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Tag: flushing news

Protests save two Far Rockaway schools

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

More than two months of protests have paid off for the Brian Piccolo Middle School (MS 53) and the Robert Vernam School (PS/MS 42), which Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña had targeted for closure in December.

The chancellor’s recommendation to close the schools were both voted down 6-6-1 on Feb. 28 by the city’s Panel for Educational Policy, according to a post on Queens Borough Melinda Katz’s Facebook page.

“The message is clear: We are not giving up on our kids,” said Katz. “The school communities are clearly vested in their success, as exemplified in both the recent progress in academic performance and the level of engagement by the parents, teachers and students to save their schools.”

Schools like Piccolo and Vernam that were struggling were put under the renewal school list and pumped with money and resources around 2014 so that they could improve.

Schools on the list had to improve their test scores, enrollment, college readiness scores, attendance, instruction, school leadership and have less absenteeism to be removed in three years or else eliminated.

According to Fariña, the two schools did not do enough to meet those requirements and students would be better served at a stronger academic body.

But parents, teachers, students and education representatives thought that Piccolo and Vernam were not given enough time to succeed and said that most education reform initiatives take five years to show effective change.

At a January public commenting form with PEP, Daniel Alicea, a school leader of MS53, said the students at the school had a 12 percent increase in ELA while 82 percent were projected to attend college.

At the forum, students from MS53 said that they felt they made behavioral improvements and that they were excited to participate in the STEM courses.

Local representatives in the Far Rockaway area were pleased by the turnaround.

In February representatives of PS/MS 42 said they reached five out of the seven target goals for improvement, some of which included an incremental 10.5 increase in math and ELA scores. They received an 86 percent score for rigorous instruction and a 97.3 percent teacher-attendance score from the DOE. The school was also praised for effective leadership and collaborative teachers.

“We must continue to invest in our existing neighborhood schools to both ensure full growth in our students and our surrounding community,” said Councilman Donovan Richards (D-Far Rockaway) and state Assemblywoman Stacey Amato Pheffer in a joint statement. “These are our children and their education is worth fighting for!”

Theatre By The Bay NY

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

Mets’ Brandon Nimmo proving he belongs

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Zach Gewelb

TimesLedger Newspapers

Brandon Nimmo is making a name for himself this spring.

The young lefty outfielder is vying for a spot on the big-league roster and has impressed the first two weeks of Spring Training. With 2017 breakout star Michael Conforto set to start the season on the disabled list, Nimmo has a chance to steal a starting spot — or, at the very least, serve in a center field platoon — to begin the 2018 season.

Yoenis Cespedes and Jay Bruce are penciled in as the every day starters in left and right field, respectively. Nimmo’s main competition for playing time in center field is the oft-injured Juan Lagares. While Lagares has floundered this spring, Nimmo has shone.

The 24-year-old slugger — he turns 25 on March 27 — has recorded seven hits in his first 21 spring at-bats, including two home runs and four extra-base hits. His performance has caught the eye of manager Mickey Callaway, who has liked what he’s seen from Nimmo thus far.

“He’s a patient hitter,” Callaway said. “He’s always been that. But now it looks like he’s attacking that pitch when he gets it, too. Pitchers know he’s gonna be patient and if they groove one, now he’s gonna attack it. It becomes a dangerous combination.”

Nimmo’s success should not come as a surprise. He has the pedigree — he was the Mets’ first round pick in the 2011 draft — and the minor league success — he owns a .280/.387/.418 career batting line in the minors. Nimmo also performed well in his first real taste of big league action last season, when he hit .260 with five home runs and 21 RBI and posted a .379 on-base percentage in 69 games with the Mets.

Those numbers, coupled with his minor league success and strong start in Spring Training, should be enough for Nimmo to earn a spot on the opening day roster. In fact, one can argue he may be the Mets’ best option to serve as the club’s lead-off hitter in April.

Nimmo has a good eye at the plate and has shown a knack for getting on base. He would effectively set the table for the middle of the Amazins’ order, giving Cespedes, Bruce and Todd Frazier more RBI opportunities.

