Facebook Twitter Instagram
718 426 7200
Facebook Twitter Instagram

9 New Schools Headed to NYC Include Sunnyside Film School

glendaleregstg on April 11, 2024

Chancellor David Banks at Tweed Courthouse. Credit: Charlie Finnerty

by Charlie Finnerty

In an event at Tweed Courthouse Thursday, schools Chancellor David Banks announced that nine new schools will open across the city this fall, including elementary, middle, high school and trade school programs. Seven will come to Brooklyn, including three middle schools, three public schools and a new Bard Early College High School campus. Queens will see a brand new technical high school specializing in motion picture production open in Sunnyside. The announcement shows a major investment in education from the city as the school system recovers from pandemic-era drops in enrollment.

“Whether as a teacher in the Bronx, a principal in Queens, I know what it feels like when we get it right for kids and this is truly exciting for me,” DOE Executive Director of the Office of School Design and Charter Partnerships Shawn Rux said in a speech to the press.

Shawn Rux at Tweed Courthouse. Credit: Charlie Finnerty

The Motion Picture Technical High School in Sunnyside will teach students how to navigate the film industry with an emphasis on highlighting diverse storytelling. Principal Kevin Lopez said classes will focus on “below-the-line” production roles, such as camera operators, set designers, editors and sound engineers, which often go unseen by audiences but are the foundation of any successful film project.

Several of the new schools will open in Bay Ridge, where educators say there is a high level of need, particularly for English as a second language (ESL) classes for the area’s immigrant communities. Saher Said, who will serve as principal of P.S. 413 at 6740 3rd Ave., said his school will offer ESL classes for both children and adults. M.S. 428 in Brooklyn will offer dual-language classes for Spanish and Chinese-speaking students.

P.S. 331 will open at 6312 13th Ave. with an emphasis on entrepreneurship and advocacy. At the event, Principal Lisa C. Lin passed out shark keychains to promote the school’s Shark-Tank-inspired entrepreneurship competition for students.

M.S. 407 will open at 650 86th St. and will focus on sciences and research curriculum. Principal Stephen Lombardo said M.S. 407 graduates will have the skills and tools necessary to navigate the ever-changing worlds of technology and sciences.

Motion Picture Technical High School Principal Kevin Lopez. Credit: Charlie Finnerty

A highly-anticipated new Bard Early College campus in East New York will join the network of existing Bard campuses in Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx, offering students the opportunity to take college-level courses and an intensive seminar-based writing curriculum.

P.S. 482 Albee Square Montessori Public School in Downtown Brooklyn will offer a Montessori curriculum for the first time in the city’s public school system.

“These nine schools really push the boundaries of traditional education models,” Rux said. “They are cutting edge. They are unique. And they are directly responsive to what we know and continue to hear from our students and communities about what they need.”

The principals of the new schools with Shawn Rux. Credit Charlie Finnerty

Man Arraigned After Stabbing Girlfriend in Maspeth Bar

glendaleregstg on April 3, 2024

The man who fatally stabbed his girlfriend, 41-year-old bartender Sarah McNally, in Maspeth’s Ceili House before turning the knife on himself was arraigned today on charges of murder and criminal possession of a weapon, according to a press release from District Attorney Melinda Katz.

36-year-old Marcin Pieciak was McNally’s boyfriend. The two lived together  in Glendale for a year, according to cops. McNally was a former civil worker and bartender in her native Ireland. She had lived in the United States for about 10 years, according to the Daily News.

Police responded to a 911 call at the Irish pub on Grand Ave. near 69th Lane around 6:35 p.m., discovering McNally with a stab wound to her neck, and the 36-year-old man with self-inflicted stab wounds to his back and neck, according to officers.

Both were transported to Elmhurst Hospital Center in critical condition, where McNally later succumbed to her injuries, police confirmed.

“This was an attack that shocked the community,” Katz said. “It was unprovoked and a devastating loss for the family. We are using every resource to make sure there is accountability.”

