Photo Courtesy of NYC Campaign Finance Board

By Michael V. Cusenza

Queens County Republican Party Chairwoman Joann Ariola made it official this week: she’s running for the City Council District 32 seat.

Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) currently represents the interests of residents of District 32, which includes Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Broad Channel, Woodhaven, and the Rockaways; he’s set to be term-limited out of the seat he has held since 2009.

Professionally, Ariola is director of Intergovernmental Affairs for the MediSys Health Network. Off the clock, she is president of the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic, and a member of both the 106th Precinct Community Council and Community Board 10.

Last year, Ariola ran for Queens Borough President on a platform of public safety/supporting law enforcement; putting an end to community jails and shelters; and reforming property tax laws.

“I’m a Queens resident, wife, mother, and grandmother who works in healthcare. I’m not a career politician,” Ariola said. “Like you, I’m deeply concerned about the future of our city and our borough. I will stand up to the radical career politicians and their pro-crime agenda. I will support the NYPD and keep dangerous criminal behind bars where they belong. I will fight for better transportation and roads as well as oppose toll increases and congestion pricing, because it’s already too hard for us to get to work. I will advocate for all our small business and help them recover. I will fight for quality schools and choice in education. Queens is the most wonderful place and it’s worth fighting for. Our families deserve a safe, clean city.”

Mayor Bill de Blasio visited some of the damaged houses after the Nov. 30, 2019 disaster.

By Michael V. Cusenza

As the one-year anniversary of the South Queens sewage flood disaster approaches, attorneys for many of the homeowners affected by the incident say the City has failed to negotiate in good faith to pay for the damage incurred in their residences.

“Incredulously, the City’s reason for offering less than fair market value on everything that was lost, which had to be replaced and rebuilt, was that our clients do not all have a complete inventory of lost items with photographs of the items,” said Craig Phemister of Napoli Shkolnik PLLC. “The City’s position is abhorrent, given that the City is the one who rushed in to remove all the contaminated items. The City should have been the ones to properly inventory and photograph the removed items before disposing of them.”

In a December 2019 Department of Environmental Protection report, the City admitted that the collapse of an old pipe installed 32 years ago 40 feet underground along 150th Street near South Conduit Avenue caused an extensive flood of raw sewage on Nov. 30, 2019 that damaged more than 70 homes in South Ozone Park and Jamaica.

The DEP even stated in the analysis that it “accepts responsibility” for the calamity.

The City has confirmed that more than 70 homes in South Ozone Park and Jamaica were affected by flooding. File Photo

Napoli Shkolnik has filed a lawsuit “against the City to recover all that was lost and had to be replaced or repaired due to the City’s negligence in installing and maintaining the sewage system in Ozone Park,” Phemister said.

“It is imperative that the City take action on this, as they promised they would,” he added.

According to the DEP, the “road collapsing due to the subsidence of overburden demonstrates that the 42-inch sewer constructed in 1987 is significantly collapsed, and that any other cause for the November 30th blockage is extremely unlikely.”

Councilman Eric Ulrich this week announced his intention to run in the special election for Public Advocate.

By Michael V. Cusenza

After weeks of speculation, City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park) announced on Monday that he is running for Public Advocate in the upcoming special election for the citywide post that Tish James will vacate on Jan. 1 when she is sworn in as State attorney general.

Ulrich, 33, made it official with a 70-second YouTube video filmed in his native Ozone Park.

“Now, more than ever, New Yorkers are looking for someone who’s willing to stand up to Mayor de Blasio and his so-called progressive agenda,” Ulrich said.

For years, the councilman, who has represented South Queens on the council since 2009, has been quite vocal about his disdain for de Blasio and his politics, often relishing his role as the wily fly in Hizzoner’s liberal liniment.

“If you ask the mayor who on the City Council annoys him the most,” Ulrich said at a 2017 Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic meeting, “he’ll tell you it’s me.”

The YouTube clip presents more of that anti-de Blasio bravado. Ulrich uses the platform to make his case as the best man to bring checks and balances back to Gotham politics.

“I’m running for Public Advocate because I believe that we as a city deserve better, and because I want to give a voice to the majority of New Yorkers who this mayor continues to ignore,” Ulrich said. “Time and time again, this mayor has let us down, or he sold out the people of this city in exchange for a campaign contribution or a political favor. It’s no secret that it’s the special-interest groups and the lobbyists that are calling the shots at City Hall. It must end. And it can end.”

Ulrich enters an already crowded fray. On Wednesday, Gotham Gazette estimated that there are “roughly two-dozen candidates who have officially declared or indicated they are exploring a run in the expected February special election for New York City Public Advocate.”

