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By Kendall Christiansen and Thomas Grech

TimesLedger Newspapers

Every day, it’s no small miracle that the 12,000 tons of waste, recyclables, and organics generated by the city’s businesses and industries are managed by a small, efficient, and resourceful cadre of companies.

But in August 2016, the de Blasio administration proposed converting the city’s successful, open-market commercial-waste pickup system — which was last reformed 20 years ago — into a system of geographic “zones,” each served by a single company.

A similar system is now being implemented in Los Angeles, and like other “West Coast” ideas, it needs a closer look. The plan is a disaster: tens of thousands of service disruptions and prices to customers doubling, tripling, and quadrupling, along with myriad other charges. On top of that, complaints there are now directed to city bureaucrats instead of service representatives eager to keep your business.

This week, the Los Angeles City Council is demanding answers from city officials about what went wrong. Angry businesses have initiated a ballot referendum to repeal the new system. The Los Angeles Times editorial board called it a “trash monopoly that’s gouging customers” and said that city officials “need to fix it.”

Fortunately, New York can watch and learn before making the same mistake.

But so far, Department of Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia continues to work behind closed doors towards a zone-based plan that would harm small businesses, threaten good jobs for local residents, and accomplish virtually nothing that couldn’t be achieved sooner, better, and cheaper by working together with local companies.

Even the data used to justify the decision is flawed, incomplete, and inaccurate — ask how many licensed companies currently provide waste-related services and you’ll hear answers ranging from 70 to 110. (The answer: closer to 70, with 20 providing more than 80% of the total service.) And local companies, already heavily regulated and skilled at implementing the city’s commercial-recycling rules, have every incentive to operate efficiently.

Now is the time for real public discussion before lurching down the path of no return.

Los Angeles’ new system debuted last July and seven companies now control waste and recyclables in 11 zones. Businesses — including apartment buildings — in those zones have new haulers assigned to them without regard to their service requirements or cost. Imagine such a transition in New York. The results would be disastrous.

Armed with a team of consultants and an $8-million taxpayer-funded budget, the de Blasio administration is committed to proving that it’s smarter than a well-regulated open market. It is already drawing lines on maps, deciding what constitutes good customer service, and determining what arbitrary recycling goals should be enforced. It created an advisory board, but denied a request to open the meetings to the public, and debate has been limited to how to design a zoned system — not whether it even makes sense.

To be clear: Every complex system, which waste services are, can benefit from continuous improvement, even in the face of collapsing global markets for recyclables, over-heated industrial real estate, and relentless NIMBYism. The commercial-waste system already is undergoing significant and positive transformation with renewed focus on safety, clean trucks, zero waste, and managing organics as a resource. While the elements are in place to move the industry forward into the 21st century, the city’s dispiriting message instead is: Get ready to shut down your companies and let the monopolies take over.

For the business community, the question is: will Mayor Bill de Blasio learn from Los Angeles and change course? Or will that realization not come until it is too late?

Kendall Christiansen is the executive director of New Yorkers for Responsible Waste Management. Thomas Grech is the president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Tammy Scileppi

TimesLedger Newspapers

The future looks brighter than ever for Bayside actress Elyse Price, who says 2018 “started off strong!”

Price is making her debut on the silver screen after catching director Usher Morgan’s eye to play the lead in his new movie. “Pickings” premieres March 1 in Whitestone at the College Point Multiplex (2855 Ulmer St.) at 7:30 p.m. It opens at select theaters across the country March 2.

This intriguing neo-noir about a feud that develops between a crime family and an actual family has been described at festivals as “visually stunning” with “gut-punching” performances. The film centers around Price’s character, Jo Lee-Haywood, a single mother of three who starts a new life in a new city and is trying to protect her children from her violent past.

“She is just a really fierce woman and, as Usher describes her, a lioness who will stop at nothing to protect her cubs,” Price says. “It is stylistically unique, mixing film noir with spaghetti western, with a definite nod to Quentin Tarantino.”

The budding star had no inkling that one day she’d be starring in a feature movie.

“I got a notification from Backstage.com about a trailer to promote an upcoming feature film. I submitted and was called in for an audition, booked the role for the trailer but was not guaranteed the role in the film. After shooting the trailer, it was obvious that Usher and I loved working together, and he offered me the role,” Price recalled.

Since there’s so much that goes into embracing a character, from where does an actor draw to become that person?

“There might be a word or phrase that encapsulates the identity of the character or the story. Or a poem. Or even a single gesture,” says Price. “A song that inspires you can be a great place from which to take your point of departure. What’s important is to find the thing that speaks to you.

