Photo Courtesy of @wemakeaplay on Instagram

By Alexander Bernhardt Bloom | alex@queensledger.com

At the time of this column’s presentation to press the Olympic games in Paris had been on less than a week but many a neck had been hung, yet, with heavy metal. 

The Republic of Moldova, for example, was awarded two, bronze in color and merit, for its athletes’ outstanding performance in competitive Judo. Sweden’s amounted to three, two thirds of which celebrated its teammates’ success in Target Shooting and Womens’ Cross-Country Mountain Biking.

China and Japan led all of the rest in golds at six apiece, but it was our own Team USA, ever the outsized presence, with the most medals overall at twenty. That’s nothing to shake a baguette at.

All twenty of them will return with hometown heroes to hometowns someplace, but a few merit special recognition here for their winners’ proximity to our own metropolitan area.

Lauren Scruggs, Queens native, Harvard scholar, and Fencing phenom, receives first mention. On her way to the championship match Scruggs faced Italy’s Arianna Errigo, ranked number one in their Foil field worldwide. In a heated contest the two fencers did frequently remove their flag-stamped protective masks to reveal faces marked with anguish and determination. Tied at fourteen strikes each the two advanced along the jousting strip toward one another and leapt at the same moment, each making contact on the torso of her opponent. 

Off came the masks, Errigo screaming into the air in satisfaction, for she was sure she’d won it. But the judges went to review and in the moments in between as they deliberated the Queens came out in Scruggs, composed but indignant, her gesturing with her arms in a language we in the boroughs understand well: ball don’t lie. The judges ultimately agreed.

On went Scruggs, and she’d face USA teammate Lee Keifer in a match for the gold less volatile and more decisive, Scruggs defeated 15-6, and followed by the two embracing and hoisting American flags side-by-side with their coaches on hand. We’ve surely not seen the last of the foil from Ozone Park.

Olympic Swimmer Nic Fink is from Morristown, New Jersey. Close enough. 

Like Scruggs, Fink made his debut on the Olympic stage this week, and his glory would arrive in the Men’s 100-Meter Breaststroke event. All races in the Olympic pool are nail biters, but if you didn’t catch Fink’s come-from-behind dazzler in this one please request a replay from your search browser. 

The burden of high expectations, in this case, rested mostly on the enormous shoulders of China’s Qin Haiyang and Briton Adam Peaty, and they led the race for most of the way. But, executing the turn and slithering into the return length it was Italian hotrod Nicolo Martinenghi leading them thereafter, and Fink was a good extended arm’s length behind him and the rest. 

Breaststroke swimmers have the appearance of the devout in enthusiastic prayer, rising and bowing in supplication then repeating again, an image that will leave you visually awestruck. Fink may have been praying in earnest, because, in an impossible last push to meet the wall, his fingers arrived at the precise moment as did Peaty’s, and the two were awarded matching silver medals.

Fink’s wife Melanie, a competitive swimmer and former Olympian herself, was watching at home, carrying the couple’s first child. She’d asked him to remind her to breathe as he took to the pool.

“I’m very speechless right now,” he explained in an interview afterward. Well, us too.

Kassidy Cook is not from anywhere near the tri-state area in Plantation, Florida, outside of Fort Lauderdale. But many New Yorkers vacation and retire there, and those who watched her performance in the Women’s Synchronized Springboard finals last week would unquestionably offer the diver a key to our city.

In this event, team members climb to the top of a diving platform which extends two planks in parallel out over the pool below. Just over ten feet to fall, the thrill is not in the speed or distance so much as the beautiful connectedness and precise grace exhibited by the divers who do it well.

Cook and her diving partner Sarah Bacon do it better than that. In the first round they approached the edge of the springboard backwards, securing their toes in a stoic moment before Cook’s firm countoff began their flexing of the ground beneath, finally catapulting the two divers up. They hinged their bodies at the highest moment before plunging head over heels to be swallowed gently by the deep end.

They were only getting started, the three dives to follow seeing them approach head on, in some cases dancing toward the bouncing edge before flying off it, diving inward and outward both, adding pirouettes to the flips which became hard to count in number before the duo finally met, and always with a slicing immediacy, with the chlorinated depths beneath.

They finally finished a near second to the pair of divers from China, a testament to the level of competition that rises to the 3-meter altitude, but Cook and Bacon will carry home heavy metal as hometown heroes, nevermind the color.

