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Forest Hills sets stage for Memorial Day festivities

webadmin on May 19, 2021

The Forest Hills Memorial Day Ceremony is only a few weeks away, and organizers met together last Wednesday at the American Legion Continental Post 1424 to conduct their final preparations for the event.
The occasion will take place on Sunday, May 30, in Remsen Park and pay tribute to all the men and woman who have died while in the U.S. military. Slated to go on for just over an hour, the event will be filled with music, speeches, and honors.
This year, the ceremony will not only recognize fallen service members but will also honor the sacrifice of frontline workers. Members of the Forest Hills Volunteer Ambulance Corps will be honored at the event for their efforts in saving the local community from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Michael Arcati is commander of Post 1424 and has been a major force in organizing this year’s ceremony. He served in the navy for a combined total of eight years as both a prosecutor and defense counsel. Specializing in international, criminal, and tax law, he’s been awarded the Bronze Star among other military accolades. It was his goal to extend Memorial Day to as many people as possible. “This event is not just for the veterans but for the community and the service that is central to how it functions.”
Arcati couldn’t envision honoring sacrifice this year without paying homage those who grappled with the pandemic on behalf of Queens, especially those from the volunteer ambulance service. “Like a military they lined up side by side, and put their lives on the line without question,” he said. “These people never asked for a dime, and they need to be recognized.”
Event organizers have also announced their 2021 Grand Marshals for the event. This year there are four honorees: Dr. Teresea Amato, Heidi Chain, Bob Simpson, and Captain Joseph Cappelmann. The selection represents a cross section of public service that is vital to New York, including the director of Forest Hill’s largest emergency room department and the commanding officer of New York’s 112th Precinct.
For many service members Memorial Day is not only a time to honor lost connections but also reconnect with those who have also served. Arcati said he expects to see plenty of familiar faces from Post 1424 at the ceremony. “We have over 100 veterans at Post 1424, and for some of our more senior members it’s the only way for them to socialize and find comradery with their brothers and sisters.”
Vice Commander of Post 1424 Pat Conley has been a member of the organization for over ten years and has seen hundreds of hours go into planning this year’s ceremony. Conley said he’s thankful that the veteran community has been getting their vaccines. “Our members are of all ages and backgrounds, but it’s awesome to see that everyone who needs it is already pretty much double-vaccinated at this point. I think it will be a tremendous celebration and a good day for the community.”
The laying of the wreaths is a pillar of military tradition in the United States and will happen at the end of the ceremony. There are a handful of veterans from Post 1424 that will be honored at that time and have the bell rung in their name as attendees pay their formal respects.
There were countless volunteers who helped make this year’s event a reality, according to Arcati. Whether it was small tasks like putting up flags or bigger responsibilities like manning the grill, he said there was an outpouring of support. “Veterans want to continue serving, even when they’re done with their military obligations, but it’s really wonderful to see people take time out of their schedules to come in and help out.”

104th Precinct Police Blotter (??-5/9/2021)

webadmin on May 19, 2021

Monday, May 3
Hussein I. Kadouh was arrested at Jefferson Avenue and Wyckoff Avenue for menacing by Detective Clarke.

Tuesday, May 4
Wendy Estevez was arrested at Myrtle Avenue and Cypress Avenue for aggravated unlicensed operator by Officer Martinez.
Alyssa McCormick was arrested at 55-09 66th Street for misdemeanor assault by Officer Baltusis.
Michael R. Walker was arrested at 1713 Madison Street for criminal mischief by Detective Wright.
Divine Espinal was arrested at 1639 Centre Street for criminal mischief by Officer LeBlanc.

Wednesday, May 5
Anthony Sanzone was arrested at 64-02 Catalpa Avenue for misdemeanor assault by Detective Lodato.
Keithisha Rudolph was arrested at 690-80 Myrtle Avenue for possession of burglar tools by Detective Wright.
Derlin Sanchez was arrested at 64-02 Catalpa Avenue for criminal contempt by Detective Scrimenti.
Manuel A. Inoa was arrested at 714 Cypress Avenue for trademark counterfeiting by Officer Valdemar.
David Almagharbi was arrested at 55-10 Myrtle Avenue for trademark counterfeiting by Officer Valdemar.

