PETER ARENA

Peter Arena, died Saturday, March 9, 2024 at the age of 65. Beloved husband of Angela Arena, loving father of Lauren Arena, dear brother of the late Domenica Spataro, cherished uncle of Robert & Dina Spataro and Anthony & Vanessa Spataro, great-uncle of Nicholas, John, Jordan, Giovanni and Andrew Spataro. Peter was the proud owner of Tatco Installations. He worked very hard and treated his employees like family. He was a trusted friend and was instantly loved by all who met him. He was always there to lend a hand when anyone needed him. He kept everyone entertained with his storytelling and loved having parties. He had a zest for life and, although he had been through a lot, he kept a positive attitude and greeted everyone with a smile. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. In Lieu of Flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Lauren Arena Fund for MEAK Research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Mass of Christian Burial offered at St. Adalbert’s Church on Saturday, March 16, 2024 at 10 AM Entombment followed at St. John Cemetery Resurrection Mausoleum, Middle Village, NY under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Avenue Maspeth, NY 11378 www.papaverofuneralhome.com

UGO P. MARCHITELLI

Ugo P. Marchitelli, died Sunday, March 10, 2024 at the age of 92. Beloved husband of Loredana Marchitelli, loving father of Ugo N. Marchitelli Jr. and Paolo A. Marchitelli, father-in-law of Lori, cherished grandfather of Luciana and dear brother of Fernando Marchitelli. Mass of Christian Burial offered at St. Mary’s Church on Monday, March 18, 2024 at 9:45 AM Entombment followed at St. John Cemetery Ave Maria Garden Mausoleum, Middle Village, NY under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Avenue Maspeth, NY 11378 www.papaverofuneralhome.com

AMPARO CALVACHE COAJI

Amparo Calvache Coaji, died Wednesday, March 6, 2024 at the age of 71. Beloved wife of Danilo Carvajal Tovar, loving mother of David Rodriguez, Diana Bonilla, Viviana Carvajal, Tatiana Calvache, Daniela Carvajal and Valeria Carvajal, cherished grandmother of Juan, Camilo, Brandon, Kianna, Katie, Giaizabella, Hailey, Zarahy, Meghan, Ethan and Zairah. Mass of Christian Burial offered at St. Joan of Arc Church on Friday, March 22, 2024 at 10:45 AM. Interment followed at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Maspeth, NY under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Avenue Maspeth, NY 11378www.papaverofuneralhome.com

PATRICIA BAGLEY

Patricia Bagley, died Thursday, March 14, 2024 at the age of 69. Beloved wife of the late Edward Bagley, loving mother of Edward A. Bagley, James Bagley and Charles Bagley, dear sister of Susan Hessel and the late Anita DeStefano, and cherished aunt of Joanne, Judy and Jeanine. Mass of Christian Burial offered at Holy Cross Church on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 9:45 AM. Interment followed at Calvary Cemetery, Woodside, NY under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Avenue Maspeth, NY 11378 www.papaverofuneralhome.com

ROSEMARY ORLOVSKY

Rosemary Orlovsky, died Saturday, March 16, 2024 at the age of 89. Beloved wife of the late Leslie P. Orlovsky, loving mother of Paula Barthelemy, Laurie Soderman and Leslie Orlovsky Hoover, mother-in-law of Paul J. Barthelemy, Eric Soderman and the late Mike Hoover, cherished grandmother of Peter, Paul, Barbara, Victoria, Lindsay, Jamie and Dean, great-grandmother of Brayden, Camden, Luke, Gabriella, Amelia, Dominic, Michaela and Andre, and dear aunt of Billy & Sandi Lipnoski and June & Frank Warren. Mass of Christian Burial offered at Transfiguration Church on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 9:30 AM. Interment followed at Lutheran All-Faiths Cemetery, Middle Village, NY under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Avenue Maspeth, NY 11378 www.papaverofuneralhome.com

SILVANA D’ANGELO

Silvana D’Angelo, died Thursday, March 7, 2024 at the age of 83. Beloved wife of the late John D’Angelo, loving mother of Maria Giampaolo, Josephine DiLorenzo, Bernardo D’Angelo, Francesca D’Angelo and Susan Mannino, mother-in-law of Giuseppe, Lisa, Joe and the late Giuseppe, cherished grandmother of David & Christina, Michael & Samantha, Jason & Elizabeth, John & Stefania, Christina & Nick, Michelle & Michael, Amanda, Francesca & Ray, Silvana & Bryan and Tony, great-grandmother of Julia, Cecilia, Gabriella, Nicholas, Michael, Olivia, Gianna, Alexa, Sofia, Zoe and Ronan, and also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Mass of Christian Burial offered at Miraculous Medal Church on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at 9:45 AM. Interment followed at Linden Hill Cemetery, Ridgewood, NY under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Avenue Maspeth, NY 11378 www.papaverofuneralhome.com

