Paul Ragusa, a long-time associate of the Bonanno and Gambino families, at one time was No. 1 on the FBI’s Most Wanted list.

By Michael V. Cusenza
Earlier this month, three indictments were unsealed in Brooklyn federal court charging four men with narcotics trafficking, loansharking, and firearms offenses, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
And the name of at least one of those four defendants is going to sound quite familiar to longtime residents of Ridgewood, Maspeth, Middle Village, Glendale, and Rego Park.
Damiano Zummo, an acting captain in the Bonanno crime family; Salvatore Russo, an associate of the Bonanno crime family; Paul Semplice, a member of the Gambino crime family; and Paulie Ragusa, an associate of the Bonanno and Gambino crime families, were arrested and arraigned on Wednesday, Nov. 8.
Ragusa, 46, was once a leader of the infamous Giannini Crew (named for the defunct Ridgewood café in which they congregated), a tight-knit group of up-and-coming La Cosa Nostra talent that the feds dismantled in the late ’90s after they terrorized Queens via mob staples like loan-sharking, extortion, and arson; as well as a series of armed robberies, assaults, and murder.
Ragusa and 13 other members were indicted in June 1996. But he went on the lam before authorities could cuff him. Months later, Ragusa, then 26, shot to the Number 1 spot on the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Most Wanted list, where he remained for roughly a year until agents finally caught up to him.
Ragusa pleaded guilty to racketeering in 1998 and was sent to prison for 19 years. He had nearly completed his bid – he was living in a halfway house in Brooklyn when he was taken into custody a couple of weeks ago. According to noted American mafia expert and Gang Land News founder Jerry Capeci, an old Giannini Crew cohort recorded Ragusa, among other offenses, “buying a small arsenal of weapons…”
Ragusa is charged with being a felon in possession of nine firearms, including three automatic assault rifles and one silencer. As alleged in the indictment, Ragusa transported the firearms in exchange for $2,000 in cash. He now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
“Criminal enterprises, both national and international, contribute to the breakdown of a lawful society,” said FBI New York Assistant Director-in-Charge Bill Sweeney. “And yet, the allure of this gangland culture is often embraced and glamorized in movies and on television, where the threats posed to our economic and national security are seldom displayed.”

By Forum Staff

Less than a week after the State Senate and Assembly – in a last-minute, end-of-session vote – approved a bill that included provisions to combat so-called zombie properties, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed it into law, thanking both houses  “for seeing a crisis and helping to turn it into an opportunity for people to realize the great American Dream of homeownership.”

The legislation, Cuomo said, combats the blight of vacant and abandoned properties by expediting the rehabilitation, repair, and improvement of the houses, and enabling the State to assist homeowners facing mortgage foreclosure.

“For many New Yorkers, homes are our single most important investment, but that investment can be undermined by the blight of neglected and abandoned properties,” Cuomo noted. “For each zombie home that we cure and for each that we prevent with this legislation, we are saving entire neighborhoods from the corrosive effect of blight and neglect.”

The new legislation includes provisions that will help prevent people from losing their homes and addresses the scope of unoccupied and ill-maintained properties, the governor said, which based on voluntary reporting, is estimated to be over 6,000. Under the new law, reporting is now mandatory, and the number of abandoned homes is anticipated to be even higher.

“For many years, areas of my district – including Howard Beach, Lindenwood and Middle Village – have been plagued by vacant buildings that have been left to deteriorate after their owners have suffered foreclosure proceedings and been forced to leave the property,” said State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach). “These so-called ‘zombie’ properties have attracted squatters, served as magnets for vandalism and other more dangerous criminal behavior and have pulled down the real estate values of the surrounding properties.”

According to Addabbo, the legislation attacks the issue of one-to-four-family residential zombie properties from a number of different angles.

“This new law will impose a pre-foreclosure duty on banks and mortgage servicers to maintain vacant and abandoned properties and prevent them from disintegrating. Mandatory settlement conferences will be improved to better protect homeowners facing foreclosure, and a Consumer Bill of Rights will be established to inform property owners of their rights in foreclosure proceedings in an effort to keep more people from losing their homes.”

Additionally, a toll-free hotline – (800) 342-3736 – has been set up for people to report suspected vacant or abandoned properties. And an electronic database of zombie residences is being developed and maintained by the State Department of Financial Services.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman called the law a “major victory for New Yorkers living in communities throughout the state, as it will give regulators and law enforcement the tools they need to revitalize neighborhoods that have been devastated by the proliferation of zombie homes. I applaud Assembly Member Weinstein and Senator Klein for their unwavering commitment to revitalizing communities plagued by zombie homes by working with Governor Cuomo to craft an impressive and meaningful legislative package. I also commend Governor Cuomo for making this issue a priority this session and by acting swiftly to sign this bill into law. As I have long said, zombie homes are an enduring legacy of the housing crisis, but thanks to the advocacy of determined elected officials and advocates, and thousands of motivated New Yorkers, we now have a law that will lift-up communities statewide.”

By Forum Staff

Eight students that reside in Queens have been accepted to the selective and prestigious United States service academies, according to U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing), who nominated the young scholars to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.; U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md.; U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colo.; U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y.; and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy at New London, Conn.

A ninth student has also been accepted to the Air Force Academy Prep School.

All will begin attending the institutions later this month after they graduate from borough high schools the Mary Louis Academy, Bayside High School, Francis Lewis High School, Robert F. Kennedy Community High School, and Archbishop Molloy High School. Three candidates are graduating from educational facilities outside Queens.

“It is an honor to congratulate these outstanding young men and women,” said Meng, who hosted a reception Monday afternoon for the students and their families at her Flushing office, and presented each student with a Certificate of Congressional Recognition. “They are our next generation of leaders and I thank each of them for dedicating themselves to our country. They’ve made me proud and I know they’ll make our nation proud as well. I wish them all the best.”

The elite service academies prepare college-aged Americans to be officers of the U.S. Uniformed Services. After four years of study, service academy graduates become commissioned as officers in the active or reserve components of the U.S. military or merchant marine for a minimum of five years.

