Public Advocate Bill de Blasio Slams Mayor At Forest Hills Meeting by Rob MacKay - Forest Hills, NY Patch

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Sounding a lot like a candidate for Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s job, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio blasted Hizzoner during a visit to Forest Hills Wednesday night, criticizing City Hall’s handling of everything from the budget to taxi cab contracts.

Citing “moral reasons,” de Blasio ripped the Bloomberg Administration’s threat to eliminate roughly 6,000 teacher positions throughout the New York City public school system. Not only would this plan reduce some school’s staffs by five percent, but it is completely unnecessary, according to the public advocate.

Addressing a joint meeting of local Democratic Party clubs, de Blasio calculated that the purported teacher layoffs would slash only $300 million from the school system’s $22 billion-plus annual budget. He suggested investigating other expenditures, such as some teacher training programs, that could be eliminated with less impact on students.

“There’s a lot of other things you can cut,” de Blasio said.

He also expressed opposition to the Bloomberg Administration’s threat to disregard LIFO (Last In, First Out), a policy of applying seniority preferences to teacher employment issues. “Seniority should be respected,” de Blasio said.

The other hot topic was the Taxi & Limousine Commission’s contest to award an exclusive contract to sell and service city cabs for the next decade. The TLC chose Nissan, whose proposal had no guarantee to create jobs in the five boroughs, even though runner-up Ford had pledged to build the taxis in Brooklyn in its application.

“The TLC asked for nothing in terms of jobs in New York City,” he said. “We want the maintenance done in the city.”

The public advocate also promised to step up efforts to eradicate illegal boarding houses. He said that the city is filled with two-family houses with 20 or more residents.

“It’s a huge fire hazard,” de Blasio said. “The Department of Buildings has not done a good job in my opinion.”

Woman Attacked In Forest Park Speaks Out - by Mathewt Hampton Forest Hills, NY Patch

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On Friday, March 25, a Forest Hills woman was savagely attacked in Forest Park, by a man in a black mask. Now the victim is speaking out, in the hope that her attacker can be brought to justice, and other women won’t have to suffer the same fate.

The victim, Patricia, was jogging early in the morning when a man wearing a black ski mask grabbed her from behind and attempted to pull off her running tights.

The victim described her attacker as between five-foot-six and five-foot-ten, wearing a black mask, black jacket, dark shoes and dark pants.

“I was shocked and horrified, I couldn't believe it was happening,” the victim said. “I screamed, but he kept trying to cover my mouth.”

Patricia added that the only reason she was able to escape from her attacker is through a series of strong kicks to the groin she delivered while he wrestled with her on the ground.

Once she fought back, she said, the man backed off and disappeared into the large wooded area from which he had emerged.

The park, which is located almost entirely in the 102 Precinct, is a largely wooded area with plenty of places for would-be attackers to hide. Police said that since the attack, NYPD officers have worked with Parks department patrols to step up the presence in the area.

“I never thought I was an easy target,” Patricia said. “I’ve always felt pretty safe on my own, but not anymore.”

No arrest has been made in the incident.

If anyone has any information contact Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577.

Forest Hills A Haven For Raccoons? by Rob MacKay- Forest Hills, NY Patch

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J.R. Nocerino knew things were getting out of control when he saw a family of five raccoons walking through Forest Hills in broad daylight. Although the species is nocturnal and at home in the wild, these critters were casually prancing down 68th Drive, showing no fear of humans or automobiles.

"They're getting bolder and bolder," he said. "One buddy of mine found a raccoon swimming in his pool."

A rarity 10 years ago, raccoons are popping up all over Forest Hills these days, it would seem. Recently, they have been sighted near the LIRR tracks, on the Forest Hills Little League baseball fields, on residential fences, in trees, and of course, in garbage cans.

"We're getting inundated," Nocerino said.

Though cute and cuddly-looking, raccoons can be vicious, especially if a mother thinks her brood might be in danger. They also, more seriously, present a rabies risk, although city data reveals that no rabid raccoons have been found in Queens this year. (Over 100 sick creatures have been trapped in Manhattan's Central Park, Brooklyn and the Bronx.)

On a citywide basis, raccoon-related 311 calls have increased by about 300 this year — as compared to the same time span last year — to roughly 2,400.