By Michael V. Cusenza

The commanding officer of the 106th Precinct told The Forum this week that his officers will soon meet with the owners/operators of the tractor trailers that seem to clog up both North and South Conduit avenues in South Ozone Park.
“We are aware of the situation and have visited the location,” Capt. Brian Bohannon said on Tuesday. “The trailers are moved frequently. We will sit down with management to discuss these issues.”
Residents have raised concerns about the problem in the past, noting the danger posed by the presence of detached trailers at busy intersections along both thoroughfares.
“It is not right how these owners of about 5-10 trucks have no regard for people’s safety,” one anonymous resident recently wrote to the blog Queens Crap. “Tell me how drivers can see oncoming traffic with these trucks illegally parked.”
It seems to be an enforcement issue. According to City Department of Transportation Traffic Rules, “Street storage of boat trailers, mobile homes and mobile medical diagnostic vehicles prohibited;” and “Street storage of vehicles prohibited.”

Some positive and negative changes are on the way to Select Bus Service lanes along Cross Bay Boulevard.

By Michael V. Cusenza

The Saturday “rush hour” limitations on parking in curbside Select Bus Service lanes along Cross Bay Boulevard south of Liberty Avenue have been lifted, according to area elected officials.
State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) and Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach), who have been in discussions with the City Department of Transportation for months to amend the active hours, made the announcement on Thursday in front of C-Town Supermarket on Cross Bay Boulevard and Sutter Avenue.
“When I first saw that the curbside SBS lanes would be in effect on Saturdays, I knew that had to be changed. There is no rush hour on Saturday, so I felt that day should be given back to the drivers, allowing them to park and access the local businesses,” Addabbo said. “I am glad to see that DOT heard the frustrations and followed through on their promise to continue to look at the SBS route after it was implemented to see how it affected the residents and business owners.”
When the new Q52/Q53 Woodhaven-Cross Bay Corridor bus service began in November, curbside SBS lanes were active during the morning and afternoon rush hours, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, frustrating area residents and business owners who lamented the loss of valuable parking spots.
Pheffer Amato praised DOT for the “common sense” move.
“Our local businesses are the heart and soul of South Queens, it is great to see the Department of Transportation listen and work with our community to ensure residents can have the ability to access their local businesses and facilities,” she said.
Addabbo called the Saturday change a big win for area entrepreneurs. Since November, Addabbo, Pheffer, City Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Ozone Park), and Assemblyman Mike Miller (D-Woodhaven) have been inundated with business-constituent concerns regarding the negative impact of the City’s latest SBS venture.
“While it is important to expand bus service to neighborhoods like the Rockaways, where transportation options are limited – it is crucial the expansion does not come at the expense of residents and local business owners,” Ulrich said.
“Many businesses were negatively affected by the SBS lanes,” Addabbo added. “This change is a step in the right direction to make the roads accessible for everyone and I appreciate DOT’s willingness to work with the local electeds and the community.”
In other SBS news, on Monday DOT announced that, beginning Feb. 20, it will be issuing bus lane camera violations along the Cross Bay route.
If you drive, park, or stand in a bus lane during hours of operation you face fines ranging from $115 to $150, DOT noted.
Each corridor has signage indicating the hours that the bus lanes are operable, and that the lanes are camera enforced. The department indicated that it issues warnings to motorists for at least 60 days prior, per state law, when the cameras are first operated to ensure that drivers are informed about the program. Since violations are issued against the vehicle, not the driver, points are not deducted from motorists’ licenses.

