Sikh community shaken again in Richmond Hill

Woman kidnapped and robbed, yet another press conference

A 51-year-old Sikh woman was thrown in a van, rendered unconscious, and robbed of thousands of dollars of jewelry last week outside a popular place of worship in South Richmond Hill.

The attack marks the fourth incident against the local Sikh community within the past few weeks, with the latest victim hearing the words “mom” before being kidnapped and robbed just steps from a gurdwara.

Last month, a 19-year-old Brooklyn man was charged in a spree of hate attacks, and is accused of targeting three men of the Sikh community. A second man, a 20-year-old from Brooklyn, was also charged in connection in one of the attacks. If convicted, both could face 25 years to life in prison.

The latest press conference to denounce the attacks in the Southeast Queens neighborhood came from gubernatorial candidate Rep. Tom Suozzi, and later at Queens Borough Hall led by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards.

Speaking outside of the Gurdwara Sikh Temple last week, Suozzi and community leaders called for peace just steps away from where the latest attack took place.

“Not only has the Sikh community been attacked, but it has been some of our most vulnerable members,” said Tejkaren Kaur Bains, a licensed state attorney from Long Island. “They’ve been beaten up while they have come here to worship.”

The self-proclaimed “common sense” democratic candidate for Governor says it will take someone like himself to change state laws pertaining to bail reform. He also touted that he was one of the first state politicians to hire a turban-wearing Sikh to his office.

“My Sikh brothers and sisters are easily recognized because they’re wearing turbans,” Suozzi said. “The fact that people can’t feel safe in their neighborhoods is just wrong.”

Suozzi hinted at negative rhetoric that was seen in the previous presidential administration, where it “became common for people to attack each other based upon their differences,” he said. Suozzi also cited the latest mass shooting which took the lives of 10 in Buffalo, calling it a “racist massacre.”

“We have to remember the basic fundamental American principle that all men and women are created equal,” Suozzi said.

Tejinder Singh, a former attorney at The Legal Aid Society of New York, said that law enforcement and the district attorney’s office eventually listened to the community in the past when some collective noise was made.

He added that police come across people from the community and frequently don’t take them seriously, “because they don’t look like people who can communicate effectively in English,” Singh said.

“Our community has to get politically involved,” Singh pleaded.

Pressed on his “fund the police” stance, Suozzi said that elected officials are needed to enforce laws, pointing to his 15-point plan to tackle crime.

“I don’t think it’s that they don’t take it seriously,” Suozzi said. “I think it’s that we have to fund the police to make people feel safe, and that we as a community need to bring attention to those crimes that we want to see enforced.”

Japneet Singh, a democratic candidate for the 15th State Senate District, said that he hopes to soon be working towards an actual plan, rather than just keep talking about a solution.

“We’re sick and tired of press conferences,” Singh said. “However, we have seen no action. We are not doing proper jobs in our city, our state and our country.”

“One misconception that a lot of people have is that immigrant communities don’t want laws and don’t want rules. We left our respective countries to escape lawlessness. For us to say we don’t want laws here in the city of New York, the most diverse city, that’s absurd,” Singh said. “I’ve been here since the age of 8, and it’s never been this bad.”

Bayside Attorney runs for Judge

Bayside’s own Karen Lin will be in the running for Queens Civil Court Judge in the upcoming Democratic Primary on June 28.

Lin officially announced her candidacy back in April, kicking off her campaign with a show of support from local elected officials including U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, State Senator John Liu, Assemblyman Edward Braunstein, and District Leader Carol Gresser.

With 25 yeast of legal and courtroom experience, Lin is running to increase representation in the judiciary and to make history as the first East-Asian American woman elected judge in Queens.

“As judges, our job is to serve the people,” Lin said in a statement. “I would love the opportunity to be someone who serves the people of Queens. This is my home, this is the place I love, and these are the streets I know. Representation matters, having people who are diverse on the bench matters.”

Last year, former NYS Assemblywoman and countywide Judge Michele Titus and Judge Laurentina McKetney Butler were elected to the New York State Supreme Court’s 11th Judicial District, leaving behind two open seats for Queens Civil Court Judge. Lin, along with attorney Thomas Oliva, were selected by Queens County Democrats to replace them.

On Monday, May 23, a press conference was held in front of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association to announce U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez’s endorsement of Karen Lin for Queens Civil Court Judge.

“We need judges on the bench that can relate to the people over whom they preside,” Velázquez said during the press conference. “We need diversity on the bench as it is an essential component of a fair and impartial judiciary. Bringing a range of experiences and perspectives allows judges to make better-informed decisions and increases public confidence in their rulings.”

