Maspeth Protesters Rejuvenated Doug
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LARGEST AUDITED COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER IN QUEENS Sept. 30–Oct. 6, 2016 Your Neighborhood — Your News® 75 cents THE NEWSPAPER OF FLUSHING, AUBURNDALE, KEW GARDENS HILLS & FRESH MEADOWS DDC errs in Maspeth protesters rejuvenated Doug. Manor Call administration’s video ‘propaganda’ and waste of taxpayer money repair: Vallone BY BILL PARRY BY MARK HALLUM Did the de Blasio adminis- tration go a tweet too far? Councilman Paul Vallone An organizer of the ongoing (D–Bayside) is drafting new Maspeth homeless shelter pro- legislation that aims to make tests believes so after a slick the Department of Design and video appeared on the mayor’s Construction integrate its ef- social media accounts after forts with those of the Land- more than 200 protesters ap- marks Preservation Commis- peared at rallies outside hotels sion in the future. The two that house homeless families pieces of proposed legislation in Bellrose and Floral Park, would make the DDC check Long Island. LPC standards before any Juniper Park Civic Asso- project takes place. ciation President Bob Holden Vallone’s effort comes in said the protesters, who were the wake of an August proj- exhausted after nearly seven ect that, according to Vallone, weeks of rallies at the Holi- replaced a pedestrian ramp day Inn Express on 55th Road, in the Douglaston Historic have been rejuvenated by the District with a steel-faced con- video and more neighborhoods crete curb instead of the gran- are planning to join them after ite blocks required for curbs they were vilified on social in landmarked districts. Im- media. ages from Google Earth show “He’s fanned the flames, for the intersection in question, sure, and the mayor is mak- which is at Grosvenor Street ing us stronger” Holden said. and Douglas Road, in winter. “We’re on the move, Sunset The northern corner of the Park, Rosedale and Woodside, intersection had a pedestrian and we’re planning to take ramp which was severely this fight to the steps of City cracked and submerged in Hall. It’s a revolution now, and melted snow. But despite the the mayor is feeling the pres- state of the ramp, the corner sure or else he wouldn’t be was to the standards of the making videos to sway public LPC. After its replacement opinion.” with the concrete curb, that This comes just over a week was no longer the case. Protests against a proposed homelsss shelter in Maspeth spread into other Queens neighborhoods last after 300 residents boarded The DDC will now be re- week as marchers picketed two motels in Bellrose that have converted to shelters, then walked to the near- three buses for a road trip to Continued on Page 20 by home of the shelters' chief administrator. Photo by Michael Shain Continued on Page 52 Udalls hopes to prevent development BY MARK HALLUM Queens, which is pieced to- within the preserve is devel- gether from donations made oped by its landowners. For decades, Udalls Cove by land owners, has operated The parcel at 8112 block, lot Preservation Committee since the ‘70s, going from ship- 70 is near the ravine portion of President Walter Mugdal has yard to wildlife haven with the the preserve near 43rd Avenue worked to reinvigorate a wild help of volunteers and advo- and 247th Street. According to patch of land in the preserve. cates. Now, Mugdal fears mon- Mugdal, the owners came to The mostly Parks Depart- ey may be the deciding factor him and offered to donate the ment-owned land in northeast in whether a piece of property Continued on Page 52 A CNG Publication Vol. 25 No. 40 60 total pages Fariña holds town hall Helen Marshall honored Schools chancellor meets with eastern Queens parents at atrium dedication BY MARK HALLUM about how her mother was BY PATRICK DONACHIE not only a Girl Scout leader Former Queens Borough but also a protest demon- Schools Chancellor Carmen President Helen Marshall stration organizer. Chasen Fariña touted what she said was honored for her career in Marshall told the audience was significant progress to- politics and service to Queens he was happy to see that so wards alleviating parent con- at the grand opening Tuesday many people in Queens hold cerns in recent years during a of the Helen Marshall Cultur- his grandmother in such town hall meeting for parents, al Center, an 11,000-square- high esteem. teachers, and students in east- foot atrium at Queens Bor- The ceremony also includ- ern Queens