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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Last week another woman came forward to accuse Hollis hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons of allegedly raping her and causing her emotional distress in a civil suit asking for $10 million in damages.

Attorney Albert Douglas Mastroianni filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of his client who wanted to remain anonymous as “Jane Doe.”

In the suit, the former New Jersey resident said that she recently moved to L.A. with her elementary school-aged son, who was a fan of artists from Def Jam, Simmons’ music label.

Def Jam has produced music by performers such as Jay Z, Kanye West, Public Enemy, Beastie Boys and Queens artists like LL Cool J, Run-DMC and 50 Cent.

In her suit Jane Doe said that after she took her son to a rap and hip-hop concert, Simmons noticed them in the crowd and invited them backstage to meet artists.

After the meet-and-greet she dropped her son at home with a babysitter and he allegedly invited Jane Doe to an after party at the now defunct Clarion hotel and then the Coco Palms nightclub.

Simmons then allegedly tricked her into coming to his hotel room at the Clarion by saying that he had to retrieve an item there and invited her.

Despite her reluctance, Simmons allegedly said he was not interested in a sexual relationship with her because he was dating a famous model.

Once in the room, Simmons allegedly locked the door shut behind her and said, “I am going to f–k you or I’m going to f–k your son. You decide.”

Jane Doe said she was shocked and felt threatened by Simmons and what he could do to her son and alleged that he threw her on the bed and raped her.

In the suit filed by Mastroianni, at least one person witnessed the alleged victim leave the hotel room in tears and Jane Doe told several people about the assault at the time that it happened.

The suit said, “Jane Doe did not consent to any sexual contact with Simmons” and that his “conduct was malicious and oppressive, justifying an award.”

The names of eight of his previous alleged sexual assault victims were also mentioned in the suit as an indication of his history as an alleged predator.

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 Tammy Scileppi

TimesLedger Newspapers

Did you ever wonder where fortune cookies came from? You may be interested to find out that those crispy little nuggets you break open were probably made in Blissville, a remote corner of Queens, which happens to have the world’s largest fortune cookie factory.

This mysterious place — nestled in the shadows of midtown Manhattan — is also home to a company called Colbar, known for making replicas of the Statue of Liberty.

A dynamic working-class neighborhood, Blissville is located off the beaten path along Newtown Creek, south of the Long Island Expressway and west of Calvary Cemetery. Think of it as a triangle cut off by physical barriers from Queens and the rest of the city.

Only a few hundred multi-ethnic residents live in this close-knit global community —ranging from Polish, Irish, and German, to Pakistani, Indian, and Bangladeshi, to Central and South Americans, to a small population of African Americans.

And you’ll only find 80 or so houses there — with no white picket fences — according to Brooklyn-based filmmaker and media artist Hank Linhart, who stumbled across the enigmatic neighborhood about 30 years ago, during his travels. So intrigued was he by its quirkiness and the resilient attitudes of the locals who live and work there, Linhart felt compelled to create what he calls a “docu-poem,” in the form of a 59-minute film, as a tribute to that little town that could.

“Blissville: An Investigation” includes footage shot in the late 1980’s when Linhart — who formerly taught video at NYU, SVA, and Pratt Institute — was living in Williamsburg, along with new material filmed since he continued his project in 2012. He took a long break to raise his daughter; make a 100th year commemoration video about the 1904 burning and sinking of the General Slocum in NYC harbor (which until 9/11 was New York’s largest disaster); and became a college administrator.

The video premiered at the New-York Historical Society and was aired on several PBS stations.

You can view “Blissville” at four libraries across Queens, from April 5 through April 26. Ridgewood Library, located at 20-12 Madison St., is hosting a screening April 5, while Maspeth Library, located at 69-70 Grand Ave., will show the film April 9. You can also catch the film April 19 at the Sunnyside Library, located at 43-06 Greenpoint Ave., or April 26 at the Woodside Library, located at 54-22 Skillman Ave.

All screenings will begin at 6 p.m. and are free to attend.

The video was also screened at a variety of locations state-wide, including at the Queens Historical Society, thanks to a grant from New York State Council on the Arts.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the film are the filmmaker’s interviews with people on the street. Other highlights include footage centered around the town’s industries, and viewers also learn about its strange history. Turns out a nearby Romani village — once known as the “Gypsy Ellis Island” — that thrived in the 1930’s, had once been the largest gathering place for Romani in the country. Linhart discovered a church where “gypsies” got married, and noted that the village was razed to make way for a highway to the 1939 World’s Fair.