JOSEPH R. CUMMINGS

Joseph R. Cummings, died Thursday, March 7, 2024 at the age of 78. Beloved husband of Sandra V. Cummngs and loving father of Lauren Cummings. Mr. Cummings was a United States Navy Veteran who served during the Vietnam War Era. Private Cremation held on Friday, March 8, 2024 at Fresh Pond Crematory, Middle Village, NY under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Avenue Maspeth, NY 11378 www.papaverofuneralhome.com

JOHN KEVIN MACKLIN

John Kevin Macklin, died Saturday, March 2, 2024 at the age of 81. Beloved brother of Barbara Macklin, Shirley (Bob) Murphy, Beatrice Reid and the late Sr. Anna Marie Macklin, Elaine (Ed) Foley and Evelyn (Otto) Barckow, and also survived by many loving nieces, nephews and friends. Mr. Macklin was a United States Marine Corps Veteran who served during the Vietnam Era. Funeral Services held at Papavero Funeral Home on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 at 11 AM Interment followed at Calverton National Cemetery, Calverton, NY under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Avenue Maspeth, NY 11378www.papaverofuneralhome.com

News Briefs (March 7)

Attorney General James Sues Large-Scale Predatory Lending Operation Targeting Small Businesses

New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against major operation of over 40 companies and individuals, alleging they exploited small businesses through fraudulent loans with exhorbitantly high interest rates disguised as merchant cash advances. The parties being sued include Yellowstone Capital and its founder David Glass, Delta Bridge Funding, along with several other individuals involved in negotiating the loans. 

The Office of the Attorney General is seeking at least $1.4 billion in interest and fraudulent fees and a court order for the businesses to stop their illegal operations. 

AG James alleges that Yellowstone Capital and other businesses used a string of different company names, meaning that each is part of the same predatory lending scheme. Yellowstone’s aliases include  Fundry, Green Capital Funding, High Speed Capital, Capital Advance Services, and Delta Bridge. 

City Bakery, a Manhattan restaurant in Union Square, is one of the impacted small businesses. The bakery, which once employed 30-50 full-time staffers, was forced to close in 2019 after facing skyrocketing debt to Yellowstone which required them to pay more than $2,000 per day. 

“Small businesses are the foundation of our economy, and they face severe challenges without also having predatory lenders taking advantage of them,” said Attorney General James. “Yellowstone Capital, Delta Bridge, and the other companies pretended to offer a helping hand, but instead provided only illegal, ultra-high-interest loans. Numerous small business owners struggled because of the outrageous loans issued by Yellowstone Capital and other predatory lenders. My office will not allow any scheme to harm small businesses, their owners or employees, or the millions of New Yorkers who rely on them each and every day.”

 

Forest Hills to host monthly community cleanups on Metropolitan Avenue

A group of elected officials, local business owners, and nonprofit organizations announced on Tuesday a new collaborative series of monthly cleanups on Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills, set to take place from March until at least the end of the school year. 

Included in the group are Metro Village of Forest Hills, Community Board 6, Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, Council Member Lynn Schulman, Senator Joe Addabbo, the Forest Hills Green Team, and Forest Hills Stadium. This grouping formed at the culmination of a 2023 series of local cleanups organized by separate groups. 

“Metro Village of Forest Hills is so grateful to be part of a neighborhood where community members, leaders, and elected officials are dedicated to working together to improve the community. We look forward to participating in this ongoing beautification project and are hopeful that community members of all ages will get involved, including my 5 year-old son, Jacob. We want the streets of Metropolitan Avenue to reflect the beauty inside the shops,” said Rachel Kellner, founder of Metro Village of Forest Hills.

The first cleanup is scheduled for Saturday, March 9 at 10 a.m. Volunteers will meet outside Aigner Chocolates at 103-02 Metropolitan Avenue in Forest Hills. For those looking for additional information, email [email protected] or contact the district offices of Assemblyman Hevesi, Council Member Schulman, or Senator Addabbo. 

 “Forest Hills Green Team looks forward to working with all our partners on this community clean up event series. Metropolitan Avenue is heavily traveled, so clean up efforts here are especially needed, and will have significant visual benefits for neighbors. It’s a good complement to our landscape planting and beautification project at the nearby LIRR overpass area nearby on Yellowstone Blvd,” said Dan Miner, co-chair of the Forest Hills Green Team.