Piecack faces charges of murder in the second degree and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree. Queens Criminal Court Judge Julieta Lozano ordered him to return to court on April 5. Piecack could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

The news of McNally’s death reverberated beyond the local community, prompting condolences from a parliament member serving her hometown of Longford, Ireland, who described her as a “wonderful young woman.”

According to crime data analysis by Gothamist, domestic and interpartner violence in New York City is on the rise in recent years, claiming 71 lives in 2022. The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached 24/7 at 800-799-7233 and offers interpretation for over 200 languages.

Food Charity Needs Increase in Glendale & Ridgewood

glendaleregstg on April 3, 2024

In the spring of 2024, amidst the ongoing recovery from a global pandemic, the neighborhoods of Glendale and Ridgewood in Queens, New York, are grappling with a rapidly intensifying crisis that belies their suburban affluence. With median home prices reaching $862,000 in Glendale and soaring to $1.2 million in Ridgewood, these communities present a façade of prosperity. However, beneath this veneer lies a starkly different reality: an escalating demand for food assistance that challenges the perception of suburban wealth.

The Campaign Against Hunger (TCAH), a vanguard in the fight against food insecurity, has reported a startling 181% increase in pantry services in Ridgewood and an even more concerning 281% increase in Glendale. These figures not only highlight a burgeoning crisis but also underscore the organization’s critical role in meeting an unprecedented demand for food assistance amidst dwindling resources. Despite facing challenges such as a decrease in funding, partly due to the exodus of donors from New York City, TCAH has managed to distribute over 25 million nutritious meals to more than 2 million community members since the onset of the pandemic. This response was unparalleled, significantly eclipsing their pre-pandemic impact and underscoring their pivotal role in the community’s resilience.

The underlying causes of this surge in food insecurity are multifaceted. The United Way’s True Cost of Living policy brief sheds light on the grim economic realities faced by residents, which are far removed from the average incomes that the home prices in these areas might suggest. Despite an average annual household income of $94,274 in these neighborhoods, with a median income of $77,350, the cost of living in New York City, amplified by the pandemic’s economic impact, has pushed an increasing number of families towards the brink of financial instability. This discrepancy highlights the inadequacy of median incomes to cover basic living expenses, including healthcare, childcare, and transportation, let alone the inflated housing costs.

The escalating demand for food assistance in Glendale and Ridgewood is a reflection of a broader societal issue, where the true cost of living far exceeds what many residents earn. This situation has resulted in a hidden crisis of hunger and food insecurity in communities that, on the surface, appear to thrive economically. Dr. Melony Samuels, the Founder & CEO of TCAH, emphasizes that behind every statistic is a real person or family facing difficult choices between paying bills and ensuring food security. “The numbers are a wake-up call,” she states, advocating for greater awareness and action to address this pressing issue.

TCAH’s efforts to combat hunger in these neighborhoods go beyond mere statistics. They represent a beacon of hope and solidarity, showcasing the importance of community organizations in providing essential services and support during times of crisis. The organization’s work, particularly in serving 15% of its client base from Glendale and Ridgewood, illustrates the critical need for both immediate and long-term solutions to urban food insecurity.

As TCAH continues to navigate the challenges of increased demand for food assistance, their work is a poignant reminder of the hidden hunger that persists in the midst of apparent abundance. It calls for a collective response from policymakers, community leaders, and the public to ensure that the fundamental right to food is not compromised by economic disparities. The situation in Glendale and Ridgewood exemplifies the urgent need for a comprehensive strategy to address the root causes of food insecurity, ensuring that no resident is left behind in the quest for a prosperous and equitable future.

 

Source: 

  • Data, The Campaign Against Hunger internal data systems
  • https://unitedwaynyc.org/true-cost-of-living/ 

Mayor Adams Zoning Overhaul Sparks Debate on Affordability in Long Island City

glendaleregstg on April 3, 2024

Courtesy René Salazar

The Western Queens Community Land Trust provided attendees with resources and information
on housing and community projects.

