Category Archives: South Ozone Park
Nearly one year after a letter sent to Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly from Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Howard Beach) requested more cops for the 106th Precinct, the break finally came. Fifteen new officers were assigned to the 106th Precinct and have taken to the streets over the last three weeks. The offices were all on previous assignment to IMPACT Units and have been on the job an average of three to four years. IMPACT Units are comprised of new officers who … Continue reading
Every year for the past five years, Queens fights for its libraries. Council members, the borough president, Queens Library employees— anyone who can read and wants a place to do it—take to the steps of their libraries and city hall. This year is no different, except there’s more on the line. Mayor Michael Bloomberg released his executive budget last week, and in it he proposed a $26.7 million cut to the Queens Library— a 31 percent reduction from last … Continue reading
At its public meeting last week, Community Board 10 (CB 10) approved a new community resident home, which will provide housing for people with developmental disabilities. The home will be at 118-05 North Conduit Avenue in South Ozone Park and will house six men that have a developmental disability. Ray De Natale and Grainne Vis, both from Independent Residences Inc. a Woodhaven-based company that provides residential services, like housing, for people with disabilities and that is establishing this home, attended … Continue reading
As another way to drum up support for a possible new transportation option in Queens, one local legislator has turned to the internet to gather signatures. Asssemblyman Phil Goldfeder (D-Rockaway) recently launched a petition on his assembly website to get community support for restoring the Rockaway Beach Rail Line, which would stretch 3.5 miles starting from Rego Park and continuing through the Rockaways. The rail, which would come across the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) line, has been inactive since … Continue reading
Residents andpublic officials got their chance to speak up on Thursday, April 26 against a New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) plan, which would increase water rates 7 percent for the upcoming fiscal year. In one of five meetings it held throughout New York City, the DEP presented its water rate hike plan at Christ the King High School in Middle Village. Carter Strickland, commissioner of DEP, said that the main reason for the hike is to cover … Continue reading
It’s been a decade of flavor for Queens Taste. The annual event lets attendees try a morsel of food from restaurants all around the borough. And this year, the Queens Economic Development Corporation marked the tenth year of the event’s existence at Citi Field. Business owners, community leaders, restaurateurs and foodies got a culinary tour of Queens with dozens of restaurants offering tasting. The event also celebrated the 35th anniversary of the corporation, which awarded StartUP awards to promising business … Continue reading
Laura Latham can appreciate the value of watching her children play just like regular kids, even if only for a little while. A parent of two children, one with autism, Latham was one of several members of New York Families for Autistic Children (NYFAC) in 2008 that were approached by Terry Flanagan, president of the Woodhaven- Ozone Park-Richmond Hill- Kew Gardens-and South Ozone Park (WORKS) Little League, with a new idea—having NYFAC’s children play baseball with the South Queens baseball … Continue reading
In a shocking announcement at 10 this morning, Republican City Councilman Eric Ulrich posted a video saying he will challenge Democrat Joe Addabbo for his New York State Senate seat. Just this week, City and State reported that Ulrich, a second-term councilman, was unlikely to run for senate. He is, however, a top choice of Queens GOP officials. The 27-year-old is viewed as a rising star on the Republican horizon. Addabbo and Ulrich will battle for the 15th District, … Continue reading
Almost 70 years passed between the time Anton Dietrich Jr. was wounded during a battle in North Africa and when he received a Purple Heart for his bravery just last week. Dietrich is a 93-year-old WWII Army veteran who lives in Richmond Hill. He fought in Tunisia, landed in Sicily as well as Normandy, and spent 32 months at Walter Reed Medical Center when a mortar shell tore into his legs, arm and back. Dietrich was awarded a host of … Continue reading
As another Queens hospital closes, concern is growing on Community Board 5 that there’s an epidemic lack of beds in the borough. At CB 5’s meeting last week, the chairman of the board’s Health and Human Services Committee introduced a resolution urging local politicians to find a fix. Bob Cermeli, the committee chair, said he’s seen too many bankrupt or shuttered hospitals leading to a systemic crisis of space. “We’re always in constant threat of disasters, man-made, natural, and if … Continue reading
The Queens Public Library is introducing a pilot program that will allow people to rent e-readers from its central branch in Jamaica. The program, which started on April 12, has 50 e-readers available and allows people with a library card and a photo ID to take out the device for free. They can rent it for seven days and have the option of renewing it twice before returning it. The e-readers have books on five different themes: best sellers, romances, … Continue reading
Members of Community Education Council 27 (CEC) discussed changes to how special education will affect the way a child with special needs will learn in school at their latest meeting on Monday, April 16. Michele Lloyd-Bey, the community superintendent for district 27, presented the special education reform plan to CEC members and residents, which will affect all schools citywide. She spoke about the plan as how it affects district 27, which covers Richmond Hill, Woodhaven, Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, … Continue reading
Concerns revolving around a project proposing the building of a pipeline from Brooklyn to Queens within Jamaica Bay were among some of the issues that came up at the latest meeting of the Jamaica Bay Task Force last week. The project, known the Rockaway/Gateway gas pipeline project, is designed to tap into the Transco Williams Pipeline via a proposed three-mile pipeline running under Jamaica Bay and connecting Brooklyn and Queens. The pipeline project is part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s PlaNYC … Continue reading
In a move that will save tax payers millions of dollars, New York State will remove the four percent sales tax on clothing, footwear and related items that are sold for less than $110 dollars. The sales tax exemption, which started on April 1, applies to all of those goods that are bought in person, online, by telephone or by mail. It’s the second straight year for the program. The qualifying amount for this year’s program has doubled. Last year, … Continue reading
New Yorkers might not have to wait months past the deadline to see their budget this year. Governor Andrew Cuomo, along with Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, announced on Monday, April 9, the early passage of the 2012-2013 New York State Budget. The new NYS budget totals $132.6 billion, which is a reduction of $135 million from last year. According to a statement from the New York State Senate, This budget eliminates a $2 billion … Continue reading