Russell Sage J.H.S. Program Will Continue—For Now
Members of the Beacon program at Russell Sage Junior Hish School (J.H.S. 190), located at 68-17 Austin St. in Forest Hills, came to Community Board 6′s Jan. 11 meeting at the Kew Gardens Community Center to garner support for the threatened program.
Vicki Morales, representing City Council Member Karen Koslowitz, explained that the program was in danger of closing in December 2011 along with several other programs across the city
It has been saved until the end of “the current budget cycle,” said Morales, adding that the lawmaker would fight to preserve the program beyond that time.
Marlena Starace of the Queens Community House, who works in the Beacon program, brought several students to the meeting to talk about their experiences.
“Our Beacon program has been there for 13 years, since I was a student,” she said.
According to Starace, the city is looking to close Beacon programs in neighborhoods that are not considered
“high-priority.”
“They consider [the 11375 ZIP code] not a high-need area,” she stated. “That is absolutely ridiculous.”
The program offers afterschool, evening and Saturday classes in leadership development, high school preparation, web design and community engagement.
“If there’s no Beacon,” Christina Rivera, a student in the program, told the crowd, “I won’t have anything else to do.”
Hevesi holds court
Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi skipped his usual report in favor of a Q&A session with residents.
Among the topics discussed:
– Redistricting. According to Hevesi, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has promised to veto any redistricting plan that does not come from an independent commission; however, not enough time exists for such a commission to create a plan, Hevesi claimed, and if a redistricting plan is vetoed the issue will head to the courts.
– Cuomo’s convention center plan. “I have to be very candid with you: I have some serious concerns with the way he’s done this,” said Hevesi, pointing to the state’s decision to partner with Genting New York without a competitive process. “You don’t do bidding without a competitive bid process. You don’t do it. The city doesn’t do it. The state normally doesn’t do it.”
He added that convention centers are said to be losing money across the country.
Board 6’s Steven Goldberg expressed concern that Woodhaven Boulevard and the Van Wyck Expressway may not be able to handle the increased vehicular traffic to the new convention center.
– Gambling in New York State. Alworship. lowing casino gambling throughout the state won’t happen anytime soon, Hevesi noted; it requires a constitutional amendment, which must be voted on in two successive legislative sessions and then be voted on in a public referendum.
Licenses & permits
Board 6 approved six street activity permits, one new liquor license and five license renewals.
Forest Hills Visiting Neighbors will hold a street fair on May 12 on 63rd Drive between Austin Street and Queens Boulevard.
The Forest Hills Festival of the Arts will take place on June 10 on Austin Street between 69th Road and Ascan Avenue.
There will be two Jazz Thursdays this year, on Aug. 9 and Aug. 19, on 70th Road between Queens Boulevard and Austin Street.
The Shop Forest Hills Festival will be on Sept. 30 on Austin St. between 69th Road and 72nd Avenue.
Finally, the Forest Hills/Rego Park Lions Club will hold a street fair on Oct. 6 on 63rd Drive between Queens Boulevard and Austin Street.
Board 6 approved the request for a new license for 718 Hookah & Lounge, located at 72-13 Austin St. in Forest Hills.
The license renewals approved by Board 6 were for Katsuno Corp., at 103-10 Metropolitan Ave., Chalet Alpina, at 98-35 Metropolitan Ave., Common Space, at 70-15 Austin St., K.D. Kosher, at 101-10 Queens Blvd., and Mike’s Pizza, at 71-75 Yellowstone Blvd., all in Forest Hills.
Other news
District Manager Frank Gulluscio announced that Board 6 will again set up office hours on the road in 2012. While in previous years Board 6 has visited area libraries, this year the focus will be on area senior centers.
Frank Lumia, borough operations superintendent at the Department of Sanitation’s Queens West bureau, told Board 6 of the agency’s winter snow removal plans.
According to Lumia, the DSNY is now coordinating with other city agencies, increasing its snow training for employees and installing GPS devices on all trucks.
Private contractors will now be notified sooner if they are needed to clean area streets, and routes have been adjusted to ensure that local schools, hospitals, police precincts and fire houses are given priority.
Three local residents came to Board 6 asking them for a “slow zone” in the area bounded by Woodhaven Boulevard, Alderton Street and 63rd Drive in Rego Park.
According to Yvonne Shortt, one of the residents spearheading the proposal, the combination of narrow streets and local schools in the area necessitate the slow zone, which would decrease the speed limit from 30 to 20 mph.
According to Board 6 Chairperson Joseph Hennessy, the board cannot take a position on the proposal until the Department of Transportation comes to them with it.
Community Board 6 will next meet on Wednesday, Feb. 8 at the Kew Gardens Community Center, at 80-02 Kew Gardens Rd.
