and were awed by
their fascinating discover-
ies. They focused on the
different genotypes and
phenotypes that passed through the gen-
erations in a tangible representation of
dominant and recessive traits. They
learned that many of them emerged from
ancestors that do not share their physi-
cal traits, their culture and their lan-
guage.
One young man, whose parents
were immigrants from Haiti, discovered
that his ancestors were Chinese. The
students were very excited with their
Seventh grade students from the St. Clare School show
their family tree.
Nicole Ximines (l. to r.), Maya Joseph and Alison Egbon
exemplify MAST HS’s more active students.
investigations, and they handled this
complex topic with remarkable matu-
rity.
They interjected their own brand of
humor when one delightful young man
observed that his mother’s red hair was
not a recessive gene after all. He pro-
claimed quite proudly, “Now I know
that my mother’s red hair comes from
a peroxide bottle!” Congratulations sev-
enth grade. You really rock.
What’s UpJan
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The First Presbyterian Church in Jamiaca will serve
free lunch on Wednesday.
SATURDAY, JAN. 8
Youth & Tennis
The Youth and Tennis group meets
every Saturday morning at Roy Wilkins
Park Saturday. To learn more, call Bill
Briggs at (718) 658-6728.
Discover Your Career Potential
Take the Career Exploration Inven-
tory, a self-scored, easy-to-use survey guide
to choosing a career based on your inter-
ests and experiences.
This free event will be held at the
Queensborough Public Library’s Central
Branch, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., at 2 p.m.
SUNDAY, JAN. 9
Kaïssa
Known for her unique blend of African,
reggae, jazz, R&B, makossa, and Brazilian
fusion, Kaïssa will perform contemporary
African/World music with Cameroonian
roots sung in Douala, one of Cameroon’s
many languages.
This free event will be held at the
Queensborough Public Library’s Central
Branch, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., at 3 p.m.
MONDAY, JAN. 10
Adult Chess Club
Practice your chess skills weekly, on
Monday and Thursday evenings.
The event is held at 6 p.m. every Mon-
day at Queens Village Library, 94-11 217
St., (718) 776-6800.
Polish Your Resume
Bring a copy of your resume on a flash
drive. Volunteers will guide you through
editing and producing a professional-qual-
ity resume using Cyber Center computers.
Participants must have keyboard and
mouse experience. Pre-registration is re-
quired in the Job Information Center.
This free event will be held at the
Queensborough Public Library’s Central
Branch, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., at 6:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, JAN. 11
Job Club
Every Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,
the Jamaica Neighborhood Center offers
a free service to assist people from South-
east Queens with job-readiness skill sets in
writing a professional resume and cover
letter; interviewing practices and tech-
niques; applying on-line procedures; el-
evator pitch and Microsoft Suite 2007.
For additional information, contact Lenin
Gross, Job Coach, at (718) 739-2060, Ext.
18 or [email protected].
This free event will be held at the Jamaica
Neighborhood Center - 161-06 89th Ave.
Camera Club
The Southeast Queens Camera Club
welcomes photographers, beginners to ad-
vanced. Meetings are held the second,
third and fourth Tuesday every month at
7:30 p.m. at Roy Wilkins Family Life Cen-
ter, 177-01 Baisley Blvd.
Intro to Excel
In this two-session workshop, custom-
ers will learn the basics of how to create
spreadsheets, use formulas, and print tables.
Pre-registration is required in person at
Cyber Center Desk. Participants must
possess basic mouse and keyboarding skills
and must attend both sessions.
This free event will be held at the
Queensborough Public Library’s Central
Branch, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., at 6 p.m.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 12
Lunch In Church
Join us for lunch and get refueled, re-
newed and refilled. This free event is held
every Wednesday at noon at the First
Presbyterian Church in Jamaica, 89-60
164th St. For more information, call (718)
526-4775, Ext. 10. Come just as you are.
Create an Email Account
In this single session workshop, cus-
tomers will learn how to set up/open their
own email account. Pre-registration is re-
quired in person at Cyber Center desk.
Participants must possess basic mouse and
keyboarding skills.
This free event will be held at the
Queensborough Public Library’s Central
Branch, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., at 10 a.m.
York vs. Medgar Evers
Now this is going to be a fight to the end.
Be there when the Lady Cardinals take on
the ladies basketball team from Medgar
Evers. For more information, contact John
Scarinci at [email protected] or (718)
262-5104.
This free event will be held at York
College Gymnasium - 160-02 Liberty Ave.
– at 8 p.m.
THURSDAY, JAN. 13
Adult Chess Club
Practice your chess skills weekly, on
Monday and Thursday evenings.
