Interesting transportation choices

Flushing Avenue, Maspeth

Metropolitan Avenue, Ridgewood

Ackerman chooses Meng - for financial gain?

From the NY Times:

Representative Gary L. Ackerman, who unexpectedly announced in March that he would not seek re-election to Congress, is venturing into the primary contest to succeed him, backing the candidate he says best embodies his values: Assemblywoman Grace Meng.

Mr. Ackerman’s decision, to be announced Tuesday morning at the Pomonok Senior Center in Flushing, Queens, was hardly assured, given his reputation as an eccentric politician not known for regularly making endorsements. And while some political analysts assumed that Mr. Ackerman favored Ms. Meng, the choice of Representative Joseph Crowley and the Queens Democratic establishment, his pledge to campaign vigorously on her behalf could help sway constituents who have supported him during his nearly 30-year career.

Mr. Ackerman, in an interview, praised Ms. Meng’s chief competitors in the June 26 primary, Assemblyman Rory I. Lancman and City Councilwoman Elizabeth S. Crowley. Indeed, Mr. Ackerman said that all three were “philosophically close to the same place” on key issues like Israel and economic advocacy for the middle class.

But in what could be viewed as critiques of Mr. Lancman, an aggressive legislator who once mulled challenging Mr. Ackerman, and Ms. Crowley, whose candidacy has soured her relationship with her cousin, Congressman Crowley, Mr. Ackerman, 69, said that Ms. Meng’s self-effacing style and background as a fellow child of immigrants had won him over.

From City and State:

In a much-hyped press conference yesterday in Queens, veteran Congressman Gary Ackerman endorsed Assemblywoman Grace Meng to be his successor in Washington, D.C. – but did not bring up the fact that he has a financial interest in Meng’s campaign.

In a sometimes heated interview after the event, Ackerman did confirm that he is a part-owner of the Queens-based political consulting and printing firm Multi-Media, which is serving as the primary consultant to Meng’s well-funded congressional campaign.

Ackerman told City & State repeatedly that the financial relationship with Meng’s campaign had no role in the endorsement, which was described by the New York Times as “hardly assured” because of Ackerman’s reputation as an eccentric who does not usually back candidates.

“Did it affect my endorsement? No,” Ackerman said, acknowledging that he was aware of Meng’s business relationship with the consulting firm he co-owns before making his endorsement decision. “[Multi-Media] doesn’t run my life and I don’t run their business.”

Did you hear the joke about Megaprojects and affordable housing?

From the Wall Street Journal:

The promise of more than 4,000 units of low- and middle-income housing was a significant selling point for two of the city's largest new developments, Atlantic Yards in Brooklyn and Willets Point in Queens.

Today, they are moving forward, but the housing pieces have been pushed back for years behind other portions of the multibillion-dollar projects, as the boom-era visions are proving to be difficult to see through in a slowly recovering economy.

In recent weeks, the Bloomberg administration reached a tentative deal with the Related Cos. and Sterling Equities to redevelop a large industrial swath of land at Willets Point, in a plan that now calls for housing to be built as a third step with a groundbreaking by 2025, according to people familiar with the matter. The companies would first spend years building a hotel and a large retail center in the area before moving on to constructing the housing in an unproven and polluted site near Citi Field.

At Atlantic Yards, the project's centerpiece basketball arena is nearing completion. But developer Forest City Ratner Cos. has yet to begin any of the 6,400 units of housing it once anticipated being built by 2016—2,250 of which would be for low- and middle-income families. Forest City has cited higher than expected costs and an inclement market, although it plans to break ground this year on its first building with 175 below-market-rate units.

The delays have frustrated officials and given fuel to critics of the project, which went through a contested public approval process before the recession.

Astoria's new crime fighting program

From DNA Info:

Astoria is armed with dozens of newly trained block-watch experts ready to rein in the neighborhood's 5 percent uptick in major crime.

The neighborhood watch — the first of its kind in Astoria in more than 25 years — is set to become "extra eyes and ears for police officers," officials said.

It's the brainchild of Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., who posted the idea on Facebook and other sites in November and organized the first training session last week.

Last week, volunteers were given block-watcher IDs, trained how to detect suspicious behavior and activity — and instructed how to give useful specifics when they call 311 or 911. Local officials said they hope the program will soon expand beyond 30 volunteers.

Major crime in the 114th Precinct is up about 5 percent this year through May 20, according to NYPD statistics.

Even paper has street value

From the NY Post:

City sanitation cops are following a paper trail to bust a new breed of thieves.

