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Queens BP Announces New Community Board Members

Iryna Shkurhan on April 12, 2023

Queens Community Board 6 office on Metropolitan Ave. in Forest Hills (Google Maps)

By Iryna Shkurhan | ishkurhan@queensledger.com

Younger, less white and more reliant on public transportation. This is what the newly appointed members of community boards across the borough look like.

Queens Borough President, Donovan Richards Jr., announced the appointees for 2023-2025 term in a press release on April 5. In an effort to make the boards more representative of the communities they represent, new appointees are more diverse than in previous terms, especially in age.

Half of new members are under the age of 45 and close to a quarter are between the ages of 16 and 35. Before Richards took office in November 2020, almost three quarters of board members were over the age of 45.

An investigation conducted by The City found that community board members are often whiter, more male and older than the neighborhoods they represent. Some argue that older members who remain on their respective board after serving countless terms should make room for members of younger generations.

“I would say that the new board is pretty diverse. I saw it at the first meeting,” said David Aronov, a first time member at 26-years old.

Some boards which meet early in the month, like Community Board 6 — which represents the Forest Hills area — already had new members present at their April meeting.

Aronov, a long time Forest Hills resident, is no stranger to the community board. He attended CB6 meetings as a representative while working for former council member Karen Koslowitz’s office in District 29, for over seven years. Then he ran for her council seat in 2020, and attended the meetings as a political candidate.

“It’s just the way to continue advocating for the community, for my neighbors,” said Aronov, a Russian-speaker part of the Bukharian Jewish community. “And making sure that people’s voices, who have felt for quite some time that they were underrepresented, will be heard on the board.”

As a board member, he hopes to help support small businesses in the community emerging from Covid related strains. And work towards increasing access to public transportation.

Out of a pool of 938 applicants, Richards selected 366 individuals to represent 14 community boards in Queens — 116 are new members. Members are unsalaried and serve in two year terms with each board having a maximum of 50 members.

“Now I get to be a part of impacting change and in fighting for equity right here in my home, and I get to do it alongside like minded individuals,” said Marcelle Lashley-Kabore, 45, after attending her first CB6 meeting as a board member.

Lashley-Kabore is the founder and CEO of Girls with Knowledge, a nonprofit that provides girls in marginalized communities with education, support and resources through female leadership. She is also the CEO of Xposure Foundation, which provides financial literacy initiatives and a range of after school programs for youth across the city and in Westchester county.

While she is engaged strongly in improving communities through her nonprofit career, Lashley-Kabore said she felt disconnected from her own community in Forest Hills, where she has lived for over a decade. Before that, she graduated from China Europe International Business School and lived in Kew Gardens for a decade while working in the corporate world.

“I’m really excited about joining with a collective, to be able to help advise our leaders in government on things that they can do to help make sure that all of us have a better life,” said Lashley-Kabore. “I’m excited to bring my culture, my perspective, my gender, I’m excited to bring all of that.”

She began attending CB6 meetings during the early days of the pandemic. Shortly after she also ran for city council in District 29.

“The historic 2023 class of community board appointees represent the best of Queens. I’m immensely confident in this diverse, dedicated and determined group of public servants and I look forward to the great work they will do on behalf of their neighborhoods over the course of their term,” said the Borough President in a release.

Another diversity factor in consideration was mode of transportation. Slightly more than half of appointed members reported they “mostly” or “often” navigate the borough by using the subway. Nearly a third said that they “sometimes” used a bicycle or other form of micro transport to get around.

“It’s important for young people to be involved because we are now able to make decisions for our generation and our future instead of other people making those decisions for us,” said Aronov.

To continue serving on the board, members are required to reapply at the end of their two-year term and are subject to reconsideration.

Seven Spots to See the Bloom in Queens

Iryna Shkurhan on April 12, 2023

By Iryna Shkurhan | ishkurhan@queensledger.com

With each unfurled petal and new splash of color, we settle into the new spring season. All across the city, cherry blossom trees are making a statement. Luckily you don’t have to leave Queens to take in their beauty. They won’t be here for long, so check out one, or all seven, of our recommendations for where to witness the best blooms.

According to the NYC Parks Department, there are three main varieties of cherry blossom trees in the city: Okame, Yoshino and Kwanzan. They bloom at separate times so if you miss Okame cherry trees, with tiny pink petals and red centers that bloom in mid to late March, don’t fret. Yoshino trees, with light pink and white petals, and fluffy pink Kwanzan Cherry Trees, reach peak bloom in mid to late April. But remember, any strong storms, rain or wind can shorten the peak bloom season, which already only lasts about two weeks.

Flushing Meadows Corona Park

You won’t miss the Okame blossoms in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, especially since they are right near the towering Unisphere. Experts say that they are some of the first trees to bloom in NYC. As the bloom fades, you can marvel at the thousands of petals that coat the ground.