Students seeking to attend the service academies must be nominated by their member of Congress. The institutions evaluate all the nominations received by members of Congress from across the country, and then decide which candidates to accept.

Nominees must meet the highly competitive educational, physical, and extracurricular standards set by the individual academies. Meng is assisted in the nomination process by her Academy Review Board, a panel of civic leaders.

This is the third round of students that Meng, who took office in 2013, has nominated to the academies. The nine students selected this year were chosen from the 23 that Meng nominated.

Since she was sworn into Congress, Meng has made 83 nominations, and a total of 19 students have been accepted.

Meng said plans to again sponsor “U.S. Service Academy Information Night” for borough students who are interested in applying to the service academies.

By Michael V. Cusenza

The extended Finest Family on Monday found itself among the bereaved, again, as members helped lay to rest fellow NYPD Officer Patrick Winberry, who suddenly died last Wednesday after suffering a heart attack at his home. He was 30.

Winberry joined the city Police Department in July 2012 and served the 75^th Precinct in East New York for nearly two years before being transferred to the 104^th in Ridgewood.

According to 104^th Precinct Community Affairs Det. Tommy Bell, Winberry also was a Levittown Fire Department captain, protecting his hometown as a volunteer smoke-eater since he was 16 years old.

Winberry died less than a week after Capt. Matthew Hanrahan, executive officer of the 100^th Precinct in Rockaway Beach, passed away, also from a cardiac event.

PO Patrick Winberry is survived by his partner, Carmela, his parents, and sister.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

Two vital sections of the M Line will soon be getting long-overdue makeovers, according to Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit.

The agency is set to rebuild two decades-old deteriorating overpasses in Queens and Brooklyn: a metal bridge between the Fresh Pond Road and Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue stations will require a two-month shutdown. The work will begin in summer 2017 in order to cause the least possible disruption for students at nearby Christ the King Regional High School, according to the MTA.

The second section of construction will occur at the century-old concrete viaduct that carries the M Line between the Myrtle Avenue and Central Avenue stations. That section will be shut down for 10 months beginning in summer 2017.

The MTA indicated that it will offer a shuttle bus and subway service changes to customers affected by the closures.

In the first phase of work during summer 2017, there will be no M service between Myrtle Avenue and Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue for two months.

Two new shuttle bus routes will serve closed stations along the line, while a third shuttle bus route will operate between the Flushing Avenue JM station and the Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue M station with an intermediate stop at the Jefferson Street L station.

When the metal bridge has been replaced, the second phase of work will start for eight more months until spring 2018. During this phase, an M shuttle will run between Middle Village-Metropolitan Avenue and Myrtle-Wyckoff avenues, where customers can transfer to the L train. The Knickerbocker Avenue and Central Avenue stations on the M Line will remain closed during this period, and will be served by a shuttle bus between Myrtle Avenue and Myrtle-Wyckoff avenues. Those stations are also within a 10-minute walk of alternate subway stations on the L and JZ lines, the agency pointed out.

During the shutdown, M trains to and from Manhattan will be rerouted along the J and Z tracks from Marcy Avenue to Broadway Junction, though peak hour frequency will be reduced by 25 percent. To accommodate displaced M customers, J and Z trains will make all stops between Marcy Avenue and Broadway Junction, while L trains will operate at peak frequency for extended durations each day.

“Both of these structures have deteriorated to the point that there is simply no other option than complete replacement, and undergoing this step will ensure a safe, more reliable experience for customers for decades to come. We will work closely with the affected communities, their elected officials and other representatives to minimize the disruption and address their concerns, and we will do our utmost to complete this work as quickly as possible,” said NYC Transit President Veronique ‘Ronnie’ Hakim.

By Michael V. Cusenza

Eleven months ago, The Forum introduced you to Chris Jordan in these pages.

As the Ozone Park native prepares for a trip to Texas and a shot at a national polo title, Jordan’s family gushed about his latest achievement on the field, and celebrated the man he’s become off of it.

Jordan and his Country Farms Varsity teammates last Sunday took the Northeastern Open Interscholastic Regional Final by defeating Toronto 21-17 at the University of Connecticut. The Medford, L.I., club earned a spot at next month’s Open National Interscholastic Championship at ERG Arena in Brookshire, Texas.

“Onto polo nationals in three weeks,” said Jordan’s father, Scott. “Good luck Christopher, Country Farms and coaches Bob and Robert Ceparano.”

Christopher Jordan gets congratulatory hug from mom, Phyllis. Photo Courtesy of the Jordan Family

With college on the horizon, this U.S. Polo Association tournament is a bit of a last hurrah for the younger Jordan, a senior at Christ the King Regional High School in Middle Village. And as Country Farms is a national finalist, he goes out on top.

Speaking of the Lone Star State, Jordan will be attending college in Texas in the fall, Scott said, and has already signed on with River Bend, a private polo team led by Mike McCleary, head coach of the Texas A & M Polo Club.

“We’re a tight-knit family and we’ll miss him terribly when he goes to Texas,” noted Scott Jordan. “But we know this is truly what he wants to do with his life and we back him a hundred percent.”

Indeed, polo and horses are all that Chris Jordan has wanted to do since he was 3 years old.

One of his first stops was at the stalls at Jamaica Bay Riding Academy Inc., where he soaked up lessons from owners Anthony and Albert Danza, and attended summer camp.

A few years later a burgeoning career took its all-important first step.

“One night at a horse show, Christopher tried polo and the rest is history,” Scott said. “He met the Ceparanos of Country Farms, joined, took lessons, and here we are today.”

Today is on the brink of something special—on the field and off.

