Southeast Queens 2002 Year In Review

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-Queens) objected to a recent New York Post article that slammed him for taking the most free trips of any member of New York Citys congressional delegation last year.
"Of course the Post wants the salacious headline," said Meeks spokesman Mike McKay, referring to the newspapers June 26 article entitled "Junket Junkie."
A 15-year-old Queens Village boy was arrested after he admitted to setting a series of fires in Hollis, authorities said.
Joseph Jackson was charged as an adult with second-degree arson and reckless endangerment for starting at least five fires, the most recent of which was July 8 at a home on 100th Avenue. He faces up to 10 years in prison.
Chief Fire Marshal Louis Garcia said that Jackson admitted to starting additional fires to the five when questioned at the 105 Pct.
Due to construction on the nearby Belt Parkway bridge over Guy R. Brewer Boulevard, the city installed stop signs at 140th Avenue and 170th Street to regulate the increased flow of traffic on the road, which is a popular detour around the construction.
But according to published reports, local residents are already looking toward November or December, when the construction project ends, and are concerned that the signs will be taken down. Community groups are requesting that a traffic light be installed.
Anthony Andrews was disappointed with his loss to Allan Jennings in last years City Council race, but his strong showing was good enough to convince him to run for Democratic District Leader in the 32nd Assembly District, Zone A, in the 2002 election.
Andrews campaign hit a snag along the way when over half of his 800 signatures were invalidated, leaving him short of the 500 signatures necessary to get on the ballot.
Business and civic leaders are steaming at the presence of pushcart vendors outside the brand new Jamaica Center mall, saying the peddlers create a traffic hazard and undermine plans to revitalize the Jamaica area.
Both Yvonne Reddick, manager of Community Board 13, and Joseph Mattone, Sr., the developer in charge of Jamaica Center, said the vendors who pay an annual licensing fee of $100undermine joint at-tempts to bring large businesses to the mall, where rents run upwards of $30 per square foot.
Hip-hop mogul and Queens native Russell Simmons held a press conference to announce he had pledged $10,000 to the Queens Borough Public Library.
An unprecedented $4.85 million in restitution was agreed to by four individuals and five corporations in a guilty plea to defraud southeast Queens School District 29 of millions of dollars.
With a reported 34.2% of registered voters showing up at the polls for the gubanatorial elections, explanations and conspiracy theories as to why the turnout was so depleted have since been bandied around. Lost in all the hyperbole was the issue of redistricting. Many people believe redistricting played a large role in voter turn-out.
Firefighter Phil Parr of St. Albans was part of a group of 30 New York City firefighters who participated in the World Firefighters Games in New Zealand. This years event were named "The Memorial Games" in honor of all fallen firefighters following the attacks of September 11.
American Muslims find themselves in a defensive position, quick to protect the teachings of the Koran and swift to explain away the work of a few "rotten apples" as not indicative of an entire religion. Abdul Azeem Khan, the Imam of the Masjid "Omar Ben Abdel-Aziz" Mosque in Jamaica said that Muslims have been treated unfairly afther September 11.
Many businesses in Jamaica stayed open on Thanksgiving. Some business owners did it as a service to regular customers. Others wanted to get a jump on competitors. Some just needed the money. But all of them wished they could have stayed home with their families.