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5 Community Fridges For Giving and Taking

Iryna Shkurhan on May 3, 2023

The NYC Community Fridge Mapping project features 136 fridges across the city and allows anyone to post an update with a look inside the fridge.

By Iryna Shkurhan | ishkurhan@queensledger.com 

In an effort to address food insecurity during the pandemic, community fridges started by regular New Yorkers popped up across the city. Oftentimes they are regular fridges, colorfully decorated, that sit on the sidewalk. Anyone can open the door and take what they need, no questions asked. And If your circumstances permit, you are welcome to leave quality food items for others. 

The fridge movement is based on the concept of mutual aid, which rejects charity and encourages building interdependent relationships outside of power structures. It is powered through cooperation and the responsibility to take care of your neighbors. 

Currently there are 136 community fridges across the city, according to the NYC Community Fridge Mapping project which tracks their location and status. The site allows visitors to post photos and updates on the contents of a fridge to keep fridge users informed. Fridgekeepers can also add a new fridge or update the status of an existing one. 

There are several fridges that closed operations in the past several months due to various circumstances. But these five locations across Queens are still up and running. 

Fenix Community Fridge

Located in Ridgewood, this fridge is run by Beatriz Perez who started the project in the beginning of the pandemic. At the time, she was working at Fenix Car Service on Seneca Ave where the fridge is currently located. With the recent influx of Latin American migrants arriving in NYC, organizers at the location stepped up to collect clothes, strollers and other necessary goods on top of their regular food distribution work. They regularly post updates on collections and events. You can find them on Facebook at @FenixCFridge. 

Astoria Halal Fridge 

In an effort to accommodate Astoria’s Muslim residents, the fridge only accepts food donations that are designed halal. It is located on 3513 23rd Avenue in Astoria, just behind the gates of the Dar Al-Da’awa Mosque. Once a former church, the location is now under the Muslim American Society of Queens. The weekly stocked fridge was an initiative of Little Egypt NYC, a community seeking to create safe spaces and economic power for the Egyptian diaspora. More information can be found on their Instagram @astoriahalalfridge.

Glennon’s Community Fridge

This fridge has been operated by Becky Glennon outside her home in Rockaway since 2020. For the past three years, Glennon has been providing food despite resistance from her neighbors who tried to destroy the fridge. Last week Councilwoman Ariola and her staff delivered over 2,000 pounds of fresh produce, the largest donation the fridge has received so far. It is located on Beach 92nd Street between Rockaway Beach Boulevard and Holland Avenue. 

Ravenswood Community Fridge 

A fridge outside of Hour Children, a nonprofit organization that supports women and families impacted by a mother’s incarceration. It is located near the Ravenswood Houses on 12-14 36th Avenue in Astoria. You can’t miss the colorful fridge with a flying raven and “free food” painted on the door. There is also a space for book donations on the side. Local residents say that the fridge is maintained and utilized regularly. They can be found on Instagram at @ravenswoodfridge for updates. 

Maspeth Fridge

This fridge is located outside of Brothers Wash and Dry, a community space home to music events since the spring of 2019. It is run by Sampson Dahl, who also resides in the former laundromat. More information on the space can be found on his instagram @brotherswashndry or on his website https://sampsondahl.com/.

Old Friends and Budding Mediums Converge at ‘Psychic Night Dinners’ in Maspeth

webadmin on April 5, 2023

By Adam Manno

news@queensledger.com

At the end of a long table, past the Coke carafes and sweetener packets, Arnie Layton sits with his hands clasped in front of him.

The retired IT worker isn’t new to the Psychic Night Dinners at Connolly’s Corner, a red-upholstered-booth eatery in Maspeth. But on Thursday night, he was on a mission.

“Pretty much, I wanna know when my psychic abilities will totally come out,” he said. The monthly outing is just about the only place he feels comfortable exploring his budding talent. “You talk to the average person about some of this stuff, being empathic, they think you’re crazy,” he said.

Arnie Layton, a retired IT worker at Thursday’s Event.

Few people at Connolly’s that Thursday, save for maybe the regulars at the bar, would agree.

“It was absolutely phenomenal,” Mary Ann Gasparro said of her 15-minute turn at the psychic’s booth. “I had an absolutely dead-on accurate reading tonight.”

She’s skeptical about any claims of supernatural abilities. But if Thursday’s reading was any indication, she’s turning into a true believer. Her friends, sat around her and rapt by the re-telling of her reading, already are.

“I grew up in a very abusive childhood. And tonight the psychic was saying, ‘I don’t understand why there’s apologies all around. There’s a male figure, has your father passed?’ I said, ‘Yes.’ She goes, ‘He wants to apologize to you for the way he treated you in this life.’ No one says that! They all say, ‘Your father’s very proud of you, your fathers love you,’” Gasparro said.

