Irish history month in Astoria On Monday, March 23 at 7 p.m., in celebration of Irish History Month, the Greater Astoria Historical Society will be opening an art exhibit, and hosting a lecture and reception to raise funds for its newest program, the Winged Fist Project.
The goal of this project is to commemorate the accomplishments of the Irish American Athletic Club of Celtic Park in Queens. This athletic organization won dozens of Olympic medals in the early 20th Century, and today they have been all but forgotten.
The event will feature an exhibit of color trading cards of the Irish American Athletic Club athletes, historical photos and original medals and trophies won by the Irish American Athletic Club.
It will take place at the Quinn Building located 35-20 Broadway on the 4th Floor in Long Island City. Donations welcome. For further information, visit www.WingedFist.org.
Passover celebration in FH The Horizons Club at the Reform Temple of Forest Hills will celebrate Passover on Thursday, April 2. The Temple’s cantor, Cary Schwartz, will perform holiday favorites. Also, participating in the celebration will be Steve Hoffman and Devra Seidel, who will entertain with songs in cabaret style.
Attendees are invited to bring lunch to the temple located at 71-11 112th Street in Forest Hills. A charge of $2 will include coffee and cake. For further information, call the Temple at 718-261-2900 or e-mail to mail@rtfh.org.
Crowley fighting DOT
City Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley is investigating why residents who have lived on Claran Court – a dead end street with 14 houses – started receiving parking violations during the past few months for parking on a street that some residents have lived on for more than 50 years.
The city’s Department of Transportation (DOT) began issuing $110 parking violations on the street a few months ago, but according to Crowley it was only two weeks ago that they erected ‘No Standing’ signs in front of their homes.
“Without warning or explanation from the DOT, the tenants of Claran Court started receiving expensive parking violations for parking on their block,” Crowley said. “With the ‘No Standing’ signs and no alternative parking in the area, where are the tenants of Claran Court supposed to park? I am taking all necessary steps to investigate this matter and I have been working with the DOT Borough Commissioner, Maura McCarthy, to find an adequate solution for the residents of Claran Court.”
HHC reports success
The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) recently announced that infection rates in the intensive care units of its 11 hospitals citywide are down for the third year in a row.
HHC said the infection rates have dropped dramatically since the launch of a patient safety program to reduce preventable deaths and unnecessary hospital stays.
The hospitals achieved a 90 percent reduction in the rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and a 65 percent reduction in the rate of central line bloodstream infections among adult patients in intensive care units.
As part of the public hospital system’s transparency initiative to share voluntarily, information on hospital quality and safety with the public, the new 2008 rates are posted on the “HHC in Focus” section of their web site, www.nyc.gov/hhc, according to HHC President Alan D. Aviles.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control estimates the cost of hospital-acquired infections to be as high as $27.5 billion each year.
“Our results are evidence that we are now winning the battle against common hospital acquired infections through increased vigilance, strict adherence to best clinical practices and our relentless focus on optimal hand hygiene,” Aviles said.
“The decline in infection rates represent more than 1,000 infections prevented and a savings of nearly $16 million in healthcare costs,” he added.