The event is held at 6 p.m. every Thurs-
day at Queens Village Library, 94-11 217
St., (718) 776-6800.
Microsoft Word En Espanol
Three computer classes in Spanish: Pre-
registration in person is required at the
Cyber Center Reference Desk on January
6 starting at 10 a.m.
This free event will be held at the
Queensborough Public Library’s Central
Branch, 89-11 Merrick Blvd., at 6:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, JAN. 14
Senior Theatre Acting Repertory
Calling all older adults: Join our galaxy
of STARs to perform theatrical works at
the library with a great group of people
while brightening your life.
Rehearsals are held at 10:30 a.m. Fri-
days at Queens Village Library, 94-11 217
St., (718) 776-6800.
ONGOING
CPR Training
The FDNY Mobile CPR Training Unit
will hold regularly scheduled free CPR
classes in all five boroughs. The first Tues-
day through the fourth Tuesday and the
fourth Thursday of every month there will
be Borough CPR training sessions in Man-
hattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Staten Island
and Queens.
Training is free to anyone over the age
of 14. The goal of this program is increase
the number of people in New York City
trained in bystander CPR Each class lasts
1 hour and participants in the
class learn basic CPR skills from
a member of the FDNY Emer-
gency Medical Service.
Volunteers for the class follow
along using the CPR Anytime
Personal Learning Kit, which fea-
tures an instructional DVD and
an inflatable mannequin. All par-
ticipants are able take home the
kit at the end of class and asked
to pledge to use the kit to show
five of their family members and
friends how to perform CPR. This
class teaches basic CPR tech-
nique and is not a certification
course.
In Queens, the classes will be
held the fourth Thursday of every
month at EMS Station 54, 222-
15 Merrick Blvd. In addition,
please visit www.nyc.gov/
cprtogo for New York Sports Club
locations offering free CPR
classes starting in January.
Please visit
www.fdnyfoundation.org or call
(718) 999-2413 for more infor-
mation.
Group Sessions
Clergy United for Community
Empowerment, Inc. Group Sessions are
located at 89-31 161st St., 10th Floor,
Jamaica, for the community on various
topics such as Domestic Violence, Mental
Health, Substance Abuse intervention,
Decision Making, Condom Use, High Risk
Behaviors leading to HIV, and self – es-
teem awareness. All group sessions offer
light snacks and beverages. Group ses-
sions are open to the public.
Round-Trip Metro Card reimbursement
is available at the end of each completed
session. For further information call (718)
297-0720. All services are free. Please call
for next group date.
Infant Mortality
Clergy United for Community
Empowerment’s Infant Mortality Reduc-
tion Initiative program provides the fol-
lowing services free of charge: case man-
agement services, parent skills building,
crib care, breast feeding education, health
education, nutritional information/educa-
tion, referral for HIV testing, confidential
one-on-one counseling, workshops, and
women support groups. IMRI provides
referrals for Food stamps, GED, GYN,
Emergency Baby Formula (qualifications
required) and more. Call (718) 297-0720.
Located at 89-31 161 St., 10th floor,
Jamaica. Services are available Tue.-Thurs.
9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
HIV Awareness
Clergy United for Community Empow-
erment provides intervention and curricu-
lum-based prevention education sessions
on HIV/AIDS, to reduce risk behaviors
that lead to HIV transmission. Services are
located at 89-31 161st St., Jamaica. Call
(718) 297-0720 ask about our presenta-
tion to adolescents and men/women of
color. Services are available Tue.-Thurs.,
9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Laurelton Flea Market
A flea market has opened at 221-02
Merrick Blvd. On sale are a wide range of
items, including household items, jewelry
and clothing.
The market is open every Thursday
through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
CPR Class
Learn to protect yourself and others at
Heron Care Inc. For more information,
please call (718) 291-8788. Heron is lo-
cated at 168-30 89th Ave., Jamaica.
PAL Volunteers
The Police Athletic League (PAL) is
looking for volunteers to continue its mis-
sion of serving New York City’s young
people by donating their time and talents
to help serve Queens youngsters at PAL’s
Redfern Cornerstone and Far Rockaway
Beacon in Arverne-Far Rockaway, PAL’s
Edward Byrne Center in South Jamaica
and PS 214 in Flushing.
PAL Centers in Queens offer a wide
range of opportunities for volunteers of all
talents. PAL’s Redfern Cornerstone and
Far Rockaway Beacon are looking for
people to participate in a center clean-up
day. Volunteers are needed to tutor and
mentor young people during the After
School Program’s daily homework help
sessions. In addition, individuals can also
donate their time assisting the many spe-
cial events held at PAL’s Centers through-
out the year. PAL is also seeking profes-
sionals to give career advice and talk about
their own careers to young people, as well
as guest speakers who can share informa-
tion on a specific hobby of interest to the
youngsters.
