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By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

A suspended MTA train operator has been sentenced to 26 years in prison for the road rage killing of a Forest Hills jeweler known for his high-profile clientele, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

Queens Supreme Court Justice Richard Buchter found Charles Jordan, 48, guilty after a two-week-long jury trialof first-degree manslaughter and felony for leaving-the-scene in February.

The death of Aron “Eric” Aranbayev came following a petty dispute in front of his 71st Avenue and 110th Street home before Jordan backed his 2005 dark blue Dodge Magnum into the man, causing fatal head injuries, the DA said.

“Today’s sentence, imposed by the court, punishes the defendant for this vicious act that arose out of a petty dispute,” Brown said. “This was a senseless death that could have easily been avoided.”

Aranbayev was known to cater to the rich and the famous, earning him the title of “Jeweler to the Stars.” A husband and father of four young children, Aranbayev was co-owner of Rafaello & Co. in the Diamond District of Manhattan where he had his own cadre of famous customers, such as Floyd Mayweather, Sean “Diddy” Combs, Alicia Keys and Jamie Fox

He was getting out of a vehicle dropping him off at his home when Jordan, of Valley Stream, L.I., passed by at a high rate of speed, the DA said. When Aranbayev shouted at the driver, Jordan stopped the car and backed up.

During the dispute, Aranbayev and Jordan exchanged words before the defendant threw the car into reverse for a second time and struck the 40-year-old victim, who suffered skull fractures and brain injuries. Aranbayev died from his injuries at Jamaica Hospital the day following the incident

Jordan fled the scene, but was eventually picked up by police and charged with second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting a death and criminal possession of a weapon, the DA said.

“After weighing all the evidence, including video surveillance of the fatal encounter, the defendant was found guilt of manslaughter,” Brown said after the guilty sentence was handed down in February. “The defendant rammed a 1,000-plus pound vehicle into the victim and knocked him to the ground, where he hit his head.”

Jordan is a former MTA train operator on suspension and was apprehended about a week after the incident by the 112th Precinct’s detective squad and the Queens North Homicide Squad.

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 Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

A town hall to discuss the revised city Department of Transportation proposal for protected bike lanes in Sunnyside drew a standing-room-only crowd Monday as the mournful widow of a bicyclist who was killed in the area called for better safety and the community debated whether the improvements were worth the lost parking spaces.

The original proposal by DOT, heavily opposed by the community, eliminated up to 158 spaces in exchange for bike lanes, while the new proposal eliminates 117 and 129 parking spaces on both Skillman and 43rd Avenues combined between Roosevelt Avenue and Queens Boulevard.

The two corridors came under scrutiny by the de Blasio administration and the Vision Zero initiative after cyclist Gelasio Reyes was killed by a drunk driver in April 2017 at 43rd Avenue and 39th Street, which was just one of many incidents in the area.

“All I want to say is to ask the authorities to so something so these avenues are more safe… I don’t want other families to go through this. What we’re going through is very difficult,” Flor Jimenez, Reyes’ widow, said through a translator as she cried. “I told my husband to take the train, but he said no — by bicycle he would get there faster because the trains take too long. If there’s something that can be done, please do so, so there is no family left as we are right now.”

DOT plans bring parking out into the street with spaces at an angle and the bike lane situated between parked cars and the sidewalk.

On 43rd Avenue, parking will remain parallel with the sidewalk, but will be pulled further into the street to make room for the bike lanes with the addition of pedestrian islands to force drivers to make more cautious turns.

The new proposal shortens those islands to restore about 12 spots and other treatment measures will retain 12 more spots while DOT plans to add 14 spots elsewhere.

One man in the audience who grew up in Sunnyside said there were no safety issues concerning bikes when he was young, and that increased congestion from the bike lanes and lost parking would cause frustration and more safety problems.

