LARGEST AUDITED COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER • LITTLE NECK LEDGER IN QUEENS • WHITESTONE TIMES Jan. 22–28, 2016 Your Neighborhood — Your News® FREE ALSO COVERING AUBURNDALE, COLLEGE POINT, DOUGLASTON, GLEN OAKS, FLORAL PARK Pols demand Baysiders allege illegal biz summit eyeing Avella demands anti-Semitism TECH CHECK agencies probe BY MADINA TOURE food production City Councilmen Barry BY TOM MOMBERG Grodenchik (D-Oakland Gar- dens) and Rory Lancman (D- State Sen. Tony Avella Hillcrest), along with state (D-Bayside) rallied outside a Assemblyman David Weprin single-family rental home in (D-Fresh Meadows), were Bayside Tuesday with many among 13 lawmakers across concerned neighbors fearing the city who have joined with potential hazardous conse- the Simon Wiesenthal Cen- quences from what they allege ter to urge President Barack is a commercial food operation Obama to convene a summit being conducted illegally. on anti-Semitism, invoking Residents lodged com- the legacy of Martin Luther plaints with the appropriate King, Jr. city agencies and called on Rabbi Abraham Cooper, as- Avella to look into the suspect- sociate dean of the Simon Wi- ed business being run at 33-31 esenthal Center in Los Ange- 204th St. Avella said he called les, unveiled the center’s “Top on both the city Department Ten Anti-Semitic/Anti-Israel of Health and Mental Hygiene Incidents” Jan. 14 at the center and the city Department of at 226 E. 42nd St. Buildings to investigate. The Simon Wiesenthal Cen- The Health Department ter is a global human rights or- sent cease-and-desist orders to ganization that researches the both the property owners and Holocaust and hate in historic the tenants after attempting to and contemporary contexts. investigate resulting only in a Named for Nazi hunter Simon violation, which was paid. Wiesenthal, its educational But neighbors still claim arm, the Museum of Tolerance they smell potent food odors in Los Angeles, Calif., forces and burning oil at all times of visitors to confront bigotry day and night. They also say and racism. they have seen a large propane In the report, the center tank being taken inside and said that sports venues in Moments before the contest begins, a member of the Radical Robots team from Long Island checks many different people go in Europe witnessed “shocking out their entry in the First Tech Challenge robotics tournament at Francis Lewis High School. See and out of the home carrying anti-Semitic chants” in front coverage on Pages 3, 24. Photo by Michael Shain large food containers while Continued on Page 58 Continued on Page 58 A CNG Publication Vol. 82 No. 4 64 total pages COLLEGE POINT NOW OPEN! See Our Highly Skilled Physicians On Your ProHEALTHUrgentCare.com Schedule So You Can Feel Better, Faster! 132-01 14th Avenue • Located next to the Whitestone Plaza • 917-285-2158 Open Everyday • Just Walk In • Mon-Fri 9-9 • Sat & Sun 9-6 Kim challenges gov Tutti Play Cafe opens Lawmaker launches bill to ease nail salon inspections inside Bayside church BY TOM MOMBERG for kids in basketball, arts BY MADINA TOURE and crafts, music and Tae- The Tutti Play Cafe is kwondo. After more than six months opening this weekend in Bay- “This is something the of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s de- side as part of a new commu- residents of Bayside neigh- cision to impose a state of nity outreach endeavor from borhood would appreciate emergency on the nail salon BrokenBuilders Ministries, very much,” said cafe orga- industry, state Assemblyman the multi-congregational nizer Jennifer Luna, a Bay- Ron Kim (D-Flushing) has in- Korean church operating in side resident, educator and troduced the Transparency conjunction with the United mother of two. “I am so glad in Enforcement Act to combat Methodist Church in Man- that this new community what he has called selective hattan and Bayside. project is coming with a clear enforcement of the law against BrokenBuilders is hold- purpose to serve the people salons owned by Asian immi- ing a free open house at the in this neighborhood rather grants. new cafe at Bayside UMC, than as another business A number of angry nail 38-20 Bell Blvd., on Saturday, endeavor. This is something salon owners waving signs at- Jan. 23, and Saturday, Jan. 30 that will open new exciting tended the Tuesday crowded from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. opportunities for Bayside news conference. “Our doors and our hearts families.” The act will amend the ex- are always open to the com- Organizers said free park- ecutive law, requiring every Nail salon owners yelled chants such as "We are not criminals!," claiming munity of Bayside,” Bayside ing for the open house would state agency, board or com- they are unfairly targeted by a state nail salon law. Photo by Madina Toure UMC Senior Pastor the Rev. also be available at the rear mission that directly or by William Wendler said. “I am of the church, entering from contract reports demographic salon workers and owners. store had any issues with un- thankful that we are able to 213th Street. A full program