“As his parents, we can’t express what a pleasure Chris has been to bring up and watch grow into a man before our eyes,” Scott Jordan said. “He’s grown to be a respectful, responsible, caring, loving, gentle human being. We couldn’t have asked for a better child.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

“I hear you, Queens. We’ve got 850 @NYCSanitation plows clearing your streets. We won’t quit until the job is done.”
That now-infamous tweet was posted on Sunday, Jan. 24, at 12:42 p.m. by @BilldeBlasio, the official Twitter account of the 109th mayor of New York City.
The replies came fast and furious from frustrated Queens residents whose borough—especially communities such as Woodhaven, Ozone Park, Middle Village, Woodside, and Ridgewood—bore the brunt of historic winter storm Jonas that unloaded more than 30 inches of snow on the city.
Elected officials also hopped on various social media platforms to blast the administration for seeming to keep Queens out of plowing plans, and for not closing public schools on Monday.

102nd Avenue in Ozone Park on Monday. Photo Courtesy of City Councilman Eric Ulrich

“I spoke to principals in my district. They said that attendance was extremely low, that buses were stuck in the snow, and we received lots and lots of complaints from parents wondering why school was open in the first place,” said City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) on Monday at a press conference at 85th Road and 96th Avenue in Woodhaven. “Streets like these are still inaccessible, not only to cars and buses, but to emergency vehicles.”
Ulrich went on to say that the City neglected its taxpayers.
“What do we want here? We want our fair share of city services. We want to know why the City of New York and why Mayor de Blasio did not dedicate the proper equipment, the proper manpower to cleaning the streets of this community and so many other neighborhoods in the Borough of Queens. The city failed. They did not do an adequate job of cleaning the streets.”
The Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association said on Sunday, “We thank the many hard-working personnel of the Department of Sanitation. That said, we in Woodhaven are extremely disappointed by the City’s performance during and after the blizzard. Even now – 54 hours after the snow started to fall – dozens of blocks in Woodhaven still have not been plowed once. Sanitation trucks have been stuck on our streets for hours. There was no reason for the City not to plow many of our roads a single time during the travel ban, while other areas were plowed multiple times. We have been overwhelmed with messages from justifiably frustrated residents. We hope Mayor de Blasio realizes that this performance in Woodhaven deserves a failing grade.”

State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) also wondered why schools were open on Monday.
“It is my hope that in the event of another major winter storm, our Mayor makes the more educated and safer decision of closing public schools while cleanup continues,” Addabbo’s statement read, in part.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Forum Staff

As state lawmakers kick off another round of legislative work in Albany this month, State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) has outlined some of his key priorities he hopes to help the legislature tackle over the next several months, including ethics reforms, paid family leave, and education reforms.

In 2015, New Yorkers watched leaders of both houses of state government be convicted on federal corruption charges including bribery, extortion, and conspiracy. As Addabbo returns to work in Albany this month, he expressed an interest in fighting for serious change to existing ethics policies, like outside income and influential campaign donations.

“Since 2000, 33 state elected officials have been removed from office in New York after being either investigated or convicted of ethical violations,” Addabbo said, citing a recent study by the good government group Citizens Union. “That number is outrageous and shameful, and it is time to send a strong message. Talk alone is not enough when it comes to ethics reform. We must take action and show New Yorkers that corrupt elected officials who abuse their power and take advantage of their jobs will not be tolerated.”

In addition, the Senator’s bill (S3004) to create Paid Family Leave in New York seeks to fund partial wage benefits for individuals who need time off from work to care for an ill relative or a new baby, while providing businesses with more productive employees.

“It is unfair and irresponsible for us to continue forcing workers to choose between their paychecks and their families at a time of need,” Addabbo said. “Enacting a Paid Family Leave bill into law will be a milestone for working-class families and businesses, and I look forward to being the lead advocate on this journey.”

Further, Addabbo prioritized the issue of raising minimum wage state-wide, along with improving senior health care, establishing more reliable veterans programs, and renewing mayoral control of city schools.

In addition, Addabbo restated a commitment to supporting reforms to Common Core, including altering a testing process that falls far short of credibly evaluating our children and their teachers.

“It is time to stop pretending that the success of students and educators can be properly measured simply by scores on standardized exams,” said Addabbo. “This process unfairly labels a students’ progress over an entire school year based on their performance on a few state tests, while also subjecting teachers to unreasonable evaluations.” The Senator gave credit to the teachers, administrators, parents, and students for speaking out on the Common Core issues and working with elected officials to effectuate the changes already implemented with the state tests.

Improved transportation in southern Queens, with an emphasis on public transportation, will be a major issue throughout the budget process and legislative session, according to Addabbo. Finally, other issues the Senator wants to promote during the session are assisting seniors and veterans, along with the need to create job growth.

By Forum Staff

A Middle Village man has been charged with attempted rape and other offenses after allegedly being caught trying to meet with a 14-year-old girl for sex who he had been talking to online but was actually an undercover police officer investigating cases involving the use of the Internet to entice children to have sex and to create, distribute and possess child pornography, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

Joseph Sylvester was arraigned last Friday on charges of second-degree attempted rape, second-degree attempted criminal sexual act, first-degree attempted disseminating indecent material to minors, and attempted endangering the welfare of a child.

Bail was set at $20,000 cash or bond, which Sylvester posted. His next court date was scheduled for Feb. 8. If convicted, Sylvester faces up to four years in prison and would be required to register as a sex offender upon release from incarceration.

“This case underscores the crucial importance of Internet surveillance initiative by law enforcement to protect children from sexual predators and should serve as a warning to parents to closely monitor their children’s Internet access and activities,” Brown said. “Despite numerous publicized arrests for exactly this type of alleged behavior, sexual predators continue to be relentless in searching the Internet for victims. Do not let your child become one of them.”

According to the charges, an NYPD vice detective, online and acting in an undercover capacity as a minor child, received an instant message on Nov. 23, 2015, from Sylvester, who was using the screenname ARMYSTRONGNY@AOL.COM and identified himself as a 50-year-old who wanted to chat. It is alleged that the detective, in his undercover capacity, wrote back that “she” was a 14-year-old Queens girl and that the two of them exchanged facial pictures at Sylvester’s request; (the detective provided a photo of a female undercover). The instant messaging allegedly continued until after midnight and were of a sexual nature. At the conclusion of the conversation, the detective allegedly provided Sylvester with his undercover cell phone number and shortly thereafter received a text message on his phone in which the sender wrote it was Joe from AOL.

