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This pizza is not going down!

Published
by
mstmaurice
on February 19, 2008
in Forest Hills and Queens
. 7 Comments

I walked on Austin Street in Forest Hills this weekend when I saw a large white board in the window of A&J Pizza. Written in colorful markers on the board was the clear message that: “A&J is not leaving. We are here to stay!”

This cozy pizzeria that is always busy and has a live Italian singer every Sunday night is known around the neighborhood as having some of the best pizza in Queens (the online reviews certainly present it as being the greatest). So I was obviously intrigued by this sign and chose to inquire. I spoke to Ernesto, who works there, and when I asked about the sign he got slightly flustered. “Someone started a rumor that we were closing, but we’re really not,” he said a bit angrily.

I asked a few more questions, but all I got from him was that they didn’t know the identity of the person who started the rumor. “If we knew, we’d crush him.” Simple enough.

There is still more I want to know about this pizzeria that will, on March 26, mark its 25th anniversary. Ernesto told me to call or stop by Thursday and speak to the owner, so we’ll see what he has to say about this!

Are You Safe In Your Own Neighborhood?

Published
by
smorris
on May 14, 2007
in Queens
. 0 Comments

The federal prison is owned and controlled by the GEO group Inc., a privately run correctional and detention management company. GEO is one of the largest for-profit prison corporations in the world. According to an online source, Geo represents 63 facilities worldwide including United States and United Kingdom; their profits rely on rising crime rates, tough sentencing and immigration policies. Now, they have invaded Springfield Garden with no intention of leaving.www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/orfp97.htm

Freedom

Published
by
smorris
on May 14, 2007
in Queens
. 0 Comments

“I did not know that there was a jail on 150th Avenue,” said Kathleen Richars, a resident of Springfield Garden who has lived there for the past 15 years. “Oh my God, a prison! This is unbelievable.” With plans in motion for extending the facility, residents are more determine to put a stop to this madness. When asked about his perspective on the prison Councilman James Sander said, “Heaven forbid what can happen under these conditions. They can break out and take the buses.” www.federalprison.com

SHUT IT DOWN

Published
by
smorris
on May 14, 2007
in Queens
. 0 Comments

The residents of Springfield Garden continue to protest regarding the federal prison in their neighborhood. Councilman James Sander, encourages the residents to rally and march around the windowless prison. The building was owned by the Wackenhut Immigration Detention center in 1995, which housed illegal immigrants arrested at JFK airport. However, the federal prison acquires prisoners that are waiting to go on trial. The residents are worried about their safety. www.bop.gov

Chaos in Springfield Garden Part one

Published
by
smorris
on May 11, 2007
in Queens
. 0 Comments

Springfield Garden residents have noticed a nondescript building for more than three years located at 150th Ave and 82nd St. No one seemed to know what it was. Residents have recently learned that it is a federal prison awaiting prisoners to go on trial. Residents are scared for their children as well as themselves; the federal prison is three blocks away from the closest home, schools and a women’s shelter. For more information you can visit this website. www.bordc.org/threats/detention.php

The Unempty Nest Syndrome

Published
by
Simone
on May 8, 2007
in Queens and Uncategorized
. 6 Comments

            Young adults are finding it harder and harder to leave the nest. Not only is it scary to try to make it on your own, without the comfort of mom and dad to support and bail you out, the constant increase in rent can give a person more to worry about. Because of this, more adults are choosing to stay at home or to return home, home of course is referring to their parents’ house.

           This is a prevailing phenomenon in Cambria Heights. At a time in an individual’s life, where they are old enough, they are holding down a good job and possibly mature enough to strike out on their own- they choose to stay with mommy and daddy.

           “Leaving mom’s embrace has its expenses,” said Jennifer Jones, a college student. She describes the obvious drawbacks of striking out on one’s own. Ms. Jones knows of many young adults who refuse to leave home.

           Living in this neighborhood has provided a standard of living that would be hard for one to continue without some help. “I will not leave my parents’ house until I can maintain the lifestyle they have given me wherever I go,” declared Whitney Jones, a 21-year old resident who has lived in Cambria Heights all her life.

           It’s becoming increasingly difficult to leave the nest when considering the obstacles and time it takes to eventually own a home in a similar quiet, middle-class neighborhood.

Saving St. Saviours.

Published
by
Moliva
on May 7, 2007
in Queens
. 1 Comment

(I took this photo!)

The Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA) has made it their responsibility to save St. Saviour’s Church in Maspeth from demolition. Instead, the JPCA has suggested that the city convert the space into a park and give the church landmark status. St. Saviours, built in 1847 and designed by master architect Richard Upjohn, is a Carpenter Gothic country church made with redwood and at one time was surrounded by nothing but trees. Today, St. Saviours is surrounded by abandoned factories, congested traffic, and 18-wheelers. It stands adjacent from a set of train tracks and lies hidden behind a fence made of plywood (which is tagged up with graffiti). I’ve lived in Maspeth/Ridgewood for 9 years and have passed the church countless times, never knowing it’s history or name…in other words, I took it for granted. Recently, I moved within a block of St. Saviours and believe that a park or some sort of green space is what this neighborhood needs. The church could serve as a buffer to this highly industrial area…What’s difficult for me to understand is why the city hasn’t shown much interest in saving St. Saviours…Maybe because it’s not in Manhattan? Elected officials have no love for Queens.

