Schools Chancellor Joel Klein got a Bronx cheer in Queens last week. “Right now, layoffs are based on the reverse order of seniority,” Klein said. “We think we need a more comprehensive method.” The statement prompted a prolonged and loud outburst of boos at Long Island City H.S. during the May 18 meeting of the Panel for Educational Policy. Klein […]
Local H.S. Seniors Win Judge Vallone Scholarships
On June 1, the Astoria Civic Association will host an award ceremony for 23 high school senior recipients of a Judge Charles J. Vallone Scholarship. The event will be at Riccardo’s, 21-01 24th Ave. in Astoria. Cake and coffee will be served no later than 9 p.m. The first six scholarship receivers are: Patrick Galarza, Garden School; $4,000, Michael Zagalis, […]
Queens Library Helps With Community Literacy
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and City Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) went on a special tour of the Queens Library’s Literacy Zone (LZ) on May 20 at the Long Island City branch. The program, part of the library’s Adult Learning Center (ALC), is a reform initiative developed by the New York State Board of Regents and the State Education […]
Plans For New Schools At Hunters Point Scrutinized
A combined middle school and high school, to be built amidst the Hunters Point South residential project as it is also being built, was described by School Construction Authority (SCA) officials at a mid-May meeting at St. Mary’s Church in Long Island City. The officials found themselves before a critical audience that included City Councilmember James Van Bramer and recognized […]
Clinton Democratic Club Holds May Meeting
Clinton Democratic Club President Paul Vallone, local District Leaders Mary Ann and John Dorsa and more than 75 club members held their monthly meeting at their new headquarters, 25-59 Francis Lewis Blvd., on May 20. The newly formed Clinton Club children singers from St. Andrew Avellino and other local grammar schools performed a medley of patriotic songs on behalf of […]
Despina Siolas Awarded MD/PhD From Stony Brook
Despina Siolas of Bayside was awarded a degree in the Doctors of Medicine/Doctors of Philosophy Medical Science Training Program (MD/PhD) from Stony Brook University Medical Center on May 18. She was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in Genetics in May 2008 from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. The title of her Dissertation was “RNA Interference Screens […]
Immaculate Conception Church Hosts Religion Lectures
Immaculate Conception Church, at 21-47 29th St., recently hosted a three-part series on Christianity and Islam. The purpose of the series was to promote good will between the two religious groups by bringing a greater understanding to the Christian community of a religion that is more and more present in Astoria, according to the Reverend Msgr. Fernando Ferrarese, pastor of […]
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 dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared it should be May […]
NYPD Launches Summer ‘Zero Tolerance’ Enforcement
Police from the Queens Highway Patrol Unit and Borough Task Force hit the streets this week in the kickoff of an NYPD crackdown on drunk driving. The offensive, dubbed “Operation Cold Sober”, targets motorists who get behind the wheel after a night out at local clubs and taverns, police said. The crackdown put a significant number of cops on the […]