Tuesday. ough Hall. The project cost ed a musical performance The event took place at about $23 million, according from General Assembly, who Nathaniel Hawthorne Middle to current Queens Borough played a variety of folk songs School 74, at 61-15 Oceania St. President Melinda Katz. from the Mediterranean on in Oakland Gardens, and was Katz led the dedication acoustic instruments from the first scheduled meeting of the new space, followed the region. Students from of the school year for School by remarks from state As- the Dual Language Pro- District 26’s Community Edu- semblyman Jeffrion Aubry gram at PS 127 Aerospace cation Council. The city’s (D-Corona), as well as Mar- Science Magnet School in highest-achieving district, shall’s daughter Agnes and East Elmhurst read poems it includes parts of Bayside, grandson Chasen. in Spanish and English, and Fresh Meadows, Douglaston Helen Marshall, who now a choir from PS 127’s middle and Jamaica Estates, among lives in California, was not school performed “The Star other areas. able to attend the dedication Spangled Banner” and “God Fariña started by acknowl- ceremony. Bless America.” edging a parent’s question “Helen Marshall spent her Born in 1929, Marshall from a town hall meeting in life leaving a legacy to the fu- attended public schools and District 26 last year, asking ture of the City of New York,” studied education at Queens that cursive writing be reinsti- Katz said of Marshall’s con- College. She left the teach- tuted for students. She said she tributions. ing profession in 1969 to help had made a recommendation Councilman Barry Grodenchik (l), Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña and Aubry told the audience found the Langston Hughes to include cursive writing in Assemblyman David Weprin smile for photos during District 26's town of around 400 how Marshall Community Library and Cul- third-grade lessons. She also hall. Photo by Patrick Donachie was present as he was first in- tural Center in Corona. In lauded the increase in science, troduced to community poli- 1982, she was elected to her technology, engineering and too much money, was conduct- federal Title I funding, which tics. He talked about how her first of five terms in the state math classes and lessons, also ed too far from their home, or can be allocated to school dis- learned from Marshall and Assembly. She would later known as STEM learning. took place during weekend tricts to improve academics how she worked tirelessly to be elected to the City Coun- “For a lot of people, they hours when they work to sup- for students in distress. better serve her community. cil, where she served as the still think STEM is computer port themselves or their fami- Fariña was particularly Agnes Marshall spoke Continued on Page 2 labs and sitting around,” she lies. emphatic about her views on said, noting that students in “College is for everybody, how to approach learning in the eighth to 12th grades were and we need to make that clear pre-K, saying that it was not sometimes more computer lit- to all our kids, starting in pre- a place for rote workbook as- erate than teachers. “In real- K,” she said, also announcing signments or filling out ditto ity, STEM is a lot more than that the City University of New sheets. She said pre-K needed that.” York system will now waive its to be a venue for students Fariña also said Mayor Bill application fee for low-income to learn how to get along, to de Blasio and the Department students. share and to learn how to be of Education are working to Fariña also answered ques- inquisitive and excited about give every student an equal tions written on comment their explorations. opportunity to attend college. cards by District 26 parents “Every class should be Every public school student and teachers. The topics var- about inspiring kids to want to will now be able to take the ied from the amount of district learn,” she said. SAT exam free of charge in resources to dual language their own school during a programs. Fariña said that Reach reporter Patrick school day, she said. Previous- since District 26 was such a Donachie by e-mail at pdonach- Queens Borough President Melinda Katz honored predecessor Helen ly, some students had trouble high-performing district, it [email protected] or by phone at Marshall with the opening of an atrium at Borough Hall dedicated in taking the test because it cost would be difficult to procure (718) 260–4573. her honor. 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