Sly scrap bandits have taken to swiping bags of paper and cardboard left on curbs for the city’s Sanitation Department, following a dramatic rise in the value of the recyclable material, officials said.

Mixed paper has more than doubled in price over the past two years, going from around $40 a ton to as high as $120.

That huge price increase has been fueled by dwindling amounts of paper ending up in the recycling bin, as consumers switch to electronic forms of communication.

“When you approach this value, it becomes a market for unsavory characters,” said Hank Levin, whose Pratt Industries on Staten Island handles half the city’s curb-side paper pickup.

“[Thieves] can take a couple of tons off of the street in a night and get about $250.”

Cops with the city’s Department of Sanitation this year have already impounded 49 vehicles — mostly vans and small, rented moving trucks — for allegedly being used to pilfer bags of mixed paper off the streets.

That’s up from last year, when only 40 vehicles were impounded for similar crimes over 12 months.

Queens GOP under FBI investigation

From the NY Post:

The FBI is investigating the Queens Republican Party, its consultants and at least three people it recommended to the city Board of Elections, according to sources recently quizzed by federal agents.

The probe appears to be focused on how board employees may have used their official positions to further their careers as political consultants, as well as their party’s ambitions in local primary elections.

Board employees are recommended by both political parties in each of the five boroughs and are hired by board commissioners.

The names of at least three employees recommended by the Queens GOP — including Stephen Graves, whom the board suspended in April after being caught on tape soliciting cash from a company seeking a contract — came up in questions posed by the FBI, the sources said.

One source said Queens GOP Chairman Philip Ragusa and Executive Vice Chairman Vincent Tabone pushed a board official out of her job for not taking a rival, Myrna Littlewort, off the ballot during a state committee leadership race.

The official, Katherine James, the board’s former deputy chief clerk, said, “They wanted Myrna off the ballot, and there was no way I could do that fair and square.”

The federal probe stems from reports in The Post detailing politicians’ complaints that Queens GOP consultants tried milking them for cash, according to two sources interviewed by the feds.

Crowley caught cheating at debate

From the Daily News:

Congressional contender Elizabeth Crowley seemed overly preoccupied with her cell phone during a recent Queens candidate debate, prompting at least one member of the audience to question whether the Councilwoman was getting answers via the mobile from her staff in the audience.

Crowley can be seen checking her cell phone nearly 20 times during the Kissena Park Civic Association debate last Thursday, according to a video link provide the Daily News and posted on YouTube.

Crowley is busy typing and reading her cell as the other hopefuls for the re-drawn 6th Congressional District in Queens grappled with debate questions.

"At first, I thought she was Googling answers or something, but she kept looking at her people in the audience, so I think she was getting answers and information," said a civic leader who also filmed the debate.

"At the very least, it was amazingly rude, and stupid not to give your full focus to the debate," said the videographer, who has not officially endorsed any candidate but did applaud Assemblyman Rory Lancman's proposed bills tackling community overdevelopment.

"If I saw Lancman do this, I would call him out, or any of the other candidates.," he said. "A congressional seat is too important to have someone seemingly getting fed answers."

Crowley's spokesman said such allegations were absurd, and untrue.

"She was using her phone to take notes on the questions," said spokesman Eric Yun. "Other candidates had pen and paper, but she was taking notes on her phone."

Why would she need to take notes if her communications director/spokesman was in the audience? Wouldn't he be doing that for her?

The NY-6 congressional candidates on overdevelopment

Fix the garbage problem already!

Dear Councilman Leroy Comrie, Queens Borough President Helen M. Marshall, Senator Malcolm Smith, Assemblymember Rory Lancman, Iggy Terranova, Community Board #12 Members and Other Concerned Individuals:

I have been complaining since approximately March of 2011 in regards to the garbage/litter problem in Jamaica, Queens and to very little avail, especially certain problem areas that I have brought up in the past. I will continue to contact all of you until something finally gets done in regards to this major problem in Jamaica, Queens.

The problem areas that are in close proximity to where I live are the following (attached is a video of the problem areas as well as a link below to the video):



Problem Garbage/Litter Areas:

1. NW corner of 170th St & 90th Avenue: An empty lot with a wire fence that has garbage inside and always on the outside on the sidewalk. This one I have been complaining about since early 2011 and nothing has been done. The owner came out one time in the summer of 2011, put some garbage in garbage bags and left the garbage bags in the lot. Other garbage and litter was swept underneath all of the weeds in the lot. I actually watched all of this happen. The owner of the lot never comes out to clean the outside sidewalks surrounding the lot which are constantly having litter dumped and then piles up. I have been out there many times to clean that area.