To become a volunteer with the Police
Athletic League or to learn more about
volunteer opportunities, please
visit palnyc.org. Volunteers will go through
an application process that includes an
interview, screening and an orientation.
For more information, please contact
PAL’s Volunteer Coordinator, Alexandria
Sumpter-Delves, at (212) 477-9450, Ext.
390 or [email protected].
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.
ENTERTAINMENT EDUCATION/GAMES/CRAFTS
DANCE
ISRAELI FOLKMondays 7:30 -10 :00 a tHillcrest Jewish Center, 182-02 Union Turnpike. $10 ses-sion. 380-4145.LINE DANCINGMondays 6 :30 -9 :30 a tKowal insk i Pos t 4 , 61 -57Maspeth Avenue. $7. Cakeand coffee. 565-2259.
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.MOVIE & TALKMondays the F r iends o fPomonok present a movieand discussion. Bring lunch.1 at the Pomonok library.TROUBLED WATERMonday, January 10 show-ing of the film “Troubled Wa-ter” with English subtitles anddiscussion at 2 at the FreshMeadows library.OPEN MIC POETRYMondays, January 10, Feb-ruary 14, March 14 at 7:30at Barnes & Noble, 176-60Union Turnpike, Fresh Mead-ows.FAMILY GAME NIGHTMonday, January 10 at theSouth Jamaica library at 6.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.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-
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.PUBLIC SPEAKINGSaturdays, January 8, 15,29, February 5, 19 learn tocommunicate effectively atElmhurst Hospital. 646-436-7940.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.KNIT & CROCHETMondays at the Douglaston/Little Neck library at 4.ENGLISH CONV.Monday, January 10 EnglishConversation Groups at theBellerose library. Register.ADULT CHESSMondays and Thursdays atthe Queens Village library at5:30.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.COMPUTER CLASSTuesday, January 11 at theArverne library at 10.COMPUTER CLASSTuesday, January 11 at theSunnyside library. Register.ADULT SCRABBLETuesday, January 11 at theFresh Meadows library at 1.KNIT & CROCHETTuesdays at the WindsorPark library at 2.SCRABBLE CLUBTuesdays at the East Flush-ing library at 3:30.GET YOUR YARNS OUT!Tuesdays after evening Min-yan at 8, knitters, crochet-ers, needlepointers, and oth-ers meet at the Forest HillsJewish Center . 263-7000,ext. 200.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.US CITIZENSHIPThursday, January 13 Path-way to US Citizenship at theElmhurst library at 5:30.
dio Jarocho celebrates LasPosadas 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.
QUILTING CLASSESThursdays 10-2 at the MariaRose Dol l Museum in S t .Albans. 276-3454 or 917-817-8653 to register.CHESS CLUBThursdays at the East Flush-ing library. Register.KNIT & CROCHETThursdays a t the F reshMeadows library at 6.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.KNITTING CLUBFridays at the Maspeth li-brary at 10.KNIT & CROCHETFridays at the Fresh Mead-ows library at 10:30.COMPUTER CLASSFriday, January 14 at theMiddle Village library. Reg-ister.SCRABBLE
Fridays Bananagrams andScrabble at the Windsor Parklibrary at 2:30.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.
HEALTH
NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS7 days a week. 932-6244.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.BLOOD DRIVESunday, January 9 blooddr i ve f rom 9 :30 -1 :30 a tTemple Tikvah, 3315 HillsideAvenue, New Hyde Park.OBESITY & AGINGMonday, January 10 Re-serving the #1 Cause of Ill-ness: Obesity & AcceleratedAging at 6 at the Flushing li-brary.ZUMBA EXERCISEMonday, January 10 at theLefrak City library at 6.TAI CHIMondays and Thursdays at11 at the Card iac Heal thCenter in Fresh Meadows.670-1695. $5 a class.CAREGIVERS SUPPORTEver y Tuesday We ste rnQueens Caregiver Networkin Sunnys ide . 5 :30 -6 :30 .784-6173, ext. 431.ALZHEIMERSTuesdays, Januar y 11, 25,February 8, 22, March 8, 22Caregiver Support Group inForest Hills. 592-5757, ext.237.YOGAWednesdays 5:30-6 :30 atthe Cardiac Health Centerin F resh Meadows . 670 -1695. $10 class.CAREGIVERS WORKSHOPWednesday , January 12top ic s i nc lude ca reg ive rburnout, resources, more.Flushing library at 10:30.WELL SPOUSESWednesdays, January 12,February 9, March 9 WellSpouses or Partners of theChronically Ill and Disabledmeet at 7 at St. Charles Re-hab Center, 201 IU WilletsRoad, Albertson. Donation.516-829-8740.