Capt. Brian Bohannon and Capt. Courtney Nilan

By Michael V. Cusenza

It certainly has been a banner 12 months for the City’s Finest. As of Wednesday, Dec. 27, there had been an eye-popping 286 murders in the five boroughs in 2017 – the lowest number on record.
For perspective, in the early 1990s the NYPD investigated more than 2,000 homicides per year.
Ask any veteran beat cop, seasoned gumshoe, or legendary boss: Success starts at the precinct level.
So The Forum sat down with the commanders of the 102nd and 106th precincts this week to learn more about their 2017 success stories, and the issues they’re looking to address during the first few weeks of 2018.
Though Capt. Courtney Nilan only assumed the reins of the 102 six weeks ago, the borough native is quite familiar with the command – she was its Special Operations lieutenant for two years. Nilan is especially proud of the overall decrease in crime in the precinct – 21 percent compared to 2016; the steepest drop of all Queens South posts. And the two-year difference is even more remarkable: 34 percent.
Nilan points to precision policing, technological advances, and the improvement in cop-community relations as reasons for the crime-fighting achievements in the 102.
“Technology has a lot to do with it; it deters a lot of criminals. Nowadays, you can’t commit a crime without being on 10 different videos, or tracked on your phones,” she noted.
Though the 102 isn’t set to install the department’s wildly successful Neighborhood Policing program until this summer, Nilan credits a strengthening of the unique bond between police and the people they swore to protect and serve with helping to bring down negative numbers.
“It has helped both with crime prevention and solving crimes after they happen,” she added.
As for what’s on her radar for 2018, Nilan said she’s focusing on a small uptick in commercial burglaries in the precinct, especially on Jamaica Avenue, 101st Avenue, and Atlantic Avenue.
Captain Brian Bohannon has skippered the 106th Precinct ship for the past 14 months. For 2017, overall crime is down more than 5 percent; two-year totals have it plummeting nearly 20 percent. He points to technology, the Neighborhood Policing program, which launched in the 106 over the summer, and “accurate and quick dissemination of intelligence” as pillars of his precinct’s success.
“Where crimes occurred, how they occurred – we can get that to our officers quickly, pretty much in real time,” he told The Forum. “And we’re getting a lot of good feedback on Neighborhood Policing. If we get a call about smoke, we address it before it becomes fire. And the people trust that we’re responding to them.”
In the first weeks of 2018, Bohannon said he’s also attacking a commercial burglary issue and some quality of life holdovers.
Overall he’s “extremely happy and confident in the command,” he added, “and looking forward to building on our success.”

By Michael V. Cusenza

South Queens Assembly candidate Stacey Pheffer Amato last week hosted supporters at the formal grand opening of her campaign headquarters in Rockaway Beach.

The Democrat, who is vying to succeed Phil Goldfeder in the 23^rd District, welcomed more than 100 guests to the Rockaway Beach Boulevard office.

“Truly overwhelmed by such a strong showing of support from my friends, family and community!” Pheffer Amato wrote on her Facebook page last Thursday evening. “Thank you to everyone who came out to help me open my office tonight and kick start our campaign! I could not have asked for a better night!”

It’s been a busy week for the Rockaway Democratic district leader. On Tuesday, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East and the New York State Nurses Association endorsed Pheffer Amato.

“Stacey’s commitment to ensuring every family receives the best possible healthcare makes her the clear champion of working New Yorkers and the values we hold dear,” said Helen Schaub, 1199SEIU vice president for Policy and Legislation. “At a time when healthcare is transforming, she will ‎fight for access to needed services and high quality jobs. Stacey will be a powerful voice in Albany for the working people of Queens.”

Goldfeder stunned colleagues and constituents in June when he announced that he would not seek a fourth term in Albany. The popular pol’s next stop will be Yeshiva University, where he is slated to step in as director of Government Relations in January.

Goldfeder quickly endorsed Pheffer Amato, calling her “that strong voice who will continue our work to ensure every family can recover from [Superstorm] Sandy, have access to transportation, and look forward to a better future for themselves and their children.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

A Richmond Hill woman has been charged with murder in the strangulation death of her 9-year-old stepdaughter, whose naked body was discovered by a neighbor last Friday in a bathtub inside the family’s 112^th Street home, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown and police.

Shamdai Arjun, 55, was arraigned on Sunday on a single charge of second-degree murder. She was remanded without bail, and faces up to 25 years to life in prison, if convicted.

According to the charges, last Friday, at approximately 5:30 p.m., a witness saw Arjun leaving the Richmond Hill residence, along with her ex-husband, Raymond Narayan, and her two small grandchildren. The witness inquired about Ashdeep Kaur, 9, and Arjun allegedly mentioned that the child was in the bathroom doing her hair, that she was going to her uncle’s house with her father, and that her father would be home soon to get her.

The witness, who observed that the bathroom light had been on since 11 a.m., told detectives that “upon knocking on [the bathroom] door she received no response.” The witness then called Ashdeep’s father “who requested that she break open the door to the bathroom.” She called her own brother to help her gain entry into the windowless bathroom; after he broke down the door, the witness said she saw Ashdeep lying in the bathtub unresponsive.
A report filed by the Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the cause of death was manual strangulation.
Detectives responded to the residence of Arjun’s ex-husband, Raymond Narayan, 65, and observed both Arjun and Narayan and the two grandchildren inside the apartment. Arjun allegedly refused to come out and refused to allow entry for over one hour. Narayan later opened the door and both were apprehended.

According to the complaint, an investigator said he saw “scratches on Arjun’s neck and bruising on her left arm.”

