LOCAL CLASSIFIEDS PAGE 11 June 18, 2017 Your Neighborhood — Your News® Union endorses Veterans memorial design revealed de Blasio’s BQX Elmhurst will pay tribute to Vietnam Vets with $2.85 million commemoration streetcar project BY BILL PARRY Ia Drang and the A Shau Valley. To joined elected leaders and city Parks home than any other borough, honor them, work will begin next Department officials last Friday as and the Queens Vietnam Veterans BY BILL PARRY They came from neighborhoods year on the first boroughwide me- they unveiled the schematic design Memorial will be a fitting and dig- like Woodside, Rockaway, Laurel- morial for the 420 people who died for the $2.85 million Vietnam Veter- nified tribute to those who served The de Blasio administration’s ton and Glendale and died in battle serving in the Vietnam War. ans Memorial in Elmhurst Park. and those who made the ultimate $2.5 billion Brooklyn-Queens Con- at places named Khe Sanh, Pleiku, Nearly 70 veterans of the war “More veterans call Queens sacrifice,” Borough President Me- nector streetcar project picked up linda Katz said. “The vision for a its first union endorsement Mon- physical, boroughwide memorial day. was first forged by our own veter- The 42,000-member strong PRESIDENTIAL MURAL ans who wanted to memorialize Transport Workers Union Local the sacrifices made by hundreds 100 said the proposed 16-mile BQX of Queens residents and their fami- line from Astoria to Sunset Park, lies during what was a tumultuous Brooklyn, would give a powerful period in our nation’s history. The boost to the city economy, create designs unveiled today is another good union jobs that can sustain step forward toward the fulfillment working families and provide mass of a promise made years ago.” transit to service-starved neighbor- The semi-enclosed memorial hoods along the Queens and Brook- will provide a contemplative space lyn waterfront. that honors those Queens residents “Mass transit is the economic who died with two semi-circular lifeblood of the city,” said John granite walls, one of which will list Samuelson, Local 100 and TWU of the 420 names of those that died. It America International president. will also have a timeline of the war. “A streetcar along the Brooklyn- The other wall will have the name Queens waterfront will attract of the memorial, the five crests of more business to the area, includ- the military and the Vietnam Ser- ing manufacturers, and increase vice Medal. The granite walls, as job opportunities. We see this as a well as the existing flagpole, will vitally important project.” both be illuminated at night. Samuelson said Local 100 would In Astoria, Donald Trump’s image gets a makeover as the Queen of Queens at the annual block party of the Welling “Parks are gathering spaces marshal its membership and politi- Court Mural Project, the city’s biggest street-art display with more than 150 murals spread over six square blocks. where New Yorkers come to grow cal resources to lobby elected offi- Photo by Michael Shain and play, but also to learn and re- Continued on Page 8 Continued on Page 8 Jamaica garage to become Strawberry Festival draws big crowd 351 affordable apartments BY NAEISHA ROSE event was Regina Dougherty More than a hundred of Fresh Meadows. people were at the event BY NAEISHA ROSE Droves of people had a “To me this is such a beau- eating fresh Long Island sweet Saturday as they came tiful portrayal of commu- strawberries by the quart, Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, other out to celebrate the 187th nity,” Dougherty said. “It’s strawberry shortcake and elected officials, and members of seven different Parishioner Regina Dougherty is the year of the Zion Episcopal beautiful to see all kinds of strawberry ice cream on the community boards unanimously approved a plan chairwoman of the Zion Episcopal Church’s Strawberry Festi- people. Children, adults and hot June day. Kids had their to convert a two-story parking garage at 168th Strawberry Festival, which is in its 187th val in Douglaston. the elderly, it’s amazing and a face painted, created sand Street between Archer and Jamaica Avenue into a year. Photo by Nat Valentine The chairwoman of this great time.” castles and jumped around Continued on Page 8 Continued on Page 8 A CNG Publication Vol. 6 No. 2524 • Vol. 6. No. 24 UPDATED EVERY DAY AT TIMESLEDGER.COM 2 18, 2017 UNE , J Sherbee EEKLY W UEENS Q Est. 1940 Antiques All Diamonds & Estate Jewelry WANTED 718-762-7448 ANTIQUES & STERLING WANTED TOP DOLLAR PAID We Come To You! We purchase all Gold, Antiques, Mid-Century & Pre-1950 Furniture, Paintings, Rugs, Sterling Silver, Bronzes, Jew- elry, Bric-a-Brac, Marble Figures & Marble Top Furniture, Fine Por- celain, Entire Contents of Estates. RUGS & PAINTINGS WANTED All Tiffany Items Prompt & Courteous Wanted Service SHERBEE ANTIQUESs!NDREW+ORMAN Proprietor 917-748-7622 Bizman’s grant lifts spirits at Songs of Love 3 BY TAMMY SCILEPPI years, and didn’t recall that in 2008, Beltzer said Coop- children at 500 hospitals, they were hospital room- erman has singlehandedly healthcare facilities and hos- Q For so many years, Songs mates, according to Beltzer, placed Songs of Love on firm pices across the country. UEENS of Love has been putting who dug out their photo from footing once again, and he The nonprofit is currently smiles on kids’ faces with 14 years ago. and his foundation “are eter- creating 25 songs a week and W EEKLY uplifting personalized songs “Victoria had brain can- nally grateful for this major will be needing more singer/ recorded just for them. cer and Danielle had stage gift from the Leon and Toby songwriters as they expand , J But last week, founder four cancer. Both of them Cooperman Family Founda- their outreach. UNE John Beltzer was the one had grim prospects and to- tion. “We would love to recruit 18, 2017 who was smiling. He and his day are fully recovered,” he “Leon and Toby are our more musical artists who re- Forest Hills-based nonprofit said. angels of love.” side right here in Queens,” were presented with a whop- “Sesame Street’s” Bob To meet the challenge, Beltzer said. “We are over- ping One Million Dollar McGrath and executives Songs of Love is required to joyed that Leon Cooperman Challenge grant by a Songs from radio station 1010 WINS raise an additional $250,000 saw the value, not only in of Love “angel,” so more kids were also in attendance, as a year in order to satisfy the terms of how the children and teens facing tough medi- were Songs of Love staff, requirements of the grant. are helped, but also how cal, physical or emotional board and committee mem- After reading about John Beltzer’s Songs of Love Foundation That means that every dol- Songs of Love has given a challenges could keep on bers. in TimesLedger, Leon Cooperman (l.), chairman and CEO lar someone donates will be platform for musical artists smiling. “A fter persisting for of Omega Advisors, donated $1 milllion to the group. matched by the Leon and to keep creating great music This particular “angel” three years, we were able to Photo by Tammy Scileppi Toby Cooperman Family that matters.” was philanthropist Leon get Mr. Cooperman to pay a Foundation up to $250,000 a Quoting Andrew Carn- Cooperman, who is chair- visit to our office so we could last month. four-year challenge grant. year. egie, Cooperman said, “The man/CEO of Omega Advi- show him our operation and Cooperman sang and also We all broke out crying. This This generous gift will man who dies rich dies dis- sors. The event took place in also have him be a part of the recorded a spoken introduc- wonderful man came along enable Songs of Love to sig- graced.” his Manhattan office June 7. song presentation to Chloe tion on her song. and infused new life into nificantly expand their out- “I believe in being my Two former Songs of Love Mitchell,” said Beltzer. The “He really put his heart Songs of Love as we were reach to an additional 4,000 brother’s keeper. I don’t kids were there as well. Vic- first-grader from Whites- into the performance,” Belt- struggling financially.” children within the next think money sitting in a toria Sidorski and Danielle tone, who was diagnosed zer said. “Mr. Cooperman After facing many finan- four years, according to Belt- bank is good. I’d rather help Dugan, both 21, saw each with leukemia in March, en- was very moved and he said cial challenges since the zer, who said each year they organizations that are doing other for the first time in 14 joyed a special performance he would give us a $1 Million crash of the economy back have been averaging 1,000 good in this world.” Staunton family targets Garden School credentials BY BILL PARRY tial dangers of these types lawsuit against a member sorrow should never be ex- of wounds. Following the school, effectively requir- perienced by another fam- The parents of Rory boy’s death from the bacte- ing the Stauntons to choose ily.” Staunton, the 12-year-old rial infection April 1, 2012, between pursuing their law- Attorney Thomas Moore, Sunnyside boy who died five the school refused to provide suit against Garden School the Stauntons’ lawyer, de- years ago after contracting any information to the fam- or filing an objection to Gar- plored what he called the ab- sepsis at a private school in ily about Rory’s last days at den School’s private school ject failure of the school.