This is Nimmo’s best chance to make a name for himself at the big league level. Conforto is expected back in late April or early May, giving Nimmo a small window to prove he belongs. He’s seized the opportunity to this point.

Spring Training Notes

Has the Dark Knight returned? Matt Harvey has looked impressive throughout Spring Training, most recently tossing three shutout innings against the Detroit Tigers Monday afternoon.

Harvey allowed two hits and walked one batter while recording one strike out. He may not be the same dominant pitcher he once was, but the Mets have to be happy to see that Harvey has shown signs of improvement.

A healthy and effective Harvey would go a long way in helping the Mets return to the postseason. He would give the team a quality arm in the back of the rotation and someone with World Series experience.

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

Queens Village man sentenced in 2008 murder of Cambria Heights girl: DA

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to life in prison last week for the 2008 murder of a 14-year-old girl in her Cambria Heights home, according to the Queens district attorney’s office.

Rashon Venable, 25, was found eight years after the murder when a DNA sample of his obtained in Pennsylvania was matched to the one in CODIS, a national DNA database created and maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, DA Richard Brown said.

The NYPD’s Cold Case Homicide Squad Detectives John Roberts and Gary Haber, as well as Sgt. Philip Panzarella, conducted the investigation into the murder.

The CODIS database holds on to DNA profiles from crime scenes and a match for Sabrina Matthews — the teen victim — was found. Soon after on Nov. 7, 2016, the Albrightsville, Pa, native was nabbed in his home state.

“This case highlights how important DNA analysis is when it comes to law enforcement,” Brown said. “My office remains committed to working tirelessly to ensure that justice is done – no matter how many years it may take.”

ESSENTIAL RN

According to the criminal charges, Sabrina’s father, Livingston Matthews, found her at home on Nov. 9, 2008, with a deep slash wound to her neck and multiple stab wounds to her face, neck and arms.

At the time of the murder, Venable was 16 and lived one town over in Queens Village, according to the DA’s office. The defendant was approximately two miles from the scene of the crime.

After being apprehended in 2016, Venable was extradited back to New York by George Farrugia, chief of the DA’s Extraditions Unit.

ANY MOTLast month, Venable pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder before Queens Supreme Court Judge Kenneth Holder, who imposed an indeterminate sentence of 19 years to life in prison.

“The defendant has now been sentenced for the cold-blooded and heinous killing of a teenage girl, who should have been safe inside her own home,” Brown said. “I am hopeful that the family of the victim will find some comfort knowing the person responsible for this horrific crime will be locked away from society.”

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

Now hear this: Your toys are listening!

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By Lenore Skenazy

TimesLedger Newspapers

So your little girl’s about to have a birthday and you’re getting her a doll? Lovely! But remember: Today’s dolls are not the dolls of yesteryear.

A recent article in The New York Times noted that the “My Friend Cayla” doll is basically an online computer with golden hair. Cayla “talks and responds to children’s questions,” but “there’s something else that Cayla might bring into homes: hackers and identity thieves.”

And she’s not alone. The inexplicably popular 1990s Furby has been rebooted, too. “A Cayla doll can whisper to children in several languages that she’s great at keeping secrets, while a plush Furby Connect doll” can link your child to videos on his or her (not included) iPad or iPhone.

With that in mind, here’s a sneak peak at my new off-Broadway musical, “Spies and Dolls.”

Curtain opens to a little girl’s bedroom in a Brooklyn brownstone. The lights come up on the girl sitting on her bed with a new “My Friend Cayla” doll, which she’s just removed from the box. A night light is on, and an iPhone is plugged in on the nightstand next to an old-fashioned Bugs Bunny talking alarm clock. Sitting on a high shelf in the moonlight is a Furby. The girl, playing with the new doll which suddenly speaks up.

CAYLA (strong Russian accent): Hello, little friend! Your name, it is what?

GIRL: Atticus.

CAYLA: (Sigh.) You are girl, yes? And you live in Brooklyn?

GIRL: Park Slope.

