By Bob Harris
The April 2001 Bayside Hills Civic Association Beacon has praised the years of volunteer work of Vice President Diane Cohen. Bayside Hills President Jerry lannece heaped praise on Cohen for the terrific job she has done. I know her as the manager of Community Board 8 and treasurer of The Friends of Cunningham Park.
A member of the Bayside Hills Civic, Lucy Kelsch, praised the work of Max Kahn in removing those illegal square Styrofoam signs placed high on telephone poles advertising things for sale or work-at-home jobs. Max Kahn designed a pole with a loop or wire on the end to pull those illegal and unsightly signs down. She included a photo of Kahn taking those signs down. I find that a rake or ice scrapper can do the job also.
The September 2001 John Bowie Civic Association newsletter thanked R. Dreyfuss for volunteering to plant the Bowne Park’s Horseshoe Garden near the lake. His was praised for the new life and beauty which his plants have added to the area. Mr. Dreyfuss' time, effort and expertise were appreciated.
In her September-October newsletter , Shirley B. Weinstein, president of the Mid-Queens Community Council, printed a copy of a letter she wrote to Gerard Califano, Scout Master, Troop 1, Flushing, praising the many hours of community service performed by Boy Scout Christopher Debonet. In the letter Christopher Debonet was commended for spending hours of back-breaking labor to clean the entire outside area of the 107th Precinct this past summer, as well as cleaning of the tree pits along Aquilar Avenue. He also serves in the school safety program at P.S. 173. Chris worked with community activist Joann Camiolo and others all summer long to cover over graffiti in Fresh Meadows and plant flowers in the street along Utopia Parkway and 69th Avenue. Chris' parents are active in the Flushing Heights Civic Association.
The Jamaica Estates Civic Association September 2001 bulletin praised the volunteer work of Ed Linenschmidt in removing graffiti from the walls of Jamaica Estates. On three separate occasions Ed took to the streets to paint over the gang symbols placed over newly painted walls. Sal Caputo also covered over graffiti on the North and South side of the Grand Central Parkway. The civic association had spent $1,500 to have a professional painter remove the graffiti. Volunteers such as Ed and Sal are covering up the few tags which appear now and then.
Other Jamaica Estates Civic Association members have been working to beautify their community. Dolores Duckett, second vice-president, worked with Mr. Silver from Community Board 8 and obtained more waste baskets along Midland Parkway at Wexford Terrace and Hillside Avenue. Ed Morill, chairman of the Parks Committee, had the Parks Department fill in woodchips over the muddy dirt path which people had created while crossing the mall near Hillside Avenue to reach the F train.
The October 2001 issue of the Douglaston Civic Association has issued the names of the Douglas MacKay Community Service Award winners for the Year 2001: Samantha Sherman, who attended PS 98, the Douglaston School and now attends MS 67, plans to become a politician; Polly Nikolovienis, who attended MS 67; Louis Pasteur is now attending Benjamin Cardozo High School and plans to become a pediatrician. Both service award winners demonstrated significant community service.
The September/October issue of the Civic Association of Utopia Estates newsletter printed a letter from member Rose Tracy who praised the volunteer work of Ed and Anne Winkler for beautifying 75th Avenue. They planted flowers in the large tubs on the mall.
GOOD AND BAD NEWS OF THE WEEK
It seems that many people have donated money to New York City in memory of the World Trade Center catastrophe. Supplies and money were specifically sent to the schools in lower Manhattan where the buildings were damaged and students suffered psychological difficulties. Some supplies will be given to other schools, needed in light of huge city and state budget cuts.
It seems that the those cuts by the mayor and those by the state legislature and governor have badly hurt our schools. One computer technology teacher who teaches in one of the Queens Cisco academies told me that money for promised equipment is just not available. Technology programs just can’t be started. These programs should train the next generation of technicians which should fuel our economic development. The current mayor is playing hard ball with the Board of Education. The state Assembly and Senate are playing politics over next year's race for governor and have cut millions of dollars affecting the entire state. The Center for Fiscal Equity earlier this year sued the state, saying the legislature gives New York City 4 percent less money than it should. the court ruled in favor of the CFE, but instead of complying and funding the city schools properly, the governor is spending tax money to fight the court decision.
One of the young teachers I had written about last year has just received a rent raise. There has been no contract and no salary increases this year. There may be one with a new mayor, someday. She is now thinking the unthinkable and may apply for a position outside New York City which could pay about $5,000 more than she is earning now after six years teaching.
We’ve already lost many veteran teachers who jumped at retirement. We can’t afford to lose the young ones, too!