Lin began her career as a civil rights and family law attorney at a small firm, representing families in New York City Family Court and the State Supreme Court. She subsequently left for an opportunity to work for New York State Senator Catherine Abate in lower Manhattan.

From her experience, she gained new insight into the needs of New Yorkers regarding issues such as affordable housing, fair wages, and labor rights, which she hopes to bring to the table if elected to the Queens Civil Court.

“I am deeply honored by Congresswoman Velázquez’s endorsement and support for my civil court race. In the most diverse county of Queens, Asian Americans remain vastly underrepresented in the judiciary,” Lin said in a release. “This is why I’m running. A qualified judiciary is more than just the sum of their professional experience. A judiciary that reflects the community it serves is the most legitimate and effective option. My commitment is and will always be the same: ensuring equal justice under the law for all.”

The Democratic Primary election will be held on June 28.

Jones Surgical Co. storefront gone but not forgotten

Eighty years, four sets of owners, and numerous generations of supporters later, Jones Surgical Co. has decided to close its doors.

The iconic, long-standing mom-and-pop shop has been a staple in Forest Hills and the rest of Queens, providing its customers with all of their medical supply needs.
Rita Lieberman, who co-owns the business with her husband Michael, said that the closure came as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as folks turning to online shopping.

“It became untenable during COVID for a variety of reasons,” Lieberman said. “Sometimes, people would call or come in, get as much information as they could, and order online. To be honest, we knew that it was coming down the pipes, it’s just that COVID sped up the process probably by five or more years. The price of rents, cost of goods, supply chain issues, and fighting Amazon and other big box stores made it come to a point where a little mom and pop couldn’t survive anymore.”

The interior of Jones Surgical Co.

Although residents can no longer admire the well-known green exterior on Metropolitan and Continental Avenues, the Liebermans are still operating Jones Surgical Co. on a wholesale basis to its established clients.

Lieberman acknowledged that the closure of Jones Surgical Co. has left a void in the community and even the borough, which prompted many residents to reach out.

Michael Perlman, a fifth generation Forest Hills resident, preservationist, and columnist with The Forest Hills Times was one of them.
Upon hearing about the closing of Jones Surgical Co., Perlman submitted a detailed proposal to the Liebermans, suggesting ways to preserve the shop’s exterior—which they agreed to.

“Certain community residents brought it to my attention, and people expressed interest in seeing the signage and other features preserved,” Perlman said. “Immediately, I felt like I was a man on a mission.”

In April, Perlman met with the Liebermans along with the co-founder of Noble Signs/NY Sign Museum, David Barnett, who would facilitate the preservation.
Perlman said it was important to get Jones Surgical Co. preserved because, much like the other mom-and-pops in the neighborhood—Eddie’s Sweet Shop, Knish Knosh, and Aigner Chocolates—Jones provided residents with an “extended family” and a story to tell.

“My goal is to preserve as many architecturally and culturally significant sights as possible, anything beautiful that has a story to tell. It’s a shame how many community cornerstones are closing nowadays, especially, and how many historical and picturesque buildings are being demolished or essentially altered,” he said.

“They build community, and it’s very important to take every measure possible to help and hopefully preserve and support mom-and-pop style businesses. It grants soul to our communities.”

He admired the mid-century ambience the location had to offer, with the indoor tin ceilings and art deco style exterior.

In fact, the bottom portion of the storefront’s columns had the manufacturer’s name on them, Jason Store Fronts, as well as the vintage telephone number.
Perlman has also sought out to preserve other Forest Hills community staples, including Tower Diner, which has already been demolished, and Trylon Theater/Ohr Natan Synagogue.

“I didn’t want to see another prime example of commercial archaeology ending up in the dumpster,” he said.

“From an artistic perspective and historical perspective, these things enrich us. Our history is irreplaceable, and we should feel inspired and take pride in our heritage.”
Barnett and his team executed the preservation of the shop’s exterior, and it is currently being worked on inside Noble Signs’ studio in East New York, Brooklyn.

The New York Sign Museum hopes to have a dedicated space and be open to the public by the end of 2022, but the studio space where the sign sits now is open to appointments for interested community members.

“I love the fact that the sign is preserved. I hope to be able to one day visit it and all the other things being preserved when that comes to fruition,” Lieberman said. “I look forward to taking my grandchildren to see it.”

Perlman is thankful that the signage and columns were able to be preserved, but he misses the actual business.