SELF DEFENSEThursday, January 13 SelfDe fense Workshop fo rwomen and G i r l s a t theSunnyside library at 4.OAThursdays a t the HowardBeach library at 10:30.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.
FLEA MARKETS
RELIGIOUS
THRIFT SHOPSSaturdays 11-4 at BargainBout ique Th r i f t Shop ,Queens Baptist Church, 93-23 217th Street, Queens Vil-lage.465-2504.
MISCELLANEOUS
CANNED FOOD DRIVEThrough Saturday, January8 at the Hillcrest library.EDUCATOR APPRECIATESaturday , January 15through Sunday, January 23pre-K to grade 12 educatorswill enjoy special discountsat Barnes & Noble, 176-60Union Turnpike, Fresh Mead-ows.
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.
SENIORS
TALKS
AARP 1405Mondays, January 10, 24Flushing AARP Chapter 1405meets at the Bowne StreetCommunity Church, 143-11Roosevelt Avenue at 1. Newmembers welcome.STARSWednesday, January 12 at10:30 at the Hollis library andFriday, January 14 at 10:30at the Queens Village library.Senior Theater Acting Rep-ertory 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 29Thursdays, January 13, Feb-ruary 10, March 10 AARPChapter 29 meets at GraceHouse, 155-02 90th Avenue,Jamaica at noon.FREE LUNCHSaturdays, January 15, Feb-ruary 19, March 19 at AllSaints Church in RichmondHill. 849-2352 reservations.
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-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 , F reshMeadows.
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MEETINGS
BEREAVEMENTNew bereavement g roupforming at the Forest HillsJewish Center . 263-7000,ext. 223 for information.CATHOLIC VETSMondays, January 10, Feb-ruary 14, March 14 Ameri-can Mart yrs Cathol ic WarVeterans Post 1772 meets inBayside. 468-9351.VFW 4787Mondays, January 10, 24,February 14, 28, March 14,28 Whitestone VFW Com-mun i t y Pos t mee t s . 746 -0540.FRESH MEADOW CAMERATuesdays the Fresh Mead-ows Camera C lub meets .917-612-3463.COMM. BD. 9Tuesday, January 11 Com-muni t y Board 9 meets a tPunjabi Palace. 286-2686.LIONS CLUBTuesdays, January 11, Feb-ruary 8, March 8 the LionsClub of Ravenswood meetsat 6:30 at Riccardo’s by theBridge, 21-01 21st Avenue,Astoria.WOMANSPACEWednesdays Womanspace,a discussion group devotedto i s sues concern ingwomen, meets 1 -3 at theGreat Neck Senior Center,80 Grace Avenue . Newmembers welcome.QUEENS CENTRAL ROTARYThursdays 6:30-8:30 Comelearn i f Rotary is for you.465-2914.UNITED 40SThursday , January 13United Forties Civic Associa-tion, Inc. meets at St. TeresaPar i sh Center , 50 -22 45th
Street, Woodside.ADVANCED TOASTMASTERThursdays, January 13, 27,February 24, March 17, 31learn the art and science ofpublic speaking in Queens.525-6830.CIVIL AIR PATROLFridays 6-10 at Vaughn Col-lege of Aeronautics, 86-0123rd Avenue, East Elmhurst.AcademyWOMAN’S GROUPFridays the Woman’s Groupof Jamaica Estates meets atnoon. Call 461-3193 for in-formation.P-FLAGSundays, January 16, Feb-ruary 20, March 20 PFLAG,a support group for parents,families and friends of lesbi-ans and gays, meet in ForestHills. 271-6663.