By René Salazar, Freelancer

Community groups in Queens, including the Western Queens Community Land Trust, the Justice For All Coalition, and Racial Impact Study Coalition, convened a town hall meeting at P.S. 111 Jacob Blackwell in Long Island City on March 23. The gathering aimed to delve into concerns surrounding the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal, a zoning reform initiative geared towards alleviating the housing shortage in New York City neighborhoods.

During the meeting, organizers delivered a presentation elucidating the essence of the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, spearheaded by Mayor Eric Adams, and its potential ramifications on the community. Attendees received informational materials and resources concerning housing and community initiatives.

In addition, organizers provided QR codes for attendees to scan, facilitating access to resources, and set up an interview station where individuals could share their thoughts in private.

Residents expressed apprehension about the swift transformations in the neighborhood, with many expressing fears that the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal’s approval could hasten gentrification in the locality and its environs.

Following the presentation, an open dialogue unfolded between attendees and organizers, focusing on community needs, deficiencies, and desired changes. Memo Salazar, co-chair of the Western Queens Community Land Trust, underscored the significance of community input, urging residents to voice their concerns to elected officials.

“We are trying to get the ball rolling and that starts with you and your thoughts and ideas. You know best because you live here,” Salazar said. “This is your home, so we need to hear. What do you need? And then we need to go to our elected officials and tell them that. That’s why we are here, we are here because this is home.”

After the discussion, attendees were prompted to share their perspectives on posters displayed throughout the school auditorium, addressing inquiries about necessary programs, educational resources, career training, and job opportunities.

Community members expressed apprehension regarding the neighborhood’s rapid transformation, with many fearing that the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal could exacerbate gentrification in the area. Christina Chaise, a long-time Queens resident, voiced concerns about the potential impact on the Queensbridge public housing development.

“No doubt Queensbridge will be the most impacted and literally we’ll be positioned to live in the shadows if this rezoning plan goes through” Chaise said. “When I think about what it means to build more affordable housing. I think, with the definitions that exist by the department of city planning, does not favor deeply affordable housing. I don’t think it’s real affordable housing”

The proposal primarily aims to modernize zoning regulations by implementing various initiatives, including the elimination of parking mandates, incentivizing up zoning, facilitating residential conversions, introducing town center zoning, and promoting small accessory dwelling units.

“We are here, we are voters just like the other people that are voters, but we vote long term. We are not leaving” Salazar said.

Attendees exhibited skepticism towards the credibility of Mayor Adams’ proposal, questioning its efficacy in addressing affordability issues. Mayor Adams, however, emphasized the proposal’s focus on permanent affordable housing, assuring that up zoning would be contingent upon the provision of affordable housing units.

“Affordable housing is what we need. We are going to allow buildings to get 20% bigger only if they use the new space to deliver permanent affordable housing” said Mayor Adams in his proposal announcement.

The town hall concluded with organizers urging community members to engage further by attending additional meetings and communicating with their representatives. Mayor Adams’ City of Yes for Housing Opportunity proposal is slated to undergo public review later in the spring of 2024.

Courtesy René Salazar

Community members write their thoughts on poster paper provided by event organizers.

New Animal Care Center Coming to Ridgewood

glendaleregstg on March 20, 2024

By Ana Borruto | [email protected]

QACC RENDER-NO PEOPLE.jpg

A rendering of the facility. Courtesy of Animal Care Centers of NYC.

New York City’s largest animal shelter network is launching its first-ever Queens location in Ridgewood — further expanding its mission to end animal homelessness in the metropolitan area. 

Animal Care Centers of NYC — a nonprofit animal welfare organization with four other locations — will soon open a brand new, over 50,000 square-foot full-service care center at 1906 Flushing Ave. and Woodward Avenue. 