2. 170-17 89th Avenue: Another empty lot with a wooden fence which garbage has been dumped in front of it. I have been complaining for several weeks regarding this and no one has cleaned this up. In the meantime, the garbage continues to pile up.

3.Block 9803 on 90th Avenue between 170th & 169th Street: Another empty lot with a wooden fence that has garbage tossed in front of it. Again I have been complaining about this for many months and garbage continues to pile up and the owner has rarely been out to take care of this. This was the same lot in which the large wooden fence was falling down and I had filed complaint on this so many times to no avail. It was Howard Thompson from "Help Me Howard" who came out and did a story on this issue and got it resolved.

4. LIRR Tunnel on 170th Street between 93rd Avenue and Archer Avenue: This is a notorious dumping ground for not only regular garbage and litter, but big items such as mattresses, shopping carts, tires, garbage bags, wood, etc (which can be seen in my video). This is a major problem area for illegal dumping and an area which should be monitored or at the very lease have warning signs up.

These are just a few areas that are within a close distant to where I live. There are many areas all over Jamaica like this and worse. This seems to be the only area in Queens that has a problem of this magnitude and also does not get addressed or resolved.

Please watch the video that I made on May 27th showing the above areas plus some other areas with this garbage situation.

Will anyone stand up and do something about this ongoing major problem? I realize that many of the people who live in this area (and the influx of immigrants) have no regard to their environment and treat this neighborhood like a garbage dump. I also realize that many owners of these vacant lots take no responsibility for these properties, but the city's response to this issue is extremely poor and seems to take no action or very little action against the owners of these vacant and abandoned lots.

This situation is a total disgrace which would not happen in other areas of Queens. Some of you are the leaders and public servant in our community and I want to know how can you allow this situation to have gotten to this point and further more why are you not doing something about it. You all should hold your heads in shame on this issue.

Sincerely,


Joe Moretti

Ozone Park neighbors go from bad to worse

"I have a recurring chronic problem that I need your help with (as I asked in the past), the crap neighbors next door to me at 93-45 ______ are at it once again.It used to be that they had a loud party about once a month, but they've been out there four consecutive weekends. The cops did come by and quiet them on 5/12, but they were right back at it the next weekend.That's bad enough, but yesterday they resumed burning wood for their BBQ (they place a caldron on top). Last summer, they burnt an old bed-frame!

And now for the daily annoyance: their bottle and can recycling business. This can start before 6 AM and run to midnight. They store their garbage as far away from their house as possible. Which means it's kept right next to the fence that adjoins my property. This smelly mix brings about little - and not so little - rodents which makes me fearful for my dogs. Who know what the rodents might drop (and do)? Today, I had to chase off a mouse that wanted to come into my house! Arghh!!! And, rain is no deterrent to their garbage picking as you can see from the pic below taken less than an hour ago.


I've placed calls to 311 for years about this house and not a damn thing changes. These "people" simply don't care about anyone else but themselves.

My apologies if this message isn't as lucid as it should be, but I'm f^&*#*g pissed off, severely stressed and sick and tired of this constant destruction of our quality of life. Especially since there's enough other crap going on around here that we have to endure.

I'd love to move, but to where and with what money?? And what's not to say that there's another family of a-holes waiting there?

My wife is afraid of retaliation on their part if we complain (we've already had some trouble along these lines), but why the hell should we be forced to live this way? - Rich Parkwood

PS My nice neighbors (on the other side of my house) think that they are renting out beds like a hostel. I wasn't sure about that idea until I saw three unfamiliar backpackers arrive yesterday evening."

More photos here.

Memorial Day in Woodhaven

DEC allowing the fox to watch the henhouse?

From the Gotham Gazette:

Industries that use pesticides, treat wastewater and store hazardous chemicals could have penalties for breaking pollution laws reduced or waived if they agree to self-report violations under a policy being considered by New York’s leading environmental regulator.

Any entity that enters into an agreement with the state Department of Environmental Conservation to self-audit would also “not be prioritized for inspection during the audit period,” stated a draft of the proposed policy obtained by the Gotham Gazette.

The proposed policy was expected to be discussed at the DEC's regional directors meeting earlier today.

The DEC regulates sources of air and water pollution, including private industry, agricultural uses, and municipal facilities like waste transfer stations and sewage treatment plants. It is responsible for enforcing over 40 New York State environmental laws and over 50 federal laws, including provisions of the Clean Air and Clean Water acts. The agency would also be charged with regulating hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale.

The self-audit policy, described in a draft document dated May 14, would apply to any private business or public entity, including federal, state and municipal agencies and facilities, which are regulated under state environmental law.