Narayan has been charged with misdemeanor obstructing governmental administration and faces up to a year in jail and/or $1,000 fine, if convicted, Brown said. His next court date is scheduled for Oct. 17.

Arjun has been ordered to return to court on Sept. 2.

“This is a horrifying case of a child, a defenseless 9-year-old, who was left in the care of her stepmother who allegedly strangled her to death,” Brown said. “Her actions, if true, are beyond comprehension and must be severely punished.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

It has been a formidable, faith-testing fortnight for our beloved borough.

Two weeks that most of us wish we could simply hit an existential Delete button and be done with forever.

Alas, no, we are saddled with these last 336 hours – and the raw, emotional aftermath of the soul-scarring events contained therein.

The Howard Beach community has been wracked by palpable grief, anger, and anxiety since the violent, vicious murder of Karina Vetrano, who was beaten, raped, and strangled while out on her daily run inside Spring Creek Park on Aug. 2.

Two weeks later. No suspects. No person of interest. No durable lead.

Asked if his family has had time to heal, Phil Vetrano replied that he doesn’t believe they’ll ever truly be able to.

Then, on Aug. 13, a sweltering summer Saturday in the city, an admired imam and his assistant are gunned down on Liberty Avenue as they walked home from afternoon prayers at their mosque.

The alleged perpetrator has been caught. But investigators still don’t have a motive.

The question on many minds: Is it hate?

While the answer at the moment is uncertain, we definitely witnessed simple acts of unmitigated love this week that give us hope for the next fortnight and forever.

As a result of the assassination of the cleric and his assistant in Ozone Park, Muslims across the country have expressed anxiety over walking to and from their houses of worship. No worries, said so many on social media.

I’ll walk with you.

And a movement of hope was born out of a dire need for humanity and humility.

“I’m big and tall and scary looking, and I love you and I want you to feel safe #IllWalkWithYou” Willem Smith tweeted to any Muslim having second thoughts about going outside alone.

This simple, gargantuan gesture made me think of a line of dialog I cribbed from a recent film.

“You’re a kite dancing in a hurricane.”

These last two weeks have been the ultimate sh*t-storm for our southern Queens communities. But I see so many unbreakable kites on the horizon…and hope is not far behind.

By Michael V. Cusenza

Hundreds of south Queens civic leaders, concerned residents, and business owners gathered in Woodhaven last Saturday to voice their opposition to the City’s Woodhaven-Cross Bay Boulevards Select Bus Service project.

Organized by the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association, the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation, Woodhaven Business Improvement District, and the Queens Public Transit Committee, the rally called more attention to the massive, transformative plan that, according to the Department of Transportation, aims “to implement Select Bus Service improvements that make existing bus service substantially faster and more reliable, while maintaining needed traffic flow and parking, and also making the corridor safer for all users. A combination of bus lanes, signal optimization, and transit signal priority can reduce bus travel times and greatly reduce the variability that congestion imposes on bus service. These measures will also improve schedule reliability and thereby improving overall transit quality.”

The groups that led last weekend’s rally disagreed.

“The de Blasio administration is planning dramatic changes that will ruin Woodhaven and Cross Bay boulevards,” they wrote on a flyer promoting the event.

The proposed SBS path is based on the existing Q52/53 bus route – a vital north/south thoroughfare carrying over 30,000 daily bus riders in the World’s Borough, along with heavy traffic volumes.

“South Queens is in danger of cardiac arrest because its main artery is clogged,” said Mike Scala, first vice president of the Queens Public Transit Committee.

“The corridor is served by several local, limited, and express bus routes,” the DOT has said. “Many travelers use these routes to connect to intersecting subway services in addition to going directly to businesses and schools along the corridor; however, the bus service is not as effective as it could be, as buses can be caught in congestion and the layout of the street makes bus stops difficult to reach for neighborhood residents.”

However, SBS project concerns include the removal of a lane of traffic on both sides of the boulevards, banning left-hand turns at certain intersections, and the addition of bus stops to medians.

“We want the de Blasio administration to know how unwanted the SBS plan is,” said Alex Blenkinsopp in the days leading up to the rally. “We want to educate the many people who are unaware of this plan and allow them to register their opposition. And ultimately, we want DOT and MTA to wake up and scrap this proposal, replacing it with something that actually accounts for the community’s concerns and needs.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

The following op-ed piece was submitted to The Forum by Alex Blenkinsopp of the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association.

