Comet Winter 2014 Newsletter

8/10/2019 Comet Winter 2014 Newsletter

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Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together

Newsletter Winter 2014

NYS DOT and 104th Precinct

Target Maspeth Truck Trafc

Photo by Tom Porembski


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COMET Winter 2014 Pg. 3

Important Message from 104th Precinctto Owners of Older Vehicles!

The 104th Precinct is happy to report that major crime

in the precinct is down 5.2% for the year. Although we

are doing a great job in reducing robberies, burglariesand felony assaults, auto the remains a problem in the

neighborhood, which by itself is up 4.1% from last year.

Auto thieves are targeng older model cars,

parcularly Hondas, Toyotas and Ford Econoline vans

that are eight years of age or older. They target these

vehicles because New York State law does not require

a tle for these older vehicles, and the thieves can

scrap these cars for quick cash at junkyards without

being asked to produce a tle.We urge our community

members to exercise care when parking vehicles by

ensuring their car doors are always locked, and no

valuables are le inside the glove box, door pockets or

passenger compartment. Spare keys should never be le

anywhere inside your car, as these will enable a thief tosimply drive away aer gaining entry to your car. A good

deterrent to prevent auto the is to use the Club to

lock the steering wheel.

Please take advantage of the Police Departments

many auto the programs such as Combat Auto The,

Beat Auto The and VIN Etching by contacng our Crime

Prevenon Ocers PO Hya or PO Collado at 718-386-

6223. Also, as the holiday season approaches, we urge

our community to be aware of their surroundings and

protect their valuables, as this is a me where property

crimes tend to increase. Thank you and be safe.

Captain Christopher Manson, Commanding Ocer & Captain Gregory Mackie, Execuve Ocer

School Bus ParkingWoes at PS 229

Residents and school

ocials were nding

private school buses,

not contracted by the

City, being parked

overnight, weekends and even longer on 67th Street,51st Road as well as Maurice Avenue in the connes of

the 104th Precinct around PS 229. It was suspected that

an auto repair business on 51st Avenue, located in the

108th Precinct, was the culprit. However, the body shop

owner said they didnt belong to him even though folks

saw his workers parking them there.

Then, along came Captain Gregory Mackie our new

Execuve Ocer at the 104th Precinct. We provided

him with the list of buses contracted by the City which

was passed on to us by Jo Ann Berger our School

Liaison. Captain Mackie went to the locaon and issued

summonses on November 6th. Except for a couple of

stragglers, which Captain Mackie said hell monitor, most

of the buses have been moved. The 104th School Unit

issued violaons for double parking and no standing. As

a result, residents have more parking aer school hours

and children can get on and o the buses safely at the

curb rather than walking into the street to their double-

parked bus. Great job, Captain Mackie!!

104th Precincts MaspethGrafti Removal OperationIn mid-October Captain Manson and his team spent

the morning covering the gra scribble at numerous

Maspeth locaons that were passed on to us by

community residents. Comet provided money towards

paint and supplies thanks to funding from Assembly

Member Marge Markey and Council Member ElizabethCrowley.

Photo by Tom Porembski

Photos by Tom Porembski

Captain Christopher Manson, 104th Precinct


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Pg. 4 Winter 2014 COMET

108th

Precincts

Great Taxi TowWe couldnt have been

happier to see the numerous

livery cabs that have beenhogging parking spaces in

the vicinity of St. Marys

Wineld, 70th Street at 48th

Avenue, being towed by

the 108th Precinct! Captain

Brian Hennessy, the former

Commanding Ocer at the

108th Precinct, did a fabulous

job helping us address this

and other chronic problems

in Wineld during his stay with us. We were sorry tohear he was transferred to the 115th Precinct.

Unfortunately, the liveries have returned. PO Tiany

Annese, the 108th Condions Team Ocer assigned

to our community, has promised to connue the tow

and summons operaons in the area.

Photo by Geraldine Walsh

104th Precinct & NYS DOTTarget Maspeth Truck Trafc

On October 28th, the 104th Precinct and the NYS

Department of Transportaon conducted a truck

operaon on Grand Avenue at Remsen Place in

Maspeth. Numerous summonses were wrien and

NYS DOT towed ve trucks for various violaons.Local residents and businesses are adversely

impacted daily by the several thousand huge tractor

trailers, looking to avoid e-ups on the BQE that use

Grand Avenue.

Captain Manson, 104th Precinct, said he hopes to

do more operaons on a regular basis.

108th Precinct Crime

Prevention TipPO Eli Gani, 108th Precinct Crime Prevenon

Ocer, warns motorists not to leave licenses,

registraon cards or other idenfying papers a

thief could misuse in your vehicle. The Naonal

Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) recommends the

following:

If you park in a commercial lot or garage, leave

only the ignion key with the aendant. Do not

keep your license, registraon or tle in the car.

If le, thieves can use these documents to sell

your car if it is stolen, or impersonate you when

they are challenged by the police. Owners who

indiscriminately leave keys, registraons and

other idenable material in their vehicles may

return to their residence only to nd that they

are the vicm of a burglary!

PO Tiany Annese,

108th Precinct



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108th Precinct Targets

Wineld/Woodside GraftiIn mid-October, we spoed Captain Brian Hennessy

and his troops, including our Community AairsOcers PO Luis Diaz and Marc Torres, covering gra

in the vicinity of 70th Street and 48th Avenue which is

a short distance from St. Marys. They not only cleaned

the gra, they also picked up trash and weeds

making it look much

cleaner. Their presence

added to the acvity in the

area since the Long Island

Railroad was working on

the trestles. See our story

about the railroad work.

Thank you!