Like Layton and Gasparro, many of the night’s guests are regulars at the event, which is run by ESPconnection. For $85 a person (not including tax or tip), diners are guaranteed a three-course meal, non-alcoholic beverages, and a private, one-on-one session with one of the five psychics on deck that night.

Re Jean, the group’s founder, spent the night walking between a side room—where the psychics sit at booths with their tarot cards strewn about—and the private hall behind the main dining area, where the guests sit at tables covered in white tablecloths, anxiously waiting their turn or dishing about their sessions.

Most are looking to hear from someone who’s passed on, Jean said, or if they’re younger, they’re curious about their love lives, careers, families and health. “I think it kind of covers all the big questions,” she added. “The readers try to focus on the big questions.”

And what makes a good reader? For this particular affair, speed.

“These are very short readings. It’s like 12 to 15 minutes, so if you can read quickly and accurately,” she said. “Some readers, they need 45 minutes to cover all they wanna get to. People that do well at events like this are people that can get a good chunk of—I don’t wanna say material—a good chunk of what’s going on with them in a short period of time.”

Jean is a former music teacher and occasional composer whose songs have appeared in shows like Law & Order, Will & Grace, and ER under her real name, Rae Jean Ferreri. These days, she’s busier handling her growing stable of psychics. Asked about the gentleman in the other room wondering when his own powers will blossom, she said, “We get a lot of people that are also very intuitive themselves. We get a lot of psychologists and therapists, we get doctors, you name it. They wanna know! They believe in it!”

City Gate Productions presents “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” in Maspeth

glendaleregstg on March 22, 2023

 The show’s titular women will be played by Regina Fischedick, Virginia Harmon, Margaret Leisenheimer, Ashley Gage and Liv Campbell. Photo by Joe Sinnott.

By Stephanie Meditz | news@queensledger.com

City Gate Productions will celebrate Women’s History Month with six performances of Alan Ball’s iconic play,
“Five Women Wearing the Same Dress.”

The heartwarming comedy will run on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from March 24 to April 2 at the Moose
Lodge Theater in Maspeth.

The play follows five bridesmaids who are united by their womanhood, wedding garb, complicated relationships
with the bride and desire to escape the festivities.

In addition to irreverent comedy, this character-driven play tells a story of hope, human connection and women
lifting each other up.

“The audience can expect a lot of peeling back of the layers of what it means to be a woman in society,” director
Amanda Montoni said.

“I think the play itself has themes of healing and friendship and is a really beautiful story of women coming together and supporting one another,” Margaret Leisenheimer, who plays Frances, said.

Frances is a devout Christian who initially uses her religion to push others away.

“I think her story throughout the play is finding ways to connect with people on a really human level,” Leisenheimer
said. “Frances really does have a huge character growth throughout this play.”

To get into character, she reconnected with her Catholic roots and composed journal entries as Frances. Although this is her first play with City Gate Productions, Leisenheimer grew up in Maspeth and regularly attended
shows at the Moose Lodge Theater.

She is a Queens community theater veteran — she began acting with St. Mary’s Drama Guild in Woodside at age
11.

“This is kind of my introduction back to plays in Queens as of recently, since graduating from college,” she said.
“It’s really cool to be doing a show in my hometown.”

Leisenheimer was a drama major at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in
Manhattan. She then earned her B.A. in Theater and Performance from Binghamton University.

The cast of “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” has been rehearsing for their run since the end of January. Since the play is driven by character development, the actors have worked tirelessly to capture the true essence of
their roles.

“It’s been wonderful, they’re all rock stars. It’s really great to work with a cast of people that is so supportive,”
Leisenheimer said. “It’s been a lot of fun and it’s been a really cool space to be a part of, because I always feel like I
can play around and really explore this character with my cast members.”

“I’m blown away by the cast. They have a connection that is very rare to find, especially in local theater,” Montoni
said. “They work so hard. In every rehearsal, they peel back another layer of their characters and they explore their
characters a little bit more. It’s just been a beautiful progression of character development.”

It was precisely this character development and storytelling that prompted her to become a director in 2018.
Montoni feels especially connected to “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” in particular.

“Reading the play as a young adult first in college, I felt seen in a lot of ways. And then coming back and reading
[Alan Ball’s] words as an adult, I’m like, ‘Wow, he hit the nail on the head,’” she said. “Now that I’ve had some life
experience, I feel like there’s someone who has held my hand through the process without knowing it.”

Not only was the play published the year she was born, but the titular dress for this production is based on the one
worn by her mother’s maid of honor.

Producer Thom Harmon worked closely with costume designer Amy Ellis, who made the dresses by hand.

