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More than a dozen Queens elected officials endorse Crowley in primary challenge

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

More than 100 supporters joined U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) Sunday at his Jackson Heights campaign headquarters where after a brief rally they went to knock on doors across the borough to discuss the congressman’s record of fighting for equal pay, Medicare for all and immigrant rights.

Crowley, 56, is locked into his first primary challenge in 14 years with Bronx resident Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 28, a first-time candidate who is running a grass-roots campaign devoid of corporate Political Action Committees or lobbyists after she helped coordinate U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) presidential campaign in the Bronx.

With the federal primary election scheduled for June 26, Queens elected officials began endorsing Crowley, the chairman of the Queens County Democratic Party, last week.

“Joe Crowley has been a champion for our community. Whether it’s fighting for affordable housing, keeping our streets safe, or working to protect our quality of life, our congressman has been our strongest ally in Washington,” City Councilman Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria) said. “Donald Trump has his friends in Congress working hard every day to undo all the progress that we have made and we need our strongest supporters in Congress working even harder to protect it. I know Joe Crowley is a hard worker and a defender of our values. That’s why I strongly endorse him for re-election.”

Ocasio-Cortez was not impressed by the flurry of Crowley support.

“It is unsurprising that my opponent would receive the endorsements of local elected officials, who rely on his conflicting positions as both incumbent and chairman of the Queens County Democratic Party for their own re-election,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “It is also unsurprising that this system designed on patronage and deference to the chairman has resulted in an endorsement list that is overwhelmingly homogenous and unrepresentative of the people in NY-14. Many local officials are supportive of the Ocasio2018 campaign. My opponent’s triple-dipping behavior, concentrating several positions of power unto himself, has created an environment of fear and intimidation in Queens County about publicly challenging him. That is not Democracy — it’s a racket.”

Crowley, the chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, also received the endorsement of Borough President Melinda Katz, City Councilmen Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) and Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) and a dozen other elected officials last week as well as the endorsements of more than two dozen leading labor unions in New York.

“Congressman Crowley has been a stalwart defender of New Yorkers from every stripe — fighting for immigrant rights, worker’s rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights,” City Councilman Francisco Moya (D-Jackson Heights) said. “He is on the front line in Washington defending us against the Trump administration’s continuous attacks on our values and I’m proud to endorse and support his efforts to continue that fight in Congress.”

Crowley has also been endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Fund, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and Giffords, the gun safety organization founded by former Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and Capt. Mark Kelly. Crowley ALSO represented the borough the state Assembly where he’s fought to increase the minimum wage for working families, expand access to health care, increase the availability of affordable housing, and push for comprehensive immigration reform.

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 Civic Association leaders voice concern about bioswales

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Bob Harris

TimesLedger Newspapers

State Sen. Tony Avella just held a press conference in Fresh Meadows concerning bioswales, or rain gardens as the city calls them. He again stated his view that homeowners should have the right to opt-out of having the city build a bioswale at the curb in front of their houses. A score of civic association leaders with other supporters came to support his views.

The house in front of which the press conference was held happens to be mine. My wife Edna and I have been frustrated by the way this whole bioswale activity has taken place. When green lines and green letters appeared in front of my house on the sidewalk, we didn’t know what they meant. It took us weeks to find out about the bioswales.

Edna attended two public meetings on the issue and a round robin phone call on the issue over several months. She was told that since we had sprinklers in the area designated for a bioswale, we could be exempt. Months later, red and orange letters appeared on the sidewalk, which we eventually found out meant that the gas, sewer and water lines for our house and the adjacent houses ran right through this area. How could the city possibly dig up this area for a rain garden?

Sen, Avella had gotten the EPA to agree not to put any bioswales in his district until the issue was clarified. Then about a month ago, a Suffolk-based drilling company started drilling test bores in the neighborhood by pounding pipes into the ground to determine what type of soil was there to see if a 10-foot deep bioswale could be dug in that location. We held them off for a week by Edna sitting at the curb, but she left finally and after they called the police on us, we had to back off.

We discovered during the press conference that right in the gutter next to the curb, a three-foot square, cemented area with a manhole in the middle was a Con Ed special electrical installation. How could the EPA dare to let this company drill near it? How could they even dare think of putting a bioswale near this installation?

