Month: January 2014

Nearly one year after Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi sent a letter to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, signed by 80 of his colleagues, securing a $3 million budget to overhaul antiquated high-emission LIRR freight locomotives running throughout the city, Hevesi and numerous elected officials are pushing for the same funding in 2014.

“After securing a $3 million allocation for a locomotive upgrade in the previous budget, the increased support this year from over 80 of my Assembly colleagues has proven that this is a project worth pursuing,” Hevesi said. “Continuing to fund these upgrades is the right thing to do not only for the health and safety of our communities, but also to ensure that New York is a national leader in environmentally sustainable freight rail technology.”

In the years following complaints of noise and waste debris from trains in the community surrounding the Atlantic Railway train yard at 68-01 Otto Rd. in Glendale, it was previously discovered that increased traffic from One World Recycling in Long Island had been a major factor.

Mary Parisen, co-founder with Civics United for Railroad Environmental Solutions (CURES), said with a continual focus from the state on utilizing rail for waste removal, there should be more attention toward upgrades and regulations.

“People have to realize that this is the way of the future,” Parisen said. “Local and state politicians are calling for more trains to get trucks off the road, but you can’t trade one evil for the next.”

Glendale and the Community Board 5 (CB5) district  — Ridgewood, Maspeth, Glendale and Middle Village — is one step closer towards the development of an intricate web of bike infrastructure.

Nearly eight months after the Department of City Planning (DCP) and Department of Transportation (DOT) held a community workshop with bikers and residents at Maspeth High School back in May 2013, ‘Phase I’ plans and the potential for a future sprawling layout of dedicated bike lanes and shared paths were presented at the CB5 transportation committee and Maspeth Industrial Business Association (MIBA) meetings this week for further feedback.

“This plan was recommend by the transportation committee,” said Kristina Schmitt, highway transportation specialist with the DCP.

As initial plans called for bike infrastructure along Eliot Avenue in the first phase of development, expected to begin sometime this summer, it was later tabled for the second phase as some concerns arose with the narrow thoroughfare.

“It (Eliot Ave.) wasn’t taken out, but it isn’t a dark blue line,” she added, referring to the map outlining their updated plans. (Dark blue lines on the map represent Phase I of bike infrasturcture)

State Sen. Michael Gianaris and Assemblywoman Marge Markey announced new legislation over the weekend to crack down on unlicensed drivers.

Together, they stood on the corner of Grand Avenue and 69th Place — where 68-year-old Angela Hurtado was killed while crossing the street on Sat., Jan. 18 — with Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley to fight for safer streets with tighter laws.

“Until we change the laws and policies, we are going to be standing here over and over again,” Gianaris said.

Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley said she hopes the new laws, if passed, would deter unlicensed drivers from getting behind the wheel in the future.Aufblasbare Hindernisse

“Too many New Yorkers lives are hanging in the balance when they are walking through the city because there are drivers that are not afraid to get behind the wheel and drive without licenses,” Crowley said.

Following a string of door-to-door scams from crooks posing as employees with Con Edison, officers at the 104th Precinct have issued a official community alert for the residents of Glendale and Maspeth.

Con men claiming to work with various utility companies including the NYC power provider have threatened service disruptions if payments are not made directly, and immediately, through the use of a Green Dot MoneyPak card account, according to reports.

Victims of the scam are asked to purchase these cards, often found at local convenience stores and bodegas, scratch off and provide the serial number found on the back of the card to the scammers who then empty all of the money on the card into their own personal accounts, police say.

“This scam is not only limited to utility companies,” read an official press release issued by the 104th Precinct this afternoon. “The unsolicited calls could also be from anyone demanding immediate payment (example: IRS).”

Police warn residents to be weary of any calls or emails demanding payments and to, “never wire money, provide credit card, debit card or Green Dot MoneyPak numbers to anyone you do not know.”

“This scam is 100% preventable,” said a representative of the 104th Precinct Community Affairs office.

If you have any information relating to the above scam please contact the 104th Precinct Community Affairs Office at (718) 386-2431.

Camp Begins June 29… Trapper Education Course Offered at Two Camps This Year

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is accepting online applications for its 67^th Annual Summer Camp Program.  The 2014 camp season begins June 29.