Additionally, Blissville once boasted an Afghan bakery, a sushi factory, and a facility that crushed cars.

“The Blissville story is important because it is the story of community,” said Linhart. “In this day of gentrification and neighborhoods being destroyed for high rise construction, it is emblematic of New York.”

While recounting the odd circumstances behind the inspiration for his film, he recalled a surreal experience he had while visiting Calvary Cemetery.

“I saw a woman eating fruit from a tree. Having worked for various fruit farms upstate — I used to make a living pruning grapevines and then apple trees — I was curious what she was eating,” Linhart said. “I tried to talk with her, but she ran away. Then later, I noticed an old photograph in the deli that said ‘Blissville Market.’ I began asking people where the name ‘Blissville’ came from.”

The nabe is named after Neziah Bliss, a Brooklyn businessman who helped develop North Brooklyn, according to the Greater Astoria Historical Society. Linhart pointed out that the name is, of course, quite remarkable, “and conjures or invokes one’s personal images of a Blissville, which the actual town aligns with, or is in contrast to.”

Apparently, the latter may prove to be true. Many Blissville residents are up in arms because the city will open a third homeless shelter in the area, this time at the Fairfield Inn by Marriott. It’s clear that this tiny pocket of Queens is overwhelmed and feels it is being asked to carry a burden beyond its fair share. Concerned neighbors met at St. Rafael’s Church on March 15 to rail against The Department of Homeless Services.

Despite the issues they’ve had to deal with, the future seems bright for Blissville’s community of close-knit neighbors, as they go about their daily lives — still removed from the rest of Queens, but now recognized as a unique part of the borough thanks to Linhart’s film, which sheds light on this quirky yet dynamic neighborhood.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

City Comptroller Scott Stringer endorsed Jackson Heights resident Jessica Ramos in her Democratic primary challenge against state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) Thursday in Corona.

Stringer became to first citywide elected official to endorse a candidate running against an incumbent member of the Independent Democratic Conference, which shares power with Senate Republicans that allows the GOP to control the chamber.

“Democrats have actually won these seats,” Stringer said. “They go to Albany, but instead of working with Democrats, they work with the Republicans. There’s imbalance.”

He added that during the era of President Donald Trump, it is now more important to support “true Democrats” as the first line of defense in Albany.

“I’m here today because I want to see a Democratic state Senate. I want to break the dam,” Stringer said. “And I also want to support the next generation, not just in the Latino community, but throughout the city, and I believe Jessica Ramos, through her government resume and her life story, is somebody who is going to get to the state Senate and fight for change in a way we’ve never seen before.”

Ramos worked with Build Up NYC to fight for construction, hotel, and maintenance workers in New York City and served as a Democratic District leader from 2010 to 2014. She most recently served as Director of Latino Media in the de Blasio administration before stepping down to challenge Peralta.

For Ramos it is her third major endorsement in two weeks after City Councilman Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria) supported her campaign last week and City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) followed with his endorsement Monday at the Woodside Houses. The Queens-born mother of two said she was honored to have Stinger join her campaign against Peralta.

“I’m running for state Senate to increase school funding, expand affordable housing, and fix our broken subway system,” Ramos said. “My community deserves a leader who will put working families first — instead of Jose Peralta, a Senator who empowers Republicans at the expense of his district.”

The Peralta campaign dismissed the comptroller’s endorsement.

“While Senator Peralta is focused on delivering results for his constituents on public housing, fixing the MTA, immigration and funding education, it seems Scott Stringer is playing politics to satisfy his mayoral ambitions,” Peralta for Queens spokeswoman Jennifer Blatus said. “He should focus on his day job, we will not be distracted by his useless politicking.”

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 Merle Exit

TimesLedger Newspapers

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals gave an unfriendly welcome to the UniverSoul Circus last Friday on its opening night in Jamaica.

PETA protesters greeted the crowd as patrons entered the gates at Roy Wilkins Park to encourage them to boycott the circus for its treatment of animals.

One protester dressed up in an elephant costume with a face of tears and a sign that read “UniverSoul: End Cruel Acts to Animals.”

John Di Leonardo, an anthrozoologist and president of Long Island Orchestrating for Nature who manages PETA, stood beside the “elephant” holding a bullhook, a sharp heavy baton with a hook used to train the animal.

“I have seen past shows where the elephants are doing cruel tricks. These instruments are used to intimidate and threaten the animal into performing,” Di Leonardo said. “A lot of these tricks that elephants do in the circus are confusing to them and many times painful.”

