As a preservationist in the hardest hit community of this horrendous slaughter of our neighborhood, I am glad to see these engineers and their fraudulent acts finally get their due. We have, on numerous occasions reported many of this group's activities to the Department of Buildings (DOB) as well as to the head honchos of this Bureau.
A house on 114th Street, when it was demolished was laced with asbestos. The comment from all regulatory agencies was, “We have to catch it in the act.” Videotaped footage was useless in the eyes of these agencies. Permits issued to build two units in a rezoned neighborhood were filed for illegally. We had to pull teeth to stop them.
We should not have to be monitoring these developers. Every structure built in our neighborhood had many complaints against them, from us, from the Richmond Hill Block Association, to homeowners who have had to deal with a beautiful Victorian torn down and have been met with horrendous circumstances and structures, all outside the law.
It is great news that these people have been caught, but the damage in our neighborhood has been done. Not only are the spirits of the homeowners brought to a low, but the beautiful blocks full of history and charm are now marred by these obscenities. What will the developers receive? Another slap on the wrist? A tiny fine? We have suffered enough. Maybe if the DOB listened a bit more when we complained in the first place, we would not have lost so many of our precious beautiful charming homes. We will continue to monitor and file complaints and continue to fight for our rights.
Nancy Cataldi
President, Richmond Hill
Historical Society
Caring for elderly parents
Part of caring for an elderly parent is confronting one's own mortality. A good friend of mine is resolved to take care of his parents who took such good care of him when they were younger.
It is a new passage, caring for those who cared for you. It is a threshold that few people even consider crossing. However, cross it, we must and cross it, we do!
Look at your aging parent; there stands an older version of yourself. Instead of paying for a digitally enhanced computer image of yourself in thirty years, you get a free look!
They may be old, gray, and feeble but they are the same wonderful parents they were when they were young and vital. They deserve to be loved and cared for! Take solace in the thought that someone will be caring for you in thirty years.
Rose Marie Puleo Milcetic
Whitestone
Fare hike not fair
I have a few questions for the MTA Executive Director Lee Sander.
First - What ever happened to the surplus that the MTA reported and that was to save the fare for a few years?
Second - What is the MTA doing to cut waste and trim the budget that would save the fare?
Third - Will the MTA be willing to show the public the books and show us how the money is being spent?
Finally - Are the MTA employees and its executives willing to take a pay cut to save the fare?
This would give the MTA the respect of the riding public. So what do you say?
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
Bellerose
Great place to work
While working for three months in the puppy room at the North Shore Animal League I discovered a heaven on earth for these animals. The staff could not be more caring and they treat each animal as if it was their own.
Interestingly enough, animals which have special needs often go home with staff members and/or many of the organization's 200-plus volunteers too.
Having worked at other shelters I was very amazed at the number of adoptions that fly out of their doors. During my first adopt-a-thon here (their 16th), people were lining up at 7 a.m. Saturday to be admitted at 9 a.m. By the time we closed the doors on Sunday night at 9 p.m., 614 lucky animals had found homes. North Shore's puppies get adopted so fast we don't even name them. What does that tell you?
The shelter could use not just monetary donations but toys for the big dogs and puppies. The kittens love to play as well and because bedding for all the animals is low, they usually sleep in their litter boxes. Therefore, donations of towels or pillows for them to sleep on would be appreciated.
However, the bottom line is I certainly have found my niche and can see myself working here way after I retire.
Linda Brandon
Flushing
Another point of view
“Security funding still too low” (Lauren Darson - July 12) concerning New York elected officials complaining to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff claiming New York is not getting its fair share of Federal assistance missed part of the story. How do you ask for more funding while at the same time announcing New York City has a multibillion-dollar budget surplus? Remember Queens residents are also responsible for a share of Federal debt that is now over $9 trillion dollars and growing!
The real question is how New York has managed over $20 billion dollars in Federal assistance over the past six years after 9/11. This does not include even more in routine Federal aid over the same period. Has there been any waste, fraud or abuse of taxpayers' dollars? How much money has actually been spent versus monies still unused?
Funny how the same elected officials who are always crying about the need for billions more never talk about what we have accomplished with all the billions to date.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
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