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By Carlotta Mohamed

TimesLedger Newspapers

Six Queens schools swept the Department of Transportation’s “We’re Walking Here” competition that encourages students to engage in a healthy and active lifestyle while learning about street safety.

As part of the “We’re Walking Here” efforts, students track the number of blocks they walked over a two-week period and then engage in classroom activities, where the final project is a public service announcement — either a video or poster — to convey messages the students learned through the curriculum.

This year’s winners in the video category include: Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School taking first place in Astoria; PS 94 in Little Neck the second spot; and Elizabeth Blackwell Middle School in Ozone Park topping third. Winners in the poster category include: Middle School 226 in South Ozone Park taking first place; Al-Ihsan Academy in South Ozone Park in second; and PS 16 in Corona taking the third spot.

“We are so proud of all the students who put their creative minds behind the crucial message of the ‘We’re Walking Here’ campaign,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “With more than 100 schools participating, this year’s winning entries have really connected to the critical message of Vision Zero. I heartily invite more schools to get involved and participate in this creative competition.”

The competition, open to all New York City schools, launched in October in conjunction with International Walk-to-School Day. Participants downloaded grade specific lesson plans developed by DOT’s Safety Education and Outreach Division. The first place winners of this year’s competition received a $1,000 grant, the second place schools took home a $500 prize, and third place schools got $250.

“Queens is so proud of our students who produced such compelling PSAs that prioritize safety and healthy active lifestyle choices for all New Yorkers,” said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz. “Congratulations to the winning entrants — all of whom happen to be from Queens! — and all the participants in this year’s citywide competition.”

Frank Sinatra School of the Arts High School, first place winner in the video category, submitted a video showing the grave consequences of texting while driving on the road.

South Ozone Park Middle School’s 226 winning PSA poster read: “Don’t Die Sending a Reply: Don’t Text and Drive.”

State Assembly Member Michele Titus (D-Far Rockaway) said the “We’re Walking Here” campaign also educates drivers and the general public about the importance of not driving safely in school zones.

“Every child’s life is precious and we must do everything in our power to ensure their safe commute from speeding motorists to and from school,” Titus said. “The loss of even one child is too many.”

Interested schools can now pre-register for next year’s “We’re Walking Here” competition by visiting nyc.gov/walkingschools.

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

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By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

A legislative package in City Council, sponsored by various members from Queens, would create a task force to examine the best methods for preventing violence in schools which will be led by NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill if passed.

The School Security Task Force would meet once a quarter and pass its recommendations, formed from the input of parents and staff, to the mayor’s office and the City Council Speaker every year.

Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside) introduced the proposed legislation May 9 that calls for a review of communication technology in schools, NYPD collaboration and safety protocols for students struggling with mental illness.

“As a result of our call for greater school security, we are proud that the Council is moving forward with this package of legislation that will take a hard look at the state of school security as it exists in every school, and what we can do to improve it,” said Vallone. “In the end, you can’t put a price tag on our children’s safety and I’m proud to introduce this important legislation with our speaker, Corey Johnson, and my colleagues.”

Councilmen Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria) and Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) signed onto the bill, calling for the task force to examine evacuation plans and emergency response protocols at city schools, according to Vallone’s office.

The bill also requires the task force to review emergency protocols at non-public schools

The bills come following a call from Vallone and state Assemblyman Edward Braunstein (D-Braunstein) for the city Dept. of Education to allow schools to lock front doors during an emergency situation, which is against current practice, in response to the Feb 14 Parkland school shooting Florida which left 17 students and faculty dead.

Changes to policing in northeast Queens schools stirred concern from parents in March following the deadly shooting as the 111th Precinct switched to the Neighborhood Policing Program and reorganized its coverage of schools.

Francis Lewis High School’s PTA Co-president Linda Lovett claimed officers had been removed from schools while the 111th’s Officer John Erdman said the command had actually “been doing enhanced patrols at all of the schools in the precinct for the past three weeks [following the Florida shooting] as of yesterday have made 153 visits.”

