Tag: queens news

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By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

The New York Islanders are moving back to Nassau County with a new arena that will benefit fans in both Long Island and Queens.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo made the announcement at Belmont Race Track with singer Billy Joel; Howard Zemsky, commissioner of the Empire State Development Corp.; and a small group of Islanders fans Wednesday.

“To me today is personal. I grew up in eastern Queens just a few miles from here,” Cuomo said. “The Islanders were the Long Island hockey team, that’s what the Islanders were… When they left and went to Brooklyn, Long Island lost something. It was sad because they were so much a part of the identity, the culture and the character of Long Island… They left a hole in the heart of Long Island.”

The Islanders moved from Long Island in 2015 to begin playing at Barclays Center, because of an expiring lease at Nassau Coliseum and financial trouble, which Cuomo said was a strain on fans from outside the city and from Queens. The Islanders have the worst attendance in the NHL.

The new stadium will hold 18,000 fans and will be situated in Elmont adjacent to the horse racing track on land currently occupied by an underutilized parking lot near the LIRR station. The project will create 12,000 construction jobs and 3,100 permanent jobs while requiring a state investment of about $1 billion, according to Cuomo.

The partnership awarded the development project will break ground in 2018 to finish in 2020.

A 435,000-square-foot retail center is expected to go along with a hotel and other amenities.

“Today is a win, win, win,” Cuomo continued. “It is a win for the community; big economic development initiative that’s going to utilize this great asset that’s been under utilized for years… It is a big win for the fans, because it is much easier to get here than Barclays Center… and it is a win for the team.”

Cuomo said the state is appealing to the National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman to allow the Islanders to play at the Nassau Coliseum while the new venue is under construction. The Islanders played at the Coliseum from 1972, when the team was founded, to 2015.

Meanwhile, the LIRR is undergoing rapid upgrades to better serve sports fans at the Belmont station, such as the LIRR Expansion Project, which will add a third track to the 9.8-mile stretch of Main Line between Floral Park and Hicksville.

The Belmont station will see more regular service compared to current schedules which only make stops during race season.

All seven street-level crossings along the Main Line corridor will be eliminated. These upgrades will be complete without having to acquire any residential properties, while sound walls will be built to minimize the impact on surrounding homes.

“The island is coming back, and that’s why the Islanders are coming back,” Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky said. “Growing up in Queens, I am excited the Islanders will have a new address in the 11003, Elmont, N.Y.”

Barclays was poor fit for the Islanders with not enough space for a regulation rink and the team failed to resonate with Brooklynites.

Originally signing a 25-year lease at Barclays Center, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams showed little remorse over the Islanders leaving.

“There’s only one Brooklyn team for Barclays Center and that’s the Brooklyn Nets,” he said. “We wish the Islanders well on their journey to Belmont.”

Major League Soccer’s New York City Football Club originally put in a competing bid for an open-air soccer arena, but lost out to the NHL.

Zemsky said Belmont hold significance for the New York sports history for the Secretariat’s Triple Crown victory in the early days of the race track’s history.

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 Carl Perrera

TimesLedger Newspapers

An Open Letter to the Port Authority,

Please take a look revising the Q48 bus to serve Terminal A (Marine Air Terminal) in LaGuardia Airport and also consider making the Q48 an SBS route.

The eastbound Q48 bus leaving LaGuardia Airport should be rerouted at 102nd Street/Ditmars Boulevard to make a right turn on to Ditmars Boulevard and travel nonstop west along Ditmars Boulevard to 94th Street. Then it should make a left turn at 94th Street to 23rd Avenue and make another left turn at 23rd Avenue.

The Q48 could then travel east along 23rd Avenue to serve three new (proposed) eastbound Q48 bus stops at 94th Street/23rd Avenue, 97th Street/23rd Avenue and 100th Street/23rd Avenue. A westbound Q48 bus stop (toward LaGuardia Airport) also should be added at 100th Street/23rd Avenue as well. These additional Q48 bus stops along 23rd Avenue would provide less walking distance for East Elmhurst passengers traveling to and from Flushing by bus.

As a secondary issue, consideration should also be given to merging the Q48 route with the Q17/Q17 Limited route to provide direct bus service between Jamaica and LaGuardia Airport. This should also include extending the Q17/Limited route from 168th Street to Sutphin Blvd./ Archer Avenue, thus connecting by bus the Sutphin Boulevard Airtrain Station to LaGuardia Airport.

