Glendale

The Department of Sanitation’s Enforcement Division, using information provided by Councilman Bob Holden’s office, has conducted numerous investigations into illegal dumping in Liberty Park in Glendale.

As a result, six offenders were caught over a two-week period.

Illegal dumping is defined as trash bags, construction debris or appliances being left on public or private property. Both the vehicle owner and drivers are legally responsible for dumping.

Fines for the vehicle owner range from $4,000 to $18,000. The vehicle used may be impounded.

“Illegal dumping has been a problem in my district for a very long time because we have a lot of open spaces surrounding parks, cemeteries and railroad trucks,” Holden said. “But the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting budget crisis have made matters even worse.”

Officers conducted surveillance on Cypress Hills Street and watched a vehicle pull in between two large trucks. The driver exited the vehicle, opened the rear passenger side door and dumped one cubic yard of black bags containing household waste and a chandelier.

Another person was seen removing black bags and placing them on the grassy area on Cypress Hills Street.

Two other people were caught illegally dumping a mattress and box spring.

Residents who witness illegal dumping should contact 311 or go here to file a report.

Glendale Assemblyman Mike Miller is in the fight of his political career as he trails challenger Jenifer Rajkumar after last night’s primary.

With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Rajkumar has collected 2,624 votes, or 52 percent, while Miller has only 1,300 votes, or 26.8 percent.

Another challenger, queer poet and activist Joey De Jesus, received 1,108 votes, representing 22 percent of the vote.

Should Rajkumar, an attorney, adjunct professor and former state government official in the Cuomo administration, wins, she would be the first South Asian American elected to the Assembly.

A little more than 5,000 voters cast their ballot in person for this Assembly race, which indicates low voter turnout in a insuflaveis non-presidential cycle. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused even fewer voters to turn out than usual.

Like many other primary races, this contest will not be decided until all of the absentee ballots are counted, which could take more than a week.

Miller has represented the 38th Assembly District, which includes Glendale, Woodhaven, Richmond Hill, Ozone Park and Ridgewood, since a special election in 2009.

In the race for Queens borough president, Councilman Donovan Richards is leading all candidates with 41,915 votes, good for 37.2 percent, with 96 percent of precincts reporting. Richards and Rajkumar cross-endorsed each other in their respective races.

Trailing Donovan is former Glendale Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley, who has 31,781 votes, or 28 percent.

Other Democratic candidates include Councilman Costa Constantinides with 17,164 votes (15 percent), Anthony Miranda with 16,613 votes (14.7 percent) and Dao Yin with 5,028 votes (4.4 percent).

Though Richards is leading by a decent margin, we will wait until all ballots are counted to declare a winner.

The Democratic nominee will likely face Joann Ariola, the Republican’s pick, in the general election in November.

In the 6th Congressional District, which includes Glendale, Congresswoman Grace Meng defeated challenger Melquiades Gagarin and Sandra Choi.

With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Meng, who is seeking re-election to her fifth term in office, received 15,181 votes, nearly 61 percent of the district.

Gagarin, a progressive activist, won 5,261 votes, or 21 percent. Choi, another first-time candidate, received 4,318 votes, good for 17 percent.

Though the district leans heavily Democratic, Meng will still face Republican nominee Thomas Zmich in the general election in November.

State Senator Joe Addabbo, who represents Glendale, did not face a primary challenger.

Acting Borough President Sharon Lee appointed 339 people to serve in Queens’s 14 community boards on Tuesday.

Of the 399 appointees, 76 are first-time members who have never served on the board, but have shown a commitment and understanding to the community’s needs.

The two-year term for these bouncy castle for sale appointees run from May 31, 2020 to March 31, 2022.

The office received 595 applications, including 252 from applicants who had never served on a community board. More than 340 were from those who were reapplying at the end of their 2020 term.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lee announced in late March that community board members whose terms end on March 31 would continue for an additional 60 days.

Here are Borough President Lee’s appointments for the 2020-2022 term for Community Board 5, which serves Glendale:

• Bhubaneshor Adhikari
• Antonetta Binanti
• Eric Butkiewicz
• Robert Cermeli
• Patricia Crowley
• Dmytro Fedkowskyj
• Shawn Fisch
• Sukh Gurung
• Frederick Heller
• Frederick Hoefferle
• Richard Huber
• Kinga Kurzyna
• John Maier
• Edgar Mantel
• Eileen Moloney
• Margaret O’Kane
• Michael O’Kane
• Michael Porcelli
• Kelvin Rodriguez
• Luis Rodriguez
• Dennis Stephan