Wineld Quality of

Life ConditionsOK, we know a lot more work has to be done in the

Wineld/Woodside area that is zoned manufacturing

The 108th Precinct is working with us to address the

problems. What amazes us is once we address an

issue, another one seems to crop up! We hear yourconcerns and will connue to be persistent. Heres

what we spoed in early November

48th Avenue at 70th Street - liveries returned within a couple ofweeks of the 108th Precinct's "Great Taxi Tow"

69th Place between Gareld and 51st Avenues -

bakery business storing trucks

Numerous vehicles parked without plates,

especially along 70th Street between 48th

and 51st Avenues

School buses being stored on 51st

Avenue shortly aer 104th Precinct did

enforcement by PS 229

48th Avenue at 70th Street - sign

covered with pigeon droppings. Counci

Member Elizabeth Crowley's oce ha

reported this to NYC DO


We were pleased to see a

"boot" on an ambulee.


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Pg. 6 Winter 2014 COMET

LIRR Update Wineld/Woodside

Thanks to the eorts of Assemblyman Michael DenDekker, work is at fulthrole under the trestles of the Long Island Rail Road at 70th Street and

48th Avenue in Wineld/Woodside. While we were taking photos of the

liveries being towed by the 108th Precinct, Comet member Tom Porembsk

spoke to one of the workers who told him the project will take approximately

one year.

The concrete from the base of the pillars is being removed, the crumbling

walls are being reinforced and any other structural issues will be addressed

Both Assemblyman DenDekker and Council Member Crowley are trying to

get the trestles power washed on a regular basis to remove the huge amount

of pigeon droppings that constantly accumulates under the structure on

the sidewalk. Parked vehicles can be seen covered with droppings. We are

hopeful that either Assemblyman DenDekker or Council Member Crowley

will be able to obtain funding to install some deterrent to keep the pigeons

from cooping there.

Good News from Councilman Danny DrommWe were pleased to hear that the city will be cracking down on illegal clothing bins that have sprung up

throughout the City under a bill passed by the City Council. The legislaon allows NYC Department of Sanitaon

to remove the bins immediately and ne the owner $250 or up to $500 for repeat

oenders. The number of bins reported skyrocketed from 97 in 2012 to 2,093

by the end of the scal year in June. Councilman Dromm is a strong supporter

of this legislaon.

Comet member Richie Polgar reported one of these clothing bins that was

dumped near Elmhurst Park during the summer. It laid there for a couple of

months and became a magnet for even more dumping. We want to thank

Michael Mallon from Councilman Dromms oce for pushing the agency to get

rid of this eyesore.

Important Reminder: Snow & Ice RemovalEvery owner, lessee, tenant, occupant, or other person having charge of any lot or building mustclean snow and/or ice from the sidewalk within 4 hours aer the snow has stopped falling, or by

11:00 am if the snow has stopped falling aer 9:00 pm the previous evening. Snow may not be

thrown into the street. If the snow or ice becomes frozen so hard that it cannot be removed, the

sidewalk may be strewn with ashes, sand, sawdust or a similar suitable material. The sidewalk must

be thoroughly cleaned as soon as the weather permits. Complaints can be called into 311. Fines

range from $100-$150 for the rst oense.


Clothing bin on Grand Avenuenear Elmhurst Park

Photo by Richie Polga


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from the piles of trash outside the building. They also

stated that porons of the contract were not available

for public viewing prior to the hearing.

As this newsleer goes to press, we have not

received any updates with regard to this proposed

contract. A group of residents formed a coalion calledElmhurst United. They will monitor this issue closely

We commend them on the hard work they have been

doing on this important issue.

C.O.M.E.T. is Moving Our Meeting PlaceBeginning February 2015, Comet will be holding meetings at St. Adalbert, 52-40 84th Street.

Enter through the side entrance closer to Grand Avenue. Parking is available.

The reason we are moving is because Pastor and Mrs. Kim advised us that the NY Bethzatha Church of God propertyhas been sold and they will be leaving at the end of December. They have been part of the Elmhurst Community for 20

years. They will be missed.

Monday, February 2nd

Monday, March 2nd

Monday, April 13th

Newsletter CommitteeMike Fordunski, Dick Gundlach, Christina Wilkinson, Richie Polgar, Tom Porembski, Geraldine Walsh,

Linda Daquaro, Shirley Warren, Roe Daraio, Maspeth Press

A Special Thank You!This newsleer is made possible by funding from Council Members Elizabeth Crowley, DanielDromm and Jimmy Van Bramer though the Department of Youth & Community Development.

State funding allocated to Comet by Assembly Member Marge Markey went towards the

Memorial Day Parade and gra removal.

On November 13th, Elmhurst, Maspeth and

Woodside residents aended a Public Hearing in the

maer of a proposed contract between the Department

of Homeless Services

and Samaritan Village to

operate a Stand Alone

Transional Residence for

homeless families at the

former Pan Am Hotel. The

total contract amount is

$42,470,904. The contract

term would run from 12/6/14 to 6/30/19 with a four-

year renewal opon from July 2019 to June 2023.

Some residents held up signs while others spoke

and voiced their concerns about the warehousing

of homeless families in one room with no cooking

facilies, more overcrowding of the already over-

capacity schools in District 24, lack of transparency

and no advance noce to the community that a

shelter was slated for their community. The fact that

no criminal background checks are done to insure

no pedophiles or violent criminals are living there

was stressed as well as the rodent problem resulng

Pan Am Homeless Shelter Update

Photos by Geraldine Walsh


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C.O.M.E.T., INCP.O.Box 780151

Maspeth, NY 11378

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Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together

Newsletter Fall 2014

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Comet Winter 2014 Newsletter

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