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By Bob Harris

TimesLedger Newspapers

Using the valid excuse that more affordable housing is needed for the homeless, the city administration is planning sweeping zoning revisions which civic leaders fear will undo years of positive changes they have been working for.

People buy homes or rent homes or apartments because of the quality of life in a particular community. People want a bucolic neighborhood with trees, lawns, blooming bushes, green spaces, fresh air and a good quality of life. Queens’ civic associations have worked for decades to changes R2 zoning of neighborhoods to R2A to prevent the building of larger houses that would bring more walls, bricks and cement instead of green spaces. People watch to make sure that lawns are not paved over. Civic associations report illegal conversions so that illegal tenants don’t come with excess garbage and cars parked on lawns or across sidewalks.

The City Planning Department has been working on new zoning plans which the city says would “modernize zoning regulations that are outmoded and often impede the production of new affordable housing.” Well, any credible civic leader will tell you this is “hogwash” and will only make it easier for developers to build big buildings without parking. Oh, one proposal is that senior housing should be built without the current required parking “because senior citizens don’t drive.” Civic leader Roe Daraio, president of the Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst, thinks that parking should be increased rather than decreased.

The city seems to believe that senior citizens could walk to public transportation, then either wait for a bus exposed to the weather perhaps without a seat or walk upstairs to catch an elevated subway train. Even if some seniors don’t drive, their visitors would probably drive.

These zoning proposals were prepared without the input of the civic and tenant associations in New York City. The city asked for suggestions in March and tried to set a final date for discussion for April 6, but there was such complaining that now people can respond until April 30th.

President of the Queens Civic Congress Harbachan Singh, and Vice President Rich Hellenbrecht warned the member civic associations of these proposals, which would undo the decades of hard work if these new zoning changes are pushed through. They are concerned about the lack of infrastructure to handle large scale development.

Joe Amaroso, the knowledgeable zoning chairman of the Kissena Park Civic Association, called the proposals to increase height requirements and relax density restrictions “a disaster for some neighborhoods. “

In Manhattan, numerous community preservation groups such as Landmark West, the New York Landmarks Conservancy, Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, Tribeca Trust, Friends of the Upper West Side and the Historic Districts Council have all spoken out against this disastrous new zoning proposal. There is fear that the new ideas would weaken the contextual zoning protection which has been developed over the years to protect historic sites and which prevent overdevelopment.

Any person can contact the Department of City Planning to oppose these ideas by emailing housing@planning.nyc.gov or writing Robert Dobruskin, director of the department’s environmental assessment and review division, at New York City Department of City Planning, 22 Reade Street, 4E, New York, NY 10007.

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By Joseph Staszewski

TimesLedger Newspapers

Landing Cheick Diallo would be the exclamation point to the early success of Chris Mullin’s tenure as St. John’s men’s basketball coach.

The Johnnies legend was off to a flying start securing quality transfer and junior college talent before losing his first recruiting battle Monday. Former St. John’s-commit Brandon Sampson chose to go to LSU after decommiting from the Red Storm after the departure of former coach Steve Lavin. The Louisiana shooting guard is the No. 41-ranked played in the nation, according to Yahoo.

Diallo would be a bigger get with a biggest upside. He won’t come easy. The 6-foot-9 Our Savior New American forward is still undecided. He is the No. 7-ranked player in the country, according to Yahoo, and is coming off MVP performances in the McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand Classic All-Star games this month.

He declined talking about his college situation after scoring 26 points on 12-for-16 shooting and 11 rebounds in the Jordan game at Barclays Center Saturday. He said 300 people, including family, friends and schoolmates came to watch him play. The game being in Brooklyn made it extra enjoyable for Diallo.

“I’m excited to be in New York,” he said. “That’s my state. That’s where I live.”

St. John’s can only hope he feels that way with his recruitment. Mullin personally is getting in late with Diallo, who was being recruited by Lavin’s staff. Mullin’s assistant coaches however are familiar with Diallo, who also has offers from Kentucky, Kansas, Pittsburgh and Iowa State. Matt Abdelmassih and Barry Rohrssen recruited him at their previous jobs at Kentucky and Iowa State, respectively. They met with Diallo along with Mullin over the weekend, according to reports.

Taking him away from some of college basketball’s best programs would be quite an early coup for Mullin. NBADraft.net has Diallo projected as the No. 4 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

What you get in Diallo is a pure athlete who is still learning the game of basketball. He just started playing in 2010, but his years as a soccer player growing up in Bamako, Mali, gives him the quickness and agility running the court that most players of his size and stage of development don’t have.

“Sometimes I get a foul, sometimes I get a steal so I can fast break and dunk it easy,” Diallo said. “That’s natural. I use to play soccer. That’s how I am so quick.”

