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Flushing Community, Elected Unveil ‘Sarah Whiting Way’

Dan on April 13, 2022

Family, friends, and civic leaders gathered on Friday, April 8, to co-name the intersection of Holly Avenue and Robinson Street for longtime Flushing resident and activist Sarah Whiting.

Sarah Whiting was born in North Carolina in 1916 and moved to Brooklyn at a young age. She eventually married Julius Whiting and moved to Flushing. They had one daughter, Carol Whiting.

A committed civic leader, she founded the Holly Civic Association and Flushing Democratic Club, as well as an after-school program at PS 24. She volunteered her time with the Concerned African Americans of Flushing, Flushing Hospital, the Flushing Branch of the NAACP, Community Board 7, and the 109th Precinct Community Council.

A deeply religious person, Sarah Whiting was also affiliated with Macedonia AME, Ebenezer Baptist Church, and First Baptist Church of Flushing. She passed away in July of 2017, six months shy of her 101st birthday.

“From founding the Holly Civic Association to establishing the Flushing Democratic Club to creating and running an after-school program at PS 24, as well as her volunteer work with a variety of local boards and councils, the legacy of Sarah Whiting will continue to impact the lives of Flushing residents for generations to come,” Councilwoman Sandra Ung said in a statement. “I want to congratulate her daughter Carol Whiting and the entire Whiting family on the dedication of ‘Sarah Whiting Way.’ It’s a well-deserved honor.”

Also in attendance were Congresswoman Grace Meng and former councilman Peter Koo.

Maspeth Federal Savings Celebrates 75 Years of Serving the Community

Dan on April 13, 2022

Maspeth Federal Savings is excited to start the celebration of our 75th anniversary.

Founded in 1947, Maspeth Federal Savings continues to be a financially viable, independent mutual savings institution that is committed to building multiple, mutually beneficial and lasting relationships with consumers, businesses and organizations within the communities we serve and to demonstrate behavior that focuses on the customer.

“We are proud that throughout our 75 years, we have stayed true to the mission of our founders by putting our customers, communities and employees at the forefront of everything we do” Thomas Rudzewick, president and CEO, said. “We look forward to the next 75 years by remaining focused on delivering a more diverse, sustainable and innovative bank for the future”.

To commemorate their 75-year anniversary, the bank invites customers, friends, and neighbors to stop by on Wednesday, April 20th at 12 p.m. at our Main Office in Maspeth. Coffee and cake will be served and customers can be a part of the bank’s history in celebrating this special occasion.

The bank will also host a “75 Days of Giving” initiative, slated to begin on April 25th, which will consist of a series of events, giveaways and “random acts of kindness,” culminating with rewarding a grand prize of a brand new electric 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E.

“We sincerely thank our customers who have been loyal to us over the years and allowed Maspeth Federal Savings to be a part of our wonderful community, and this celebration is our way of expressing our thanks.” David Daraio, chief operating officer, said.

All are encouraged to enter the raffle by filling out a digital entry on the bank’s website at https://www.maspethfederal.com.

Queensboro bridge closure causes disruptions

Dan on April 13, 2022

Last week, the DOT intermittently closed off a portion of the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge to pedestrians and cyclists.

According to a construction bulletin, shared just one day prior to the bikeway closure, the department identified that the bikeway would need to be closed off on Thursday and Friday, in 15-minute intervals, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., in order for construction workers to lift heavy steel over the pathway connecting Long Island City and Manhattan.

New York City Councilwomen Julie Won and Julie Menin said that this unplanned level of obstruction was not discussed as a potential option during their discussions with DOT regarding the upper deck replacement and is indicative of a lack of concern for the safety of pedestrians and cyclists who use the bridge.

In response to the last-minute announcement, both Won and Menin issued a statement calling

on the department to allow the south outer roadway to be used for uninterrupted pedestrian and bike access for the duration of the anticipated closure since the car-bearing roadway will be unaffected.

While the upper deck replacement project is expected to extend into late 2023, Won said that the possibility of future unplanned closures is an unacceptable cost of the project.