“We knew that the dresses really needed to be special. They’re in the title of the show, and the show takes place and was written in the early ‘90s,” he said.

Although this is not City Gate Productions’ first play since the COVID-19 pandemic, the cast and crew are thrilled
to have live theater back in full swing.

Leisenheimer participated in Zoom workshops during the shutdown, but she said there is nothing like the in-person
interaction that theater promotes.

“The feeling of doing a play in front of an audience, it’s incomparable,” she said. “[Acting onstage] is this really
beautiful community, and it allows us to tell stories of what people might be going through at this point in time.”

As a director, Montoni feels like a part of herself has been restored since live theater’s return.

“I live and breathe theater and creativity, so it’s almost like I feel complete again,” she said. “I feel overjoyed and
just excited to bring theater back to the community.”

Queens-based artist Sandra Vucicevic painted five original abstract portraits of the show’s five titular women. She asked each actress for a few words to describe their character, and she used them to depict the characters’ inner worlds using acrylic paint on canvas.

“It’s not like a real portrait where you could see the face, it’s just my impression of what is going on inside of these
characters,” she said. “I use color to express feelings…different personalities would have different colors.”

Each portrait is specific to the character it represents, but they will all be in the same frame to represent that they are all women who wear the same dress.

Vucicevic’s work will be displayed in the lobby at the Moose Lodge Theater for all six performances. Harmon hopes to collaborate with Queens-based artists for future shows as well, both to support local artists and add
another layer of meaning to each production.

“I’ve been doing all the PR and marketing for the show, which has been a lot of fun. The show really lends itself to a
lot of creative angles,” he said.

“Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” will allow audience members to come together and enjoy a comedy, but
also contemplate the play’s deeper meaning.

“It’s an opportunity for people to escape their everyday lives and just get to have two hours…to sit there in
community with one another and experience this thing together,” Leisenheimer said. “I think that’s something that’s
really beautiful, and something that’s hard to come by, especially in a city like New York where everyone’s kind of
doing their own thing and running from one place to another. It’s sort of like this huge deep breath in and exhale,
where everybody gets to experience together.”

Tickets are available for $25/$20 for seniors and students with ID at City Gate Productions.

“It’ll give them a couple hours to actually ponder life, but in an enjoyable way, in a hilarious way. They will be
swept away by the comedy, and faith and hope will be restored if audience members are feeling a little less of that
nowadays,” Montoni said.

Ken and Barbara Rudzewick: A Maspeth love story

Jessica Meditz on February 14, 2023

By Jessica Meditz

jmeditz@queensledger.com

Ken and Barbara Rudzewick tied the knot on Oct. 6, 1962 at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church.

“It’s not just mortgages and money, it’s romance as well,” Kenneth Rudzewick said with a smile as he reminisced on the place where he met his soulmate, Barbara.

The Rudzewicks, known lovingly by many in the community as Maspeth’s power couple, or Mr. and Mrs. Maspeth, properly met in 1958 while working at Maspeth Federal Savings Bank.

Ken, 85, met then-Barbara Cheperak, 82, at the bank when he was 20 and she was 17. Because they’re both Maspeth natives and had mutual friends, they knew of each other, but never made that personal connection.

Ken feels it was fate that brought him to his wife.

“I was playing football at the time, the team was having a dance and I needed a date. I wasn’t going to meet anybody at the dance, and I didn’t have a steady girlfriend,” he explained. “But then I said to myself, ‘There’s a cute girl that works at the bank and she lives two blocks away,’ and I asked Barbara to join me. She did, and the rest is history.”

Ken worked at Maspeth Federal during its humble beginnings when it only had 15 employees, and the company has since grown to 144. The Rudzewick family legacy began at the bank in 1999, when Ken was elected president and CEO.

Barbara attended nursing school and worked as a nurse for 25 years at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens located in Flushing, which was known as Booth Memorial Hospital at the time.

The dynamic duo went on to tie the knot on Oct. 6, 1962 at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, where Ken attended grammar school and where they sent their children.

Photographs from the day are enough to evoke a nostalgic feeling – even for those who did not live through the era – as seen through the glamorous mod bridal cap Barbara sported.

“Our reception was at Antun’s in Queens Village, which is still there,” Barbara said. “I still have my wedding gown; I had it preserved.”

They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this past October with their family and friends at West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills.

Ken and Barbara had four children: Thomas, Jill (who passed away in 2012 due to breast cancer), Glenn and Roger.

They have nine grandchildren: Nicholas, 27; Kristian, 22; Emily, 20; Katie, 17; Meghan, 16; James, 14; Matthew, 13; Brendan, 12; and Ryan, 8.

