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TEREZA TURCIC

Dan on May 24, 2022

Tereza Turcic passed away on Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at the age of 81. Beloved Wife of the late Ivan Turcic. Loving Mother of Boris (Diane) Turcic and Branka Mineo. Cherished Grandmother of Ashley, Timothy, Dominick, Pamela and Julia. Dearest Sister of Antica Toic and Tomislav Braut. Mass of Christian Burial offered at Most Precious Blood Church on Monday, May 23, 2022 9:30 AM. Entombment followed at St. Michael Cemetery St. Anthony Mausoleum, East Elmhurst, NY under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Avenue, Maspeth NY 11378.

ALBERT CUMIA

Dan on May 24, 2022

Albert Cumia passed away on Thursday, April 7, 2022 at the age of 89.  Beloved Husband of Annette and the late Frances. Loving Father of Donna (Michael) Alboro, Annette (Kevin) Donnelly, Allison (Ted) Blanchard, Donald (Linda) Crispi and Lovey. Cherished Grandfather of Brendan and Siobhan and Great-Grandfather of Brian, Katherine, Vivian, Theodore and Evelyn. Also survived by many loving pieces, nephews and friends. Mr. Cumbia was a United States Army Veteran who served during the Korean Conflict. In Lieu of Flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Three Village Central School District Music Dept., 100 Suffolk Avenue, Stony Brook, NY 11790. Memorial services held at Papavero Funeral Home on Sunday, May 22, 2022 from 3-7pm. Interment followed at Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, NY under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Avenue, Maspeth NY 11378.

Chamber visits Albany for ‘Queens Day’

Dan on May 18, 2022

On May 10, hundreds of business leaders from Queens visited Albany to meet with state lawmakers during Queens Day in Albany. The event, which gives local business leaders an opportunity to advocate for the interests of commerce, was held in person for the first time since the start of the pandemic more than two years ago.

NYS Sen. Joe Addabbo (center) meets with members of the Queens Chamber of Commerce on “Albany Day” (Photo Dominick Totino)

New York State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., who chairs the committee on racing, gaming, and wagering, delivered remarks during a luncheon with Chamber members, who later met with dozens of State Senate and Assembly Members. Before returning to Queens, the visitors to The Capitol enjoyed a dinner catered by dozens of Queens restaurants.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of Queens’ diverse neighborhoods, and throughout the pandemic, they have played an essential role in keeping our communities afloat, all while facing unprecedented challenges,” Queens Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Grech said. “One of the most important things we do as a Chamber is advocate for the interests of our members. It was inspiring to meet with our elected representatives in person, so they could hear from our members first-hand about the challenges they face. I thank all of the business leaders who joined us, as well as Senator Addabbo and his colleagues in the legislature, who listened to their concerns.”

Addabbo, whose district represents the Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Glendale, Middle Village, Maspeth, Ozone Park, Ridgewood, Woodside, and Rockaway communities, said that Queens Day in Albany is one of his favorite days during the legislative session.

“It was great to welcome back Queens Day to Albany, demonstrating that we can overcome a pandemic and make attempts to return to normal life,” Addabbo said. “Queens Day allows us to meet with our constituents, as well as great community organizations and businesses, while we are upstate working on legislative issues. Queens Day reminds us why it’s important to promote our local businesses and to recognize what they’ve been through during COVID and their efforts to help others throughout the pandemic. I am thankful to Tom Grech and the entire Queens Chamber for being there when needed for our businesses and for allowing me to participate in their Queens Day festivities.”

Members of the Chamber speak with legislators on Queens Day in Albany

During their meetings with state lawmakers, members of the Chamber took the opportunity to discuss several issues impacting businesses both in the borough and throughout the state, including:

  • The New York State Film Production Tax Credit – The State budget for the 2023 fiscal year extends the credit for the next three years. Currently, it provides a 25 percent credit for qualified production expenditures. Members of the Chamber advocated for extending and expanding the credit by eliminating the annual cap, eliminating the sunset clause, and increasing the tax credit from 25 percent to 30 percent. Queens is home to several film and television production studios including Silvercup Studios and Kaufman Astoria Studios, and will soon welcome Robert DeNiro’s Wildflower Studios to Astoria.
  • Real Property Tax Law 485-w – The proposal from Gov. Kathy Hochul aims to replace the existing 421-a tax exemption for developers building affordable multi-family housing. It is well established that New York City is in need of affordable housing, but building can be expensive and challenging due to cost, taxes, and increasingly more expensive insurance and utility costs. The Queens Chamber came out in support of the 485-w program proposal, which would create affordable housing through privately-financed development projects in parts of the City where government struggles to build on its own.
  • Making Resorts World New York City a full-scale commercial casino – Since it opened in Ozone Park more than 10 years ago, Resorts World has created good-paying union jobs, employed a strong and diverse workforce, generated much-needed revenue for local schools, supported local nonprofit organizations, and generated economic activity which continues to support local small businesses. Members of the Chamber said that granting RWNYC one of the three remaining casino licenses would allow them to double their workforce by adding over 1,000 union jobs and doing even more to support the local community.

“It was wonderful to have Queens come to Albany to share our great diversity and talents with everyone in New York State,” Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan said. “I enjoyed tasting all the food from our district, particularly the three-generation female-owned restaurant, Ricas Pupusas & Mas, as well as meeting small business owners from across Queens. I am very appreciative that I was honored with my Queens colleagues.”

Outgoing Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan celebrates her retirement on Queens Day in Albany

Nolan, whose district represents the Sunnyside, Ridgewood, Astoria, Long Island City, and Maspeth neighborhoods in Queens, announced earlier this year that she plans to retire after her current term expires this year. She has been a state representative for the district since 1985.

“Queens Day in Albany 2022 was a complete success,” said Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman said. “I was so glad to welcome the best county in the state to our capital once again to showcase our small businesses, culture, food, and customs.”

Hyndman was elected to the State House in 2015 and serves as a representative of the 29th district, which encompasses the Laurelton, Rosedale, St. Albans, Hollis, Springfield Gardens, and Jamaica communities.

“If you want to experience the cultural diversity of our borough, look no further than the small businesses and restaurants that enrich our neighborhoods. I was privileged to sponsor the Senate resolution celebrating Queens Day in New York State. We appreciate the efforts of the Queens Chamber of Commerce as they assist small businesses,” State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky said.

Stavisky became the first woman from Queens to be elected to the Senate in 1999 and currently serves as Chairperson of the State Senate Committee on Higher Education.

Members of the Queens Chamber of Commerce visit the State Capitol for Queens Day in Albany (Photo: Dominick Totino)

2022 Maspeth Memorial Day Parade theme and route

Dan on May 18, 2022

Maspeth Memorial Day Parade: Sunday May 29th, 2022 @ 1PM
Parade Begins at Grand Avenue & 69th Street
Memorial Services immediately following the parade at Maspeth Memorial Square

Parade Route  –  Please be aware that, due to ongoing construction, the Maspeth Memorial Day Parade will begin and end at Grand Avenue & 69th Street.
The theme of the 2022 Maspeth Memorial Day Parade is “Maspeth Honors Our Gold Star Families”. Gold Star Families are the immediate family members of a fallen service member who died in combat. These three families will be recognized.

Gold Star Family of Marine Cpl. Robert M. Rodriguez
Marine Cpl. Robert M. Rodriguez, of Queens, NY, died at age 21 serving our country. He was assigned to 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center; killed in action near the Euphrates River northwest of Nasiriyah, Iraq. As the baby in a family of five children, Rodriguez looked up to his brothers and sisters and wanted to make them proud. His family valued education, but he found school boring, and so after he received his high school diploma, Rodriguez joined the marines at age 17. He became a member of the 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California. He was sent to Kuwait in January as a corporal. “He loved the Marines,” said his sister Hyda Hernandez-Lopez. “We were all so very proud of him. He was our hero.” Rodriguez was killed in March 2003, when the tank he was in plunged off a bridge and into the Euphrates River.