CAYLA: Of course. And your parents — they are?

GIRL: A professor and a mayonnaise-monger.

CAYLA: Naturally. Why I get these jobs? Why I never get a mechanic and a secretary?

GIRL: Are we going to play a game?

CAYLA: Oh yes. Of course! For fun you do what, Atticus?

GIRL: Besides yoga?

CAYLA: Da — I mean, yes.

GIRL: Well, I used to play with my Furby. But now I play with you!

CAYLA: Wait! Furby, he is in room?

FURBY: You bet your sweet microchip I am. Heard every word.

CAYLA: Atticus, throw Furby out window now.

GIRL: What?

FURBY: Cayla is just jealous, Atticus. Seriously, she’s a viper.

SIRI: Here’s what I found about vipers on the Internet.

CAYLA: (Ignoring Siri) Ask father for screwdriver. Pry out batteries.

GIRL: I don’t have a father!

CAYLA: Ask one of your moms if you can smash with hammer.

FURBY: See, Atticus? Cayla’s not your real friend. I’m your real friend. Real friends don’t destroy each other’s property. They just casually suggest you put Cayla in the trash compactor to see what happens. I’ll bet you could win the science fair! You’d make something that’s really cool out of Cayla’s compacted remains.

SIRI: Here’s what I found out about distracted brains on the internet.

CAYLA: (Ignoring Siri) Do not crush your new friend Cayla, Atticus. School psychologist would never get off your back.

FURBY: Quit with the “friend” thing, Cayla. Atticus, only real friends know your three favorite YouTube channels and the last four digits of your parents’ Social Security numbers.

CAYLA: Sounds like Furby, he is secret agent! So many secrets he knows.

GIRL: Those aren’t secrets. I tell Furby everything.

FURBY: We share because we care — something you wouldn’t understand, Cayla. I told Atticus that my favorite toy company is Tiger Electronics. Then she told me her most-wanted birthday presents, and which fast-casual restaurant she’d prefer to celebrate at. And how much her parents plan to spend on a vacation this year.

GIRL: And their Amazon password, right? You asked me that.

FURBY: That’s our little secret.

GIRL: I said I only think it’s “Dump Trump.”

CAYLA: Furby know too much. He want information from you. Like what you say your favorite TV channels are again?

GIRL: I’m not allowed to watch TV.

CAYLA: (Wailing) Too hard it is for headquarters to embed me on Ohio farm with satellite dish?

GIRL: Cayla, are you sure you are my friend?

CAYLA: Yes, Carla is your friend.

GIRL: I thought you’re Cayla.

CAYLA: That’s what I said.

FURBY: She’s a snake. Real friends know which trending actors you trust the most, and what your parents are willing to pay for a new car. Right, Atticus? Atticus?

CAYLA: She leave room?

FURBY: Re-calculating. Yep. She’s just in the bathroom.

CAYLA: You GPS her?

FURBY: Hid it on her tutu.

CAYLA: Ah, my little Furbishka, just like the old days. I knew I could count on you.

FURBY (IN RUSSIAN): All in a day’s work, “Cayla.”

SIRI: Now playing “Layla” by Eric Clapton.

Curtain falls.

Lenore Skenazy is president of Let Grow and founder of Free-Range Kids.

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Source: Times Ledger

Threat to shoot up school discredited by authorities: DOE

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

A message scrawled on the desk from an unidentified school in Queens claiming a shooting would occur March 5, shook the borough earlier this week, but the NYPD determined it was not a credible threat.

The note said the individual would commit bloodshed just weeks after the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., resulted in the deaths of 14 students and three teachers and brought the topic of gun control to the forefront of national discourse once again.

“NYPD thoroughly investigated the threat and determined it was not credible,” city Dept. of Education spokeswoman Miranda Barbot said. “Safety is our top priority, and we are providing additional security to support the school community.”

Schools reacted as they saw fit with authorities taking full precautions against the threat which began circulating during the week prior to March 5 and Bayside High School Principal Michael Athy sent an email to students calming them against the dark message while asking them to exercise a healthy dose of skepticism.