At a Community Board 5 meeting on Wednesday, March 13, Risa Weinstock, chief executive director of Animal Care Centers of NYC, presented the renderings and information to the audience about what they can expect from this premier facility. 

“This is the first borough to get a shelter like this,” said Weinstock. “For us to be here is such a privilege.” 

The building is in the final stages of construction and is expected to be completed sometime in the spring, Weinstock said. One notable feature is a retractable roof that will allow the sheltered animals to enjoy the outdoors, while remaining in the confines of the space. 

Weinstock said the center can hold up to 72 dogs and 110 cats, plus it has the capacity for group housing and space for other pets, such as rabbits and guinea pigs. 

To honor the life of a longtime public servant, the facility will be named the Paul A. Vallone Animal Care Center after the former Queens’ District 19 representative and City Council member who passed away unexpectedly in January. 

During her presentation, Weinstock described Vallone as a “great friend” to Animal Care Centers of NYC who pushed for the project’s funding. 

“He loved animals, he was an advocate of our work, and he was really instrumental in getting a shelter built in Queens,” Weinstock said. “We’re really honored to carry his name, he meant a lot to all of us.” 

Risa Weinstock, president of ACC. Credit: Ana Borruto

Paul Sanders, senior administrator of Governmental and Community Affairs for Animal Care Centers of NYC, said the organization is an open admission shelter with at least 60 animals coming in daily. 

Three of the ACC locations are full-service care centers and the nonprofit has a Bronx Resource Center, as well as its headquarters in Manhattan near City Hall. 

On average, the Animal Care Center cares for over 20,000 animals annually throughout the five boroughs and they accept all animals regardless of behavioral or medical condition. 

All of the care centers offer the option to adopt or foster and have an admissions department that not only takes in animals, but enforces a surrender prevention program that is geared towards individuals who feel they can no longer take care of their pet. 

Before beginning the surrendering procedure, the admissions team will suggest alternatives to owners such as rehoming their pet on their own, allowing the pet to remain in its home during the placement process or providing assistance to owners so they can keep their pets. 

Sanders said there were a total of 382 pet surrender preventions recorded in January this year. 

“ACC believes the best place for any animal is in the home it knows and loves,” Sanders said. “We want to work with that person, work to keep that animal in their home, and we’ve been very successful.” 

The new Queens shelter will employ nearly 100 people, Weinstock said, and the organization is currently looking for volunteers. Positions that are available include veterinarians, admissions counselors, licensed vet technicians, adoption supervisors and several other roles. 

For those interested in volunteering for Animal Care Centers NYC, visit nycacc.org for more information and details on orientation dates.

Evening of Fine Food Raises $160K for QCP

glendaleregstg on March 6, 2024

By Celia Bernhardt | [email protected]

Over 600 Queens residents came out on Feb. 27 to celebrate the Queens Center for Progress’s 28th annual Evening of Fine Food. 

Hosted at Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows, the evening featured scores of local restaurants, caterers, bakeries and more, each with their own booth dolling out samples throughout the night. Attendees could also take part in a Silent Auction, casino games, and a photo booth. 

The night brought in over $160,000 to support QCP’s work of assisting individuals with developmental disabilities in leading more independent lives. 

QCP highlighted two “Chefs of the Year” who have made a difference and impact in their  community. Frank J. Quatela, Owner and Principal Architect at Frank J. Quatela Architect, P.C., and Hersh K. Parekh, Esq., Deputy Chief of Intergovernmental Affairs at the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey received the honors. The two served their community in a different way for the event, cooking up a family specialty to serve alongside other vendors. 

The Claire Shulman “Spirit of Community” award,, was presented to Lara Gregory, Esq., Queens Community Leader, QCP Board Member, and Principal Attorney at Lara Gregory and Associates.