A spokesman from Vallone’s office said although the bills have not gone to committee yet, they have the support from Johnson and should move swiftly.

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 Carlotta Mohamed

TimesLedger Newspapers

“Do you live in this area?!” some Woodside residents shouted repeatedly last week at the Community Board 2 public meeting with developer Madison Capital Realty, which is planning to construct a two-tower residential building at 69-02 Queens Blvd.

During the public forum at St. Mary’s Winfield at 70-31 48th Ave., residents asked questions and vented their frustrations at the developers about how the project would affect their community.

“Queens Boulevard is known as the Boulevard of Death,” said Raymond Lee at the May 9 meeting, which drew about 60 people. “There will be more traffic, construction, congested schools, and public transportation.”

Under the firm’s proposal, which would require rezoning, the project would mark a large new residential development from the ground up in Queens, paving the way for a half-million-square-foot complex with 561 units — of which 169 would be affordable — and 5,600 square feet of retail. The project would include a pair of towers, one 14 stories and the other 17 stories, along with a 242-space surface parking lot.

“As of right now they’re allowed to put 207 units; they’re proposing to build 561,” said Councilman Robert Holden (R-Maspeth). “Now what happens with a one-bedroom? Sometimes you get a family of four or six in one-bedroom apartments. I have serious reservations about this. I didn’t hear very good answers today, and am still waiting.”

Holden said he would’ve preferred the development of a school in the neighborhood instead of two high-rise buildings since District 24 is the “most overcrowded district with unfunded public school seats.”

With little or no response to the public’s concerns about the issue of overcrowding, Madison Capital Realty said amenities would include a recreation room, parking lot for its residents, and open space with chairs and tables outside. Its plans also include a tree-lined courtyard and 5,600 square feet of retail space.

The project is currently going through the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, under which the rulings of Community Board 2 and the borough president on the rezoning are advisory, and then brought to the City Council where a decision will be made, said CB 2 Chairwoman, Denise Keehan-Smith.

According to the Commercial Observer, that provides information on the commercial real estate industry, if Madison Capital Realty doesn’t get the rezoning, it could still possibly build a 12-story, 289-unit building with 58 below-market units on the site.

The rezoning would force Madison Capital Realty to rent 30 percent of the development’s units to families earning at or below 80 percent of the area median income, which is part of the city’s Mandatory Inclusionary Housing Program.

The development site spans six parcels, but Madison Capital Realty only owns two lots. The properties were once home to a gas station, a Mexican restaurant, a florist and an Armenian cultural center. The florist and cultural center have not yet sold their lots, both of which are industrially zoned.

Among cheers and boos at the meeting, another resident, Shane Toner, who is part of the New York City District Council of Carpenters, said he was “concerned about the company’s use of non- union workers to build the towers.”

Joseph Geiger, who is the executive secretary treasurer, of the Council of Carpenters, said it was a shame how undocumented workers are exploited by non-member unions, and urged the developers to “build responsibly.”

“Will you have responsible contractor language for these 561 units to be built to give to the community, to my members, so they can afford to live here?” said Geiger. “Now I know you’re the developer, not the contractor, but it’s your responsibility to hire someone that’s going to be a responsible contractor.”

Madison Capital Realty has already developed three rental buildings in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, and completed condominium projects at One Great Jones Alley in Noho and 78 Irving Place in the Gramercy Park area.

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

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By Tammy Scileppi

TimesLedger Newspapers

Sadly, fables have become an almost forgotten genre of reading, what with the plethora of modern-day children’s books written for a new generation of precocious kids.

But now, some of those wonderful, enchanting tales that have sparked youngsters’ imaginations since days of yore have been brought to life through dance, in “Fables,” a production every family should experience.

Thanks to the Queens Borough Community Dance Project — a new initiative launched by RIOULT Dance NY — lucky students between the ages of 8 and 16, who either live or go to school locally, will have a rare opportunity to rehearse and perform alongside RIOULT’s professional dancers. Performances, presented in partnership with LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, will take place in the Mainstage Theatre at 31-10 Thomson Ave. in Long Island City May 19 at 3 p.m.

