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By Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

FLUSHING — A hiker stumbled upon a dead body in Kissena Park Tuesday afternoon, police said.

The discovery was made near 161st Street and Booth Memorial Avenue, police said.

When officers arrived, they found the body of a 20-something, Hispanic man unconscious and unresponsive with trauma to the head. EMS responded to the scene and pronounced the victim dead at the scene, police said.

The medical examiner will determine the cause of death. Police said the investigation was ongoing.

Kissena Park is no stranger to crime. Last July, 29 year-old Charles Tobin was charged with rape after allegedly attacking two women on two consecutive nights in Kissena Park, According to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

Following the incident, Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) and the Parks Department announced there would be three new, full-time security guards patrolling Kissena Corridor Park and Kissena Park in Flushing.

— Gina Martinez

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Queens Borough President Melinda Katz declared April 20 “Life Day in Queens” at a flag raising ceremony attended by nearly 70 people last Friday to help raise awareness about organ donations for National Donate Life Month.

The event took place at Jamaica Hospital in Richmond Hill and was in collaboration with LiveOnNY, an organization that works to educate individuals about organ donation, help those in need of a transplant and provide support and comfort to donors and their loved ones, according to the nonprofit.

“It is a remarkable thing to come here year after year and listen to families stories,” Katz said. “One person can save at least eight lives and can make 50 others have a better quality of life.”

One of the families at the hospital was the Vega family from Bay Shore, L.I.

At the ceremony, Giraldo Vega reminisced about his son Anthony, who died in 2009 when he was 11 years old after dealing with years of surgery to treat hydrocephalus, a condition where there is excess fluid in the brain that puts pressure on it.

As Vega spoke about his son’s love for music, his younger son Ruben, 17, held up a picture of his big brother who had died a decade ago.

“Since he was a baby he loved to sing and dance,” Vega said about Anthony. “You could always expect a show. He loved to perform.”

After Anthony died on April 19, 2009, his father learned of other families whose family members were suffering as they awaited an organ transplant. Despite his own grief, he wanted to help those families heal.

“If Anthony could save one life — one family from losing their son, daughter or family member — what better way to give a performance of a lifetime? Our decision to donate his organs not only saved one person’s life, but three,” Vega said.

Ruben intends to honor his older brother by becoming an organ donor himself.

“It makes me feel good that he is saving lives after he passed away,” Ruben said.

Earlier in the week an organ donor at Jamaica Hospital donated a liver and two kidneys, which helped save a life.

“I got a call that said essentially if we didn’t go forward with this doanation, there’s a gentleman that would have died from liver failure,” Jamaica Hospital Chief Operating Officer Bill Lynch said.

LiveOnNY Chief Executive Officer and President Helen Irving said that New York City broke historic records in lives saved from transplants in 2017.

“There were 876 patients saved from a life-saving transplant,” Irving said. “It doesn’t matter if someone is on the registry, but it’s when we get that phone call that we recognize that there is someone who can potentially be an organ donor.”

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 Zach Gewelb

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Dark Knight is now working a little later.

The Mets pulled Matt Harvey from the stating rotation last week, placing him in the bullpen in a move the team hopes will help its former ace turn things around. Harvey simply hasn’t been a good pitcher since undergoing surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome in 2016.

He had a down year in 2017 and has struggled early this season, pitching to an 0-2 record with a 6.00 ERA in four starts spanning 21 innings. While he has recorded 17 strikeouts and walked just four batters in those 21 innings, Harvey has been hit hard, allowing opposing batters to hit to a .302 average.

Despite his poor performance, Harvey, being the fierce competitor that he is, was ticked off about his demotion.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, I obviously am at a 10 with being pissed off,” Harvey told reporters last weekend. “But my performance hasn’t been there, so I have to do whatever I have to to get back in the starting rotation and that’s, right now, go to the bullpen and work on some things. I have to get back where I need to be, get my sh-t in order and figure it out.”

The decision to delegate Harvey to the pen wasn’t made lightly, according to Mets manager Mickey Callaway.

“It’s a big decision,” Callaway said. “Matt Harvey has pitched some meaningful games for the Mets in his career and he’s done some special things and I knew it wasn’t going to be the most comfortable conversation. It’s a tough message, but it sounds like he is going to embrace it and go out there and get the job done.”

The move to the bullpen could be a blessing in disguise for Harvey, who has a history of using his emotion to fuel his success on the mound. Perhaps the demotion will serve as a kick in the rear end and force Harvey to up his game.

Aside for the revenge factor, Harvey’s stuff may actually play better out of the bullpen. He may be able to add some more velocity to his fastball, knowing he can empty the tank in one or two innings of relief as opposed to saving his stuff for a five or six-inning start. His off-speed offerings should also be sharper out of the pen.

The bottom line is that with the return of free agent signing Jason Vargas — who has been out since the beginning of Spring Training with an injury to his non-pitching hand — someone needed to be removed from the rotation. There was zero chance Noah Syndergaard or Jacob deGrom were going to be removed from the rotation, while Steven Matz and Zack Wheeler have each pitched better than Harvey this season, making Harvey the most logical choice to move to the bullpen.