Gold Star Family of John Cono Desio
John Cono Desio (they called him Johnny) was one of seven children of Joseph and Rose Desio. He was the oldest son born in 1918. In the 1930’s his family moved from Brooklyn to Maspeth. Prior to his being drafted into the US Army he was employed as a manager at the Lombardy Hotel in NYC. At the time the Hotel attracted many celebrity guests. His favorite was an actor named Bruce Cabot. Johnny would regale his family with his celebrity encounters. He was also an avid NY Yankee fan and regularly took his youngest brother Joe to Yankee Stadium. In 1942 he was drafted into the US Army. Ultimately, he served as a Sergeant and tank commander. He landed in Normandy France in the summer of ’44. With his tank unit he headed west. He saw combat all the way through Rohrbach, France and back east through the French countryside. After fierce fighting to capture the small French town of St. Jean Roblach (only a few miles from Germany) he was killed on a rainy and cold Thanksgiving Day on November 23, 1944. The series of battles he endured were a prelude to the Battle of the Bulge. He was interred temporarily in Limey, France and when hostilities ceased, he was returned to rest in the family plot in St. John’s Cemetery, Queens. He never married and had no children, but he has long been remembered by his extended family for his courage, bravery and affability.

Gold Star Family of Kenneth Johnson, Sp‐4 US Army KIA
Kenneth Johnson was raised in Middle Village Queens living with his Uncle Rudolph Kaprolat [Uncle Rudy] he attended PS 87 Grammar school and Grover Cleveland High School. Kenneth’s aspiration was to join the NYC Police department, Kenneth was drafted into the US Army on 16 December 1965, after training in the States he began his tour in Vietnam on Dec.17, 1966 attached to Co‐B, 2ND battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade, 1st Infantry Div. On Feb. 22, 1967 Operation Junction City began in South Vietnam in the province of Tay Ninh near the border of Cambodia, it was one of the largest air‐mobile assaults ever, 240 helicopters swept over Tay Ninh province. The goal of Junction City was to destroy Vietcong bases and the VC military headquarters located north of Saigon, some 30,000 U.S. Troops plus 5,000 South Vietnamese Army personnel [ARVN] participated. After 72 days of battle American forces succeeded in capturing large caches of equipment and weapons, killing 2,800 VC and NVA soldiers, 282 American soldiers were killed in action. March 25, 1967 while on patrol during Operation Junction City riding atop a tank in the jungles of South Vietnam’s Tay Ninh province the tank ran over an enemy land mine killing SP‐4 Kenneth Johnson, Ken’s birthday was five days before his death he was 22-years-old.

St. John’s Basketball signs 7-foot-1 Mohamed Keita

Dan on May 18, 2022

The St. John’s men’s basketball program announced the signing of incoming freshman Mohamed Keita, a 7-foot-1 center out of NBA Academy Africa and The Winchendon School.

“Mohamed is an elite defensive prospect with great size and versatility,” said Head Coach Mike Anderson. “He’s also a very coachable young man who also has a tremendous offensive upside and an unrelenting motor. We think he’ll fit in nicely with the rest of our team and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the St. John’s Basketball family.”

Keita saw an uptick in his recruitment following a dominant defensive performance during the April live period with the New York Jayhawks, a local AAU program that produced both Rafael Pinzon and Andre Curbelo.

Prior to his noteworthy series of showings in the states, Keita also impressed at the NBA’s Basketball Africa League this spring. NBA Academy is a year-round elite basketball development program that provides top high school-age athletes from outside the United States with a holistic approach to player development and a predictable pathway to maximize potential. Playing with S.L.A.C. (Guinea), he averaged 5.0 points on 71.4 percent shooting to go along with 4.3 rebounds per contest. In his final appearance against AS Sale (Morocco) on March 14, Keita posted a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double in just 19 minutes of action.

Keita also has experience playing internationally with Guinea, averaging 5.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in five games at the 2020 FIBA U18 African Championship.

Keita spent the past season at The Winchendon School in Winchendon, Mass., averaging 6.3 points, 8.2 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per game in the AA Division of the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC).

LIU men’s lacrosse captain turns pro

Dan on May 18, 2022

Ryan Blume, a standout defensemen at Long Island University, has been claimed by the Premier Lacrosse League’s Archers.

The 6-foot-1 All-Northeast Conference selection tallied 186 ground balls, 69 caused turnovers, 15 goals and nine assists in 63 career games (60 starts) over five seasons at LIU.

