Tag: queens news

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By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

Civic leader Walter Mugdan received the state’s highest honor last Friday for his work preserving wetlands in northeast Queens.

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) presented the State Liberty Medal to the Udalls Cove Preservation Committee president for restoring and expanding the protected wetlands since he took up the position in 2002.

Mugdan said Avella’s support for his organization goes back to his time in City Council prior to 2011, when he was elected to the state Senate.

“We’ve had occasion to work with Senator Avella, and back before that when he was Councilman Avella,” Mugdan said. “I’ve spent my whole life – my whole career – working in the environmental field… This is an avocation and I really love the work I do with the Udalls Cove Preservation Committee.”

The mostly Parks Department-owned land in northeast Queens, which is pieced together from donations and purchases, has operated since the 1970s, going from shipyard to wildlife haven with the help of volunteers and advocates. Industrial waste and invasive species of vines and other plant life are constantly being cleared from the waters in the area to support a healthy, mostly-indigenous ecosystem.

“There’s about four or five parcels that total around three acres that still have to be acquired, and then a parcel that’s not within the designated boundary of the park – the park designation was made decades ago – but there is an opportunity that has presented itself that the community and a number of other organizations, including my own, are interested in,” Mugdan said.

Mugdan began his career with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1975 and serves as acting deputy regional administrator apart from his regular position as director of Region 2’s hazardous waste cleanup and emergency response programs.

Some of his work with the EPA has put him in charge of cleanup at toxic sites ranging from the Gowanus Canal, Newtown Creek, the Passaic River and the Hudson River.

“Two years ago, I was able after a number of years of complaining to the state to have some of the environmental protection fund, which is used upstate to acquire additional parkland, to actually be used to acquire more parkland in the preserve from private hands,” Avella said. “Why shouldn’t the city get the same amount of funding for new acquisitions that upstate does?”

This isn’t the only time Mugdan has been recognized for his work. In 2015, Mugdan was awarded the Presidential Rank Distinguished Service Award, which is one of the highest levels of acknowledgement a federal civilian employee can receive.

Udalls Cove is a small strip of land that stretches just a little over a mile from Northern Boulevard to the open water of Long Island Sound and has woodlands that gradually turn into fresh water wetlands and then to saltwater wetlands.

The cove supports many different kinds of life, including a family of foxes and an osprey nest. In 2016, the osprey were the target of vandals who lit the nest near the water on fire, sending the birds into a frenzy over the offspring which were inside. Mugdan expressed concern at the time of the incident that the osprey might not return, but reported at the medal ceremony they were still making Udalls Cove their home for part of the year.

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 Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

York College will hold an Awareness and Prevention of Human Trafficking forum on Thursday from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the school’s Bassin Theatre.

Barbara Felton, the co-chair for the Partnership for the Eradication of Human Trafficking, will be moderating the event at York, located at 94-30 Guy R. Brewer Blvd.

The guest speakers for the event are human trafficking survivor Sheila White and lawyer Susan Jacob, who is the executive director of the Queens Family Justice Center.

Panelists include Dr. Maria Almario of the Partnership for the Eradication of Human Trafficking; Lisa Hofflich, a legislative adviser for the state Assembly; Kevin Tillman of U.S. Homeland Security; and Dr. Leroy Gadsen, the president of the Jamaica Branch of the NAACP.

According to the NYPD, rescues for sex trafficking victims are on the rise throughout the city. In 2016, there were 41 sex-trafficked individuals rescued, a number that went up to 56 in 2017.

Prostitution arrests citywide have fallen, from 1,427 cases in 2016 to 679 cases in 2017, but arrests for promotion of prostitution rose from 191 to 228 in that same time frame. There were 192 arrests for patronizing prostitution in 2016, which rose to 565 arrests in 2017.

“Prostitution arrests from Vice have dropped over 40 percent,” said Susan Herman, the deputy commissioner of Collaborative Policing, at a police summit in South Jamaica earlier this year. “The emphasis has changed to stopping people who are manipulating people into trafficking or coercing people into prostitution rather than the person who is engaging.”

According to Herman, the NYPD and participating houses of worship, like New Jerusalem Worship Center in South Jamaica where the police summit was held, are working together to house human trafficking victims who have been coerced into prostitution by giving them a safe place to stay, counseling and job placement.

“We are not there to arrest those who have engaged in sex work,” said Herman. “We are there to help them.”

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

Brinckerhoff Cemetery is one step closer to being refurbished.