UniverSoul declined to comment on PETA’s allegations, instead relaying its Animal Rights Policy Statement.

“The UniverSoul Circus believes that all animals are entitled to humane treatment and should never be mistreated or abused in any way. All our animal vendors are subject to regulation by federal, state, and local animal welfare authorities. We care about the well-being of each of the animals that travels with and performs in our shows, and we regard all of them as valued members of our performing cast delivering high quality, family friendly entertainment that brings joy, happiness and laughter to audiences around the world.”

Di Leonardo said that one of the leading causes of death for elephants are foot infections, which could occur when elephants are unable to roam around, instead rocking back and forth, as well as standing on their hind legs and lying in unnatural positions often used in circuses.

You won’t see trainer Larry Carden actually applying the bull hook to the elephant’s body or view the holes in their ears, but Di Leonardo said that just the sight of the bullhook can trigger the fear of what comes from not being obedient.

“You may notice that when they set up a photo shoot for the kids to have their picture taken with the elephant, Carden carries the bull hook but tends to keep his hand over the hook so that it is not in the public’s view. They want to disguise it and make it look as if it is a baton just used for ‘show’.”

Di Leonardo said that Carden was once arrested for allegedly shoving the bull hook into the mouth of an elephant when she wouldn’t walk off the stage.

He also talked about the tigers that are seen spinning in their cages.

“Although the tigers are not presently touring in New York, they are in Florida. Children would run kicking and screaming if they knew how these animals were threatened with bullhooks and whips,” he said. “Parents would never bring them to the circus if they knew about the history of these exotic animals that have attacked their trainers and escaped from the circus.”

Di Leonardo said UniverSoul has had several zebra escapes in recent years.

“There are definitely public safety violations, in addition to animal welfare violations that we are concerned with.”

He said PETA is not protesting the circus itself, just UniverSoul’s alleged treatment of the animals.

“We are encouraging UniverSoul to concentrate on their willing human performers who can retire when they want to. They could have a phenomenal show if they just took out the animals and we would support it,” he said. “The future is animal-free.”

Asked for comment about Peta’s complaint about UniverSoul, the ASPCA issued a general statement saying it “rejects the claim that there is educational value in seeing wild animals perform unnatural or dangerous behaviors, as well as the claim that large, wild animals such as elephants, bears, lions and tigers can be trained without cruelty to perform these behaviors.” It contended that many of these animals suffer from extended confinement and being on the road.

Di Leonardo said PETA will continue to protest outside UniverSoul performances.

The show is heading to Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field next month.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Elizabeth Crowley

TimesLedger Newspapers

Susan B. Anthony said in 1897, “There will never be complete equality until women themselves help make laws and elect lawmakers.”

Thanks in part to Anthony’s life work and that of her fellow suffragettes, American women now have the power both to vote and serve as lawmakers. Yet more than 120 years later Anthony’s dream of complete equality has not been realized, because of the profound disparity in representation between men and women in elected office.

Over my nine years as a member of the New York City Council I saw the number of women in the Council decline from a high of 18 in 2009 to its current number: 11.

Why should New Yorkers care about the underrepresentation of women in the city’s legislature? My experience in the Council serving on the governing team that oversees the spending of your tax dollars is perhaps the biggest reason.

The city’s budget is over $85 billion and the Council has oversight over nearly 130 different government offices and agencies and more than 200,000 employees. How this money is spent and these critical resources are managed reflects the make up of the city’s elected officials. When over 78 percent of the Council’s members are men, the male point of view dominates the discourse in the halls of government, even though a majority of New Yorkers—52 percent—are women.

Fortunately, there is a new awareness across the nation that women will not be equal until they have equal say in the most important decisions that affect their lives. One reason for this awakening is the election of a president who revels in his misogyny, has bragged about sexually assaulting women, and continues to show contempt for women in office, filling his cabinet with the highest percentage of men of any president since George W. Bush in his first term.

To do my part locally in the fight for complete equality, I co-founded the 21 in ’21 Initiative, a nonpartisan effort that aims to achieve gender parity in the New York Council.

While this goal is ambitious, it is attainable mainly because of two factors: term limits and the city’s public matching fund system.

In 2021—the year of the next Council elections—36 of the Council’s 51 seats will be vacant because of term limits. Without an incumbent office holder, these seats are much more winnable, particularly for a candidate who has spent years preparing to run. That’s why nearly four years out from Election Day, we’re already building the infrastructure and recruiting the candidates we’ll need to accomplish our mission of electing at least 21 women to the Council in 2021.