YOUTH
QUEENS LIBRARIESMany b ranches o f theQueensborough Library of-fer toddler and pre-schoolprograms. Contact your lo-cal branch for dates.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.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 Tu rnp 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 HELPMonday-Friday, January 10-14 at the Lefrak City libraryat 3.LITTLE TOT TIMEMonday, January 10 at theHillcrest library at 4.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.BOOK BUDDIESTuesday, January 11 at 3:30at the Hillcrest library.CHESS & CHECKERSTuesday, January 11 at theLIC library at 4.DUNGEONS & DRAGONSTuesday, January 11 at theBaisley Park library. Register.CHESSWednesdays at the QueensVillage library at 3:30.CRAFTSWednesday, January 12 atthe Steinway library. Regis-ter .GAME DAY
Wednesday, January 12 atthe St. Albans library at 4.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.WII TOURNAMENTThursday, January 13 at theWindsor Park library. Regis-ter .CHESS CLUBFriday, January 14 at thePoppenhusen library at 3:30.GAME DAYFr idays a t 3 :30 a t theQueens Village library.ARTS & CRAFTSFriday, January 14 at the EastFlushing library. Register.GAME PLAYERS CLUBFridays at the Hillcrest libraryat 4.GAME TIMEFridays at the Windsor Parklibrary at 4.CHESS CLUBFridays at the Douglaston/Little Neck library. Register.FAMILY STORYTIMEFriday, January 14 at theSeaside library at 11.MLK JR.F r iday , January 14 ce l -ebrate Martin Luther King,Jr.’s birthday at the Bay Ter-race library. Register.BOOK BUDDIESFriday, January 14 at theBayside library at 4.MLK JR.Friday, January 14 at theEast Elmhurst library at 4.ARTS & CRAFTSFriday, January 14 at thePeninsula library at 4.MLK JR.Friday, January 14 at theLangston Hughes library at7 .TEEN TUTORINGSaturday, January 15 at theBayside library at 10.ANIMAL CARESaturday, January 15 andSunday , January 23 fo rthose 8-12 at Alley Pond En-v i ronmenta l Center . 229 -4000 to register.STORY TIMESaturday, January 15 storyt ime featur ing books thatce leb ra te each pe r son ’ suniqueness and show howimportant it is to be a goodf r iend a t 11 a t Ba rnes &Noble, 176-60 Union Turn-pike, Fresh Meadows.MLK JR.Saturday, January 15 pro-gram at the Central librarybeginning at 11:30.SCIENCE FAIR HOW TOSaturday, January 15 at theRidgewood library at 1.BOY SCOUT 138Thursdays Boy Scout Troop138 meets at 7:30 in the
basement at 192-15C 64th
Circle, Fresh Meadows. Forthose 11 and o lder . 454-2391.CUB SCOUTS 351Fridays at St. Nicholas ofTolentine school cafeteria,Pa r sons B lvd . and Un ionTurnpike. Boys in grades 1-5. 820-0015.CUB/TROOP SCOUTSFridays f rom Septemberthrough June Pack 357 andTroop 357 meet s in t heScout Room, 69 -16 164th
Street, Flushing. 591-9514Cubs, 279-9085 Scouts.SCOUTINGJo in Scout ing in Queens .212-651-2897.SHABBAT SCOUTSSundays Shomer ShabbatBoy Scout Troop 613 meetsfrom 6-7:30 at Young Israelof Windsor Park. 969-1571.
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,” with other exhib-its, “Unraveling History: Us-ing Textiles to Date the Past,”“K ings l and : F rom Home-stead to House Museum,”“Persistence: A Celebrationof Landmarks in Queens –Past, Present, Future,” and“ The C iv i l War ’ s L a s t ingMemory.” 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-i ng . ” May through June“Depar tment o f A r t andDesign’s Juried Student Ex-hibition.” 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.NY REGIONAL AESTHETICSJanuary 29 through June 30“Express : Local/New YorkRegional Aesthetics” at theQueens College Art Center.997-3770.FLUSHING COUNCILThrough September 2011“Within the Emperor’s Gar-den : ” The Ten ThousandSprings Pavilion.” Perma-nent displays include “JazzLive!”, “Flushing Town Hall:”Fact or Folklore,” an histori-cal exhibit ion on FlushingTown Hall and its place inh i s to ry , “Legends o f theQueens Jazz Trail” 463-7700.
TEENS
CHESS CLUBSaturdays at the Flushinglibrary at 2.KNIT & CROCHETMondays at the Douglaston/Little Neck library at 4.MANGA CLUBMonday, January 10 at thePeninsula library at 4.LAPTOPS FOR TEENSMonday-Friday, January 10-14 at the Holl is l ibrary at4:30.TEEN TUTORINGMonday, January 10 at 3:30at the Bayside library.RESUME WRITINGMonday, January 10 at 3:30
at 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.FAMILY GAME NIGHTMonday, January 10 at theSouth Jamaica 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 graphicnove l i s t and ch i ld ren^ : ’ sbook au thor Ne i lNumberman in this art work-shop.WINTER CRAFTTuesday, January 11 at theQueens Vi l lage l ibrary a t4:30.DRAWING MANGATuesday, January 11 at theSeaside library at 4:30.BOOK BUDDIESTuesday, January 11 at theHillcrest library at 3:30.CHESS & CHECKERSTuesday, January 11 at 4 atthe LIC libraryDUNGEONS & DRAGONSTuesday, January 11 at theBaisley Park library. Register.CHESSWednesdays at 3:30 at theQueens Village library.TEEN GAMESWednesday, January 12 atthe Central library at 4.GAME DAYWednesday, January 12 atthe St. Albans library at 4.TEEN GAME DAYWednesday, January 12 atthe Kew Gardens Hi l l s l i -brary at 4:30.LEARN MAGICWednesday, January 12 atthe Queens Village library at4 .HISTORY OF CINEMAWednesday , January 12History of Cinema for YoungAdults at 4 at the Steinwaylibrary.DRAMA POSSEThursday, January 13 at theHillcrest library. Register.PRACTICE SATThursday, January 13 at theAstoria library at 4.DRUMSThursday, January 13 findyour rhythm at the Leffertslibrary at 4.SELF DEFENSE GIRLSThursday, January 13 at 4at the Sunnyside library.WII TOURNAMENTThursday, January 13 at theWindsor Park library. Regis-ter .ZOMBIE!Thursday, January 13 zom-bies in literature, media andfilm at 6 at the Pomonok li-brary.INTERNET SAFETYThursday, January 13 at theRidgewood library Register.HAPPY HOURFriday, January 14 at theFlushing library at 3.BOOK BUDDIESFriday, January 14 at theFresh Meadows library at 4.GAME PLAYERSFridays at the Hi l lcrest l i -brary at 2.