Harvey has every right to be “pissed off,” though he has only himself to blame for his lack of success this season. He has given the Mets some great seasons and led the team on a memorable run to the World Series in 2015. But that’s in the past.

It’s clear Harvey isn’t the pitcher he once was. He needs to come to terms with that and do whatever is necessary to better himself. The Mets have played great so far in 2018, and a motivated Harvey dominating from the bullpen would greatly improve the team’s postseason odds.

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 Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

After a six-month nightmare, Flushing residents are celebrating the clearing of a residential lot that was being used as a dumping site for a landscaping company.

The 40-24 149th St. lot was taken over on Oct. 12 by Fresh Meadows-based Arnoldo’s Tree Service, according to neighbor Daniel Hollingworth. The residential lot is owned by Frank Camisi, owner of Whitestone-based Camisi Construction LLC, and was being loaned out to Arnoldo’s to store their trucks, neighbors said.

The lot had been shared by neighbors since 1983, according to Hollingworth. Since he was a child, the neighbors had separated the lot into sections with small gates and used it to garden, make a place for their kids to play basketball and set up playgrounds with swings. He said no one had problems with the arrangement, but on that October day he saw trucks come in and that’s when the ordeal began for neighbors.

Hollingworth said Frank Camisi told him personally that everything had to go and almost immediately cleared out the lot, barely giving neighbors time to collect their property.

The neighbors’ gardens were destroyed in the process, with gravel being poured on the groundand a bulldozer flattening the lot.

Arnoldo’s trucks then almost immediately set up shop in the lot, disturbing whatever peace existed in the normally quiet Flushing community.

Hollingworth said Arnoldo’s Tree service moved all their equipment into the lot and would begin making noise from 6 a.m. all the way to 6 p.m., disrupting neighbors’ sleep schedules. He said that everyday the trucks came in with chopped wood, causing the block to smell of chemicals and also claimed the Arnoldo’s crew would hang out drinking beer, becoming rowdy on some nights.

Frank Camisi could not be reached for comment. Arnoldo’s Tree Service did not respond before presstime.

Not knowing who to turn to, Hollingworth and other neighbors made noise complaints to 311 for months with no results. On Feb. 8 at 7:27 a.m. a complaint was filed that read “Trucks and workers making a lot of noise at 6:30 a.m. people who live on this block are getting pissed off. People are already getting into each other’s faces over the noise since October 2017. These trucks are not supposed to be there. It’s illegal.”

By 9:50 a.m. the complaint was closed.

“The Police Department responded to the complaint and with the information available observed no evidence of the violation at the time.”311 responded.

From December 2017 to March 2018 there were several complaints made to the city Department of Buildings regarding illegal commercial vehicle storage.

Hollingworth said he and neighbors, who are mostly elderly, did not know who to turn to. He said they felt hopeless when 311 was not taking action. Hollingworth contacted Times Ledger on March 14 where he was directed to DOB and City Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) for further assistance. Two days later on March 16 DOB inspected the lot and issued violations for illegal commercial use of the property in a residential area. The violations had a cure date of April 25 or a date by which the property owner was compelled to correct the violating conditions. DOB’s padlock unit also sent a warning letter to the property owner April 17 directing him to cease illegal use of the lot.

Neighbors speculate that Frank Camisi loaned the lot to Arnoldo and told him if he cleaned the lot out for him, he would be able to park his trucks there for free or at a low rate.

On April 22 neighbors said the the truckers were gone from the lot, but debris remained that reminded them of their misery.

“We’re happy, yes, but not 100 percent because of the way they left it,” Hollingworth said. “It stinks. If you would take a look at it, there are holes all over the place with cement blocks everywhere and left-behind wood. The dirt is all messed up and I noticed there is this white crustation, I don’t know if that’s because of chemicals that were spilled.”

Hollingworth said he is relieved Arnoldo’s trucks have left, but he is nervous something like this could happen again and said the damage is done.

“Frank might do this again in the future,” he said. “He got away with it for so long before anything happened, more than six months. The lot is also very unsafe, it’s not boarded up, you can still go in there and it’s all out in the open. All they left was an orange mesh “fence” you can easily flip up.

“I already saw a homeless guy go in there. That’s the problem because it’s open to everyone’s backyard next to our garages.”

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

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Melody Edwards, one of five victims who perished in a fire last year in Queens Village, was remembered at a memorial on the one-year anniversary of her death at Mount Moriah AME Church in Cambria Heights Monday night.

Before the service family, friends, clergy and elected officials marched from 112-16 208th St., the site of the disastrous blaze that also took the lives of her family friends, Chayce Lipford, 2; Rashawn Matthews, 10; Jada Foxworth, 16; and Destiny Jones, 20.