The couple has been on numerous adventures together, traveling as far as Venice, Italy, as well as nearby destinations including Fire Island on Long Island.

The Rudzewicks in Venice, Italy.

Referring to the latter, Barbara said jokingly, “He nearly got me killed that day…we picked up rowboats and Ken had a cooler. The waves were extremely treacherous…I’ll never forget. But it was fun, we made it and we did it together.”

Many of their fondest memories and achievements happened right here in their hometown of Maspeth.

The Rudzewicks can be spotted at most community events, from street co-namings to Maspeth Federal’s annual summer concerts.

In fact, Ken came up with the idea to hold the summer concerts in the bank’s parking lot over 50 years ago, and casually informed his wife about it before a morning stroll.

“I told him, ‘Go ahead, go,’” Barbara said. “I thought he was crazy.”

The tradition’s been alive for 55 years. Another quintessential Maspeth event that the Rudzewicks are involved in is the annual Memorial Day Parade down Grand Avenue, an annual tradition since 1975.

Ken and Barbara also feel it’s important to fulfill their civic responsibilities through groups such as the St. Stanislaus Kostka Educational Endowment Committee, the Maspeth Kiwanis and the Kowalinski Post.

At last year’s 11th annual Hall of Fame Dinner Dance at St. Stan’s, the couple was completely surprised when the announcement was made that the school gym would be rededicated “Rudzewick Hall.”

The gym of St. Stan’s was renamed “Rudzewick Hall” in their honor.

“That was so special. I was absolutely overwhelmed, but so honored,” Barbara said.

“And they spelled our name right,” Ken added with a chuckle.

The Endowment Committee has raised over $380,000 for the school, going toward a STEM lab, scholarships, computers, Smart Boards, upgrades to the school’s electrical service, as well as school summer programs, and the Rudzewicks are proud to play a role in that.

Ken and Barbara attribute their success as a family and couple to the community of Maspeth – being they’ve lived here their entire lives.

They feel the tight-knit neighborhood has allowed them to dedicate themselves to their children and spend quality time with friends and family.

As for their secret to a healthy and happy 60-year marriage, Ken said that luck certainly is a factor, but shared some words of wisdom.

“Never give up on your mate, no matter what happens. It works, if you can do it. It’s not easy – there’s lots of bumps in the road – handle them as they come along,” he said. “And don’t take yourself too seriously…I think a lot of people do. That ruins a relationship. If you lose your sense of humor, it’s all over; that’s why God gave it to us. He knew we’d have to laugh through these things.”

They will continue to laugh together for the rest of their lives – no matter how old the “Ken and Barbie” jokes may get.

Excessive trash near Frank Principe Park affects quality of life

Jessica Meditz on January 18, 2023

Tractor trailers parked there every day, residents say

By Jessica Meditz

jmeditz@queensledger.com

The trash-filled tractor trailers park along Borden Avenue morning, noon and night. (Photo: Lance Lovejoy)

Residents of Maspeth say their quality of life has been negatively impacted since at least the summer – due to the presence of excessive waste material trucks.

Locals say that tractor trailers filled with waste garbage park along the service road of the Long Island Expressway by Frank Principe Park.

The vehicles usually park on Borden Avenue in the morning and remain there all the way up into the evening hours, leaving the liquids to drip onto the street, smells to waft into the air and parking spaces to be taken away from local drivers.

Lance Lovejoy, a Maspeth resident who lives right up the block from the park, feels that the situation is a lost cause unless the signage along the road is changed to make it no standing for commercial parking.

According to the current signage, vehicles cannot park there from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m. There is also a three-hour commercial parking rule, prohibiting commercial vehicles from being parked at one location in a residential area for over three hours.

“The whole park is almost like a garbage dump over there. It stinks, and it was worse during the summer when it was hot, but it’s still going on,” Lovejoy continued.  “They’re waste material trucks, garbage and dripping liquids onto the floor. I guess the drivers, when they do come back, they sit in them for a while and they’re throwing all their garbage on the sidewalk.”

Liquids ooze out of the trucks. (Photo: Lance Lovejoy)

He added that some of the neighbors have even told him that they’ve seen truck drivers publicly urinate in the vicinity.

“Nobody is happy right now, over there,” he said.

Deputy Inspector Kevin Coleman, Commanding Officer of the 104th Precinct, has sent officers to the site to issue tickets to these vehicles.

However, Lovejoy feels badly that police resources are being used for this issue, and wishes it could be handled in a more direct way, as there are more pressing issues in the community that need to be addressed by police.

“Police could be doing other important things than worrying about a garbage truck,” he said.

Councilman Robert Holden is aware of the issue, and has taken steps to address it – including visiting the site last Friday with multiple agencies and civics. In addition, they visited the location at Cypress Avenue between Cypress Hills Street and Vermont Place in Liberty Park – which is facing a similar quality of life issue.