Hunter’s Point South Park

This newly constructed waterfront park in Long Island City with skyline views of Manhattan also has a strong lineup of cherry blossom trees. They’re already blooming, so don’t wait too long before paying the area a visit. While you’re there you can check out the picnic areas, bikeway, adult fitness equipment and a designated area for dogs.

Hunter’s Point Park in Long Island City. Photo by David Avila/NYC Parks.

Lewis Latimer House Museum

This historic home commemorates Latimer’s legacy as an electrical inventor who played a significant role in the invention of the telephone with no formal education. Cherry blossoms pop right in front of the colorful Queen-Anne style wood-frame home that is also open to the public with pay-as-you-wish admission. The house is open Fridays and Saturdays 11am- 5pm, but you can stop by to see the bloom out front anytime.

Queens Botanical Garden

Conveniently located near the Main Street entrance of the Queens Botanical Garden, Cherry Circle is lined with a variety of blossom trees. According to QBG, several of the trees have been adopted in memory of a loved one. The Four Seasons Border, installed in 2007, is only steps away and has its own blooms. If you’re trying to see a large bloom, this should not be your first destination. But access to other notable plants will make it worth the visit.

Kissena Park

While you’re at QBG, visit Kissena Park right next door for even more blooms. This expansive park has a lake and several exotic tree species aside from cherry blossoms. For seasoned and budding cyclists, the park’s 400-meter velodrome, coined as the “track of dreams,” is one of the smoothest rides around.

Rainey Park in Astoria. Photo by David Avila/NYC Parks.

Rainey Park

Another waterfront park alongside the East River, right across from Roosevelt Island, is Rainey Park promenade in Astoria. Take in the views of Manhattan’s Upper East Side from a bench with Okane cherry blossoms towering alongside the promenade. Soon enough, Kwanzan cherry trees will bloom on the park’s lawn.

Cunningham Park

In one of the largest parks in the borough, 28 cherry blossom trees sit gracefully just outside the park along 193rd Street. They were planted in 2005 following the dedicated effort of Friends of Cunningham Park to raise funds from city officials and grants. Donations of labor and mulch from a Brooklyn landscaping company made the project possible. Without the efforts of local citizens, the park would be bloomless today.

State’s First Woman-Owned Marijuana Dispensary Opens in Jamaica

Iryna Shkurhan on April 5, 2023

Customers chose from a variety of strains all grown locally by New York’s farmers.

By Iryna Shkurhan | ishkurhan@queensledger.com

With a line of eager customers stretched around the block, the first legal adult-use cannabis dispensary in Queens opened its doors on Thursday afternoon.

Good Grades, located on the corner of Jamaica Ave and 162 St., is a woman-owned recreational marijuana business — the first of its kind in the state and city. The owners were selected as some of the first applicants to receive a retail license in an attempt to counter the detrimental effects of cannabis prohibition that their family experienced firsthand.

This marks a new beginning for co-owners, Extasy James and her cousin Michael James, Jr., a Jamaica, Queens native. Extasy’s father was deported to Jamaica when she was three- years-old following a cannabis-related criminal conviction. Being the eldest daughter of four children, she says that the responsibility of carrying her family forward fell on her shoulders.

“I think the city is giving families a second chance and as African Americans, we’ve been targeted the most,” said Extasy, who was born and raised in the Bronx, during the grand opening.

The store will remain open for 30 days as a “pop-up” shop and then close for final construction. The location will reopen permanently by the end of the year. In the meantime, various strains of flower, prerolls and edibles are available for purchase.

“This new endeavor is a significant milestone for our family, hometown and women in New York,” said James, Jr. who is also an attorney that works with minority small business owners.

A Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary (CAURD) license is designated for business owners that were implicated, or had a close family member impacted, by the long-standing criminalization of cannabis. By giving justice-involved owners priority in receiving the first retail licenses, the state hopes to build an equitable foundation for its novel legal marijuana industry.

“I think this has been a long time coming for Queens,” said John Panella, 73, who has been smoking marijuana since he was 16-years old. He was one of the first customers on line, arriving an hour before the store opened. “They seem to be opening up cannabis places in New York City at a snail’s pace.”

Several waiting customers expressed that obtaining weed in the city prior to legalization was never difficult. But without governmental regulation, customers worried about the source of the plant and whether harmful chemicals, pesticides, or even fentanyl were in the mix.

Ming Gaffney, a 33-year old Hollis resident, said that she doesn’t mind paying a higher price for products if it brings her peace of mind knowing where they came from. She was also proud to support a woman owned business.

“With the opening of Good Grades in Queens, we’re continuing to build on our progress to create a safe, regulated cannabis industry in New York,” said Governor Kathy Hochul.

