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By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

Roads across the city will get some help from Gov. Andrew Cuomo with the injection of over $100 million in state funds after a particularly rough winter left them in equally rough shape.

Five of the busiest roadways in Queens will see the benefit of about $800,000 of these funds from the Harsh Winter Paving Initiative.

“These investments are critical to our transportation system and essential for community growth and regional economic competitiveness,” Cuomo said. “By infusing more than $100 million in state funds to revitalize our roads, we are enhancing the quality of life for all New Yorkers while ensuring every traveler remains safe throughout the Empire State.”

The eastbound side of the Grand Central Parkway will get $38,000 in concrete repairs from the New York City Transit Authority Bridge to the entrance ramp of Union Turnpike at the Kew Gardens Interchange. The same amount will be applied to the westbound side of the Grand Central Parkway between the same two points.

The Nassau Expressway from Crossbay Boulevard to Farmers Boulevard will see about $324,000 for concrete repairs.

About $426 million will go toward the east and westbound corridors of the Long Island Expressway between Grand Central Parkway to Maurice Avenue and include the service roads between 74th Street to Junction Boulevard south of the freeway and 98th Street to 74th Street on the north side.

There is not yet a start date for the road work to begin.

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

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

City Councilman I. Daneek Miller (D-St. Albans) announced the results of the participatory budget vote for projects in his district last week at the Campus Magnet Complex to more than 200 students in Cambria Heights.

Schools within the district received over $1.675 million in investments, according to Miller.

“Each year a Council member gets $6 million for capital projects, and $1 million goes back to the community to decide how to spend the money,” he said. “Young folks are our future leaders…and if they learn that the process works …they can teach the next generation.”

Members of the community as young as 11 years old spend a year at public meetings proposing projects that they would like their council member to fund, then budget delegates volunteer to make a list of the proposals and work with the city to see which items can realistically be turned into a project before it is put on a ballot. Once the ballot items are selected, the public has a week to vote on up to five measures that they want to see funded.

The Campus Magnet Complex received funding for two initiatives: gymnasium upgrades worth $400,000 and a football field house upgrade worth $500,000.

The complex houses four schools: Math, Science Research and Technology Magnet High School, Humanities and the Arts Magnet High School, the Institute for Health Professions at Cambria Heights and the Benjamin Franklin High School for Finance & Information Technology at 207-01 116th Ave.

Students from the four schools were excited about the announcement and happy to be a part of the process.

“They came to us with the participatory budget during our lunch period when we all would be there and we had to choose [five initiatives],” said Jacob Ross, a senior at Benjamin Franklin. “I voted for the football field, and a new [public address] system.”

Benjamin Franklin Principal Carla Theodorou was happy to see her students being civically engaged.

“Voting and getting active in the community is something that all the schools are focusing on right now,” said Theodorou.

For student leaders George Daniels and Jabare Carroll, the chance to vote for something important for their school meant having their voices heard.

“Normally, urban schools don’t have that much funding,” said George, a student body secretary. “We have a track team and they are really good, they qualify for the Penn Relay, but they don’t have track meets here because our tracks are too small.”

George, who co-captains the volleyball team with Jabare, hopes the funding will showcase the schools sports teams.

“The turf on the school was patchy,” said Jabare, who is a student council president. “I’m glad that he is doing this…the freshman will see that there is always something that could be done if you put your mind to it,” added the senior.

The seniors intend to study neurobiology, criminal justice and theater after they finish their high school studies in June.

The Campus Magnet Bulldogs football coach, Rufus Dunton, who was a student at the school in the ‘70s, was elated that the upgrades included new locker rooms.

“I went to school here a long time ago, and these are the same lockers,” said Dunton. “We want to make our school one of the top schools in the city just like everybody else.”

York Early College Academy, PS 176, PS 360, and PS 37 received $300,000 for mobile laptops carts and laptop computers.

Auditorium upgrades worth $375,000 were allocated to PS 176, PS 37 and IS 8.

Water fountains with bottle refilling stations at PS 15, PS 37, PS/MS 147 and PS 360 worth $120,000.

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

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

The MTA’s celebration of the reopening of the M train with reconstruction of the Myrtle Viaduct was not without its snags Monday as a switch malfunction stalled service for over an hour and a half just hours after the line was once again made available.

With New York City Transit President Andy Byford greeting Manhattan commuters at the Fresh Pond Road station at around 8 a.m., touting the agency’s accomplishment of finishing the project within the budget and on time, the MTA said the completion of the project would brace L train riders for the impending tunnel closure.

“It is imperative that M train service operates as efficiently as possible for all our customers who rely on it,” Byford said. “When we couple the long-term fortification work on this line with the smoother ride and quieter tracks, we can be sure we’re on our way to building the world-class transit system we’ve pledged to deliver.”

Vital for about 60,000 daily commuters, the 310-foot Myrtle Viaduct was closed for much of 2017 to revitalize the high line structure which has withstood 100 years of 24/7 service.

About $168 million was spent on the two-phase project, which included the reconstruction of the Fresh Pond Bridge during the summer months.

