Category Archives: Feature
Directors of the Our Lady of Grace Soccer Program offered a very special thanks to the International Society of SS. Cosma and Damiano for their generous and continued support at the society’s 20 Annual Dinner. Dr. Jerry Antonino, Athletic Director of the program, praised the charity before a packed house at Roma View Catering last Saturday night. “Your continued support over the years has allowed our program to flourish and grow,” Antonino said, “and has provided or dedicated staff of … Continue reading
Police are searching for three suspects who robbed a Forest Hills jewelry store in broad daylight at the end of March and made off with a dozen watches. According to the NYPD, three unidentified men targeted Kinara Jewelers at 72-03 Austin Street. At 12:40 p.m. on March 31, the three barged in, police said. One acted as if he had a weapon while holding the door. Another stood as a lookout by the door. The third suspect then came in, … Continue reading
A special edition series of bicycles that will benefit the Wounded Warrior Project was introduced last week by Worksman Cycles, based in Ozone Park. The Wounded Warrior Project is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness and provides aid to members of the military who have lost their limbs while defending our country. Wayne Sosin, president of Worksman Cycles, said that they wanted to create a bicycle that had Wounded Warriors graphics on it, which would help raise money for … Continue reading
Controversy erupted in the Queens congressional race when a fourth contender jumped into the democratic primary at the last minute—sparking accusations that the party was trying to split the vote with a fake candidate. News broke Monday that Jeff Gottlieb, a 70-year-old Board of Elections employee and longtime member of the JFK Regular Democratic Club, was gathering signatures to be a part of the primary. Gottlieb, a former teacher, has long had ties with Queens Democrats. He made his way … Continue reading
Queens council members are scoring high on green issues, according to rankings released last week by the New York League of Conservative Voters (NYLCV). Based on their votes on environmental legislation in 2010 and 2011, the glowing report scored each councilperson from 1 to 100. The Queens delegation averaged a 93, trailing only Manhattan representatives who averaged a 95. Representatives from Brooklyn, Staten Island and the Bronx averaged a 92, 88 and 76, respectively. “The current City Council is one … Continue reading
An early morning blaze broke out at the Ardsley apartment complex in Lindenwood on Saturday around 7:30. The fire started in a fourth floor apartment in the six-floor building at 153-25 88th St., near 155th Avenue, and according to FDNY officials was the result of careless smoking. Units arrived at the building and were informed about the exact location of the fire by a maintenance worker. Firefighters went directly to the third floor, and then climbed upto the fourth … Continue reading
More than one month ago, The Forum began a series of articles that were highly critical of the operation of the Waldbaum’s supermarket on Cross Bay Boulevard. There were rumors that the store would be closing and when they were reported, corporate officers began responding to what they called false claims, by this newspaper. In the weeks that followed, residents of 95th Street in Howard Beach who share a street with the side of Waldbaum’s parking lot began to register … Continue reading
After five years of trying to cut through red tape to get recognition for his father’s service in World War II, a Howard Beach man finally received Tuesday the medals his father earned fighting for his country. In a small ceremony at Congressman Bob Turner’s Middle Village office, Joseph Carl, Jr. got to see and hold representations of Joseph Carl, Sr.’s sacrifice. Rep. Turner honored the elder Carl posthumously by presenting eight awards to his family. Joseph, Sr. had … Continue reading
Grover Cleveland High School got a glimpse of hope that they might be able to save their school Monday, and during a public hearing in the school’s auditorium that night, it showed. That day, the Department of Education (DOE) announced it was taking seven schools off the list of those scheduled to be closed and reopened under the turnaround plan. Grover Cleveland remained one of 26 that would replace their names and half their teachers under the plan, but … Continue reading
Students and parents clamoring to save the Beacon program at a Forest Hills school got a boost Tuesday from local politicians. Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills), Senator Toby Ann Stavisky (D-Flushing), Council Member Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills), and Assemblywoman Grace Meng rallied at Russell Sage Junior High School because it’s at risk of losing the popular after-school service. The Beacon program is an after-school and evening program and serves people from ages 8 to 21. Teachers, parents and students … Continue reading
The only intra-borough toll in New York State has been partially eliminated for the residents most directly impacted — in the Rockaways and the small hamlet of Broad Channel. Governor Andrew Cuomo included in the New York State 2012- 2013 budget a discount for Rockaway and Broad Channel residents that use the Cross Bay Bridge to go to and from the peninsula and into Broad Channel and the neighboring area of Howard Beach. The discount is only for drivers … Continue reading
Forest Hills veterans feel like they are under attack from the city. Health inspectors are treating American Legion Post 1424 on Metropolitan Avenue as if it’s a restaurant. There is a C grade posted, and the location has wracked up $4,900 of food-handling fines. It’s been penalized for things like not having a washbasin next to the grill in the back yard and not having a lock on the ice chest, Gene Burch, a 67-year-old Vietnam veteran and the post’s … Continue reading
In a stunning about-face, despite recent efforts to get Peninsula Hospital up and running, the hospital will be closing its doors for good. Hospital workers told The Forum this week that they had received word that the Far Rockaway-based hospital, which has been partially shut down since February, will now be closing after a last-minute bankruptcy filing on Monday. The Daily News first reported Monday that Lori Lapan Jones, who is a court-appointed trustee that is handling the hospital’s proceedings, … Continue reading
Community leaders could get their wish and have signs pointing toward local police precincts. Following a call from Community Board 5 in December, Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley introduced legislation on March 14 to make the Department of Transportation (DOT) install the signs. The idea was floated as new business at CB 5’s December meeting. While members were talking about bike lanes and traffic signs, they decided to ask local legislators to get signs for the 104th Precinct, which is tucked away … Continue reading
Residents of 95th Street called the office of The Forum on Monday afternoon to express their outrage over a man they claimed was partially unclothed and taking a bath in the parking lot at the Howard Beach Waldbaum’s on Cross Bay Boulevard. The homeless man was unclothed from the waist up and was bathing with pans of water and rags—his belongings in plastic bags. He sat near the fence in the parking lot and told The Forum that he does … Continue reading