Tag: flushing news

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

A Queens native was among the high school students killed during a mass shooting in Parkland, Fla. last week. At age 14, Alyssa Alhadeff was one of the youngest victims and the first to be laid to rest after Nikolas Cruz, 19, allegedly opened fire with his AR-15 at his former school, leaving 17 dead and 15 injured.

Nearly 400 people attended her funeral in North Lauderdale Friday, where she was remembered as a talented soccer player who was smart, had an amazing personality, was a great creative writer, and “all she had to offer the world was love,” according to her mother, Lori.

“I wish I could have taken the bullets for you, Alyssa,” she said at the service. I would have protected you.”

The night before the funeral, Lori Alhadeff attended a candlelight vigil with more than 1,000 other mourners, where she gave an emotional interview on CNN imploring President Trump to take action on gun control and stop the killing of children in schools.

“Do something. Action. We need it now. These kids need safety now,” she said. “The gunman, a crazy person, just walks right into the school, knocks down the window of my child’s door, and starts shooting… shooting her and killing her. President Trump. You say what can you do? You can stop the guns from getting into these children’s hands.”

On Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) revealed the Trump’s budget proposal released last week would cripple the gun background check system. Schumer says $12 million would be slashed from federal programs that help state and local governments maintain records on who is ineligible to purchase firearms.

“In the wake of the tragedy in Parkland, Fla., and on the heels of now 30 mass shootings that have taken place this year alone, it is downright dangerous that the president’s budget would seek to undermine the gun background check system,” Schumer said. “No child should have to live in fear of mass shootings and no parent should have to worry about the fate of their child after school drop off in the morning. While we are in dire need of an even stronger background check system in this country, like one that closes the Gun Show Loophole, the White House’s proposal would hurt one of the only firewalls we have in place to stop dangerous people from legally purchasing guns.”

State Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) Monday urged the state Legislature to pass his Effective Background Check Act, which would extend the waiting period for background checks from three days to 10. Gianaris renewed this push after learning of the proposed budget cut.

“This is the worst time in our history to further erode responsible measures that keep guns away from dangerous people,” Gianaris said. “Improving background checks was necessary before the Trump funding cuts and is even more important now.”

There is currently a three-day waiting period for a background check to be completed before a seller can transfer a firearm to a purchaser. If the check is not completed in that time, the firearm may be sold without a background check at all. Over 300,000 background checks were not concluded in the three-day period in 2016 alone. Gianaris’ proposal would extend the waiting period to 10 days so that proper background checks could be completed in all cases.

Gianaris’ bill would also require firearms dealers to report to the police any attempts to make illegal gun purchases and would require employees of gun manufacturers and dealers to also undergo background checks.

“Improving background checks was necessary before the Trump funding cuts and is even more important now,” Gianaris said.

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

Anti-choice protesters who allegedly harassed women who approached the Choices Women’s Medical Center in Jamaica between 2012 and 2017, were in federal court in Brooklyn for the past two weeks, a spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood said.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman brought a suit against 14 anti-choice protesters on June 20, 2017 after surveillance video depicted one of the demonstrators advancing toward a woman who had her child with her as she tried to enter the center at 147-32 Jamaica Ave.

The individuals are charged with violating the New York City Clinic Access Act.

Pearl Brady, a volunteer for Choices, was on the stand as a witness for eight hours at one of the hearings.

According to Emily Kadar, a representative for National Institute for Reproductive Health, Brady recounted specific incidences with protesters from her time at the center from 2015 to 2017.

“One of the people she spoke about was Ron George, a pastor at Church of the Rock,” said Kadar. “She said when he followed patients he would ignore their requests to go away. She said another defendant was Patricia Muscom who was often recording patients and taking notes about them.”

Public Advocate Letitia James, Councilwoman Helen Rosenthal (D-Manhattan) and state Sen. Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans) publicly condemned the protesters for the alleged harassment.

“As we witness attacks on women’s rights at the federal level and in state legislatures across the nation, I applaud the attorney general for demonstrating a steadfast commitment to protecting reproductive health-care rights in New York state,” said Comrie.

According to Schneiderman’s lawsuit, “protesters have subjected incoming patients to a barrage of unwanted physical conduct as well as verbal abuse, threats of harm and lies about the clinic’s hours and its services.”

The lawsuit contends that Pastor Kenneth Griepp of Church at the Rock, located at 1288 East 92nd St. in Canarsie, Brooklyn, was leading some of the protests by gathering up to 23 people outside the center every other Saturday from 2012 to 2017.