Diallo has a constant motor. Reporters usually joke with him that he plays too hard in all-star games. He has a great touch around the basket, rebounds well and is a shot blocker.

Landing him would give St. John’s that program-changing piece to make the jump to national prominence a little quicker.

It can still happen in time without him. If Mullin gets Diallo to Queens, his job, or vocation as legendary coach Lou Carnesecca called it, gets that much easier. Now we wait to see if that’s the case.

Get Diallo and St. John’s future gets a little brighter, a little faster.

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By Sadef Ali Kully

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Transportation Security Administration announced it will take take additional steps to address inhouse airport security vulnerability at U.S. airports Monday.

The announcement came after the Aviation Security Advisory Committee conducted a 90-day comprehensive review at the request of Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson in January.

“Their recommendations validate TSA’s risk-based approach to passenger screening and will help strengthen the overall security of our commercial aviation network. I am confident that the potential insider-threat posed by aviation industry employees will be significantly mitigated as a result of these recommendations,” said Johnson.

The review also was asked to determine if additional risk-based security measures, resource reallocations, new investments or policy changes are necessary.

The request came after U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson urged the DHS secretary to re-evelaute airport security following a gun running scheme at both New York airports by a former Delta Airlines employee who allegedly smuggled 153 weapons, most were purchased in Georgia and headed for Brooklyn, with the help of airline employees on commercial flights. The bust recovered weapons that ranged from AR-15 and AK-47 assault weapons to handguns in December, according to the Brooklyn DA.

“When guns are as easy to carry on board a plane as a neck pillow, then we have a serious problem,” Schumer said. “Today’s announcement by Secretary Johnson is a prompt response and a significant first step to closing the gaping loopholes in airport security, especially with regard to reducing access points and enhancing criminal background checks. More is needed and we will work with DHS and stakeholders to press for further security improvements.”

Immediately following the incident in December 2014, TSA increased the random and unpredictable screening of aviation workers at various airport access points to mitigate potential security vulnerabilities.

ASAC report made recommendations and Johnson has directed the TSA to take the following immediate actions: until TSA establishes a system for “real time recurrent” criminal history background checks for all aviation workers, fingerprint-based background checks every two years for all airport employees; require airport and airline employees traveling as passengers to be screened by TSA prior to travel; require airports to reduce the number of access points to secured areas to an operational minimum; increase aviation employee screening, to include additional randomization screening throughout the workday; re-emphasize and leverage the Department of Homeland Security “If You See Something, Say Something™” initiative to improve situational awareness and encourage detection and reporting of threat activity.

The Aviation Security Advisory Committee was established in 1989 in the wake of the crash of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The ASAC provides advice and recommendations for improving aviation security measures to the Administrator of TSA.

Reach Reporter Sadef Ali Kully by e-mail at skully@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4546.

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By Madina Toure

TimesLedger Newspapers

A 60-year-old man driving an out-of-control Penske rental struck a school bus with 23 second-graders on Hillside Avenue and rammed a fruit store, pinning a 35-year-old woman last Friday, the NYPD said.

The truck driver was traveling southbound on the Clearview Expressway, a police spokesman said. When he arrived at the intersection of Hillside Avenue in Queens Village at about 11:40 a.m., he collided with a school bus carrying the 23 children and four adults.

The bus driver, a 57-year-old man, was traveling westbound on Hillside Avenue, the spokesman said.

The truck driver struck another vehicle, driven by a 35-year-old man, who was traveling eastbound on Hillside Avenue.

The truck then hit New Giant Farm, a fruit store located on the corner of Hillside Avenue and Hollis Court Boulevard, pinning the woman, the spokesman added. The woman was not critically injured.

Mark Ferran, the FDNY’s deputy chief, described the scene when emergency services arrived in Queens Village right off the Grand Central.

“The crash severely damaged the store,” he said. “When we arrived, there was a woman pinned between the truck and the fruit case and we also had the truck driver pinned inside the truck. 301 Engine immediately went to work on the two victims. We extricated them and were able to get them into the ambulance and transport them to Jamaica Hospital.”

All the vehicle drivers were taken to local area hospitals for non-life threatening injuries, according to the police spokesman. One child on the school bus was taken to Long Island Jewish Medical Center for minor injuries.

Mariel Dominguez was working on the third cash register inside New Giant Farm at the time of the accident.

“I heard a loud sound, and impact and then I saw my manager run,” he said in Spanish. “I saw the woman who was injured, she was in her mid-40s and was conscious and talking. She wanted to get out from under the truck.”

Yun Kyung, brother of the manager, was also in the store when the crash happened.

“There was a loud sound at the front and I ran to check what happened, I didn’t see it,” Kyung said. “This is bad for business because the weekend is a busy time for the store, but we plan on reopening as soon as possible.”