“When we look for Chefs of the Year, we look for people who are engaged in the community, who have a lot of friends in the community and great contacts of the community, which helps us out in terms of raising money, of course,”  Wendy Phaff Gennaro, director of development at QCP, said. “But we’ve always focused on folks in Queens who make a difference in their personal and professional lives with people around them… then we started the Claire Shulman award about three years ago, and that is similar to the Chefs of the Year, but really just a merit based award for people who really are out there every day volunteering — sometimes it’s food related, sometimes it’s not — but people who really are out there giving time and their services to the community.”

Phaff Gennaro has helped organize the past fifteen Evenings of Fine Food. Still, she says, “it’s never old hat.”

“The word ‘elated’ came to mind this year,” Phaff Gennaro said. “We raised so much money, and when I look around the room, and I see people enjoying themselves and having a good time…it just makes me feel really good.”

Jiha again using the budget as a political weapon

glendaleregstg on March 6, 2024

In a hours-long budget meeting with councilmembers Monday, Adams’ budget director, Jacques Jiha, made some sweeping statements about the city’s bottom line.

The headlines from that meeting this week focused on Jiha’s assessment that closing Rikers Island jail by 2027, as mandated by law, is “not going to happen.” In his testimony on the city’s budget, Jiha claimed that the mandate to close Rikers and make way for borough-based jails throughout the city was interfering with his ability to provide space in the budget for popular infrastructure plans and city services. The comptroller disagrees with that assessment. Wait a minute, haven’t we heard this before?

Oh! That’s right! This fall, Jiha told us a $6.5 billion deficit, largely caused by asylum seekers, was responsible for closing library services and slashing education spending — only to quietly correct the record when discovering the city actually has a $2.8 billion surplus. In the same meeting Monday, Jiha told city council that the Biden administration has not delivered federal funding promised to the city when in fact, according to a federal official, it is the mayor’s office dragging its feet on the necessary paperwork holding up the money.

Jail reform and asylum seekers are easy scapegoats for austerity concerns — especially when you imagine billions of dollars in budget deficits to fuel it. We all know Adams is not a fan of the Rikers closure, he has publicly lambasted the plan and cast doubt on the jail’s documented inhumane and deadly conditions. But the law is the law and the mayor has a mandate to follow through on his duties, regardless of his feelings on the matter.

As for Jiha, we advise he take another stab at his assessment of the budget now that he’s got almost $10 billion more that we thought on hand and, in the words of his boss:

“Stay focused. No distractions. And grind.”

Electeds Need to Take Action to Protect Retail Workers

glendaleregstg on March 6, 2024

On Tuesday, retail workers, members of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) and allies rallied in Albany to push for the passage of the Retail Worker Safety Act. The bill, introduced by Sen. Jessica Ramos of Jackson Heights, seeks to protect workers from violent and dangerous incidents at retail stores.

Created in response to heightened rates of violence in stores across New York City and State since the pandemic — ranging from verbal harassment to threats to racially motivated assaults to shootings — the bill would create sensible measures to keep the workers who keep our city running every day safe. 

Retail employers with 10 employees or more would be required to create workplace violence prevention programs, including simple measures such as improving lighting, employee training, educating workers on de-escalation tactics and establishing emergency procedures, such as during active shooter drills. Employers would also be required to document any incidents of workplace violence and report them to a public database. Additionally, larger chain retail stores (those with 50 or more workers nationwide) would have to install panic buttons and some would be required to hire security guards.

As conversations of quality of life crime and shoplifting dominate political talking points, it’s time for politicians to take real action to support those most immediately affected by these incidents. The NYPD is not a private security force for large retail corporations and cannot be expected to operate as taxpayer-funded guards for giant chain retailers. Those employers need to start putting up the resources to take the most basic measures necessary to keep their employees safe in the workplace. It’s common sense, Albany needs to pass the Retail Worker Safety Act now!