Between Nov. 24, 2015 and Jan. 5, 2016, Sylvester allegedly initiated and sent sexually explicit instant messages on numerous occasions. After the initial message, Sylvester expressed a desire to see the teenager and was arrested at the pre-arranged location in Queens. In statements to police, Sylvester allegedly said that he had had instant message conversations on AOL with other underage girls.

Brown said that any parent whose child has conversed with Sylvester’s email address, and has concerns or suspicions, is encouraged to call the District Attorney’s office at (718) 286-6590.

By Alan Krawitz

As we approach year’s end and the de Blasio administration prepares to close out its second year in City Hall, The Forum reached out to borough community organizations to get a sense of the working relationship between the mayor and his agencies, and the Queens neighborhoods under their purview.

Their assessment:  Needs improvement.

“The city agencies get low grades for communication and follow-up. They could still improve, and I hope that’s what they do, but I’m not optimistic,” said Martin Colberg, president of the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association.

Colberg added that the WRBA needs to constantly “follow up” with agencies, and that tends to create a false impression that they’re interested in community input.

“These departments,” said Colberg, “are dealing with issues that they should know are problems, but there’s little proactive effort on their part to solve them. They seem to have their own agenda, and that’s all they focus on.”

In the past year, the WRBA said it has had several interactions with city agencies that were challenging. For example, in October 2014, the civic asked the Sanitation Department to end what the WRBA characterized as its unfair practice of issuing tickets to property owners in the middle of the night for garbage dumped on their properties.

In a release, the organization said it had become a common nighttime occurrence for people to leave trash outside Jamaica Avenue storefronts, and for Sanitation enforcement agents to write Notices of Violation in the middle of the night, fining property owners for failing to dispose of trash they didn’t know was there.

The WRBA said this was costing struggling business owners hundreds of dollars.

And although Bill de Blasio wrote DSNY when he was Public Advocate, asking the agency to end the practice, nothing has been done on the issue since he became mayor, the Woodhaven civic noted.

In another report earlier this year, the WRBA called out the Department of Transportation for failure to correct inadequate and “dangerous” lighting in Forest Park, to “years’ long” delays in installing needed speed bumps in Woodhaven.

Asked about the mayor’s interaction with civic groups, some leaders said he needs to engage more with the borough organizations that are the voice of residents.

“Mayor de Blasio is not as active with community groups as previous mayors,” said Joann Ariola, president of the Howard Beach-Lindenwood Civic.

Bob Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, was blunt when asked about accessibility.

“We write letters and fill out online forms and we NEVER get a response,” Holden said, adding that when de Blasio was Public Advocate, his office reached out to the JPCA often.

“Since he’s been mayor, nothing,” Holden said, noting that while some city agencies are better than others when it comes to responsiveness, he noted that the Mayor’s Office is “totally unresponsive.”

Dan Mundy, Jr., president of the Broad Channel Civic Association, said that his organization’s access to City Hall has been helped due to a close relationship with elected officials, including Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Howard Beach).

Mundy added that agencies such as the Department of Environmental Protection, the NYPD and the Build it Back program have been helpful in the past couple of years.

With Veterans Day – Nov. 11 – on the horizon, Queens communities will once again take the opportunity to honor military service members and cherish the freedoms for which they fought.

Here are just some of the Veterans Day ceremonies taking place in neighborhoods across the World’s Borough.

On Friday, Nov. 6, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Queens Borough President Melinda Katz will host the Veterans Day Observance Ceremony in the Veterans Memorial Garden at Borough Hall. This year’s event will feature three special veteran honorees commemorating the 70^th anniversary of the end of World War II.

On Sunday, Nov. 8, at 12 p.m., the Queens Veterans Day Parade Committee will host its annual veterans parade in Middle Village. The festivities kick off at the intersection of Metropolitan Avenue and 80^th Street, and run down Metro to 69^th Street.

The Grand Marshal of this year’s parade will be New York Guard Commander Stephen A. Bucaria, Brigadier General in the New York Guard. The parade is also being held in memory of Private First Class Le Ron A. Wilson, who was killed in 2007 while serving in the U.S. Army in Baghdad, Iraq.

“I greatly appreciate the efforts of the Queens Veterans Day Parade Committee and the respect they show our veterans. An event such as this annual veterans parade is just one small way we can attempt to show our appreciation for the unthinkable sacrifices our military service members have made throughout the years,” said state Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) the ranking member of the Senate Committee for Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs.

On Tuesday, Nov. 10, 9:30 a.m., Queensborough Community College will host a Remembrance and Reflection Ceremony at the Charles F. Bova Veterans Memorial Grove, located inside the main Bayside campus gate on 56^th Avenue.

By Michael V. Cusenza

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr., a Democrat, has represented District 15 since 2009. Photo by Michael V. Cusenza

With the midterm elections less than a week away, state Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) is hoping that he can turn his three-term run in the 15^th District into an even four.

Addabbo, 50, who served seven years on the City Council before being elected to the Senate in 2008, has the decided advantage of name recognition over his relatively unknown GOP challenger, Rego Park resident Michael Conigliaro, who was urged to run against Addabbo by City Councilman Eric Ulrich’s (R-Ozone Park) chief of staff.

Conigliaro noted recently at a public forum that if he hadn’t decided to run against Addabbo, then Addabbo would have been running unopposed; a concept that Conigliaro said ran counter to his belief that elections should always have an incumbent and a challenger.

During his three terms in office, Addabbo said he has consistently “been there” for his constituents when it comes to working towards reducing income taxes for the middle class, providing property-tax rebates for homeowners and renters, and passing tax incentives for small businesses to expand their workforce by hiring veterans, seniors and youth.

Addabbo also talked about helping residents and businesses during some of the borough’s darkest days—the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy.