"They're just scaring the heck out of people," said Community Board 6 District Manager Frank Gulluscio.

Locals point their fingers at the year-old Metropolitan Avenue Campus, which houses a high school and a middle school, as one reason for the recent spike. Some residents have claimed that the construction noise in the area made the critters move to quieter, more residential parts of town, especially since the school replaced the densely-wooded area where the nests would have been.

Residents also blamed city policy, noting that the NYC Department of Health will only remove a raccoon when it is sick or rabies is suspected.

City Council member Elizabeth Crowley, whose district includes Glendale, Middle Village and Woodhaven, has decided that enough is enough. She has introduced a bill that would force the NYC Health Department to remove raccoons from public and private property whenever a citizen makes a formal request.

If enacted into law, the legislation would require the health department to create a humane way to dispose of any unwanted raccoons, likely by capturing them and releasing them in areas outside the city.

In the meantime, Gulluscio encouraged locals to seal up their trash cans.

Lifelong Glendale resident Frank Kotnik Jr., who has patrolled Mid-Queens for decades as part of the 104th Precint Civilian Observation Patrol, said that a raccoon invasion might be the sign of better times. "The City of New York is becoming a friendlier place for animals," he said. "The air is cleaner ... and we have good restaurants."

Kotnik also reported that raccoons have run amok in Glendale for at least 15 years.

If the trend of wildlife migrating from his neighborhood to Forest Hills continues, he warned residents of a possible impending dilemna.

"I'm starting to see more possums near my house, " he said.

Devastation from Tornado in Forest Hills and Middle Village...

I was traveling to North Shore Forest Hills Hospital last Thursday during the tornado and micro-burst that hit Middle Village and Forest Hills hard...It took about 1 hr and 45 mins to get to the hospital and about 2.5 hours to get home to Ozone Park...Trees and power-lines were down everywhere...

Click here to view these pictures larger

Here's a video taken during the storm by a friend, Alex Maureau...




Some stuff from the tornado in Queens New York City on September 16, 2010. It came out of nowhere. Missed some of the action due to trying to get the darn camera ready to record but caught a power pole near my neighbors house sparking. Trees down all over my area and the power went out momentarily.

Video filmed by Alex Maureau

This is a collection of photos from the aftermath of the Middle Village, Glendale Queens tornado that came roaring through in the evening rush hour on September 16, 2010. Thousands were without power and many, many more are still dealing with downed trees and other damage to their homes.

All photos taken and slideshow designed by Alex Maureau.

This is a collection of photos from the aftermath of the Middle Village, Glendale Queens tornado that came roaring through in the evening rush hour on September 16, 2010.

All photos taken and slideshow designed by Alex Maureau.




This is a collection of photos from the aftermath of the Forest Hills, Rego Park Queens tornado that came roaring through in the evening rush hour on September 16, 2010.

All photos taken and slideshow designed by Alex Maureau.

National Weather Service Confirms Tornadoes, Microburst Hit New York City » WireUpdate Local | Local Breaking News | Local Breaking Wire -

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The National Weather Service on late Friday confirmed that two tornadoes touched down in New York City during a powerful storm that caused widespread damage on Thursday, killing one person and injuring others.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said one of the tornadoes touched down near Park Slope in Brooklyn with maximum wind speeds around 80 miles (129 kilometers) per hour. "The tornado touched down in Park Slope and lifted 2 miles [northeast] of Park Slope," the agency said.

The second tornado touched down about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) south of Flushing in Queens and lifted about one mile (1.6 kilometer) northeast of Bayside. This tornado was slightly stronger with maximum wind speeds of around 100 miles (161 kilometers) per hour.

A woman, identified as Iline Leuakis, was killed when a tree crashed into her car on the Grand Central Parkway in Queens as the tornado hit. "The severity of the storm may have caught us by surprise, but New Yorkers are a resilient people and we will get through this ordeal together," said New York Governor David Paterson.

In addition to the two tornadoes, a microburst hit near Middle Village in Queens. "The path of the microburst was from Middle Village to Forest Hills," the NWS said.

"A microburst is a convective downdraft with an affected outflow area of less than 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) wide and peak winds lasting less than 5 minutes," the agency explained. "Microbursts may induce dangerous horizontal/vertical wind shears which can adversely affect aircraft performance and cause property damage."