“Ryan embodies everything we stand for as a program,” LIU coach Eric Wolf said. “A two-time captain and leader of our defense, he’s one of the toughest competitors we have ever had. We are hopeful he will have a chance to prove himself at training camp Memorial Day weekend.”

Blume hails from Eastchester, N.Y., and led the Sharks with 22 caused turnovers this past season.

“It was definitely very exciting receiving the phone call,” Blume said. “I’m very grateful for this opportunity and thankful for the support of LIU, my teammates, coaches and family. I’m hoping to take this one step at a time and do whatever I can to help the Archers to a championship.”

Teaching Pickleball to homeless kids in NYC

Dan on May 18, 2022

InPickleball Magazine and the APP Tour team up to benefit The Floating Hospital

Some 2,000 entrants will descend on Flushing Meadows’ iconic tennis center in the week leading to Memorial Day for the Association of Pickleball Professionals’ (APP) inaugural New York City Open. But the athletes won’t be the only ones holding court.

While the pros dink and slam it out all around them, two dozen health educators from The Floating Hospital will learn the basics of the popular game at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home to the U.S. Open Tennis Championships.

Guided by kinesiologist and 2019 U.S. Open pickleball champion Dr. Rommie Maxey, the health-ed specialists, who work with New York families experiencing homelessness, will take to the court and tackle the basics of the sport so they can teach kids a game that could make a pivotal difference for them.

“Outside of getting them fresh food, our No. 1 challenge is providing young people with exercise options that are easy, free, and fun,” Sean T. Granahan, president of The Floating Hospital in Long Island City, said. “Pickleball can do that in a fun, communal setting. It’s something kids can do together, pretty much anywhere.”

During pandemic lockdowns, pickleball proved to be a versatile outlet, as enthusiasts created courts in backyards, driveways, parking lots—even living rooms. All that’s needed to play is a net, chalk, a Wiffle ball, paddles, and sneakers. The sport even has its own magazine, InPickleball.

One of New York City’s oldest charitable healthcare organizations focused on children, The Floating Hospital provides related education for the whole family, engaging children as change agents for healthier habits. Through The Floating Hospital’s signature health education programming, kids learn the benefits of exercise and nutrition that can help them avoid health problems inherent with living in poverty.

Last year, 114,000 students in the New York City public school system were unhoused. The Floating Hospital conducts outreach to 95 percent of the city’s family homeless shelters and domestic violence safe houses. Thirty-eight percent of the clinic’s patients are children.

“Pickleball is about the things our world needs most today – health, joy, and togetherness,” Richard Porter, president of InPickleball Magazine, said. “The game is growing wildly because it’s fun and inclusive. People of all ages and abilities can enjoy it immediately and pick up basic skills quickly. By showing these kids a simple way to better health, we can make meaningful progress toward health equity in New York.”

The APP New York City Open session kicks off an ongoing training program that enables the educators to teach pickleball at The Floating Hospital’s “Camp Rise Up” for homeless youth this August. The sport will be added to the roster of confidence and team-building activities the campers participate in during their week away on the upstate campus.

The APP New York City Open session will take place Wednesday, May 25, at the USTA Tennis Center, starting at 10 a.m.

OPED: Higher Education is essential to Queens

Dan on May 18, 2022

The City University of New York (CUNY) has a rich history, dating back to the founding of the Free Academy in 1847. Townsend Harris, then President of the City’s Board of Education stated “let the children of the rich and poor take their seats together.” Queens and York Colleges, CUNY Law School, LaGuardia and Queensborough Community Colleges are all descendants of that tradition. CUNY is embedded in the fabric of Queens. By keeping these institutions strong and making them more affordable, we will ensure our students and our economy continue to thrive.

Two years ago the Brookings Institution, a well-respected Washington DC based public policy organization, ranked CUNY as among the top colleges nationally for providing upward mobility for its graduates. Students from families in the bottom 20 percent income level experienced the greatest increase in potential earnings.

Our public universities and colleges have struggled to maintain enrollment over the last several years. A range of factors has contributed to this problem, especially the rippling effects of the COVID-19 health crisis. However, our lack of state support and tuition increases shoulder much of the blame. Cuts in state support and the strain of the TAP Gap (the difference between the Tuition Assistance Program and the actual cost of tuition) forced administrators to reduce services, neglect infrastructure and technological needs, and lay off adjuncts. Rising tuition rates deterred students who simply could not afford the cost of an education.