Last week the Department of City Planning formally certified the Parks Department’s application to acquire Brinckerhoff Cemetery, a critical step required for the city to officially purchase and renovate the historic burial ground. The project will now enter the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, where it will be reviewed by the community board and Borough President Melinda Katz, then formally approved by the City Council.

The colonial burial ground, located at 182nd Street and 73rd Avenue in Fresh Meadows, has 77 graves, with the last person buried there in 1872. The last owner originally paid $105,000 in 2010 and planned on building two houses on the property, but after it was landmarked in 2012, she was not able to. The cemetery has been an eyesore for Fresh Meadows residents. The unkempt grounds have contributed to quality-of-life concerns while neighbors have complained about the damaged sidewalks, overgrown foliage and garbage dumping.

Councilman Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest) and Borough President Katz allocated $450,000 in the fall 2016 budget specifically for the city to purchase Brinckerhoff Cemetery and make essential repairs to the neglected property.

Lancman said that refurbishing Brinckerhoff Cemetery is one of his top priorities.

“The cemetery has been a source of much frustration for community members, understandably outraged by its poor conditions, and this project will enable the city to properly care for and maintain the property,” he said.

In December, state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) held a press conference pressuring the city to take action on the land. He was joined by non-profit group Friends of Brinckerhoff, which was instrumental in getting the cemetery landmarked.

The group said when they approached the Parks Department about buying the land, the city agency refused. In 2015, after efforts from Avella and the preservation group, Borough President Katz allocated $180,000 to buy the land back from owner Le Dan Cai of Linda’s Cai Trading. Then despite everything being in order, the owner pulled out at the last minute.

Avella claims it was because the city reversed its initial decision and interfered by offering $400,000 for the land. Avella said the city’s interference was disrespectful to Friends of Brinckerhoff, which worked hard to negotiate the fair price of $180,000.

Martha Taylor, chairwoman of Community Board 8, said entering the ULURP is an important step forward to making the refurbishment of the property a reality.

“Our community has worked tirelessly with public officials to renovate Brinckerhoff Cemetery, and improve quality of life for residents of 182nd Street,” she said. “The city’s eventual purchase of Brinckerhoff Cemetery will allow us to turn the page on the property’s disrepair, and begin fixing this space.”

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

An electrical fire consumed the second floor of a cultural center in Jamaica last weekend.

The Afrikan Poetry Theatre — located at 176-03 Jamaica Ave. — is around 100 years old, according to theatre director Sekou Branch.

Leaders of the center have applied for years to receive capital funding to renovate the facility, but have been denied at every attempt, according to Branch. Over the years, members of the art center have been raising money for renovations that would help avoid a catastrophe such as this. The members were hoping to gather enough funding by the end of the year.

Offices were destroyed, over 12 computers are gone and they have lost their industrial printers and copy machines. Film equipment, keyboards, and artwork have also been destroyed, Branch said.

Greg Branch, Sekou’s cousin and the executive chairman of the Afrikan Poetry Theatre, said that the items are being examined by a claims adjuster for insurance purposes, and while expensive, can be replaced. What can’t be replaced are the things that the members and leaders of the center hold dear.

“Some of the materials are priceless to us,” Greg Branch said. “You’ve got photographs that date back to the founding of the theatre in the 1970s, which obviously you can’t put a price on.”

Photos of Queens and New York City luminaries were among the items lost.

At the time of the fire, Sekou Branch was on his way to see the “Black Panther” film, as a Black History Month film festival was being held at the center. He said about 40 others attended the event.

The festival started around 7:30 p.m. and he received a phone call from the fire marshal at 8 p.m. last Saturday.

None of the festivalgoers where hurt during the fire, according to the cousins. The Black History Month film festival was a collaboration with the Museum of Moving Image. Some of the films were screened in the film center in Astoria, and the last three films were to be shown Saturday at the Afrikan Poetry Theatre.

The screening was delayed, but the cousins said they want to finish off the series at a yet to be announced date, either at MOMI or an art center in Jamaica.

As they wait to learn what aid the insurance company will offer, they said they will use the renovation money they have been saving toward fixing the center. They have also started a GoFundMe campaign.

The cousins hope that their tragedy can turn things around for the center.

“Now that we are in this situation, perhaps we will be fortunate enough to have access to those [capital building] funds,” Greg Branch said.

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

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) held a town hall with the Bayside Business Association to discuss ways of improving commerce with the help of the state government.

The event space in the country club at Clearview Golf Course was filled by about 30 prominent members of the community, who discussed issues such as the lack of funds for organizations like the BBA in the state budget and funding initiatives for the community.

“Probably the hardest part of the job is weighing all the budget requests and priorities,” Avella said. “I don’t think I’ve ever come across a group that wasn’t worthy of funding. The problem is there’s only so much money.”