Some of the civic leaders spoke about their concerns and frustration over the way this whole project has been handled. Some spoke about finished bioswales they have noticed with the grasses and bushes dead, with trash and dog droppings in them. People just don’t trust the city to keep these areas clean. Just look at the way the tree pits of many of the trees that have been planted in the past few years on center malls and sidewalks have been neglected. If only the city had been preventing people from cementing or bricking over their front, side and back yards, there would be enough areas for rainwater to drain into the ground.

Now we are told that the EPA will only let people with medical issues opt-out. Wow!

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Source: Times Ledger

Study: Queens County ranked fourth highest in New York for housing costs

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Carlotta Mohamed

TimesLedger Newspapers

Owning a home can be quite expensive in New York City.

A new analysis revealed that Queens ranked as the fourth highest county in New York where residents spent half of their income on housing costs.

Gavop, a real estate, housing, and local data analytics service, used data from the U.S. Census Bureau to produce a study on homeowners’ costs as a percentage of income, according to Kevin Pryor, Gavop analyst. It analyzed real estate trends at the county level across the United States and found that Queens County had a median income of $62,207 and a median housing cost of $29,136 per year for homeowners with a mortgage.

In the study, housing costs include homeowner expenses such as the sum of mortgage payments, real estate taxes, insurance, and utilities.

“We looked at annual housing costs as a percentage to gauge how much debt people owe to their living situation based on location,” said Pryor. “Here, the numbers show that Queens residents paid a high median percentage of income on housing costs, resulting in a large debt to homeownership in the area.”

Pryor said for Queens “it was abnormally high for New York.” The percentage was 46.8 percent, where residents spent half of their income on mortgage payments, including utilities and maintenance.

Queens County’s median housing cost in relation to income is much larger than New York state’s rate of 39.5 percent and the national level of 31 percent.

According to the study, four of the top five counties that have a large housing cost are in New York City. The Bronx had the highest values in the state where homeowners pay 78 percent of their income followed by Kings County (59.0 percent); New York County – Manhattan (49.1 percent); Queens (46.8 percent); and Westchester at 43.6 percent.

The counties with a lower percentage was located in upstate New York.

Wayne County had the lowest value at 24.2 percent; St. Lawrence County (24.3 percent); Cattaraugus County (25.1 percent); Clinton County (25.3 percent); and Cayuga County (25.5 percent).

Based on the study, California (38.8 percent) ranked as the highest state, with New York (39.5 percent) placing second, and New Jersey (36.9 percent) in third. Overall, the lowest ranked state in the U.S. was Indiana with 24.5 percent.

According to Gavop, areas like Queens that have high housing costs are more likely to be impacted by “macroeconomic strains on the economy such as recessions or unemployment.” Residents who pay a higher percentage of income on living expenses, like mortgages, have less money left over for other expenses, and to put back into the economy.

In comparison to areas with a low percentage of income spent on housing, there is lower economic pressure.

“When housing costs are low, people are better equipped to withstand factors like a rise or fall in unemployment or fluctuations in the housing market,” Gavop said. Homeowners are less likely to go into foreclosures and are less likely to experience financial issues when compared to homeowners who spend a large sum of money on their homes each year.

Pryor said this is Gavop’s first study and he looks forward to conducting another study next year collecting new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Reach reporter Carlotta Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4526.

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Source: Times Ledger

St. John’s ushers in next generation with commencement ceremony

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

About 1,800 St. John’s University undergraduates walked across the Great Lawn of the Jamaica campus to formally receive their degrees Sunday morning and heard remarks on systemic racism from Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle.

Once a candidate for the papacy after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Tagle’s keynote speech centered around the concept of “missing persons” referring to those who struggle for equality and to better lives, and called on the next generation to work toward ending bigotry and exclusion.

“The most dramatic instances of the disappearance of human persons are, of course, kidnapping, murder, ethnic cleansing, wars. But we know that persons may also disappear even when they are visible,” Tagle said, citing instances of human trafficking, poverty, racism and marginalization. “The human family needs to be saved from exclusion and disconnectedness… Of the many needs of humanity today that you, fresh graduates, will have to face, I believe that exclusion and alienation and disappearance of persons need your urgent attention.”

Born in Manila, Philippines, Tagle was ordained in 1982 at 24 years old and is a highly regarded theologian appointed by Pope John Paul II to the Vatican’s International Theological Commission and is the former Bishop of Imus in his home country.

“The poor disappear as human beings in an unjust economic system. We need self-examination, we need an examination of consciousness,” Tagle said.

Tagle was also the recipient of an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by St. John’s University.