Transportation in southern Queens must be improved. The question is whether the Select Bus Service plan for Woodhaven and Cross Bay boulevards is the right approach. The answer is clear: This plan is foolish, expensive, dangerous, and absolutely wrong for the Boulevard.

That’s why multiple local organizations are hosting a rally this Saturday, Aug. 6, to fight the plan. The rally will be held at noon at the intersection of Woodhaven Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue, at the southeast corner (outside the bank), rain or shine. We hope to see you there.

It’s also why there’s a petition against this plan, which you can sign online at WWW.SAVEOURSTREETS.NYC or by calling (718) 296-3735.

Consider what the SBS plan will do:

First, it will eliminate two lanes of traffic 24/7, allowing only buses to use them. This means the same amount of traffic, squeezed into fewer lanes. It also means tickets for drivers who enter the bus lanes. It promises more congestion.

Second, this plan will move major bus stops off of sidewalks and onto medians. Bus riders will wait on islands with traffic passing by on both sides. Someone running to catch a bus at a median stop will now need to cross traffic, which is dangerous. In the winter, the snow is not currently cleared for pedestrians who rely on these islands for safety, so why should we expect them to be clear when bus riders are waiting there?

Third, this plan will prohibit left turns onto cross streets like Union Turnpike, Rockaway Boulevard, Penelope Avenue, and 101st Avenue. This will hurt nearby businesses. It will also divert drivers down side streets, increasing traffic on residential roads. This will be dangerous to families and detrimental to quality of life, especially because many vehicles diverted down residential streets will be delivery trucks.

Fourth, this will likely reduce parking. The Department of Transportation and MTA, which are guiding this plan, have been evasive about the parking impact. But consider Hoffman Drive by the Queens Center Mall, where the design plans erase more than a dozen parking spots.

Fifth, the proposal will cut half a dozen bus stops from the Q52/Q53 routes. DOT has been unclear about the proposal’s pricetag. DOT initially said a whopping $200 million. Then DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg reportedly testified that it was $400 million. Amid uproar, DOT backpedaled. We taxpayers can’t know how high the cost will climb.

DOT and the de Blasio administration are shoving this plan down our throats. They claim to want community feedback, but they ignored input from residents and local organizations; “feedback sessions” were really just attempts to sell their proposal. DOT fails to provide requested data or to reply to correspondence.

DOT also refuses to examine alternatives to the SBS plan, like running bus service along the inactive Rockaway Branch train tracks. And it won’t try easier solutions first—like extra-long “articulated” buses, off-board fare payment, synchronizing traffic lights, running more buses, a high-occupancy vehicle lane, or better enforcement of traffic laws.

DOT’s track record in our community is dreadful. They’ve taken four years to install a speed bump in Woodhaven. DOT causes traffic jams outside a local school by denying parking to school buses transporting special-needs children. DOT persistently failed to fix its broken lights in Forest Park, even when there was a serial rapist prowling the park. I can go on and on.

We don’t trust DOT, and we doubt their competence. It’s time to scrap this foolish plan and go back to the drawing board, this time with true community input. Until then, we’ll continue to fight.

Blenkinsopp is the director of Communications for the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association.

By Michael V. Cusenza

A Richmond Hill man, who was allegedly driving with a suspended license, has been charged with vehicular manslaughter and other related crimes for causing the death of a 40-year-old woman and critically injuring her 9-year-old daughter after speeding through a stop sign and slamming into their vehicle this past Sunday in South Ozone Park, according to Queens District Attorney Richard Brown, the police, and published reports.

Jairam Budhu, 58, was arraigned on Wednesday on a criminal complaint charging him with second-degree manslaughter; second-degree assault; criminal negligent homicide; leaving the scene of an accident (with death); leaving the scene of an accident (with serious injury); and a violation of New York Vehicle and Traffic Law – third-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.

Budhu was ordered held without bail and to return to court on Aug. 3.

Police said the driver of the SUV blew by a stop sign and blasted the victims’ vehicle at 115th Avenue and 130th Street in South Ozone Park.

According to the charges, Budhu on Sunday afternoon was driving a black BMW SUV westbound on 115^th Avenue at more than 60 miles per hour in an unposted 25 miles per hour zone when he crossed over double yellow lines into the eastbound lanes of oncoming traffic, overtaking other vehicles, before returning to the westbound lanes and driving through a stop sign at the intersection of 130^th Street, where he struck the passenger side of a Toyota Corolla, causing two passengers in the Toyota’s rear seats – Zaakika Rasool, 40, and her 9-year-old daughter – to be ejected.

“The guy was coming so sudden at 100 miles per hour. I tried to swerve to get away,” Azaan Rasool, Zaakika’s husband and the little girl’s father, told the New York Daily News.