Current and former members of the church who are also being sued are Randall Doe, Osayinwense Okuonghae, Anne Kaminsky, Brian George, Sharon Doe, Deborah Ryan, Angela Braxton and Jasmine Lalande, according to the suit.

Dorothy Rothar, a Sister of St. Joseph, who works with Helpers of God’s Precious Infants, an anti-abortion religious organization in Brooklyn, is also being sued.

The remaining defendants are Prisca Joseph and Scott Fitchett.

Joseph allegedly colluded “with clinic escorts in an effort to get close to patients as they approach the clinic,” according to the suit. Fitchett was accused of standing outside the clinic chanting “murderer, murderer” at approaching individuals and filming patients.

Lawyers for members of Church at the Rock contend that their clients were exercising their right to assemble and were offering women options outside of abortion.

“Members of the Church at the Rock peacefully counsel women who are considering having an abortion,” said Andrew Bath, of the Thomas More Society General Counsel. “They conduct themselves reasonably and compassionately, and offer information about abortion alternatives to those willing to listen. This is the exercise of their core First Amendment rights, and is an activity that takes place on the public sidewalk, the traditional venue for expression concerning important ideas and societal issues.”

Choices Women’s Medical Center provides gynecological, reproductive and behavioral health services. It was one of the first clinics in New York City to provide abortions since it was legalized in New York state in the 1970s, according to the center’s founder, Merle Hoffman.

“I am still here because I made a vow to my first patient and to myself—that I would always be there for women and girls who came to me for services,” said Hoffman. “I stand with A.G. Schneiderman and his staff—and with all abortion providers and patients—to say that this injustice must stop.”

Judge Carol Bagley presides over the case.

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 Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

A controversial spa in College Point is in trouble once again.

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) received a letter from the New York State Department of Labor informing him that Spa Castle, located at 31-10 11th Ave., had been fined $1,000 for violating the Child Labor Statute.

Labor Department Commissioner Roberta Reardon wrote to Avella Jan. 30 about an investigation that was completed in December 2017.

According to Reardon, investigators visited Spa Castle on various occasions and times looking for violations of state laws. “After meticulous review of Spa Castle’s wage and hour records, we substantiated a violation of Article 4, the Child Labor Statute,” she told the senator in the letter.

The statute bans minors from working late hours on school nights.

Reardon said the spa was served a notice of violation on Nov. 4 with a penalty of $1,000, which they paid in full. The investigators were not able to substantiate any allegations regarding overtime.

This is not the first time Spa Castle has made headlines.

In March 2017, the spa owners were charged by state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman with 11 felony charges for their alleged theft or failure to remit over $1.5 million in sales and other taxes owed.

In April 2017, a woman was arrested for running over a Spa Castle security guard. Rev. Kevin McCall, of the National Action Network Leaders, held a press conference on behalf of the injured employee, Deion Wright, and asked that the spa be closed down until security concerns were addressed.

“They have one security guard and he’s injured,” McCall said at the press conference. “So as we speak they have no security guard and they’re open from 8 a.m. to midnight everyday. It’s important and imperative that they have some kind of security and that safety concerns are met.”

In March 2016, the CityHealth Department ordered the spa to close all of its pools after a 6-year-old girl almost drowned that February. The Health Department found the facility was out of compliance with its safety plan, and there was excessive suction by a water-return feature that was enough to draw the victim toward it and keep her underwater.

Avella has pressured the city on multiple occasions to create a task force that would monitor spa establishments, particularly the College Point Spa Castle location.

Following the letter from Reardon, he said this latest violation came as no surprise.

“After years of expressing my concerns about Spa Castle, I am not in the least bit surprised to find out that they were in violation of yet another law or regulation,” he said. “I’m glad to hear that the state has taken action to ensure that Spa Castle follows the labor laws and hope that they maintain a close eye on this establishment.”

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 Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

George Kaufman, a Manhattan real estate developer who acquired the old Astoria Studios in 1982 that helped bring a renaissance to an entire neighborhood in the process, died Tuesday at age 89.

The area had been badly impacted by the closing of the complex in the 70s, but after its revival, Kaufman Astoria Studios became an anchor in a growing, vibrant neighborhood that has been proclaimed the Kaufman Arts District, the first arts district in Queens.