New York’s youth can become stewards of our state’s natural resources. Campers explore the outdoors under the guidance of caring camp inflatable water park staff, learning about the natural world and their place in it. Sharing a love and respect for the outdoors is key.

Parents may register campers only through DEC’s convenient, online registration system and pay by credit card, e-check or with a sponsor code. Fees for the 2014 camp season remain $350 per one-week session per camper. Camp dates and a link to the online registration system are posted on DEC’s website: www.dec.ny.gov/education/29.html.

Youth 11 through 17-years old enjoy week-long adventures in conservation education at DEC’s residential summer camps. They participate in a wide variety of outdoor activities such as fishing, bird watching, fly-tying, archery, canoeing, hiking, camping, orienteering and optional hunter safety education. Campers also learn about fields, forests, streams and ponds through fun, hands-on activities and outdoor exploration. DEC counselors teach youth conservation techniques used by natural resource professionals, such as measuring trees and estimating wildlife populations.

For the first time at DEC’s summer camp program since the 1980s, youth 11 through 13-years old can take a trapper education course taught by DEC certified instructors at two of the four camps. Interested campers can register for Week 5 (July 27 to August 2) at Camp Colby and Week 7 (August 10-16) at Camp Rushford. The course is necessary to purchase a trapping license, should youth want to trap during trapping season. The trapping course at each camp will accommodate the first 25 campers who sign up for it. Visit http://www.dec.ny.gov/permits/6089.html for more information on trapping licenses in New York State.

All four environmental education camps serve children ages 11 through 13-years old: Camp Colby in Saranac Lake, Franklin County; Camp DeBruce in Livingston Manor, Sullivan County; Camp Rushford in Caneadea, Allegany County and Pack Forest in Warrensburg, Warren County. Pack Forest and Camp Rushford also host week-long Teen Ecology Workshops, which are inflatable water slide more in-depth environmental studies programs for ages 14 through 17-years old. This year, Pack Forest will host six Teen Ecology Workshops and Camp Rushford will host two.

All camps will operate for seven one-week sessions (Sunday to Saturday), beginning June 29. Campers may attend camp for more than one week during the summer, but will not be able to stay at camp on the Saturday night between sessions. Parents must make alternate arrangements for the intersession if two or more consecutive weeks are selected.

Sporting clubs, civic groups and environmental organizations are encouraged to sponsor one or more children for a week at camp. Groups who sponsor six paid campers will receive a scholarship to send a seventh child to camp for free. Information about becoming a sponsor is available atwww.dec.ny.gov/education/1866.html on DEC’s website.

Following a team effort from the Glendale Kiwanis, Glendale Civic Association and Community Board 5, the American Cancer Sociaety will hold its Kickoff for inflatable water slide the Annual Relay For Life on Feb 4, 2014 at Juniper Vally Park in Middle Village.

The party is at O’Neills of Maspeth at 7PM – 64-21 53 drive.

At this event you can sign up to become a team captain, a volunteer, join the committee or host your own fundraiser. The Kickoff is free & for more information call Marlene at 212-237-3886.

A 14-year-old Hispanic boy was robbed while walking down Cooper Avenue near 84th Street on Wed., Jan. 15 at around 3:45 p.m., just blocks away from Atlas Park Mall, according to police.

Two Brooklyn teenagers, 17 and 19, “strong-armed” the teen and told him to, ’Give me your phone and whatever else you’ve got,’ according to reports. After the boy resisted, while the two were going through his pockets, the older teen boys told him they had a gun and gonfiabili per bambini would shoot unless he complied, officers said.

“One of the perps had his hand in his pocket like he had a gun,” said 104th Precinct Captain Christopher Manson.

After it was reported that they nabbed his cell phone, the two fled the scene.

“We formed a perimeter around and then we moved in,” Manson explained. “One guy was chased, they tackled him, he fought with the police and he had to go to the hospital. Then the other guy took off, we set a perimeter, and we brought in extra cops.”

After police nabbed the first suspect near 80th Street and 71st Ave., they reported tracking down the second in front of 79-66 77th Rd.

“We were able to catch them right away,” Manson said.