Dance education and giving more children access to dance has always been at the heart of RIOULT’s mission as an organization, and in a few months doors to their new home at RIOULT Dance Center on Steinway Street will open, establishing residency in Astoria’s popular Kaufman Arts District.

“Fables” is their first performance as a Queens-based company but audiences have been enjoying a myriad of productions presented at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center and at Queens Theatre for many years.

“We are very excited to begin working with our new community. We hope that this experience, offered free to the student participants, will broaden their horizons and encourage them to continue dancing throughout their lives,” said Pascal Rioult, RIOULT Dance NY’s founder and choreographer.

As a co-producer of “Fables,” LPAC’s executive director Steven Hitt joined forces with the dance company to make this project possible. The collaboration follows a long history of presenting free lecture demonstrations for New York City students in LPAC’s theater and also serves as a resource for RIOULT Dance NY in producing their annual New York Season, according to Rioult.

While RIOULT’s modern-day dances a la fables of olde were created around elements of fun and whimsy, all are inspired by the 17th century poet Jean de la Fontaine, whose delightful Fables rank among the greatest masterpieces of French literature. He offered young readers valuable messages that were as relevant then as they are today.

Deeper meanings can be found behind thought-provoking, imaginatively told and beautifully illustrated tales, in which animal protagonists always have a lot to say. The main theme of his book series has been described as “the everyday moral experience of mankind throughout the ages, exhibited in a profusion of typical characters, emotions, attitudes, and situations.”

“My piece, ‘Fables,’ celebrates the timeless stories that teach children life lessons embraced by the many cultures found in the borough of Queens,” Rioult said. “Being from France originally, I read and was inspired by the rhythmic narrative of Fables, so I wanted to use the universal language of dance to bring to life familiar tales including the ‘Crow and the Fox,’ ‘Tortoise and the Hare,’ ‘Oak and the Reed,’ ‘Ant and the Grasshopper,’ and ‘Animals Sick with the Plague.’ There is a twist to my interpretation of these tales in that Jean de la Fontaine used animals to portray human behaviors and in my piece the dancers represent contemporary people who find themselves in the same situations.”

The audience will hear music written especially for “Fables” by the composer Paul Salerni. The costumes are contemporary clothing designed by Pilar Limosner after the original designs by Russ Vogler; the sets were designed by Harry Feiner, and light design was created by David Finley. “All of these theatrical elements create a very special, magical world where the dancing takes place,” Rioult said.

Among the schools that have students who are performing this weekend are: PS139 Q; PS113; PS85Q; PS165Q; PS199; PS/IS 113Q; PS144; PS/MS 164; J.H.S. 190 Russell Sage; BELL Academy; PS169; PS/MS 164; Q300; Garden School; Frank Sinatra School of the Arts; Forest Hills High School; And Manhattan’s PS 199.

For tickets, visit the LPAC box office or go to www.lpac.nyc/event/0b047530ed7f1414f8a51134fcb675f4.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Carlotta Mohamed

TimesLedger Newspapers

Howard Kwait, the principal of John Bowne High School in Flushing, has been reassigned by the new chancellor after four lawsuits were filed and settled against the school administrator accusing him of sexual harassment and discrimination.

Kwait, who joined Flushing High School in 2006 earning a salary of $156,671, has cost New York City more than $600,000 in lawsuit settlements, including payments to four women who accused him of lewd comments and groping, according to The New York Times.

The latest payout of $130,000 in September was made to Lauren Prettitore, a former guidance counselor at John Bowne High School, who said that Kwait asked her and female colleagues for a threesome, and rubbed his body against her, and told her “if she achieved a high graduation rate, he would perform oral sex on her,” according to the suit filed in Brooklyn federal court. Prettitore accused the New York City Department of Education and Kwait of sexual harassment and discrimination.