“I’m very determined to help the New York Sign Museum find a more permanent spot where so many more people can benefit simultaneously,” he said. “Our community and city is rich in history and architecture, and I’m tired of seeing these sites undergoing demolition and alterations.”

Pol Position: Watch your speed, cameras on 24/7

Representatives up in Albany recently agreed to extend the speed camera program in New York City for the next three years. As part of the agreement, speed cameras citywide will now remain operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Speed cameras have proven to be a useful tool in reducing speeding within the 750 school zones they are located, however, New York State law previously limited the hours of operation to 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. on weekdays.

According to a report by Transportation Alternatives, 59 percent of all traffic fatalities in New York City occurred during the hours when the cameras were turned off.

DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and State Assemblywoman Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas highlighted the issue in a recent op-ed about Earl Hall, a 48-year-old Jamaica resident, who was killed less than a block from his home.

Hall was walking along Linden Boulevard when a Ford Mustang GT came speeding down the road, hitting the pedestrian and knocking him unconscious, before speeding off. Hall suffered from severe head trauma and despite the best efforts of neighbors, he was declared dead at the scene.

“The data speaks for itself: speed cameras save lives,” Rodriguez said in a statement following the decision by state lawmakers. “With the majority of traffic fatalities now happening overnights and on weekends, expanding the automated enforcement hours of operation is a huge accomplishment for the City and for the safety of New Yorkers… The DOT will continue working around the clock to reduce road fatalities throughout the city and ensure we’re improving traffic safety in historically underinvested communities.”

The effort to expand the speed camera program also followed a push by the Adams administration, who has continued to put pressure on the state to make NYC streets safer.

“Make no mistake about it, this is a major victory for New Yorkers that will save lives and help stem the tide of traffic violence that has taken too many,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement. “We are investing a historic $900 million in street safety and redesigning 1,000 intersections across the City – but we cannot do this alone, and my team and I have been working closely with our partners in Albany for months to get this done.”

Adams indicated that speed cameras are proven to be effective at discouraging repeat speeding behavior, citing how in 2021, a majority of vehicles that received a violation, did not receive a second.

However, according to a recent article from Streetsblog NYC, the agreement was a last-minute effort corralled by Sen. Andrew Gounardes and Assemblywoman Deborah Glick to get what they could out of wavering colleagues before the deadline.

As a result, the bill was watered-down, stripping away additional tools to help reduce reckless driving, including a requirement that would allow the DMV to notify insurance companies whenever a vehicle gets five school-zone tickets in a two-year span.

The article also indicates that a last-minute attempt by City Hall, to widen the radius around which cameras could be placed, forced lawmakers to make a difficult decision.

Glick told Streetsblog that while officials said the cameras would cover most of the City, “they came back just this week to say, ‘well, we think that’s not 100 percent accurate. We think there are gaps.’ You can’t spring something like that at the 11th hour when we’re trying to move a very critical piece.”

Combined with internal concerns about the bill, she and Gounardes ultimately decided that the top priority was extending the hours of operation to keep cameras on 24/7.

This also resulted in the removal of provisions that would suspend registration for drivers given six camera-issued tickets within a two-year span, escalating fines after receiving five tickets, and eliminate current provisions preventing camera-issued speeding violations from becoming part of a driver’s record.

However, the provisions removed from the bill were not part of the Adams administration’s push. As Glick indicates in the article, they were ultimately removed to help make the proposal an easier pill to swallow.

“You have to make decisions whether that provision is the hill you’re going to die on,” Glick told Streetsblog NYC.

In the end, Albany managed to reach a consensus that more than doubles the reach of speed cameras and will keep them running around the clock.

Elizabeth Lusskin departing LIC Partnership

After eight years, Lusskin will take executive role with Empire State Development

By Journal Staff
news@queensledger.com

Elizabeth Lusskin is departing from her role as the long-time president of the Long Island City Partnership, and executive director of the Long Island City Business Improvement District. Next month, she will be named executive vice president of small business and technology development with the Empire State Development Corporation.

Since joining the LIC Partnership in October 2013, Lusskin has helped promote the neighborhood’s industrial, commercial, residential, tech, social service and cultural assets through a variety of successful programs, initiatives, and events.

“Getting to lead LICP and the LIC BID during this pivotal period in the history of LIC has been the greatest honor,” Lusskin said. “This is a truly fabulous community, encompassing everything a true ‘city’ would require — from industry to culture to residential — and a diversity of people, sectors, and community leadership that is unparalleled. We have a first-rate, mission driven staff and highly engaged boards of directors. I am so proud of all we have accomplished over the last eight years, both as a neighborhood and as an organization, and I can’t wait to see what comes next for both.”