All legal dispensaries in the state will only sell products that are cultivated by New York’s farmers within the state. Flowerhouse, cultivated in upstate Walden, NY, is one company whose flower products are sold at Good Grades.

Since legalization hit the state, a wave of smoke shops that also sell cannabis products without a license have popped up across the city. At the end of January, the Sheriff’s office raided three smoke shops in Queens, two in Whitestone, and confiscated millions of dollars in products.

In neighboring Richmond Hill, a 20-year-old employee at Plug Smoke Shop was shot and killed during a daytime robbery last month. The store was open for less than a year.

Extasy declined to comment on the unlicensed sale of marijuana in neighboring smoke shops. Instead, she wanted to focus on how the legalized route can serve as an inspiration for the community.

“I want everybody to know that you can have a second chance, if your family or anybody else was wrongly convicted or jailed, you can reunite your family and you can make something of yourself,” she said.

Recognizing 50 Years on Community Board 5

Iryna Shkurhan on March 22, 2023

Paul Kerzner discussing landmark designation at the most recent CB5 meeting on March 8.

By Iryna Shkurhan | ishkurhan@queensledger.com

For over 50 years, Paul Kerzner has devoted his life to taking care of Ridgewood and surrounding neighborhoods.

In the community, he’s known for being the force behind the planting of close to 30,000 trees on blocks since 1983. He is also substantially responsible for District 5 being one of the tenth largest historic districts in the country, following an eight year effort to secure federal, state and city landmark designation status for 2,982 buildings.

This month marks his 50 year anniversary on Queens Community Board 5, which oversees Ridgewood, Glendale, Middle Village, Maspeth, Fresh Pond, and Liberty Park. Kerzner first got involved in community advocacy as a volunteer for the Office of Neighborhood Services. Before the Community Board existed, it was called a Community Planning Council with half the members it has today and only one committee — land use.

“We began this work in 1983 when I was 23 and now I’m 72, and we’re not finished yet,” said Kerzner at the most recent CB5 meeting on March 8.

The meeting is held at Christ The King High School in Middle Village, the same building where Kerzner says his love of housing was born. A visit from Rosemary R. Gunning, one of the first female Assembly members, to the political science club Kerzner was a member of in high school, sparked his lifelong passion for housing and tenant protection.

Decades later, Kerzner encouraged attendees to write to their representatives to help secure landmark status in Districts 2 and 11, which do not yet have city designation. The protection of a landmark designation guarantees that the architecture integrity and uniformity of buildings will not disappear in the hands of new land developers.

“My whole life has been revolving around protecting neighborhoods, improving neighborhoods, turning neighborhoods around,” said Kerzner in a phone interview. At 72- years-old he still lives on the same block in Ridgewood that he grew up on.

What is now being called one of the “coolest neighborhoods in the world” by Time Out magazine was once a place where residents fled in droves to the suburbs, according to Kerzner.

“At that time, the deterioration of Bushwick was staring us in the face,” said Kerzner.

In 1968, he got involved with the Ridgewood Property Owners and Civic Association and later went on to form the Ridgewood Local Development Corporation with Theodore Renz, who is the third most long standing member of the board at 47 years. Today, their landmarking work continues to secure landmark status for commercial districts on Myrtle Ave and Fresh Pond Rd.

“I knew right from the get go, that he was very dedicated to the community and wanted to do whatever we could do to improve the community,” said Renz, who has worked closely with Kerzner since they met at a civic association meeting close to five decades ago.

Ridgewood has always been a multiethnic home for immigrants. During Kerzner’s youth, the neighborhood was strongly German, a bit Italian and Irish, and now home to many Polish and Latinx immigrants.

“Now the hipsters are moving in,” said Kerzner, who is concerned about gentrification pricing out long-time residents. While he encourages tenants to buy instead of rent, the rising cost of home ownership is inaccessible for many. In February 2023, the median price for a home in Ridgewood was $925K, up 45.1% compared to last year.

The Greater Ridgewood Restoration Corporation is planning to unveil an initiative later this year that will co-op hundreds of six family homes in the neighborhood to make them more affordable for current residents. If they are located in the historic district like planned, the facade will have to be well maintained to meet the landmark guidelines.

“I want to make sure that we can protect our tenants now,” said Kerzner who says the committee will work with the National Cooperative Bank to pay owners of the properties full market value while giving residents an affordable housing option. “We want to give the tenants an opportunity to own where they live so that nobody can throw them around anymore.”

“He cares about his community, and he is willing to do something about it, not just, you know, say that he cares about the community, he’s willing to put the effort forward to do something to make his community better,” Angela Miralbe, Executive Director at Greater Ridgewood Restoration Corporation.

Like Kerzner, two businesses in Ridgewood remain anchored in place. Rudy’s Pastry Shop on Seneca Ave, opened in 1934 and Morscher’s Pork Store, open since 1959 and still regularly visited by CB5 members today.