The city agency said it counted 1,400 bikes at the intersection of Skillman and 43rd Avenue on a single weekday in May 2017, which many audience members scoffed at in disbelief and brought angry disagreement from speakers.

The auditorium at PS 150 40-01 43rd Ave. was packed to standing room with bicycle advocates associated with Transportation Alternatives, which fights for safer streets, and community leaders such as Patricia Dorfman, executive director of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce, who claimed many small businesses feared going out of business entirely.

One woman opposed to the bike lanes said putting one in front of a school only puts children at risk of being hit by cyclists instead of cars while many others argued that less parking means more economic distress in Sunnyside’s business district.

Between 2012 and 2016, 283 people were injured along these two corridors, including 34 bicyclists and 61 pedestrians, according to DOT, with the remainders being motorists.

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 Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

State Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Flushing) went to Albany last week to push for the passing of the Taxi Driver Protection Act.

Kim was joined March 13 by Assemblymen David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows), Clyde Vanel (D-Queens Village) and Brian Barnwell (D-Maspeth), as well as the Bangladeshi American Advocacy Group, the New York Taxi Workers Alliance and over 100 community advocates and constituents at the state Capitol.

Together, they spoke about the importance of passing the bill in order to better protect for-hire drivers for this year’s session, after it passed the Senate, but failed to make it through the Assembly in 2017.

Kim has advocated for the introduction of an amendment to the Taxi Driver Protection Act that would stiffen punishments for anyone who attacks on-the-job taxi drivers.

According to Kim, the increasing number of attacks by passengers on taxi and for-hire drivers has brought greater attention to the dangers of the job. By changing the Penal Law, Kim’s amended legislation would raise the penalty for assaulting a taxi driver from a misdemeanor to a felony. The legislation would also add for-hire driving to a list of protected occupations, which currently includes public transportation workers.

A second provision of the bill would require adding signs in taxis and for-hire cars that inform passengers of the legal consequences of assaulting drivers. While this law already exists in New York City, Kim’s amendment would extend it to the rest of the state.

Just last week in Kim’s district an Uber driver was assaulted by three passengers. According to police, on March 9 at 4 a.m. a 35-year-old Uber driver picked up three passengers at 32-17 College Point Blvd. Police said the passengers began arguing with the driver once he realized the three were not his arranged customers. According to police, the driver pulled over and got out of the car demanding they get out, too, when he was almost punched in the face. Police said one of the passengers got into the driver’s seat and the three drove away in his car to an unknown location.

Last April, Kim held a press conference in Flushing with victims of assault who talked about their experiences. According to Kim, a large percentage of for-hire drivers in New York are South Asian, and 55 percent of cab drivers in New York City are from Queens. The accounts of the victims’ ordeals suggested race or religion may have been a factor in the violence. Victims who spoke about their attacks said the common connection was that the passengers asked them where they were from before they were assaulted.

Kim said studies have shown that for-hire drivers, including Uber and Lyft drivers, are 20 times more likely to be killed on the job than the average worker. New York is home to the country’s largest total number and concentration of taxis in the entire country, so Kim and fellow legislators argued that the state must take action to ensure the safety of its drivers.

“This bill, which previously passed the Senate but languished in the Assembly extends protections already given to our bus and train operators by making it a felony to assault drivers,” Kim said. “The surge in drivers and riders using apps like Uber and Lyft means we must move fast to protect those in danger. I urge my colleagues to take this bill up and protect the people whose work helps define the very character of our city and state.”

Bhairavi Desai, executive director of the New York Taxi Workers Alliance — which has a membership of 20,000 and represents more than 50,000 taxicab drivers in New York — said he was proud to stand with Kim in support of this legislation.

“In addition to the specific protections the Taxi Driver Protection Act provides, the passage of this act is a show of support for one of New York’s most visible immigrant work forces,” he said. “We call on the Assembly to pass this legislation and protect drivers across New York state.”

Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmartinez@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Two buildings in Far Rockaway were up for consideration as preserved landmarks last week in Manhattan.