(This one too)

Looking for fugitives

Published
by
hsin
on April 26, 2007
in Queens and Uncategorized
. 0 Comments

3 policemen  stopped all passengers and cars crossing the street in the area of Fresh Meadows yesterday night.  It was rigth after I saw many “wanted” posters on the street near the subway station.  The policemen made each driver in the car roll the windows down and gave to them a  card. This card showed a picture of a fugitive who the policemen were looking for.

Policemen in Queens are diligently struggling to find Queens’ 10 most wanted fugitives, described as ruthless men who knew their victims.  The 10 stand accused of society’s worst crimes, including murder and serious assault. One case goes back 21 years, but police continue to seek the public’s help in tracking down and prosecuting these individuals.  It is believed that some may have fled the country while at least two have been spotted in Queens, but escaped before police could nab them. For more informations, go to the website of Ciy of New York Police Department http://www.longislandexchange.com/nypd_most_wanted.html

Mary Immaculate Hospital aka “The Death Hospital”

Published
by
khutchinson
on April 24, 2007
in Queens and Uncategorized
. 3 Comments

“The hospital killed her,” says Camille Carby, who lost her grandmother in January 2006. “She went in to get her blood pressure checked, ended up being hospitalized, suffered a stroke and died within ten days.” This is the common belief that a lot of South Jamaica residents have concerning Mary Immaculate Hospital. Locals refer to Mary Immaculate, along with Jamaica Hospital, as “The Death Hospitals.”

Another young lady, also a South Jamaica resident, who asked not to be identified, lost her father three years ago, also at Mary Immaculate Hospital. Her father was complaining of chest problems, and when the ambulance arrived her mother pleaded with them not to take him to Mary Immaculate. Instead, she wanted to go to Jamaica Hospital which was closer. “I knew once he went there he was not coming out alive,” says the young lady. She was right. While, at Mary Immaculate he suffered a heart attack and because of the number of patients and the lack of staff, he died at the age of forty.

Despite these two stories, on the Department of Health’s website, between April 2005 to March 2006, Mary Immaculate’s heart attack care performance was at 95%. Their heart failure care rate about 93%. “I guess things got better but I doubt that,” states the young lady. Carby, on the other hand, thinks that statistics are “fake.” “They are just trying to make themselves look good,” says annoyed Carby.

Twenty-two year old Larry Bethea, on the other hand, was “lucky” to make it out of the hospital alive. In 2006, he was shot in the right leg and was at Mary Immaculate for three months before he was released with crutches. “I’m happy that I made it out of there with crutches and not in a body bag.” His statement is in response to the number of friends and family members who were not as lucky. “There is just not enough staff,” states Bethea. “There are probably like two nurses for every 50 people.” Bethea’s statement may be an exaggeration but while he was there he had to wait anywhere from 15-30 minutes before a nurse was able to see him. When she finally did arrive, Bethea states that “she would come for ten seconds and then leave.”

Breadlines in Queens

Published
by
khutchinson
on April 16, 2007
in Queens and Uncategorized
. 5 Comments

Seventy years ago when the Great Depression hit the city, people from all walks of life were forced to stand in breadlines to help feed their families. Today, breadlines are mostly occupied by the homeless or extremely poor people. In South Jamaica, Queens it’s a different story.

About two weeks ago while riding the bus, I noticed that two nearby churches had people standing on the lines with shopping carts and bags waiting to get food. Mt. Moriah Community Church and Universal Calvary Church Incorporated give food to anyone who joins that line. Mt. Moriah Community Church is located at 110-22 Sutphin Boulevard. Universal Calvary Church Incorporated can be found a block away at 109- 20 Sutphin Boulevard.

What actually made me take notice was seeing a lot of neighbors and old friends waiting on the line.–many of whom I knew had good income and could afford to buy their own food. “They only go because it is free food,” says Maleka Aiken, a 20-year resident of the neighborhood. “I know plenty of people on that line who have a good job and own a home with two cars in the driveway.”

Most of the food is donated from local supermarkets or people in the neighborhood. The pastor asks if people are willing to buy food and drop it off or bring in canned goods out of their pantry. Twice a week as early as seven in the morning to as late as noon, people line up to receive bread, canned goods, meat, juice, etc. “Take as much as you need,” yells one of the volunteers passing out the food. These churches have been doing this for nearly four years and consider it a way to give back to the community.

Brittney Dickens, has lived in the neighborhood all of her life and “never goes to these churches for Sunday service, but I do come to get the food.”

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