Additionally, if the Q48 bus route is made an SBS route, there would be less of a need for the current proposed LaGuardia Rail Link to Willets Point and a more beneficial LaGuardia rail link plan could be studied.

Any proposed commuter parking or proposed long-term parking operated out of the parking facilitates adjacent to the Mets-Willets Point LIRR and No. 7 Subway stations should be operated by the MTA (not the Port Authority and/or its vendors). That way the revenue derived could be utilized by the MTA to make service improvements to the local bus network within the five boroughs of New York City.

Carl Perrera

Queens Public Transit Committee

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

A Long Island City music school teacher was sentenced to more than 11 years in prison for underage sex trafficking.

Oliver Sohngen, 52, who founded the Long Island City Academy of Music, pleaded guilty in August to arranging paid sexual encounters with minor girls ranging in age from 8 to 17, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan, and he was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan to 135 months.

“Oliver Sohngen, a teacher at a music school for children, was a sexual predator,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said. “He paid to have sex with minor girls at least twice, and attempted to engage in sex trafficking of girls under the age of 14. His significant sentence will ensure that he is no longer a threat to our community, in particular, our children. We remain committed to prosecuting all those who, like Sohngen, prey on our most innocent and vulnerable victims.”

Between March and November of 2013, the German-born Sohngen used the aliases “Helmuth Moss” and “Stephan Weierbach” while exchanging text messages with a Bronx man in order to arrange for sex with underage girls, prosecutors said.

Sohngen was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release.

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 Zach Gewelb

TimesLedger Newspapers

The New York Islanders are coming back to Nassau County.

The hockey franchise, which moved from its home in Nassau to Brooklyn before the start of the 2015-16 NHL season, was informed Tuesday that its proposal to build a new arena at Belmont Park was selected as the winning bid. Gov. Andrew Cuomo will hold a news conference Wednesday morning at 11 a.m. to make the official announcement at Belmont.

The Islanders’ bid was chosen over a proposal from the New York City Football Club and includes an 18,000-seat arena in addition to 435,000 square feet of space for retail, a hotel that would have a capacity of 200-250 rooms, and an innovation that would be developed with input from residents.

Everything will go up in the under-used parking lots adjacent to the famous race track.

The Islanders, which currently call Barclays Center home, have an opt-out in their 25-year licensing agreement coming up in January. The team is negotiating with the venue on amending the lease.

Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky said the team will continue to play at Barclays through next season.

The team has been averaging just 11,642 fans per game, which is the worst in the league and 3,692 less than their final season in Nassau.

No time table has been announced for completion of the project.

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 Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

City Councilman Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest) is making a final push for curb height legislation.

The bill would require the Department of Transportation to maintain curb heights following street construction. The push comes right before the current session of the City Council concludes, and one month after a Jamaica Estates homeowner was reimbursed by DOT for a damaged curb.

Lancman first introduced the legislation in February after several constituents raised concerns about declining curb heights following DOT street construction and repaving. The councilman pointed out a curb that is level with the street can leave homes prone to flooding conditions and can result in fines from the city for having standing water on the property. Lancman’s bill was formally considered by the Transportation Committee in September.

To highlight the importance of the bill, Lancman drew attention to Jamaica Estates resident Michael Hannibal. In 2015 DOT resurfaced the street in front of Hannibal’s house as part of a citywide initiative, but according to Lancman, DOT’s work was done without considering the proper curb height and the newly raised street and curb are now level.

In November, the Queens County Civil Court found DOT responsible for the damages to Hannibal’s sidewalk and he was awarded a judgment of $7,334.03.

Lancman said he is urging the Council to vote on his common-sense legislation before the end of the current session in order to protect homeowners from the hassle and litigation Hannibal was forced to go through.

“What the court’s decision affirms is that the city is responsible for curb heights altered by DOT construction,” he said. “While I am pleased the court ruled in Michael’s favor, we shouldn’t be making homeowners take the city to court for DOT to fulfill its basic responsibility.”

Hannibal said he wholeheartedly supports the councilman’s effort to pass the bill.

“While we are pleased with the recent judgment, for many others the fight continues,” he said. “This bill will bring some relief moving forward.”

If the curb height bill is not passed at the Council’s Dec.19 meeting, it will have to be reintroduced next year and receive a new hearing in the Transportation Committee.