“If you walk up and down the streets and Ridgewood, you could see the fruits of his efforts,” said Mirabile, who has worked with Kerzner for 41 years.

Six Queens and Brooklyn firehouses receive solar roofing

Matthew Fischetti on January 25, 2023

By Matthew Fischetti

mfischetti@queensledger.com

Credit: NYC DCAS

Six FDNY firehouses across Queens and Brooklyn have finished their solar roof installations.

The new panels are solar photovoltaic systems which the city says be used to make sure firehouses can remain operational during emergencies, as well as helping reduce the city’s carbon footprint.

In Queens: Astoria Engine Company 260 in Astoria, Engine Companies 291 and Ladder 140 in Ridgewood, Engine Companies 302 and Ladder 155 in Jamaica received the new upgrade. Brooklyn firehouse that got upgrades include Engine Company 254 and Ladder 153 in Gravesend, Engine Company 236 in East New York, Engine Company 309 and Ladder 159 in Flatlands.

The six firehouses were selected due to recently experienced power outages according to a press release from the Department of Citywide Administrative services announcing the installations on Monday.

Costs for the installation totaled $2.4 million and were funded by the DCAS. The panels will be managed both by the DCAS and the New York Power authority.

The new solar panels have been paired with a battery bank to keep the solar systems charged in case of an emergency. The batteries help operate roll up doors, fuel pumps, some lights, electrical outlets and more.

DCAS indicated that they are planning to expand the solar photovoltaic systems with specific focus on more firehouses, police stations and libraries.

“Firehouses are an integral part of keeping our city safe and remaining operational is critically important to the safety of our city,” Fire Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said in a statement. “We are happy to partner with NYPA to lower our carbon footprint, and bring solar upgrades to more of our firehouses. We know this is a pathway to a more sustainable, safer city.”

Shootings decreased in Queens and Brooklyn: police

Matthew Fischetti on January 11, 2023

By Matthew Fischetti

mfischetti@queensledger.com

Police Commish Keechant Sewell at an unrelated press conference in September. (Photo: Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)

Citywide shootings have decreased due to drops in Queens and Brooklyn, according to the most recent data from the NYPD.

Recent data compiled by the NYPD shows that in the month of December, citywide shooting decreased by 31.8 percent (101 vs 148) with some of the most significant reductions occurring in Queens and Kings counties.

Comparing data from Decmber 2021 and December 2022, new COMPSTAT numbers show that overall crime decreased by 11.6 percent with drops in murder, rape, robberies, burglary and grand larcenies all seeing decreases. Felony Assault and Grand Larceny Auto, two of the seven major crime indicies, increased compared to the same time last year. Throughout 2022, overall crime was up with a high of 22.4 percent compared to 2021 (126,537 to 103,388) while citywide murders dropped by 11.3 percent (433 to 488).

New York’s bravest also pulled 7,135 guns off the street last year , a 27-year high for gun arrests. The seven major crime index also increased

“This work was reflected in the year-over-year declines we saw in the hundreds of fewer shooting incidents, shooting victims, and murders in 2022 – and our neighborhoods are safer because of it. As we turn the calendar over, the NYPD is confident about the future of our department, our city, and all the people we serve. Our team is in place, and we are stepping forward to meet and overcome any challenges we may face in 2023 and beyond,” Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said in a statement.

In a January 5 press conference, Hizzoner defended the number stating that he didnt get better results due to Albany not following his agenda.

“Well, I think the commissioner and I, we have both made it clear what our thoughts are in that area. But I think it would be a grave danger if we believe that’s the magic bullet,” Mayor Adams said in response to a question regarding establishing dangerousness standards in setting bail.

“I’ve stated it over and over again, the bottlenecking of the criminal justice system, the failure to put trials in place in an expeditious manner, the recidivism of people carrying crimes over and over again. I’m going to return to Albany this year to add onto the success we’ve had last year, to talk about things like how do we look at recidivism, the numbers chief has pointed out,” he continued. “”There’s a small number of New Yorkers that are repeat offenders and our focus is to lean into those areas we agree on. And I’m looking forward to the conversation I’m going to have with the leaders of Albany as we talk about these issues.”

Queens’ top news stories of 2022

Jessica Meditz on January 4, 2023

By Jessica Meditz

jmeditz@queensledger.com

Given the events of the two years previous, 2022 was a year of opportunity for many.

It had its ups, but also its downs – and the borough of Queens was no exception.

The beginning of the year started with discussions of innovations in transportation, with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s announcement to move forward with the Interborough Express as part of her 2022 State of the State.

The proposed 24-mile Interborough Express would use existing tracks to connect 17 subway lines, four commuter rail lines and dozens of bus lines, with end-to-end travel time expected to be less than 40 minutes.