Kwait repeatedly made lewd and inappropriate sexual remarks to Prettitore, the suit said. During a meeting with Prettitore, where several other colleagues were present, Kwait leaned over and asked Prettitore, “Do you use that silk belt you are wearing during sex?” according to the lawsuit.

“Schools must be safe, welcome and inclusive environments for all students and staff, and we will do everything in our power to hold employees accountable for meeting these standards,” said Doug Cohen, a spokesman for the DOE.

After a thorough review of the details of Kwait’s cases, Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza, decided to “reassign him to a central office where he will be closely supervised and will no longer be permitted to manage other employees,” Cohen said.

John Bowne High School said in a statement, “We have no idea who the new principal will be.”

Prior to the previous case, several assistant principals had come forward with accusations of Kwait’s inappropriate behavior around them.

In June 2015, the city settled two cases against Kwait for a total of $275,000.

Former Assistant Principal Maria Catenacci, said Kwait made “unwanted sexual advances,” According to the lawsuit, “Kwait sat with his legs open facing Ms. Catenacci and straddled her. Kwait then used his fingers to touch Ms. Catenacci’s leg, and then, appallingly simulated sexual intercourse by pressing up against plaintiff’s body.”

Sally Maya, who was hired to work as an assistant principal for English at John Bowne High School, had informed Kwait of her pregnancy and he responded by saying, “I guess this means I will have less of you,” according to the lawsuit. Maya said she felt “a little uncomfortable” at Kwait’s reaction.

Prior to those cases, the city paid $200,000 to settle a lawsuit with a former assistant principal, Miriam Zambrano-Lamhaouhi, who also accused Kwait of discrimination when she became pregnant, according to another suit. Kwait actually confronted Zambrano-Lamhaouhi on the issue of pregnancy-related urination, “raising his voice” when speaking to her about bathroom visits.

And in a continuing lawsuit, Kwait is accused of retaliating against Marc Einsohn, also an assistant principal, who questioned Kwait’s alleged request to inflate students’ grades.

In addition, the city has also paid a $225,000 settlement in a case in which Kwait falsely accused a student of sending threatening e-mails.

The DOE said Kwait was not fired because the statute of limitations to bring him up on charges had expired.

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

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

With less than six weeks remaining in the legislative session in Albany, elected officials, safe street advocates and more than 70 schoolchildren gathered in the state capitol last week to push for the expansion and extension of the school zone speed camera program, which is set to expire this summer.

Currently just 140 school zones — which represents just 7 percent of schools in the five boroughs — benefit from the life-saving technology, which reduces speeding by 63 percent and lowers pedestrian injuries by 23 percent at locations where they have been installed, according to the city Department of Transportation.

“Enough words. Let’s fix this. It is time to act and increase the number of speed safety cameras is school areas across the city,” state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) said May 9. “The school speed camera program has been a success. In fact, at locations where there are speed cameras, pedestrian, cyclist and motorist-related crashes have been reduced by 15 percent. This is only about protecting the more than one million schoolchildren who go to and from school every day.”

Summer is around the corner, and if we do not act before this legislative session is over, schoolchildren will be at risk when they return to school in September. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass my proposal to increase the number of speed cameras and extend the current pilot-program that, unquestionably, protects us all.”

Earlier this year the state Assembly, in its one-house budget bill, supported expanding the speed safety program but the state Senate did not include such a provision in its budget.

“We have an obligation to protect our children in every way we can, particularly in school zones,” state Sen. James Sanders (D-South Ozone Park) said. “I wholeheartedly support the addition of speed cameras as a method of accident prevention in these critical areas where large groups of youth gather. When used, these devices have proven to reduce traffic collisions.”

Since 2016, more than 2.5 million tickets have been issued to drivers caught by traffic cameras speeding through less than 10 percent of school zones currently authorized to use the cameras, including more than 82,000 repeat offenders who have wracked up more than five speeding violations each in the last 26 months alone, according to City Comptroller Scott Stringer.