“I was there for my constituents immediately after Superstorm Sandy, and I have continually advocated for the storm victims, [and] worked with FEMA, Rapid Repair and Build It Back to ensure residents get the services they need,” said Addabbo, who resides in Tudor Village in Ozone Park with his wife and two daughters. “That is something that will never change—I will always fight for Sandy victims until we are 100 percent whole.”

While Addabbo and his opponent may not see eye to eye on many issues, they do have some positions in common. For example, both the senator and Conigliaro, who manages a law office in Floral Park, agree that the state’s Common Core curriculum is in need of revamping; and both men also oppose the controversial homeless shelter proposed for Cooper Avenue in Glendale.

But when it comes to gay marriage, the two men are not on the same page. Conigliaro has said he opposes marriage equality, while Addabbo has most recently, in 2011, voted for same-sex marriage legislation, despite initially voting against similar legislation in 2009.

“I was there for my constituents during the state budget that cut wasteful spending and made our government more efficient and responsive to the people,” Addabbo added.

As far as other contentious issues, such as hydrofracking, the senator has said that “I have stood against the process of hydraulic fracturing since it was brought to my attention in 2009, and remain opposed to this practice for the detrimental effects are great and numerous in such states as Pennsylvania, which had adopted hydraulic fracturing operations several years prior.”

To that end, Addabbo cosponsored legislation to suspend fracking for the extraction of natural gas or oil, and prohibited the issuance of new permits for the drilling of a well utilizing the practice of fracking.

Additionally, the senator has said he has helped his constituents in working towards improved public transportation, including advocating for a permanent Rockaway ferry and working to find a solution to traffic problems on Woodhaven and Cross Bay boulevards.

Addabbo noted that he has shown his willingness to get involved in issues great and small across the 15^th District, which includes—in whole or in part—Broad Channel, Elmhurst, Forest Hills, Glendale, Hamilton Beach, Howard Beach, Kew Gardens, Kew Gardens Hills, Maspeth, Middle Village, Ozone Park, Rego Park, Richmond Hill, Ridgewood, South Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Woodside and the Rockaways. For example, next month, he is bringing the Mobile Care Clinic to several locations in the district to provide women with low-cost and free mammograms and breast exams.

“With the support of my district, it would be a continued honor to serve them as a full time senator and be there whenever needed,” Addabbo said.

By Alan Krawitz

Sciaraffo visiting a home in wake of Hurricane Sandy. Photos courtesy Michael Sciaraffo

It’s never too early for Santa to start loading his sleigh.

Toys cover Sciaraffo’s apparment. Photos courtesy Michael Sciaraffo

A toy drive called Secret Sandy Claus, started by Michael Sciaraffo two years ago after Hurricane Sandy, started to collect toys last week with hopes of bringing smiles to Sandy-stricken kids throughout the borough. It marked the third consecutive year the Santa-style savior was in operation, and Sciaraffo said he expects it to be bigger than ever.

For the second year in a row, the Brooklyn native teamed up with Pat’s Sport Bar of Middle Village, located at 73-13 Metropolitan Ave. to help push the project forward. The bar hosted a Christmas in August night earlier this mont  and asked all that attended to bring a toy for donation.

While Sciaraffo said he tries not to collect toys before the fall, a period that he calls “Santa’s offseason,” he was still very happy to have the support of the bar.

“We are very happy to have their support,” he said. “These are the relationships that we need to build to keep this program going every year.”

Sciaraffo said the whole idea started in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy because he wanted to help those in need and organized a supply drive to collect and bring food, water and clothing to those who needed it. He started out by hanging up flyers around the neighborhood and ended up receiving a ton of supplies.

“It was a little overwhelming,” he said. “After that day I thought about what else I could do, and decided to have a toy drive for kids that lost their toys in the storm.”

Eventually, Sciaraffo said he spread the word in the same way on his first day collecting. Eventually, he ended up with 200 toys, and decided he would dress up like Santa Claus and bring them to the houses of those kids that were affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Michael Sciaraffo delivers gifts to a home affected by Sandy. Photos courtesy Michael Sciaraffo

After news outlets heard about his cause, it continued to grow. Sciaraffo received not only donations of toys, but also those of food, water, clothing, supplies, furniture and more items that people in need coveted at this time.

He then created an online database so people could sign up for the items that they need and he would rent a truck weekly and bring the supplies to those people. It was around this time that Sciaraffo started collecting air conditioners and installing them for senior citizens.

Most recently, the organizer said a lot of celebrities wanted to contribute, including the band Sevendust, actor Jamie Kennedy and former New York Yankees, Roger Clemens, David Cone and Reggie Jackson.

“If a celebrity wants to dress up as Santa and deliver toys or show up to an event, it is great,” Sciaraffo said.

In the second year of the toy drive, he expanded to include all areas affected by Hurricane Sandy. Sciaraffo eventually recruited 200 volunteers, which he called his Santas and Elves.

Each affected location was stationed at a “North Pole” location, where they can store toys and keep a list of kids that registered for them, and is headed by a head elf, the program said. These locations held local toy drives, collected them, and sorted them for children in need.

Children showing off their presents from Sandy Claus. Photos courtesy Michael Sciaraffo

Last year, in total, this operation collected over 15,000 toys, and personally delivered to 3,000 kids in New York and New Jersey, Sciaraffo said. The other 12,000 toys were delivered in bulk to different shelters, churches and organizations.

Sciaraffo said once the name got out it really took off. Even an Oklahoma north pole was developed last year, which serviced children that were affected by the tornadoes.

“We had different businesses hosting toy drives, Party City donated costumes, and everyone wanted to help,” he said.

Looking ahead, Sciaraffo said he hopes his organization will continue to grow and lighten the burdens of both kids and their parents for holiday seasons to come.

“We have a lot of ideas of how we want to expand,” he said. “We hope to one day provide kids in need all over the country, or even the world, with toys.”

A nomination. Ice water. A bucket. Pat Quinn.