The year began with discussions of innovations in transportation, with Gov. Kathy Hochul’s announcement to move forward with the Interborough Express as part of her 2022 State of the State.

It would extend from Co-Op City in the Bronx to Bay Ridge in Brooklyn and could serve as many as 100,000 riders per day.

“It’s time to invest in the bold, cutting-edge infrastructure projects that will make a real difference in the lives of everyday New Yorkers,” Hochul said in a statement. “New Yorkers deserve reliable public transit that connects them from work to home and everywhere in between. The Interborough Express would be a transformational addition to Brooklyn and Queens, cutting down on travel time and helping neighborhoods and communities become cleaner, greener and more equitable.”

The conversation extended to more Queens residents advocating for the use of abandoned rail lines – such as the QNS plan, a proposal to reactivate and repurpose freight rail along the Lower Montauk Branch which runs through central Queens; and the QueensLink, a proposed 3.5-mile long transit and park corridor in the same space, which would connect northern and southern Queens.

The latter became a controversial issue in September, when Mayor Eric Adams came to Forest Hills to announce that the city plans to spend $35 million to begin phase one of construction for the QueensWay, a linear park along the 3.5 miles of abandoned railroad tracks, in place of the QueensLink.

Eric Adams paid a visit to Forest Hills for the announcement.

Friends of the QueensLink argued that the implementation of the QueensWay would shut out any future use of transit on the line and deprive Southern Queens residents of a faster commute and less traffic while reducing pollution and carbon emissions.

“They’re talking about transit, but they’re not doing anything about it. So the key is, if you really do care about public transit, and it’s not just a campaign slogan, then you need to take it seriously and study the integration of a Transit Link, which would be a subway and a park,” Rick Horan, executive director of QueensLink, said.

“Our goal is to try to see if there’s enough value in this project to get it there. But the only way we can do that is to study it,” he continued. “So we’ve been promoting an Environmental Impact Statement for QueensLink, which includes rail entry.”

An advancement in transportation that came to fruition was the completion of the massive Kew Gardens Interchange project after what feels like forever – 12 years, four phases and $739 million later.

The Kew Gardens Interchange is the complex intersection of the Grand Central Parkway, the Van Wyck Expressway, the Jackie Robinson Parkway and Union Turnpike. Its reconstruction allows for faster travel, safer merging and exiting and more reliable connections for travelers to get to JFK Airport and other prime destinations.

12 years, four phases and $739M later, the massive Kew Gardens Interchange project is complete.

The interchange serves nearly 600,000 vehicles daily.

Within the political sphere, the gubernatorial election between Democrat Kathy Hochul and Republican Lee Zeldin was a hot button issue statewide, but also in Queens – with a rise in fears of crime and Zeldin’s tough-on-crime campaign approach.

While Hochul came out victorious, Zeldin’s visit to Glendale and another to Middle Village resonated with many locals.

Lee Zeldin paid a visit to Glendale during his run for Governor.

Even neighborhoods that were once considered “more tame” by residents, such as Forest Hills, were the setting for true crime stories right here in Queens.

The spring for Forest Hills was particularly somber this year, following the grisly killings of two individuals: Orsolya Gaal and Zhiwen Yan.

Gaal, a 51-year-old mother of two from Forest Hills, whose body was discovered in a sports duffel bag near Forest Park in April.

David Bonola was sentenced to 25 years in prison following the murder of Orsolya Gaal.

Forty-four-year-old David Bonola of South Richmond Hill was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the slaying, and police say the pair had an on-and-off romantic affair for two years while Bonola worked at her home on Juno Street as a handyman.

The community came together to mourn the life of Zhiwen Yan, a food delivery worker who worked at Great Wall Chinese Restaurant in Forest Hills and resided in Middle Village with his wife and three children.

The community showed much support for Zhiwen Yan’s family during their time of grief.

Yan, 45, was fatally shot on the night of April 30 while riding his scooter on his way to deliver food in Forest Hills.

Glen Hirsch, 51, of Briarwood was charged for the killing, but eventually got out on bail and then committed suicide before he could do his time.

The murder of 61-year-old FDNY EMS worker, Alison Russo-Elling, in Astoria shocked the entire city.

The murder of Alison Russo-Elling left Queens in a state of shock.

The 25-year veteran of the FDNY, who responded to the 9/11 attacks in 2001, was brutally stabbed in September near EMS Station 49 in an unprovoked attack.

Peter Zisopoulos, 34, was charged with murder in the second degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.

In terms of Astoria news, Innovation QNS – a project that seeks to rezone five city blocks to build a mixed use residential and commercial district in the neighborhood – was definitely the most talked about issue.

Rendering via Innovation QNS.

The project quickly became a controversial topic among residents, as concerns about displacement, lack of affordable housing, gentrification and not enough community outreach arose.