A self-audit, however, “is not required for disclosure and may not be warranted in certain circumstances,” the document states. Environmental violations involving suspected criminal conduct would not be eligible for a penalty waiver.

Further, the DEC would conduct an inspection if it receives “a complaint concerning the regulated entity or have reason to believe that a violation has occurred resulting in serious actual harm.”

DEC Executive Deputy Commissioner Marc Gerstman said the goal of the proposed policy was to promote compliance with environmental laws.

Vicky's colossal mistake

Instead of Astoria Boulevard, where the pro-life center is located, whoever typed this up accidentally put in "Abortion Boulevard."

Council Member says fare-beating not a big deal

From the Daily News:

There's a time and a place for everything — even farebeating, in one City Councilman’s opinion.

Councilman Robert Jackson said he told his wife to duck under the turnstiles at the 181st St. station on the A line, which had a broken MetroCard machine, rather than walk to a staffed entrance at 184th St.

“I told her to go under,” Jackson said. “I would have gone under.

“Whoever goes to buy a MetroCard should be entitled to a free ride if the machines aren’t working, if there’s no token booth clerk there,” he added.

The MTA swiped back.

“Farebeating is a crime,” MTA spokesman Adam Lisberg said. “It’s wrong. It’s illegal, and it deprives the MTA of the money it needs to carry you on the subway.”

Another Crowley's Memorial Day gaffe

Hey Joe, is "happy" really an appropriate word to use for this solemn day? Have you forgotten what Memorial Day is supposed to be about?

Crowley campaign in desperate need of proofreader

"Grammar's not my forte but this looks wrong. I found it in the Queens Chronicle." - anonymous

Yupster guide to LIC

Here you go, folks. Apparently this is a TV series. The latest installment is about LIC. Too bad the "expert tour guide" they interviewed in the first segment doesn't know that the graffiti artists' building has been called 5 Pointz for more than a decade and that the Phun Phactory moved to Brooklyn. Makes you wonder what other bullshit official tour guides are telling tourists that don't know any better. No mention that LIC still lacks basic amenities. But you can booze it up on a fake beach. Now that's living.

Pols place their bets on sports gambling

From the NY Post:

A Queens lawmaker wants to legalize betting on professional sports in New York — and his proposed legislation has the backing of one of the state’s top prosecutors, Brooklyn DA Charles “Joe” Hynes, The Post has learned.

State Sen. Tony Avella’s bill would allow betting on baseball, football, basketball, hockey and soccer at the Aqueduct and Yonkers racinos and all casinos across the state, as well as off-track betting parlors outside the city.

Currently, only betting on horse racing is legal.

Such legalized betting in the sports-crazed Big Apple could become a cash cow for the state, where fans passionately follow — and often illegally bet on — the Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets Knicks and Rangers.

Citing a study conducted by the New York City Partnership five years ago, Democrat Avella said betting on pro sports would generate more than $2 billion.

He said the state’s cut from the racino sports book would go to fund schools.

“We have to think out of the box. I’d rather come up with revenue this way rather than raising property taxes,” said Avella.

He claimed said studies show illegal sports betting generates more than $100 billion nationally and as much as $15 billion to $30 billion in New York City alone — much of it feeding organized crime.

And that’s why Hynes is supporting the measure. He said sports betting should be regulated by the government and benefit the public, not crooks.

ICCC project raises its ugly head again

From the Times Ledger:

Since its attempt to acquire more land on the Creedmoor Psychiatric Campus in Bellerose fell through last year, the Indian Cultural and Community Center is hoping to provide alternative access to its proposed developments, but the community is reluctant to approve anything before investigations into the center’s controversial dealings are concluded.

The center is now looking for approval from the city Board of Standards and Appeals to provide access through a vehicular easement on the eastern side of the property by 82nd Avenue.

Due to a scheduling conflict, the community board’s Land Use Committee report was not available Monday, so members could not vote on the application, although the surrounding controversies seemed to be enough to put them off on from taking any position on the center’s dealings.

“Given the fact that we have never had any closure on any investigations that are taking place within the state, I feel that we are not in a position to vote either way on anything regarding this,” said CB 13 member Charlie Farruggia.

When the state’s legislative lines were redrawn earlier this year, the Creedmoor Campus was removed from state Sen. Tony Avella’s (D-Bayside) district and placed in Sen. Malcolm Smith’s (D-St. Albans).

Avella has been a vocal critic of the original land deal, and Smith introduced the bill on the second one, though he later pulled his support.