“Closing off the bridge to everyone who is not in a car for any period of time is completely unacceptable and is the inevitable result of delaying the pedestrianization of the South Outer Roadway for an extra two years,” Won said in a statement. “If the possibility of further closures exists, DOT must open the south outer roadway now to ensure free and unobstructed passage for pedestrians and people on bikes at all times.”

Prior to the announcement, both Won and Menin sent a letter to the DOT on Feb. 3 in regards to the delay of the conversion of the South Outer Roadway into a pedestrian path.

“For the health and safety of our city’s residents and environment, it is vital that we make it easier, not harder, for cyclists and pedestrians to get around our streets and bridges,” Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán said in a statement. “I am proud to join my colleagues in opposing this closure and calling on DOT to open up the south outer roadway immediately.”

DOT officials, however, say that the department has been actively engaged with both Won and Menin in regard to the project since they sent their letter in February and that despite the inconvenience caused by the closures, they cannot attempt to lift the steel over live traffic.

“These brief, 15-minute closures are needed to facilitate the bridge’s upper deck replacement,” a DOT spokesman replied. “We are carefully considering the needs of cyclists and pedestrians during our work and have limited the house of these closures to ensure the path remains safe and accessible during rush hours.”

FSSA dance instructor Olivier Heuts says he has walked across the bridge pathway every single day on his way to work for the past 21 years and has yet to encounter any delays or closures.

“It has never been closed ever,” Heuts said. “I’ve never had that problem.”

Heuts said his commute was unaffected by the intermittent closures as he typically crosses the bridge during its peak hours — leaving around 7 a.m. each morning.

He also said that the ongoing construction of the bridge’s upper deck and the increased flow of scooters and mopeds along the bikeway has made his commute increasingly hazardous and far less pleasant over the years.

“To tell you the truth it has become a big headache in the morning,” Heuts said. “For the first few years, it was very quiet in the morning, but it has been exacerbated by all these construction crews working.”

Officer-Involved Shooting in Astoria

Dan on April 13, 2022

A domestic dispute led to police shooting a 27-year-old Astoria man who was reportedly wielding a machete.

Officers from the 114th precinct responded to a 911 call at 9:48 a.m. at 31-63 33rd Street on the report of an emotionally-disturbed person armed with a weapon.

The 911 caller, later identified as Brianna Cortez, relayed to officers that the man had taken “a lot of pills” and was saying that he “wanted to die.”

Police say that the 27-year-old suspect, Eduardo Andrade, confronted officers in the apartment hallway while holding the 911 caller’s mother. Together, Cortez and Andrade have a three-year-old child, who reportedly witnessed the scene.

Chief of Department Kenneth Corey briefed the media later Monday morning, where he described the confrontation officers had with the suspect and preliminary information about the case.

“After getting the mother out of the apartment, the officers deployed a taser,” Corey said. “The taser had no effect.”

That’s when, police say, one officer discharged “approximately three rounds,” striking the man in his groin.

The 27-year-old suspect was transported to Elmhurst Medical Center, where he underwent surgery and is expected to recover.

Two of the four responding officers underwent medical evaluations, but did not sustain any serious injuries.

Corey went on to say that there is a “rather extensive domestic history” between Cortez and Andrade, which includes multiple allegations of domestic assault, harassment and violations of protection orders.

In a video circulating on social media, Cortez is at the scene yelling that she called the police over an argument.

“They didn’t ask questions,” Cortez can be heard saying. “They dragged my 53-year-old mother to the floor, ripped her shirt off, and then shot my son’s father twice in front of him.”

She continued, “This is why you don’t call the NYPD for help. They will shoot you and blame your family.”

Police relayed that the responding officers had body cameras on their person and they were activated at the scene. Those videos are currently being reviewed by the police department.

Video:
https://twitter.com/SamiLiebman/status/1513552253910765572?s=20&t=R3Rf4w7k7KHIlxqBwDUqXA

Don’t Call it a Comeback: Inaugural “Rock the Bells” festival comes to Forest Hills

Dan on April 13, 2022

LL Cool J is coming to “Rock the Bells” this summer at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium with an all-star lineup of hip-hop greats, including Ice Cube, Jadakiss, The Diplomats, Lil Kim, N.O.R.E., Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, Trina, Digable Planets, a special performance by Scarface celebrating the 20th anniversary of his 2002 hit album “The Fix,” and more still to be announced.