The cause of the crash has not yet been determined, a police spokesman said.

Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtoure@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.

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By Eric Jankiewicz

TimesLedger Newspapers

With the announcement made earlier this month that Junior’s Cheesecake Factory will be leaving its Maspeth factory, another part of the neighborhood’s industrial identity is being removed.

Junior’s Cheesecake, with its flagship store in Brooklyn, baked all of its goods for the last 15 years at a factory in Maspeth. But, according to a spokesman for the company, the bakery will be moving out of the 20,000-square-foot factory at 58-42 Maurice Ave. later this year

And Maspeth’s identity as an industrial and manufacturing neighborhood is slowly chipping away. Last year, Hansel N’ Gretel produced its last slice of deli meat last year after being in operation for 140 years in New York City.

The Hansel N’ Gretel site sits on more then two acres of land and the area is an industrial zone, according to city records. Real estate agency Avison Young is brokering the sale of the site and Cayre Investments will turn most of it into a storage unit, according to the real estate agency. While storage units are not residential units, the business will not bring in the same number of jobs and activity that Hansel N’ Gretel and the cheesecake factory brought.

“Industrial businesses are currently being pushed out of the neighborhood,” said Jean Tanler, the coordinator for the Maspeth Industrial Business Association. “Currently we’re experiencing a shortage of industrial property because of rezoning and conversions to other uses. So what little is left in New York City is being highly competed over.”

Junior’s plans on completely moving its operations to Burlington, N.J. by July.

“We can’t afford the real estate around here,” said Alan Rosen, Junior’s owner. “New York is very interested in residential development, but commercial is tough, and it doesn’t make sense for a bakery to acquire that real estate.”

Tanler is confident that industrial business will also gravitate towards Maspeth because of its centrally located throne in New York City and its developed distribution centers. But, she said, as real estate development continues to push out into Queens, the zoning laws of the area might change to exclude manufacturing and industrial plants from coming into the area.

“There’s nothing within the zoning that protects the area’s future,” Tanler said. “There’s this perception that industrial is ugly, so when there’s an opportunity to develop something else, there tends to be support for it.”

Reach reporter Eric Jankiewicz by e-mail at ejankiewicz@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4564.

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By Madina Toure

TimesLedger Newspapers

A Flushing group and the Department of City Planning have teamed up to push forth a project that would redevelop the Flushing waterfront and bring more affordable housing to the area.

In 2011, the Flushing Willets Corona Local Development Corporation received a $1.5 million New York State Brownfield Opportunity Grant to fund its Flushing Riverfront Project, which would clean up and rezone 60 acres on the Flushing waterfront. The project would create a planned community with waterfront access and housing and commercial space.

City Planning decided to combine the corporation’s project into its study of Flushing West, which supports Mayor Bill de Blasio’s 10-year affordable housing plan.

The study area — whose lot area consists of 32 acres — covers Prince Street to Flushing Creek on the west, Roosevelt Avenue on the south and Northern Boulevard on the north.

“This was a great opportunity to join both efforts because the goals were aligned to create a new community and Flushing has a great need for affordable housing,” said Alex Rosa, a project consultant for the corporation.

The agency will put together a brownfield opportunity area report that will explain the challenges and opportunities for redeveloping the area and prepare rezoning recommendations.

“Flushing did have a lot of dynamics to it where it seemed to be growing towards the waterfront and we wanted to combine the idea of the downtown vibrancy, creating new jobs here and new housing and provide a market with a direction that would also include affordable housing,” said John Young, director of the City Planning’s Queens office.

In 2012, members of the Flushing Willets corporation found that the 60-acre area was mostly made up of industrial and unused lots, which could be used for numerous purposes.

In 2004, the city Economic Development Corporation, City Planning and the Downtown Flushing Consultant team released the Downtown Flushing Development Framework.

The framework introduced a land use planning strategy for the future growth and sustainability of downtown Flushing, the Flushing River waterfront and the Willets Point peninsula.

The framework proposed that the city work with state and federal authorities to clean up the Flushing River and restore its tidal wetlands, suggesting the creation of a waterfront promenade and new community open space to help the public access the developing waterfront. It also mentioned a future pedestrian bridge that could

The framework led to the redevelopment of Municipal Lot 1 in the center of downtown Flushing into a mixed-used community with shops, housing and community facilities and Macedonia Plaza, a mixed use development that consists of affordable housing, a community facility space and a retail space.

Three-quarters of the study area is zoned C4-2, or a commercial and residential zone. The northern portion of the study has M1-1 zoning, which is light manufacturing. The northern portion along the waterfront is zoned M3-1, which is heavier manufacturingThe study will be introduced at a public town hall meeting May 21 at 6 p.m. at Flushing Town Hall.

Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtoure@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.

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By Veronica Venterpool

TimesLedger Newspapers

The New York City subway system is one of the region’s most valuable assets, but with the delays and crowds that characterize the commutes of millions of daily riders it is easy to underappreciate. Today’s news that subway ridership increased by 2.6 percent in 2014 is both a significant milestone celebrating the progress and popularity of the system over the decades but potentially a harbinger of bad news if more investment is not in the system.

The plan that outlines such investments, the 2015-2019 MTA capital program, has a $14 billion gap. The improvements that reduce delays and crowds are on the chopping block as well.

As legislators return to session in Albany this week, addressing this gap must be one of their top priorities. This plan outlines the train, track, signal, technology, bus and station projects that will mitigate delays, crowds and deteriorating service across the entire MTA system. Riders should find a champion in Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie; ridership on the 2 and 5 trains in the speaker’s Bronx district grew by 3.7 percent in 2914.

We also encourage New York City to increase its contribution to the five-year capital program in the city’s upcoming capital budget. If these additional investments are not make, instead of celebrating how far our transit system has evolved over the past 30 years, we will be lamenting the demise of a city those most valuable asset was neglected.

Veronica Vanterpool

Executive Director

Tri-state Transportation Campaign

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By William Lewis

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Queens Village Republican Club had one of its most successful fund-raising events March 22 when more than 250 guests attended the annual Lincoln Dinner, which this year marked the group’s 140th anniversary.

The program consisted of awards and presentations. The master of ceremonies was talk show host Steve Malzberg. The keynote speaker was William Kristol, who in addition to being editor of The Weekly Standard, is a commentator on regular television political programs.

One award that received a lot of interest was the New York City’s Finest Award to Police Officers Kenneth Healy, Joseph Meeker, Peter Rivera and Taylor Kraft. These officers fought off an attack by a terrorist assailant in 2014.

Congressman Chris Gibson, a Republican from Kinderhook, N.Y., received the Rabbi Morton Pomerantz Veteran of the Year Award. Gibson, a retired Army colonel after serving 24 years in the military was in combat, most notably in Iraq. He received numerous commendations for his service. including four Bronze Stars and the Purple Heart.

Gibson is looked upon as a rising star in New York politics. He may be running for the U.S. Senate or the governorship during the next three years.

The Harvey Moder Achievement Award was presented to Katherine James, who served 13 years as deputy chief clerk on the Queens Board of Elections.

An address was also given by District Attorney Dan Donovan of Richmond County who is running in a special election for U.S. Congress.

The Queens Village Club has nine club officers and a 15-member board of directors. The president of the club, Philip Orenstein, and the chairman of the board of directors, James Trent, are to be commended as well as are all the club members who served on the dinner committee.

Fund-raising is an important part of political success. However, potential candidates, to have a chance for election, need a good campaign organization to circulate designating petitions, actively bring the candidate’s message on the issues to the voters through mailings, e-mails, personal visits, telephone calls and general campaigning.

This is especially true of the Queens Republican Party, which has at present only one elected official in office, that being City Councilman Eric Ulrich of Ozone Park who was first elected in 2009. He also spoke to the assembled gathering during the dinner program.

The Queens Village Republican Club had a significant number of ads in its dinner journal. Among the donors to the function was John Catsimatides, who has a Sunday morning radio program from 8:30 to 10:00 on 970 on the AM dial.

The new Republican County Chairman, Bob Turner, who served in Congress, intends to rebuild the county organization so that the county will again become competitive in the fall elections.

We will see how it works out, but the Queens Republicans have gotten off to a good start with the Queens Village Lincoln Day Dinner.

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By Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

A new exhibition at the Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning explores the way women artists see themselves in society through their work.

“In Situ: Women Artists in Place” features pieces in a variety of mediums created by 10 women from all walks of life.

York College fine arts lecturer Margaret Rose Vendryes assembled In Situ, which is Latin for “in its original place,” not as an attempt to define a women’s place, but rather as a way for these artists to express their thoughts on the subject through their works.

“Broadly interpreted, but integral to identity formation, encountering one’s ‘place’ as a gender-specific physical or psychological location continues to haunt us as a community and a nation,” Vendryes wrote in the exhibition’s catalog. “The artists exhibiting together here reveal that encountering a woman artist in situ is both exhilarating and unpredictable.”

The show presents audiences with no clear-cut understanding of what it means to be a woman.

“We want people to learn about community, culture and the struggle that comes with gender identity,” Akua-Akilah Anokye, JCAL’s senior marketing director, said. “One community where gender identity is a big deal is in the LGBT community. The struggle comes when the body they’re born into isn’t the body they want to be portrayed to the world. Through art, artist attempt to identify their place in the world.”