He added that both suspects later admitted to attempting a similar burglary on Cooper and Doran Ave. on Jan. 10 at 4:30 where they threatened a 15-year-old white male that they had a gun, however the unarmed assailants left empty handed, police said.

“I hope they go away for a while, but it’s not always up to us,” Manson said. “We arrested him but it’s up to the judge.”

Both suspects, who live in a group home together in Brooklyn, have prior arrests, Manson reported; one for robbery, disorderly conduct and an unlawful inflatable water park assembly while the other has five prior arrests for theft of service and grand larceny.

Tiffany de Wit, a Woodhaven resident, said she frequents Atlas Park Mall at 80th Street and Cooper Avenue to work out at New York Sports Club.

“For the most part I feel safe, but I think there should be some more cops coming around,” de Wit said. “I never see cops around here, but I do see mall security.”

Chasity Schmitt lives on 70th Street and goes through the area every day to pick her kids up from school.

“My husband and I were driving down and we saw some undercover police on the streets and we saw a bunch of teenagers outside of their house…looking around to see what happened,” Schmitt recalled.

Although she thinks police are a toboggan gonflable prominent enough force in the neighborhood, Schmitt added that she is worried about what could happen if the proposed homeless shelter came to the neighborhood.

“I feel like the police officers do their job pretty well, so I don’t feel unsafe, but anywhere is unsafe now,” she said. “Walking over here at night with all these teenage girls who shop here, a homeless shelter is going to be a nightmare. It’s going to make it very uncomfortable for every parent or anyone who has kids.”

The after hours party in Highland Park is coming to an end this spring.

Following several years of noise complaints and reports of nightly mischief in and around the softball field parking lot on Vermont Place near the Jackie Robinson Expressway, 104th Precinct Captain Christopher Manson announced that his department has now worked out a plan with the 75th Precinct in Brooklyn to close down Highland Park after 9 p.m. and monitor all late night activity.

Manson acknowledged while a majority of the crimes that occur in the park are non-violent, and are typically related to drinking after games at the tobogan hinchable softball field, the department is now working more diligently towards creating a safer park for the nearby residents.

“Every night I am sending in officers to close the park down,” Manson said last week at a meeting with members of the local media. “In the daytime you get the families with the hibachi, and that’s great, but once it gets dark, a different element does come in the park; and that element wants to get intoxicated and play their music loud.”

In addition to putting a cap on nightly activity, the 104th Precinct also plans to send their Temporary Headquarters Vehicle (THV) during busy holidays like July 4, the Puerto Rican Day Parade and Cinco de Mayo.

“There are five or six heavy time periods where it’s just crazy busy,” he said. “I want people to be safe. I want the families to come and people to use the park and barbeque or whatever they do; but at a reasonable time it ends.”

Community Affairs Officer Thomas Bell added that officers are expected to set up in the park at about 8:30 p.m. to give forewarning.buy zorb ball australia

“The park closes at 9, but we will give them some time to start gathering their stuff,” Bell explained.

Over the last month, Manson reported that the precinct issued more than 260 summonses for crimes in parks, 22.5 percent of all summonses in the precinct and 80 of which were for inflatable water park having an open container of alcohol.

“They range from everything from open beers in public, urinating, disorderly conduct, to marijuana, reckless driving and a ton of other categories,” Manson said. “This doesn’t stop.”

With the looming possibility of an incoming 125-family transitional housing facility at 78-16 Cooper Ave. in Glendale, nearby residents have since flooded Community Board 5 meetings, rallied on site with local politicians and lit up the Glendale Civic Association Facebook page in disapproval of the proposal from Samaritan Village, homeless services.

Following what seemed to be an unusually quiet CB5 meeting last week at Christ the King High School, located at 68-20 Metropolitan Ave., the board responded on Fri., Jan. 11 by announcing a special committee to further review the proposal.

In addition, a number of elected officials also wrote a letter to the de Blasio Administration and new DHS commissioner Gilbert Tayler to, “express their strong reservations.”

