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May 21, 2008 / Features

Thompson: 'DOE's Bldg. Plan is Flawed, Fails To Solve Overcrowding'

BY JOHN TOSCANO

Despite the Department of Education's ongoing construction program of more than 36,000 new elementary and middle school seats, the city public school system is failing to build enough new schools to make a dent in the severe overcrowding problem th More...

St. Michael's Cemetery Hosts Annual Scott Joplin Fest

St. Michael's Cemetery, East Elmhurst hosted the fourth annual celebration of the life and music of ragtime composer Scott Joplin on Saturday, May 17. The event was free and open to the public and refreshments were served. More...

Board 1 Offices Move During MMI Renovations

Community Board 1 offices last week were moved to a handicapped accessible trailer on 37th Street off 35th Avenue, just outside their former digs at the Museum of the Moving Image. More...

Vallone Scholarships Awarded To 18 Area Students

Eighteen students at area schools will be presented with scholarships named for and awarded in memory of the late Judge Charles J. Vallone at the June meeting of the Astoria Civic Association on June 3. More...

Queens Veterans Honored In Borough Hall Ceremony

Colonel Clyde Murray, Deputy Chief of Staff, Comptroller, 77th Regional Readiness Command, and Queens Borough President Helen Marshall paid tribute to Queens County's veterans of all wars and conflicts during Memorial Day observances in the V More...

Udalls Cove Preservation Committee Starts Ravine Restoration Project

The Udalls Cove Preservation Committee (UCPC) announced on April 23 the start of a significant restoration project in the ravine portion of Udalls Cove Park and Preserve. More...

Ober Endorsed By Avella But County Dems Plan Big Turnout For Crowley

Charles Ober, one of the underdogs in the five-candidate special election in Western Queens to replace former City Councilmember Dennis Gallagher, was endorsed by Councilmember Tony Avella and a local Democratic club from Ridgewood yesterday. More...

Thompson Addresses Sunnyside Chamber

BY THOMAS COGAN

An informative review of New York City's economic life during the last six and a half years was delivered to the May luncheon of the Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce by City Comptroller William Thompson, the man who has been in office for just that le More...

The Origins of Memorial Day

Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of former Union soldiers and sailors - the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) - established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war More...

A Memorial To The Many Fallen

The final resting place for 1,102 (75 were recovered) crewmen of the USS. Arizona who lost their lives on December 7, 1941. They are still entombed within the Arizona herself. More...

Epic Novels Presented At Cephalonian Association

BY CATHERINE TSOUNIS

A return to epic movies and novels is the trend. Manos Thanopoulos presented his epic novels H Afentes (The Bosses) and H Ohia (The Poisonous Snake) to the Cephalonian Association "Aenos", Inc. More...

Flowers Are An Inspiration At Art-O-Mat LIC

BY TAMARA GASPARIAN

Flowers are the key motif in Endless Inspiration: Flowers in the work of five LIC artists, an exhibition that opened on Thursday, May 15 at Art-O-Mat46-46 Vernon Blvd., Long Island City. The exhibition runs through June 22. More...

Steinway Sale Days Make Street Shoppers' Mecca

During the Steinway Sale Days event, May 16, 17 and 18, smart shoppers thronged Steinway Street, "the world's longest store", searching for- and finding- bargains at sidewalk sales along the street from 28th to 34th Avenues. More...

Padavan Honors Teachers

"Teachers play a vitally important role in the education and future of our children," Senator Frank Padavan (R- Bellerose) said at his award ceremony on May 9 in celebration of "2008 Teacher Appreciation Week". More...

Waterfront Alliance Seeks Bd. 7 Support

Willets Point, College Point and Flushing in Board 7, as well as LaGuardia Airport and the northern portion of Community Board 3 all border Flushing Bay.

BY RICHARD GENTILVISO

The Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance (MWA) has a simple message. "Our mission is to transform New York's harbor and waterways into clean, accessible, and vibrant places to play, learn and work," Carter Craft said. More...