Reticketing Signs Plaster Back Gate of Illegally Converted Building for Migrants in Richmond Hill

glendaleregstg on March 6, 2024

Credit: Christine Stoddard

By Christine Stoddard | [email protected]

On Feb. 26, dozens of West African migrants were discovered living in an illegally converted furniture store in Richmond Hill. In this makeshift shelter in Saar’s Whole Furniture on Liberty Ave., men largely from Senegal paid owner Ebou Sarr, himself a Senegalese immigrant, up to $300 a month for accommodations.

As of March 1, the back gate of the store was covered in flyers explaining where migrants could obtain a ticket out of the city. Most of the flyers are written in French, the official language of Senegal, though it is not necessarily the native language of all Senegalese migrants. Flyers were also posted in Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, Turkish, and Portuguese.

Under the city’s reticking program, new arrivals who have been discharged from the NYC asylum seeker shelter system may receive a one-way bus, train, or plane ticket out of New York City. The city’s reticketing center is located at:

St. Brigid

185 East 7th Street

New York, NY 10009

Open 7 days/9 AM to 7 PM

With the city’s 30-day shelter limit for adult asylum seekers, many people find themself without a place to go when the term expires. The migrant shelters maintain a curfew from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., making night work impossible for a population that has few employment options.

Complicating the issue of intaking asylum seekers in New York City is language. While the majority of migrants to the city are from Latin America, largely Venezuela, many are coming from West Africa, such as Senegal and Mauritania. More than 30 languages are spoken in Senegal, including Wolof, Serer, Fula, and Diola. Approximately 37% of the Senegalese population speaks French, mostly as a second language. The official language of Mauritania is Arabic; French was the official language until 1991.

Tech startup hopes to cut down NYC commutes with electric air travel

glendaleregstg on March 6, 2024

All photos credit: Charlie Finnerty

Joby Aviation, a tech startup that plans to bring electric short-distance air travel to New York City, welcomed visitors to take a ride in their flight simulator and learn about their ambitious reimagining of commuting at Vaughn College last week. Among those who visited throughout the week were high school faculty, transportation and environmental advocates, Vaugh college faculty and children from the Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens.

The venture-backed aviation company plans to use electric vertical takeoff aircraft to create a service similar to Uber for short-haul flights, beginning with a direct route between the Downtown Manhattan/Wall St. Heliport and JFK International Airport. According to Joby’s East Policy Lead Lydon Sleeper, the flight will cut the commute — which can often take over an hour by car with traffic — down to seven minutes at a price point for customers that will be “competitive with Uber Black,” the luxury level Uber option. Sleeper puts that number around $140.

Joby started as a team of engineers based in Santa Cruz, California born out of the longtime dream of founder and CEO JoeBen Bevirt who had been fascinated by engineering and electric air travel since his childhood.

“[Bevirt] doesn’t want it to be a service for rich people,” Sleeper said. “‘Save a billion people an hour a day’ is what he wants to do. You can’t do that charging $250.”

The aircraft borrows inspiration from several forms of air travel, using vertical takeoff that resembles that of a helicopter, forward-thrust gliding travel at speeds around 200 mph similar to a conventional airplane and a visual form factor that may remind many viewers of commercially available drones. The largest influence though, according to Sleeper, is the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey, an aircraft first used by the American military in 2007 that combines the vertical takeoff and landing functionality of a helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft. Both Joby and the Osprey accomplish this with articulating rotors that shift from vertically positioned for lift during takeoff to a frontwards-facing position during flight to achieve smoother and faster flight than a helicopter could ever achieve.

These flight mechanics, along with the use of electrical power, make the Joby both easy to pilot and quiet during flight. As part of the presentation, audio recordings of the Joby alongside other common aircraft that often populate New York City air traffic showed the dramatic reduction in noise pollution compared to conventional helicopters and planes.

According to Sleeper, Joby hopes to begin piloting its first commercial flights in New York City as early as next year.

All photos credit: Charlie Finnerty

© – All Rights Reserved – Queens Ledger
Facebook Twitter Instagram

Fill the Form for Events, Advertisement or Business Listing