During her tenure, she helped oversee the expansion of the LIC BID to more than double its size. Created in 2005, the original LIC BID expanded in 2017 to include commercial corridors along Jackson Avenue, Vernon Boulevard and 44th Drive. The LIC BID is managed by the LIC Partnership and also provides beautification initiatives throughout the community.

In addition to her role at LIC Partnership, Lusskin serves as the co-chair of the NYC BID Association and is a member of the Queens Tech Council and NYC Workforce Business Council, among others. She served on economic development transition committees for both Mayor Eric Adams and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Jr., and was co-chair of the Sunnyside Yard Master Plan Steering Committee and co-chair of the Amazon Community Advisory Committee Project Plan Committee.

In her upcoming role with the Empire State Development Corporation, Lusskin will direct a large portfolio of grant, loan and incentive programs, and will report to its newly appointed president, Hope Knight, who has most recently served as the president and CEO of the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation.

Lusskin’s last day with the LIC Partnership is May 24 and she will assume her role with Empire State Development on June 1. The Partnership’s board will govern the organization until a successor is identified; a start date is expected this summer.

Current and former colleagues praised Lusskin’s dedication to the LIC community and wished her good luck in her next endeavor.

“The Long Island City Partnership has been so fortunate to have Liz Lusskin at its helm during the past decade of unprecedented growth. Liz leaves the LIC community and the organization well positioned for its next great chapter,” said Patricia Dunphy, senior vice president of Rockrose and LIC Partnership board chair.

“The LIC BID has grown and thrived under the leadership of Liz Lusskin. I have truly enjoyed working with Liz to improve this wonderful neighborhood! Our entire community is grateful for her hard work and creativity, all of which will be put to good use in her next chapter with ESD,” said David Brause, president of Brause Realty and LIC BID Chair.

“Liz Lusskin’s legacy in Long Island City is one of leadership, innovation and growth. I could not be happier for her as she takes her immense talents to Empire State Development, where she will surely continue to deliver real results for our businesses and our families across the state,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said. “Queens is a stronger borough because of Liz’s time with the Long Island City Partnership, and I look forward to our continued partnership as she transitions into her new role at ESD, led by organization president and fellow Queens luminary Hope Knight.”

“Throughout Liz Lusskin’s time at the helm of Long Island City Partnership, she has been a steadfast and dedicated partner in transforming Long Island City to the bustling hub of arts, culture and business it is known as today,” U.S. Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney said. “I am thrilled she will be joining Empire State Development as Executive VP for Small Business and Technology Development, and she will bring to New York State the same vision and ingenuity she has brought to Long Island City and Western Queens.”

“Liz Lusskin’s leadership, vision, and tenacity have helped transform Long Island City into a thriving, mixed-use neighborhood and a great place to live, work, play and own a business,” Queens Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Thomas Grech said. “Liz has been a valuable resource to me and my team and a trusted partner in all things Long Island City. While we are sad to see her leave the LIC Partnership, we are thrilled she is joining Empire State Development as Executive VP for Small Business and Technology Development. Her tireless advocacy for small businesses, particularly in the technology sector, make her ideal for this position.”

Joe Panik, former St. John’s standout, calls it a career

Former St. John’s standout baseball player Joe Panik has retired from baseball after a successful career that spanned the better part of a decade in Major League Baseball.

The John Jay High School grad appeared in 818 games across eight years in the major leagues, highlighted by a World Series victory with the San Francisco Giants as a rookie in 2014.

Panik hit .305 after joining the club in June of that same year, finishing sixth in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Panik was named an All-Star the following year and hit a career-best .312, slugging .455 and driving in 37 runs. In 2016, Panik earned the Gold Glove award for being the NL’s top defensive second baseman.

Panik was selected with the 29th overall pick of the 2011 draft, after hitting .370 in three years at St. John’s. He holds the second-highest career average in program history. As a junior in 2011, he earned All-American honors from the ABCA, Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball newspaper after hitting a career best .398 average.

He helped lead the Johnnies to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances, including a Big East Tournament title in 2010.

Panik signed to play for the New York Mets in 2019, before signing with the Toronto Blue Jays in early 2020. His playing career ended with the Miami Marlins last year at the age of 31.

Panik and his wife, Brittany, welcomed a daughter, Mikayla, in October of 2021.

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