Steinway Library reopens
On Thursday, March 25, western Queens elected officials joined community residents to celebrate the reopening of the Queens Library at Steinway after the facility underwent renovations.
The library reopened to the community with vast improvements including a newly- renovated adult area featuring new furniture and increased computer access, with new laptop counters. The community can also enjoy a new media area, as well as new flooring and self-checkout technology.
The investment in Queens Library at Steinway, located at 21-45 31st Street in Astoria totaled $429,000. New York State Assemblymember Michael Gianaris along with the Queens delegation to the State Assembly allocated $134,000 towards the renovation, while New York City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. allocated $295,000 for new furniture and equipment.
Maloney gets AARP honor
AARP honored Congressmember Carolyn Maloney with the organization’s 2009 Legislative Achievement Award for Maloney’s efforts to protect consumers in the current Congress.
“On behalf of AARP’s 2.5 million members in New York State and all older Americans, I am pleased to present Representative Carolyn Maloney with AARP’s Legislative Achievement Award for her leadership on protecting consumers’ financial security,” said Lois Aronstein, AARP’s New York State Director.
One of the reasons that AARP selected Maloney for the award was for her involvement in CARD Act, which Maloney authored in the House to prohibit the worst abuses by the credit card industry, was signed into law by President Barack Obama last summer.
“AARP has been a wonderful partner in our effort to protect consumers, and I am honored to receive this award,” Maloney said. “According to the PEW Trust, just two of the reforms in my credit card bill -the bans on unfair interest rate increases and penalty fees- will save consumers more than $10 billion per year. That’s real money that will stay in the pockets of seniors and other Americans who have been struggling in the economic downturn.”
LaGuardia offers sign language program
LaGuardia Community College is hosting a free introductory workshop on April 7 that will provide information on its American Sign Language (ASL) program.
Participants will find out how to become a fluent ASL communicator or make a career from their ASL skills. In addition, there will be a visit to the state-of-the-art ASL language lab.
The event, which runs from 5:45 to 7:15 p.m., will be held in the college’s C-building at 29-10 Thomson Avenue, in Long Island City.
Seating is limited. For more information or to RSVP, call Program for Deaf Adults at 866-553-3609 or e-mail rrichards@lagcc.cuny.edu.
Weiner reminds about Census
With census forms arriving in mailboxes across the country, Congressmember Anthony Weiner is reminding citizens to participate in the national count to help ensure that New York receives its fair share of more than $400 billion in federal funding.
Information collected by the census helps determine the number of seats held by states in Congress, as well as how much money is spent on needed infrastructure and resources like hospitals, schools, roads and emergency services.
“Properly filling out and returning your census form is quick and easy – and it will ensure that New York remains the greatest city in the world,” Weiner said. “With an accurate count, we will help guarantee that New York receives the funding it needs.”
The census is conducted once every 10 years. All information provided is confidential, and census officials are barred by law from sharing household information – including immigration status – with any other state or federal agencies.
If you would like to request a new form or have any questions, call 1-866-872-6868. Lines are open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week until July 31, 2010.
Belles Players perform
Staged readings will be performed by the Belles Players: The Actor’s Workshop of The Kew Gardens Community Center at a meeting of Horizons, a club for those 55 and over, on Thursday, April 8 at noon at The Reform Temple of Forest Hills.
The Reform Temple of Forest Hills is located at 71-11 112th Street. Attendees are invited to bring lunch. A charge of $3 will include coffee and cake.
For further information, call the Temple at 718-261-2900 or send an e-mail to mail@rtfh.org.
Holocaust Memorial Day talk
Holocaust Memorial Day will be marked in Forest Hills with a talk by renowned historian Deborah Dwork on the fate of refugees during and after the war. Professor Dwork will speak on her recent book, Flight from The Reich: Survivors & Refugees, at the Central Queens YM & YWHA in Forest Hills, on Tuesday, April 13, at 1:30 p.m.
Dwork’s talk is the first in the spring Meet the Author Series of the Hevesi Library of the Central Queens YM & YWHA, at 67-09 108th Street in Forest Hills. All events are open to the general public, with a $5 donation suggested. For more information, call 718-268-5011, ext. 151, or email pkurtz@cqyjcc.org.