The best part of New York City’s electoral system is that you don’t have to be rich or have wealthy friends to become a successful candidate. That’s because the city’s Campaign Finance Board matches every dollar donated to your campaign up to $175 at a $6-$1 ratio, turning, for instance, a $10 donation into $70. This system empowers women from every neighborhood and every background to step up and vie to represent their community in the Council.

The main reason that more women aren’t elected officials is that far fewer women become candidates. Studies show that when women do run, they win at a comparable rate to men. While there are several factors that deter women from running, a large one is that women aren’t generally brought up in a way that inclines them to self-select as candidates the way men do.

I grew up in a woman-led household, in which my mother made the decisions for our family. She was a leader in her community and an elected member of the local school board. She instilled in her daughters the belief that serving in public office was the noblest of professions. I was lucky to have a mentor like my mother.

It is this model of strong mentorship that is at the core of the 21 in ’21 Initiative. We have already built a top-notch network of mentors to strengthen and support female candidates.

21 in ’21 is here for the women ready to become the future leaders of our city, but all New Yorkers must contribute for Susan B. Anthony’s dream to become a reality. From the voting booth to our block associations, and our political clubs to our community boards, we must all demand equal representation now.

Elizabeth Crowley

Co founder and Chair of 21 in’21

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

Children with autism who are prone to wandering and seniors with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia will be provided with voluntary tracking devices and expanded support services for their families after President Trump signed the $1.3 trillion federal spending omnibus bill Friday.

The massive bill included “Kevin & Avonte’s Law,” which U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) first introduced in response to the Avonte Oquendo tragedy in 2014 when the mute autistic boy walked past a school safety officer and through a door at the Riverview School in Long Island City in October 2013. Oquendo’s body was found on the shores of the East River in College Point more than three months later after an exhaustive search by his family and friends and thousands of volunteers from all over western Queens. A similar tragedy led to the 2008 death of 9-year-old Kevin Curtis Wills in Iowa, after the boy slipped into the Raccoon River and drowned.

“Making voluntary tracking devices available to vulnerable children with autism or adults with Alzheimer’s who are at risk of wandering will help put countless families at ease,” Schumer said. “After Avonte Oquendo ran away from school and went missing, I learned just how prevalent wandering is among children with autism and other developmental disorders. Since Avonte’s tragic death, I’ve pushed Congress to pass Kevin & Avonte’s Law, a bill that will create and fund a program to provide voluntary GPS tracking devices to children and adults with developmental disorders, like Autism Spectrum Disorder.”

Nearly half of all children with autism have wandered from their caregivers at some point, according to a 2012 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics. A 2017 report by the National Autism Association revealed that between 2011 and 2016, nearly one third of missing person cases of those with autism resulted in death or required medical attention. According to AWAARE and the National Autism Association, of these children, 74 percent run or wander from their own home or from someone else’s home, 40 percent run or wander from stores and 29 percent run or wander from schools

Tracking devices can be worn as non-tampering wristwatches, anklets, or clipped onto belt loops or into shoelaces. They can also be woven into specially designed clothing.

According to Schumer, these life-saving devices are currently available in about two-thirds of New York state’s counties. Schumer said that passage of Kevin & Avonte’s Law into law will be a vital first step in ensuring lifesaving technology is available to all New York localities and beyond.

“I am proud to have continued to speak up for those who cannot and to have authored this important bill, which will help Avonte Oquendo’s memory to live on, while helping to prevent other children and teens with autism from going missing.”

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 Tammy Scileppi

TimesLedger Newspapers

Bayside native Carol Klenfner has found something new… and all she had to do was follow the bouncing ball.

The sport of ping pong has opened up a whole new world for the energetic 72-year-old New Yorker, who has become a three-time national level table tennis player, now enjoying an exciting new chapter in her busy life.

Klenfner is a regular at her favorite hangout, Spin, located in the Flatiron District at 48 E. 23rd St. It’s where you can find her about four times a week, paddle in hand, focusing her gaze on a little orange ball. It’s also where she comes to find her inner peace.

On Sundays, she leads the women’s league. She also gets coaching sessions from her “wonderful” instructor Matthew Khan — a Queens resident — on Tuesdays and Fridays, and enjoys playing and socializing with “a fun, eclectic group of people,” on Wednesdays and Fridays.