“I have played Shakespearean princesses, southern belles, Irish country girls, war widows, turn-of-the-century prigs, prostitutes on the streets of NYC. I love this art form, because you can draw from every moment of life that you experience and figure out how it fits into a particular story. I feel like I’ve been doing that my whole life anyway.”

As fate would have it, her boyfriend Joel Bernard (also a Bayside resident) got a leading role in the film as well.

“He plays my younger brother Boone. Joel was still in California finishing up grad school at [American Conservatory Theater] when Usher was casting the film. I still remember him describing the character of Boone. I said ‘just wait until you meet Joel, he’s exactly what you’re looking for.’ They met a few weeks later and the rest is history.” Price said.

The Bayside lovebirds met at Queens College, where Price graduated in 2010, and it seems as if they were destined to be together.

“I remember seeing him in a show and thinking he was insanely talented. When I got involved in the theater department, we were constantly cast opposite one other and became very close,” Price said.

After her mentor and acting teacher, Claudia Feldstein, cast them as George and Emily in “Our Town,” they really fell for each other and have been together ever since.

The actress recently returned to QC to perform with other alums, including Feldstein, in a fundraiser for the Drama, Theatre and Dance Department — a staged reading of “The Kitchen Plays” (three short plays written by QC alumni). Price said one of her proudest moments was bowing afterwards with some of her oldest and dearest friends.

She recently started teaching an acting class at QC, and she’s also collaborating with Feldstein and Bernard to create their Equity Alumni Theater Company.

When they were drama majors at Queens College, Price and Bernard started an independent theater collective called Benefit of the Doubt Theatre Company, dedicated to keeping theatre a fearless, imaginative and entertaining art form.

“We try to offer as many opportunities as possible, and in the last ten years we have collaborated with over fifty performers,” Price said.

Most recently, they produced the American premiere of “Phantom Pains” by Vasily Sigarev at Under St. Marks Theater. The actors were all alumni from American Conservatory Theater and it was directed by Matt Raines of Studio 6 of the Moscow Art Theatre.

“BotD brings people together across borders and boundaries to create the opportunity to grow personally and professionally in and through the arts,” says Price, who hopes to expand what BotD has started in the form of the Queens College theater company. “The idea was inspired by our collective appreciation for our beginnings at the school and general love for the arts and culture alive in Queens. A huge goal is to be able to make theater as accessible as possible in our Queens community, to be able to provide quality entertainment and opportunities to artists wishing to work onstage, backstage, in the writer’s room or as an audience member.”

Several projects are in the works, according to Price, including a full-length play.

“What I truly believe is there is nothing stronger than building up the people around you. There is nothing more bulletproof than authenticity.”

When she’s not acting, teaching or working at a local Carvel , where she had scooped for 16-plus years, the family-oriented 20-something loves spending quality time with her parents.

“My family is really tight knit — we’re really supportive of each other. My mom and dad have always inspired me because it seems like they can do anything,” Price says.

Her father, now retired, held several important positions including as a first responder at Ground Zero for the American Red Cross after the 9/11 attacks.

“Basically, they taught me that I could do anything I wanted, as long as I pursued it with passion and commitment and integrity,” she said.

A few years ago, Price moved across the country to attend the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco, to pursue her MFA in acting.

“It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, to leave my family, friends and my boyfriend for the first time in my life and miss all the holiday dinners, the birthdays … But it was one of the most important experiences of my life,”

But fate again conspired to being her and Bernard together.

“Miraculously, my boyfriend was accepted to the same program the following year — even though only ten applicants are accepted into the program. It seemed like a sign.”

Fast forward, and now they have both graduated and moved back to Bayside, reunited with their families and friends — and Price has finished shooting another film.

“We both grew up in Bayside, attended Queens College, spent years all over the place — California, Canada, Ireland, Moscow — and after all these years,” Price said, “we have the privilege of returning to our hometown. Talk about full circle. It is surreal.”

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Zach Gewelb

TimesLedger Newspapers

The St. John’s men’s basketball team continued its surprising turnaround, defeating Marquette, 86-78 Saturday after shocking No. 1 Villanova, 79-75 just three days earlier. The impressive victories come after the Red Storm defeated then-No. 4 Duke to snap an 11-game losing streak and bumped up their record to 13-13 (2-11 in conference) on the season.

Shamorie Ponds has been the spark the Johnnies needed, recording 70 total points in the back-to-back wins, including 44 against Marquette. That came after he willed the Red Storm to victory against top-ranked Villanova. The win marked the first time St. John’s defeated the nation’s top-ranked team in 33 years.