About 54 percent of the graduating class of Spring 2018 were female while 46 were male, according to the St. John’s President Conrado Gempesaw. Approximately 98 percent of the now former students are from the Millennial generation between 18 and 35 and the youngest bachelor’s degree recipient was only 19, Gempesaw remarked.

“But what is very impressive,” Gempesaw said, “is that 476 students will graduate with honors and 19 undergraduates are graduating with a perfect 4.0 GPA.”

The oldest graduate was 64 and 138 students had previously served in the military.

“Today, because of your hard work, your perseverance, we celebrate your achievements that will hopefully serve as the foundation of the next stage in your careers,” Gempesaw said. “Your success is our success and our success is yours as well.”

An estimate 14,000 people were gathered on the Great Lawn of St. John’s 8000 Utopia Pkwy. grounds.

“Most high schoolers are told not to expect their college professors to care about them as much as their high school teachers did,” physics major Claire Alvine said. “At St. John’s, my professors genuinely cared about me and my future. St. John’s is not just a school, but a community. I am grateful to all of the people I have met who supported and encouraged me to pursue my goals.”

English major Aria Laucella said her diploma was far more than just a “piece of paper” but proof of her tenacity and grit.

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

Electeds warn businesses will suffer after city closes section of Rockaway Beach for the summer

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

Days before the start of the summer swim season, the city announced Monday that an 11-block stretch of Rockaway Beach would be closed for the summer due to beach erosion that has created unsafe conditions for beachgoers. The portion of the beach, from 91st Street to 102nd Street, includes restaurants and bars such as Connolly’s, Community House, Thai Rock, Uma’s and Bungalow Bar which could lose business due to the closure.

Lawmakers voiced outrage over the decision, saying officials were warned about the problem for years and did nothing and now businesses and restaurants would suffer the consequences during this summer season and possibly longer.1

“This is an insult to the thousands of residents who have been tirelessly fighting for sand on our beaches,” City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) said. “It has been more than five years after Superstorm Sandy and parts of the Rockaways are still recovering. It is a disgrace that the Parks Department would rather ignore the problem than work to address the needs of the community. My constituents cannot wait another three years for some sort of remedy. Hurricane season is right around the corner and our coastal communities are still vulnerable. We need a solution now.”

Ulrich sharpened his attack on Twitter.

“Thank you @NYCParks for once again screwing my constituents…Rockaway begged you and @NYCMayor for sand on the beach and you pointed the finger in every other direction,” he tweeted.

State Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) expressed frustration with the city’s decision, but he singled out the federal government for not doing more to restore the sand from Beach 91st Street to Beach 102nd Street.

“The Army Corps of Engineers knew that this portion of the beach needed attention and should have acted years ago to remedy this situation,” Addabbo said. “Now the people and businesses of Rockaway that depend on the summer season will suffer because of their lack of action,” Addabbo said. “The summer season is supposed to be Rockaway’s shining moment. All we ask is that government agencies do their job so that we can maximize the potential and enjoyment value Rockaway has to offer.”

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Jamaica) demanded action from the Army Corps of Engineers nearly a year ago, saying the Hurricane Sandy Relief Act of 2013 provided the Corps with more than $5 billion to protect the peninsula’s vulnerable areas. Mayor Bill de Blasio said he traveled to Washington to meet with the head of the Army Corps “to come in and restore that part of the beach,” and they agreed to expedite their process, de Blasio said during his weekly appearance on NY1. A timeline for that process is expected over the next few months.

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz blamed both agencies and the city for shortchanging one of the largest tourist attractions in the five boroughs.

“The community had long expressed its concerns about the vulnerable shoreline to the Parks Department for years,” she said. “When the Army Corps last replaced 3.5 million cubic yards of sand on the Rockaway beaches in 2014, the community repeatedly warned the city that without permanent protective measures, the sand would soon need to be replaced again. The consequences of the city’s failure to act earlier will be disproportionately borne by the Rockaway community.”

In the meantime, the city Parks Department said 4.5 miles of beach will remain open for swimming and a section of the beach at 97th Street will be open for recreation, but there will be no access to the water. The boardwalk with its concession stands will also remain open. Parks will post wayfinding signs at subway stops, ferry landings and along the boardwalk directing beachgoers to the nearest accessible beach.

“The rebirth of Rockaway Beach stands as a symbol of this community’s strength and determination to move forward after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, so having to close even just a small portion of it is very difficult for us,” Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver said. “Parks, along with the Mayor’s Office of Resiliency and Recovery, will continue to work with the U.S. Army Corps on the long-term solution to mitigate erosion and protect our coastline, and we are committed to making sure that they see this work through.”