This year’s New York State Budget included historic investments for CUNY. When we assumed the majority in the Senate in 2019, we began the process of reversing a decade of neglect and cuts to our CUNY schools. As Chairwoman of the State Senate Higher Education Committee, I take great pride in helping facilitate this sea change, along with my colleagues. We have not increased tuition and expanded TAP and opportunity programs, as well as funded more full-time faculty.

This new budget will begin to address infrastructure needs with hundreds of millions of dollars in appropriations for capital projects, which will provide prevailing wage jobs. Additionally, we are making a substantial investment in on-campus childcare so Queens families can continue their academic pursuits, with the benefit of having their children nearby.

These are steps in the right direction for CUNY, but I believe we can do more. Too many students graduate from college, starting their careers owing thousands of dollars in student loans. I have sponsored a bill, that passed the Senate, to increase the income level for TAP eligibility from $80,000 to $110,000. This will offer relief for middle class families who are struggling with the extra costs of textbooks, ever-evolving technology needs and other school related costs. If we spend smartly and invest in the right programs, I am confident we can improve our schools, grow our enrollment and lower the cost of college.

I have said many times that the P3 concept should be applied to higher education- a public-private partnership with the business community is essential. By working together, each will benefit. I look forward to working with the Chamber on these issues.

OPED: New hope for people with HIV

Dan on May 18, 2022

A new study holds promise for people living with HIV who have limited therapy options or rely on complex drug regimens

A new international study led by a researcher from New York-Presbyterian Queens, published in The New England Journal of Medicine on May 11, demonstrated the effectiveness of an investigational long-acting, first-in-class therapy for people with multi-drug resistant HIV – signaling the potential for a radically simplified drug treatment and improved compliance among patients living with HIV.

In the randomized controlled, double-blind trial known as “CAPELLA,” injections beneath the skin of an investigational HIV agent called lenacapavir significantly suppressed the viral level in patients with HIV who were currently on a failing antiretroviral treatment regimen. Importantly, viral suppression remained high for six months.

If approved, the new therapy has the potential to be a game-changer in several ways, according to the study’s lead author, Dr. Sorana Segal-Maurer, director of the Dr. James J. Rahal, Jr. Division of Infectious Diseases at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens and a professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine.

“The encouraging results of the study offer hope for people living with HIV who have limited therapy options, as well as those who are reliant on complex drug regimens,” Dr. Segal-Maurer said. “Lenacapavir has the potential to be used as either a long-acting pill or a subcutaneous injection every six months, which anyone can be taught to do. I cannot even find the words to share what that means to all our patients, but especially those with limited or no treatment options, or whose unique circumstances make it difficult to engage in care.” 

However, she stressed, that patients still need to be highly adherent to the rest of their antiretroviral medications that make up their complete regimen.

Lenacapavir, from Gilead Sciences, is an investigational antiretroviral medicine called a capsid inhibitor that targets the cone-shaped shell of the virus and proteins important to viral reproduction. Previous research showed that lenacapavir interrupts multiple stages in the viral life cycle, helping to suppress the virus.

New York-Presbyterian Queens was one of 42 investigational sites for lenacapavir around the world.

“Despite significant advances in antiretroviral treatments that have helped many people with HIV suppress the virus, there are still patients with treatment failures due to viral resistance or unacceptable side effects,” Segal-Maurer added. “These patients no longer have viral suppression and require treatment options that can be complex and difficult to adhere to, leading to further drug resistance. These challenges underscore the importance of new treatment options for people living with multi-drug resistant HIV infection.”

The phase II/III CAPELLA trial included 72 people living with HIV with a median age of 52, 75 percent of whom were men. Individuals were eligible for the study if they were age 12 and older, were currently on a failing drug regimen, and had developed resistance to at least two drugs from four main classes of antiretroviral medications (46 percent of patients in the study had resistance to all four major classes of antiretroviral medications). Half of the trial participants were randomized to receive oral lenacapavir or a placebo along with their existing medication regimen for 14 days.