Zaakika died shortly after being rushed to an area hospital. Her daughter remains hospitalized with serious injuries.

It is additionally alleged that Budhu fled the scene of the crash on foot. He was arrested on Tuesday morning after cops found him drinking on a porch on 103^rd Avenue.

If convicted, Budhu faces up to 15 years in prison.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

Several community advocacy groups are set to lead a rally next month against the proposed Woodhaven-Cross Bay Corridor Select Bus Service plan.

The demonstration, which is being organized and produced by the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association, Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation, Woodhaven Business Improvement District, and the Queens Public Transit Committee, is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 6, at noon at the intersection of Woodhaven Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue.

The proposed SBS path is based on the existing Q52/53 bus route – a vital north/south thoroughfare carrying over 30,000 daily bus riders in the World’s Borough, along with heavy traffic volumes.

According to the City Department of Transportation and Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the massive project’s goal is “to transform the corridor into a complete street with faster/more reliable bus service, safer streets for all users, and improved traffic and local conditions.”

According to the WRBA, the goal for the upcoming event is to send a clear message to Gracie Mansion and City Hall.

“Thousands of people along Woodhaven and Cross Bay boulevards strongly oppose the de Blasio administration’s SBS plan,” the civic wrote in a statement to The Forum. “Because DOT and MTA have attempted to ignore and downplay the community’s objections, we need this rally to get our voices heard.

“We want the de Blasio administration to know how unwanted the SBS plan is. We want to educate the many people who are unaware of this plan and allow them to register their opposition. And ultimately, we want DOT and MTA to wake up and scrap this proposal, replacing it with something that actually accounts for the community’s concerns and needs.

“Last year, organizations pushing an agenda that ignores our community’s concerns held a so-called ‘rally’ outside City Hall. That event supposedly indicated support for SBS in our community. Yet that event was held far away from here, and included almost nobody from our community. Moreover, it was very poorly attended, even though a massive, influential public affairs agency touted it.

“We who will actually be affected by this plan do not have powerful lobbyists or outside organizations speaking up for us. So we need to speak up for ourselves.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

It’s been a compelling year, to say the least, in the 106th Precinct.

The commanding officer in March was transferred to the 105th Precinct. A month later, four officers shot and killed an armed suspect in South Ozone Park. And strained cop-community relations have hovered above all commands—nationwide—like foreboding storm clouds.

Yet it seems that the 106 has emerged from the fire as one of the five boroughs’ elite.

Captain James Fey, commanding officer of the 106, on Monday told The Forum that the south Queens precinct is among the top ten in the city in crime reduction for the first half of 2016 – ranked tenth out of 77 NYPD commands.

Overall crime has dropped nearly 14 percent in the 106, compared to the same six months last year. The precinct recorded 709 major index crimes (murder, rape, robbery, felonious assault, burglary, grand larceny, grand larceny auto) in the first half of 2016, down 114 offenses from last year’s 823.

The 106 is down in five of the seven major categories, with the exception of murder (three by June 2016; two in 2015) and burglary.

However, Fey noted that of the three murders, two carried over from a March incident at Johnny’s Restaurant and Bar in Ozone Park in which two patrons were engaged in a physical altercation and an employee suffered a fatal heart attack while attempting to intervene.

The 106 might have experienced an increase in burglaries in 2016 – 125 compared to 111 during the same period last year – but 2015 was a banner year for burglaries in the command: Last year, the precinct recorded the lowest number of burglaries since at least 1993.

And burglaries are down 25 percent over the past 28 days. Fey said the trend may be due, in part, to a 40-percent increase in the number of burglary arrests his officers have made this year.

Fey, who took over as top cop in March, said the 106 is not a precinct that rests on its laurels.

“We are glad to see the reduction in crime, but we understand that each crime number represents a victim at the end of that number,” he told The Forum. “We need to keep striving to keep crime down to the best of our ability.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Forum Staff

Two donors, who wish to remain anonymous, recently presented a $50,000 challenge grant to the Boys & Girls Club of Metro Queens in Richmond Hill, the nonprofit announced this week.

The grant will match – dollar-for-dollar – all donations from new and existing supporters for the rest of the year, up to $50,000. The funds raised will be used to produce educational and recreational afterschool and summer programs, hire and train staff, and maintain the Atlantic Avenue facility.

“We are extremely grateful to these two anonymous donors for their generous investment and confidence in our organization,” said John DeCristoforo, chief executive officer of the BGCMQ. “These individuals recognize that the greatest asset of our community is our youth and we need to provide them with meaningful, positive opportunities so they can learn and grow into responsible adults.”