The powerful storm left more than 30,000 people - most of them in Queens and Staten island - without power. "This is one of those things that while it may be an act of God it doesn't make it any easier for us," said Mayor Michael Bloomberg as he surveyed storm damage on Thursday. "People are concerned, they have every right to be concerned. The good news is that most people were safe, just annoyed – traffic being bad or a tree coming down in their yard."

Paterson said he requested the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide teams of federal inspectors to determine the extent of damage in Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. "As part of the federal disaster process, both the individual boroughs and the State must reach a threshold of damage before any federal assistance can be requested," he added.

Tornadoes are extremely rare in New York City, and Thursday's tornadoes were the first time one record that a tornado caused a fatality in the city. The last time a tornado hit New York City was in July, when a weak tornado swirled through the Bronx.

Prior to that, two tornadoes touched down in Staten Island and Brooklyn on August 8, 2007. Other tornadoes touched down in 2003, 1995, 1990, 1985 and 1974. No other tornadoes were recorded since records began in 1950.

Do People Really Pay These Rates for Bicycle Parking at North Shore - Forest Hills Hospital..?

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I was at North Shore University Hospital in Forest Hills recently and noticed this sign in the parking lot...The bicycle parking rate of $15 a day totally floored me...I'd really like to know...do people really pay these rates to leave their bicycles..?

Historic Queens Tennis Stadium that Hosted U.S. Open at Risk of Being Gutted for Condos by Nicholas Hirshon - NY Daily News

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West Side Tennis club will vote on the $9-million sale of the historic Queens tennis stadium. Hagen for News

A storied tennis stadium in Queens that long hosted the U.S. Open would be gutted for condos and a swimming pool under plans obtained by the Daily News.

The controversial proposal by developer Cord Meyer would put five floors of about 75 units and a pool at the historic West Side Stadium in Forest Hills Gardens.

Members of the West Side Tennis Club - which owns the crumbling stadium - are slated to vote Sept. 23 on the 2.5-acre, $9-million sale that would destroy some of the world's most iconic courts.

Renderings call for incorporating the stadium's distinctive arches into the facade of the new structure. But they do not clearly show if the concrete eagles and shields that line the venue would remain.

The rest of the club's 14-acre property would be untouched.

Messages left for the club president, Kenneth Parker, were not returned. Cord Meyer spokeswoman Judith White declined comment, saying the company wanted to first unveil the proposal to club members Tuesday night.
Concerns about preserving the 15,000-seat stadium - which was home to the U.S. Open from 1923 to 1977, but has been used only sparingly in recent decades - are dividing the club's faithful.

Club leadership postponed the vote, originally slated for next Thursday, to drum up the two-thirds majority needed to pass the plan, multiple sources said.
"There's a substantial number of people that are going to be voting no," said a voting member, who vowed to reject the project.

Club member Christine Schott said she wants to save the courts that hosted tennis greats such as Chris Evert and Billie Jean King, as well as concerts by the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

"People like myself who are traditionalists are horrified," Schott said. "I'd like to see the stadium preserved and used in a way that pays homage."
Schott said she has contacted the New York Philharmonic and the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum about reusing the horseshoe-shaped edifice.
Philharmonic spokesman Eric Latzky would say only that he was "not aware" of plans to perform at the club. The Hall of Fame declined comment.

Members are also pushing the nearby Kew-Forest School to relocate to the club grounds and use the stadium as a tennis academy.

School leaders did not return messages seeking comment.

Meanwhile, the city is mulling a landmarking request to prevent major alterations or demolition.

Forest Hills Tennis Stadium Up for Sale by Michael Cusenza - Queens Chronicle

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A crumbling, historic Forest Hills sporting and entertainment venue was recently put up for sale reportedly to make way for housing.

The West Side Tennis Club, which owns the land on which the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium sits, is looking to sell the 2.5-acre parcel of its 14-acre Forest Hills Gardens property in order to cover debts, according to a Wall Street Journal report published Monday.

The 15,000-seat stadium was home to the U.S. Open Tennis Championships from 1915 to 1978. It also hosted concerts by the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, the Who, Diana Ross and the Boston Pops.

The report indicates a letter was sent last week informing the membership that Forest Hills-based Cord Meyer Development Co. would purchase the land for up to $9 million. The famed facade of the stadium would remain intact.