Thursday, May 6
Brandon Difo Lopez was arrested at 58-02 Metropolitan Avenue for misdemeanor assault by Officer Kardonov.
Mohammed Al Sayidi was arrested at 69-12 Grand Avenue for child endangerment by Officer Caldelaria.

Friday, May 7
Christian Adames was arrested at 52-26 70th Street for grand larceny by Officer Jaswal.
Emmanuel Duran was arrested at Metropolitan Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard for driving while intoxicated by Officer Troia.
Isabel Abreu was arrested at 60-89 54th Street for misdemeanor assault by Officer Bogel.
Terrel Norman was arrested at 60-30 Maurice Avenue for strangulation by Detective Scrimenti.
Sarah Feist was arrested at 60-89 54th Street for misdemeanor assault by Officer Bogle.
Michael Lanzo was arrested at 78-16 Cooper Avenue for misdemeanor assault by Officer Chowdhury.
Natalia Domiguez was arrested at 78-34 Cypress Hills Street for aggravated unlicensed operator by Officer Guierrez.

Saturday, May 8
Amr Hassan was arrested at Metropolitan Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard for possession of a forged instrument by Officer Martinez.
Steven A. Bono was arrested at 57th Avenue and 72nd Place for grand larceny by Officer Lin.
Radames Santiago was arrested at 66-09 Hull Avenue for driving while intoxicated by Officer Hendrick.
Christian P. Nugra-Sanchez was arrested at Myrtle Avenue and Forest Avenue for possession of a forged instrument by Officer Bonilla. Victoriano Amaro was arrested at 74-17 Grand Avenue for petit larceny by Officer Shoy.

Sunday, May 9
Guikkermo Payano was arrested at 1618 Jefferson Avenue for criminal contempt by Detective Bublin.
Daniel Tucker was arrested at Borden Avenue and Maurice Avenue for aggravated unlicensed operator by Officer Martinez.
Anna Sibiga was arrested at 62-25 65th Street for criminal mischief by Officer Heinlein.
Edwin Romero-Lunavictoria was arrested at Myrtle Avenue and Woodhaven Boulevard for driving while intoxicated by Officer Lipori.

Janice Ann Blieka

webadmin on May 18, 2021

Janice Ann Blieka passed away on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at the age of 80. Beloved Wife of Alfred Blieka. Loving Mother of Cynthia Curtiss, Christopher Blieka, Judy Blieka and the late Laura Blieka. Cherished Grandmother of Jennifer Limberg, Rachel Wysocki, Alexa Curtiss and Loralie Landesman and Great-Grandmother of Rebecca Limberg and Noah Wysocki. Passionate defender of all those with special needs, Leader of the Holy Innocent’s Guild, and a dedicated community advocate (COMET). Mass of Christian Burial offered at St. Mary’s Church on Monday, May 17, 2021 9:45 AM. Interment followed at St. Charles Cemetery, Farmingdale, NY under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Avenue, Maspeth, NY 11378.

www.papaverofuneralhome.com

Michael Pascale

webadmin on May 18, 2021

Michael Pascale passed away on Friday, March 26, 2021 at the age of 55. Beloved Brother of Maria Raguso and Brother-in-Law of Thomas. Loving Son of the late Anthony and Claire Pascale. Cherished Uncle of Claire and James. In Lieu of Flowers, memorial donations may be made to: American Cancer Society -or- National MS Society -or- The Lieutenant Michael Murphy Memorial Scholarship Fund. Private Cremation held on Tuesday, march 30, 2021 at All Souls Crematory, East Elmhurst, NY. Memorial Mass offered at Our Lady of Hope Church on Friday, May 14, 2021 at 9:45 AM. Interment of Cremated Remains followed at Lutheran All-Faiths Cemetery, Middle Village, NY under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Avenue, Maspeth, NY 11378.

Douglas Alexander Mahoney

webadmin on May 18, 2021

Douglas Alexander Mahoney passed away on Saturday, May 1, 2021 at the age of 79. Beloved Husband of Ann Charlotte Mahoney. Loving Father of Lynn (Charles Ponce de Leon), Christine (Erik Jaffe), Eileen, Kelly (Michael Brethel Jr.), and Michael (Heather Gallo). Cherished Grandfather of Caroline, Christopher, Mara, Morgan, Alexander and Victoria. Dear Brother of Neil Mahoney (Anne Marie) and Brother-in-Law of Margaret. Also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. In Lieu of Flowers, memorial donations may be made to : American Heart Association. Mass of Christian Burial offered at St. Margaret’s Church on Monday, May 24, 2021 at 9:45 AM. Interment followed at St. John Cemetery, Middle Village, NY under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Avenue, Maspeth, NY 11378.