Lauren Scruggs (Photo Courtesy of @usafencing on Instagram)

Nic Fink (Photo Courtesy of @finknic on Instagram)

Kassidy Cook and Sarah Bacon (Photo Courtesy of @teamusa on Instagram)

By MOHAMED FARGHALY | mfarghaly@queensledger.com

St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children has launched a new Simulation Lab to provide tailored training for staff and caregivers on pediatric life safety and clinical care skills, ensuring a safe transition for medically fragile children from hospital to home. Photo courtesy of St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children

St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children recently celebrated the ribbon cutting for its new Simulation Lab, an innovative facility designed to provide tailored training on pediatric-focused life safety techniques and clinical care skills. The lab aims to prepare parents and caregivers to care for their medically fragile children at home, ensuring a safe discharge from the hospital.

St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children has been the primary provider of long-term and rehabilitative care for New York’s most critically ill and injured children since the 1870s. St. Mary’s is one of a handful of organizations nationwide dedicated to providing intensive rehabilitation, specialized care, and education to children with special needs and life-limiting conditions.

The Simulation Lab offers a controlled environment where staff and caregivers can practice handling real-world medical scenarios without the risks associated with practicing on patients. This new program significantly enhances St. Mary’s capabilities to train parents, allowing them to practice skills repeatedly without compromising their child’s safety.

The lab, featuring high-fidelity simulators and extensive medical equipment, enables practice in a risk-free environment, enhancing preparedness and confidence for both parents and healthcare professionals. Photo courtesy of St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children

The lab enables parents to familiarize themselves with the equipment their child uses daily, with training customized to each child’s unique needs. Parents are welcome to return periodically to refresh their skills and stay updated on best practices.

“At St. Mary’s we are always looking for new innovative technologies to help us support our parents and staff in providing the best possible care to our unique patients, “ Dr. Edwin Simpser, President and CEO of St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children said. “This Simulation Lab will bring hope and healing to our families by teaching them about patient care in a low-risk environment, so that they will eventually be able to care for their medically fragile child independently at home. It’s really a dream come true for many of our parents!“

The lab features five patient beds that simulate various medical situations, covering different genders, medical complexities, and patient ages. It includes all necessary medical equipment to help users build clinical confidence and empower caregivers and staff to learn about patient care without distractions.

Bency Massinello, VP of Inpatient Nursing at St. Mary’s, emphasized the significance of the lab.

“Our role is to make sure that our children are able to get trained, families are able to get trained, and children are stabilized enough to be integrated back into the community,” she said. “The simulation lab was a vision we had for many years… We partnered with Lara Simulation Center to set up a program with high-fidelity simulators that simulate real-life scenarios as closely as possible.”

The Simulation Lab has been in development since 2018, with full approval and funding secured by 2021. Despite challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain issues, the lab was completed this year in partnership with Laerdal Medical, a company specializing in simulation training.

“Our goal is to ensure that staff and caregivers can practice and get competent in a safe environment without fear of harming a child,” Massinello said. “Nursing staff or any clinician typically spend three to four years in university learning how to perform their tasks. Our goal with this lab is to ensure guardians and parents, who may only have a crash course, are equally prepared.”

St. Mary’s plans to expand the lab’s use beyond hospital staff and parents, offering training opportunities to the broader community and enhancing overall healthcare education.

“The board of directors are fully invested and engaged… The interest is definitely there, and we’re excited to keep expanding and working on it,” Massinello said. “Simulation has become a crucial part of professional development, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. It allows us to manage training within our St. Mary’s community and extend support beyond home care services and case management.”

By MOHAMED FARGHALY | mfarghaly@queensledger.com

New York City’s “Sidewalk Slobs” program enforces strict sidewalk cleanliness regulations with increased fines for non-compliance, while a new bill empowers local sanitation departments to use surveillance cameras to address illegal dumping. 

New York City’s “Sidewalk Slobs” program enforces strict sidewalk cleanliness regulations with increased fines for non-compliance, while a new bill empowers local sanitation departments to use surveillance cameras to address illegal dumping.

In a bid to maintain the city’s cleanliness, New York City is intensifying efforts to combat unsightly and hazardous conditions caused by neglectful property owners.