When she’s not working hard to take advantage of that sweet spot in the paddle to produce significant amounts of spin, or trying to master a super heavy backspin serve, Klenfner is still doing PR and juggling both work and play with ease.

Fit and determined, she is looking forward to competing in the Empire State Games in Cortland — located in upstate New York — in June. Last time around, she won two gold medals, which qualified her to play in the 2017 National Senior Games, where she was “ribboned.”

Nothing else seems to matter when this woman of a certain age becomes one with her paddle.

“The thing about table tennis is that when I’m playing, I can tune out the rest of the world. You have to, because it all moves so fast,” Klenfner said. “I’ve noticed that playing has made my reflexes faster. Also, it brings back the feeling of being a child when I would go out and play. I think the word ‘play’ is one of the greatest four-letter words ever. Also, table tennis is a much more fun workout for body and mind than going to the gym and walking a treadmill.”

The Backstory

It all started when young Carol — who grew up in Bayside — and her family moved from their first home by the LIRR station to a house with a finished basement near the intersection of Bell and Northern boulevards.

“One day, the doorbell rang. Outside were two giant delivery guys with a big flat box. Turned out to be a ping pong table sent to us by my dad’s uncle as a surprise gift. We played a lot but not seriously. In those days it was just ‘ping pong,’ not table tennis,” Klenfner said.

Back then, the Bayside of her childhood was bucolic. She remembered blackberry bushes, crabapple trees — her mom, a piano teacher, used them to bake pies — and lots of open space.

“My father was the optometrist on Bell, a fixture in the community. Walking down the street with him was like being with the mayor,” Klenfner said. “He knew everyone and they all stopped to chat with him. When he died (in 1967), the Bayside Times featured his obit on the front page. My brother and I played stickball in the streets, roller skated, rode our bikes, etc. I went to PS 41, JHS 158 and Bayside High School.”

So, why ping pong?

Fast forward to about five years ago. After a series of setbacks, Klenfner was trying to pull herself up by her boot straps and move forward with her life. It was a difficult time. Her husband died in 2009, and she got laid off from her full-time job at a PR agency as a result of the recession. After selling the East Village apartment where she raised her children, she downsized and moved into smaller digs, renting on the Upper West Side.

Embracing her new reality, the savvy businesswoman set up a small freelance PR business, working from her dining table. But she missed the excitement of her old job. Klenfner said her first big PR gig involved handling publicity for iconic rock ‘n’ roll stars, like the Rolling Stones, The Who, Jefferson Airplane, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, and Elton John. She was his PR rep on his first ever trip to New York.

“I felt isolated after having a family around me and working for decades in offices. Then I happened to see a documentary on PBS called ‘Ping Pong,’ which focused on a senior tournament called the World Veterans Championships,” Klenfner said. “It followed four table tennis players from 80-100 years old and their struggle to win medals — and to stay alive. It was motivating. So, I started to play at Spin with a friend who also grew up in Queens, with a ping pong table in her basement. We loved it. We tried out for the Women’s League at Spin and made the cut. Eventually, I got tired of losing and decided to take it more seriously and get coaching.”

“It’s never too late to learn,” she insists.

Spin is the coolest place to play table tennis, according to Klenfner.

“It’s more than a ping pong club. It’s also a lounge and bar, and the mix of players come from all worlds,” she said. “The sport attracts a highly intelligent, offbeat set of people and I’ve met a lot of down-to-earth players from all walks of life, including well-known actors, shoe designers, comedy writers, and others,” she said, adding, “I love meeting new people and that serves me well in life. I always bring my ability to get along with people to everything I do.”

The mother of two said her daughters, Kate and Bryn, are super proud of their mom — as are her friends, who are impressed at how quickly she picked up this sport and how well she’s doing.

A fierce competitor, the ping pong diva is getting ready to show off her athleticism, passion, skill and fast reflexes once again, when she plays in Las Vegas at yet another competition, the Word Veterans Championship — her original motivator from the documentary — in June. She said it feels like “a closing of the circle to actually play that tournament.”

It’s all those qualities, combined with what she calls “the ability to gauge the opponent’s weakness — and exploit them,” that make for a great ping pong player. Klenfner has plans to play more tournaments, and said her mission is to keep improving her game.

Table tennis is all about having fun and not taking life too seriously. The increasingly popular sport, which has evolved into a cultural movement of sorts, has the power to connect different people, regardless of age, gender or background.

Klenfner’s story brings to mind those memorable lyrics from a well-known of one of her former clients: “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, well you just might find you get what you need.”

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Source: Times Ledger