All 10 artists have been scheduled to appear at the JCAL to discuss their works and how they were inspired to create them.

The next talk is Friday, May 1, at 7 p.m., and includes artists Andre St. Clair, Anh Nguyen, Alexandria Smith, Kimberly Mayhorn and Nicole Awai.

Nina Buxenbaum, co-coordinator of York’s Fine Arts Department, appeared at the first artist talk last week.

“My work deals with issues of identify with race and femininity,” Buxenbaum said. “It’s the concept of feminine vs. masculine and the way we think about our roles as women. Women are forced to put on a mask. When you speak up society rejects you or calls you too masculine. So it’s the complexity of how can I be myself without being perceived the wrong way.”

Buxenbaum is excited to see new and familiar artists at the exhibition.

“I’m looking forward to viewing work I’m not familiar with and also seeing some familiar faces,” she said. “In particular Anh Nguyen, I’ve seen her grow as and artist and I’m excited to see her work.”

If you Go

“In Situ: Women Artists in Place”

When: Through May 28, Monday - Saturday, from 10 am - 6 pm

Where: Jamaica Center for Arts & Learning, 161-04 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica

Cost: Free

Contact: (718) 658-7400

Website: www.jcal.org

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

Construction is underway on a new dog run in Long Island City, near Center Boulevard between the Queens West Sports Field and PS 78. When completed in July, it will be the neighborhood’s fifth dog run with others located at Anabel Basin, Murray Playground, Hunters Point South and Vernon Boulevard at 48th Avenue.

“Providing the growing neighborhood of Long Island City with park space is one of my top priorities, and this new dog run will certainly help pet owners in that regard,” state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) said. “As this process unfolded I worked to ensure that community concerns, especially from parents at nearby schools, were heard at every step.”

The original plan was changed to move the entrance to Center Boulevard further away from the school after parents argued that student would be endangered. The project is a collaboration between the state Department of Parks and developer TF Cornerstone, which has built the luxury high-rise buildings along Center Boulevard in the last decade. The 3,000-square-foot landscaped space is expected to cost $750,000.

“I am hopeful that State Parks will successfully balance needs from all aspects of our community to allow parents, students and dog owners alike to welcome this addition to our neighborhood,” Gianaris said.

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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By Tom Momberg

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Queens man accused of beating his mother to death in February 2011 entered a guilty plea last week to first-degree manslaughter, according to the Queens DA Richard Brown.

Sentencing for Matthew Devlin, 49, has been slated for June 4. Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder said he would sentence Devlin to 21 years in prison and five years post-release supervision, according to the DA.

The defendant has been jailed for the past four years, held without bail.

In pleading guilty, Devlin admitted he had an argument with his mother and brother, during which he attacked both of them with an aluminum baseball bat, according to Brown.

“By his actions, the defendant has proven himself unfit for society,” Brown stated in a release. “While he will have to live with what he did for the rest of his life, the sentence to be imposed is more than warranted.”

When police arrived on scene in response to a call of an assault on Feb., 12, 2011, they found Devlin’s mother, Elizabeth Devlin, in a second floor bathroom with severe head injuries. She was transported to a hospital, where she remained in critical condition under a medically induced coma until she died five days later.

His brother, John Devlin, then 54 years old, also suffered a head wound during the attack that took 35 staples to close.

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By Sadef Ali Kully

TimesLedger Newspapers

City and state leaders were joined by dozens of members of the Jamaica Muslim Center and residents to unveil the conversion of 168th Street to a one-way street from Hillside Avenue to Gothic Drive, which was completed April 10.

“Mayor Bill de Blasio, through his Vision Zero initiatives, has gone to great lengths to improve the safety of New York City streets, and the DOT has commendably taken swift action on this critical matter,” said David Weprin (D-Fresh Meadows). “With this completed conversion of 168th Street, the entire surrounding residents, including the worshipers at the JMC, and the students and parents of the Jamaica and Thomas Edison high schools will now be able to safely travel along this densely utilized street with some sense of peace.”

The street is located near Jamaica Educational Campus, which houses four different high schools, and Thomas Edison High School, the section between Highland Avenue. and Gothic Drive, has been a public danger due to the dense pedestrian usage coupled with a high flow of two-way traffic, according to the assemblyman.

“The new one-way street on 168th Street is a great sign of our city’s commitment to making our streets safer,” said City Councilman Rory Lancman (D-Hillcrest). “I want to thank the DOT for listening to the concerns of the Jamaica Hills neighborhood and transforming a dangerous street into one that will keep local residents safe and meet the community’s needs.”