Mob-owned firm off Columbia project

From the Daily News:

The mob-linked demolition company running jobs on which two workers have died as part of Columbia’s West Harlem expansion has been booted from the project, the Daily News has learned.

Brooklyn-based Breeze National, which was demolishing a building on W. 131st St. that collapsed in March, killing one worker and injuring two others, is no longer on the job at the Manhattanville construction site.

Breeze has been doing work at six additional properties on the 17-acre expansion site, according to records.

Juan Vicente Ruiz, Sr., 69, died when a wall of the building came crashing down in March. His family is now suing the Ivy League school, charging the construction site was unsafe.

Inspectors had issued a previous stop work order and assessed Breeze with violations for failing to notify the city that it was starting demolition and failing to properly safeguard the people and property that were affected.

It wasn’t the first time a Breeze National worker died on a Columbia demolition job. Two years ago, 51-year-old Jozef Wilk fell to his death while demolishing a Columbia-owned building on Broadway.

Breeze spokeswoman Sarah Berman declined to comment on the firm’s removal, but said “it has not been deemed they did anything wrong” in connection with the March collapse, adding that the cause was likely a structural defect.

Quinn apparently has a lot to hide

From NY1:

NY1 received Council Speaker Christine Quinn's schedules through a Freedom of Information Law request.

More than 600 hours were blacked out. Hours council officials say include events that if disclosed would be an unwarranted invasion of the speaker's personal privacy.

They could be instances when she goes to spinning class in TriBeCa. They could also be certain instructions to staff or interagency deliberations that aren't finalized.

"It seems that there might have been names, names of staff members for example, public employees, other people that Ms. Quinn might have met that did involve the performance of her duties," said Robert Freeman of the State Committee on Open Government. "It would be difficult to understand why those names would be redacted."

The schedules do reveal that Quinn has met with at least four campaign fundraisers during the work week. Half were in the council's offices.

Liu not invited to the party

From the NY Post:

The New York State Democratic Party denied embattled city Comptroller John Liu a slot to attend the 2012 convention in Charlotte, NC, this summer to nominate President Obama for re-election, The Post has learned.

The federal criminal probe of Liu’s campagn finances played a role in the decision not to name the comptroller as an at-large delegate, sources said.

“It certainly didn’t help,” said one party insider.

A Liu spokesman confirmed he was frozen out.

“John is heartbroken that he won’t be able to help renominate President Obama, but he will continue to campaign vigorously for his re-election in every way possible,” said Liu campaign spokesman George Arzt.

Gov. Cuomo had a say in who was named delegates, and who wasn’t.

Lancman promises federal action against overdevelopment

From the Times Ledger:

[Assembly Member Rory] Lancman...stood with civic leaders in Bowne Park Friday to discuss the proposed Homes and Essential Landmarks Preservation Act aimed at combatting overdevelopment at the federal level, which Lancman would look to enact if he wins the Congressional election.

The HELP Act would limit tax deductions for property owners not in compliance with zoning laws, promote tax credits for properties listed in the National Historic Register, fund the city and state’s zoning enforcement, and clarify the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act to ensure religious institutions do not ignore zoning regulations.

“Overdevelopment destroys the character of our communities,” Lancman said. “The HELP Act is a federal solution to the proliferation of McMansions, improperly zoned offices, inappropriate commercial development and overly large community facilities where single-family homes and small businesses once stood, and the desecration of historic sites and neighborhoods by developers who put profits ahead of the interest of residents.”

Bloomberg a little testy after being caught breaking rule

From Eyewitness News:

No amount of City Hall spin could change what the video reveals: A Mayor repeatedly violating a city-imposed noise curfew at an East side heliport.

So after two Eyewitness News reports documenting Mayor Bloomberg's noisy weekend intrusions, 8 in just one weekend, he announced he would use another heliport.

Dr. Ron Sticco, a fed up resident who recorded the scofflaw Mayor's helicopter movements, says he's pleased with Bloomberg's decision:

"This is about respecting the community and abiding by the rules. I'm happy but I really wish it had never come to anything like this," Sticco said.
The Mayor could now end up using the city-owned Wall Street heliport, which is open during weekends. An obviously miffed Mayor brushed off the entire curfew controversy:

"Don't know why it's such a big deal. If that's the news that's fit to print in this day in age, it's a sad day," he said.

But the Sticcos and others say when the Mayor, a man of great wealth and power, behaves as though rules don't apply to him and then gets caught - that they say is newsworthy.

Residents say for an urgent matter or an emergency, no one would blame the mayor for using the heliport, but 8 times in one weekend, they say shows blind arrogance.