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Flushing doctor pleads guilty to negligent homicide after abortion gone-wrong: DA

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

A doctor who used to work at a Flushing medical facility for women has pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide after a botched abortion led to the death of one of his patients, the Queens district attorney said.

Great Neck resident Dr. Robert Rho, 55, worked at Liberty Women’s Health of Queens at 37-01 Main St. and performed an abortion procedure on a 30-year-old woman in July 2016, according to DA Richard Brown said.

The patient’s uterine wall was damaged during the procedure and she died of her injuries shortly after leaving Rho’s office, according to Brown. The disgraced doctor admitted not providing the proper care for his patient after the surgery, he said.

“Sadly, a 30-year-old woman lost her life as a result of the surgery,” Brown said. “The doctor has now accepted responsibility and admitted he failed to realize the damage he’d done and did not provide appropriate and timely medical care following the surgery. He will go to prison as a result of his actions.”

Brown said the woman, accompanied by her sister, had the surgery done at the facility where Rho worked at about 1 p.m. July 9, 2016. Rho caused a laceration on the victim’s cervix, which caused a perforation of the uterine wall and led to a “disruption and transection of the uterine artery.”

The woman bled profusely in the recovery, where Rho performed a second surgery to repair the damage instead of seeking emergency medical care for the victim, trial testimony showed.

The victim was released from Rho’s care and on the ride back to her sister’s house in the Bronx, she fell in the backseat of the car and became unresponsive.

She was treated at Bronx hospital for vaginal bleeding and given six units of blood. She was ultimately pronounced dead later that night, according to Brown.

The trial presided over by Queens Supreme Court Justice Gregory Lasak dragged on for four weeks. But as the jury deliberated on the second full day of the trial, Rho decided to plead guilty instead.

Rho is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26 and faces 16 months to four years behind bars.

Liberty Women’s Health of Queens has since closed its doors.

Yelp reviews for the clinic Rho operated out of earned the business 2 1/2 stars with clients complaining of Rho’s “mean” and erratic behavior, with one customer referring to her second visit in which he called an employee “stupid.”

Another reviewer backed up the first client’s statement, saying Rho was aggressive with an assistant and described Liberty Women’s Health as a “horrible place.”

The clinic described itself on the review website as “Board-Certified OB/GYN – Extremely Low Complication Rate.”

In 2011, a Queens grand jury the sexual harassment claim of one of Rho’s former employees during the time when the physician was practicing cosmetic surgery, particularly vaginal rejuvenation, according to a 2011 article from the Daily News.

Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhallum@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4564.

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Source: Times Ledger

Workers rally for union contract at Two Men and a Truck in Long Island City

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

Professional movers at the New York City franchise of Two Men and a Truck rallied Tuesday with Teamsters and other allies outside the company’s Long Island City office.

The workers called out against poverty wages, racially coded language and unfair promotions ahead of a union vote which was scheduled to be held Friday.

“We are professionals and should be able to support our families in this career,” said Two Men and a Truck driver Ramell Brown, a father of four. “We need a union with a voice at work so we can stand up for ourselves. Some guys are making little more than minimum wage and only being scheduled for one day a week. No one can make it in New York on that.”

The workers are seeking to join Teamsters Local 814, New York City’s professional movers union. They notified company management in April that a majority of workers had signed union authorization cards, but the company refused to recognize their union, prompting this week’s vote. The election will be overseen by the National Labor Relations Board.

“It’s unacceptable for a moving company to pay poverty wages in New York City,” Teamsters Local 814 President Jason Ide said. “Since announcing their intention to join the Teamsters, the workers have stood strong and I fully expect they will win their union.”

Workers want a raise, health care and retirement benefits, and a seniority-based scheduling system that maximizes employment. The movers are also hoping to win equal treatment through a union contract as most of the company’s workers are black while the managers are white. Workers of color have seen promotions go to white applicants and have heard racially offensive comments made by management, according to the protesters.

“All we want is equal and fair treatment,” Two Men and a Truck worker Milton Cunningham said.