McClancy unveils plans for new $2M sports complex

webadmin on May 18, 2021

Monsignor McClancy Memorial High School will break ground on a $2 million state-of-the-art sports complex in June, thanks to the largesse of Stephen Squeri, a school alum and CEO and Chairman of American Express.
The school unveiled the plans for the facility at an event on May 18.
“This facility will be one of a kind in Queens, no other school will have one like it,” said president Nicholas Melito, a 1976 graduate who taught global students at the high school and served as the varsity baseball coach before taking the helm last year.
The complex will encompass three blocks of the East Elmhurst campus, according to Melito, and include new artificial turf baseball and softball fields, soccer field, running track, and a separate section for field events.
The new addition will add to McClancy’s rich athletic tradition. The school’s love of sports prompted the Alumni and Athletic Departments to create its own Hall of Fame in 1996.
The high school’s roster now includes around 90 students, coaches and others who contributed to the success of McClancy’s athletic programs throughout the years.
But the new facility will host more than sporting events, Melito stressed.
“It will be used for physical education classes as well, benefiting the entire study body,” he said.
The project, scheduled to begin this summer and be completed by October, will be fully funded by Stephen Squeri, a 1977 alumnus who played high school basketball during his time at the school.
“The truth is, he and I spoke about this once in the past and Steve was intrigued by the idea and it was something he wanted to do,” said Melito, a friend of Squeri’s for more than 50 years.
The corporate businessman has a reputation for giving back. He’s been on the Board of Directors at McClancy for the past 10 years and he’s served on the Board of Trustees at Manhattan College, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in accounting and computer science and later an M.B.A. in Finance.
During Squeri’s time on the high school board, he’s assisted the administration in fundraising and implementing a master strategic plan.
“Our first priority was the infrastructure of the main building, then upgrading the classrooms with the latest technology,” he noted. “We then focused on the labs, media center, music room and art room, student center and gym. The last piece of the puzzle was the biggest piece – the sports facility.”
Three years ago, McClancy renamed its student center in honor of Squeri’s parents, Lorraine and Joseph, after he donated funds to revamp the space.
“His generosity and caring about his high school has been long-standing,” Melito added. He never forgot the education he received and the Brothers of the Sacred Heart who taught him. When you talk to him he’s just a kid from Astoria, yet he’s so successful and runs a major corporation.”
Squeri said his McClancy education laid the foundation for his future achievements.
“When I look back at my experience at McClancy, I truly believe it had a huge impact on my ability to be successful in life and in business,” he said. “It is important to me that kids who grow up in the same community I did have the same chance at success that I did.”