 

Tribeca Pediatrics Move To Jamaica Avenue and Celebrate With Community Baby Shower

by Sherica Daley | [email protected]

“We’re new to the neighborhood, and we wanted to reach out to everyone in the community” explained Zakiyyah Mohamed Stevens, Community Outreach Manager at the new Tribeca Pediatrics, now located in the heart of Jamaica Avenue. The colorful and vibrant office held its first Resource and Community Baby Shower for mothers with babies from ages newborn to six months old.

This event partnered with community outreach and healthcare partners like Healthfirst, Queens Healthy Start, Public Health Solutions and Jamaica Community Partnership. The Community Baby Shower was a positive effort to introduce the new clinic opening and meet families in the local community. The three-session event assisted in applying for health insurance, access to infant care and lactation consultation, community resources, and essential giveaways.

Tribeca Pediatrics is the largest private practice in the New York metro area. The practice was founded by Dr. Michel Cohen, a board-certified pediatrics in 1994. He started practicing pediatric medicine, asking home visits to new parents in Lower Manhattan’s Tribeca Neighborhood, where he later opened his first office on Murray Street. Thirty years later, Tribeca Pediatrics has almost 50 locations in the New York City, New Jersey, Westchester and soon on Long Island. The practice services over 100,000 patients, employs over 100 doctors and nurse practitioners, and has hospital affliction with New York-Presbyterian Lower Manhattan and New York Presbyterian Weil-Cornell Medical Center.

The baby shower was a goldmine of support for new and expecting mothers, especially with insurance. Most new mothers may have questions about updating their insurance.” Having straight Medicaid is tough” explained Dr. Cohen. “We accept Medicaid through managed-care plans only” he explained. Healthfirst was present with their new community office on Jamaica Avenue and 162nd Street. The new Healthfirst office can help new mothers apply for and renew insurance, and receive referrals to preventive health screenings, pediatricians, and dental care.

The Jamaica Community Partnership was there for community outreach programs for free services in Jamaica, Queens. The program shared information on free food pantries and clothing drives for adult and baby clothes. There was also information for mothers with disabilities with the Center Independence of the Disable of New York. (CIDNY). CIDNY provides free services with information with mothers or caregivers with long-term services and supports public assistance benefits, supportive housing, and SNAP.

Self-care is important for the mother-to-be, during pregnancy, labor, and postpartum, and helps make the best decisions for mother and the baby, This assistance can be provided with a doula. A doula is a woman trained in obstetric training, breastfeeding support, post-natal support, and if needed, support in miscarriages, and stillbirth.

“It is important to know what services are out there, especially for women of color” explained Charline Ogbeni, the owner of Supporting Our Mothers Initiative, LLC. She is board-certified doula with board certification in Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).

She was on site with useful information with community partners like the New York City Public Solutions . The Public Health Solutions have many services for new mother’s like the Breastfeeding Warmline.

This hotline can connect you with a certified lactation counselor anywhere in New York. The hotline can be contacted at 646-965-7212. The New York Public Solutions Health also assist low-income mothers with the Queens Diaper Bank. The Queens Diaper Bank offers free diapers to residents in Queens two days a month with an  appointment for diapers size newborn- size 7. For more information, on making an appointment, visit the Diaper Bank website. 

New York Public Solutions also have a partnership with the Birth Justice Defenders (BJDs). The BJDs are community advocates in pregnancy, childbirth postpartum and help provide education with the New York City Standards for Respectful Care at Birth. For more information, can be reached at [email protected]  or call 929-287-5747

Ogebeni gave mothers information that can be access on their smartphones with the right app. The irth app, the “b” is dropped representing Bias, is a Yelp-like review ad ratings app for Black and Brown women to find and leave reviews of their maternity experience You can search for reviews from other woman of color in their birthing experience.

Hospitals in Queens, that partner with Tribeca Pediatrics, now offer a free program HOPE Doula Support. The HOPE, or Helping Promote Birth Equality through Community-Based Doula Care. It is a program located in Elmhurst Hospital and Queens Hospital, and is a community-based program with 20 Queens-based doulas to match patients based on neighborhood, language, and ethnicity. Once matched, that doula will remain with their client thorough birthing and postpartum and are referred to maternal home care and COVID-19 services for testing and vaccinations. For more information, can contact 1-844-NYC-4NYC for an appointment.

For mothers who are home-bound, there is a preventative program such as the The New York Foundling Partners for Change which provides in-home family therapy and case management based on the family’s needs. It is also available in multiple languages and American Sign Language (ASL). To complete a referral form for services, can be found online

The community baby shower was a successful effort to Tribeca Pediatrics to the community, and build a support system for not only mothers but mothers of all nationalities, economic status, and/or disabilities. “The point is to connect mothers with services and support each other in any way we can,” said Ogebeni.

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