According to Avella, some of the progress in the FY 2019 state budget, which has yet to pass both houses, includes an expansion to the Excelsior Jobs Program.

It offers a 6 percent tax credit to qualifying businesses that add new jobs and other investments.

Up to $150 million was included in the proposed budget for the Regional Economic Development Councils and funds were also included for the Youth Jobs Program, which offers a tax credit to businesses that hire people between 16 and 24.

Avella said he is working to have anti-graffiti funds included in the budget to pay painters to go through neighborhoods and mask vandalism marks free of charge to business owners.

City Council members receive a set amount of discretionary funds to be allocated to groups in their communities. As a state senator,Avella does not have a similar program for discretionary spending, he said.

If he did, he claimed would use his office to fund programs for the BBA.

Judith Limpert, who has been the BBA president for over 20 years, said the organization would like to find funding for a “Welcome to Bayside” sign and dedicate trees to deceased members of the community.

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 Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

Elected officials from Jamaica and their staff members held a forum last Saturday at Dabar Bethlehem Cathedral reaching out to young people and explaining how they can get involved in bettering their community.

The hour-long forum called “Black Men in Public Forum: Navigating through Politics” held at the Queens Village church, located at 218-38 98th Ave., gave tips to community members on the importance of community involvement.

Chief staff members of Jamaica elected officials addressed a group of about 20 attendees who were mostly young black men and women.

Derrick Davis, chief of staff to state Sen. Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans), talked about the importance of speaking up about what you want from local public officials. He said he and his staff take the residents’ varying visions for their community and try to come up with something that works for almost everyone.

“One of the things I noticed about the senator is that he is a consensus voter,” he said. “Even if constituents disagreed on what they want, he tried to figure out a way to come to a decision everyone could live with. He used his vision to best moving the community forward by hosting town halls, meetings with folks from the community, online surveys, and engaging in a dialogue to figure out what it is you think is best suited to move community forward.”

He said it is not always easy because Comrie represents 375,000 constituents in a very diverse community.

“So what people in Jamaica feel is best for Jamaica, people living in Kew Gardens may feel differently,” he said. “You have to take divergent factors, put it in a blender and figure out how to best proceed.”

Jamal Wilkerson, chief of staff to Councilwoman Adrienne Adams ( D-Jamaica ), said she is trying to engage younger women in politics by leading by example.

“In this district it doesn’t matter where I go, they need to be able to see and relate,” he said. “Adams is the first female council member in the 28th District. She is big on teaching young women and ladies on how to get into politics, and also just understand politics. Not everyone needs to be in politics, you just need to have an understanding of politics. By her going out there herself, when she was knocking on doors running, that resonated with other young ladies.”

He said instead of just gathering signatures she would engage with young women and ask them what they wanted from their community and explain how she can help and what they can do to make it happen as well.

“By sitting down with students and asking them to work together, she showed them that two heads are better than one.” he said.

Wilkerson said he sees more young people in neighborhoods in Harlem and Brooklyn getting involved but southeast Queens has lagged behind. He said it does not even necessarily have to be politics, just getting young people to care about the community.

“We have to push them towards civic engagement,” he said. “I think we can do a lot better job into how we can get young people involved in Queens. I care about us, I know a lot of young people who need jobs and affordable housing. My biggest fear is if we don’t organize now and step up those houses you see in Cambria Heights, in Laurelton and Hollis, we wont be able to live in them.”

Wilkerson said one example is getting younger people involved in block associations, which he believes are dying. He said Cambria Heights, in particular, is very senior heavy and he hopes that the younger generation can one day be part of the planning.

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

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Academy in Queens Village will be closing its doors this summer.

The school — located 92-80 220th St. — is set to close on June 30 due to a budget deficit totaling $200,000 and is also in need of massive repairs, which cost $1.5 million, according to a letter for parents and guardians of the Catholic academy.

“This difficult decision was reached, following extensive consultations, due to the continuing economic challenges faced by the Academy and a rapidly decreasing pool of students choosing Catholic school education in our area,” the letter said.

Along with a decline in enrollment, the lack of funds to subsidize students also played a factor.

According to the school, 75 percent fewer students applied to attend the school in a five-year period and there are only 170 students enrolled in classes from kindergarten to eighth grade.

The average class size for this school year is 18, which led to staff reductions.

The cost to educate each child is over $6,000 annually, but the tuition has been approximately $4,450 over the years, and the school has not been able to raise enough funds to make up the difference.

The Catholic school does not have the funds to repair the school and subsidize the students, so it will close at the end of the summer and relocate its students to other institutions.