BOOK BUDDIESFriday, January 14 at theBayside library at 4.MLK JR.Friday, January 14 Honor-ing the Legacy of Dr. MartinLuther King, Jr. – A Commu-nity Conversation at 7 at theLangston Hughes libraryTEEN TUTORINGSaturday, January 15 at theBayside library at 10.SCIENCE FAIR HOW TOSaturday, January 15 at theRidgewood library at 1.MYSTERY BOOK CLUBSaturday, January 15 at theLIC library. Register.OPEN MICSaturday, January 16 at theCentral library at 2.ACQC SUPPORTACQC Teen Peer Suppor tGroup - informat ion, sup-port, skills development train-ing for those “touched byHIV/AIDS.” Ages 14-16. 896-2500.ART CLASSESFr idays t he A l l i ance o fQueens Artists in Forest Hillsoffers teen workshops. 520-9842.BOY SCOUTS 138Thursdays Boy Scout Troop138 meets at 7:30 at 192-15C 64th Circle, basement,Fresh Meadows. For those upto 17. 454-2391.BUKHARIAN LOUNGEBukharian Teen Lounge, forthose 15-18, at the CentralQueens YM-YWHA in ForestHills. 268-5011, ext. 202.CATALPA YMCASaturdays r ec rea t ion ,Weigh t room and f i tnesscenter available. 69-02 64th
S t ree t , R idgewood . 821 -6271.COUNSELINGCall 592-5757 for free coun-se l ing a t the Fores t Hi l l sCommunity House.DROP IN CENTERMondays-Thursday from 4-7 the Queens Rainbow Com-mun i t y Center, 30 -374Steinway Street , 2nd f loor,Astoria, holds a Drop-In Cen-ter for LGBTQQ youth up to22. 204-5955.EMPLOYMENT SERVICESunnyside Community Ser-vices Youth Employment Ser-vices avai lable. 784-6173,ext. 129.GAY GROUPMondays the AIDS Center ofQueens County has a Gay/B i /Lesb ian Yout h Group(ages 16 -21) meet ing de -s i gned to suppor t youngpeople in exploring feelingsabout sexualit y and other is-sues. 896-2500.SCOUTINGThe Rego Park Jewish Cen-ter wi l l offer boy and gir lscouting. 516-526-2492.SCOUTINGJo in Scout ing in Queens .212-651-2897.VAC YOUTH SQUADThe Glen Oaks VolunteerAmbu lance Corps YouthSquad is looking for newmembers 14-18. 347-1637.YOUTH GROUPFr iday s t h e C o m m u n i t yChurch of Litt le Neck wil lh o l d t h e i r C o m m u n i t yYouth Group from 7-9. 46-1 6 L i t t l e N e c k Pa r k way.229-2534.
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People
Verizon has provided a $25,000 grant
to the Queens Library Foundation to un-
derwrite its youth employees and science
and technology programs for children at
Queens Library.
Verizon has been a longtime supporter
of the library, donating more than
$270,000 since 1992. June Jee, Director
of Government and External Affairs for
the Verizon Foundation, presented the
check.
Verizon’s grant supports the Library’s
hiring of young people to work on its Dis-
covery Team project, and serves the dual
purpose of providing local youth with re-
sume-worthy jobs, and providing technol-
ogy education to the youngest library cus-
tomers. Discovery Team members plan
and conduct programs for the popular
Saturday Science Club at Central Library,
as well as many other science-related pro-
grams during the week. Verizon also plans
to underwrite some of the programs in
the Children’s Library Discovery Center,
scheduled to open in spring of 2011.