“George was so much more than a real estate developer,” Kaufman Astoria Studios President and CEO Hal Rosenbluth said. “He understood deep in his bones the importance of investing in New York’s communities because they are the very foundation of the City’s greatness. He was a visionary who saw the promise of film and television production work in New York long before it became an integral part of the City’s economy.”

The Kaufman Arts District, which spans a 24-block area, is home to seven institutions, including the Museum of the Moving Image, the Queens Council on the Arts and the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts. The district is bound between 31st and Steinway streets and 34th and 37th avenues, an area that was neglected and rundown until Kaufman bought the underused property at 34-12 36th St., which is now one of the largest film and television production studios on the East Coast.

Angelo Rizzo, the maintenance foreman for Kaufman Astoria Studios, described how growing up in the area, the studio was vacant and scary until “Mr. K” came along. Pete Romano, the vice president of operations at Kaufman Astoria Studios, grew up a block away and marveled at the changes to the neighborhood when it was designated the Kaufman Arts District in 2014.

“My folks wouldn’t let me cross 35th Avenue,” he said. “It was devastation, nothing but abandoned buildings. Now look at it.”

Kaufman is survived by his wife, Mariana, and a daughter, Cynthia. Funeral services will take place Monday, Feb. 26 at 11:30 a.m. at Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan.

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 Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

A Corona man has been convicted for stealing singer John Legend’s luggage from JFK last March, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.

A jury found 64-year-old Agustin Hilario guilty of criminally possessing the carry-on Louis Vuitton luggage, which contained clothing, toiletries and an expensive pair of Cartier panther-head cuff links. Brown said Hilario rolled the bag away after it was left unattended on a cart at Terminal 4 at Kennedy Airport.

After a week-long trial that included testimony from Legend, a jury found Hilario guilty of third-degree criminal possession of stolen property. Queens Supreme Court Justice Ira Margulis set sentencing for March 12, at which time Hilario faces up to seven years in prison.

According to Brown, the Grammy-winning singer returned to New York City from France March 23 and was leaving Terminal 4 when his Louis Vuitton carry-on bag was left unattended on a luggage cart. Brown said security footage of the terminal showed Hilario approaching the cart and pushing it away from the area before he took the black leather bag and drove away from the airport with the luggage.

Brown said Hilario was identified by a Port Authority police officer who recognized him from the footage and tried calling him on his mobile phone.

When he could not get in contact with Hilario, a police officer called a friend of his and Hilario responded and promised to return the bag to the airport. Brown said he did not return the bag when he said he would and had to be contacted again. According to Brown, when Hilario was arrested he told police, “I know I should not have taken it. I made a mistake.”

Legend testified in court that the cuff links were very special to him because his wife, model Chrissy Teigen, had given him the diamond and green stone accessories as an anniversary gift and that she had spent a lot of time looking for them. Brown said Legend told the jury his high school mascot was a panther and that he estimated the value of the cuff links to be between $25,000 and $30,000. According to Brown, the Louis Vuitton bag alone is worth around $3,000. Hilario did eventually return the bag and its contents to Port Authority Police, who reunited Legend with his belongings.

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 Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

The property manager of a Sunnyside condominium who became the focus of multiple state and city investigations after he was accused of intimidating and harassing residents has resigned from the condominium’s board of managers in a settlement the city’s Commission on Human Rights announced last Friday.

Neal Milano, 70, and his “one-man reign of terror” were exposed by Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) after he toured the lobby of the building at 47-55 39th Pl. in August, where he found displays of Nazi and Confederate imagery, swastikas and symbols of hate on every wall, and even the names of infamous Nazis Josef Mengele and Rudolph Hess in the building’s directory.

The Commission launched an investigation into discrimination at the condo after several tenants and unit owners reported that Milano was harassing tenants on their immigration status, national origin, and race, as well as creating a generally hostile environment.

“This kind of behavior is disgusting and unacceptable. People were terrified,” Van Bramer said. “As soon as we saw what was happening, we alerted the commission, who acted swiftly. No person in New York City should feel threatened or be harassed and discriminated against based on where they were born, how they pray, or who they love — especially in their own homes. I am happy to see this resolved and to know that the residents will no longer have to live in fear, and can feel safe in our own community.”

The settlement required Milano and two other members from the board to step down and remove “all offensive posters, symbols and materials from the lobby. The condo unit owners elected five new board members last Thursday.