The first was Firehouse and Engine Companies 264 and 328/Hook and Ladder 134, located at 16-15 Central Ave., according to the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission.

The second facility up for designation was the 101st Precinct Police Station — formerly the 53rd Precinct — located at 16-12 Mott Ave., which is five minutes away from the firehouse, according to LPC.

The Renaissance Revival-styled firehouse, affectionately called “The Big House” by locals, was built from 1911 to 1913 by architectural firm Hoppin & Koen.

Prominent architects Frances Hoppin and Terrence Koen designed the three-structure firehouse with limestone at the ground floor, three segmental-arched vehicle bays, red brick cladding on the upper stories, a cast stone entablature and a brick parapet, according to LPC.

The precinct is a combination of the Renaissance and Colonial Revival styles and was designed by the Police Department’s Superintendent of Buildings Thomas O’Brien, said LPC. It was built from 1927 to 1928.

O’Brien started his career as a carpenter and later joined the police force in 1898 as a patrolman, and was eventually promoted to sergeant and lieutenant, but spent his spared time taking night classes in architecture at Cooper Union in the East Village.

Former U.S. president and then Police Superintendent Theodore Roosevelt personally appointed O’Brien as the department’s architect.

The police station features a Renaissance palazzo with a granite base, the ground story has arch openings and a terra-cotta cornice. The main entrance has original bronze lamps below a carved tablet containing the city’s seal. The second floor of the precinct has a Dutch/English cross bond from the Colonial Revival style. A one-story garage was made in granite and terra cotta and faces Mott Avenue.

Both structures were built after Far Rockaway was absorbed into Greater New York City in 1898, resulting in the Rockaway Peninsula becoming a commercial center and experiencing a surge in population growth.

The growing construction boom of municipal buildings throughout Far Rockaway and greater access from transportation to get individuals to mainland New York created a need for the firehouse.

With the commercial center in Far Rockaway expanding, the peninsula transitioned away from being a year-round resort community, resulting in the 53rd Precinct growing out of a wood-framed dwelling into the brick structure it now resides to accommodate its ever growing police force.

Both structures continue to be prominent fixtures in the Far Rockaway community.

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

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

Second-graders from Queens helped name the new vessels in NYC Ferry’s fleet and, last week, Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen and City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) visited a class at PS 148 in East Elmhurst that submitted one of the 10 winning names, Spring Mallard.

Three other schools in the borough had winners in this year’s competition: “Rainbow Cruise” was submitted by PS 330 in Corona, PS 112 in Dutch Kills had “Starlight,” and PS 197, the Ocean School in Far Rockaway, entered “The Ocean Queen Rockstar.”

“The kids who came up with the name Ocean Queen Rockstar are why I love this town so much,” Glen said. “Every one of these NYC Ferry boat names have swagger and panache — and these students and their schools should be incredibly proud.”

The competition aimed to engage some of the youngest New Yorkers in the city’s newest mass transportation system.

“Kids say the coolest things, and for the second year in a row schoolchildren are not disappointing,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said. “These are inspired nautical names, ones our new boats will proudly carry.”

Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña was proud of the students for coming together and leveraging their ideas to create exciting and unique names.

“After today, these classes will have a lasting mark on our city’s waterways, and I’m looking forward to taking a ride on the ‘Spring Mallard,’” she said.

Dromm, a former public school teacher at PS 199 in Sunnyside, could barely contain his enthusiasm.

“Congratulations to the PS 148 students who won the 2018 NYC Ferry Vessel Naming Competition,” he said. “‘Spring Mallard’ is such a creative name for a vessel which will be known to millions of people who take the ferry each day. I join Deputy Mayor Glen in applauding all the work they and other students across the city put into this project.”

Last year, the NYC Ferry’s inaugural year, the system served nearly three million riders across four routes that are already in operation, including Astoria and Rockaway. At $2.75 a ride, and free transfers across the ferry system, the cost is the same as a subway ride.

