The race for NYC City Council in District 26 is another crowded one, but in the field of candidates, only a few really stand out. The district is a large one that spans from the Long Island City waterfront to the BQE in Woodside and includes Sunnyside and Astoria. The district has been represented by Jimmy Van Bramer, who entered the race for Queens BP.
There are a handful of talented public leaders running for the seat, but Brent O’Leary stands out as one who not only will help the district, but has a history of helping the local community. He has an extensive track record and a dedication for public service that makes him a great fit for City Council.
A self-proclaimed “FDR-style” and “Meat & Potatoes” Democrat, Brent believes that strong social safety nets like food security, housing, and healthcare will help empower the working class that makes up a bulk of the borough.
in the midst of the devastating COVID pandemic, O’Leary helped organize a handful of beneficial programs, including a food pantry at the Mosaic Church in Sunnyside. The pantry has been a key resource for thousands of families in the area struggling to feed their families or juggle many different costs of living. O’Leary has also spent time with Woodside on the Move, Hour Children, and helped found the Hunters Point Civic Association, where he helped out thousands access housing, services, and tools to thrive.
Unlike many other politicians who brand themselves as “progressive,” O’Leary has been dedicated to the platform for the past decade. He’s the first candidate in the district to refuse all donations from real estate developers and lobbies, and is set on making sure new developments benefit those in the neighborhoods, especially in a district with so many plans and projects.
When it comes to serving the district, Brent O’Leary has been doing the work. He’s made sure to care for the people of Queens and a role in City Council seems like a perfect fit. O’Leary shows a strong desire to protect his constituents and neighborhoods, pass legislation to support the working class, and most importantly be an accessible public leader willing to handle any problem he’s faced with.

To learn more about Brent O’Leary and his campaign, visit www.olearyforcouncil.com.

National Cancer Survivors Day is an annual celebration of life that is held in hundreds of communities around the world on the first Sunday in June.

The day is a celebration for those who have survived, an inspiration for those recently diagnosed, a gathering of support for families, and an outpouring of thanks to the medical community.

This day provides an opportunity for all people living with a history of cancer – including America’s more than 16.9 million cancer survivors – to connect with each other, celebrate milestones, and recognize those who have supported them along the way.

It is also a day to draw attention to the staggering number of new cancer cases and deaths projected for this year. In 2021, there will be an estimated 1.9 million new cancer cases diagnosed and 608,570 cancer deaths in the United States.

According to a report by the Cancer Research UK, the survival rate for people with eight of the most common cancers is more than three times higher when the disease is diagnosed early.

More cancer research data suggests that just over 80% of those with cancer survive for at least 10 years when their disease is diagnosed at stage one or two but only a quarter of those diagnosed at stage three or four live for at least a decade more. Ten-year survival is more than 90% for people whose cancer is diagnosed at stage one, compared with 5% for those whose disease is found at stage four.

In an effort to detect breast cancer as early as possible, Dr. Darren Sachs, Director of Breast Surgery at EMU Health, recommends that all women forty and over receive an annual 3D Mammogram.

“Screening mammograms provide the best chance of detecting breast cancers when they are small and treatable. If we detect breast cancers when they are small and early stage, not only are more lives saved from breast cancer death, but women are also able to undergo less extensive surgeries and system therapies,” said Dr. Sachs. 

Dr. Sachs completed medical school at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine in Glen Head, NY, his residency at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, NY, and his SSO Breast Surgical Oncology Fellowship at the prestigious Fox Chase Cancer Center.

He is now a Surgical oncologist at EMU Health and a member of the Surgical Specialists of NY; a multi-specialty practice specializing in general surgery, founded by accomplished surgeon, Panagiotis Manolas.

Besides his work at EMU Health, Manolas is currently the Chief of General Surgery, Ambulatory and Outpatient, at Lenox Hill Hospital, a clinical assistant professor of surgery at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and assistant clinical professor at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine.

Many medical centers still offer conventional 2D mammograms, which have a history of producing unclear results, false alarms, or worse – cancer being missed.

EMU Health offers the Genius Exam; advanced 3D Mammogram technology that allows doctors to examine your breast tissue one layer at a time. The imaging system uses high-powered computing to convert digital breast images into a stack of very thin layers or “slices” for your radiologist to review.

“3D mammography technology provides us with the best breast imaging available, allowing us to detect breast cancer as early as possible. Patient survival outcomes are improved if breast cancer is detected in its early stage,” said Dr. Sachs.

EMU Health doctors also utilize Savi Scout; a new revolutionary method for locating breast tumors. With this machine, EMU Radiologists can precisely identify the tissue that needs to be removed during surgical breast biopsies & lumpectomies.

To schedule your yearly 3D Mammogram appointment with Dr. Sachs at EMU Health, click here and fill out the appointment form, or call 718.850.4368. EMU Health is located on 83-40 Woodhaven Blvd Glendale, NY 11385.

Patients come from near-by areas like Middle Village, Kew gardens, Woodhaven, Ridgewood & Richmond Hill, however, EMU’s award winning facilities and staff are worth a trip from anywhere in Queens, Brooklyn & Manhattan.

City Council District 19, which includes College Point, Whitestone, Malba, Bayside, Douglaston, Little Neck, North Flushing and Auburndale, has been represented by Paul Vallone since 2013. Facing term limits that prevent him from running for office again this year, the district could elect its first Republican official in over a decade.
We know Vickie Paladino would be an outspoken member of the City Council who would fight to represent her district and the values of its constituents. While some locals view her as a polarizing figure, her work in rejuvenating The Whitestone Republican club is a clear testament to her leadership skills and Paladino’s ability to garner grassroots support among conservatives.
While she has an unproven track record in terms of enacting legislation, we view Paladino’s tenacity as one of her greatest assets and something that would command attention among city officials.
John-Alexander Sakelos is a resident of Bayside and the contender to Paladino on the Republican line. While his campaign is more agenda-driven than Paladino’s, our paper didn’t get the impression that he was engaging door-to-door with voters as much as she was.
We see him as an up-and-coming Republican who is young and full of potential, but in this election Paladino’s fighting spirit and her leadership experience make her our choice.