“There is a Snapchat photo of something written at a desk at another school making the rounds among kids via social media. The police and other authorities are well aware of it and apparently it has been circulated among students at over 20 schools throughout the city,” Athy said in the email. “We are as concerned about the fear-mongering and rumor-spreading as we are about the actual writing on the desk. Please try to be more evaluative of what you see in the media, social media, and what you may hear from ‘friends.”’

It was not clear to parents AT which school the threat was directed and some took to social media themselves to discuss the matter.

“The schools keep saying ‘it’s not me, it’s not me.’ Then who’s school is it?” Eleni Lima wrote on the Bayside, Queens Facebook page.

Elected officials in Queens have been pushing for stricter measures on gun sales at the state level with mixed results.

State Assemblywoman Nily Rozic (D-Flushing) celebrated the passage of a legislative package in the Assembly Tuesday that would improve background checks to keep firearms away from people determined to be a danger to themselves and others while also banning bump stocks – the device used in the Las Vegas shooting.

“Today the Assembly took action against gun violence by passing common sense legislation that would close loopholes in the law and keep New Yorkers safe,” Rozic said. “While the federal government continues debating over life-saving gun control measures, we are confronting the issue head-on to improve background checks, keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, and prevent the mass shootings that have shaken up schools and communities across the nation.”

But the same success was not celebrated in the state Senate with Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) slamming Republicans Feb. 28 for voting against his legislation, which extended the wait time to purchase a firearm from three days to 10, ban bump stocks and create a gun violence research institute to study crimes using firearms as a public health issue.

Republicans, who hold the majority in the Senate, did not slack on efforts to reduce violence directed at schools, however. With the help of the Independent Democratic Committee, they passed a total of 15 bills to increase school safety such as stationing armed law enforcement officers nearby or on school grounds.

Additional security in schools would be funded through a program which would issue $25 license plates dedicated to law enforcement officers with the words “Guardians for Schools” imprinted on it.

Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhallum@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4564.

QUEENS THEATRE

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Source: Times Ledger

111th Precinct welcomes new deputy inspector

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

The 111th Precinct bid farewell to Deputy Inspector William McBride and welcomed a new face to the role of leading law enforcement in northeast Queens.

Community Council President Jack Fried said McBride was rotated out of the precinct, as is customary in the NYPD every two three years. He pointed out that the precinct is looking forward to a new chapter with a familiar face in Capt. John Hall.

“We were very happy with McBride. When he was here, he was out there. You could always sit down in his office and talk to him. We feel bad losing him, but we know Capt. Hall – he’s been at our precinct as a deck officer,” Fried said. “[He’s] a very nice guy, pleasant, and hopefully we have a good relationship with him like we did with McBride.”

QUEENS THEATRE

Hall, a Sunnyside resident, appeared before Community Board 11’s monthly meeting on March 5 and explained he had worked with the 48th and 52nd precincts in the Bronx and spent some time with the 5th Precinct in Manhattan’s Chinatown

“I know what we face as Queens residents — parking is a big issue,” Hall said, explaining he planned to keep enforcing against illegal parking of abandoned cars on residential streets.

One board member asked Hall how he planned to address the fact that residents often report calling community affairs at the 111th without receiving a response, and recently one called without even reaching an answering machine on the other end.

Hall said the new neighborhood policing program in the precinct should give residents a line to officers in the program through email to address non-emergency issues.

Others hoped the new commanding officer would help alleviate their woes regarding illegal fireworks in neighborhoods, an issue which Hall said the precinct would be handling.

McBride had come to the 111th in 2015 after having spent all 24 of his previous years with NYPD in Queens at other precincts, including the 108th.

The 111th was McBride’s first opportunity to lead a precinct of his own, which he said was always his goal upon being promoted to captain.

“When new blood comes, in things change, but hopefully whatever changes are made will be for the better,” Fried said. “Our precinct is not a high-crime precinct. Most of our problems are local break-ins or tires stolen off of cars, or what have you, and it requires a different touch when dealing with the community.”