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

Mayor, City Council intend to change policy on low-level marijuana offenses

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Lawmakers across the city and Police Commissioner James O’Neill revealed their intentions last week to overhaul the way they approach low-level marijuana offenses, especially as it pertains to people of color.

“Studies show there is no correlation between low-level marijuana offenses and public safety,” said City Councilman Donovan Richards (D-Far Rockaway). “If the NYPD is going after gangs, I have no problem with that, but if 40 percent of [black] kids who are getting locked up and never had a record beforehand – what is that telling you? White kids smoke the same way – so we’ve got work to do to make sure that there is equity.”

Under the direction of Mayor Bill de Blasio, a spokesman for the NYPD said that the department will create a working group, which would review policies related to marijuana and come up with proposals for how they will proceed in handling low-level offenses in 30 days.

“The NYPD will review our practices to ensure enforcement is consistent with the values of fairness and trust at the root of Neighborhood Policing,” said O’Neill in a statement. “The NYPD has no interest in arresting New Yorkers for marijuana offenses when those arrests have no impact on public safety.”

The day before the May 15 City Hall meeting, City Councilman Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest), the chair of the Committee on the Justice System, called on the city’s district attorneys to refuse to prosecute low-level possession marijuana cases.

“Declining to prosecute more low-level marijuana cases will make our justice system fairer and help prevent unnecessary and expensive incarceration,” said Lancman.

Shortly after Lancman’s request, Cy Vance and Eric Gonzalez — the district attorneys for Manhattan and Brooklyn, respectively — announced that they will put forth policy changes with respect to marijuana prosecution.

“The dual mission of the Manhattan DA’s Office is a safer New York and a more equal justice system,” Vance said. “The ongoing arrest and criminal prosecution of predominantly black and brown New Yorkers for smoking marijuana serves neither of these goals.”

Richards wants Queens District Attorney Richard Brown to join the other DA’s in their revamped approach to low-level marijuana prosecution.

“I’m hoping the Queens DA will come around to using discretion,” Richards said. “If you are not a violent offender, there is no reason you should be behind bars for smoking marijuana… and I hope all the DAs are really going to come around on this.”

Brown’s office has taken some measures to relegate petty crimes, like marijuana offenses, by sponsoring its first-ever summons warrant forgiveness event in the borough on Oct. 21, 2017, and it will look at the NYPD’s upcoming proposals before taking any further action.

“It is our understanding that Mayor Bill de Blasio has directed the New York City Police Department to review its policy and practices,” said a spokesman for the Queens District Attorney’s office. “We will await the results of that review.”

The mayor did not give any details on how he would implement a new policy in tackling low-level marijuana offenses, but he wants there to be significant change in how justice is doled out.

“We must and we will end unnecessary arrests and end disparity in enforcement — it’s time for those to be a thing of the past in New York City and all over this country.”

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

World Journalism Preparatory School ranked in top 100 for financial literacy education

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Esther Animalu

TimesLedger Newspapers

The World Journalism Preparatory School, located at 34-65 192 St. in Flushing, has been ranked as one of the Top 100 Best Schools nationwide for Financial Literacy Education, according to Working In Support of Education, a national nonprofit organization.

The Financial Literacy Certification Program is implemented by W!SE to develop the financial knowledge of students while also striving to enhance careers and college readiness.

“I am currently in AP macroeconomics, and sometime during the beginning of the school year we started prepping for the Financial Literacy exam,” senior Ivana Pitino said. “This course is very interesting and helpful because I am able to gain knowledge on the world of finance and apply it to my everyday life outside of school.”

Kenneth Mengani, an AP macroeconmics and history teacher at World Journalism, said every year he instructs seniors on the fundamentals and concepts of the Financial Literacy Exam. Students who pass the exam with a score of 65 or higher are granted the certification as economically literate.

“I think that it’s great that passing seniors will get recognized certification as proof of our literacy,” senior Robyn Landolfi said. “Through the knowledge from the Financial Literacy course, we can put our skills to the test while also learning about essential life finances.”

With a composite score of 97, WJPS senior Kevin Cosgrove earned one of the highest recorded scores in the nation. In April 2018, Mengani and Cosgrove attended the annual W!SE awards ceremony held in Manhattan.