Richard Lee, a candidate for City Council in northeast Queens, has a reputation in city government as a knowledgeable champion for fiscally responsible budgets, both during he time working in the City Council and more recently as budget director in the borough president’s office.
He is accessible, engaging and articulate, and he is our top choice in a district that includes College Point, Whitestone, Douglaston, Bayside and Little Neck.
People who know Lee say he is easy to work with and knows how to get things done within the system, which we believe will allow him to bring more resources to the district.
Austin Shafran is also a good candidate, has the broad support of the labor movement and the Queens Democratic Party, and he is our second choice for the seat.
While Avella has a long career in government, actually held the same seat for eight years, and is known as a fighter for his community, we think it’s time to give someone else a chance.
Lee is our choice in the Democratic Primary.

The City Council seat in the 22nd District covering Astoria and Long Island City, Woodside and Jackson Heights has a half-dozen candidates running in the Democratic Primary.
Accessibility is a key issue for us. We had concerns with how accessible and responsive she would be if elected, but our concerns were short lived, as she discussed her passion on issues like health and public safety.
If she can field the district’s needs the way she handled the softball on Sunday at Elmjack Little League field, we’ll be okay.
It is quite rare for a new member of City Council to make an immediate impact. We see her as long-term political figure that represents this generation. We already have heard some scuttlebutt that she will make a bid for speaker if she wins.
Trying to win a leadership role in the City Council might be a handicap for her if she has to juggle a progressive agenda while trying to focus on constituents in the district. If she takes on too much, it won’t be good.
But the community does have a better chance of being relevant if Tiffany Caban wins.
Evie Hantzopoulos is a well known candidate as a member on the community board. However, her opposition to any kind of development in the district is a non-starter for us.

Brian Hyland is coming home to Woodhaven, the town where he grew up, went to school and where he lived when he sang the #1 smash hit “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini.”
Just imagine that for a moment. He was 16 years old, a graduate of St. Thomas the Apostle and student at Franklin K. Lane High School, and a neighborhood kid who lived off 78th Street.
His dad belonged to a club that met around the corner at the Union Course Bar, known today as Neir’s Tavern.
With success came the opportunity to move, which his family took, relocating to Long Island. But in his heart, Hyland remained a kid from Woodhaven.
He went on to have a long career, scoring nearly two-dozen Top 100 hits along the way, including “Sealed With A Kiss” and “Gypsy Woman.” He still tours today. We went to see him at Westbury Music Fair in 2019 before the world upended for a year, and he’s playing in September in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
And one week after he leaves that the stage, Hyland will be back in Woodhaven for a homecoming party like we haven’t seen around here in ages.
The main event will be an unveiling of a sign at the home he grew up in near the corner of 78th Street and 87th Road. It won’t be one of those blue-and-yellow markers you are used to seeing around town; you aren’t allowed to put those up for living people.
Instead, with the consent of the homeowners, we will be placing a beautiful marker on the property of the house for all to see. That ceremony begins at 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 18, and everyone is welcome to attend.
That has to be a bit of a surreal moment for someone, but also a nice one. We’ve all revisited our childhood homes. Brian Hyland has done the same whenever he visited Woodhaven on one of his many trips back to the New York City area for a show.
No matter how many years go by, your childhood home is still your home. That is where you grew up, and if you look hard enough and close your eyes you can see your loved ones coming out the front door.
After the ceremony, we’ll take a short walk, an Itsy Bitsy Parade you might say, over to Neir’s Tavern where we’ll have a great big “welcome home” bash for Hyland.
We’re expecting a lot of former residents of Woodhaven to come for the day, so it will be a homecoming party for a lot of people.
But if you’d like to avoid the crowds and say welcome home to Brian Hyland before the ceremony, the Woodhaven Cultural & Historical Society is hosting a private gathering, a meet-and-greet with Brian.
Everyone who attends the will receive an autographed item and get a nice photograph taken with him. Food and beverages will be provided.
Tickets are $75 and all proceeds will used to pay for the sign and the party. The locale of the meet-and-greet is being kept under wraps, but it will be in the confines of Woodhaven.
One special guest that weekend will be Laurie Ennd. She manages the “Memories Growing Up In Woodhaven” group on Facebook and was instrumental in making this happen.
Again, everyone is invited to the ceremony at 3 p.m. and the party afterwards at Neir’s (Brian will be attending both), but if you would like the full homecoming experience, email us at woodhavenhistory@gmail.com and get a ticket for the meet-and-greet.
There are a limited number of tickets (we are keeping the attendance low), and they are going fast. It’s going to be a great weekend and we are really looking forward to welcoming Brian home.
One last thing, Make Music NYC will be coming to Woodhaven this Monday, June 21. There will be live music at Forest Parkway Plaza at Jamaica Avenue from 3 to 6 p.m. This event is sponsored by the Woodhaven Business Improvement District.
This will also mark the public debut of the Woodhaven Art Circle, a collection of artists from our community. Several artists will be showing off their work and we’re hoping other local artists will attend and introduce themselves to the group.
And we’ll also be looking for volunteers to make a tribute video for Brian Hyland, so come Monday and enjoy some music as we start planning the biggest homecoming party Woodhaven has seen in ages!