To The Editor:

It is my great pleasure to offer my heartiest congratulations to the Western Queens Gazette on the occasion of its Silver Jubilee! I know that I am joining with everyone in Western Queens when I say that we have all benefited greatly from the Gazette's 25 years of exceptional community reporting on all things big and small, and its continuing commitment to educating all of its readers about the myriad issues that affect all of our lives.

Although daily newspapers, television, radio, the Internet and other media play a large role in how we learn about and come to understand the events of the day, community newspapers like the Gazette hold a special place in the world of news gathering. By chronicling our neighborhood events, political landscape, economic ups and downs, changing demographics, social scene and the day-to-day lives of the people of Queens, the Gazette provides us with a clear snapshot of our community every week, and with a vital record of our local history.

When we look back to 1982, the year the Gazette first went to press, ours was certainly a different world. Among many other significant events of 1982, that was the year that the Vietnam War Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C.; that the first artificial heart transplant took place, and that Time Magazine named the personal computer its "Man of the Year." (Elvis fans may also remember that 1982 was the year Graceland opened to the public!)

Yes, in the last 25 years, many things have changed. but I'm glad that the Queens Gazette has been here with us to keep us informed and up-to-date about our community every single week. Congratulations! Sincerely, George Onorato State Senator, 12th District