Volume 65, No. 93 Monday, AUGUST 26, 2019 50¢ As BP, Liz Crowley would fight for QUEENS Queens' 'fair share' By David Brand Queens Daily Eagle Less than two years have passed since Eliz- abeth Crowley sat in a Glendale middle school gym, addressing constituents ahead of a town TODAY hall discussion with Mayor Bill de Blasio. Crowley had weeks earlier lost her District 30 — August 26, 2019 — council seat to civic association leader Robert Holden by just 137 votes, forcing her out of office for the first time in nine years. IN ADDITION TO THE GRUELING Borough President Melinda Katz thanked baseline rallies and intense serve-and-volley Crowley for her council service at the event; a attacks, tennis fans will be able to enjoy local few local residents said farewell. But Crowley restaurants, hotels and cultural venues during never really left. this year’s U.S. Open. Since she lost her council seat, Crowley has led 21 in ‘21, an initiative she co-founded to draft women candidates for City Council. She FOR THE EIGHTH YEAR IN A ROW, has raised nearly $300,000 in a campaign ac- the USTA has donated a kiosk to the Queens count as of July, and said she will likely run for Tourism Council for the entire tournament, borough president (though it would be “pre- which runs from Aug. 26 to Sept. 8 at the Former District 30 Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley has raised nearly $300,000 mature” to officially announce now, she said). USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis ahead of a likely run for Queens borough president. Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Photo by William Alatriste/New York City Council, Flickr Continued on page 7 Kiosk volunteers will give away guidebooks, swag items and information on dining and hospitality while also offering tips and inside information on the borough. Read more on page 10. The US Open starts today A NEW U.S. OPEN VISITORS’ GUIDE See page 10 is highlighting Queens’ service game. “With over 6,000 restaurants and 150 hotels, New Yorkers know that Queens is the best borough to sample cuisines from all over the world and stay when you’re visiting. We’re Borough Hall to host town hall excited to welcome more than 800,000 tennis fans to the US Open this year and encourage them to stay in Queens to experience all our borough has to offer and support our local on Trump’s ‘public charge’ rule businesses. Queens Chamber of Commerce By Victoria Merlino CEO Thomas Grech said in a statement. Queens Daily Eagle Read more on page 7. Borough President Melinda Katz will host a town hall to discuss the Trump ad- ministration's new “public charge” rule, THE WHEELS ON THE BUS GO which has the potential to affect members ‘round and ‘round, and you can know exactly of Queens’ immigrant population, on Sept. where they’re moving, thanks to a partnership 17 at Queens Borough Hall. “This cruel, anti-immigrant policy will between the city’s Department of Education do little more than push immigrant families and ride share app Via. “Via for Schools” is a in Queens and across this country further state-of-the-art integrated, automated school into poverty and further into the shadows bus routing, tracking, and communication through the creation of an income test for platform that will launch in time for the first the pursuit of the American Dream,” Katz day of school on Thursday Sept. 5, Schools said in a statement. “By forcing families to Chancellor Richard Carranza announced last choose between legal residency and food on week. Read more on page 11. the table, medical care or a roof over their head, we are endangering not only their well-being, but that of all New Yorkers.” EVER JAMMED OUT TO DONNA “This Town Hall will aim to dispel any Summer’s classic “I Feel Love?” How about myths and misconceptions about this rule, Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here?” What while counteracting the chilling effects it about Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road?” Borough President Melinda Katz met with the Queens Immigration Task Force in may have on communities,” she continued. February. Katz will host a town hall on the Trump administration’s “public charge” Continued on page 2 rule. Photo courtesy of Borough Hall, file Continued on page 15 SAVE THE DATE 10.03.19 Tickets/Information: Michael Nussbaum (718) 422-7409 ‧ michael@queenspublicmedia.com PRESENTS Guardians of Justice guardians-of-justice.eventbrite.com Longest-serving inmate’s death spurs movement for elder parole QUEENS By David Brand Queens Daily Eagle The death of New York state’s longest serving woman prisoner has further galva- nized a movement to mandate parole hear- ings for older inmates who are sentenced to die behind bars. TODAY Valerie