Graffiti clean-up in 110th Precinct

About two dozen volunteers recently sacrificed a perfect spring Saturday afternoon, to fight the good fight against graffiti vandals in Elmhurst.
The group, organized by the 110th Precinct Community Council, gathered in front of Newtown High School at 90th Street and 48th Avenue on April 28. For two hours, they fanned out to nearby graffiti hot-spots, to paint over defacements, or work with crews who blasted others away with chemicals and pressure washers.
The precinct council strives to engage the community in anti-crime and quality-of-life issues. Council representative Debbie Pagano Cohen explained that student volunteers got a letter giving them credit for their efforts. She also thanked Carl Nyvero, general manager of LeFrak City in Rego Park, for donating labor and materials.
Also donating their time were Lester Youngblood, president of the Lefrak City tenants association, which represents over 25,000 tenant families, and Jeff Owen, Property Manager for nearby Queens Center Mall.
As Police Officer Christopher Skinner, the precinct Graffiti Coordinator manned a pressure washer and blasted away at graffiti tags, he said, “It never ends.”