“These numbers are outrageous, and too often they lead to heartbreaking tragedies in our communities,” Stringer said. “There should be no second thought. Our report should serve as a wake-up call for safer streets — and this legislation is one big part of the solution.”

Paul Steely White, the executive director of Transportation Alternatives, spoke with the schoolchildren, many of them wearing graduation caps and carrying signs that read “Speeding Drivers Are a Threat to My Future” and “I Walk to School and I Want to Graduate.” The safe streets advocate cited the tragic death of Giovanni Ampuero who was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on Northern Boulevard April 28.

“Last week, a 9-year-old boy was killed in a Queens crosswalk. His death is one of far too many. Crashes like these are preventable, yet they happen every day,” Steely White said. “Speed safety cameras enforce the laws absolutely and without bias, and they are a remarkably effective tool for preventing crashes. Unfortunately, Albany politics has stood in the way of protecting more of our children with this life-saving technology. We are here today to demand more, because saving kids’ lives should transcend politics.”

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

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By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

A three-day expo showcasing the food and culture of Flushing and the surrounding neighborhoods will be kicking off next month, evoking the spirit of the 1964 World’s Fair with a modern twist that reflects the worldliness of the borough today.

Flushing’s World Fair — scheduled for June 15-17 — has received over $1 million from the city’s Small Business Services and will feature workshops on how businesses can capitalize on the growing tourism industry in Queens and the best practices for roping in customers through social media.

“Whether you’re looking for amazing food, meaningful history, or world-class shopping, Flushing has something for everyone. Flushing’s World Fair will be a great opportunity for visitors to get a first-hand look into the emerging industries our community has to offer,” City Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) said. “We also invite those who already know us to rediscover Flushing and explore a neighborhood that is constantly evolving.”

The first day of the expo will be held at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel with a forum discussing the future of tourism in Queens moderated by Rob McKay, director of PR for Queens Tourism Council.

“Strong neighborhoods are the backbone of our city, and the $1.15 million in investments to Flushing is going a long way towards revitalizing key commercial corridors,” Gregg Bishop, commissioner of the SBS, said. “By working with Asian Americas for Equality and the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce, we are responding to local needs to support small business growth and build more vibrant neighborhoods for all New Yorkers.”

The program also includes several walking tours of Flushing with Queens historian Dr. Jack Eichenbaum leading the explorations. Food writer and author of “111 Places in Queens That You Must Not Miss” Joe DiStafano, will lead a tour of the local cuisine.

“People from around the world have been coming here for decades to make Flushing, Queens, the most vibrant and dynamic community in the United States,” Taehoon Kim, president of the Greater Flushing Chamber of Commerce, said. “The attention and admiration this expo will generate for our amazing community is more than past due.”

Asian Americans for Equality is also organizing the event, which is expected to draw about 500 visitors from beyond Flushing.

“Flushing businesses offer an incredibly rich and diverse mix of culture from around the globe in one convenient location,” Doris Koo of AAE said. “We want to share this jewel of the city with the rest of the world and give local businesses the support they need to tell their engaging stories.”

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

Linda McMahon, the head of the Small Business Administration, has stayed true to the organization’s promise to reinstate the LGBT Outreach page on the SBA website

The restoration of the website Wednesday came days after U.S. Reps. Yvette Clarke (D-Brooklyn) and Nydia Velázquez (D-Brooklyn), whose district covers parts of Ridgewood and Woodhaven, wrote a letter to McMahon demanding that the page go back up after being shut down on Jan. 25, 2017, which was shortly after the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

The letter came on the heels of McMahon’s media blitz, which started earlier this week, to visit small businesses across the country and address issues entrepreneurs were facing across the country.

Clarke and Velázquez, who is the ranking member of the House Small Business Committee, criticized the SBA in their joint letter for scrubbing the web page of the website for over a year.

