Category Archives: Woodhaven
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
Recent warm weather has brought out partiers, and with them come noise and parking headaches, attendees at the 102nd Precinct Community Council told precinct officials. At the council’s meeting on Tuesday night, Captain Martin Briffa, executive officer of the 102nd Precinct, heard a swath of complaints about noise and parties in Richmond Hill and Woodhaven. At least three residents complained about yelling and screaming in the dead of night and party noise and music blasting. Briffa encouraged attendees to call … 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
The Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association (WRBA) logged 81 complaints and raised over $500 on its first “311 Day.” The 311 Spring Cleaning and Fundraiser was held on Saturday, March 31. It was a coordinated effort by Woodhaven residents to improve their neighborhood by calling 311 and filing requests for City agencies to address local problems. Many individuals and businesses pledged donations for each 311 request logged. The donations will benefit the Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Volunteer Ambulance Corps. The WRBA will present … Continue reading
Locals looking to dispose of their electronic waste that can’t go into the normal trash can do so at Forest Park this Sunday, April 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. State Senator Joe Addabbo and Assemblyman Mike Miller are hosting the free event in the parking lot around Seuffert Bandshell. They’re encouraging locals to participate in the environmentally responsible, free event. Disposing of electronic and other hazardous waste this way will prevent it from entering into a landfill and … Continue reading
Community Board 9 Chairperson Andrea Crawford will remain in that position for this year. The board discussed a possible revote at this month’s meeting after there was uncertainty over the vote at the previous meeting. At March’s CB 9 meeting, it was originally announced that Joan Decamp, a CB 9 board member from Richmond Hill, had won the election over Crawford by a count of 18-17. The next day, CB 9 sent out a statement saying that the wrong person … 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
The Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers and Civics United for Railroad Environmental Solutions (CURES) learned last week that they each won a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 2012 Environmental Quality Award. A personal call came in from Congressman Bob Turner (R-Queens) to let them know. “These are two extremely deserving groups who do important work on behalf of our community,” Turner said in a statement. “I was proud to have nominated them, and am even prouder that they have been recognized for their … Continue reading
For Donna Caltabiano, director of the Forest Park Senior Center, waiting until June doesn’t come any easier, especially in the last three years. “There’s never smooth sailing with us,” she said, referring to the Woodhaven-based senior center, one of six in Queens that could be wiped out come July if discretionary funding from the city isn’t made available. Approximately $120,000 is needed for the Forest Park Senior Center to stave off closure, as it was last year, when last-minute funding … Continue reading
The New York Landmarks Conservancy has announced the winners of the 22nd Lucy G. Moses Preservation Awards. Newtown High School in Elmhurst and the TWA Terminal at JFK International Airport are two of the recipients that will be recognized at an April 25 ceremony at the New York Historical Society. The coveted awards, called the “Preservation Oscars,” are named after dedicated New Yorker Lucy G. Moses. They recognize individual leadership and outstanding preservation work. This work provides jobs, promotes tourism, … Continue reading
This coming Saturday, the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association (WRBA) is bringing residents a chance to not only raise money for a good cause, but to blow the whistle on any reportable or unsafe conditions around their block. Hoping to take advantage of the recent balmy spring weather, WRBA is holding its first-ever 311 Spring Cleaning and Fundraiser event on Saturday, March 31. Through this one-day event, the Woodhaven-based civic group is looking to bring attention to dangerous or unsightly conditions … Continue reading