A task force was convened with the 104th Precinct, NYPD Transportation, The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) and the Department of Transportation (DOT).

According to Daniel Kurzyna, Holden’s Chief of Staff, the police will increase enforcement of commercial vehicles parked at that stretch.

“Council Member Robert Holden believes that quality of life is paramount, which is why he convened a task force to tackle illegal parking of tractor-trailers and waste haulers in residential areas, particularly a park,” he said. “His constituents deserve a good quality of life, and he is committed to fighting on their behalf to ensure they have that.”

New Citi Bike stations ‘on hold’ for District 5

Jessica Meditz on December 21, 2022

CB5 votes to send letter to DOT requesting input

By Jessica Meditz

jmeditz@queensledger.com

The original proposal for the Citi Bike expansion in District 5, circulated by the DOT.

As the implementation of new Citi Bike stations for Queens District 5 comes closer, the debate on where they should go continues among members of the community.

Following an eventful Transportation Committee meeting of Community Board 5 on Nov. 29, the incoming installations are now “on hold” pending community feedback — much to the dismay of some residents.

The committee resolved that it would pen a letter to the Department of Transportation (DOT), requesting that the board be able to play an “active role” in the implementation of the program and the placement of these stations. In the interest of preserving as many parking spaces as possible, the committee stated a preference for stations on sidewalks, daylighting and no parking areas.

At CB5’s monthly meeting on Dec. 14, the board voted overwhelmingly in favor of submitting the letter, in hopes that they can figure out a way to make the Citi Bike system work for everyone.

CB5 voted in favor of sending a letter to the DOT, requesting that they play an active role in the implementation of the program.

“A lot of people in the community have various opinions on it, and everyone just wants to make sure it’s implemented in a way that provides the maximum benefit, while minimizing any consequences or downstream negative effects,” Eric Butkiewicz, a Middle Village resident and chairman of the Transportation Committee, said in an interview.

He said that the DOT has scrapped the original map of the draft plan that was circulated earlier this year, in wake of the pause for community input.

The installation of the stations will be delayed until at least January, but it’s not certain as to when residents will begin seeing more Citi Bikes.

“I think this is the proper way to do it. [The DOT] is open to community feedback and how they go about putting these stations within the grid, and I think that’s where we come in as a Community Board…what works and what doesn’t,” Butkiewicz continued. “It seems that the DOT has scrapped or put aside locations in the previous plan that were right outside businesses, which they thought were a good idea. Once they consulted or heard feedback from those local businesses, they found out that it would conflict severely with the ability for them to operate.”

While Butkiewicz feels the recent conversations around the Citi Bike installation have been productive, other locals feel disappointed in the new plans and left out of the conversation — including Rachel Albetski, an urban planner who resides in Ridgewood.

She and another resident attended the last Transportation Committee meeting to engage with board members and publicly discuss Citi Bike in a positive light to demonstrate that many locals are in favor of the expansion happening as quickly as possible.

“As soon as the door was opened to let us into the meeting, we were immediately questioned by the District Manager [Gary Giordano] where we were coming from and who we’re associated with…I was really taken aback,” Albetski said in an interview. “I’ve never ever been treated like that at a public meeting.”

Albetski claimed that she was told the entry restrictions were COVID-related, and that she did not see a Zoom link immediately available as a remote option.

She was eventually let into the meeting and shared her thoughts about Citi Bike to all who were present.

“I just wanted to give a positive voice to someone who is pro Citi Bike, and part of that stance is being in favor of seeing them in the roadbed and not on the sidewalk. Once they’re on the sidewalk, you’re further congesting sidewalk space…sidewalk space is at a premium and they’re already congested. It just doesn’t make sense to put Citi Bike on the sidewalk,” Albetski said.

She argued that the discussion at the meeting to go back to the drawing board in terms of placements of the stations was confusing, and said that this would only delay the project from community members who will benefit from more Citi Bikes now.

“That process should be open to more people besides the ones in that room because I don’t really think that it’s completely representative of what everyone in the actual broader community thinks. You’re saying that no one wants this and that the community is against it, but there’s actually a broad swath of people out there that really want to see it,” she said. “It’s just good to have another option for people when they just want to get around within their neighborhood, and it’s a great supplement for trips that would have been made by transit or car.”

Various letters of support from locals were submitted to the public forum of the recent monthly board meeting, as well as another letter questioning whether or not the CB meetings are actually public.

In reference to the Transportation Committee meeting, Giordano said that all members of the public who wanted to be let in, were indeed permitted to enter.

“I had some concern about additional people coming, to the point where it would be unsafe — especially with COVID,” he said. “We didn’t have anyone standing outside not able to get in.”