Last year, a 16-year-old boy from the Jamaica Muslim Center who was struck by a speeding vehicle and suffered serious injuries is still in recoverytoday. Since the accident, lawmakers have aggressively pushed for a one-way street, which required Department of Transportation study and approval before beginning any construction.

“Our sincere thoughts and prayers are still with the young member of our center, who was seriously injured last year on this exact road,” said Dr. Wahedhur Rahman, president of the center.

A representative from the DOT also mentioned that the additional proposal for speed bumps had been approved and a construction date would be scheduled soon.

“After working hard, we have finally succeeded in converting the two-way 168th street in front of the JMC to a one-way one. This will make our neighborhood, especially the pedestrians, much safer,” said Mazeda Uddin, chair of the Alliance of South Asian Alliance Labor.

Jamaica Center General Secretary Akhter Hussain and residents also rejoiced in the conversion.

It took the DOT almost a full year to conclude its’ traffic study, approve the proposal, and complete construction for the one way street.

Reach Reporter Sadef Ali Kully by e-mail at skully@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4546.

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

The Skyline Cinema Waterfront Series returns to Hunters Point South Park in Long Island City with one for the kids Saturday. To celebrate the end of the long, cold winter the Hunters Point Park Conservancy is screening the most popular animated movie of all time, “Frozen,” to kick off its monthly cinema in the park series.

“The weather is supposed to be clear but a little chilly,” Conservancy President Rob Basch said. “Every kid in LIC is going to be there, so I hope they bring warm clothes.” No chairs are allowed at the event to avoid damage to the turf, but blankets and sleeping bags are encouraged.

More than 200 attended the park’s first screening in September.

“It was a great crowd for ‘Julia and Julie’ and the event was well received, so we decided to show six movies, once a month,” Basch said.

The Hunters Point Park Conservancy teamed with the real estate firm Nest Seekers to show the movie on a 26-foot inflatable screen situated along the East River. The Manhattan skyline provides a dramatic backdrop featuring the Empire State Building on one side of the screen and the Chrysler Building on the other.

“Our long-term goal is to grow this into a more permanent structure and home,” Nest Seekers’ Adam Lupo said. “We’re also launching a website for the event at cinemalic.com that shows this year’s movie schedule and other info.”

The movie starts around 8 p.m., is free and open to the public. LIC Landing by Coffeed will be open, serving burgers, sandwiches and drinks.

“The Long Island City waterfront is a treasure and an outdoor movie is a great way to bring the community together and enrich the quality of life for all,” Basch said.

The conservancy assists the management and staff of Gantry Plaza State Park and Hunters Point South Park in the maintenance and upkeep of the parks. The group also organizes special events and activities like concerts and parties.

Basch spent the last six months fighting to bring free Wi-Fi to the park.

“We’ve met with the mayor’s aides at City Hall to discuss broad band and that led us to the Parks Department,” he said. “The work is underway and we’re told we’ll have service up and running by the end of the month.”

Parks made a $10 million investment to connect parks and other public spaces across the five boroughs.

Subscribers to Time Warner Cable will be able to access the wireless for free, while non-subscribers can gain access with a day pass for 99 cents. Attendance at the park has grown steadily since its opening in 2013.

It is expected to grow even more this spring when the massive Hunters Point South housing complex opens.

“To me it’s a no-brainer to have free Wi-Fi access in the park, especially with all the affordable housing opening at the park,” Basch said.

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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By Sadef Ali Kully

TimesLedger Newspapers

JAMAICA — The NYPD released footage of two suspects wanted in connection with a homicide that occurred in the early hours of April 19 in Jamaica.

During a spree of violence in the first week of spring, NYPD officers responded to 184th Street and Jamaica Avenue just after 4 a.m., where they discovered 39-year-old Otto Emilio Ajpacaja-Cua from Jamaica stabbed in the right thigh and left side of his chest, NYPD said.

EMS took Ajpacaja-Cua to Jamaica Hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Police released Ajpacaja-Cua’s identity after his family was notified of his death.

The NYPD is asking the public’s assistance identifying suspects from video footage wanted in connection to the above homicide.

As of Monday afternoon, there were no arrests and the investigation was ongoing.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.

All calls are kept strictly confidential.

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

Several hundred people gathered at Diversity Plaza in Jackson Heights Sunday in a show of solidarity with the people of Nepal.

The group, #Pray for Nepal, which organized the rally, collected over $23,000 in donations for the victims of Saturday’s catastrophic earthquake.

The vigil continued through the night and into Monday morning, as the death climbed past 4,200 with over 7,500 injured. The 7.8 magnitude quake is believed to have effected more than 8 million people, according to Nepal’s National Emergency Operation Center. An official said only houses with concrete support were left standing.

The United Nations authorized $15 million in emergency funds for relief efforts.