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

Members of New York’s congressional delegation joined law enforcement and gun safety advocates at City Hall Saturday to slam House passage of the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which require all states to honor a permit to carry a concealed firearm from any other state, regardless of how relaxed those state permitting laws may be.

The Republican legislation, supported by the National Rifle Association, would undermine New York State’s strict weapons laws.

“If guns made us safe, we’d be the safest country in the world,” U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Astoria) said. “Instead, we have a gun violence epidemic in this country and it is glaringly obvious to anyone paying attention that our pathetically weak federal gun safety laws need major improvements. That is why it is so tragic that House Republicans caved to the demands of the NRA and passed the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, a bill that will put more lives at risk rather than make our country safer.

“Under this bill, someone who couldn’t get a concealed carry permit in New York would be able to carry a concealed weapon in New York City with a permit from another state. New York has some of the most effective gun laws in the country, but this bill would eviscerate state laws intended to keep our residents safe from gun violence.”

The bill, known as H.R. 38, is the first legislation action taken on guns in Congress since the Oct. 1 Las Vegas shooting that killed 58 and the Nov. 5 murder of 26 churchgoers in Sutherland Springs, Texas.

“The CCRA would put every American at the mercy of the weakest gun laws in the country, undermining states’ rights and endangering us all,” Maloney said. “It is despicable that the first action on guns that Congress took after the massacres in Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs was to pass a bill that will enable more people to get more guns and erode current gun safety laws.”

The bill is headed to the Senate.

“This disastrous and foolish piece of legislation has the potential to reverse historic gains in public safety that we’ve achieved in New York City,” Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. called the CCRA “such a silly law,” warning it would endanger law enforcement officers and citizens alike, turning routine interactions into potentially hazardous and unpredictable situations.

“Republicans in Congress have failed to protect Americans and reduce the horror and heartbreak of gun violence,” U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) said. “Instead, it will undermine sensible state gun-safety laws by allowing dangerous and violent individuals to secretly carry powerful firearms like those used in the Orlando and Las Vegas mass shootings. American families want to feel safe and secure in our churches, our schools, our communities, and our homes. Democrats won’t rest until it becomes a reality.”

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

Fourth-graders at PS 69 in Jackson Heights were given more than 200 free copies of a book about their neighborhood Friday by City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) and members of the Jackson Heights Beautification Group.

The book, “Jackson Heights: From Ice Age to Space,” was written by Judge Rudolph E. Greco and Claudia Solomon in 1996 supported by the Beautification Group.

“These books are an exciting way to teach children about Jackson Heights and just why it is so unique,” Dromm said. “They help provide local students with a sense of local history and help foster neighborhood pride. I am most grateful to Judge Greco and the Jackson Heights Beautification Group for making this book giveaway a reality.”

Featuring illustrations by neighborhood children, the book tells the story of the community composed of people from more than 70 countries and speaking 40 languages. The Jackson Heights Beautification Group will distribute several hundred additional copies to fourth graders in other parts of the neighborhood in the coming weeks.

“This book helps instill a pride of places in the minds of young people that will stay with them their entire lives,” Greco said.

“Jackson Heights: From Ice Age to Space Age” is now in its fourth printing.

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

The Community Advisory Board for Flushing Meadows Corona Park will host an open house Sunday allowing park users to help shape the future of the jewel of the borough. The event will take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the New York Hall of Science in the Viscusi Gallery with the goals of increasing community engagement in the park.

“The Open House is an opportunity for us to get to know the park users, and for them to get to know us, so the park and the CAB can better serve the communities that use and cherish this park,” CAB Chairman John Wang said. “This is an important part of the CAB’s mission of empowering local community members and ensuring that the park remains an accessible, public resource. We look forward to applying what we learn from attendees to our work improving and protecting the park.”

Wang is the founder of the popular Queens Night Market. Several of its vendors, including Panda Cafe of Elmhurst and Woodside’s Dawa’s, will provide free food at the Open House. Beer will be provided, courtesy of Astoria’s SingleCut Beersmiths, and wine will also be available.

Discussion topics will include beautification, including public art, maintenance and horticulture; sustainability such as waste reduction, recycling and habitat conservation; and health, including health initiatives and programming in the park.

The CAB is also hoping to recruit volunteers, especially ones with Spanish or Mandarin language fluency, to help out with specific input stations.

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

PS 122 became the first public school to open a hydroponic science lab in Astoria last Friday.