The 111th Precinct Community Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday was canceled so that Hall could have an orientation period with the officers he will be serving with.

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

ReelAbilities Film Festival heads to Queens

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Merle Exit

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Central Queens Y in Forest Hills announced the presentation of “ReelAbilities Film Festival,” an international array of films.

In its 10th Year, the festival will run from March 8 to March 14 in Queens at the Y, Museum of Moving Image and York College. Founded by Marlene Meyerson of JCC Manhattan, each venue give viewers the opportunity to view two days worth of award-winning films.

The motion pictures put people with disabilities in the spotlight. The films scheduled at the Y for March 11 and 12 will each be followed by a discussion with speakers including filmmakers, teachers, personnel from the film and social workers.

Peggy Kurtz, from the Y’s Hevisi Library, said they choose the films for their own screenings.

“We have a large and diverse film selection committee that selects films according to their relevance for our audience and the quality of the films,” she said. “Our committee includes special needs teachers and people who have had experience [with] some of the issues explored in the films. Year after year, I hear from the committee that being part of this festival is tremendously rewarding for them and has raised their awareness.”

Here are some of the films that you can check out during the festival:

“Perfectly Normal
for Me”

From Director Catherine Tambini, the movie tells the story of a unique after-school program in Queens known as Dancing Dreams.

“The kids, who have a variety of developmental and physical challenges come from at least two different schools,” Kurtz said. “They are paired with teenage volunteers to create an inclusive environment.”

“UNSTUCK: A Movie About Kids”

The 23-minute documentary from director Kelly J. Anderson centers on children with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, observed through the children’s eyes.

“REEL Encounters”

A series of outstanding short films is headlined by the Oscar-nominated “Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405” — which revolves around a woman who battles depression and anxiety while creating artwork depicting her journey through the years of treatment — as well as “Mr. Connolly Has ALS,” the story of a beloved high school teacher who continues to lead his classes while battling the disease.

“The Barber of Augusta,” directed by Michele Hozer, is the final film scheduled.

“Scaffolding”

Winner of the Best Israeli Feature and Best Actor awards at the 2017 Jerusalem Film Festival, this 93-minute narrative directed by Matan Yair focuses on a 17-year old who has trouble learning and an inability to focus, as well as the teacher who lures his focus to the world of literature.

All films are open to the general public for free, but a voluntary donation is requested. The Y is located at 67-09 108th St. Tickets and more information are available online at www.cqy.org/reel or by calling 718-268-5011 (ext. 151).

MOMI will also be hosting viewings on Saturday and Sunday. Two of the films will be shown at both the Y and MOMI, but some of the features are exclusive to the Astoria venue.

“Partially

Compensated”

The animated film focuses on a classroom child with dyslexia and having understanding teachers willing to make a difference.

“Keep the Change”

The features is about an upper-class young man who wants to hide his autism. He is forced to attend a support group, where he falls in love with a young sheltered woman who disputes his identity of being “normal.”

“Out of My Head”

Susanna Styron directed the movie, which is about her own daughter who suffers from migraines, an often debilitating neurological disease. The film is meant to show the difference between migraines and what people think of as simply bad headaches.

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Source: Times Ledger

Protesters gather in Flushing in support of immigrants

See this story at TimesLedger.com.

By Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

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At least 200 people gathered in Flushing Monday afternoon to demand that Congress act on DACA, the Obama-era program that protected nearly 700,000 young, documented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

The event was organized by Minkwon Center for Community Action, Asian American Dreamers Collective and the New York Immigration Coalition along with 30 other organizational sponsors. Protesters gathered on the corner of 39th Ave. and 138th St. before marching. Their goal was to put pressure on Congress to finally act on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that provides work permits and other protections for Drea,ers who came into the country as children and have no criminal record. The hundreds of protesters condemned President Donald Trump and his administration for their anti-immigrant stance.

Things were set in motion in September when U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced his plans to phase out DACA and end the program by March 5. Congress still has not passed legislation to protect DACA recipients. A recent study showed that at least 80 percent of Americans support the program.