An architect is scheduled to present the construction plan to club members at a meeting on Aug. 10, with a vote on the project expected Aug. 19. Two-thirds of the membership needs to approve the plans before the sale can move forward.

The Gardens is an R3-2 zoning district, which allows for a variety of housing types including one- and two-family detached and semi-detached houses, garden apartments and row houses.

“Whatever is built would have to, in some way, shape or form, conform with what’s already there,” said Frank Gulluscio, district manager of Community Board 6.

A spokesman for the club did not return calls seeking information on the sale. Requests for comment from Cord Meyer were referred to the public relations firm CJ2 Communications Strategies.

“At this point we have no comment,” said Judy White of CJ2.

Reaction to the potential deal from Forest Hills Gardens residents was mixed Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s part of our history,” said an elderly woman who has lived a block from the stadium for 12 years but declined to give her name. “I mean, we need to preserve something and not succumb to the greed of the big shots.”

Joe Kelly Jr., 32, who lives across the street from the stadium said, “If they build [houses], it ups my property value; if they don’t, it doesn’t. It’s not an eyesore to me, but to people looking to buy, maybe.”

A female member said she’s “all for” the sale, noting it involves a small portion of the club at 1 Tennis Pl.

But 30-year Gardens resident Don Muzich cited the stadium’s rich history before suggesting it be refurbished or a park be established instead.

“I don’t want any more large buildings with a lot of apartments,” he said.

Michael Perlman, chairman of the Rego-Forest Preservation Council, called the stadium “a historic site with local, citywide, national and international prestige,” and has been pushing for the city and state to officially landmark it.

“If any part of a legendary piece of history is touched and demolished, it does not look wise on the part of Cord Meyer or the West Side Tennis Club’s board of directors,” Perlman said.

Gulluscio said landmarking is a unique issue that calls for financial support.

“It has nostalgic value, but I don’t know about landmark value,” he said.

Perlman said the designation makes economic sense and would only open the door to monetary aid.

“It could be reused for smaller concerts and tennis matches, as well as other community events, such as fundraisers,” Perlman said. “It would usher in jobs, too, and help Forest Hills and neighboring vicinities out of a harsh economic climate.”

Richmond Hill Woodhaven Kiwanis Club 27th Annual Scholarship Award Dinner

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The Richmond Hill Woodhaven Kiwanis Club held their 27th Annual Scholarship Award Dinner on Wednesday, June 30, 2010 at Manor's Oktoberfest  Restaurant in Forest Hills.

Since 1984, The Richmond Hill Woodhaven Kiwanis Club has been awarding scholarships to graduating high school seniors to assist with their college education. In that time, the Club has awarded $162,375 in 121 grants on the basis of academic achievement coupled with school and community service. Five grants are made annually.

Anisha Gill from Richmond Hill High School and Todd Hirsch of the High School of American Studies at Lehman College were awarded The Mary Quaid Memorial Scholarship.

The Honorees receiving the Joseph A. Iaricci Memorial Kiwanis Scholarship award were:

Leandra Hoeglmeier - Lancaster Central High School

David Hoffman - MacArthur High School

Nadia Ramcharan - Richmond Hill High School

David Slavkin, Assemblyman Michael Miller's Chief of Staff awarded each of this year's honoree's with a proclamation from the New York State Assembly. Assemblyman Miller was unable attend the event due to ongoing budget negotiations in the legislature in Albany.

In addition to this year's honorees, award winners from past years attended the dinner and were awarded their annual scholarship grants.

Woodhaven Lanes Could Get a New Tenant by Holly Tsang - Forest Hills Times

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After two years of being an eyesore, it looks as if the former Woodhaven Lanes building will once again be a boon to the Queens community.

Following several months of deliberation, Community Board 6 voted last Wednesday to approve a special permit application for a furniture company that has chosen to remain anonymous.

Despite the applicant’s unknown identity, CB6 District Manager Frank Gulluscio said the board did not feel uncomfortable approving the application.

“That piece of property has been vacant for some time,” said Gulluscio. “This will bring jobs, an economic base, and tax base.”

There was some concern regarding the impact on traffic, which is already congested in the area because of the popularity of Trader Joe’s, but the pros ultimately outweighed the cons. Gulluscio added that he hoped DOT would finally get its act together and work with the community board on a plan for the traffic-choked neighborhood.