Despite being a massive underdog, St. John’s showed it wasn’t intimidated and went toe-to-toe with ‘Nova, taking a 39-34 advantage into intermission.

“I never walk into a game thinking that we have no chance,” head coach Chris Mullin said.

The Johnnies worked hard to maintain their lead in the second half. Nova’ tied the game at 41-41 early in the stanza, but St. John’s reclaimed the lead and never looked back, staying a step ahead of the Wildcats for the remainder of the game.

Ponds led the way with 26 points and Justin Simon recorded a double-double, scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 boards, while adding seven assists to his ledger. Marvin Clark II added an efficient 15 points and Bashir Ahmed scored 10.

The victory over ‘Nova marked the first time St. John’s defeated two programs ranked in the top five in back-to-back games.

“It’s big for the university, and it’s also big for us,” Ponds said. “I feel like it will give us the little spark that we need going into the rest of the season. Two-huge wins. We’ve never lost the confidence, but no one wants to go through the losing. I feel like we stayed together, but we weren’t getting the outcomes that we wanted. If we stayed together, it would eventually fall through.”

The wins gave St. John’s momentum heading into its showdown with Marquette, and the Johnnies didn’t disappoint on their home court, earning their third consecutive victory.

Ponds and his 44 points were the game’s biggest story, but Justin Simon also had a nice game, chipping in 16 points and 11 rebounds.

The score remained tight throughout the first half, with the Red Storm taking a slim 34-32 advantage into the second half. From there, Ponds took over the game for the Johnnies. He went 9-of-12 from the field and scored 27 points in the second half alone. He finished the night shooting 16-of-23 — including 4-of-7 from three-point range. His 44 total points are the most scored in the 57-year history of Carnesecca Arena, which left Mullin impressed.

“I think its self-explanatory. Historic. He broke the building record, so that speaks for itself,” Mullin said. “Just an incredible performance, he’s played really well since he’s been here. Looks like he’s got more pop and more energy… I was glad to see that. It was a legendary, historic performance… no comparisons.”

“I mean it is a blessing,” Ponds said of his historic night. “All the great players who came through this university, for my name to be up there, it’s a dream come true.”

“It felt good to see the ball go in, trying to mix it up,” he added. “Going to the rack, free throws, mid-range, three point, it felt good out there… Just to see one go in from the beginning of the game. I was confident the entire game. I just try to keep the foot on the gas.”

St. John’s took care of business in the second half, outscoring Marquette by six to secure the victory.

Armed with renewed confidence, St. John’s will look to continue its hot streak and end the season on a high note before the Big East Tournament in March.

“It’s about time we turned it around. Coach [Mullin] has said all we need is one,” Simon said. “We’ve lost every way we could, and now we learn from our mistakes. We limit them. We play hard and play together.”

Reach reporter Zach Gewelb by e-mail at zgewelb@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4539.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

“Having the Ridgewood Reservoir recognized on the New York State Historic Register back in December, and now having it listed on the National Register of Historic Places is an amazing achievement,” state Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach) said. “I am pleased to see that the National Park Service moved so quickly to place the Ridgewood Reservoir on the list, officially preserving its natural beauty, its historic context to Brooklyn and Queens, and its educational importance for future generations.”

The reservoir was built in 1859 to supply the independent city of Brooklyn with drinking water that came from streams in Queens and Nassau counties. After New York City switched to reservoirs in the Catskills in the 1950s, the Ridgewood Reservoir was decommissioned and drained in 1989, becoming a lush and dense forest which is now home to more than 150 species of birds.

NYC H2O, a nonprofit that educates people about New York’s water system and ecology, has brought more than 3,000 students on field trips to the site since 2014 and led the advocacy effort.

“The Ridgewood Reservoir is a majestic place that deserves to be listed on the National Historic Register as a cultural and ecological treasure to be discovered for years to come,” NYC H2O Executive Director Matt Malina said. “The support of elected officials, community leaders and organizations has been critical to preventing its demolition and in advocating for its future.”

The Bloomberg administration planned to cut culverts into the reservoir as part of a flood mitigation project and allow for future development, but community boards and civic associations joined environmentalists in a grassroots preservation movement.

“I am elated to hear that the National Park Service has added the Ridgewood Reservoir to the National Register of Historic Places,” City Councilman Robert Holden (D-Glendale) said. “Not only has it become a beautiful landmark within our community, it has become vital to the local ecology. While the reservoir no longer provides necessary water supply to residents, it stands as a testament to the ingenuity of New Yorkers, who when faced with a problem like a water shortage, undertake stunning engineering and urban planning projects in order to create solutions.”