When the company changed hands two years ago, workers said they saw business decline as hours on the schedule dwindled, leading to many employees facing serious financial hardship.

“When we started here, it seemed like the company was going to be a real success,” Two Men and a Truck worker Julio Casalinova said. “Hopefully, this can be a wake-up call and the new owner and the national brand can work with our new union to ensure that Two Men and a Truck thrives in New York.”

Two Men and a Truck is the largest franchised moving company in the United States with more than 410 locations in 41 states. Management at the franchise office at 47-00 Northern Blvd. in Long Island City could not be reached for comment.

Meanwhile, the Teamsters are vowing to support the workers in their quest for a union.

“When you join the Teamsters Union, you are no longer alone. Across the country, 1.4 million Teamsters are standing behind you,” Teamsters Joint Council 16 President George Miranda said. “We will have their backs and ensure they get a union contract that provides for their families and protects them in the workplace.”

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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Source: Times Ledger

Queens’ Nepali immigrants slam decision to end TPS

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Prem Calvin Prashad

TimesLedger Newspapers

Accusing the federal government of “playing games with immigrant rights” and making a “political decision,” the Nepali community in Queens slammed the Trump administration’s decision to end the Temporary Protected Status for Nepali nationals.

Hosted by the Queens-based immigrant advocacy group Adhikaar, some 100 people gathered at the Satya Narayan Mandir, located at 75-15 Woodside Ave., to discuss the implications of the end of TPS, as well as commemorate the devastating earthquake that promoted the federal government to offer TPS protections.

The gathering was held April 25 on the three-year anniversary of the devastating earthquake that blasted Nepal and the eve of the determination to be made by DHS

On April 25, 2015, the mountainous country of Nepal was struck by a 7.8 magnitude earthquake, which killed nearly 9,000 people and caused widespread devastation. In Nepal, one of Asia’s poorest countries, estimates place the damage to be equal to 50 percent of the country’s GDP. Consequently, the Nepali government was overwhelmed by the scope of the catastrophe, with almost 600,000 homes destroyed.

In response, the United States grated Temporary Protected Status, a policy that protects people from deportation to countries that have become unsafe to avoid life-threatening circumstances. About 5,000 Nepali citizens, many living in Queens, are TPS recipients. The status must be renewed periodically and the most recent renewal occurred on Dec. 26, 2016. The policy was in place for several Central American and Caribbean countries that have suffered natural disasters, but under the Trump administration, the Department of Homeland Security has opted not to renew these protections, putting thousands at risk of deportation.

Previously, the Trump administration ended longstanding TPS protections for Honduras and Nicaragua, leaving individuals who had been in the country since 1998 at risk of deportation. This revealed an underlying flaw in TPS, whereas subsequent administrations had failed to provide a lasting solution to legalize the statuses of these individuals. Similarly, Nepalis in the United States are now told by the Trump administration to prepare for imminent deportation.

The gathering struck a defiant tone — many in the community acknowledged they feared retaliation for speaking out. Many blamed not only the federal government for its inaction, but also the Nepali government for failing to advocate for them and, at a minimum, to secure an extension against the deportation deadline, as has been the case with Haiti and El Salvador.

Many of the speakers, in their native Nepali, noted that the community had organized itself and felt abandoned by both the Nepali government as well as the Nepali-American community. Representatives from City Councilman Daniel Dromm’s (D-Jackson Heights) office, as well as the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs were present, with the latter pledging to make its materials available in the Nepali language.

Prior to becoming a TPS recipient, one community member, Ramba Regmi, tearfully described having been undocumented in the United States for 15 years. Since receiving protection, the former nail salon worker has been able to open a nail salon of her own, but now must prepared to possibly lose it all and be sent back to Nepal. TPS recipients such as Regmi are able to live safely and also get work permits, pay taxes and send money home to devastated regions. Many Nepali TPS recipients are working to support displaced family members.