Queens native and recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee LL Cool J said that the day-long event, which shares the name of his hit song and SiriusXM satellite radio station, was created to pay homage to the birth of Hip-Hop with performances from the ‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s eras.

“This festival is my way of showing love to the community of Hip-Hop and celebrating the incredible journey this culture has taken, going from DJ Kool Herc’s Sedgwick Avenue rec room, to the global phenomenon we all cherish today,” LL Cool J said in a statement. “Getting to bring some of the most iconic and influential Hip-Hop artists to the same stage, in my hometown and the city that started it all, is an honor and I can’t wait for everyone to see what we have in store for them.”

The style and culture we today know as “hip-hop” historically originated during a birthday party hosted by DJ Kool Herc on Aug. 11, 1973, at 1520 Sedgwick Avenue in The Bronx, and it quickly took the entire city, and eventually the entire globe, by storm.

However, for several years prior to the announcement, there had already been a series of hip-hop festivals, originating in Southern California, which used the moniker “Rock the Bells.” But after a lawsuit in 2018, LL Cool J reclaimed the rights to the name and officially launched his own radio station on SiriusXM.

Editorial Director Alec Banks said that when LL Cool J approached him about starting the “Rock the Bells” radio station, it was his idea to transform what was considered the “old school” rap/hip-hop channel into a symbol dedicated to the long-lasting reverence of fans for the music and the culture, where no age group, color, or creed would be excluded.

“We’ve unearthed untold stories, set the record straight, and celebrated achievements that have nothing to do with chart placements or money in the bank,” Banks said. “And now we’re building something new.”

Hosted by Roxanne Shante of the legendary Juice Crew with music by DJ Mister Cee and DJ Scratch, the inaugural “Rock the Bells” festival will take place on Aug. 6 at the Forest Hills Stadium. For tickets and more information on the event visit rockthebellsfestival.com.

OP-ED: I Have Seen the Future and It’s in Queens

Dan on April 13, 2022

By Vincent Kish

On October 17, 1965, I took the bus to Flushing Meadows to attend the last day of the New York World’s Fair. As was my usual pattern, I went straight to the pavilions in the Industrial Area. First stop was Coca-Cola for a mini world tour including stops in Hong Kong and Rio de Janeiro, then to Travelers Insurance for a walk through history at “The Triumph of Man” exhibit.

The Better Living pavilion seemed pretty lame, but they had a number of free samples, including a new grapefruit soda, “Wink.” Then I went to Bell Telephone for a tour through communications history, “From Drumbeat to Telestar,” and to beep away at the many new models of push button phones and, a real treat in pre-video game days, to play electronic tic-tac-toe against a computer.

Equitable Life Assurance had an outdoor exhibit that included a giant tabulator which tracked population growth in the U.S. In what I found to be a little creepy, their signage indicated that on average, a baby is born every seven-and-a-half seconds, a person dies every 18-and-a-half seconds, therefore the population grows by one person every 11 seconds. As best as I can recall, on that day the total was up to about 193,000,000.

For good luck, I tossed a penny into one of the fountains at The Pool of Industry. There was an urban legend going around that some kid had run away from home and was living at The Fair, fishing coins out of the fountains at night for food money. If so, his income source was about to dry up and it was time for him to return home.

I then walked directly to the Transportation Area, skipping the International and the Federal and State Areas, in which I had no interest, and the Amusement Area, for which I had insufficient funds.

The line at The Ford Rotunda was long, and I didn’t want to spend an hour waiting around just to see some animatronic dinosaurs. So I settled for looking at fiberglass versions at “Dinoland” at the Sinclair Exhibit.

At the Transportation and Travel Building, there was a guy demonstrating The Wonder Knife, a blade so sharp it could cut tomato slices thin enough to see through. When I forked over my two dollars, he assured me that the knife would never need sharpening. Although I sensed he was a huckster at heart, he proved to be quite a prognosticator. My mother would use that knife almost daily for the next 50 years, as would I for the last seven, and counting.

My favorite spot of all was General Motors. Everything about the Futurama Ride was cool, from the comfortable contour seats, the haunting lighting and atmosphere, to the hypnotic narration provided by actor Alexander Scourby.