“We are delighted with Verizon’s sup-
port of our Discovery Team. With this
grant, young people will learn specialized
technology skills and provide computer
assistance and technology guidance to
children visiting our newest library-the
Children’s Library Discovery Center.
From smart boards to robotics, from digi-
tal storytelling to games, Verizon’s sup-
port will enable Discovery Team members
to open the world of learning through
technology to hundreds of young people
every year,” said Diana Chapin, Executive
Director, Queens Library Foundation.
“The Queens Library has always been
ahead of the curve in adopting new tech-
nologies to enhance our children’s learn-
June Jee, Director, Verizon Foundation’s
Director of Government and External Af-
fairs (l. to r.); Diana Chapin, Executive
Director, Queens Library Foundation;
Isabella Persaud & Alexander Persaud,
participants in Queens Library’s BOOST
program.
ing,” said June Jee, Verizon director of
community and external affairs in
Queens. “It’s very rewarding for Verizon
to partner - for almost 20-years — with
the Queens Library to bring new applica-
tions and technologies to the borough’s
residents and students.”
Army Spec. Ariel C. Sanchez has gradu-
ated from basic infantry training at Fort
Benning, Columbus, Ga.
During the nine weeks of training, the
soldier received training in drill and cer-
emonies, weapons, map reading, tactics,
military courtesy, military justice, physi-
cal fitness, first aid, and Army history,
core values and traditions. Additional
training included development of basic
combat skills and battlefield operations
and tactics, and experiencing use of vari-
ous weapons and weapons defenses
available to the infantry crewman.
He is the brother of Adile Sanchez of
Briarwood and Aldo Sanchez of South
Toms River, N.J. Sanchez graduated in
1994 from Thomas A. Edison High
School, Jamaica, and received a
bachelor’s degree in 1999 from St. John’s
University.
Army Pvt. Jeremy A. Solano has gradu-
ated from basic infantry training at Fort
Benning, Columbus, Ga.
During the nine weeks of training, the
soldier received training in drill and cer-
emonies, weapons, map reading, tactics,
military courtesy, military justice, physi-
cal fitness, first aid, and Army history, core
values and traditions. Additional training
included development of basic combat
skills and battlefield operations and tac-
tics, and experiencing use of various weap-
ons and weapons defenses available to
the infantry crewman.
He is the son of Consuelo Solano of
Apopka, Fla., and Abdelhag Yagoub of
Jamaica. Solano graduated in 2007 from
Ocoee High School, Fla.
The following students were named
to the Fall Term 2010 Deans’ List at
Choate Rosemary Hall: Bo-hyun Moon,
daughter of Ju-han Moon and Young-mi
Bae of Flushing; and O’Neil Bahadur, son
of Mrs. Glenderlene R. Bahadur of Queens
Village.
Located in Wall ingford, Conn. ,
Choate Rosemary Hall is an independent
secondary school enrolling 850 board-
ing and day students from 40 states and
45 countries.
Tell The PRESS
Send notices of graduation, awards,
anniversaries,
engagements and honors to:
PRESS of Southeast Queens
150-50 14th Rd.,
Whitestone, NY 11357
All announcements will be consid-
ered for publication without fee.
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Jan
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Conf ident ia l ly, New York . . .
Lindsay Curtis fell into model-ing almost by accident. While help-ing her friend Venus with makeupand photo shoots for models, shewas eventually convinced to stepin front of the camera.
The 18-year-old Woodhavencollege student said it isn’t goingto be a career choice for her, butrather a “side project.”
“I actually really enjoy it,” shesaid, “I do plan on continuing tomodel.”
A side project to her desiredcareer, math teacher, Lindsay isstudying at Queens College andhopes to teach math when shegraduates.
“I really enjoy math,” she said.A graduate of George WashingtonCarver High School in SpringfieldGardens, she involved herself inmath classes and math challengeswhile there and was inspired by hermath teacher to become one her-self.
Whatever free time Lindsay has,which she admits isn’t often, shespends with her friends.
“We don’t really do much,” shesaid. “We just sit at home and watchmovies.”
Lately, she said, she’s beenwatching a lot of war movies, buther taste for movies and music isvery eclectic.
“My iPod is very random,” shesaid, with everything from TheBeatles to hip-hop.
Math MajorM
odels Of QueensLindsay CurtisHome: WoodhavenAge: 18Height: 5’ 2"Weight: 135 lbsStats: 34-29-42NYPhotoByNick
Lindsay CurtisHome: WoodhavenAge: 18Height: 5’ 2"Weight: 135 lbsStats: 34-29-42NYPhotoByNick
Snowed InCalling 311 won’t help this situ-
ation.While the rest of the City was
digging their cars out of last week’sblizzard, one unlucky QConf stafferhad to dig the blizzard out of his car.