Adhikaar charges that the end of TPS is premature and that just 13 percent of homes have been rebuilt. The Catholic Legal Immigration Network has noted extensive delays in rebuilding and continued utilization of temporary shelters for displaced people in Nepal, with the organization estimating 2.8 million people are displaced. Subsequent disasters have also complicated the rebuilding effort.

Adhikaar and their supporters demand an immediate extension to TPS, as well as a lasting legislative solution. Acknowledging that many TPS holders have established lives in the United States, one such solution, the American Promise Act of 2017, proposed by U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-Brooklyn), would allow TPS holders to apply for lawful permanent resident status.

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Source: Times Ledger

Middle Village teacher competes on ‘Jeopardy!’

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Tammy Scileppi

TimesLedger Newspapers

It has been 34 years since America’s Favorite Quiz Show’s syndicated debut in 1984, and these days 23 million viewers are still tuning in each week to watch — and trying to audition for a spot on — “Jeopardy.”

Everyone knows dapper emcee, Alex Trebek, who has become one of television’s most enduring and iconic figures, engaging millions of viewers worldwide with his winning personality and impeccable delivery of “answers and questions.”

Bayside resident Lee DiGeorge, 37, is one of those diehard Jeopardy fans. When the self-proclaimed trivia geek isn’t glued to his television watching that giant board of clues, the father of two spends his time teaching English and technology at PS/IS 087 in Middle Village. As an educator, he agrees with Trebek when he says, “I think what makes ‘Jeopardy’ special is that, among all the quiz and game shows out there, ours tends to reward and encourage learning.”

Putting their smarts to the test, DiGeorge and 14 other educators from across the country are competing to win a $100,000 prize when the sizzling “Jeopardy” Teachers Tournament — presented by Farmers Insurance in affiliation with the insurer group’s Thank America’s Teachers program — returns. The two-week special began Monday. Contestants will battle it out for a coveted spot in the next Tournament of Champions, set for a later date. It’s the biggest battle of the minds and the top money winners, as well as the champions of the Teacher’s Tournament and the College Tournament, will face off for $250,000.

Farmers Insurance will present each contestant with a $2,500 educational grant to fund classroom projects.

With this grant, DiGeorge said he’s getting additional tablets for the special education students in his classroom and is thankful for the much-needed help.

“Farmers has been wonderful enough to give us a grant for our classroom. They give out grants to many teachers; everyone should apply,” he said. “Sometimes, there isn’t enough money for supplies and I personally believe there needs to be a larger emphasis on the special education population, as I have a special relationship with autism. My daughter is a special little girl.”

As a hardcore trivia player, DiGeorge admits he’s “a gigantic fan” of final “Jeopardy.”

“That one clue can change the entire game. It’s nerve wracking and great television,” he said.

Turns out DiGeorge and his geeky friends have won numerous trivia competitions in the past, recently finishing in second place at Boston’s Geek Bowl and winning $6,000 as a team. The group has traveled as far as Seattle to compete in other trivia competitions, he said.

So, you can imagine how excited he was about taking part in his favorite quiz show and meeting Trebek during the taping of the tournament.

“When the music started to play, the nerves really hit hard. But, it was so much fun and a fantastic experience,” DiGeorge said. “My family and friends were excited as well, but they are completely used to my trivia geekiness.”

And his students were psyched about their teacher’s celebrity status, too, according to DiGeorge.

“However, I’m pretty sure that it was merely because I would be absent for a few days,” he joked.

One day, the “Jeopardy” addict did something a bit crazy to feed his obsession.

“I raided the hardware store and got toilet paper holders to practice the buzzer while watching along on TV,” DiGeorge said. “As long as I could buzz in and answer before the TV, I would give myself points. This score (called a Coryat score) lets you play against the board to see how you’d fare.”

Since he started teaching in Middle Village 13 years ago, DiGeorge said he’s always had an excellent rapport with all his students.

“They’re used to me jumping on tables and throwing things around the room to make lessons memorable,” he said. “My middle school students are awesome. They put up with me.”

