A program to keep repeat sexual offenders incarcerated after they serve a sentence, thus providing more safety and protection for the public, was signed into law last week by Governor Eliot Spitzer. The bipartisan civil commitment bill, versions of which are already on the books in many states, will authorize the continued supervision and custody of sex offenders upon the […]
First Central Savings Bank Opens Sunnyside Branch
First Central Savings Bank opened its eighth branch in Queens last Saturday, March 17. The new branch, at 45-08 46th St., Sunnyside, offers all the products and services featured at other First Central branches, along with its own special set of introductory interest rates. Carlos Vásquez is branch manager. First Central Savings Bank opened its main branch in Whitestone on […]
Neighborhood News
K-9 Cops Wow Precinct Crowd All eyes were on a pair of New York City Police Department Emergency Service cops at a recent meeting of the 111th Precinct Community Council. Area residents questioned Police Officer Robert Dolan and listened to him speak about his daily grind- the intricacies involved in policing the streets of Queens. But it was Dolan’s partner […]
Auxiliary Cops Are NYPD Eyes And Ears
Volunteer members of the New York City Police Department Auxiliary Police are dubbed the “eyes and ears of the NYPD”. Auxiliary cops are not issued guns. They are not issued bulletproof vests. They patrol the streets of Queens and the other boroughs day and night armed only with nightsticks, laying their lives on the line each time they hit the […]
Boro Board OK’s $158M Budget
The Queens Borough Board has approved almost $158 million in recommended allocations for the new city budget, come July 1 this year. Among the proposals accepted at its March meeting was a new police precinct in Flushing Meadows- Corona Park. “Our borough’s flagship park, with its many year-round tourist attractions, deserves the same precinct level support given to Central Park […]
Council Passes Bill Banning Metal Bats In H.S. Games
Hoping to prevent injuries in future baseball games, the City Council last week passed a bill banning the use of metal bats in high school games. However, the bill faces an uncertain fate because Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he was not sure whether or not he will sign it into law. The bill passed by a 40- 6 vote with […]
Dutch Kills Civic Hears Final Zoning Subdistrict Plans
A sizable audience heard about the final draft of the zoning proposal for the Dutch Kills subdistrict at the Dutch Kills Civic Association March meeting. Explaining it all were Joy Chen and Penny Lee from the Department of City Planning. The meeting in St. Patrick’s school on 28th Street, three blocks north of Queensboro Plaza, was sometimes contentious, especially when […]
Crowley, Maloney Seek $3.4B More For Military Health Care
Charging President George W. Bush has “failed to live up to his promises to provide adequate health care” for wounded warriors returning from Iraq and other of our nation’s war veterans, Congressmembers Joseph Crowley and Carolyn Maloney called for a $3.4 billion increase above the president’s request for military health care. Their request would be funded in legislation they have […]
Onorato Applauds New Workers’ Compensation Law
‘As the ranking Democratic member of the State Senate Labor Committee, and as someone who has consistently advocated comprehensive reform in New York’s workers’ compensation system, it was a pleasure to stand with Governor Eliot Spitzer as he signed new legislation into law to significantly overhaul a system that has long been considered badly broken,” state Senator George Onorato (D-Long […]