Councilwoman Julie Won, who represents that section of the district, pushed for 55 percent affordability for the 3,190-unit project recently, but indicated her support for the project at 45 percent affordability after negotiations with developers.

The project was ultimately passed by the City Council in November, with 46 votes in favor and one against. Its plan now features 1,436 affordable units – more than double the 711 units originally approved by the City Planning Commission.

“From Day 1, I have stood with my community in demanding deeper affordability from this development–and because we held the line, the Innovation QNS project has doubled the number of affordable units than initially offered, from 711 to 1,436 affordable units,” Won said in a statement.

More recently, locals clamored at the announcement of a new 25,000-seat soccer stadium for the New York City Football Club – slated to open in Willets Point in 2027.

The plan – spearheaded by Councilman Francisco Moya – includes 2,500 affordable homes (with no market rate components), a 650-seat school and a 250-room hotel.

Mayor Adams’ office projects that the development will bring in $6.1 billion in revenue over the next 30 years, as well as over 14,000 construction jobs and 1,550 permanent ones.

Queens Name Explorer project honors notables

Michael Perlman on December 14, 2022

Mapping the names of streets, buildings, parks

By Michael Perlman

mperlman@queensledger.com

Mickey Leigh, black shirt center, among FHHS grads, The Ramones Way, Oct 2016, Photo by Michael Perlman.

Every day, residents take a stroll, relax in a park, encounter a sculpture, attend school, go to work and take pride in “home sweet home,” but not everyone stops to wonder, “What’s in a name?”

Throughout Queens, a borough that is most culturally diverse and the largest in land area, lies a trail of street names, building names and scenic destinations awaiting rediscovery.

Thanks to the recently launched Queens Name Explorer project, the accomplishments and memory of our ancestors will be honored by telling their story, and the public is invited to participate.

“I believe that the history of Queens is one of the richest histories in America, and the Queens Name Explorer project is helping to preserve this great legacy,” said Jason D. Antos, executive director of the Queens Historical Society and author of seven Queens history books.

He describes the street names of Queens and greater New York City as “fascinating.”

“There is a lot of depth and history behind some of these names, and the public should be educated about who these people or places are,” he continued.

Antos was born in Flushing and is a 38-year resident of Whitestone. Since high school, he has been intrigued by Queens history, and feels there are some mysteries that need to be solved.

Jason Antos, Queens Historical Society executive director & Queens Memory presenter.

“There are so many names of families and individuals of whom I would love to know about,” he said. “We must preserve our local history to pass down these stories to future generations.”

Jackson Heights resident Natalie M. Milbrodt is the Metadata Services coordinator at the Queens Central Library.

She not only founded and directs the Queens Memory Project, but serves as director of Queens Name Explorer project, its outgrowth.

“Since the Queens Memory Project’s founding in 2010, I lead a talented team of staff and volunteers who recorded approximately 1,000 oral history interviews. We also host countless public events and workshops on local history, memoir and archival preservation,” Milbrodt said.

The twofold mission is to raise awareness of local history collections and to encourage Queens neighbors to contribute their own history to the library.

“Every volunteer who records an oral history interview with a neighbor, friend or relative and shares it with us, has made a contribution to the way future researchers will understand Queens in 2022,” she continued.

The Queens Name Explorer project originated from a dialogue with their technology partner, Urban Archive, about how to explore monuments and other named Queens sites.

“Currently, there’s a national conversation about how the individuals we celebrate in public places with statues and other namings, shape our understanding of what is important to know about the past. There was no single list of honorary namings for schools, streets, parks, and other public places, so we wanted to create one,” Milbrodt said.

Data specialist Angela Miskis was appointed to mine public datasets for places named after individuals, while a team of researchers under Lori Wallach assembles biographical information about each honored notable.

Geraldine Ferraro Way unveiled Oct 2012, alongside historic Ascan Ave & Austin St names, Photo by Michael Perlman.

“All data is public, but our project is bringing it all together for the first time. Thanks to Urban Archive, we are able to present it in the form of an interactive map, where visitors can locate named places in any section of Queens,” Milbrodt explained.

“Since our emphasis as the Queens Memory Project is on people’s lived experiences and personal connections to history, our goal was to create an opportunity through this map for people to share the kinds of details about those who are honored, but not included in official proclamations or historical markers.”

The public can explore the Queens Name Explorer map and share their story and photos at https://nameexplorer.urbanarchive.me.

“Anyone can click the ‘Add/Edit’ button to share a photo, a memory or report a missing or damaged sign online,” she said.

The majority of data is honorary street names after notables of the past century.

“We want their friends, family members and colleagues to share stories and photographs, which will offer a better sense of their personalities, talents and motivations for the pursuits that inspired their neighbors to honor them after their passing,” said Milbrodt.

There are over 700 live entries on the interactive map, and hundreds more will follow in the upcoming weeks.