Under the city’s “Sidewalk Slobs” initiative, property owners are legally required to maintain the cleanliness of sidewalks and the adjacent 18 inches of street area outside their properties. The program aims to address increasing complaints about litter and debris accumulation, which affect both the aesthetic and sanitary conditions of neighborhoods.

The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) has been actively issuing summonses to those who fail to adhere to these regulations. For repeat offenders, fines can reach up to $500, reflecting a significant increase in penalties for continued non-compliance. The city encourages residents to report violators through the dedicated website, tinyurl.com/SidewalkSlobs, where chronic offenders may be featured in a “Hall of Shame” gallery.

The New York State Senate passed Bill S.1552, on April 18 earlier the year, sponsored by Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., designed to tackle illegal dumping in public areas. The new legislation empowers local sanitation departments to deploy surveillance cameras to identify and fine those who illegally discard waste.

Addabbo’s bill aims to curb the rise in illegal dumping, which has been a persistent problem in many neighborhoods, causing sanitation issues and environmental concerns.

“Many responses to my 2023 community questionnaire specified illegal dumping as a major contributing factor in lowering the quality of life in our neighborhoods,” Addabbo said. “It continues to be a serious sanitation and quality of life issue resulting in odor issues and presenting environmental problems, both locally and statewide. My bill doesn’t just help to identify and impose a fine on offenders but also creates a deterrent to future litterers. This legislation will help ensure our neighborhoods remain aesthetically beautiful and environmentally safe for all to enjoy.”

If the bill receives approval from the Assembly and is signed into law by the Governor, it will take effect immediately. The bill’s progress follows a series of complaints from residents about increasing litter and unsanitary conditions.

“This bill is certainly constituent driven. It was born out of many complaints to my office, filed by residents who are frustrated with unwanted community dumping and debris,” Addabbo said.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant budget cuts in city services, including sanitation. These reductions, coupled with increased outdoor dining and changes in parking regulations, exacerbated street cleanliness issues. Alternate side parking restrictions were lifted, reducing the frequency of street cleaning and contributing to higher volumes of litter and rat sightings.

The impact of these cuts became apparent as 311 complaints surged for dirty street conditions and missed garbage pickups. The city’s ability to manage street cleanliness was further challenged by these overlapping issues, leading to a noticeable decline in urban sanitation during the early pandemic years.

On May 1, the Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management, chaired by Council Member Shaun Abreu, convened an oversight hearing to address various street cleanliness issues. Proposed legislation includes:

Int 0003-2024: Requires the DSNY to remove abandoned vehicles within 72 hours.

Int 0043-2024: Mandates daily emptying of public waste receptacles by DSNY.

Int 0052-2024: Calls for the creation of Sanitation Sections and cleanliness grading of streets.

Int 0102-2024: Requires DSNY to include time- and date-stamped photographs with violation notices.

Int 0281-2024: Proposes installation of dog waste bag dispensers on public litter baskets.

Int 0736-2024: Establishes a pilot program for rat contraceptives.

Res 0174-2024: Urges state legislation for the return of deposit bottles.

Data collected from April 2023 to March 2024 highlights discrepancies between different sanitation measures. While there were 97,873 OATH violations related to dirty conditions, derelict vehicles, and illegal dumping, 311 complaints totaled 154,401. This suggests that while violations are recorded, community complaints can provide a broader picture of sanitation issues.

The city’s 24,681 litter baskets, essential for maintaining clean streets, have seen significant variation in complaint levels. Notably, a small percentage of these baskets generate a disproportionate number of complaints.

New regulations, effective August and September 2023, require food-related businesses to secure trash and organic waste in lidded containers. This measure aims to mitigate issues associated with food waste and improve the overall cleanliness of commercial areas. Additional changes include the expansion of residential curbside collection and a heightened focus on snow operations.

As New York City grapples with these multifaceted cleanliness challenges, ongoing legislative efforts and policy adjustments reflect a concerted push towards a cleaner, more orderly urban environment.

By MOHAMED FARGHALY | mfarghaly@queensledger.com

New York City is replacing Student MetroCards with Student OMNY cards starting the 2024-2025 school year, offering students 24/7 access and up to four free rides per day on various transit modes.

