By Bob Harris
Since Jan. 1, 2015, electronic equipment can no longer be disposed of in the trash we put out each week.
You can dispose of it through the occasional Community Recycling events or it can be taken back for free at retailers where it is sold, or when you buy a new one or at the Sanitation Drop Off site in Queens at College Point at 30th Avenue, between 120th and 122nd Streets, at the northwest corner of the DSNY Queens District 7 garage. You may be given a $100 fine if you improperly dispose of your electronic equipment. This information has come from Community Board 8’s monthly newsletters and reports prepared by District 8 Manager Marie Adams-Ovide.
Thieves are now fishing in mail boxes to steal mail containing checks, credit/debit/gift cards and other personal information. The Post Office has responded by narrowing the entrance into mail boxes. People should drop in mail close to the pickup time or put the mail directly in the post office.
People are told to use a special pen with permanent ink to write checks, since the ink is hard to remove when the thieves try to change the payee’s name to themselves. People should shred any voided or incorrect checks and frequently check their account balances.
The city Department of Environmental protection reports that no DEP employees will ever come to your property asking for money for your water bill. They can only come to your property if there is a scheduled appointment to do work. They always have uniforms, badges and a car with the DEP logo. If you suspect someone is trying to scam you, call the DEP at (718) 595-7000, or call 311 or 911 if you feel you are in danger of being the victim of a crime.
The NYPD warns people to lock their car and house doors because burglars constantly try doors to see if they are unlocked. It seems that food delivery people leave their cars running when they go to deliver food and criminals just jump into the cars and drive them away.
People getting gasoline at gasoline stations also leave their doors unlocked and their purses in the car when they go to pay for gasoline which leads to burglaries.
The city Department of Health urges people to empty any objects which have standing water so mosquitoes don’t grow in them. If standing water is noticed on city property contact your community board or call 311. The West Nile Virus season ends on Oct. 1.
The NYC Department of Finance can provide one-on-one assistance for various programs which include the Senior Citizens Homeowners Exemption, Disabled Homeowner Exemption, Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption and Disability Rent Increase Exemption. To make an appointment or to have questions answered, call (212) 291-4663.
Commercial vehicles are not allowed to park in residential streets for more than three hours or overnight unless mechanics are actually working at a location on that block at that time. People may not park vehicles for more than seven consecutive days in residential or other areas.
It is illegal to paste, post, paint, print, nail or attach any poster, handbill, notice, sticker or sign on any city government property of any kind in anyplace. The first offense is $75 – $200 and the second and subsequent offenses are $150-$300.
Good and bad news of the week
The Chinese have a slogan called “Made in China 2025.” They have specific economic targets for domestic firms’ share of the Chinese market in specific industries. Western companies have long protested Chinese policies, which favor their own firms over Western firms. China wants to be a tech superpower by 2025. Something to think about.