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 Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

Police were searching for a knife-wielding man who menaced a straphanger in Astoria last month.

The victim, a 43-year-old man, spotted the suspect urinating on the platform of the Broadway N and W subway station Jan. 27 just after 2 p.m. and asked what he was doing as he took a picture of the man, police said. The assailant produced a knife and threatened the victim, who tried to get away but was followed for a brief period of time before the suspect fled the station on foot, according to the NYPD.

The suspect is described as a 6-foot-tall Hispanic man in his 50s last seen wearing a brown coat, a green shirt, a gray sweater, blue slacks and brown shoes. Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TI

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 Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

Students at an overcrowded Long Island City elementary school located at 48-09 Center Boulevard are not getting enough exercise because their playground is too small to accommodate proper recess.

Members of the PS/IS 78 Parent Teacher Association and Community Board 2 joined City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) last Friday calling on the city’s Department of Transportation to provide a safe play space after the agency rejected their application for a “playstreet” for a third time.

“Our students deserve play time,” Van Bramer said. “Kids need time to run, play and burn off energy. Not only is it beneficial for their physical health, but it helps them focus in the classroom as well. This partial, temporary street closure would not negatively impact our community and would improve quality of life for students and families of PS/IS 78. I don’t understand why DOT has denied the playstreet application.”

The request, filed last spring, calls for a street closure on 48th Avenue between Center Boulevard and 5th Street on school days between 10:15 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. DOT denied the request again last week. Without a playstreet, PSIS 78 students will continue to have recess only twice a week because the playground can not adequately accommodate the school’s 700 students.

“Following two reviews, DOT denied a playstreet on the south side of 48th Avenue, midblock to Center Boulevard, due to safety concerns based on the street layout, (a) nearby parking facility, and frequent commercial traffic,” a DOT spokesperson said. “Typically, DOT implements playstreets on one-way streets due to the predictable nature of vehicular movements and clear sigh lines.”

Due to the shortage of proper play space, the PTA pays $80,000 annually to a third party to walk some students to a play space off site for recess. Not only is this a major expense, the travel time cuts into students’ play time, leaving them with just 10 minutes or less.

“The parent community at PS/IS 78Q has been rallying together for 18 months in trying to secure a partial street closure for 1.5. hours each day,” PS/IS 78Q Co-President Genevieve Bernier said. “The DOT has rejected our requests for a third time, with inconsistent explanations and their suggestion to have our students walk across Center Boulevard into our City and State parks, with no physical boundaries except water, is much more dangerous that the 1.5 hour road closure we seek.”

Van Bramer urged DOT to reconsider the application or to work with the school and PTA to find a solution that provides play space for the PS/IS 78 students.

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

Queens District Attorney Richard Brown charged a Hollis man with the murder of two individuals after a firearm linked him to the shootings through ballistics tests.

Neville Brown, 37, is accused of killing two men — a 21-year old and a 19-year old — in South Richmond Hill barely a month apart between December 2017 and January 2018, the DA said, and faces the possibility of 50 years in prison if convicted.

“This defendant is alleged to have taken part in the slaying of two men exactly four weeks apart,” Brown said. “Gun violence in our community is a scourge on our society and must end now. One man was gunned-down while seated in a vehicle near a playground and the other ambushed as he walked on a residential street after nightfall. The defendant, who was apprehended in upstate New York, now faces the likelihood of spending the rest of his life locked behind bars.”

On Dec. 19 at about 3 a.m., the accused was allegedly behind the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz when he passed a Cadillac Escalade on 125th Street and Atlantic Avenue several times. Surveillance footage showed two men, one believed to be Brown, get out of the car and approach the SUV occupied by the 21-year-old Dail Ramessar and four other people. The second man, wearing a hooded sweatshirt, presented a gun and fired a volley of rounds into the Escalade, hitting Ramessar several times before fleeing the scene, the prosecutor said.

Ramessar was taken to a nearby hospital, where he later died.

At 9 p.m. on Jan. 16, video surveillance showed the same Mercedes-Benz stop on 135th Street near 105th Avenue before a man in a hooded sweatshirt steps out and approaches 19-year old Omaree Morrison, who was walking down the street. Morrison was allegedly shot multiple times by the hooded suspect and died from his injuries.

Ballistics tests showed the same weapon was used in both shootings.

According to Brown, the suspect stated he was the driver of the Mercedes-Benz used in both shootings.

The defendant was arraigned on two separate complaints before Queens Criminal Court Judge Althea Drysdale, one for second-degree murder and the other for criminal possession of a firearm.

Drysdale ordered Brown to be held without bail until his next court date on Feb. 15.

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