Rediscover Forest Park’s living monument

webadmin on May 13, 2021

Just over 100 years ago, a beautiful tradition was launched in Forest Park. It was the creation of a living, breathing memorial to 70 young men from Woodhaven who lost their lives in World War I.
Although our country’s time in the war was brief, we suffered many casualties and Woodhaven was hit very hard. Week after week, the front page of the Leader-Observer announced the names of the newly dead and wounded.
It was a dramatic turnaround from the early days of our involvement in the war, when the newspapers and the public were quite enthusiastic, sending our young men off with rousing cheers and festive parades.
In the days and months after the war ended, residents of Woodhaven wanted to create a unique monument to the young men whose lives were lost. The idea they finally settled upon was original indeed, and the press stated that it was the first of its kind in the United States.
In May of 1919, 53 trees were planted along the road entering Forest Park at Park Lane South and Forest Parkway, each to honor a soldier that perished. Over time, as more names were added to the Honor Roll, the number of trees grew to approximately 70.
And every Decoration Day (as Memorial Day was originally known), families would gather in Forest Park and decorate the memorial trees. A large granite monument with a plaque listing the names of the dead was erected atop that hill, across from the golf clubhouse.
The residents of Woodhaven referred to that hill as Memorial Knoll, and the annual parade would end there among the memorial trees.
Chairs would be set out on the lawn in front of the clubhouse and hundreds and hundreds of veterans, family members and residents would march up that hill to pay tribute to the dead.
According to reports in the Leader-Observer, veterans from the Civil War marched up that hill and took part in ceremonies.
It was a beautiful tradition that faded away due to a series of events triggered by the widening of Woodhaven Boulevard in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
The American Legion headquarters sat on the old Woodhaven Avenue, and it had to be torn down to make way for the ten-lane Woodhaven Boulevard.
The city reimbursed the Legion and they built a new headquarters at 88th Avenue and 91st Street behind PS 60, where it sits today.
And since they had a nice new building with a lovely front yard, they decided to move the monument from Forest Park to its current location. If you’ve ever been to a WRBA meeting or at the senior center, then you’ve seen this monument. It’s still there, listing the names of these young heroes.
But once the monument was moved the parade route was switched, and as families moved away or died off or just plain forgot, the tradition of decorating the trees disappeared.
But the trees are still there.
Sure enough, time has been harsh to the trees and many of them have fallen, but quite a few of these trees have passed the century mark. They still stand proudly on Memorial Knoll high above Woodhaven.
The Woodhaven Cultural & Historical Society and American Legion Post 118 worked together to revive the tradition of decorating the trees in 2015. They have been decorated every Memorial Day since then.
It’s a beautiful walk, and as the road from the bandshell to Oak Ridge is still currently closed to vehicular traffic, it’s a walk that can really be savored and enjoyed.
If you’re going to get out and walk in the park any time soon, please consider making Memorial Knoll a part of your route.

Groups spread word about restaurant fund

webadmin on May 13, 2021

The restaurant industry was hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, with one dire forecast predicting close to half of all food and restaurant businesses in Queens would shutter by year’s end.
To help revitalize the industry, the Biden Administration created the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, which provides grants for restaurants and bars equal to their pandemic-related revenue loss, with a cap of $10 million per business and $5 million per location.
Members of Queens Together and the Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC) gathered outside The Queensboro restaurant in Jackson Heights last Friday to urge business owners to file applications to get a share of the $28 billion fund.
They handed out flyers in six different languages promoting the fund. Over the next two weeks, they plan to do the same in Rosedale, Jamaica, Laurelton, Flushing, Elmhurst, Astoria, Corona and Long Island City.
“We need restaurants to file the application as soon as possible because it’s a federal program and people across the country will be applying,” said Shurn Anderson from the office of Borough President Donovan Richards.
The application for the grant, which doesn’t have to be repaid if it is used by 2023, can be accessed online at the Small Business Administration website or by contacting QEDC, which will offer filing assistance to business owners.
Through May 24, the SBA will only approve applications from businesses that are majority-owned by women, veterans, or those who are socially and economically disadvantaged.
Ahead of a full reopening of restaurants on May 19, Jonathan Forgash from Queens Together, a grassroots group created at the start of the pandemic to advocate for the restaurants, painted a picture of an industry in deep distress.
As of last December, he said 92 percent of small businesses couldn’t afford the rent.
QEDC executive director Seth Bornstein said everyone in the restaurant industry has been hurt by the pandemic. He said it wasn’t just the restaurants that were hurt, but their suppliers as well.

