Neighborhood News
COMPILED BY LIZ GOFF

Astoria Environmentalists 'Tap' Into City Water

A group of Astoria environmentalists dubbed "Tap Into The City" is partnering with the non-profit group Riverkeeper to promote the benefits of drinking good, old New York City tap water.

"Tap Into The City" founder Sandy McKelvey said she came up with the idea for the group during the summer 2007 while discussing with friends the safety of city tap water.

McKelvey said she envisioned a safe, recyclable plastic bottle to hold the water. She did some research and settled on a high-density polyethylene sports bottle marketed with the logo "NYC H20".

McKelvey said the goal of the group is to get New Yorkers to recycle the bottles by tapping into the city's water supply, rather than buying water in single-use bottles that are not recyclable.

New York City tap water is among the safest in the world, and Riverkeeper is working to keep it that way, McKelvey said. The non-profit Riverkeeper group has taken on the challenge of protecting the city's watershed, which provides drinking water for New York City. "Tap Into The City" will donate $1 from the sale of each water bottle to Riverkeeper to assist the group with its efforts.

For more information on McKelvey's group and its projects visit www.tapintothecity.com.

Supermarkets Must Pay Baggers

A C-Town Supermarket on Corona Avenue in Queens was ordered last week to pay more than $329,000 in back wages to three baggers at the store.

State Labor Commissioner Patricia Smith said the order is in response to a complaint filed by baggers at several city supermarkets, who complained they were being paid only in tips.

Queens Bus Riders Rate Their Rides

City transit officials are asking Queens bus riders to rate their rides.

Transit officials last week began handing out paper report cards in neighborhoods from Long Island City to the Rockaways, giving straphangers a chance to say what's good and bad about city bus service.

Riders will be asked to grade city buses with grades ranging from "A" to "F" on cleanliness, reliability and 18 other categories, officials said.

Transit Authority President Howard Roberts said in a prepared statement that the results will become the basis of plans to improve service and will help the agency monitor the performance of city bus employees.

The report cards were handed out last week at bus stops on Main Street in Flushing, Roosevelt Avenue in Jackson Heights and Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills. The report cards will be distributed along other Queens routes this week, officials said.

Riders will be asked to complete the report cards and drop them in any mailbox. The report cards are also available online at www.mta.info.