The labs were constructed in one elementary classroom and one middle-school classroom at PS 122 using a $160,000 allocation from City Councilman Costa Constantinides (D-Astoria) as part of his Science 20150 Budget Initiative initiative to improve science learning spaces in his district.

“We are proud to kick off our Science 2050 Budget Initiative with this opening. With these innovative learning spaces, children have the opportunity to interact with plants, study the biology of how they grow, and receive meaningful lessons in ecology and agriculture,” Constantinides said. “These types of multifaceted science learning experiences will give students academic benefits in a variety of subject matters. Giving children the tools they need for the 21st century academic experience will ensure that they become our future leaders.”

The hydroponic science labs were built with plants and equipment that use water and other mediums for plant growth, providing hands-on education to students in many subjects including biology, agriculture, sustainability, technology and nutrition.

“The PS 122 teachers in the science labs report that students living in an urban environment often have little connection to nature and where food comes from,” PS 122 Principal Anna Aprea said. “By bringing what is typically outdoors inside the classroom, we hope to connect our students to the greater environment. Ultimately, we hope to build on the natural curiosity of the students to provide an elevated set of skills, a broader perspective on the issues facing our communities, and to foster environmental leadership.”

Constantinides has continued to make investments in science learning spaces a priority by securing over $3 million in the past budget cycle for hydroponic science labs at different schools, STEM lab updates, solar panels, technology upgrades and other facility upgrades.

Meanwhile, state Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst) announced $105,000 in state funding for much-needed capital improvement projects for the Steinway Intermediate School 141Q located on 21st Avenue.

“Students are the present and future of our communities, and this is why we must ensure we provide them with the best possible learning environment,” Peralta said. “It is crucial that students attend class in a comfortable and dynamic setting.”

The proposal includes leveling the 38th Street side of the school building to construct a garden, installing security cameras and renovating one of the two bathrooms at the main entrance of the school.

“The renovation and installation of a gender neutral restroom for students in our building will further our mission to maintain a school culture that respects and values all students and fosters understanding of gender identity within our school community,” IS 141 Principal Miranda Pavlou said. “Each year we take great pride in beautifying our physical environment in order for our school community and the greater Astoria community at-large to enjoy our beautiful gardens in the front and rear of our building.”

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

The Colonel Jeromus Remsen School in Forest Hills is closer to getting a much-needed expansion and upgrades after an 86-year wait to complete the school’s original 1931 U-shaped design with a groundbreaking that started construction last Friday.

The pre-K to fifth-grade L-shaped school currently serves 890 students. Once the project, which costs $52.4 million, is complete, an additional 590 students will be accommodated in the new wing of the building, according to Donald Henry, a principal architect for the renovation.

Outside in the 40-degree weather presiding over the groundbreaking at 93-02 69th Ave., with school officials, architects, community members and state Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D-Howard Beach), was Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, a former student at the elementary school.

“I did go to school here just a few years ago,” Katz joked. “We are now simply fulfilling what the 1931 plans were. Government takes a while sometimes.”

The expansion was necessary because two years ago 60 students from the area were waitlisted, but rather than have them sent to another school district two trailers were retrofitted to conduct classes, according to Principal Reva Gluck Schneider. Currently 60 fifth grade students are in the trailer.

“The administration heard a call for more seats,” said Katz. “It is truly needed.”

Principal Gluck Schneider was glad that the development was underway to meet the needs of the community.

“Now we will be able to have kids in their neighborhood who will be able to go to their school and have a big beautiful new extension,” Gluck Schneider said. “It’s going to be gorgeous.”

The four-story addition will house 26 new classrooms, an entrance lobby, an outdoor play area, a cafeteria, offices, and a medical suite, according to Henry.

The addition is designed in accordance with the city’s Green Schools Guide and Rating System, which specifies energy efficiency and healthy-environment requirements for the city’s public schools, according to Urban Architects.

Current window openings in the existing school will be converted to doors connecting into hallways of the new building and the designers of the school are using similar material to recreate the outside façade to match the original 1931 design.

“Urbahn’s architectural team has focused on ensuring that the design of the new building respects both the look of the existing school and the scale of the surrounding single-family home residential neighborhood,” said Urbahn Designer Martin Stein.

The older building will also have ADA-compliant door latches, bathrooms, and water fountains, according to Urbahn. There will also be an inclined chairlift, upgrades to an exercise room, a guidance suite, and auditorium.

The last wing of the school is anticipated to serve students in September 2019.

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