“I enjoyed the Financial Literacy Certification course because I was able to learn about mortgage payments, different types of loans, the difference between assets and liabilities and so much more,” Cosgrove said. “I feel like this course prepares students for the real world, and helps us learn about the financial system as a whole.”

The Financial Literacy course is administered to seniors with the aim of strengthening their financial background and life skills in the long run.

Reach reporter Esther Animalu by e-mail at eanimalu@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4574.

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Source: Times Ledger

City releases first-ever report on inclusion

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Prem Calvin Prashad

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs released its first ever annual report in March detailing efforts in 2017 to in the report’s words integrate immigrant New Yorkers into the city’s “civic, economic and cultural life.”

Some 3.1 million New Yorkers are immigrants, of whom approximately 560,000 are undocumented, according to the office. Most notably, the office estimates one million immigrant New Yorkers are in “mixed-status” households, where someone in the family is undocumented.

Under the de Blasio administration, the office has identified three priorities – the integration of immigrants, facilitating access to justice and advocating reform to address inequities.

Among the other notable demographic findings, the report said over half of all New Yorkers – regardless of immigration status are “rent-burdened” (spending 30 percent of their income or more on rent). Prevalence of household overcrowding (more than 1.5 persons per room) was significantly higher for green card holders and undocumented persons alike. Immigrants now comprise 45 percent of New York City’s workforce, 25 percent of whom work in Health, Education or Human Services. More than half – 52 percent of businesses in the city – are owned by immigrants.

Efforts at language inclusion are a longstanding policy item at City Hall, spanning administrations. After the implementation of full translation of six key languages under the Bloomberg administration, subsequent efforts at language inclusion have tried to bridge gaps and adapt to changing circumstances. The 2017 Local Law 30 added Arabic, Urdu, Polish and French to the list of required languages. In response to current events, such as the recent cancellation of TPS for Nepali immigrants, has spurred the office to adopt Nepali translation of its materials. The report itself will be translated into 10 languages, mandated by Local Law 30, which covers 86 percent of limited English proficiency residents, according to the office.

Specifically, the office runs the We Are New York English language learning program, which in 2017 organized 182 classes and produced a series of educational videos to cover critical issues such as mental health and worker’s rights, while also building proficiency. The office has coordinated town halls and Know Your Rights forums to engage communities in the city, having provided 740 such forums in 2017.

Of more recent policy moves, the report touted the office’s partnership with Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence, the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice and law enforcement to support immigrant victims of crime, including securing U and T visas, which provide relief for victims of trafficking and for victims that have suffered substantial mental and physical abuse, respectively. City agencies provided 709 certifications from law enforcement for individuals applying for these protections. Another partnership, Action NYC, which provides legal services for immigration issues, provided 8,004 legal screenings, last year.

Lastly, the report noted that in response to the federal government’s focus on immigration enforcement, the city has enhanced its partnerships with other municipalities where immigrants live. The Cities for Action advocates for federal policies, such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and also files amicus briefs challenging Trump administration actions in court. According to the office, there are approximately 150,000 DACA-eligible persons living in the city.

The report also cites federal efforts to “defund jurisdictions which limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement” as another reason for this inter-city cooperation. Arguably federal immigration policy has repositioned municipalities, especially large cities in an adversarial relationship with the federal government, with cities turned into the key defender against the federal government. This is reflected at the end of the report, which concluded with the office’s priorities for the current year. Aside from continuing civic engagement and utilizing evaluation to study current efforts, the office plans to advocate for the city’s interests at the national level, though its partnerships.

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Source: Times Ledger

Molloy clinches playoff berth with victory over St. Raymond’s

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By Robert Cole

TimesLedger Newspapers

Coming into Monday afternoon’s game, the Archbishop Molloy baseball team needed a win over a good St. Raymond’s side to keep its season alive and put them in this year’s CHSAA playoffs.

The Stanners looked past their record and early season miscues and played mistake-free baseball, earning a 6-3 comeback victory and a trip to the postseason.

“That was the goal from day one,” head coach Matt Rizzotti of the team’s playoff aspirations. “Our record was not reflective of how we are as players, or how we are as a team, so the idea was to come back and get restarted. Now we have a playoff berth and we are pretty excited.”

The Stanners found themselves trailing 1-0 in the third inning when, with one out, James Cummings reached base with a single. Cummings advanced to third base on a walk to Matthew Laya-Vetell, and a wild pitch by St. Raymond pitcher Adrian Batista. Cummings scored the tying run on a ground out by Anthony Cipi, making the score 1-1.