The remaining 36 participants started taking lenacapavir pills at the beginning of the trial on top of a regimen of HIV medications designed to maximize effectiveness for these heavily treatment-experienced people. After 14 days on the oral drug, they, too, switched to the subcutaneous injections.

At the end of the lead-in period, 88 percent of participants receiving lenacapavir saw a significant drop in their viral level, compared with just 17 percent of those on the placebo. Trial participants randomized to receive lenacapavir also experienced an increase in white blood cells called CD4 T cells, critical to fighting the infection. Overall, the percentage of people with profoundly low CD4 T cells decreased from 24 percent to 0 percent. No one dropped out of the study as a result of drug-related side effects, according to Dr. Segal-Maurer.

“The significance of the trial’s findings is profound. We’ve come a long way,” said Segal-Maurer, who has witnessed the evolution of HIV treatment over the decades, starting at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. “I was in medical school in the early to mid-eighties when the average lifespan between diagnosis and death was anywhere from weeks to months. We’ve gone from many pills multiple times a day to one pill a day to possibly even less. Now we’re in a place where if a patient can engage in care and take their medicine, they have an excellent chance for improved outcomes and a long lifespan.”

A version of this op-ed can be found on the New York-Presbyterian Queens “Health Matters” website.

Dr. Sorana Segal-Maurer is a paid consultant for Gilead Sciences and director of Dr. James J. Rahal, Jr., Infectious Diseases Division at New York-Presbyterian Queens, and professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. She is the site principal investigator for a number of studies evaluating new investigational HIV antiretroviral therapies.

Downtown Jamaica Improvement Council launched

Dan on May 18, 2022

New group will spur completion of projects in Southeast Queens hub

The formation of an inter-agency panel aimed at improving the conditions in downtown Jamaica has been launched by the Queens Borough President and a local City Councilwoman.

The new group, called the Downtown Jamaica Improvement Council, will be made up of community stakeholders, elected officials and members of city agencies.

Co-chaired by Borough President Donovan Richards and Councilwoman Nantasha Williams, the initiative will help streamline communication between all those involved, which will benefit ongoing and future quality-of-life projects, while also supporting the economic vitality of Downtown Jamaica.

The idea came to be after a walking tour of the district nearly two months ago. During the Friday, March 11 afternoon tour, Richards and Williams spoke with Small Business Services Commissioner Kevin Kim and other city officials about concerns of crime, sanitation, transportation and infrastructure.

“We carefully listened to the Downtown Jamaica community about the issues impacting the quality-of-life in the neighborhood and are committing to make sure they are addressed quickly and comprehensively,” Borough President Richards said. “Our Downtown Jamaica Improvement Council will work diligently to fast-track several projects that will improve conditions in Jamaica and make it an even better place to live, work and visit. The Council will not rest until Downtown Jamaica reaches its fullest potential as a thriving commercial, residential and transportation hub.”

Members of the newly formed council will include U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks, Jr., State Senator Leroy Comrie, Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, and Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers and Councilman James Gennaro.

Representatives from the Port Authority, the MTA, the NYPD, DOT, DSNY, NYCEDC, SBS, Community Board 12 and the Empire State Development Corporation will also be participating in the council. Officials from the offices of Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams are also expected to be on the council.

Non-governmental stakeholders will include the Jamaica Center Business Improvement District, the Sutphin Boulevard BID, the 165th Street Mall Association, the Queens Chamber of Commerce, the South East Queens Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, York College and the Association for a Better New York.

In the near future, the council will tackle issues including creating a localized small business grant program and business incubator, tweaking the Jamaica Avenue busway, identifying safety improvements at the Jamaica Center and Sutphin Boulevard-Archer Avenue subway stations, establishing an Open Street on 165th Street, and beautifying the Jamaica bus terminal.

“I am excited about this new task force,” Williams said. “The creation of this task force is another step towards making Downtown Jamaica a thriving hub for people to work, play, and dine. Jamaica is one of the most important economic hubs in South East Queens and plays a vital role in New York City’s economy. This is an opportunity to improve Downtown Jamaica by leveraging our collective resources. I look forward to working with community leaders, my colleagues in government, city and state agencies, and the business community to make sure this vibrant part of our borough is even better than what it already is.”

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