On The Brief Side...

Koslowitz Has High Praise For 112th Pct. Cops

At a recent meeting with the police officers assigned to the Forest Hills (112th) Precinct, Councilmember Karen Koslowitz (D–Forest Hills) praised the officers for their efforts in reducing crime in the area.

"Our police," Koslowitz declared, "deserve the credit for the reduction in crime throughout the city, they are the ones in our neighborhoods and communities."

$1.4 M For DNA Tests, Weiner Says

Congress has approved a $1.4 million grant to New York state to perform tests on DNA samples taken from convicted criminals which will be entered into state and federal computers to help in solving crimes, Congressmember Anthony Weiner (D–Brooklyn/Queens) announced last week.

Weiner, a member of the Judiciary Committee, is a strong advocate for increasing funding for DNA testing of crime scene evidence. He sponsored a bill to provide $125 million to perform such tests, among them 16,000 unanalyzed DNA samples connected with the same number of rape cases.

Crowley Seminar For Exporters

A free breakfast seminar on export opportunities cosponsored by Congressmember Joseph Crowley (D–Queens/ Bronx) and the Long Island City Business Development Corporation. (LICBDC), will be held tomorrow, Thursday, Aug. 31st, from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the lawmakers’ district office at 82-11 37th Ave., Jackson Heights.

On hand will be representatives from the United States Department of Commerce Trade and Development Agency and the Federal Small Business Administration. LICBDC is the non-profit local development corporation serving Long Island City.

Coal-Burning In Schools Ending: Nolan

Assemblymember Catherine Nolan (D-Ridgewood) reports that the expected conversion of coal burners in IS 77 and 71 and PS 168 and 153, all in Ridgewood, and PS 9 in Maspeth by next year will mark the phasing out of all antiquated and polluting coal-burning furnaces from schools in her district and surrounding communities.

Nolan said this stage of the anti-pollution effort was funded from various sources from which she was able to secure funds. It was one part of a program that reduces harmful emissions also from diesel fuel oil trucks and buses, she said.

One of Nolan’s main anti-pollution efforts is a pending bill to require applications for new power plants to contain plans to reduce emissons at existing plants if they are within a five-mile radius of a proposed new plant. State Senator George Onorato (D–Astoria) sponsored this bill in the senate.

New Traffic Pattern At Queensboro Bridge: Onorato

A new series of changes affecting traffic patterns on the Queensboro Bridge took effect yesterday, Tuesday, Aug. 29th, according to information conveyed to Senator Onorato from the city Department of Transportation (DOT).

Under the changes:

*The north outer roadway is designated for pedestrians and bicyclists only.

*The south outer roadway is open at all times to Queens-bound traffic. This does not, however, provide direct access to Northern Boulevard, DOT notes.

*Both inner roadways are open to all traffic, two lanes in each direction.

*The north upper roadway is open to Manhattan-bound passenger cars 24 hours a day, with no p.m. reversal.

*The south upper roadway is open to Queens-bound passenger cars, except from 6 to 10 a.m., Monday through Friday, when the roadway is reversed to become a Manhattan-bound HOV lane.

Vallone Announces New Vernon Blvd. Traffic Light

DOT has informed City Council Speaker Peter Vallone (D–Astoria) that a new traffic signal will be installed at Vernon Boulevard and 30th Road in Astoria, replacing a nearby mid-block traffic light. The new light is expected to be installed by next January 31st.

McLaughlin Addresses Flushing Graffiti Problem

A persistent graffiti problem at a Flushing shopping mall has led to an agreement between Assemblymember Brian McLaughlin and the mall operator under which the North Shore Anti-Graffiti Volunteers will paint over the graffiti on a continuing basis.

The problem site is the rear wall of the Duane Reade store in the Murray Hill Shopping Center. The wall faces a residential neighborhood whose homeowners and tenants have complained about the graffiti-covered wall.

The mall operator repainted the wall several times but each time it was graffitied again. The graffiti volunteers, headed by Tony Avella, were engaged to repaint the wall whenever necessary.

PS 7 Kindergarten Gets 2 Computers

Completion of installation of two computers at P.S. 7 in Elmhurst plus printers, software, computer furniture and electrical upgrades in 10 kindergarten classrooms was marked recently by a dedication ceremony held by Councilmember John Sabini (D–Jackson Heights), who secured $100,000 for the project.

Sabini said that P.S. 7 was the eighth school in his district to get computers, at a total cost of $1.4 million

Referring to the kindergarten computers, Sabini stated, "There’s no such thing as ‘too early’ when it comes to teaching our students computer skills."

Leffler Says Compost Program Is Back

The Department of Sanitation will again give away compost to local gardeners on Sunday, Sept. 10th from noon to 4 p.m. at Cunningham Park (Francis Lewis Boulevard and Park Drive entrance), Councilmember Sheldon Leffler (D– Queens Village) announced.

The compost, processed by the department from leaves collected last winter, is good for house plants, window box plants, and gardens. The giveaway was successfully tried last year for the first time, so it was scheduled for a second try, Leffler said. Composting bins will also be offered for sale for $20.