According to Robert Corroon, a spokesperson for Woodhaven Realty, LLC, which owns the property, the proposed store will be a showroom only, with incoming truck deliveries only once a week from a warehouse in Connecticut. There will be 42 on-site parking spots for customers.

“I think it’s a very good use for this space because it has a low traffic impact, considered one of the lowest traffic impacts of any retail-type use,” said Corroon.

He said that the approximately 50,000-square-foot building would undergo minor renovations to the facade. Woodhaven Realty has already done some landscaping work in the parking lot.

“Certainly, it’s going to make the building much more attractive than what it is right now,” said Corroon. He added, “obviously it will increase sales taxes to the city; the sales tax revenue to the city will be much greater from this use than the bowling facility.”

The application now moves to the Borough President’s office and then the City’s Board of Standards and Appeals, said Gulluscio.

Lack of Parking Spots Plague Austin St. Retail Stretch; Community Members Search for Solutions by Nicholas Hirshon - NY Daily News

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Driving home a point, traffic agent arrives to check for meter tickets as Frank Gulluscio exults in having found parking spot. Farriella for News

The Austin St. shopping district acts like a siren - with its enticing stores, restaurants and movie theaters luring visitors into frustrating hunts for parking spaces.

There's no municipal lot for refuge. Private parking garages charge an arm and a leg. And leaving a car in nearby Forest Hills Gardens without a permit earns a boot and a fine.

"Even to drop somebody off, I cringe," said Barbara Stuchinski, president of the Forest Hills Community and Civic Association.

Experts wince, too.

"Oh, man, I've spent 25, 30 minutes looking for a parking place there," groaned AAA New York spokesman Robert Sinclair.

Civic leaders long have tried to address the scarcity of spaces near the Austin St. retail stretch - centered at 71st-Continental Ave., a block from the subway.

But the "Queens Parking Crunch" series is renewing calls for solutions so locals can awaken from their spot-search nightmare.

In interviews with Queens News, locals suggested everything from angled parking to making Austin St. one way to erecting a municipal lot close by.

But resolving the vehicular vexation first requires an understanding of why finding a spot in Forest Hills has become so difficult.

Customers frequent the Midway Theatre on Queens Blvd., Barnes & Noble and a diverse mix of eateries and clothing stores that line Austin St. from Ascan Ave. to Yellowstone Blvd.

If motorists venture south into Forest Hills Gardens, it compounds their stress because only residents of the private enclave and visitors with passes can park there.

On the other hand, crossing Queens Blvd. leads to stretches of apartment buildings, houses and offices where the demand for parking outweighs the supply.

"It's a major concern in the district - very frustrating riding around the block looking for a spot," said Frank Gulluscio, manager of Community Board 6.

Chris Collett, who owned a collectibles business in the area from 1983 to 2002, recalled patrons constantly telling him, "I'd love to shop here, but. ..."

Their sentences invariably ended with parking gripes. "It has only gotten worse," said Collett, who serves on the community board. "There's no easy solution."

City Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz vowed to consider several potential solutions, some of which she explored during her first Council stint from 1991 to 2001.

She suggested weekend bus trips between Austin St. and the Borough Hall lot on Union Turnpike. "It would be good for business," she said - before adding that funding may be hard to obtain.

She pledged to "look into" Forest Hills Gardens allowing nonresidents to park there during the most popular shopping hours, but she added she was "not optimistic."

Koslowitz also said the city should mull buying property near Austin St., should it become available, and constructing a "small," one-level municipal lot.

In the meantime, some stores that belong to the Forest Hills Chamber of Commerce offer patrons reduced parking rates at the Allied Austin lot by 70th Ave.

"We're trying to eliminate, also, employees and owners taking up spaces," said chamber President Leslie Brown. "It helps."

A Transportation Department spokesman would say only that the city is "happy to work with CB6, elected officials and other civic groups to address their concerns about parking in Forest Hills."

This is the second in a Queens News series highlighting neighborhoods and shopping districts where the parking shortage has become chronic and crippling. The goal is to find solutions -- simple or innovative. To suggest trouble spots or ideas, e-mail QueensNews@nydailynews.com with "Queens Parking Crunch" in the subject line.