All members of the community were then encouraged to become involved in future meetings, reiterating that every meeting — both committee and board meetings — are open to the public.

Maspeth Chamber of Commerce seeks new members

Jessica Meditz on December 21, 2022

By Jessica Meditz

jmeditz@queensledger.com

Maspeth Chamber of Commerce members got together last week for their monthly meeting.

Since 1953, the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce has dedicated itself to preserving the community and helping local businesses thrive.

With factors such as gentrification and the influx of big box stores and chains, the Maspeth Chamber strives to be a voice for small businesses and mom-and-pop shops — but has struggled recently due to a lack of support and membership.

While the Maspeth Chamber has around 75 paid members, the number of active members is significantly lower — between 10 and 15 members participating in meetings and events.

It was stressed at the last chamber meeting, held on Dec. 13, that one of their biggest goals right now is to conduct outreach and get more businesses interested and excited about joining the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce.

“We definitely need more help. There’s not enough active members. We continue with the events that we’ve been doing over the years, but we really want to try and expand our business outreach, give more support to businesses and really be able to have a touch point with them and have people going around, figuring out what the issues in the community are,” said Kristen Sapienza, treasurer of the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce. “Right now, we just don’t have the bandwidth to do that, because we don’t have enough active members.”

Perks that come along with being a member of the Maspeth Chamber include a free listing on their website and a link to their own site, more accessibility and communication with local government officials and candidates, free advertising via events and initiatives and the opportunity to meet and discuss community issues with fellow business people.

The Maspeth Chamber is proud to host community events that have become traditions over the years, such as the Grand Avenue Street Festival in the spring, and the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in winter during the holiday season. They’re also responsible for the ornate holiday lights along Grand Avenue.

The holiday lights along the avenue cost over $17,000 to put together. Sapienza said that while the chamber loves engaging in this tradition, the cost has become a burden, and they are seeking out community support to continue it year after year.

“Every year, it becomes more and more, and it’s a big cost. I don’t think that people realize how much it actually costs,” Sapienza said. “We do have a certain amount of businesses that do donate, but it’s only covering a fraction of the cost at this point, since they are so expensive. We’re really relying on donations from the community…we do receive a grant from the city, but again, that only covers so much.”

Another initiative the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce seeks to work out is the establishment of a Business Improvement District (BID); however, it has proven to be difficult with the lack of membership and the pandemic.

A BID would enhance city services and add additional programs that improve the business climate as well as the quality of life for all who utilize the area — including services such as sanitation, public safety, business services and public space improvements.

One immediate way to support the business community of Maspeth is to shop local this holiday season.

“Businesses over the last few years have been struggling, the economy’s not great, and  COVID and everything, they really took a hard hit. When you’re supporting a local small business, you’re essentially supporting a family, and that’s why I think it’s so important to shop local,” Sapienza said. “With all the other big stores, you’re really contributing to a big corporation, but here, you’re supporting your neighbor.”

*In the print version of this story, it was incorrectly reported that the Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony in front of Maspeth Federal Savings Bank cost over $17,000. The holiday lights along Grand Avenue is what actually cost that amount.

Maspeth family wants you to remember the reason for the season

Jessica Meditz on December 14, 2022

By Jessica Meditz

jmeditz@queensledger.com

For the past 15 years, the Cotoia family has transformed their own little corner of Maspeth into a winter wonderland.

The holiday season is a time when many people become more grateful for what they have, admire the little things in life and make their loved ones feel special through the art of gift giving.

Seventy-five-year-old Maspeth native Angelica Cotoia — better known as “Mrs. Maspeth” or “the bracelet lady,” wakes up and lives her life like this every day, and the holiday season is just another time to shine.

As an Italian and devout Christian, Cotoia is all about giving to others, keeping tradition and being thankful every day for God.

“I’ve been doing the bracelets for about seven years…I buy them and give them out. They have crosses on them,” Cotoia explained. “I give them to everybody, and there are times when people really need to feel God. I’ll pray with them.”

Each year for the past 15 years, Cotoia and her children work hard after the Thanksgiving holiday to transform their little corner of Maspeth, on Caldwell Avenue and 70th Street, into a winter wonderland.

The Cotoia family. Angelica Cotoia is wearing blue.

Her home, easily spotted by its awning adorned with a cursive letter C, is decorated from top to bottom with multi-colored lights, lit-up candy canes at the entrance, a blow-up Santa Claus, snowman and Christmas tree, a wreath and most notably, in the center, a sign that reads “Jesus is the Reason.”

Her daughter, Christina Dimitropoulos, lives across the driveway from her mother on Caldwell Avenue. They embrace their neighborly setting with decorations that connect the two houses in the middle of the driveway.