DeCristoforo added that the grant “could not have come at a better time as we recently experienced a significant loss in funding for our teen program. Since every donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar, no gift is too big or too small to make a meaningful impact in the lives of the children we serve each day.”

The Richmond Hill club, which has been open since 1957, annually serves nearly 1,400 youth between the ages of 5 and 18 from Richmond Hill, South Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Woodhaven, Jamaica, Howard Beach, Kew Gardens, and parts of Brooklyn.

“My hope is that this challenge grant will inspire other businesses and individuals in the community to support the Club and the great work it’s doing for at-risk youth in Queens and surrounding areas,” said one of the anonymous donors. “Places like the BGCMQ need our help because they serve as a beacon of hope in our community and improve the lives of our children.”

According to DeCristoforo, donations can be made online at metroqueens.org; by calling (718) 441- 6050 x 202; or by mail at BGCMQ 110-04 Atlantic Ave., South Richmond Hill, NY 11419.

By Michael V. Cusenza

Resorts World Casino New York City has mapped out a massive, $400 million expansion that its parent company hopes will transform the highly successful South Ozone Park entertainment facility into a Big Apple destination.

Ryan Eller, president of Resorts World NYC, presented the proposal last week to the State Franchise Oversight Board. The State must approve the plan before any shovels hit dirt.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, the 750,000 square-foot expansion project calls for the creation of a 400-room hotel, 140,000 square-foot convention space, a spa, and food and retail amenities.

Additionally, the gaming floor will expand as well, with 1,000 more video lottery terminals to be phased in on top of the 5,500 VLTs already humming at the racino that opened on the Aqueduct Racetrack grounds in the fall of 2011.

“Resorts World is extremely proud to be one of the largest contributors to New York’s education system, having already generated more than $1.5 billion for the state’s education fund in less than five years of operation,” said Michael Levoff, senior vice president of Public Affairs for Genting Americas. “This new expansion, and its corresponding increase in visitation to our facility, will result in a boost in revenue for both New York’s education fund and the state’s horse racing industry – while also acting as a catalyst for additional economic development in our local Queens community. Beyond providing additional revenue, this expansion will also add approximately 1,500 good-paying careers for New Yorkers and thousands of construction jobs.”

South Queens community leaders seem to be giving the plan a preliminary thumbs-up.

“Plans for expansion at Resorts World are a step forward towards the concept of a destination resort that has been part of the discussion with them since that concept was presented to the community back in 2010,” said Betty Braton, long-time chairwoman of Community Board 10. “We look forward to working with them as current plans take shape to ensure they are sensitive to community concerns and impact is positive. Our experience during the last five years with casino officials is that our concerns do factor into their decision making. We’re certain that will be the case as this new project moves ahead.”

State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach) said he sees a lot of positives.

“The proposal…has the potential to reap huge economic benefits on not only the surrounding neighborhood of Ozone Park, but the entire borough of Queens and state. This project would create over a thousand jobs in construction, design and other fields during the planning and building stages as well as thousands of long-term positions at each of the new facilities once the project is completed. Local job creation is crucial to our economy and such a large influx of job opportunities is rare. With a portion of gaming money from casinos across New York being given every year to fund and support education, an additional 1,000 VLTs and gaming at the site would also benefit schools throughout the state, as that funding would continue to grow. Resorts World is already the biggest contributor to this fund in all of New York State, illustrating the popularity of the gaming facilities at this location and how expanding the opportunity to play and experience the new amenities would only lead to more crucial dollars for state education and revenue.”

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

Less than a week before the Fourth of July holiday, police arrested a South Ozone Park man for allegedly peddling fireworks out of a home on 118^th Street.

Kevin Isuardeen, 21, was taken into custody last Wednesday afternoon following an investigation that led Sgt. Joseph Muir and Det. Nathaniel Tauber to the residence, where they “observed a quantity of illegal fireworks in plain view.”

A search turned up “a greater quantity of illegal fireworks,” according to investigators, including four multi-shot missiles, two packs of Roman candles, three variety packs, seven rolls of firecrackers, three packs of mortars, and 26 multi-shot fireworks.

Isuardeen was charged with unlawful sale of fireworks.

“When it comes to fireworks,” the 106^th Precinct posted to its official Twitter page, “we have a short fuse!”

Last summer, the command’s Special Operations officers executed a search warrant at an Ozone Park garage and discovered 110 cases of fireworks valued at more than $100,000.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

By Michael V. Cusenza

Of the 1,257 newly minted Members of the Service who graduated last week from the Police Academy, 100 have been assigned to the various commands within Patrol Borough Queens South.