'Fundraiser For Life'

BY LIZ GOFF

By all accounts, seven-year-old Sebastian Gallagher is a normal little boy with a little boy smile and an infectious personality. Like most little boys, Sebastian loves sports. More...

Neighborhood News

COMPILED BY LIZ GOFF

Seek Fans For Shea Memories Film Filmmakers Joseph Coburn and Katherine Foronjy are looking for Mets fans to interview and share their memories of Shea Stadium for "Heckuva Day", a planned film tribute to the old home of New York City's National More...

Bryant H.S. Holds Eighth Annual Read Aloud

Students at William Cullen Bryant H.S., located at 48th Street and 31st Avenue, Astoria, held their eighth Annual Read Aloud on April 29 in the school library. More...

American Airlines JFK-London Flights Earn Double AAdvantage Miles

American Airlines is now offering double AAdvantage® miles for passengers who purchase qualifying First Class, Business Class or Economy Class fares for travel between New York's John F. More...

115th- Open To The Community

On Saturday, May 3, the 115th Police Precinct Community Council in Jackson Heights had a great turnout for their open house. More...

Mayor Showered With Criticism For 14.5% Water Rate Hike

BY JOHN TOSCANO

Public officials unleashed a barrage of criticism at Mayor Michael Bloomberg and the New York City Water Board for the huge 14.5 percent rate hike the board levied last week after an 11.5 percent increase only a year ago calling it "excessively hig More...

Kaner Foundation Joins Outreach Project At Big Apple Circus

The Walter Kaner Children's Foundation helped make the recent benefit performance of the Big Apple Circus for Outreach Project a resounding success. The foundation has been supporting Outreach Project since 1995. More...

Sabini Greets Vietnam Vets

Senator John D. Sabini and members of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 32 at the annual Veterans Information Day held at Lost Battalion Hall, 93-29 Queens Blvd., Rego Park. More...

Osprey Makes Its N.Y. Debut For Fleet Week 2008

The popular MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft will be on display atop the USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) during Fleet Week New York City 2008 May 21-28. More...

Ships Head To New York For Fleet Week

A flotilla of U.S. Navy ships and thousands of Sailors and Marines set sail the morning of May 19 from Norfolk, Va., to participate in the 21 Fleet Week New York, which will take place May 21 - 28. More...

Democratic Clubs Honor Anzalone, Wager, Serao

The Powhatan and Pocahontas Regular Democratic Clubs held their 2008 annual dinner dance May 16 at Riccardo's by the Bridge, 21-01 24th Ave., Astoria. More...

1964-65 NYWF Movies, Free At Fort Wadsworth

On Saturday, May 31 at 11 a.m., the National Park Service, Gateway National Recreation Area will be showing a special video program, free, at the Fort Wadsworth Visitor's Center, 120 New York Ave., Staten Island. More...

Katsimatides Foundation Holds 6th Fundraiser

The Johnny and Mikey (jaM) Katsimatides Foundation for Life, Inc. was named for and inspired by the tragic loss of two brothers: Mike Katsimatides who committed suicide in May 1999, and John Katsimatides, who died in the terrorist attacks of Sept. More...

The Pulpit

Compiled by Susan Cleary

Times and dates are subject to change. Please call event sponsors to confirm. Jun. 1 Jerusalem Day (Jewish); Jun. 5 Ascension (Orthodox), Jun. 8, 9, 10 Shavout, first day, second day; Jun. More...

Borough-Wide Blotter

COMPILED BY LIZ GOFF

102nd Precinct Student Knifed Near School Queens detectives are seeking help from the public and students at a borough high school to identify and locate a suspect who knifed a teenager on his way home on May 13. More...

Queens Apartment Building Prices Set New Record Highs

Prices per square foot of all three types of apartment buildings in Queens posted solid increases in the second half of 2007, according to the latest figures from the second half of 2007 in the Massey Knakal Realty Services New York City Income Pro More...