By Dee Richard
Just as everyone was becoming resigned to the fact that the Padavan−Gennaro debacle would never end, surprisingly it did. There is no point in rehashing all the details, as that has been done “ad infinitum” in every media outlet in Queens and beyond.
In spite of all the endless delays and legal wrangling for the past three months, we wound up with exactly the same results we were given on Election Night: Padavan is the winner.
Perhaps now the 11th Senate District can go back to its normal concerns about serving the people who live andâ„or work in that district. As you all know, they have been without representation for the past three months. Does one man’s political ambitions have the right to disenfranchise so many?
Welcome back, state Sen. Frank Padavan. We all missed you and, in any event, good luck in your playing “catch−up” as your work must have really piled up in the interim.
On Monday night, Community Board 11 held its monthly meeting at JHS 158 in Bayside. One of the items Frank Skala and others objected to was the renaming of 77th Avenue between Springfield Avenue and Cloverdale Boulevard in memory of Judge Ralph Sherman. The objections were twofold: One, they did not propose it to their Transportation Committee — they put it up on the floor and ramrodded it through — and two, who was Judge Ralph Sherman? What did he do to deserve the honor?
There was not one person there who had a clue as to who he was and why the street should be named after him. Neither the person who proposed the renaming nor a member of the Sherman family bothered to show up.
When someone asked what this entire nonessential name changing would cost, they were given a “tut, tut miniscule.” Not so! All the people in that area must change the address on their check books; credit cards; voter registration; driver’s licenses; Social Security, Medicare, health, auto and home insurance policies; the post office, etc. The list is endless.
In case Steve Newman, Bernie Haber and Jerry Iannece have forgotten, we are in a severe financial crisis and this does seem like a frivolous expenditure of the taxpayer’s money at this time.
Also Monday night, District Attorney Richard Brown swore in the new officers in Danny Dromm’s Lesbian and Gay Democratic Club of Queens at its meeting at St Mark’s Episcopal Church in Jackson Heights. It was a great turnout. City Councilmen Tony Avella and David Weprin were guest speakers.
On Thursday, the Queens Village Republican Club held its monthly meeting at Trattoria Lucia in Bellerose. The guest speaker was Dan Halloran, a candidate for Avella’s Council seat. A dedicated and bright young man — just what the Republican Party needs. They have not been very lucky lately with their choice of candidates. I firmly believe we need a two−party system, and as it now stands, the only elected Republican official in Queens is Padavan.
The excitement at the Queens Village Republican Club was the preparations for its annual Lincoln Day Dinner at Antun’s Sunday. The keynote speaker was Lt. Col. Allen West, who was followed by the honorable Herman Badillo and Herbert London, who introduced the winners of the Lincoln Day Bicentennial Essay Contest.
The contest awards were presented by Professor Gerald Matacotta and the honorable Barbara Clark.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has a deep abiding interest in education, was there to honor the children.
A surprisingly large number of students entered the contest. It was one of the Queens Village Republican’s most memorable annual dinners.
That’s it for this week.
I look forward to hearing from you with information on people, parties and politics or gossip.
I like to receive your voice mails at 718−767−6484, faxes at 718−746−0066 and e−mails at deerrichard@aol.com
Don’t forget to check out the “Focus on Queens” page.
Till next week, Dee.