Historic Midway Theatre reopening

webadmin on May 13, 2021

On May 14, the Midway Theatre at 108-22 Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills will reopen its doors. Operator Regal Cinemas decided last fall to close 543 theaters due to the pandemic, and the Midway was one of them.
“I thought they were shutting their doors for good, so this is such wonderful news,” said local resident Christina Gennaro. “The history surrounding Forest Hills is what made me want to move here. Movie theaters like the Midway are living history.”
With a largely intact vertical beacon, curved façade, and whimsical circular lobby with a sweeping staircase, the Art Moderne theater is one of the borough’s oldest, operating since 1942.
The Midway was named after the Battle of Midway in World War II. Opening attractions were the U.S. Navy’s Technicolor short “The Battle of Midway,” as well as “The Pied Piper” and “Just Off Broadway.”
Among the celebrities who made appearances were Bob Hope and Lucille Ball, who conducted a meet and greet.
Over time, it transitioned from a single screen to a quad to nine screens. In more recent times, digital advances and recliners were introduced.
“It holds fond memories,” said Jennifer Vega of the theater. “I’ve went there with my parents and siblings in the 1980s, had dates there in the late 1990s and 2000s, and then watched movies with my son.”
The Midway was designed by America’s foremost theater architect, Scotland native Thomas White Lamb, along with consulting architect S. Charles Lee. Today, Tom Andrew Lamb of White Plains is preserving his great-grandfather’s legacy.
“The most compelling reason that the Midway is worthy of preservation is the history that has taken place in this neighborhood theater,” he said. “For almost 80 years, this place has seen first dates, family outings, and solo trips on lonely nights. In our throwaway world, these spaces hold our collective experience and are repositories of memories.”
North Carolina resident Richard Delaney was six when the Midway opened.
“The opening was a big deal, it was like a black-tie event” he recalled. “It was modern Art Deco and completely different from the 1920s theaters.
“The Midway definitely needs to be preserved” Delaney added. “It’s an architectural treasure that was very ahead of its time.”
Over the years, the Midway hosted a range of events, including anniversary galas, benefits, and floor shows.
“My friends and I were the shadow cast of The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” said Joseph Pormigiano. “I played the criminologist in the floor show,”
Marco Zanaletti is an airline employee from Italy. He has had the opportunity to visit Forest Hills on several occasions.
“I noticed the Tudor-style residential buildings and the Art Deco presence in places like the Midway,” he said. “I remember thinking, ‘wow I am in the U.S. and in a real community, not just as a tourist coming to New York shopping along 5th Avenue’ I started to feel a part of New York history around me.”
“The Midway is a landmark in my life,” added Thomas Duffy, whose Midway journey began in 1982 with E.T. “My first date with my longtime partner was at the Midway in 2000, when we saw Down to You. I hope to see a blockbuster or two this summer.”

Digital training for the formerly incarcerated

webadmin on May 13, 2021

The Fortune Society is joining the Grow with Google Career Readiness for Reentry program, an initiative to provide free digital skills and job readiness training to formerly incarcerated individuals.
The program is in partnership with five nonprofits that have successfully developed and delivered high-quality job training to returning citizens, including Fortune Society, The Last Mile, Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), Defy Ventures, and The Ladies of Hope Ministries.
The program’s training will focus on fundamental digital skills, such as how to apply for jobs online and create a resume, along with more advanced topics including entrepreneurship and business budgeting. In total, the program will train 10,000 participants this year.
“We have a job readiness program that is three weeks in length, so when people are either coming to us after serving time in jail or prison we put them through this training program,” said Ronald F. Day, vice president of Programs at Fortune Society. “We help them with job search, proper interviewing skills and attire, how to fill out job applications and we connect them with some of the employers we work with.”
Fortune Society has funding to provide fellowship opportunities to serve as transitional work for a program of ten weeks for 21 hours a week at a minimum wage and connect them with their long list of employers that work with the nonprofit.
Headquartered in Long Island City and founded in 1967, Fortune Society is one of the nation’s leading nonprofit reentry service and advocacy organizations, serving 9,000 justice-involved individuals in New York City every year.
“We don’t just do advocacy now, we provide alternatives to incarceration,” said Day. “We work with people who have been arrested for felony charges and try to reduce the chances that they end up with a prison sentence.”
Each year, 600,000 Americans transition out of incarceration and face barriers to reentering the workforce. The unemployment rate for returning citizens is five times the national average, and returning citizens who are Black experience an even higher jobless rate.
The increasingly digital nature of work presents another challenge to workforce reentry, making the employment process difficult for those who lost access to technology while in prison.
“Lack of access to digital skills training and job coaching puts formerly incarcerated individuals at a severe disadvantage when trying to reenter the workforce and increase their economic potential,” said Malika Saada Saar, Global Head of Human Rights at YouTube, a subsidiary of Google. “We are thrilled to work alongside program partners who have demonstrated true expertise and leadership in supporting successful reentry through digital skills training to men and women, mothers and fathers, impacted by incarceration.”
The program is part of Google’s racial equity commitments and builds on the company’s ongoing investments in criminal justice reform. Since 2015, Google has given more than $40 million to nonprofits advancing criminal justice reform, and $60 million to organizations working to expand access to hands-on computer science learning.
Any nonprofit organization offering training to the reentry population can join the Grow with Google Partner Program and access resources, workshop materials and hands-on help free of cost.

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