Passersby are greeted by Bumble, the Abominable Snowmonster of the North when they walk by Dimitropoulos’ home.

Dimitropoulos’ home features a 20-foot blow-up statue of Bumble, the Abominable Snowmonster of the North from the Christmas classic, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” as well as a light-up sign that says “Celebrate Jesus!”

Her daughters, Paula Behling and Graceann Faulkner, and son Joey Cotoia, also live within the circle, taking part in the decorating tradition each year. Her son, Michael Cotoia, lives in Whitestone, but makes a regular appearance at their Sunday night dinners.

Faulkner’s home on 70th St. illuminates the block with Christmas spirit.

All six Cotoia children were born and raised in that original house on Caldwell Avenue, including Freddy Cotoia, who was killed in 2001.

“I lost a son, and I remember telling God, ‘Why did you do this to me? How come you did this to me?’ And God, in my spirit, told me, ‘I know how you feel because they killed my son, too,’” Cotoia said. “That took me to a new place…a place where I could deal with this. Now I’m to a point where I celebrate his life, and he is a part of this life — every single day.”

Freddy is a big part of why Cotoia feels it is essential to keep Christ in Christmas, along with her six grandchildren — all named after the Cotoia children — Michael, Joseph, Gracie, Freddy, Christina and Paula.

“We believe the gift from God was Jesus. because it opened the door for gates of heaven. He was a true gift, and that’s why people started to give out gifts,” Cotoia said. “It was just to show love, and God is love. There isn’t anything about God, that’s not love.”

The Cotoia family’s outdoor Christmas decorations are their way of giving a gift to the community during the holiday season, making others smile with special sights and kindness.

In the past before COVID, they would hire a man to sit outside the house and play Santa Claus and purchase gifts for local children. Locals would come to celebrate and donate, and those funds were given to charities, including Boston Children’s Hospital to support cancer research.

Cotoia said she would like to bring that level of community engagement back at a future time.

She’s proud to continue living in the community she’s always called home, and treasures her deep familial connections to Maspeth — exemplified by her family’s longtime businesses, such as Occhiogrosso’s Bakery, as well as her son Joey’s business, J. Cotoia Construction Inc., with the blue van that can be spotted all over town.

In fact, family legend has it that in its early days, this newspaper’s earliest editions were printed in the basement of Grosso’s Groceries on Grand Avenue in the ‘40s, which was owned by her grandparents.

“I really believe that my gift from God is not necessarily money, he gives me enough to pay my bills and I do, then I share with others,” Cotoia said. “He gave me children, grandchildren, in-law children and extended family that I can’t be anything more than grateful for.”

56th annual Maspeth tree lighting awakens holiday spirit

Jessica Meditz on December 7, 2022

By Jessica Meditz

jmeditz@queensledger.com

L to R: Grace Meng, Kristen Sapienza, Maryanna Zero, David Daraio, Michael Terry, Robert Holden, Tom Rudzewick. (Photo: Zachary Simonetti)

Last Friday, the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce brought holiday cheer to the neighborhood with its annual Tree Lighting Ceremony.

Held in Maspeth Memorial Square, a sentimental corner of the neighborhood, locals gathered with their loved ones to sing Christmas carols, watch live performances and wait patiently to meet Santa.

Musician Robert Laucella serenaded the crowd with classic Christmas songs, including “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

Michael Terry, president of the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce thanked the audience for their enthusiasm as well as the event’s sponsors: 69th Street Beer Distributor, Barbara Pryor, Blossom Nails, Croce Entertainment, Duffy’s Floor Service, Jim Von Eiff Insurance Agents, Maspeth Federal Savings, Maspeth Town Hall, Michael Falco, O’Kane Realty, Papavero Funeral Home and this newspaper, the Queens Ledger.

Congresswoman Grace Meng spoke at the event, feeling gratitude for the district she represents, along with the holiday season being back in full swing.

“Thank you so much to the Maspeth Chamber of Commerce, Maspeth Federal Savings and all the sponsors for making this event possible. Every year, our community gets to come together and watch this amazing Christmas tree get lit,” she said. “You can’t get a better view of the Manhattan skyline than from right here in Maspeth, so I’m proud to represent Maspeth and other parts of Queens.”

Councilman Robert Holden wished the crowd an enjoyable holiday season and encouraged folks to shop locally on Grand Avenue.

He also shared his plan, along with the help of Meng, to cap the Long Island Expressway to “unite Maspeth like the old days.”

“It would be one Grand Avenue — not upper, not lower, but one continuous shopping area and maybe a park or a parking area for cars to help the storekeepers,” he explained.