“Completing this project on time and on budget was critical to show how serious we are about minimizing impacts on our customers as we perform this important work,” MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota said. “This is a major win for our customers and the surrounding community. We promised to modernize and stabilize the subway system, and we thank our customers for their continued patience as we take the necessary steps to do so.”

The strengthening of M line service will provide relief to L train riders who will be affected by the Canarsie Tunnel shutdown for 15 months starting in April 2019.

A joint open house in Ridgewood between the MTA and the city Department of Transportation April 12 outlined an ambitious plan to move up to 200,000 daily commuters from Brooklyn and Queens into Manhattan during the 15-month period in which a portion of the L train will be shut down for tunnel repairs.

The Canarsie Tunnel was one of nine underwater right-of-ways flooded during Superstorm Sandy in 2012 and sustained the most amount of damage to tracks, signals, signal lines, power cables, communication lines, lighting and ducts along the over 7,000-foot stretch.

The MTA said it also factored in capacity on the No. 7 line, which should be able to support an overflow of people from Brooklyn alongside the M.

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

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Jackie Robinson School (PS 15) in St. Albans will be the site of a major book giveaway Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for individuals of all ages. State Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman (D-Springfield Gardens), state Sen. Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans), other Queens officials, the American Federation of Teachers, the NAACP and the United Federation of Teachers will give away 40,000 brand new books to students, families, and educators, according to Comrie.

“Our book giveaway will allow parents to begin or build upon home libraries as well as enable teachers to select books that will further enrich the minds of their students,” said Comrie. “I thank the individuals of the UFT Queens Borough Office and our fantastic co-sponsors for their commitment to our communities.”

The May 5 event, which will be located at 121-15 Lucas St. (entrance 121st Avenue), will have a range of books for toddlers to seniors, according to Hyndman’s office.

Families can receive up to 20 books and educators 50, according to the assemblywoman’s office.

First Book, a nonprofit that provides books to underserved schools and students, will be providing the children literature that the elected officials will giveaway.

Participants who want to attend the event, however, will have to fill out a book registration form prior to the Saturday event, which must be signed and scanned to an email, according to Hyndman.

Individuals can find out about the form and where to send it by contacting Hyndman’s office at (718)-723-5412.

The Queens-elected officials are also asking for volunteers to help unload and organize the books from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and anyone interested should call Hyndman’s office for details.

“Education doesn’t end when a child leaves the classroom,” said the United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew. “As teachers, we know that reading at home plays a huge role in a child’s development, which is why we are proud to partner with First Book to provide students with age-appropriate materials inside and outside the classroom.”

The other sponsors of the event include Borough President Melinda Katz, City Councilman I. Daneek Miller (D-St. Albans) and Assemblyman Clyde Vanel (D-Queens Village).

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

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

More than 500 people throughout New York came out to support the 13th annual “Big Hearts Walk for St. Mary’s Kids” Sunday morning at Crocheron Park in Bayside.

The walk-a-thon, received $92,000 in funds, according to a St. Mary’s spokesman.

The proceeds from the charity will support vital programs and services at St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children, the only provider of pediatric long-term and rehabilitative care in the region, according to CEO Edwin Simpser.

“We take care of some of New York’s sickest kids,” Simpser said. “We take of kids who have been in the hospital but are not yet perfect when they come out of the hospital. We are there to help the kids and their families out.”

The Bayside branch of the hospital is located at 29-01 216th St., and has beds for 103 kids.

“We teach the parents how to take care of them and then we take them home,” Simpser said. “We also have a homecare agency that serves over 1,200 kids throughout the New York Metropolitan area providing nursing services and rehab services in the kids’ homes.”

St. Mary’s also has case management services for parents to help find any additional resources they may need.

One of the beneficiaries of St. Mary’s was Merritt Riley, a Massapequa resident whose 16-year-old son Aiden has cerebral palsy.

Aiden, who served as one of the grand marshals, kicked off the walk-a-thon and had his wheelchair transformed into a police car.

“We’ve had one-on-one care from St. Mary’s with home equipment,” Riley said. “The nurses have been there to help us with all of his needs since he was an infant.”

Aiden has received speech therapy to improve his verbal communication, he is on a special diet to help maintain his health and his cognitive function has improved, according to Riley.

Queens Village nurse Arianna Lyseight was one of the staff members who volunteered at the event.

Despite Sunday being her day off, Lyseight was excited to give back to her former pediatric patients, even though she switched to the homecare division of St. Mary’s.

“I’ve been with the hospital three years, and I’ve been with the program for two,” Lyseight said. “I love these kids. This is not a job, they’re family.”

Lyseight’s friend Monique Huggins, a co-worker from Brooklyn, took time off of from her lunch break to be there.

“If I didn’t have to go back to work later, I would have brought my daughter, too,” Huggins said.

Although Huggins did not get a chance to take part in Sunday’s event, Lyseight participated in the one-mile walk. There was also a half-mile route to accommodate children and those who have trouble with mobility, and a two-mile walk.

Three MTA bus operators of the Q44 bus line — Vinny Stone and Freddie Marrero from the Bronx, and Andy Algarin from Jackson Heights — also participated in the walk and were all happy to give back.