“Erasing these resources from SBA’s website shortchanges gay, lesbian and transgender Americans who happen to be among our nation’s most successful small business owners,” said Velázquez. “The fact that this move took place shortly after Donald Trump came into office raises troubling concerns and, as the Committee of jurisdiction, we intend to get to the bottom of how this happened and see the situation rectified, quickly.”

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender entrepreneurs contribute $1.7 trillion to the United States economy and have created more than 33,000 jobs, according to the National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce.

When the web page was closed following Trump’s January 2017 inauguration, the Democratic staff of the House Committee on Small Business pressed the SBA over the disappearance in August 2017, only to be told it was being fixed, but since then other web pages have been reinstated.

“SBA is an inclusive agency, proud to support all small businesses including the LGBT community,” said an SBA spokesman.

Not only did the letter condemn the SBA, it also highlighted the contributions of LGBT businesses, and requested a May 22 response from the administration about the lengthy webpage reconstruction.

“As you may know, [of] the nation’s nearly 28 million small businesses, only 964 are certified LGBT Business Enterprises, according to the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce,” the congresswomen said. “Despite their low numbers, these firms contribute over $1.1 billion to the U.S. economy and realize an average of $2.5 million in revenue each year – almost triple that of other small firms.”

The lawmakers also stressed that on average, small LGBT businesses have tended to outlive other small businesses by three times. While most start-ups close before their fourth year, LGBT businesses have lasted over 12 years.

The congresswomen were pleased the webpage has been reinstated, but were still requesting answers to why LGBT entrepreneurs had to go without resources from the federal government for over a year, and hope that this asset does not get used as a political tool again.

“It is important that all federal agencies are inclusive and work proactively to serve the needs of all Americans.”

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 Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

City Comptroller Scott Stringer is holding his ground after data provider AirDNA issued a cease-and-desist letter to his office claiming his report on the economic impact of the room-sharing app Airbnb improperly used their data.

AirDNA is now calling for the comptroller to retract the report, which accused Airbnb of being responsible for the affordability crisis in the city and cited a negative impact on neighborhoods in Queens.

“We stand by the integrity of our report, which is consistent with studies done in other jurisdictions, that Airbnb has an impact on rent levels,” a spokeswoman for Stringer said.

But AirDNA contended that Stringer’s office did not obtain permission to uthe data, violating their terms of service and not getting the “full granularity” of the information available from the company.

“In short, the comptroller’s report is nothing more than hotel propaganda released under the guise of economic research,” the letter said. “The comptroller also violated AirDNA’s terms of service, which limits the use of AirDNA data to “personal, non-commercial use” unless a specific license is obtained.

The report by Stringer claimed New York City renters paid an additional $616 million in 2016 because of Airbnb’s practices, making the affordability crisis even worse.

According to Stringer’s report, rent in Long Island City and Astoria saw an increase of $20,092,964 throughout 2016 attributed to Airbnb; the cost to Sunnyside and Woodside was $9,431,814; Forest Hills and Rego Park were hit by $4,088,401; and Elmhurst, Corona and Jackson Heights saw a combined effect of about $5,285,274, while northeast Queens neighborhoods faced a rise of about $4,104,914.

The week prior to the cease-and-desist letter being issued there was a shouting match between Stringer and Airbnb, with the city official calling for full data transparency from the short-term rental company.

Airbnb’s head of global policy, Chris Lehane, claimed in a May 7 press conference call that the numbers in the report were misrepresented with no evidence indicating the company had any “material impact” on renters citywide, a message that was supported by AirDNA.

“It may be the case that the comptroller was simply misled, bamboozled, duped, by whoever provided him the data,” Lehane said.

Lehane said the comptroller operated on the assumption that entire units were being rented all year around and that people are only using spaces within their homes to accommodate guests as opposed to renting the entire unit or whole homes in compliance with Airbnb’s one host, one home policy.

“Airbnb’s high-priced lobbyists are doing what they always do when confronted with facts they don’t like, which is hold press conferences to try and smear those who dare to question the company’s impact on cities,” Stringer said in response to Lehane.

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