data resulting from any in- Peter Yu of the Chinese paid wages, the survey found. invite Bayside families to schedule for the spring is spections, pending cases or Nail Salon Association of East About 17 percent closed this great opportunity to con- supposed to be released at the penalties to base the data on America said Cuomo’s action their shops while 71 percent nect with one another and open house. The cafe is slated race, gender and region. makes the industry “even want to get out of the industry grow together.” to open every Saturday from “It’s been six months of de- more hostile than before.” by selling or shutting down, The open house is the pilot now on, organizers said. monization and vilification of “Many of you know since the survey added. for an expansion of the min- For more information, the industry,” Kim said. May of last year...we small Sangho Lee of the Korean istry’s Sunday children’s pro- visit BrokenBuilders Minis- At the news conference business owners are trying Nail Salon Association called gram, providing a number tries online at http://www. at the Mudan Restaurant in so hard to survive,” Yu said for more transparency in the of sports and arts classes to b3m.org/. Flushing, at least 100 nail sa- through a translator. inspection process, urging the Bayside youth, and will now lon owners chanted phrases The Chinese and Korean state to help the workers. include for the next two Sat- Reach reporter Tom on signs they held up such as nail salon trade groups teamed “When the inspectors go urdays, free snacks and cof- Momberg by e-mail at “Nail salon owners are NOT up to conduct a small business to the nail salons, they don’t fee, live music, face painting, [email protected] or monsters!!,” “Don’t kill small survey of 200 businesses—a even talk to the workers ... We balloon making and classes by phone at (718) 260–4573. business!,” “We are not crimi- roughly 5 percent sample of think that the inspection is nals!” and “We need support, the industry—to measure the very biased,” Lee said through not harassment!” They also impact of Cuomo’s executive a translator. noted the majority of nail sa- action against nail salons. The New York State Nail lon owners are Asian women, The survey found that since Salon Industry Enforcement who are unfairly targeted. May, 54 percent of nail salons Task Force’s Bill of Rights for Based on a New York Times laid off workers. nail workers indicates that investigative report in May, Some 80 percent of nail sa- employees must be paid at Cuomo launched a task force lon owners found wage bonds least $6.60 an hour before tips and imposed emergency regu- to be unfair and burdensome for the first 40 hours per week lations May 18 to crack down on and 28 percent encountered and $8.75 an hour if they do not nail salons, according to Kim. inappropriate behavior from earn tips. Workers must earn The lawmaker charged that investigators, communication $10.98 an hour before tips after despite a new law restricting problems or other difficulties 40 hours per week and $13.13 the state’s ability to unfairly during investigations, accord- an hour if they do not get tips. target and single out one com- ing to the survey. Joe Lin of the Chinese- munity, Cuomo has extended About 23 percent of sur- American Nail Salon Associa- his state of emergency three veyed owners received fines tion contended salon owners Bayside UMC and BrokenBuilders Ministries will now open Tutti Play times to unilaterally take pu- and penalties from targeted overpay their workers. Cafe at 38-20 Bell Blvd. every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. nitive measures against nail enforcement and only one “They’ve been misleading Photo by Michael Shain IN THIS ISSUE HOW TO REACH US Police Blotter................................................10 Borough Beat..............................................40 MAIL: 41-02 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361 Editorials and Letters............................12-13 Business........................................................42 PHONE: Display Advertising: (718) 260-4521 — Editorial: (718) 260-4545 Rhymes with Crazy.....................................14 QGuide......................................................45-51 FAX: Advertising: (718) 224-5821 — Classified: (718) 260-2549 Editorial (718) 224-2934 Political Action............................................14 Dining Out....................................................47 E-MAIL: Editorial: [email protected] Mayoral Spin Cycle.....................................15 Sports......................................................53-56 Display Advertising: [email protected] Queens Line..................................................15 Classifieds..............................................59-63 Classified: [email protected] Education................................................27-38 TO SUBSCRIBE: Call (718) 260-4521 BAYSIDE TIMES (USPS#025088) is published weekly by News Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.., 41-02 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY.11361, (718) 229-0300.