In 2012, 29-year-old former Boston College Eagles baseball team captain Pete Frates was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Just a year later, Howard Beach resident Pat Quinn was also diagnosed.

After his diagnosis, he sought support from Frates. What has arisen from the union of the two men, their disease and their cause, is a social media sensation sweeping the nation.

The challenge has been used before —but Quinn’s idea to introduce it to the ALS fundraising arena has resulted in staggering increases to ALS-related causes and research.

For the same time period in 2013,  late July through early August, donations were recorded around $25,000.  For the same time period this year, the figure has gone wailing past $2 million.

The videos first birthed in the Boston College and New York communities are drawing “viral” audiences across the nation.

The 31-year-old said he did not know much about ALS when he learned of his diagnosis in March 2013, which led him to read up his dismal prognosis.

The odds were against him, but with the support of family, friends and his incredibly strong wife, Jenn, Quinn said he decided early on that he would do all he could to battle this disease. He said he decided putting the Ice Bucket Challenge to good use was a start. The rest is Facebook history.

“In the beginning, I had to force all of my friends to do it. My goal was just to get the word out – to raise ALS awareness and money,” said Quinn. “I wanted to make a change.”

To say he has achieved his goal is an understatement. The movement has since turned into the same kinds of videos recorded over and over of people getting drenched in freezing cold water showing up on Facebook newsfeeds across the globe.

With close ties to Rockaway residents through Iona College, the challenge began to flood the pages of Rockaway, Breezy and Broad Channel Facebookers first. From there, it has gone up and down the east coast, across the country, and internationally.

“From celebrities to athletes, it’s mind-blowing how big this has gotten,” Quinn said.  “I got a message from a woman in Canada with an article from a French newspaper. The only thing I understood on the whole page was my name!”

Quinn tried to put a number on the amount of people who have taken the challenge, but said it has been impossible to keep track.

For Quinn, life has not been easy. Every day gets tougher. He said he hopes the disease progresses slower than expected as his arms and legs have gotten weaker.

“Nothing has changed in ALS research since Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech 75 years ago,” Quinn said. “There is only one drug that has been found to help patients with ALS.”

The drug he was referring to is known as Rilutek, which is not a cure, and is said to increase life expectancy for only three to nine months. ALS has no cure and life expectancy is two to five years, according to statistics.

So why haven’t things changed?

Unlike cancer, the number of people who get ALS each year is in the thousands instead of the millions. And since life expectancy is so short, medical professionals do not have much time to make an impact in the fight for a cure, Quinn said.

“You can’t compare two diseases,” said Quinn. “But when the population who get a disease is small and life expectancy is so short, we have less of a voice.”

The silver lining, Quinn said, was the challenge’s popularity helping to draw much more attention to the condition. But while Facebook has been blowing up, some have criticized the campaign’s effectiveness, questioning peoples’ intentions and debating whether or not pouring water over one’s head is helping the cause.

Quinn was quick to rebut.

“Without a doubt the challenge has brought a new sense of awareness. It doesn’t matter why people are doing it. People were not talking about ALS before and now they are,” he said. “That’s the first step. Next comes the money, which means more research.”

As for the affect the Internet phenomenon has had on ALS patients, Quinn said the ALS community has always been closely knit and this made it even stronger.

“So many people have reached out to me, thanking me and sharing stories of how this has inspired them and given them a sense of hope,” he said.

And the numbers have not lied. Bill Toet, Chairman of the ALS Association said his group has received $2.3 million in donations from July 29 to August 12, compared to $25,000 over the same period last year.

For Quinn, the success of the Ice Bucket Challenge has been so much more than he ever expected and has given him the drive to stay focused on the fight.

“Sometimes, it is easy to question why certain things happen to you, but I believe this hand has been dealt to me for a reason and I’m not giving up,” he said.

By Jamie Pisani

A 60-day review of the city’s 911 response system underscores a series of flaws the city has taken steps to rectify. File Photo

Emergency response reforms are in the red, according to a report from city Comptroller Scott Stringer.

A Stringer audit found the city’s own Emergency Communications Transformation Program to be riddled with flaws and shortcomings despite its best intentions of strengthening 911 response abilities. In a statement, the comptroller called the system poorly structured, overly reliant on consultants and ineffectively monitored – which resulted in years of delays and hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars wasted.

Stringer, along with other city officials, said the ECTP was supposed to undergo a five-year-long facelift, but poor oversight moved that estimate to 15 years with an end date now no sooner than 2018. The latest audit came in response to Mayor Bill de Blasio calls for a 60-day review of the entire system.

“Instead of strong city governance, the program outsourced critical responsibilities to consultants who were insufficiently accountable to the city,” the comptroller said in a statement. “I commend Mayor de Blasio for initiating this much needed inter-agency review.”

The comptroller’s review found the program estimated capital costs around $1.345 billion in 2004 before watching costs grow 73 percent to $2.326 billion as of last month. His audit also argued that a lack of transparency led to a failure to disclose all taxpayer dollars being spent in the name of ECTP reform, which he said was in excess of $200 million.

“Layers of consultants, middle-men and outsourcing have resulted in 10 years of delays and hundreds of millions in cost overruns to the city’s upgrade of its 911 system,” Stringer said. “This program produced an outrageous waste of funds due to the lack of oversight and accountability.  “It’s time to fix this boondoggle once and for all.”

De Blasio called for the review back in May, when he said ECTP was both over budget and years behind where former Mayor Michael Bloomberg hoped it would be.  The 60-day review allowed for several key changes to the structure and leadership of the program, de Blasio said, which included putting the city in charge of the program’s strategy, infusing stakeholder agencies like the NYPD and FDNY into the mix and cutting consultant costs to trim unnecessary work.

“As public servants, our first priority is public safety, and we do not take that charge lightly. That is why this administration ordered this review, and it’s why the changes we have outlined today will improve the city’s emergency response communications program for generations to come,” de Blasio said. “We have identified the problems that have long plagued the ECTP, and we’re committed to taking the necessary corrective action to ensure the program is brought back on track, within our means and ahead of schedule.”

