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As federal rebate checks go out this spring as part of the federal economic stimulus program, New York City should suspend the sales tax for a week to encourage people to go out and spend their rebate dollars to help make that program a success, Council Speaker Christine Quinn proposed last week. More ... Among those present at the Valentine's Day meeting of the Dutch Kills Civic Association was Deputy Inspector Paul Vorbeck, the new commander of the 114th Police Precinct. He said he had come to Astoria and the 114th from the 94th Precinct in Greenpoint, "where zoning and construction are also big issues". He showed he was prepared for the raised voices that followed. More ... Crystal Window & Door Systems, an awardwinning window and door system manufacturer, recently expanded the opening of its Flushing sales counter, product showroom and order pick-up to seven days a week. Adding Sunday hours of 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to its previous six-day operations offers the company's trade customers greater convenience and flexibility. More ... Community Board 7 is set to begin holding committee meetings on the redevelopment of Willets Point. "Our first is tomorrow night," First Vice Chairperson Chuck Apelian said at the regular February meeting held in Flushing. Former Borough President Claire Shulman, spoke at the January regular meeting, asking for support of the city's plan to redevelop Willets Point. More ... Community Education Council District 30, which includes part of City Councilmember Peter F. Vallone Jr.'s district, has passed a resolution "in full support of [Vallone's] opinion of excessive and non-uniformity of homework assigned in our schools. More ... As in her State of the Borough address, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall focused on development at a joint meeting of the Queens Borough Cabinet and the Queens Chamber of Commerce. One project, Willets Point, is of particular interest to Marshall and the Queens Chamber. More ... At the Community Board 2 February meeting, concern about congestion pricing was bound to come up, and the meeting produced two opposite viewpoints. Also, a deep and abiding worry was again expressed about the possibility of a sexshow emporium on Barnett Avenue in Sunnyside, reviving rumors and counterclaims in the matter. More ... Sidewalk pay phones are joining mailboxes on their way to becoming obsolete, thanks to cellphones and the Internet, authorities said. The Gazette reported in 2006 that U.S. Postal officials were removing mailboxes from a number of Queens locations after it was determined they were underused due to e-mail and other systems of cyber messaging. More ... Queens Boulevard Extended Care Facility hosted a reception February 12 to honor James Keane Sr., a resident of the facility since June 2002. Keane was recognized for having "Good Times at Rockaway Beach", one of his artworks, selected to appear in the Visiting Nurse Service (VNS) of New York's 2008 Patient Art Calendar. More ... The College Opportunity and Affordability Act, the primary federal law aimed at expanding access for low- and middle-income students, passed Congress earlier this month with a strong bipartisan vote. More ... The Off Track Betting (OTB) establishment at 28-15 Steinway St., Astoria was closed on Tuesday, February 19 as part of a closure plan implemented by the New York City OTB Corporation Board of Directors during an emergency meeting. More ... Con Edison last week introduced the EnergyNY program, emphasizing information and programs on the company's Web site, www.conEd.com, designed to get New Yorkers thinking about their energy use and future needs. More ... The success of the New York Giants inspired 300 students from P.S. 205 in Bayside to have a "Souperbowl" event to collect boxes of canned goods for the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island. The students, with help from staff and parents, wore New York Giants gear in a pre-game celebration on February 1. More ... William D. Modell, chairman of the Modell's Sporting Goods chain, died Thursday, February 14 from complications from prostate cancer in Manhattan. He was 86 years old. Services were held Sunday, February 17 at 11 a.m. in Temple Emanu-El, Manhattan. More ... 104th Precinct Things Don't Go Better With 'Coke' Queens narcotics officers busted a seemingly normal Queens family on February 15 for running a cocaine business out of their Woodhaven home. Police said for some 20 years, Jose Castano, 55, and his wife Myriam Castano-Valencia, 54, peddled cocaine from their home on 90th Street "by word of mouth. More ... Times and dates are subject to change. Please call event sponsors to confirm. Feb. 24 Mexico Flag Day; Mar. 1 St. David's Day; Mar. 2 Mothering Sunday; Mar. 7 World Day of Prayer; Mar. 16 Palm Sunday; Mar. 17 St. Patrick's Day; Mar. More ... Feb. 24 Mexico Flag Day; Mar. 3 The Doll Festival; Mar. 17 St. Patrick's Day; Mar. 21 Naw Ruz, India's New Year's Day Community Meetings Associations Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m., sharp, United Community Civic; Augustana Lutheran Church, 69-05 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria Heights. More ... Sunday, February 17: •A 41-year-old Hispanic male was charged with running an unlicensed bottle club, unlicensed warehouse liquor storage, criminal nuisance and sale of alcohol without a license after he was found in charge of an establishment at 40-26 28th St. without a liquor license where alcohol was being sold to patrons. More ... Last weekend, neighbors walked stone-faced past cops waiting outside the Corona cooperative apartment of the man charged in the hatchet death of a Manhattan psychiatrist. More ... |
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