“I want to get their names live on the site quickly, so people can begin interacting with them by sharing photos and stories,” Milbrodt said.

This project has no expiration date. “We will keep compiling biographical details in the coming months and years,” she added.

Milbrodt also referenced mysteries, since some mapped street names are in need of bios.

She explained, “We are beginning an outreach campaign to public schools and community boards to help us solve these mysteries, but invite anyone with an interest in local history to see if they can contribute.”

To date, a search through some archives retrieved no results for Gerard Place in Forest Hills, but rumor has it that it was named after a farmer.

Local residents wonder how the Rego Park Crescents were named, which consist of Asquith, Boelsen, Cromwell, Dieterle and Ellwell Crescents, followed by Fitchett Street.

Local interactive map entries include a number of sites, but await historic data from the public, as in the case of P.S. 175 The Lynn Gross Discovery School and Annadale Playground, J.H.S. 157 Stephen A. Halsey, P.S. 220 Edward Mandel, P.S. 144 Col. Jeromus Remsen, P.S. 174 William Sidney Mount, J.H.S. 190 Russell Sage, P.S. 206 The Horace Harding School, Ehrenreich-Austin Playground, Samuel Picker Square and Lefrak Memorial Square.

Stephen A. Halsey JHS 157 in 1949.

Bios appear for local sites, but also await public contributions.

They include Rabbi Dr. Asher Murciano Way, MacDonald Park – named after Captain Gerald MacDonald, Federoff Triangle – named after Barnett and Gussie Federoff, William Cooper Walk, Harry Van Arsdale, Jr. Avenue (69th Road), Abe Miller Way, Walter Becker Way, The Ramones Way, Rue Barry Lewis Way, Detective Jeffrey A. Lee Way, Ilyau Aronov Corner, Alex Braginsky Drive and Nathaniel Schneider Triangle.

Walter Becker Way unveiled, Oct 2018. Photo by Michael Perlman

Milbrodt shared her passion for the larger picture of history. “History is most interesting when I can learn about larger historical events through the lives of individuals. I think we often fail to see how we are all part of history, how much our circumstances shape our lives and how much each of us can impact the future.”

On Dec. 6, Antos, in partnership with Queens Memory, presented “Naming Queens” at the North Forest Park library branch, which attracted a great turnout.

He demonstrated how residents can have a street co-named and pinpointed notables who are honored locally. A recording will soon be published in the digital archives, and the public can anticipate similar programs over time.

Antos is open to street co-naming collaborations with residents and community organizations.

“In 2015, I worked with Bayside Historical Society to co-name the intersection of Northern Boulevard and Marathon Parkway as Matinecock Way, honoring the history of the Native Americans of Queens. This tribe once resided in villages spanning Little Neck, Flushing, Pomonok, Bayside, College Point, Douglaston and Whitestone.”

Milbrodt cited solid examples of public interaction. A main map entry is for Joe Imp Way in Long Island City, followed by a second entry consisting of an image and detailed story by his widow, Marie Imparato.

“You can see that the photo isn’t perfect, but her contribution is so moving and personal, and it’s precisely what we were hoping for. As for the person who moves to an apartment building on that street a century from now, ‘Joe Imp’ will just be words on a sign, until they come across Marie’s contribution,” she said.

A contributor who has superb local expertise is Ed Wilmarth III, historian of the Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department, who told the story behind Chief Christian Hoobs Way.

Another example is Susan Latham’s contribution to an entry for Latham Park entry, named after her grandfather.

There have been four walking tours of named places in Forest Hills, Ridgewood, Long Island City and Jamaica, in affiliation with Open House New York in October.

Another public lecture was led by geographer Joshua Jelly-Schapiro, which entailed named places and their role in capturing local history.

On Jan. 4, the team will host an “office hours” event online to address questions about Queens Name Explorer, and will feature additional information on site navigation and the resource’s progress.

The public can visit various online resources, such as the Project Launch clip: https://queenslibrary.aviaryplatform.com/r/3f4kk95b4r and the Latham Park clip: https://youtu.be/rDYKKX38Yos.

For more information, follow @queensmemory on Instagram or visit their Facebook page www.facebook.com/queensmemory.

In Our Opinion: Local news is not a competition

webadmin on September 7, 2022

Two weekends ago, Councilman Bob Holden honored the late, great Maureen Walthers, the long-time matriarch of the Ridgewood Times, with a street co-naming on Woodbine Street in Ridgewood, where she called home.

Walthers served as the first female editor of the Ridgewood Times, as well as its executive vice president and co-owner.

She went on to purchase the paper in 1983, and eventually launched the Times Newsweekly, extending to other parts of Queens.

Her contributions to the neighborhood also include her involvement in Community Board 5 and Greater Ridgewood Restoration Corporation, her efforts to preserve and landmark the Onderdonk House and co-founding the Greater Ridgewood Historical Society — among many other commendable endeavors.