“We hope this settlement sends a strong message to housing providers citywide that New York City does not tolerate discrimination and harassment and that we will not hesitate to take immediate action when we learn of violations,” Assistant Commissioner for the Law Enforcement Bureau at the NYC Commission on Human Rights Sapna V. Raj said. “Housing providers, including condo boards, supers, landlords, and brokers have a legal obligation to follow the NYC Human Rights Law, which prohibits discrimination and harassment based on national origin, immigration status, race or any other protected category. We encourage anyone who is experiencing discrimination or harassment to report it to the commission by calling 718-722-3131.”

During its investigation, one tenant told the commission that Milano stopped her as she was walking to her apartment with her boyfriend, who is of Puerto Rican descent, demanding to see his passport and exclaiming that he “could be anyone illegal.” Another unit owner said that Milano left her a voicemail claiming to be Adolf Hitler and stating that “the grandmaster of the KKK is coming to the lobby.”

The same unit owner said that Milano also responded to her attempt to rent her apartment to a Latina woman by declaring, “She’s Spanish. They are low lifes and don’t pay the rent.” The condo board remains under investigation by New York’s Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.

“We are encouraged by the actions taken tonight by the NYC Commission on Human Rights with whom we have been working closely on this investigation,” Schneiderman said. “Our investigation into potential state civil rights violations and financial misconduct at the condominium continues.”

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

Woodside resident Melissa Sklarz announced Tuesday she will mount a primary challenge against state Assemblyman Brian Barnwell (D-Maspeth) in September.

Sklarz, a longtime Democratic party insider, is the first transgender person to run in the 30th Assembly District, which includes Woodside and Maspeth, as well as parts of Middle Village, Astoria, Long Island City and Sunnyside.

“I have been advocating for New Yorkers my entire life,” Sklarz said. “After the 2016 election, I realized this is no time to be on the sidelines. With our transportation network in crisis, the assault on New Yorkers with the Trump budget that slashes billions in federal assistance to vital programs, and women still lacking proper representation, I am determined to make sure all voices are heard in Albany.”

Sklarz is a progressive Democrat who has served the party in a number of roles during the past 15 years. In 1999, she was the first trans person elected to any office in New York State when she won a post as a judicial delegate in Manhattan’s 66th Assembly District, and served as a delegate in the 2016 Democratic National Convention after being appointed to the Credentials Committee in 2004 and 2012, and the Rules Committee in 2008.

She bought her first home at Boulevard Gardens in Woodside more than 11 years ago, becoming a neighbor of Barnwell, who stunned the borough’s political class in 2016 when he upset nine-term incumbent Margaret Markey in the Democratic primary before defeating Republican nominee Tony Nunziato convincingly in the general election, 63 percent to 23 percent.

The two candidates are at opposites on at least one issue already. Sklarz was previously homeless herself and says she is painfully aware of the city’s homelessness epidemic. She says she’s committed to strengthening rental protections, as well as moving people from the streets and shelter system into permanent affordable housing. Barnwell took part in the nightly protests outside the Holiday Inn Express in Maspeth, which the city tried unsuccessfully to convert into a homeless shelter.

“I find it odd Ms. Sklarz wants to run for office in this district, considering I heard her personally call the sections of Middle Village, Maspeth, and Woodside all racists who are living in the past,” Barnwell said.

Sklarz’s campaign explained her comment was made during a Democratic club meeting at the Boulevard Gardens complex and the topic of the Mayor forcing shelters onto communities without any public dialogue came up.

“In truth, she called Brian’s political posturing regarding the homeless shelter racist and she finds it odd that he continues to draw attention to his stance on not wanting to provide shelter for the most vulnerable in her district,” Sklarz Campaign Strategist Michael Czaczkes said. “Melissa is running to ensure that city officials can’t force solutions on neighborhoods without input of those who live in the community.”

Barnwell disagreed.

“That’s not true at all. She flat out said the people in this district were racist and live in the past,” Barnwell said. “It’s not political posturing, it’s the truth. I don’t need a campaign strategist like she does to change her wording around. This is the second news article she addressed my comments, and now she is changing her response.”

Sklarz is also running to protect women’s reproductive health, to fix the city’s transit system, and to continue the long-held neighborhood values in the 30th Assembly District.

“Throughout history, New Yorkers have led the nation when it comes to progressive values and policy,” Sklarz said. “From women’s suffrage, to the Stonewall riots, to most recently leading the nation on raising the minimum wage. However, there is much more to do, as evidenced when our current Assemblymember voted against the Reproductive Health Act, which aims to protect women’s health.”

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