“You are coming along at an ideal time – a force that is succeeding more and more, innovating more and more, is proving its abilities more every day,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said to the probationary officers during the commencement ceremony at Madison Square Garden. “And you’re going to be change agents. You’re going to be the next generation that makes us better, that bonds police and community in a way we’ve never seen before. You are going to be part of that generation that will look back on in years and say, we’re the generation who brought policing to the next level.”

Police Commissioner Bill Bratton added, “We have sought to do everything in our power to improve your training.”

The rookies now find themselves part of that successful, innovative police force to which de Blasio referred in his remarks. And for Bratton, the cornerstone of that force is Neighborhood Policing.

Rolled out in December 2015, the Neighborhood Policing Plan, now in 31 commands, is designed to greatly increase the cop/community connectivity without in any way diminishing the NYPD’s crime-fighting capabilities.

“We want to police with the community, not at the community,” said Assistant Chief Terrence Monahan, one of the architects of the NPP.

The plan divides precincts into four or five fully staffed sectors that correspond, as much as possible, to the boundaries of actual existing neighborhoods. Sector officers assigned to these sectors work the same neighborhoods on the same shifts, increasing their familiarity with the local residents and local problems. The radio dispatchers, supervisors, and sector officers work together to maintain “sector integrity,” meaning that the sector officers and sector cars do not leave the boundaries of their assigned sectors, except in genuine emergencies. The plan seeks to foster a sense of ownership among sector officers for the people, the problems, and even the perpetrators in a particular sector; a sense of geographic responsibility and accountability.

“It operationalizes community policing in a way that eluded previous models and reestablishes the primacy of patrol as the backbone of preventive policing,” Bratton said.

Eight precincts comprise PBQS, and its headquarters is the 107^th Precinct in Fresh Meadows. Assistant Chief David Barrere is the commanding officer.

michael@theforumnewsgroup.com

Resorts World Casino New York City wants to expand.

And for two very important, yet simple reasons, we say: Let ‘em.

We can hear your cynical sneers now: You’re blindly giving this ginormous (yes, that’s a real word) expansion project the green light because the casino has been a loyal advertiser in The Forum for years.

It’s true – RW NYC has rented a half-page in this trusted newspaper for many weeks. What’s not even remotely accurate is the assumption that said business relationship has anything to do with our decision to support their growth.

We all know what assuming does…

Our preliminary stamp of approval is based on two cornerstones:

1. All signs point to this expansion being a very good thing for Queens – and if it’s good for our home, then we’re all for it. Ostensibly it will create thousands of crucial temporary and permanent job opportunities, put billions back into education, and make the borough a destination.
2. Resorts World, for the most part, has been a solid south Queens neighbor since the racino opened in 2011. Yes, there have been some incidents – but they are few and far between. We have no reason to expect any sort of dramatic change in demeanor or decorum from this establishment and its leaders.

“Our experience during the last five years with casino officials is that our concerns do factor into their decision making. We’re certain that will be the case as this new project moves ahead,” Community Board 10 Chairwoman Betty Braton said, in part, on Wednesday.

And we agree. Because RW NYC, and its parent company, Genting Americas, haven’t shown us anything but respect, responsibility, and accessibility since they broke ground at Aqueduct.

“This new expansion, and its corresponding increase in visitation to our facility, will result in a boost in revenue for both New York’s education fund and the state’s horse racing industry – while also acting as a catalyst for additional economic development in our local Queens community,” said Michael Levoff, senior vice president of Public Affairs for Genting Americas. “Beyond providing additional revenue, this expansion will also add approximately 1,500 good-paying careers for New Yorkers and thousands of construction jobs.”

Uh oh – queue the ominous music. Mr. Evil Corporate Person has spoken.

Nope. Our neighbor with a durable track record has reassured us.

We’re going to take them at their word. Because they’ve never given us a reason not to.

Jeff Schiff, former commanding officer of the 106^th Precinct, recently celebrated his promotion to Inspector from Deputy Inspector.

In March, after two years as the top cop at the 106, Schiff was tapped to take the reins at the massive 105^th Precinct in Queens Village. Captain James Fey succeeded Schiff at the 106.

Marking the milestone with the newly minted Inspector are his son, Tristan Tiberius, and his wife, NYPD Sgt. Dorian Schiff (Ret.)

And Inspector Schiff will soon celebrate another achievement: on July 18, 1996 – 20 years ago – he was sworn in as a City police officer.