And although this was my 14th visit, the exhibits were still captivating, although far from realistic as it turned out. The only thing they got right was lunar exploration, then just four years away. But they overplayed their hand by including things like regular commuter spaceship landings. There are still no farms in the desert or underwater vacation resorts, or weather stations beneath the Antarctic ice. And predictions for the City of Tomorrow, a tomorrow already long in the past, seemed to have been based less upon science or urban planning than on viewing episodes of The Jetsons. There are no roadways in the sky, high speed buses, or underground freight conveyor belts. And the only times I’ve been on moving sidewalks have been at airports, and, ironically, at Freedomland in the Bronx in 1962. But, accurate or otherwise, it was all great fun. And like so many other things at The Fair, it did much to warm my 13-year-old heart.

Later that afternoon, I was saddened to see that a number of visitors were beginning to vandalize the grounds, including digging up flowers. I really didn’t want to see or remember things like that happening at this special place. It was time to leave. On the bus ride home I proudly wore my GM “I Have Seen the Future” button. It was one of dozens of souvenirs I had collected over two years including maps, guidebooks, 45 RPM records, Unispheres, a Ford Pavilion badge indicating that I was from England (I was a big Beatles fan), and an autographed (paw print) photo of Lady Greyhound. I still have it all. When my time comes, I’ll leave the collection to my grandchildren. But, I predict, that day is far away, off somewhere in the future.

Pol Position: In a Florida State of Mind

Dan on April 13, 2022

GOP electeds in Florida have passed a controversial new law prohibiting public school teachers from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity in the classroom.

Since it was introduced back in February, the “Don’t Say Gay” bill has been criticized by numerous human rights, free speech, and Gay rights advocates due to the homophobic nature of the law, which attempts to censor speech regarding LGBTQ+ identities.

News of the “Don’t Say Gay” legislation reached a breaking point in March when it made national headlines, after employees with the Walt Disney Company staged a walkout protesting the legislation and demanding the company cease from making political donations and commit to a plan that would protect the rights of its staff.

Since the protest, the company has vowed to donate $5 million to organizations like the Human Rights campaign and others dedicated to protecting the rights of LGBTQ+ employees, and have started discussing ways it could better serve this community in the future.

Yet, despite widespread opposition, the legislation was signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who said that passing the legislation “will make sure that parents can send their kids to school to get an education, not an indoctrination.”

This didn’t sit right with New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who referred to the law as “political posturing,” citing that its divisive agenda aims to “demonize” members of the LGBTQ+ community.

In response to the “Don’t Say Gay” law, Adams announced that he would be posting up billboards around several major cities across the “Sunshine State,” including Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and West Palm Beach, to remind Florida residents that NYC does not discriminate.

Of course, Gov. DeSantis fired back with false claims that the billboards were spent on the taxpayer’s dime. However, these were proven untrue as Adams stated that the campaign was funded through private donations.

“This is the city of Stonewall,” Adams said during a recent press conference. “This is the city where we are proud to talk about how you can live in a comfortable setting and not be harassed, not be abused.”

DeSantis has repeatedly defended the legislation, zeroing in on the restriction over what can be taught to children in Kindergarten through 3rd grade, and shifting attention away from what many believe to be intentionally vague language restrictions on the instruction of topics not deemed “age appropriate.”

He responded to Adams attacks with over-the-top remarks about free speech and the mask mandates in schools–a topic which he was so personally vehement about that he issued an executive order banning them from schools. DeSantis had even gone so far as to threaten to strip funding from schools in Democratic counties that defied him.

“They’re saying you can say whatever you want, but they’re the ones who will force a mask on your face and muzzle you in public,” DeSantis said, directing his attention at Adams.

“I like rivalries with other states,” Adams remarked. “Florida can bring it on.”

But the real question we’re left asking ourselves is who really loses from the passing of this law? It’s certainly not any of the cis-gender lawmakers. It’s the teachers and students who are impacted by it.

Needless to say, Mayor Adams has a solid point… such a proposal would never fly in the state of New York. There are countless teacher’s unions and pro-Gay activism groups that would have swiftly put a stop to it before it even reached the floor.