Bloomberg first introduced the overhaul in 2005, budgeted at $1.3 million to streamline the city’s emergency response preparedness, but those efforts were proven ineffective after new reports clocked emergency response times for FDNY ambulances at almost 10 minutes.

City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village), who also chairs the Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services, remained a consistent critic of the entire system over recent years and applauded the commitments to improve.

“Today marks a significant step in fixing our City’s flawed 911 call taking system,” she said back in May, when the city suspended the program for the review. “In an attempt by the Bloomberg administration to oversimplify a complicated multi-departmental service, the system became too heavily centralized within the NYPD and created more problems than it solved. A nearly nine and a half minute average emergency medical response time is unacceptable and irresponsible.”

By Phil Corso

Members of the 102nd Precinct Community Council join with Deputy Inspector Henry Sautner for the National Night Out festivities.
Photo by Phil Corso.

There were parties all over the city Tuesday night and southern Queens came out in big numbers to support the police precincts that patrol the region.

106th Precinct Deputy Inspector Jeffrey Schiff receives a proclamation from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office at the southern Queens precinct’s National Night Out.
Photo by Phil Corso

The city Police Department hosted its annual National Night Out Against Crime this week with well-attended festivities planned in countless precincts throughout all five boroughs. Central and southern Queens precincts, including the 102^nd, 104^th, 106^th and 112^th, were no exception.

The 102^nd Precinct, which oversees communities like Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill and Woodhaven, kicked off its annual event at the Buddy Memorial Monument, located at Park Lane South and Myrtle Avenue around 6 p.m. Tuesday night. Elected officials made their rounds and shook hands with precinct leaders and Community Council members while enjoying free food and music.

“The important thing is to see a lot of positive energy in the community,” said Maksud Khan, a resident who lives minutes away from the Buddy Memorial Monument in southern Queens. “Everybody here is smiling.”

Latchman Budhai, president of the 102^nd Community Council, introduced Deputy Inspector Henry Sautner as well as several borough elected officials, including U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing), state Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven), state Assemblyman Michael Simanowitz (D-Flushing), city Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills) and more.

“When the deputy inspector is here, everything is good,” Budhai said of Sautner. “He does a great job for our community.”

The 104^th Precinct, which serves central Queens communities like Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village and Ridgewood, hosted its event at Mafera Park and offered plenty of attractions for children. There was even a water slide, regular slide, bounce houses, balloon animals and a dunk tank.

The central Queens 104th Precinct offers up plenty of fun for the whole family with inflatable rides serving as only one attraction at its National Night Out Against Crime on Tuesday. Photo by Michael Florio

The precinct supplied free hot dogs and hamburgers to all in attendance as well as a DJ and dancing. The Ridgewood YMCA, located at 69-02 64^th Street, provided free aerobics, led by one of their instructors, for all those willing to participate.

“Tonight is about everyone getting an opportunity to meet the police officers,” said Mario Matos, President of the 104’s Community Council. “They get to learn what is going on in the precinct, share their stories and more importantly learn how to stay safe.”

The 106^th Precinct of Howard Beach and other southern Queens communities kicked off its own event at Police officer Edward Byrne Park, located at the intersection of North Conduit Avenue and 134^th Street in South Ozone Park Tuesday evening. There, Deputy Inspector Jeffrey Schiff shook hands with residents and elected officials while doling out awards to members of the community.

Vincent Vella also received a community service award for his decades of activism and involvement in the Howard Beach and Ozone Park communities, the 106^th Precinct said.

The 112^th Precinct, which serves Forest Hills and its surrounding central Queens communities, was said to have had one of the biggest turnouts throughout the entire borough, Borough President Melinda Katz said. There, elected officials took up the daunting tasks of easing community tension after last month’s tragic death of Staten Island resident Eric Garner during a controversial arrest.

112th Precinct Community Council President Heidi Chain emcees part of her National Night Out festivities in Forest Hills alongside Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.
Photo by Joseph Randazzao.

Executive Assistant District Attorney Jesse J. Sligh. Sligh vocalized the importance of cooperation between the community and NYPD to ease any angst created by Garner’s death.

“Every little thing that people do in partnership with each other helps to ease tension and build bridges,” Sligh said. “No matter how small it is every little thing we do together is important.”

Koslowitz also spoke of Garner’s death, but took a more critical stance against the officers involved.

“Eric Garner was a tragic thing that happened,” said Koslowitz. “I think we need to have a little more caring for people and people’s lives. They were a little too rough.”

But despite any misfortune the Garner family has been afflicted with, Koslowitz said she believes the Night Out rallies are put in place to remedy any strained relationships between police and the neighborhoods they preside over.

National Night Out Against Crime started in 1984 by the non-profit organization National Association of Town Watch, in an effort to promote crime prevention, neighborhood camaraderie and police-community partnerships. Precincts all over the country participate and gather the first Tuesday in August.

Michael Florio and Joseph Randazzo contributed to this report.

By The Forum staff

National Night Out Against Crime festivities are scheduled for Tuesday evening across the borough. File Photo

Central and southern Queens police precincts rolled out their plans for this year’s National Night Out against crime, scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 5.

Area precincts, including the 100^th, 102^nd, 104^th,  106^th and 112^th, all announced unique events in their respective beats across the borough as the Police Department continued its summer celebration tradition. Precincts and their respective community councils citywide have been coming together for years once a year in recognition of the Night Out festivities with events featuring barbecues, games and other family activities.

The 100^th Precinct, which serves the Rockaway Peninsula, announced its National Night Out event for Aug. 5 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the hockey rink located at Beach 108^th Street and Shore Front Parkway. Some of the highlights for this year included Kings of the DJ’s Eddy Pastore, free popcorn, cotton candy, ices, face painting, caricature portraits, carnival games and even a karate show. Copy of the year awards for the precinct will also be doled out, the precinct said.