To add to the Christmas spirit and sense of community, dancers from The Queens Movement Studios performed an upbeat hip-hop routine for the audience.

The St. Stan’s Players followed shortly thereafter, singing and dancing to “We Need a Little Christmas.”

In the spirit of giving, two raffles were held, and two lucky winners got to go home with a brand new bicycle and a VTech KidiZoom Smartwatch.

The highlight of the evening was when Santa Claus arrived, greeting all the children with gifts and a warm smile.

Santa came for a visit at the end of Maspeth’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. (Photo: Zachary Simonetti)

Although the tree lighting ceremony occurs annually, a Middle Village resident named Angelina said events like the tree lighting are essential to the community.

“They really put a lot of effort into it year after year,” she said. “With all the craziness going on in the world, this is something that is done for the children in our community to bring them happiness and spread holiday cheer. I am thankful to be a local and be able to go to these events every year.”

Maspeth Starbucks files for union

Jessica Meditz on November 23, 2022

Employees participate in national strike

By Jessica Meditz

jmeditz@queensledger.com

Employees of Starbucks’ Maspeth location participated in a strike outside the store.

Maspeth’s only Starbucks store, located inside the Shops at Grand Avenue, has become the third one in Queens to file for a union election with Workers United NY/NJ, the independent union representative of Starbucks Workers United.

Fifteen of the location’s 16 employees signed union cards, as well as penned a letter to Starbucks’ president and CEO, Howard Schultz. In their efforts, they join fellow workers from 30-18 Astoria Blvd. and 22-28 31st St. in Astoria as Queens locations to unionize.

In their letter, the employees claim they have experienced mistreatment from managers and district managers, that they are understaffed, underpaid and not given enough hours to work.

“Concerns have been voiced over and over again during our time with Starbucks. However, no changes have been made whatsoever, which is why we have decided that unionizing is our best and only option at this point,” the letter said. “We are the ones who run your stores, we are the ones that do our best to treat the customers with kindness and warmth, and we are the ones who can make your sales happen, yet we are being treated as if we are not the ones who are the reason this company still stands along with your customers.”

Last Thursday, Nov. 17, employees of the Maspeth Starbucks store joined fellow Starbucks workers within Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Long Island, as well as over 110 locations across the country, in Red Cup Rebellion, a national unfair labor practice (ULP) strike.

The strike took place on the same day the company gave out red cups with the purchase of any seasonal drink, and called on Starbucks to “begin bargaining in good faith and fully staff all stores.”

Employees of the store gathered outside at 7 a.m. to demonstrate, and handed out Starbucks Workers United branded cups to passersby.

Employees of the Maspeth Starbucks participated in a strike outside the store on Red Cup Day, giving out Starbucks Workers United cups.

“I think the most important thing that motivated people to be here today in this weather was the misbehavior from our district manager. She is very manipulative and has always been condescending to her staff,” an employee named Azim, who requested his last name be omitted, said.

“This is not the feeling in just this store. If you go to any of the Starbucks in this district, I think everybody would resonate with that.”

Azim has worked at the Maspeth Starbucks for three years, and has been with the company for a total of seven.

He added that people’s schedules often get rejected, and folks aren’t working enough hours to pay their bills, and that the store is quite short-staffed, with claims that there are sometimes just two employees working the floor during the busiest rush.

Another employee, Kelly, who also requested her last name be omitted, said that being located across the street from Maspeth High School causes the busy rush hour in the morning, making the job much more difficult while being short-staffed.

“We should not be told by DMs that we should move up in the company for more money if that is what we need, that we need to motivate partners not to call out or pick up more shifts than scheduled, and proceed to compare our work with other fast food workers,” the employees said in the letter to Schultz. “We should not be told that our pay is more than enough compared to others when at the end of the day, we are still at only a dollar and change above minimum wage.”

Starbucks did not respond to a request for comment with regard to the Maspeth location.

Back in April, Starbucks’ Reserve Roastery located at 61 Ninth Avenue in Chelsea, Manhattan, won their union election, becoming the first flagship store to unionize with Starbucks Workers United/Workers United.

The location has been striking for over 20 days after the company failed to provide information regarding confirmed reports of bed bugs at the store and to set a bargaining date to have workers’ needs met.

According to data from More Perfect Union Action, a registered District of Columbia 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, workers at 345 Starbucks stores in 39 states have filed to unionize.

Those workers follow in the footsteps of employees of Starbucks in Buffalo, N.Y., whose Elmwood Ave. location made history as the first unionized Starbucks location in the country.

Starbucks employees are demanding that the company meet with them to improve standards in staffing and scheduling, along with other bargaining proposals, such as for workers to have the ability to wear union gear on the clock, no dress codes, and a commitment to non-discrimination.

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