“It is essential that we move quickly and effectively,” U.N. Resident Coordinator Jamie McGoldrick told the Washington Post. “We need to ensure that no further lives are lost and the needs of the most vulnerable prioritized.”

McGoldrick is a former Sunnyside resident who was posted to Kathmandu two years ago, his wife Claudia and their two daughters joined him in the ancient city last year.

“We are all safe both family and colleagues,” McGoldrick was able to post on Facebook on Sunday. Claudia McGoldrick, a journalist and longtime member of the Red Cross, wrote, “All in shock. Such a massive tragedy. Praying the recovery starts now, it will take many years.”

The U.S. authorized $10 million, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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By Eric Jankiewicz

TimesLedger Newspapers

Add Middle Village to the list of coyote habitats.

A coyote that has evaded police since the early morning in Middle Village was still running through the borough as of Monday afternoon.

The coyote was in Juniper Valley Park, according to witnesses, when the police chased it out and cornered it in front of a house on 6222 Elliot Ave., where witnesses observed it curled up and, they said, it appeared to be sleeping.

The 104th precinct tweeted about the coyote being trapped at 8 a.m,. but they still haven’t caught the creature, according to a police spokesman.

“Officers are following a coyote in the Middle Village area,” the spokesman said. “It’s still out there. We haven’t found it.”

The spokesman said that an Emergency Services Unit was dispatches to the Queens neighborhood.

This sighting makes it the sixth in the city this year and the second one in Queens, after a coyote was spotted in Long Island City last month. That coyote also wasn’t caught.

Reach reporter Eric Jankiewicz by e-mail at ejankiewicz@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4564.

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By Tom Momberg

TimesLedger Newspapers

Emergency services were dispatched to Bayside High School Monday for a reported fire in a classroom, according to the FDNY.

Around 10.;30 a.m., faculty, students and staff were evacuated.

There were no reports of injuries, said the FDNY spokesman.

The fire department confirmed there was a fire in one of the classrooms that was extinguished at 11:24 a.m. The spokesman was unable to reveal the extent of damage or how far the fire had spread.

At least 30 firefighters and six trucks responded to the scene, according to the FDNY .

All trucks had left the school, located at 32-24 Corporal Kennedy St. in Bayside, after the fire was brought under control, but the building remained evacuated. Several specialty police units and school safety officers were on scene to investigate and secure the area as students and teachers waited on the front lawn.

Students were not allowed back inside the building and were dismissed, according to students and staff walking away from the scene in the afternoon.

Sources at the 111th Precinct of the New York Police Department said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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By Bill Parry

TimesLedger Newspapers

Last year’s Taste of Sunnyside was so well received, even by critics of the idea, that the block-long festival tent under the No. 7 subway will return for another go May 19. Tickets for the popular annual neighborhood restaurant promotion inside the went on sale last week and are already selling at a faster rate than in 2014.

“We had such a great time under that tent that we had to do it again,” Sunnyside Shines Executive Director Rachel Thieme said. “This year we’re going to add picnic tables along the sides of the tent to make even greater use of the space.”

More than 500 people attended last year’s event between 45th and 46th Streets and Queens Boulevard. Many skeptics said the pollution and noise from traffic on the boulevard, and even pigeon droppings, would spoil the event, but they were proven wrong.

Everybody had their reservations, but I knew it was going to work out,” Claret Wine Bar Manager Justin Costello said. “It turned out to be the best Taste yet. As usual we all have great confidence in Rachel, her ideas always seem to pan out.”

Almost every participating restaurant returns this year, including Sunnyside’s most lauded eateries including Salt and Fat and Venturo Osteria, both recognized by Michelin as a Bib Gourmand pick for 2015. Murphy’s Lobster Grill, the winner of the “best appetizer” award at the 2014 Queens Taste, will also return.

“And then we have many of the neighborhood’s newest restaurants taking part for the first time such as the Tibetan Dumpling Cafe and Punda Tibetan Restaurant and Nonna Gina Brick Oven Pizzeria,” Thieme said. “It’s even more diverse than it was last year and I didn’t think that was possible.”

The event has proven to be such a fine promotion that yet-to-open Italian restaurant Soleluna is participating. In all, 26 restaurants will prepare and serve samples of their cuisine ranging from Thai, Irish, Mexican, Paraguayan, French and Filipino.

Beverages will be provided by SingleCut Brewery, Queens Brewery and Lowery Wines and Liquors as well as event sponsors Associated Marketplace and Fresh n Save Marketplace.

Further promoting the diversity in the neighborhood, the Taste of Sunnyside will a full lineup of entertainment, including Danza España and flamenco dancers from the Thalia Spanish Theatre.