DiGeroge said there’s nothing he’d rather be doing than educating the next generation.

“I love teaching. I don’t think there’s anything else I would rather do,” he said. “I love getting someone to understand something they might had not understood before.”

If he got the $100,000 grant money, the hardworking dad said he’d be “looking forward to doing some fun and unexpected stuff” with it.

“There’s a bunch of music festivals I would love to go to, as well as give some wonderful gifts to the people I love,” he said.

Great teachers are crucial to kids’ futures and some of the brightest in America were chosen to participate in the challenging Teachers Tournament. It all started with an online test that was given back in early 2017, according to DiGeorge, who said that after he was told he had passed, was subsequently invited to an in-person test, interview and mock game, a few weeks later.

“When I finally got the phone call, I almost choked on the food I was eating at the time,” he said.

DiGeorge is one of a select few to have the opportunity to compete in the show, which he watches with his daughters Zoey, 7, and Brynn, 5. And he isn’t taking the opportunity for granted.

“I love the fact that I can compare my knowledge against the best minds of the world playing the game,” he said. “There’s always something satisfying about knowing something that most others don’t.”

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Source: Times Ledger

St. John’s baseball stays hot with sweep of Liberty

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Zach Gewelb

TimesLedger Newspapers

The St. John’s baseball team’s winning streak now sits at six after the Johnnies’ swept Liberty in a three-game series in Queens last weekend, winning two games in walk-off fashion.

The Red Storm offense carried the team to victory in the series’ first two games and a dominant pitching performance and walk-off hit secured the sweep. The Johnnies improved to 32-11 on the season, boosting an impressive 15-3 mark at Jack Kaiser Stadium.

St. John’s scored 19 runs in the series’ first two games before Michael LoPresti, Joe LaSorsa and Turner French pitched a combined shutout in the series finale, which set the stage for Robert Boselli III to deliver the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth.

LoPresti tossed 5.2 innings of shutout ball Sunday, allowing just five hits and one walk while striking out two. LaSorsa and French gave up a combined two hits in their 3.1 innings of relief to keep the game tied at 0-0 heading to the bottom of the ninth.

But Liberty pitchers Noah Skirrow and Zack Brockman kept the Johnnies’ surging offense at bay through the first eight innings.

Despite allowing three hits and five walks, Skirrow made it through six innings unscathed. St. John’s left the bases loaded twice against the Liberty starter, once in the second and fourth innings. Skirrow also stranded two runners on base in the sixth inning.

St. John’s squandered another opportunity in the eighth, leaving two runners on the bases.

But the story changed in the bottom of the ninth inning.

After French shut down Liberty in the top of the frame, John Valente started the Johnnies’ rally with a one-out walk, which extended his on-base streak to 58 consecutive games dating back to last season. Valente moved to third on a single from Josh Shaw, which set the stage for Boselli’s heroics.

Boselli had two hits in five at-bats in the game to pace the Red Storm offense. Luke Stampfl also had two hits, while Anthony Brocato added one.

French earned the win, his third of the year. He has yet to allow an earned run in 25 innings this season.

Sunday’s walk-off win was preceded by another nail-biting victory Saturday afternoon.

The Johnnies rallied back from a four-run deficit and won on a walk-off single from Shaw.

St. John’s had been trailing 6-2 in the fifth inning after Liberty scored one run in the first, two in the second, one in the third, one in the fourth and one in the fifth. The Flames did their damage against St. John’s starter Kevin Magee and reliever Jeff Belge.

But the Red Storm responded with two runs in the third, two in the fifth and two in the sixth. Brocato’s two-run homer — his ninth of the year — tied the game at 6-6 in the sixth.

The teams exchanged zeroes in the seventh and eighth and St. John’s reliever Gavin Hollowell shut down Liberty in the top half of the ninth, which set up Shaw’s game-winning base-knock.

The first game of the series didn’t have much drama, as the Johnnies cruised to a 12-2 victory Friday afternoon.

That win gave St. John’s its 30th of the season, which is the 13th time the team has accomplished the feat in the last 15 seasons.