LIRR Took Wrong Track Clearing Brush, Locals Say by Nicholas Hirshon - NY Daily News

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A Long Island Rail Road effort to clear brush that blocks passing trains in Forest Hills has devastated a plentiful array of trees and shrubs that added natural beauty to the urban landscape, angry locals charge.

The stretch of decimated plant life - along the north side of tracks parallel to Austin St. from 71st to 82nd Aves. - reminded residents of a 2007 LIRR sweep that turned mighty trees into mere stumps.

"I was really hoping to prevent the mass clearing," said Nate Grove, 36, who lives in an Ascan Ave. co-op. "There's no ground coverage, there's no saplings and limbs have been removed from big, healthy trees."

Beginning April 24, railroad officials sent about 1,250 notices to locals to warn they would soon remove overgrown trees and vegetation that "interfere with safety and train service reliability."

The letter from LIRR President Helena Williams said tree branches and limbs often grow into utility wires and obscure train crews' sightlines.

The LIRR also notified the local community board and the Forest Hills Gardens Corp., a private company that owns and maintains an exclusive enclave that borders in part on the tracks.

Grove met with LIRR brass on May 8, and said he left the meeting realizing the work would result in a different look than he wanted.

But he said he was shocked at the extent of the clearing, which started the week of May 11 and ended last Friday.

"I thought they could have been a lot more generous with leaving more coverage," he said.

Residents of the Tennis View Apartments, a two-building co-op near the tracks, said the destruction was like déjà vu of a brush-clearing push two years ago on the other side of 71st Ave.

"They cut down 100-year-old trees," co-op president James Versocki said. "There were other alternatives. They could have replaced [them] with evergreens."

Another Tennis View co-op owner, Edward McGinnis, griped that the trees cut down in 2007 had provided not only pleasant scenery but also a train noise barrier for the adjacent West Side Tennis Club.

But LIRR spokesman Salvatore Arena insisted the railroad made efforts "to preserve a tree buffer where possible," adding, "Safety is always our overriding concern."

Officer Charged in Road-Rage Assault on Queens Boulevard by Anne Barnard - NYTimes.com

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The 12-lane thoroughfare is often called the Boulevard of Death, but for one short-fused police officer, the authorities say, it became a road of rage.

On the afternoon of Nov. 17, a civilian, Geoffrey Hollinden, 41, was crossing Queens Boulevard near 109th Street in Forest Hills when he was nearly hit by a car, the authorities say. Enraged, Mr. Hollinden pounded on the car, a 2006 Infiniti, as it passed.

Suddenly the car pulled over, and out sprang a large and irate man — identified by the authorities as Jamel Dennis, 32, an off-duty Brooklyn narcotics officer. Officer Dennis, who is 6-foot-6, grabbed Mr. Hollinden, the authorities say, dragged him to the boulevard’s service road, lifted him to shoulder height and slammed him to the ground, knocking him unconscious.

Mr. Hollinden was hospitalized for three days.

“As a motorist — and more so, as a police officer — the defendant should have known better than to allegedly take matters into his own hands and elevate a minor traffic dispute into a felonious assault,” the Queens district attorney, Richard A. Brown, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Officer Dennis was charged on Monday night with second-degree assault and released on his own recognizance. He is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 15 and faces up to seven years in prison. Reached by telephone on Tuesday, he declined to comment. A man who identified himself as Officer Dennis’s father said, “They railroaded my son.”

It is not the first time that a New York police officer has been accused of road-rage assault. In August, two transit officers, Michelle Anglin, 37, and Koleen Robinson, 24, were charged with pummeling a man in the head and face with a baton and a gun after he pulled up alongside them in the Bronx with his side door open, nearly scraping their sport utility vehicle.

The Queens Boulevard episode provided yet more grist for the road’s dangerous reputation. The 8- to 12-lane street is one of the main arteries linking Queens to Manhattan; it also divides neighborhoods with a fast-moving river of traffic that some pedestrians find hard to cross.

Between 1993 and 2000, 72 pedestrians were killed along the road. Since 2004, safety improvements have led to a decrease in the number of collisions, but drivers and pedestrians still find the boulevard nerve-wracking, and accidents there still claim lives — two this year.