Walthers passed away in 2020 after an illness, and dozens of people gathered on Aug. 27 to celebrate her work as a journalist and civic leader, and reminisce on her kind, witty personality.

But what should have been a wholesome event to commemorate her life and legacy quickly turned sour when speakers on the mic made strange, competitive remarks pitting the Ridgewood Times and other local papers against each other.

“The Ridgewood Times at that time was the newspaper. The layout of the Ridgewood Times was again, the most complete, the most professional, and it rivaled actually many, many daily newspapers,” Holden said.

Sheesh, Bob. That’s a perfectly fine opinion to have, but to say it on the mic in front of a crowd of people, which included reporters from said papers, is a bit awkward.

Many of Walthers’ close friends and loved ones took turns on the mic to reminisce. The comments got weirder as the ceremony went on.

Outgoing Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan said that local journalism should be about what Walthers exemplified: “fearless, fun and community-focused,” and that although other papers “try,” she misses what Walthers brought to the table.

Another community resident who’s known Walthers since the ‘70s even went as far as suggesting that other local papers misrepresent people and events, and the Ridgewood Times always got it right.

“Any time you wanted to put something in [the Ridgewood Times], *boom* it was in. And it was always put in a great light,” he said. “Those of you who might’ve been portrayed in other papers or in other media and say, ‘That’s not really what happened,’ but with the Ridgewood Times, it really was what happened.”

News flash: it is not a journalist’s job to portray people and events in a “positive light,” it’s our job to seek the truth — the good, the bad and the ugly — and report it to our readers.

Any journalist worth their title will promptly make a correction or retraction if something was somehow taken out of context or misinterpreted in any way. Reach out to us and start a dialogue if that’s ever the case.

The Ridgewood Times has done and continues to do admirable work for the community, and Maureen Walthers’ work in the newspaper business serves as inspiration for all young reporters, especially young women.

But for elected officials and community leaders to make her event a competition is a blatant slap in the face to reporters at other newspapers who work tirelessly to provide readers with relevant local news.

In the same way that politicians represent a community whether people like it or not, established local newspapers influence and serve thousands of readers in the community — whether politicians like it or not.

We should all aim to work together to provide the most factual, up-to-date news to our communities.

The remainder of Walthers’ street co-naming event was lovely, revealing fond memories of her along with a shiny new street sign that reads, “Maureen Walthers Way.”

Based on Maureen’s personality and life philosophy, she wouldn’t have appreciated the needless, subtle digs at other papers. We knew her well. She was a true pioneer in our industry and she believed as we do, in the growth and prosperity of our communities. Local papers are a strength of the neighborhood.

Her work at the Ridgewood Times speaks for itself.

First Female Eagle Scout in Queens

webadmin on July 13, 2022

Kayla Chow, 19, has recently become the first female Eagle Scout in Queens. Born in Fresh Meadows, Chow was congratulated on Tuesday, July 12 by U.S. Representative Grace Meng for her status, and her tremendous accomplishments, after her awards ceremony in late May.

“I am incredibly proud to congratulate my constituent Kayla Chow, and I commend her for this historic accomplishment,” said Meng in a press release on July 12. “She is an exceptional individual who through hard work, community service, and determination rose to reach this great milestone. I was honored to take part in her ceremony, and I know that she will serve as a wonderful role model and inspiration to other female scouts in our borough and across New York City. I wish her all the best for a bright and successful future.”

Chow is a founding member of Scouts BSA’s Female Troop 253 in Flushing. This unit launched in 2019 — the year that the Boy Scouts of America began allowing girls throughout the country to join the program. From that point onward, the flagship Boy Scouts program was renamed Scouts BSA.

Becoming an Eagle Scout is the highest achievement attainable in Scouts BSA. Chow officially began an Eagle Scout in April 2021, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the “Court of Honor” ceremony, was postponed until May 2022.

“Being the first female Eagle Scout in Queens is a huge honor,” said Kayla Chow in a press release from Meng. “I am extremely proud to have earned this accomplishment and I thank Congresswoman Meng for being part of it. I encourage younger scouts or anyone who wants to join Scouts BSA, to go for the highest rank that they can possibly achieve, and of course, it would be great to strive to become an Eagle Scout. Always do your best, don’t get discouraged, and have fun along the way.”

Chow has earned 26 merit badges as of press time, which are awards given to scouts for increasing their knowledge and abilities in a certain area of studies such as cooking, rowing, or camping.

An honors graduate of Benjamin Cardozo High School’s Da Vinci Program in BioMedical, Chow is now entering her sophomore year at City College of New York with a full scholarship, with hopes to major in Architecture.

Chow currently serves as an Assistant Scoutmaster for Female Troop 253.