Gaiter was 21 when she was con- — August 26, 2019 — victed of murder in 1979. She died of cancer Aug. 13 at 61 after serving nearly 40 years behind bars. Gov. Cuomo denied Gaiter’s clemency application in 2012, though she had YOU HAVE THE MOOG SYNTHESIZER by then turned her life around, serving as a to thank. With its glittering, cutting edge mentor and training service dogs. sounds, the Moog ushered in the beginning of Her death has spurred support for a piece the modern synth — and the start of modern of legislation that would allow incarcerated music as we know it. But before electronic people aged 55 years and older who have music titans like Kraftwerk, mega producers served at least 15 years in prison to become like J Dilla and today’s pop and rap stars, there eligible for parole. The bill does not grant was Flushing. Read more on page 15. parole or clemency, but would enable people serving virtual life sentences to at least have an opportunity for their cases to be reviewed. AFTER YEARS OF EFFORTS FROM On Wednesday, advocates and several lo- gun control advocates, New York State’s “red cal lawmakers rallied outside the governor’s flag” gun bill went into effect on Saturday. office in Manhattan to demand the legislature The order would allow removal of their guns pass the bill allowing older inmates to have if a family member, law enforcement officer or an opportunity for parole. educator successfully petitions the court. Read “Elder parole is not only fiscally smart, it more on page 16. is morally right.” said Manhattan Assembly- member Dan Quart, who will likely run for Manhattan district attorney. “Hundreds — if THOUSANDS OF TENNIS FANS WILL not thousands –— of aging people who pose flock to Flushing for the US Open from Aug. no risk to public safety are languishing and 26 to Sept. 8. Most will take the No. 7 train or dying in New York prisons.” the Long Island Rail Road or drive, and while Quart and other advocates say elder parole few might venture beyond the USTA Billie will address mass incarceration in New York, Advocates rallied in support of a bill to provide opportunities for parole for older Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing where roughly one in five prisoners — about inmates serving virtual life sentences. Photo courtesy of the RAPP Campaign 10,000 people — are serving virtual life sen- Meadows-Corona Park, many might catch tences. The issue of releasing people convicted for “We renew our call on our elected offi- glimpses of the neighborhood of Flushing and The state Parole Board has space for 19 violent, often fatal crimes, can challenge pol- cials, from Governor Cuomo to state legis- wonder: “Where did this new city come from?” commissioners, but only 12 people currently iticians and their constituents. Hoylman ac- lators, to adopt policies that recognize the Read more from Localize.nyc on page 10. serve on the board. Cuomo has only granted knowledged the “terrible crime,” but, he add- deep transformation incarcerated people like clemency 18 times since taking office. ed, “she also spent nearly forty years while Val have fought for, said RAPP community “Our justice system must prioritize re- incarcerated working to improve herself and organizer Laura Whitehorn, who served 14 A BROOKLYN MAN WHO EXCHANGED habilitation over punishment and condem- to help others.” years in prison. “We join Val’s family, the images of children engaging in sex acts with nation,” said State Sen. Brad Hoylman. The Release Aging People in Prison/RAPP thousands of elders behind bars in New York, adult men with a Queens perv was given a six- “Death-by-incarceration is New York’s new Campaign has long championed opportuni- and their families and communities in vow- month jail sentence Thursday. Read more on death penalty. It’s time for progressive re- ties for parole for older inmates, a movement ing to reject life without parole and death by page 16. form.” that has gained momentum in recent years. incarceration.” Woodhaven man charged with manslaughter in death of infant son Get 'The Best of the Nest' By David Brand Luis Sanchez, 28, allegedly shook the baby, Sanchez was arraigned Thursday before delivered to your Queens Daily Eagle causing severe head trauma. Queens County Criminal Court Judge Danielle A Woodhaven man was charged with man- Sanchez, was “responsible for caring and main- Hartman. Hartman set bail at $150,000 and or- inbox every week: slaughter and endangering the welfare of a child taining the safety and well-being of his young son,” dered Sanchez to return to court on Sept. 20. in the death of his infant son inside their home said Acting Queens DA John Ryan. “Instead, he is If convicted, Sanchez faces up to 15 years in QueensEagle.com/Subscribe last week.