Parking for the 100^th Precinct’s National Night Out will be offered at Martin De Porres High School on Beach 111^th Street, the precinct said.

The 102^nd Precinct, which patrols communities like Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill and Woodhaven, said it would be hosting its annual event at the Buddy memorial Monument, located at Park Lane South and Myrtle Avenue from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. That event will feature live music, soda, hot dogs and family friendly games.

The 104^th Precinct, which serves central Queens communities like Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village and Ridgewood, said it would be hosting its National Night Out Against Crime at 5:30 p.m. at Mafera Park, located at 65^th Place and 68^th Avenue. There, the 104^th Precinct Community Council will be offering family fun events like food, music, dancing, raffle prizes, face painting and more. There will also be health screenings and public safety information at the ready, the precinct said.

The 106^th Precinct of Howard Beach and other southern Queens communities said its annual event would be held at Police officer Edward Byrne Park, located at the intersection of North Conduit Avenue and 134^th Street in South Ozone Park from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. That event, the precinct said, would be offering the same kinds of family-friendly fun it offers each year, including public safety information, giveaways, rides and more.

The 112^th Precinct, which serves Forest Hills and its surrounding central Queens communities, announced its Night Out event would be held at 6 p.m. on Aug. 5 at McDonald Park near Queens Boulevard and Yellowstone Boulevard. Some events on the list there included safety information, barbecue food, kosher food, a DJ, singing, dancing, tennis, karate, face panting, games, raffles and more.

By The Forum staff

Lego creations come to life at the Atlas Park shopping center. Photo by Cesar Bustamante

A boy shouted out, “Holy Cow,” as the motor-powered Lego model he just helped build started to come alive with its gears moving suddenly.

Bricks 4 Kidz group launched a free summer program inside the Shops at Atlas Park to build up children’s mechanical skills while they build moving Lego models.

“As they have fun, every child walks away knowing they’ve accomplished something,” said Lamacca Holmes, a teacher at the summer program. “And then they can say, ‘Hey mom look what I made.’ Parents love that as well.”

Bricks 4 Kidz instructors walked children ages six through 12 through the process of building Lego models, like a carousel swing, by using motors, Legos and other tools.

Holmes said the children not only get to play with Legos, but also develop fine motor skills, learn to follow instructions better and work in groups.

While she said a lot of boys enjoyed the building aspects of these programs, Holmes also emphasized that girls could also have fun playing with Legos and encouraged more parents to consider enrolling their daughters.

“[Girls] love learning and they love engineering as well so I like the fact that when we see girls in our program they get excited,” she said.

This was the first time Bricks 4 Kidz brought its program to Atlas Park. It was an idea that came from Peter DeLucia Jr., the mall’s marketing manager, who suggested that Johnny Rocket’s restaurant sponsor the event as a good family activity for the community.

“Every year we try to do events that engage the community, and we try to keep it fresh every year,” he said. “I know Legos are popular. Some of my nieces and nephews love Legos. I thought it would be a good fit.”

Jeanine Breen from Middle Village said she was originally going to enroll her young son in a similar program in Long Island until she found out about the Atlas Park program from a brochure inside the mall.

“He learned, he had fun, and he’s very happy. So I’m happy,” she said, after her son called her over to look at the Lego creation he helped build. “I would come back.”

The classes were scheduled for every Thursday through Aug. 28, which includes four sessions starting at 10 a.m. and the final one at 1:45 p.m. Space has been limited and instructors urged anyone interested to register by calling (718) 326-3300.

For more information about activities in Atlas Park, go to ShopAtlasPark.com.

By Cesar Bustamante

The city is treating the northeast parts of Queens after spotting mosquitoes there with West Nile Virus. Communities in the south are safe for now.
Photo courtesy Department of Health

Mosquitoes around parts of northeast Queens were found to be carrying West Nile Virus, the city Health Department reported, but posed no threat to the residents living in the southern part of the borough.

It was the first West Nile detection of the season, the city said, mostly emanating from Douglaston and College Point as well as part of Staten Island. No human cases of the virus were reported, the DOH said, and there was no cause for alarm just yet.

The city spotted West Nile near Alley Creek in northeast Queens, in the footprint of the abandoned Flushing Airport and at Dubois Point near Edgemere Park. But communities like Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill and Woodhaven were still safe from the virus for now, the city said.

“So far, mosquito numbers are near their average for this time of year,” a spokesman for the DOH said. “No mosquitoes have been found in southern Queens with West Nile Virus. The most important thing for New Yorkers to do is avoid getting bitten by using repellant when outside at dawn or dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.”

Health Department officials said they were upping the number of traps for the mosquitoes throughout the borough and treating catch basins in the vulnerable areas, including northeast Queens. The goal, the agency said, was to kill the mosquito larvae before they can attack by spraying larvicide into the city’s catch basins, marshland and areas with standing water.

“Now that West Nile virus has returned to New York City, it is important to take simple precautions to protect you and your family,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett. “During warm weather, mosquitoes can breed in any still water that stands for more than four days, so the most effective way to control mosquitoes is to eliminate standing water. New Yorkers are also encouraged to mosquito-proof their homes, wear mosquito repellent and cover their arms and legs if they’re outside at dawn or dusk. New Yorkers over 50 should be especially cautious, as they are more likely to develop serious illness if they contract the virus.”

The spokesmen said residents should rid their properties of any standing water and try not to leave out any buckets, birdbaths or other receptacles that can hold water, as standing water serves as a virtual magnet for the pesky mosquitoes. Anyone with standing water in their neighborhood can call 311 and the DOH will come out to inspect, the agency said.

Larvicide sprayings were scheduled over non-residential areas of the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island throughout last week between the hours of 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. through Tuesday, the DOH said.

The DOH assured that not all people who become infected with the virus were doomed to severe illness, but other symptoms for West Nile included flu-like symptoms like headaches, fevers, fatigue, weakness or a rash. Anyone who thinks they might have come in contact with West Nile mosquitoes should see a doctor immediately, the agency said.

By Phil Corso