The five victims perished in a four-alarm fire in a frame house, and neighbors saw smoke around 2:30 p.m. A bystander called 911 at 2:36 p.m., and four minutes later the first responders rushed to the scene, according to the FDNY. By the time fire marshals arrived the blaze spread to the homes at 112-12 and 112-18. Investigators discovered the original home did not have a working fire alarm.

At the memorial Melody’s siblings, godmother, friends, teacher and parents reflected on her life.

Last year Rosezetta Edwards, Melody’s mother, could not bring herself to speak at her daughter’s wake, which was held at the same church in May 2017. But after the outpouring of love that she has received since her daughter’s death, she wanted to thank everyone for their support at Mount Moriah.

“Every one of you counted toward my healing process,” Edwards said. “I lost my sister at a young age, and I asked my mother ‘how did you deal with it?’ And she said ‘you just have to keep going on.’”

Melody was named after Edwards’ sister, who died when she was young.

Despite the hardship that came with losing her daughter, the second youngest of four, Edwards took pride in learning that Melody had left an indelible mark on the people she met with her exuberant spirit, blunt honesty, wise cracking nature and megawatt smile.

“I loved her, she loved us and she loved everyone,” said her mother. “We have to uplift each other. Each one, teach one and reach one.”

Some of the stories that touched her mother and her father, Glen Edwards, included one from her debate teacher at PS/IS 270 in Rosedale reflecting on how the teen went to school officials to intervene when a gang was recruiting a shy friend of hers.

The juniors she befriended and mentored at Queens High School of Teaching, Liberal Arts and the Sciences in Glen Oaks recalled how Melody would crack jokes, but also stop them in the middle hallway to brusquely ask them about their grades and told them to do everything they could to graduate.

“June 25 is my graduation date,” said one of the students who is now a senior. “I am going to make sure that I will dedicate my hat to her.”

Sheener Bailey Briggs, the cousin of sisters Jada and Destiny, great aunt of Rashawn and great-great aunt of Chayce, threw a benefit concert on July 14 to help rebuild the Queens Village home that belonged to her sister Dajuana Green. Melody frequently stopped by the Green home to hang out and study, said Bailey Briggs, who considered a niece.

Green was the mother of Rashawn and the grandmother of Chayce.

Since the benefit the house has been knocked down for rebuilding efforts. Bailey Briggs will be participating in Ms. Full Figured USA at the Robert Treat Hotel in New Jersey on Saturday at 6 p.m. and her platform is on fire safety and awareness.

“I’ve dedicated my platform to my family and others who have experienced such a horrible tragedy,” said Bailey Briggs.

In attendance at the memorial was City Councilman I. Daneek Miller (D-St. Albans), who gave few details, but announced that a street will be renamed in honor of the 17-year-old volleyball and track star who wanted to study law after graduating what would have been her senior year.

“Melody will continue to hold us up,” said Miller. “She set the standard for the next generation.”

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 Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

Bayside residents are calling for city agencies to address a longstanding issue of flooding on their street, claiming the water consistently turns their yards and basements into large puddles.

James Bitetto, who lives on 211th Street between 34th and 35th avenues, said flooding has occurred in his backyard since the DOT repaved the road in 2012 and resolution of the issue seems just out of reach.

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) led an April 19 news conference calling on the city DOT and DEP to address the issue, which affects neighboring homes as well.

“The way this mayoral administration has treated homeowners and communities in this city is nothing short of disgraceful. They have money to spend on a billion-dollar trolley but can’t seem to find funds to provide basic city services or pave a street properly. The fact that no one from DOT has responded to my letters about this situation shows that doing right by the community is not a priority of theirs. Shame on this administration for allowing the quality of life of all of these homeowners to deteriorate before our very eyes,” Avella said.

Avella said many residents have paid out-of-pocket for flood mitigation of their homes since the repaving took place, slanting the street away from the only catch basin on the street.

“Four years ago, 11 Bayside residents signed a petition requesting that Queens DEP and DOT take action to eliminate the street flooding, which has caused flooding in our basements as well. I have contacted a number of Queens agencies, including DOT and DEP, and attended Mayor de Blasio’s Queens Town Hall,” Bitteo said this week. “Our request is simple: You had the funds to create this problem, now find the funds to correct this problem.”

Bitetto told the senator the issue would be resolved in 2017, but almost a year later, residents are still waiting.

“DOT repaved this location in May of 2012,” DOT responded in an email Monday. “The initial complaint regarding ponding at this location was forwarded to DOT in the spring of 2013. In 2013, DOT determined the repaving did not impact the contours of 211th Street at the rear of the constituent’s property where they claim ponding is occurring. In an effort to remedy the ponding conditions here, DOT worked with the property owner to install an asphalt berm across the end of 211th Street to deflect water from the property in November of 2013. Last fall, DOT conducted a follow-up survey/investigation of this location and recently informed Mr. Bitteo DOT now aims to increase the height of the berm to address the flooding condition.”

Bitetto said the flooding attracts mosquitoes and has caused damage to his garage.

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

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