Armed with ice scraper in hand,he came to find his Jeep Wranglervirtually free of any snow on theoutside. But the poor chump wasnot as lucky as he originally thought. He opened his car to find a nicecoating of snow on the inside. Fortunately, it was on the passenger side.
We’re not sure if the Dept. of Sanitation does car detailing, but afterfour nightmarish years of dealing with this junker, the QConf stafferwished a garbage truck would just plow the damned thing away already.
Say it ain’t so, Joe.
Inside the staffer’s clunker.
Many people think Jerry Seinfeldwalked away from a goldmine when“Seinfeld” ended, but they have no ideathe paper he is commanding now.
The Queens comedian will garner apayday of £1 million ($1.5 million) for a 90minute show in London on June 3.
We know it’s not anything comparedto the sum he pulled for an episode ofSeinfeld, but consider this, there is noGeorge, Kramer, Newman or Elaine withher psychotic dancing.
The only personality he has to dealwith is his own.
Hey Jerr, this is the season of per-petual hope. Why not share?
This Queens College alum
certainly isn’t worried about
his next paycheck.
Still Filthy Rich
Ode To Queens 2010Seth Bornstein, the Executive Director of Queens Economic Devel-
opment, needs a vacation.For many of us, when we have toiled away at our jobs for too long
without a break, we get kinda punchy, and it shows. Seth, with apologiesto every poet who has ever lived, decided to send out an e-mail blastthat we couldn’t help but share with those not fortunate enough to beon his list.
This is his poem, folks – unedited:
As we bid farewell to 2010It’s time to look back and “remember when.”So turn off the computer and take out a penIt’s less techie and provides a few moments of zenHere at QEDC we’ve been busy as beesOur alphabet programs meet so many needs:EAP, WBC and Avenue NYC help small businesses lead,And Restaurant Week is a borough-wide feedThey’re packed in at Citi Field for the Taste,And we’re really in love with the Entrepreneur’s Space.Business Blueprint seminars help all win the raceAnd Discovering Queens – oh, what a place!Gotham Center is making Long Island City look snazzier,And JetBlue’s presence will make Queens Plaza classier.Shop at Skyview Center, drink bubble tea with tapioca latherThe exhibits at NY Sci and MMI help increase your brain matterDowntown Jamaica has Applebee’s and sleek apartments at Moda,In the new Rockaway Stop & Shop there’ll be black cherry soda.At expanded Kaufman Studios you may spy Ray LiottaBut Costco Rego Park toilet-paper packs outsize a Toyota
Seth, why don’t you take a day off?
Google QueensEvery year Google, the do-no-
evil internet giant that is takingover the world, puts together itszeitgeist list of the top searches bycity or region, and this year, forNew York City, the Queens Li-brary made the Top 10 – at No. 10.
Joining the ranks of suchsearches as Streeteasy, CUNYPortal and IKEA Brooklyn (the topthree), our borough’s library as-cended to the chart – the onlylisting that was uniquely Queens.Sure, Hopstop, NYC Weather,MTA and nyc.gov made the list aswell, but we don’t see the NewYork Public Library or the NewYork Yankees on the list either.
It just goes to show, if it’s outthere, it’s in the Queens Library.Congratulations, and let’s shootfor the top next year.
The show must go on… unless Assemblyman Rory Lancman hasanything to say about it.
Perhaps the most highly anticipated disaster in Broadway history,“Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark,” based on the story of our ForestHills web-slinger, has delighted and terrified audiences alikeduring a preview run in which four actors were injured – one witha concussion and another with broken ribs and internal bleeding.
“Several actors have been injured during the show’s shortpreview season, and the danger to actors, theater employees andaudience members seems to have reached unacceptable levels,”said Lancman in a letter to producer Michael Cohl, complete withthreats to hold hearings. “Turn Off The Dark” is feeling pressure
to turn off the lights.
His Spider Sense Is Tingling
Did you lose a bag full of Tiffany merchan-dise in Astoria recently?
If you did, did you think you’d ever get itback? Well someone in Astoria found your bagof Tiffany’s goodies and didn’t sell them oneBay for a nice profit or give their special some-one a free Christmas present. Instead the goodsamaritan posted flyers across the neighbor-hood with a phone number to call to claim thebag. The flyers note that there is jewelry inside.
Depending on who you talk to, the personwho found the bag is either an incrediblysincere, honest and selfless individual, or stu-pid. You decide.
Astoria Tiffany’s
Call the number if
your tiara is missing.
For now, new safety protocolsseem to have satisfied localelecteds.
Nobody say break a leg to thatcast or crew!
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