“It was for a good cause,” Algarin said.

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

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Allergy sufferers and asthmatics have a lot to worry about this spring, despite the prolonged cool weather, but there are ways to find comfort this allergy season, according to Dr. Lisa Roth, an allergist and immunologist at Jamaica Hospital in Richmond Hill.

“The spring had a bit of a delayed start because of the cold stretch, but we had a lot of precipitation because of the rain and snow,” said Roth. “This year there is an anticipation of a heightened or intense pollen season, but in a shorter time frame.”

A delayed pollen season in mid-Atlantic states like New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania was also predicted as far back as mid-March by www.accuweather.com. The weather website declared that pollen season will not start until late April or early May.

A shorter, yet more intense allergy season also results in more hospital visits for people who are asthmatic, according to Roth.

“People will be more symptomatic,” said Roth. “What we are trying to do in the allergy department at Jamaica Hospital is to educate our patients … we can prevent [or lessen the symptoms] by providing personalized treatment plans.”

Personal treatment plans can help asthmatics and allergy sufferers learn exactly what it is that they are allergic to and help doctors to strategize in coming up with solutions specific to their patients.

The common problem for allergy sufferers and asthmatics when they are outdoors will be tree pollen, according to the allergist.

“Right now it’s the tree season and you can expect sneezing, stuffy nose, runny nose, itchy and teary eyes, nasal drips, coughs, rashes and shortness of breathe with wheezing,” said Roth.

Accuweather, the world’s largest weather company, predicted in March that tree pollen would be at its peak in early June in New York and New England.

Asthmatics, who are sensitive to what is in the environment, also have to beware of ragweed, grass pollen and mold, according to Roth.

Roth suggests that the best way to be comfortable this season is to take an allergy test before just getting any over-the-counter drug, which might not meet your specific needs.

“Allergy skin testing can help us identify the specific triggers,” said Roth. “That’s how we can identify the specific triggers… and provide allergy shots, which use their own immune system to help prevent symptoms in a beneficial way.”

If you do not want to go the allergy shot route, getting an allergy test can also help doctors tailor which medications a patient should use based on what triggers their allergy and what symptoms they get.

Roth also suggested getting allergy shots or using the right combination of allergy medicine two weeks before allergy season as a way for both allergy sufferers and asthmatics to build up their immune system and lessen, in some patients’ cases, or feel no symptoms this season.

Roth also had tips for those who might not have time to get to a hospital.

“The early morning is when the highest count of tree pollen are, so try to schedule outdoor activities later if the pollen count is very high,” said Roth. “Close the windows where you live, because fresh air is not the best option. Air purifiers will clean the air you breathe and lessen the pollen, and a nighttime shower will wash away pollen accumulated during the day.”

To learn what the pollen count is, Roth uses www.pollen.com, which has calculated high pollen in New York City. Out of a possible high of 12, New York City had an 11 pollen count as of Tuesday, because of pollen from birch, maple and oak trees.

“Once we have the knowledge, there is a lot we can do,” said Roth.

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

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

A Jackson Heights woman will not serve time in prison for hoarding 67 pets in her filthy 82nd Street apartment, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown announced Monday.

Elizabeth Grant, 50, was sentenced to three years probation under stringent conditions that she receive mental health counseling and not own any animals for at least 10 years.

Grant was convicted during a bench trial last month of 108 counts of animal cruelty and other charges for failing to provide adequate care for 54 cats and dogs she housed in a urine- and feces-filled home. The pets, 67 in all, were rescued in January 2016, and many of the animals had extreme health problems, including malnutrition and infections. Twelve animals were in such poor health they had to be euthanized.

“The defendant collected cats and dogs and did little else to provide a safe, loving home for them,” Brown said. “Sadly, the animals suffered while living in a home where the floors and furnishings were covered in feces, fur and urine. No one should live in such squalor, including the furry four-legged residents of Queens County.”

On Monday, Queens Supreme Court Justice Stephanie Zaro, who presided at the trial, ruled Grant must also register with the New York City Department of Health as an animal abuser and consent to unannounced visits to make sure she does not possess any animals. The animal abuser registration will prevent city shelters, rescue groups and pet stores from allowing Grant to purchase or adopt a pet.

“The sentence imposed by the court today will ensure the defendant receives mental health counseling and restricts her from having any animals in her possession for many years to come,” Brown said.

The animals were discovered when a police officer went to Grant’s home in January 2016 to visit with her mother, who was a crime victim. No one answered at the time, however, the officer could see past the opened door and noticed the interior appeared to be filthy with numerous pets inside. The officer left, but returned later that month with members of the ASPCA and rescued 55 cats, 12 dogs and two turtles, according to trial testimony.

“The ASPCA commends the NYPD for working with us to rescue these animals from a dangerous situation and the Queens County district attorney’s office for securing justice in this case,” Stacy Wolf, the senior vice president of the ASPCA’s Anti-Cruelty Group, said. “Fortunately, the ASPCA’s team was able to provide the medical and behavioral treatment necessary to nurse the majority of the animals back to health and find them loving, safe homes.”

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