According to the district attorney, Officer Dennis fled after assaulting Mr. Hollinden. Two days later, Mr. Brown said, Officer Dennis went to the 112th Precinct station and identified himself as an officer in the Brooklyn North Narcotics Division. He said a man had pushed him during a traffic dispute in the area and asked whether anyone had filed a complaint. He also pointed out scuff marks on the back of his car to an officer from the Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau, which investigated the case.

District Attorney Brown said that the incident came to light because an eyewitness jotted down the license plate number of the defendant’s car. Mr. Hollinden sustained a cut in his head that required five staples, cranial bleeding and a herniated disc, according to the district attorney.

“The guy escaped the car, but not the driver,” said Kevin Ryan, the district attorney’s spokesman.

NYPD Daily Blotter - New York Post

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Queens

A man was clinging to life after cops found him severely injured on a Ozone Park street early yesterday.

Police said the unidentified man managed to flag down a police car at Cross Bay Boulevard near 149th Avenue at 12:40 a.m. He tried to speak, but collapsed before he could explain what had happened.

He was taken to Jamaica Hospital, where he underwent surgery for severe head injuries and remained unconscious. His fingers were broken, sources said.

Cops said it was not clear if the man, in his late 20s to early 30s and not carrying ID, had been beaten.

An Astoria teenager was arrested after a straphanger snapped this cellphone photo (pictured) of him allegedly carving a graffiti tag on a subway window.

Andrew Morello, 18, was allegedly etching so-called "scratchiti" into the glass of an N-train window Monday.

The witness snapped pictures and sent the images to the NYPD's new "e-tips" Crime Stoppers service.

Cops used the pictures to help them identify and track down Morello, who was charged with criminal mischief and possession of graffiti instruments.

A man was robbed and beaten by thugs i an elevator of a Forest Hills building.

The victim, 49, told cops he had stepped onto the elevator of the building on 112th Street near 72nd Avenue shortly after 2 a.m. on Nov. 7.

One of the men who was already inside grabbed the victim by the hair, put a knife to his throat and the others punched and kicked him, sources said.

They swiped his cellphone and wallet and fled, according to police.

Armed with a description of the attackers, cops arrested Omu Suzuki, 19, on Nov. 18. He was charged with robbery and assault, said a spokesman for Queens District Attorney Richard Brown.

Lowdown On Economic Downfall At Forest Hill Community and Civic Association Meeting - Times Newsweekly

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Rep. Anthony Weiner's call for added regulation in the practices of buying and money lending was heard by a throng of concerned residents at the Tuesday, Nov. 11 Forest Hills Community and Civic Association meeting held at the Metropolitan Avenue American Legion Hall.

"It's a mess. We have to embark on a plan to resolve it," remarked the congressman on the nation's current financial crisis.

Photo left: Rep. Anthony Weiner (standing) provides insight into the nationwide financial crisis at last week's Forest Hills Community and Civic Association meeting.

While Weiner conceded that greediness is always part of the equation when talking about capitalism, he added that it could only work with a modicum of "transparency" and "regulation" in an effort to ensure that the people doing business know "the rules of the road."

"Without that you have system failure," he added.

The lack of oversight, according to Weiner, has led to banks selling off mortgage loans, which only made it more difficult for homeowners to negotiate with brokers in times of financial distress.

Due to the failure on the part of the Federal Reserve, the Department of Treasury and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to monitor several ill-advised transactions, said Weiner, borrowing and lending came to an abrupt halt.

He readily admitted to approving the Department of Treasury's decision to print money to buy "bad" mortgages in order to bail out myriad financial institutions.

The nation was losing a lot more in holdings and investments than the federal government dispensed in providing relief, he said.

"You can't have the Treasury saying it's okay for someone to get a 100-percent loan without [performing] checks and balances—the era of small government business is over," he stated.

Weiner continued by assuring that new guarantees for bank consumers are already in place, including money-market protection, which wasn't the case before.

Despite the nation's financial troubled waters, the Brooklyn native insisted that New York has much to offer in terms of investment opportunities.

International money is reportedly coming in to purchase Treasury bills (commonly referred to as T-Bills).

"Money is coming here because we are the only mature, transparent economy in the world. Every crises has led countries to invest in our TBills," he added.