Starting pitcher Sean Mooney tossed six scoreless innings, surrendering just three hits and a walk while striking out five in the winning effort.

Boselli and outfielder Mike Antico each had three RBI to lead the Johnnies’ offense, while Shaw and Stampfl each recorded two. Shaw also walked twice and scored three times.

St. John’s will look to stay hot when the team travels to New Jersey for a Big East showdown with Seton Hall in South Orange. The Pirates boast a 24-16-1 record and have defended their home field well this season, playing to a 10-4 mark at Owen T. Carroll Field.

The three-game series was set to begin Friday, with a double-header planned for Saturday.

The Red Storm will then finish their regular season with four games at home — one against Minnesota and three against Butler — before the Big East Baseball Championship begins at the end of the month.

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Source: Times Ledger

Three arrested for alleged prostitution in Bayside after undercover sting

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

Three people are facing prostitution charges following an April 21 arrest in Bayside in which the alleged ringleader offered two of his “employees” to two undercover cops from Queens Vice Enforcement Division for sex acts in exchange for money, the Queens district attorney said.

Cheolryong Shin, 31, was identified in the criminal complaint filed by the DA’s office as the man who allegedly attempted to sell two officers on a full body massage complete with sexual gratification before being arrested alongside Ting Ting Wen, 27, and Yan Yan Hong, 40.

After Shin allegedly offered the services of the two women for a fee of $160, the undercover cops were led into the basement of a business at 211-54 45th Drive, where the fee was discussed again with the female defendants, the complaint said.

The location is an inconspicuous office space with no exterior signage indicating there was a massage parlor of any kind occupying the building, which also houses a dental business. It is on a quiet residential street west of Bell Boulevard.

“This is certainly not the first one in this community,” 111th Precinct Community Council President Jack Fried said. “[Officers] have been very active in getting these under control. It’s not that easy for them to just walk in and declare the place a house of prostitution, they have to actually be propositioned. So that makes it a little bit tougher, but they are on top of it.”

One of the biggest obstacles to long-term enforcement is the fact that many who are arrested for prostitution are usually free within days and operating out of a new location, Fried said.

On top of the prostitution charges, Wen and Hong also may face legal trouble as neither of them is licensed to practice massage therapy in the state of New York, according to the criminal complaint.

Shin claimed to be the manager at the Bayside spa when speaking with the undercover officers at about 6:40 p.m. on the night of the arrests, the criminal complaint said.

“Prostitution and sex trafficking has absolutely no place in our communities and I applaud the NYPD Vice Enforcement Division for their work in addressing this issue throughout Northeast Queens,” Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside) said.

Another massage parlor was also shut down by NYPD Vice units in late April, according to Vallone’s office, at 25-46 Francis Lewis Blvd. after the councilman passed along constituent complaints to law enforcement.

The sting is just one of many in the northeast Queens area over the last two years.

An undercover operation in April, executed within the confines of the 111th Precinct that took place just off Bell Boulevard, took a different approach compared to a raid in the Flushing section of the 109th Precinct that saw one of the women working in the massage parlor fall three stories to her death in November 2017.

Advocacy groups the Sex Workers Project and Support Ho(s)e rallied in front of the precinct house on Union Street, demanding justice for the dead woman of Chinese origin, Yang Song, 38.

According to police, Song fell out of a window while cops were attempting to enter a room and apprehend her.

In September 2016, the 111th Precinct shut down the Bling Bling Body Works at 39-25 Bell Blvd. for the employees not being having a license to practice massage therapy.

In August 2016, three Murray Hill establishments were forced to close their doors after the NYPD’s Vice Enforcement Division gave the order to vacate. This followed an occupancy inspection by the city Department of Building, prompted by state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside).

In a major crackdown back in March 2016, 31 people in Flushing and Whitestone were arrested by the Queens North VICE unit of NYPD, which visited 18 establishments and brought suspects in on mainly unlicensed masseur charges. Other charges were prostitution-related, the police said.

Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhallum@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4564.

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Source: Times Ledger

The Mary Louis Academy names its new principal

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Members of the board of trustees at The Mary Louis Academy in Jamaica Estates chose Ann O’Hagan-Cordes as the new principal of the all-girls Catholic college preparatory school last week, concluding a three-month search.

The Mary Louis Academy is one of five schools for young women sponsored by The Sisters of St. Joseph, one of the largest orders of Catholic women on Long Island. The school has a 160-year tradition of ministry throughout New York, according to spokeswoman Tara Rogers.

The headquarters for the Sisters of St. Joseph is in Brentwood, L.I.

The school emphasizes intellectual, social, and spiritual growth, which is just one of the reasons O’Hagan-Cordes was selected as the new principal.

O’Hagan-Cordes has a master’s in education from Fordham University, spent the past eight years as an assistant principal at the school and wants to build on the work of former principal S. Kathleen McKinney, who led the school for 21 years.

“In her own words, Ann ‘brings energy, excitement and motivation to lead TMLA with experience, dedication and commitment,’” said Rogers.

The new principal is definitely dedicated to ensuring that the next generation of young women at TMLA continues their education at some of the top universities in the country and New York.

“The Mary Louis Academy is an extraordinary institution,” said O’Hagan-Cordes. “We currently have students at Columbia, Princeton, NYU, Fordham, Notre Dame, Stony Brook and St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn.”

O’Hagan-Cordes also has a personal connection to the school.

“I am an alumna and I am a parent of an alum,” said O’Hagan-Cordes. “I have great pride in being a product of The Mary Louis Academy. So the opportunity to lead the school into the future is overwhelming,” added the 1984 graduate.

“Ann’s personal experience with TMLA as a student, a teacher, and as administrator makes her uniquely suited to her new role as principal,” said Sister Helen Kearney, president of the Sisters of St. Joseph. “The congregation and board have great confidence that Ann, along with the dedicated faculty and staff, will lead TMLA into a vibrant future.”

O’Hagan-Cordes will assume her new post in the fall, according to Rogers.

“I want to help prepare these young women for college and the world, and let them know there is no limitations on what they seek to do,” said O’Hagan-Cordes.

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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Source: Times Ledger

Gianaris calls on MTA for extended bus service to compensate for subway station closures

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

As Astoria residents endure hardships associated with the reconstruction of several subway stations along the N and W lines, state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) is calling on the MTA to extend the Q102 bus to help his constituents get where they are going. No bus service currently runs along the 31st Street business corridor north of 30th Avenue.

The projects began in October, when the MTA closed the 30th and 36th Avenue stations for infrastructure repairs. When those stations reopen this summer, the 39th Street and Broadway stations will close for eight months. In April, the MTA will partially close the Ditmars Boulevard stop for a 14-month-long renovation and in September work will begin at the Astoria Boulevard station. While it will remain open at first, starting in February 2019, the Ditmas stop will be fully closed as the MTA installs four elevators, in addition to the infrastructure repairs.

“Our community has been waiting for an accessible station on the N/W line for decades, and the news about Astoria Boulevard was a long time coming. Still the MTA is not doing nearly enough to cushion the blow that will come with the extended station closure during construction,” Gianaris said. “We are already dealing with closing businesses and inconvenienced riders where other stations are closed. The MTA needs to do more to help our entire community deal with yet another months-long shutdown. It is time they extend this bus route (in) the neighborhood to provide service for the whole community.”

Gianaris fired off a letter to Darryl Irick, the president of the MTA Bus Company, urging the extension of the Q102 bus route to “offset the negative effects of all this construction” as a solution to the ordeal.

“I repeatedly asked for shuttle bus service to compensate for disruptions to normal train service, only to be denied,” Gianaris wrote. “The problem is so serious that a more permanent solution is now required.”

An MTA spokesman said service has been added to the Q102 “to help riders during the current station closures” and he said the agency will review the senator’s letter.