The city’s Economic Development Corporation and NYC Ferry, operated by Hornblower, announced Monday they are hiring people for more than 75 new jobs, including captains, deckhands, customer service agents, ticketing, operations and other positions. New Yorkers of all backgrounds and skill are welcome to apply directly at ferry.nyc. With the expansion of two new routes this summer more jobs will become available.

“The expansion of NYC Ferry not only helps us take advantage of our city’s waterways to provide alternative transportation options to millions of New Yorkers, it is also creating new jobs with opportunities for growth and a strong career path,” City Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside), the chairman of the Committee on Economic Development, said. “I encourage anyone interested in this field to apply to NYC Ferry and become part of a team that is bringing excellent service to our city.”

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 Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

A Springfield Gardens man has been honored for his volunteer work with Project Warmth Night, a United Way project to provide heating funds to needy families during the cold winter months.

Juan Santiago was recognized by United Way, because of 20 years of donations and volunteer service. The nonprofit cited his volunteer work with National Grid and his recent efforts to help restore power in Puerto Rico after a hurricane.

United Way of Long Island partnered with the Long Island Nets basketball team during a home game on Feb. 23 to host the Project Warmth Night program at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where they honored Santiago as a Veteran of the Game and for his service in the Navy, as well as National Grid as a Community Champion for their support of the initiative.

“I felt that there are a lot of people who deserved [the title] more than me,” said Santiago “but I was definitely appreciative, surprised and embarrassed.”

Santiago served during the Gulf War, was stationed in the Mediterranean and has earned a National Defense Service medal, a Navy unit commendation, a NATO Medal, two Armed Forces Service medals, two Sea Service Deployment Ribbons and a Meritorious Union Commendation.

Santiago has worked for National Grid for 25 years and has collaborated with Project Warmth in Long Island for over one year.

Project Warmth provides emergency heating funds during the winter months to energy insecure individuals and families who are unable to pay their heating bill in Long Island. They have serviced people in more than 1,600 homes with heating assistance.

United Way is a nonprofit that helps to uplift communities in the United States and 41 countries and territories across the world.

“For many years, National Grid has been a proud supporter of United Way’s Project Warmth,” said Bob DeMarinis, National Grid’s vice president of Gas Operations and Construction. “It was a tremendous honor to be part of this year’s Project Warmth Night, receiving the Community Champion Award and seeing our employee Juan Santiago featured as the Veteran of the Game was a true testament to the power of this program and the lives that it touches.”

Santiago is a manager of the Community and Customer Management Department at National Grid, and uses his skills there and as the son of Puerto Rican parents to act as a bilingual liaison in Freeport, a predominantly Hispanic area in Long Island.

“It was a great feeling to be able to help,” he said. “Through the program we were able to provide heat and energy services, help them pay their bills and support them during the cold frigid months.”

Not only has Santiago helped to keep people warm in Long Island, but he has volunteered his services along with several other utility workers from National Grid to provide electricity in Puerto Rico after the island was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017. The crews worked 16-hour days seven days a week.

From Jan. 8 to Feb. 5 he acted as a community liaison and translator in the towns of San Jose, Rio Piedras and Trujillo Alto and spoke with the townspeople about their concerns and gave them timelines about the restoration process as his colleagues surveyed the down power lines and later rebuilt wires to provide electricity for over 4,000 residents on the island.

“I gave them realistic timelines and I let them know that we weren’t leaving the area until everyone had power,” said Santiago.

After they also finished working on a local church and the Escuela Del Pueblo Trabajador (Town Worker School), the townspeople cheered, danced and honked their horns in celebration of the restored electricity, according to Santiago.

“It was amazing, [the reaction] warms your heart and this definitely made me feel good inside,” said the veteran.

To learn more about Project Warmth or United Way visit www.211longisland.org or www.UnitedWayLI.org.

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