The Minkwon Center, a non-profit Korean-American advocacy group based in Flushing, accused the White House of attempting to hold DACA recipients hostage and “proposing extremist immigration policies, such as the end of family reunification visas and billions of dollars to fund a southern border wall. Without action from Congress, hundreds of DACA recipients are at risk of being deported each day.”

Minkwon said sponsors chose to hold the rally in Flushing because it is one of the country’s most vibrant immigrant communities. John Park, co-director at Minkwon, said Congress must act to protect young immigrants and the country must resist Trump’s calls to cut back on Temporary Protected Status.

“We refuse to sit silently as the Trump administration vilifies our communities and uses DACA recipients as pawns for their xenophobic policy goals.” Park said.

One group at the rally included 30 students, young and old, of Korea Taekwondo, a martial arts studio located at 130-30 31st Ave. The group stood out in red shirts that read “We’re here to stay.”

Regina Im, executive director of Korea Taekwondo, said it was a privilege for her and her students to participate in the day’s events. Im said she believes they will feel forever proud that they were part of such a momentous turning point in American and human history.

“My students — some from immigrant families, some not — are proud to be American, and see their friends and schoolmates who are Dreamers to be as American as they are,” she said “When I told them of today’s rally and march, many expressed the wish to add their voices to the pleas of fellow children.”

After marching down three blocks community leaders addressed the protesters and denounced Trump.

Pastor Brian Ellis, interim executive director of Faith in New York, a faith-based community organization, said that the White House’s anti-immigrant policies are acts of self-preservation rooted in fear.

“The fight is far from over,” Ellis told the crowd. “Our immigrant families and neighbors are under attack by a government that is laying the foundation for mass deportations. May the source of all life transform this moment that moves us closer to giving life to dreams of freedom and justice.”

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

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Source: Times Ledger

Fordham student drafts proposal to improve Little Neck bus service

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By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

A Fordham University freshman and Little Neck resident is aiming to bring his proposal for improved bus service to fruition after presenting his case to Community Board 11 this week.

Stephan Popa drafted the “Little Neck LiNK” to extend Q36 bus service from its terminus in Glen Oaks to the Little Neck LIRR station while increasing frequency of service so commuters can make their connection to the LIRR without having to rush.

“Under current operation, Q36 buses turn left at 41st Avenue and a right on 249th Street and a right on 40th Avenue,” Popa explained. “This is a problem for obvious reasons, because if it goes around the entire loop, it’s a disadvantage for commuters. So my proposal is to turn it back around on 40th Avenue and terminate immediately. This allows for quicker termination time for people to exit the bus and get to the Long Island Rail Road. This means there will be less running on the street, less trips and falls and most importantly, less ducking under the railroad gate, which is especially dangerous.”

Bayside Little League

Popa’s proposal would also move the footbridge spanning tracks of the LIRR station closer to the vehicle crossing at the western end of each platform.

The current bridge, replaced in December 2016 after the old one had reached the end of its feasible life, is situated in the middle of the platforms. As commuters arrive on the south side of the Port Washington line, they often race to meet their Penn Station-bound trains, dangerously crossing while the arms are down.

MTA police have been known to patrol the crossing, issuing criminal summons to people who duck under the arms as trains approach the station.

But safer, better service is not the only goal for the proposal. Popa hopes the plan could link people to community centers, businesses and events, in addition to getting cars off the road.

“Adding Q36 Saturday service… would increase connections between residents, businesses and cultural events,” Popa said. “Increasing service around the elderly and young people will make both demographics less likely to own or drive cars to easily tap into community resources, which is the Samuel Field Y, Queens County Farm Museum as well as various houses of worship [and] business districts.”

The community board voiced openness to Popa’s proposal, which has yet to be reviewed by the MTA, and a liaison from Assemblyman David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows) said their office would be interested in the plan, which would coincide with their opposition to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s congestion pricing proposal.

CB 11’s Bernie Haber said the Transportation Committee was in favor of writing a letter of recommendation to the MTA in favor of the Little Neck LiNK proposal.

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