New York City is replacing Student MetroCards with Student OMNY cards starting the 2024-2025 school year, offering students 24/7 access and up to four free rides per day on various transit modes.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Public Schools Chancellor David C. Banks, and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Chair and CEO Janno Lieber on July 25 announced updates that will make it easier and more affordable for eligible students to get to and from school and after-school activities via public transportation.

“I’m thrilled about the launch of student OMNY cards because expanding access to public transit means more and more students will have opportunities to explore our city and experience all that New York has to offer,” said New York City Public Schools Chancellor Banks. “I’m grateful to our partners at the MTA and across the city for making this possible for our students.”

Starting this upcoming 2024-2025 school year, students will receive Student OMNY cards, instead of the MetroCards that have been distributed citywide to students since 1997. The new Student OMNY cards will be valid 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, with up to four free rides a day. These changes will significantly expand flexibility for student travel, as students were previously limited to only three free rides each day from only 5:30 AM to 8:30 PM, and the cards could only be used on days when the student’s school was open for class.

“These expanded student OMNY cards are a gamechanger for families across New York City, particularly for working-class families that need just a little more help to afford our city — families where older siblings pick their younger brothers and sisters up from school, or where kids have after-school and summer jobs to help make ends meet,” said Mayor Adams. “This builds on the work we’ve done to make our city more accessible, particularly for young people and low-income New Yorkers. From our subways, to our ferries, to our greenways, we’re making it easier and more affordable to get around New York City.”

Student OMNY cards will be valid on the MTA’s subway lines; on local, limited, and Select buses; on the Staten Island Railway; on the Roosevelt Island Tram; and on Hudson Rail link; and will include free transfers from one mode to another. Students will also now keep the same card for the entire year, through the summer. The expanded benefits provide the foundation for New York City students to learn how to utilize the public transit system and build a culture of tapping.

“Across its diverse neighborhoods and communities, New York City inspires and teaches. Our city is one of the best classrooms in the world. And now, as part of the city’s broader switch to OMNY, New York’s kids have more and better access to it,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations and MTA Board Member Meera Joshi. “Together, the city and its world-class public transportation system are making New York City just a little more livable for the families that call it home. Our kids deserve 24/7 access to a 24/7 city, and now they’re getting it.”

The cards will be distributed to students at the start of the school year by each individual school across the five boroughs. In addition to the cards, students will also receive promotional flyers outlining the benefits of the enhanced program. The MTA and New York City Public Schools will work together to evaluate and promote card usage across school districts. More information about Student OMNY cards is available online.

This announcement builds on the Adams administration’s efforts to make getting around New York City more accessible and affordable, particularly for young people and low-income New Yorkers. In the Fiscal Year 2025 Adopted Budget, the administration partnered with the City Council to invest an additional $20.7 million in “Fair Fares NYC,” expanding eligibility for half-price fares to people making 145 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

“In this pivotal moment, New York City is not just updating a program but transforming the daily commutes of our students,” said New York State Senator Robert Jackson. “I applaud the collaboration of the mayor’s office, the Department of Education, and the MTA in enhancing access and ensuring no student is left behind. With the Student OMNY cards, every trip becomes a pathway to potential, embedding seamless travel into the fabric of our students’ academic experiences and broadening their horizons every day of the year.”

The budget also included $11 million to provide free MetroCards to Summer Youth Employment Program participants, who — thanks to the Adams administration’s efforts — are also eligible for free two-month Citi Bike memberships. In 2023, Mayor Adams launched a historic greenway expansion to build 40 new miles of protected bike infrastructure in the outer boroughs, bringing safer, greener transportation options to the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. In 2022, Mayor Adams unveiled NYC Ferry Forward, which created a discount program similar to Fair Fares in which seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income riders pay reduced fares for ferry rides.

“Since its founding, our Youth Council has been dedicated to expanding the number of hours during which students can use their MetroCards to commute to school, internships, sports and other school-related activities,” said New York State Assemblymember Harvey Epstein. “For far too many students, the status quo prevented the use of student MetroCards on nights and weekends, when many extracurriculars take place. In 2020, we ended the practice of charging half the fare for the 130,000 students living less than two miles from their schools making public transportation free for all students. Today’s announcement builds on that success by giving four taps per day, 24/7 for all students. This change in the student transportation policy is going to help hundreds of thousands of students and their families. I want to thank the MTA for making this happen and to our current and former Youth Council members: when you lead, you can make change in our world that helps millions of others.”