The academy opened in 2013 to service students from sixth to eighth grade and was an extension of the Our Lady of Lourdes School, which has served students from kindergarten to fifth grade since it opened in 1932.

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 Merle Exit

TimesLedger Newspapers

Friends of Maple Grove Cemetery will be presenting a piano concert and talk on Saturday, March 3. It’s a concert of romantic classical and modern music performed by Grammy-nominated master pianist and modern music specialist David Holzman, who will also share stories of his career as a hearing-impaired musician. This event coincides with World Hearing Day.

The cemetery actually has some very famous classical musicians “in residence.”

“We have a strong connection to the world of classical music with Josef (1874–1944) and Rosina Lhevinne (1880–1976) buried at Maple Grove,” said Helen Day, Friends of Maple Grove Cemetery Senior Vice President. “They were both world class pianists and prize-winning students from the Moscow Conservatory who performed around the world and taught at the Juilliard School after moving to New York City in 1919. They lived in Kew Gardens for many years, and Rosina taught a number of contemporary pianists such as Van Cliburn and John Williams. We honor their memory each year with one or more classical concerts.”

Holzman is Professor of Piano at the C. W. Post Center of Long Island University. He became known to Maple Grove through other performers that have had concerts at the cemetery, according to Day.

“David was one of many performers at our Winter Waltz concert on Feb. 10,” Day said. “He received a Grammy nomination in 2002 and won the Indie Award in 2003 for best classical album, both for ‘Stefan Wolpe: Compositions for Piano (Bridge)’. At the March 13 performance, David will perform several Classical/Romantic pieces and a short 20th-century piece by Wolpe.”

Holzman will be playing short pieces of Brahms written when he struggled with hearing aids, as well as “Bland,” a virtuoso piece that he is recording at the event, and “Messiaen,” a religious piece.

Holzman will speak in between the pieces about having a cochlear implant in one ear and a hearing aide in the other. On World Hearing Day 2018, the World Health Organization aims to draw attention to the rise in the number of people with hearing loss across the world with the theme “Hear the future.”

A wine and cheese reception will follow the concert, which is scheduled for 4–5:30 p.m. at the Center of Maple Grove Cemetery, located at 127-15 Kew Gardens Rd. in Kew Gardens. Admission is free to those that RSVP to info@friendsofmaplegrove.org. Otherwise, there is a $5 fee for walk-in attendees.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

The city will begin sheltering adult homeless families at the Fairfield Inn by Marriott in the Blissville section of Long Island City later this month.

The Department of Homeless Services notified Community Board 2 and elected officials on Feb. 13 that priority would be given to families with roots in the district.

“This high-quality facility will be the first of its kind in this community district, offering 154 adult families from Queens the opportunity to be sheltered in their home borough, closer to their support networks and communities they called home as they get back on their feet,” DHS spokesman Isaac McGinn said. “Working together with neighbors and nonprofit service provider Home/Life, we’re confident that these families will be warmly welcomed — and through collaborative support and compassion, we will make this the best experience it can be for these individuals as they get back on their feet.”

Programming at the facility, located at 52-34 Van Dam St., will include case management, housing-placement assistance, health and mental services, and on-site employment counseling. Home/Life will provide around-the-clock security with four guards per shift, and 95 security cameras have been installed throughout the building and across the grounds of the shelter, where there will be a 10 p.m. curfew for residents, according to DHS.

Once local pol applauded the city’s most recent effort to provide a safe space for residents without homes, but demanded officials look beyond the Blissville area and Queens itself for shelters because he argued both are already at capacity.

“It’s important that the city provide individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness with shelter and resources, ensuring opportunities for them to find work and permanent, affordable housing,” City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) said. “However, DHS has been reckless in their use of commercial hotels as temporary shelters throughout Queens and especially in this district. We already house many more homeless individuals than come from the district so we are doing more than our fair share in being a part of the solution to this crisis.”

Last summer, DHS began using the City View Inn — just around the block from the Fairfield Inn — as a shelter, before it claimed space in September inside the Best Western hotel at 38-05 Hunters Point Blvd. and the Quality Inn on Queens Boulevard in Woodside.

And Van Bramer said the trend of transforming commercial inns into hubs for the homeless must stop.

“There comes a time when DHS’ over-reliance on hotels must be called out,” Van Bramer said. “The Mayor’s Turning the Tide plan on getting out of hotels as shelters and bringing balance to each community board is simply not working. This proposal is yet another commercial hotel being repurposed as a shelter. The Mayor and the Department of Homeless Services are failing us here.”

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