The letter sent on Wed., Jan. 8 from Congresswoman Grace Meng, Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, Assemblyman Mike Miller and Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley to de Blasio and Commissioner Taylor; and CC’d to NYC Public Advocate Letitia James, Comptroller Scott Stringer hüpfburg kaufen and NYC Officer of Management and Budget director Dean Fuleihan, states:

Dear Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Taylor:

We are writing regarding the proposal for a 125-unit transitional housing facility at 78-16 Cooper Avenue, Glendale, NY 11385, which was submitted to the Department of Homeless Services (DHS) by Samaritan Village through an open RFP in August of 2013. We would like to collectively express our strong reservations about the suitability of this location to house a facility that is able to meet its stated goal of transitioning families into permanent housing.

We all fully support the legal mandate under Article XVII of the New York State Constitution, which has been upheld by court precedent, that the state and its local governments have an obligation to ensure shelter for vulnerable and in-need residents.

According to the Fair-Share Analysis dated December 6, 2013 from Commissioner Ovesey to Mayor Michael Bloomberg (the letter), DHS argued its needs to build this particular facility “to meet…legal obligations as well as fluctuations in shelter demand and shelter census.” (p.2)

The reality is that the vast majority of the arguments made in the letter for building this facility were so generic and broad that they may be used to justify the building of transitional housing facilities anywhere in the City of New York. While we fully support the city in its efforts to meet its legal obligation to ensure housing for all eligible in-need residents, we have multiple concerns specific to this particular site.

Simply stated, we collectively believe that DHS has failed to meet its own regulatory criteria in its fair share analysis, and some of their specific statements in the letter are quite frankly not legitimate. In sum, DHS has not made a plausible case to move on to the second phase of analysis for this site.

While there are multiple concerns about this particular proposal, the vast majority of our reservations are focused on the site’s relative proximity to the castillo hinchable necessary public resources that would be needed to help residents successfully transition into permanent housing.

The proposed site is nearly 1.3 miles away from the nearest subway station, which has only a single local-service line in operation. First and foremost, a distance of over a mile to the subway cannot be considered convenient or accessible to residents of the facility, who will need public transportation to commute to off-site linkage services, educational institutions, stores, and workplaces. In addition, our offices regularly receive calls regarding overcrowding on the limited MTA bus service that runs in the immediate vicinity of the proposed site. This distance completely invalidates DHS’ argument that “because of the Site’s proximity to public transportation, it is not expected that the proposed Shelter will negatively affect neighborhood traffic.” (p.2)

That particular statement from the letter also directly conflicts with a later determination as DHS cites the facility’s “proximity to…major thoroughfares will allow its residents and staff to access the Site in a convenient manner.” (p.11) These implausible justifications regarding suitable transportation directly lead to questions about the efficacy of the site, the ability to meet its goals, and, most importantly, the first phase of DHS analysis.

In addition, the likelihood of “cost-effective delivery of services” (p.1) is a factor cited by DHS in support of this proposal. However, in a recent hearing on the matter, DHS received a bid citing the facility would cost $27 million to operate over the initial five year contract period. Considering this Fair-Share Analysis does not address any specific cost-efficiencies that demonstrate the benefits of the development of this particular facility or proposal, in addition to the location deficiencies highlighted above, such an excessive commitment of tax-payer funds to this project appears hasty and illconceived.

If one of the primary criteria for evaluating a proposal’s cost-effectiveness correlates to the ability of the facility’s residents to quickly transition to permanent housing, we fail to see how developing a program at a location that is not conveniently accessible to basic public resources needed for a families success can be classified in such a manner.

Finally, we take issue with the assertion used in favor of this particular proposal in the letter that DHS, by its own accounting, has documented that shelter bouncy castle stay lengths have increased by 16% over the past year (p.3). If that is the case, then it does not stand to reason as a basic policy matter that the solution to that particular failure on the part of DHS is to continue to build facilities, including ones that don’t meet its own basic criteria for success like this one. We hope that, as a new administration, you will look to address that particular problem by undertaking a comprehensive analysis of how all DHS operations have combined to create that very unfortunate increase in turn around time for families in need.

In sum, we respectfully request that the city lay aside this proposal and investigate alternative solutions that address both the short and long term needs of our city’s homeless and in-need families in a responsible manner. We are available to meet in person to further discuss this matter further and in greater detail. We thank you for your time and consideration.