Civic member Claudia Valentino (Photo left) took issue with the congressman's hard stance on how many foreclosure victims ought to be held accountable for their own mistakes.

She explained that many of her colleagues in the publishing industry have been laid off, and many of their "good" mortgages have taken a turn for the worse since the loans were based on their former salaries.

Weiner agreed that mortgages should be negotiated whenever possible. He even endorsed the extension of mortgage agreements to help ease the burden of monthly dues that can't be paid.

South Queens activist David M. Quintana asked the elected official to comment on Wall Street brokers who created much of the financial turmoil that exists today by pushing bad loans upon people.

Weiner acknowledged that mortgage brokers, banks and bond-rating agencies took fees that facilitated a number of loans which were destined to hit a brick wall.

"Bond-rating agencies were getting money to give out A-ratings. There's lots of guilt to go around," he said. "Mortgage brokers made no-paper transactions with no money down. [These practices] were targeting people of color and those with little-to-no literacy."

Future outlook

On the subject of healthcare, Weiner said that methods should be sought to allow it to "grow" since it's an industry that can't be outsourced.

He was also baffled by how spending on education has increased by 40 percent over the past five years, while the graduation rate in the city has only risen by one percent over the same period of time.

He chastised city leadership for focusing too hard on planning for new residential buildings instead of also developing office space, which is what has recently occurred in Jersey City, which now boasts its own skyline.

Weiner took aim at Mayor Michael Bloomberg's PlanNYC 2030 strategy by highlighting that it makes no reference to the creation of jobs in the five boroughs.

"Our tax burden is getting overwhelming. Whenever there's a problem, we raise taxes. We then spend our surpluses, go into deficit and raise taxes again. We don't think past our own noses in this city," opined the federal legislator.

Digital conversion

FHCCA President Barbara Stuchinski introduced Federal Communications Commission Outreach and Policy Advisor Roger Goldblatt in an effort to settle numerous doubts that may still linger regarding Feb. 17, when all full-power television stations will reportedly stop broadcasting on analog airwaves and only transmit their programming digitally.

In photo at left, Roger Goldblatt of the FCC shares advice on how to prepare for the upcoming signal conversion from analog to digital for all television stations on Feb. 17.

The FCC representative clarified that people that already have cable or satellite television wouldn't have to worry about losing their signals.

Those with standalone sets, however, were advised to purchase converter boxes that would enable the new all-digital flow.

Digital broadcasting, he said, would not only enhance a television's picture quality but improve sound and add more channels.

Goldblatt told those in attendance that $40 coupons are being distributed to every household to help people purchase the converter boxes.

He rationalized the change by telling the audience that the FCC is trying to free up spectrum space that would allow more room for firefighters and police to communicate during emergencies.

Those with questions regarding the move to digital broadcasting can call 1-888-Call-FCC for further details.

The Forest Hills Community and Civic Association (Information, call 1-718-997-7014). regularly meets on the second Tuesday of the month at Metropolitan Avenue American Legion (Name: American Legion Continental Post 1424. 10715 Metropolitan Avenue, Forest Hills, NY 11375-6820 Phone: (718) 520-8623). For further information, call 1-718-997-7014.

Photo: NYPD 112th Pct Community Affairs Officers taking questions from civic members

During FHCCA's December session, the group has scheduled a holiday party in lieu of its regular meeting.

Candidates Debate at Forest Hills Community & Civic Association - October 14th at American Legion Post 1424

Moderator Claudia Valentino, CM Joe Addabbo, Sen Toby Ann Stavisky, FHCCA President Barbara Stuchinski, Peter Koo and Sen Serphin Maltese

Community Board 6 District Manager Frank Gulluscio

Sen Stavisky and Sen MalteseModerator Claudia Valentino
There was a full house - over 80 people attendedAssemblyman Andrew Hevesi and District Manager Frank GulluscioAndrew Hevesi, Frank Gulluscio and City Council candidate Jeff GottliebModerator Claudia ValentinoDolores Capace and friend

City Council candidate Mike Cohen and Community Board Chairman Joe Hennessey

Joe Hennessey and Frank Gulluscio

Deputy Borough President Karen Koslowitz and Sen Stavisky

Heidi Harrison Chain and Barbara Stuchinski - President FHCCA

A Pretty Young Woman Handing Out Literature After the Debate