And although Hizzoner didn’t spend any taxpayer money to put up these signs, he certainly has spent a lot of his time and attention directing his focus towards Florida’s hateful agenda by furthering this contest of wits with DeSantis.

Meanwhile, Adams has himself been under scrutiny from the LGBTQ+ community over decisions to appoint three people to office who have previously expressed homophobic remarks.

One activist went so far as to tell ABC News that he was “very disappointed and outraged” by the Mayor’s appointments, but ultimately decided it was best to move onward, finding there was a lot more they could do by working together.

New York, New York: Put Up Or Shut Up For Rollercoaster Nets

Dan on April 13, 2022

Did anybody place a wager on the Brooklyn Nets to be participating in the NBA Play In Round at the beginning of the season?

If you did, you’re a genius and you would’ve been on an island all by yourself.

The Brooklyn Nets entered the season as one of the title favorites according to Vegas and NBA pundits.

After all, the only thing that derailed the team a season ago was injuries to Kyrie Irving and James Harden, right?

Well, the 2021-22 team has had plenty of adversity to deal with, not just injuries.

Drama has been the MO of this franchise over the last three seasons. It’s always something for this Brooklyn crew.

This year, the black cloud hovering over the franchise from game 1 was the vaccination status of Kyrie Irving.

As we know, Kyrie didn’t get the COVID vaccine, missed a good chunk of the season and only recently started playing in home games at the Barclays Center.

Irving’s vaccination status put the Nets in a very tough predicament.

It’s tough to win in the NBA without your best players and the Nets played plenty of games without Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant.

In addition, they were forced to trade James Harden in late January because he was tired of being a Net. Why exactly? Who knows, but the big 3 from a season ago was down to 2.

To Durant and Irving’s credit, when they have been on the floor together, they’ve been spectacular to watch.

Durant is the best player in the league and Kyrie is probably in the top 15.

With those two on your roster, you are going to have a chance in any playoff series that you play.

After all, there’s a reason why the odds makers have the Nets listed as the third favorite to win the NBA title. That’s pretty remarkable considering they’re a part of the Play In Tournament.

The odds makers believe a team with Durant and Irving is dangerous and can beat anyone.

That is true, what’s also true is that the Nets roster as a team hasn’t come close to forming the same sort of chemistry and unison that you will see from some of the other contenders within the Eastern Conference.

After all, the Nets are discussing the idea of Ben Simmons playing a role in the postseason! The same Ben Simmons who has yet to appear in a game so far this year.

Despite their talent, I am skeptical that a team that developed very little chemistry throughout the regular season is just going to be able to turn it on to go and win an NBA title.

Go prove it.

It’s all in front of the Brooklyn Nets. Will this rollercoaster season end with a trip to the finals that was predicted by many at the start of the season?

Or will it be a script of a talented cast that just is not meant to be champions together…

This is a plot too Hollywood for Brooklyn.

You can listen to my podcast New York, New York every Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday on the Ringer Podcast Network on Spotify & Apple Podcasts. You can also watch me nightly Sun/Thurs on Geico Sportsnight at 11 PM on SNY.

EMANUEL D. ZIRPOLI

Dan on April 12, 2022

Emanuel D. Zirpoli passed away on Friday, April 8, 2022 at the age of 101. Beloved Husband of the late Mildred Zirpoli. Loving Father of Barbara A. Zirpoli, Maunel Zirpoli and the late Ross Zirpoli. Cherished Grandfather of Michael, Ross Jr., Kathleen, Michelle, John Ross, Valerie, Ashley and Taylor and Great Grandfather of Fallon, Mann, Angelina, Anthony, Madison and Skylar. Mr. Zirpoli was a United State Army Veteran who served during World War II.  Mass of Christian Burial offered at St. Stanislaus Church on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 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.

RENE PUENTES

Dan on April 12, 2022

Rene Puentes passed away on Wednesday, April 6, 2022 at the age of 80. Beloved Husband of Alsacia. Loving Father of Jael and Yhoalibeth. Funeral Services were offered at Papavero Funeral Home on Saturday, April 9, 2022. Cremation followed at Fresh Pond Crematory, Middle Village, NY under the direction of Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand Avenue, Maspeth NY 11378.

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