“Bringing all the flavors of Sunnyside into one visible food festival is an amazing opportunity for local residents and visitors alike to discover their new favorite restaurant and a great way to promote Sunnyside as a restaurant destination,” Thieme said. She is promoting other neighborhood businesses with a “shop local” promotion.

Customers who downloads Taste of Sunnyside Shop Local Discount Card will receive deals with participating businesses that run until May 31. Tickets for the Taste of Sunnyside are $60 for a VIP pass that gets early entry at 5:30 p.m. General admission to the event at 6:30 p.m. is $35.

“We’re encouraging people to buy early because sales are ahead of where we were last year,” Thieme said. “Last year’s event exceeded our wildest expectations and we’re excited to be back under the 7 train this year to sample all this delicious food.”

Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4538.

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By Tom Momberg

TimesLedger Newspapers

City Councilman Mark Weprin (D-Oakland Gardens) has introduced legislation that would permit the operation of youth hostels within commercial districts in the five boroughs.

New York City does not have a law that recognizes youth hostels, and many stopped operating after the state Legislature passed an illegal hotel law in 2010 that clarified operating residential apartments as a transient hotel is illegal.

“I think it was inadvertent,” Weprin said. “This new legislation would not supersede the state law, but would set up an actual license for operating a youth hostel, and will have to follow the same fire codes as hotels.”

Since 2010 hostels have operated in New York City with hotel licenses, unable to offer affordable rooms for more than four people on a transient basis.

The justification as described in the 2010 state law: “There is a more than adequate supply of legitimate hotels with accommodations in all price ranges. Should the growth of tourism result in increased demand for hotel rooms in the future, commercially zoned areas of the city allow widespread opportunities for new legitimate hotels.”

Weprin’s proposal would allow for private licensed establishments in commercial districts only to offer up to eight beds in a room for young people and their families or chaperones to stay on short-term bases. He estimated hostel rates would be between $30 and $60 a night.

There have been a few unsuccessful attempts to resurrect operating licenses for youth hostels in the city since then, but Weprin said now might be the time if the city realized how many potential tourism dollars have been turned away in the past five years.

“This will not affect the business of hotels in the city,” Weprin said. “ We think this will generate great revenue citywide.”

Hostelworld, an international travel and booking agency, which has been lobbying to get legislation passed to expand the youth travel sector in the city, estimated the market for travel bookings in the city would add roughly $178 million in annual spending on boarding alone, creating jobs.

“Young international travelers are currently sidestepping the five boroughs because they cannot afford to lodge here,” said Hostelworld CEO Feargal Mooney in a statement. “The authorization of New York City Youth Hostel legislation would result in hundreds of millions of new tourist dollars reaching Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx and Staten Island commercial districts, in addition to more spending at Manhattan tourist destinations.”

Hostelworld said he believed the 2010 hotel law resulted in the closure of over 50 hostels and that the city has since missed out on about $1.2 billion in tourism spending.

Former state Assemblyman Jerry Kramer of Long Island has been lobbying on Hostelworld’s behalf. He said such legislation would give independent developers the incentive to renovate abandoned warehouses in commercial districts to be used as youth hostels.

“If passed, the law would create new construction jobs as well as long-term positions working in this unique hospitality industry,” Kramer said in a statement. “Hotels in the city are beyond the price range for the typical youth hotel guest.”

Reach reporter Tom Momberg by e-mail at tmomberg@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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By Madina Toure

TimesLedger Newspapers

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) presented the Poppenhusen Institute with a $100,000 grant from the recently adopted state budget.

He obtained the funds to enable the institute, located at 114-04 14th Road in College Point, to cover operating costs for the coming year. The funding is part of more than $1.3 million Avella allocated from this year’s budget for programs and organizations in his district and throughout Queens.

Avella, who already funded the upcoming elevator installation back when he was on the City Council, said the institute has been a “tremendous cultural avenue” for people in College Point and Queens in general.

“I’m thrilled that I was able to get money from the state budget to help them operate for at least a couple of years,” he said.

The institute was built in 1868 with funds donated by Conrad Poppenhusen, the benefactor of College Point. In 1870, the first free kindergarten in the United States started at the institute, where it was housed. The institute also housed the Justice of the Peace, the first home of the College Point Savings Bank and the first library in the area. It now serves as a community center.

Susan Brustmann, the institute’s executive director, commended Avella for his support of the institute since his time on the City Council.

“We’re extremely grateful to our senator for getting these funds at a time when it is very difficult to get state funding for nonprofits,” Brustmann said.

But she said the fight is not over, noting that it is unlikely that the institute will see the funds for anywhere from nine to 12 months.

It costs roughly $250,000 a year to run the institute, Brustmann said.

“We ask our community to please continue to support us,” she said. “If the senator had not obtained these funds for us, it’s not clear what our future would have held.”

Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtoure@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.

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