St. Raymond’s snatched the lead back in the fourth inning when Keury Abreu, who had reached on a two-out infield hit, came home to score on an single to right by Tomas Pacheco.

After leaving two players in scoring position in their half of the fourth inning, Molloy would not be denied in the fifth. The Stanners forced Batista out of the game and did some damage against the St. Raymond bullpen, exploding for four runs to take a commanding 5-2 lead.

Cummings reached base on an error to start the rally and came around to score on a ground out to third by Joseph Bekios, which gave Molloy a 3-2 advantage. The Stanners extended their lead to 5-2 on a two-run single to right field by Stefano Inzalaco, who injured his shoulder sliding into second base attempting to stretch the single into a double. Inzalaco was tagged out when he rolled off the base in pain.

The Stanners loaded the bases following three consecutive walks and Cipi delivered with a sacrifice fly, which put Molloy up 6-2.

St. Raymond scored a run against reliever Joseph Bekios, but that’s as close as they would get, as Molloy secured the 6-3 victory and another trip to the postseason, where the team hopes to put together more focused efforts and become the team to watch in this year’s championship.

“This team is capable of a lot and the good thing is that we have a good rhythm now,” Rizzotti said. “The team is locked in, and the chemistry is working just in time for the playoffs, so we are very excited about this opportunity.”

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Source: Times Ledger

Alleged Jamaica gang members indicted in February’s MS-13 related murder in Flushing

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By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

Four alleged members of a Jamaica-based gang have been indicted by the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn on charges of murdering an MS-13 gang member in Flushing back in February, the authorities said.

Officers from the 107th Precinct responded to a call that Oscar Antonio Blanco-Hernandez, 20, had been assaulted near 85-14 160th St. Feb. 2 and upon arrival discovered he was shot once in the head and once in the groin, according to police at the time.

Blanco-Hernandez has now been officially identified by prosecutors as an MS-13 member who was allegedly eliminated by a rival affiliation known as the 18th Street Gang.

“This indictment is another example of law enforcement working together to eliminate gang violence. The defendants in this case are accused of carrying out the merciless execution of a rival gang member,” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said. “Gang warfare in our city streets puts every man, woman and child in danger. We will not tolerate violent street gangs turning our neighborhoods into killing fields. My office will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to rid our communities of this kind of violence and brutality.”

Suspected Jamaica gang members Yanki Misael Cruz-Mateo, Yoni Alexander Sierra, Jose Jimenez Chacon and Saudi Levy Ramirez were all indicted April 30 on charges of murder and conspiracy, federal authorities said, but Cruz-Mateo also faces firearms offenses.

City, state and federal law enforcement officials joined forces to track the killer of Blanco-Hernandez in what was the third MS-13 related killing in Queens in the past year.

In May 2017, Fernando Gonzalez Chavez, 39, originally from El Salvador, was standing outside a Murray Hill deli on 162nd Street and Northern Boulevard when Roberto Abrego, 23, and Jose Alvarenga, 27, allegedly ambushed him in an attack later attributed to MS-13, according to the Queens DA.

Brown said Chavez’s assailants shot him in the chest, puncturing his lung, which resulted in his death.

Chavez’s murder came just weeks after the mid-May murder of Julio Vasquez, 16, who was found with at least two dozen stab wounds in an Oakland Gardens wetlands preserve — an attack police also determined to have gang ties.

Although the NYPD was hesitant to confirm the gang affiliation of Vasquez at the time, a brick post in front of the teen’s home was found tagged with MS-13 graffiti.

“The magnitude of violence exhibited in this case will not be tolerated,” NYPD Police Commissioner O’Neill said of the indictment of Blanco-Hernadez’s alleged killers.

NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said the investigation into the death of Blanco-Hernandez was slow-going since identifying the man was difficult, but they were certain MS-13 played a factor.

“Do we think it might still be MS-13? Yes, we do,” Boyce said. “Now, we’re hampered by the fact that we didn’t know who he was for the first two days … We went to his dad’s house. We spoke to his dad. He explained what happened and we were able to get to some telephones, where he’s going through social media. That’s being analyzed right now … So, we’re a long way from determining which gang it was at this point but again the earmarks of it, there’s no question.”

MS-13 had held more ground in Queens until a law enforcement sweep saw eight members arrested as well as the 2013 imprisonment of the leader of their Flushing chapter, Hector Aleman Lemos. But the gang derived from an El Salvadorian band of guerilla fighters is now mostly present in Long Island.

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