North-south bus routes currently run from 20th Avenue to Queens Plaza along Steinway Street and 21st Street, but there is a wide gulf in bus service between those routes. Gianaris asked the MTA to create a spur off the Q102 that would run along 31st Street from 30th Avenue to 20th Avenue.

“This would give residents and visitors in the northern section of Astoria more transportation options,” Gianaris wrote.

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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Source: Times Ledger

Bronx man led police on car chase through Springfield Gardens: DA

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By Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

SPRINGFIELD GARDENS — A Bronx man pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment for racing on the Nassau Expressway in Queens, leading police on a 115-mph chase through Springfield Gardens, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.

The indictment claimed 26-year-old Juan Ramirez was behind the wheel of an enhanced 1992 red Honda Civic on Aug 23, 2016 at 2 a.m., racing with an unapprehended driver along the Nassau Expressway. Brown said a police officer initiated a car stop by turning on the police car sirens and lights and angling in a way to cut off Ramirez’s path. He slowed down, pulled the Honda toward the side of the expressway, but then hit the accelerator and took off.

Brown said Ramirez then led police on a high-speed chase through Springfield Garden, reaching speeds up to 115 mph. The charges said Ramirez drove into a cul-de-sac and crashed into a fence, but still tried to flee by accelerating in reverse and nearly running over a police officer. Brown said when the car’s bumper was caught in the fencing, Ramirez jumped out of the vehicle and was caught by police after a short foot chase.

Brown said drag racing on city streets and expressways is a disaster waiting to happen.

“Not only did this defendant endanger himself, but everyone else as well,” he said. “A vehicle weighing in excess of 2,500 pounds and traveling at a high rate of speed is transformed into a potentially deadly missile. A bump in the road, the twitch of a hand or even a sneeze could have resulted in death and destruction. This kind of behavior will not be tolerated in Queens County. The defendant deserves some time to cool his need for speed and will get just that when sentenced to jail time in the coming weeks.”

Ramirez was scheduled for sentencing June 18 when he faces six months in jail and five years probation.

— Gina Martinez

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Source: Times Ledger

Queens development groups earn community grants

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Small Business Services Commissioner Gregg Bishop announced that three of the nine Avenue NYC grants awarded to community-based development organizations would be going to groups in Queens.

“As New Yorkers, we take great pride in our neighborhoods, which is why the city is committed to empowering community-based organizations to strengthen and preserve their neighborhoods,” said Bishop, who runs the city agency. “With these new multi-year awards, we’ve taken this commitment to the next level by funding valuable commercial revitalization projects for up to three years.”

Avenue NYC grants are given out to community-based groups to enable them to enhance their capacity in serving their neighborhoods.

Grant-winners will be awarded up to $100,000 per year for three years for their work in boosting underserved neighborhoods through community development projects, according to SBS.

Chhaya Community Development Corporation (Jackson Heights), Jamaica Center Improvement Association (Jamaica) and Rockaway Business Alliance (Rockaways) were the Queens winners.

Chhaya CDC is an organization that advocates for the housing needs of South Asians. Jamaica Center Improvement Association seeks to make Jamaica a thriving business hub. Rockaway Business Alliance works to maintain the growth of the communities and businesses on the Rockaway Peninsula.

“I am delighted that Chhaya Community Development Corporation has been awarded an AvenueNYC grant,” said Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights). “Chhaya CDC delivers a wide array of services to my constituents. That includes helping low- and middle-income Queens residents navigate through the many challenges that prospective home buyers face.”

Councilman Donovan Richards (D-Rockaway) and Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park), who both represent parts of the Rockaways, were delighted by the news of the investment.

“As we work to revive long-forgotten communities and their commercial corridors, it is critical that we lift up the small businesses on the ground today and make new opportunities for potential business owners,” said Richards.

Ulrich agreed.

“The Rockaway Business Alliance played an instrumental role in our resiliency efforts in the years following Superstorm Sandy,” said Ulrich. “The organization is committed to creating a welcoming environment where local businesses can thrive.”

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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Source: Times Ledger