friday, january 20, 2012 the woodside … advertise e-mail [email protected] or call...

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012 THE WOODSIDE HERALD PAGE 1

VOL. 78, NO. 3 WOODSIDE, L.I.C., N.Y. FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 2012 FREE

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SERVING SUNNYSIDE-WOODSIDE AND LONG ISLAND CITY

Town Hall Meeting AddressesHunters Point South Project

Western Queens Community Rally’sAgainst Gentleman’s Club

Sunnyside/ Woodside M.G. Lottero Lions Club

(continued on page 4)

Assemblywoman CatherineNolan, State Senator Michael Sena-tor Gianaris, City CouncilmemberJimmy Van Bramer and Commu-nity Board 2 Chairman Joe Conleyheld a rally against 21 Group Inc.’sState Liquor Authority Applica-tion for Gentleman’s Club, GypsyRose, located at 42-50 21st Streetin Long Island City, Queens. Theywere joined by Bishop MitchellTaylor President & CEO of EastRiver Development Alliance,Marion Jeffries President of theAstoria/Long Island CityN.A.A.C.P, Queensbridge TenantsAssociation, Long Island City Part-nership, Hour Children, SteinwayChild and Family Services, Inc andmany members of the communitywho expressed their concerns andoutrage for the proposedgentleman’s club.

“As our community continuesto grow, it is important that wecontinue to protect the residentialcommunity and that there is not anegative effect to the quality oflife,” said AssemblywomanCatherine Nolan. “I am stronglyopposed to 21 Group Inc.’s appli-cation for a full service liquor li-cense. This establishment will beadjacent to NYCHA/Queensbridgehouses, home to many young fami-lies. This is not an establishmentthat will positively impact our so-ciety. Additionally, the LIC busi-ness community is very vibrantand this will have a negative im-pact both on existing industrial ar-eas and the emerging residentialarea. I urge the SLA to oppose thisliquor license.”

Senator Michael Gianaris said,“Long Island City has been experi-

encing a renaissance over the lastfew years, with new small busi-nesses, restaurants and familiesmoving here. At a time when theneighborhood is improving by theday, the opening of a sex-basedbusiness would send exactly thewrong message and take us back tothe problems of the distant past. Iam proud to stand with my fellowelected officials and communitymembers in steadfast opposition tothis strip club.”

“Gypsy Rose threatened ourcommunity when we ralliedagainst it last year, telling us theywould put in a club that featuredfull nudity as opposed to whatthey originally proposed,” saidCouncilman Member VanBramer among the crowd of over50 community leaders and offi-cials. “This is not the kind of

business we want to welcome into our community.

On Thursday, January 12th,CM Van Bramer and Commu-nity Board 2 held a town hallmeeting with NYC Housing andPreservation and Developmentand the Economic DevelopmentCorporation who gave a presen-tation and answered questionsregarding the development ofHunters Point South in Long Is-land City. Specifically, this townhall addressed the affordablehousing component of the project.

“This was a chance for myconstituents to get answers to thequestions and concerns they hadabout this development,” said theCouncil Member to a crowd over200 people. “Community mem-bers who participated were ableto become a part of an active, andproductive, dialogue about thefuture of Hunters Point.”

Community residents askedNYC Housing and Preservation

and Development and the Eco-nomic Development Corporationabout the available affordablehousing as well as the future ofLong Island City. This town hallis a part of Van Bramer, Assem-blywoman Catherine Nolan andCommunity Board 2’s effort toget city agencies in to the com-munity to field the community’squestions about topics pertain-ing to their neighborhood.

Phase 1 of Hunters Point

South will create 900 units ofaffordable housing. The firstphase will also include roughly20,000 square feet of new retailspace, five acres of new water-front parkland, a new school and200 parking spaces.

This is the beginning of thecomplete transformation of 30acres of prime waterfront prop-erty, which will provide moremiddle and moderate incomehousing to city residents.

Honoring Firefighters

Regular Monthly MeetingWednesday, January 25th @ 7pm

Queen of Angels Parish Hall, 44 St. & Skillman AvenueWANTED: A few good Men & Women who are

community service minded to join us!Call: 718-937-2448

On Wednesday, January 18th, CM Van Bramer, honored theFDNY for their heroism in the face of the Woodside fire which, killedone and destroyed three homes. Van Bramer joined City CouncilSpeaker Christine Quinn, Council member Elizabeth Crowley to handa proclamation to the Firefighters & Officers from Rescue 4, Engine292, Battalion 46, and Ladder 136.

“The courage these brave men exemplified in the face of suchadversity is a sign of their good will and dedication to the communitythey serve,” said the Council Member. “It is with great honor that weacknowledge their service as we continue to strive to keep every lastfire house open throughout the City of New York.”

On November 18th, in the early hours of the morning, a two-alarmfire engulfed a two story-home, at 40-38 61st St., Woodside, displacing25 individuals, including four children. 106 firefighters were on handto combat the blaze with Rescue 4 and Engine 292 leading the fight.

Since the fire, Van Bramer held both a food and clothing drive forthe affected families in an effort to address their needs immediatelyafter being displaced.


FRIDAY, JANUARY 20 , 2012THE WOODSIDE HERALDPAGE 2

43-11 Greenpoint Ave., Sunnyside, NY 11104Telephone (718) 729-3772

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Kimberly Clarry, Peter A. Ross, Rob MacKay

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS AND PHOTOGRAPHERSJoe Gurrado, Robert Flanagan

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Sherilyn Jo Sabba ................................................................. Editor

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Trade Fair Supermarket IsBeing A Bad Neighbor

Jackson Heights communityfed up over Trade Fair’s unsafeand illegal practices

In light of Trade Fair’s perva-sive violations of New York Citylaws and regulations, NYC Coun-cil Member Daniel Dromm andJackson Heights residents are call-ing on Trade Fair ownership tocomply with the partial vacate or-der for the enclosure abutting thesidewalk on 75th Street, removethe bins of broken bottle glassaround the recycling area and re-store the tree pit which they haverecklessly filled in with cement.

“Trade Fair’s violations havecreated an unsafe environmentfor the Jackson Heights commu-

nity and ruined the appearance ofthe neighborhood to the detri-ment of both residents and fellowbusiness owners,” said NYCCouncil Member Daniel Dromm(D-Queens). “We are demand-ing that Trade Fair do right byour neighborhood.”

In August of 2011, a partialvacate order was issued to TradeFair which required them to va-cate the illegal extension on the75th Street side of their property.Subsequently, an EnvironmentControl Board (ECB) violationwas issued for failing to complywith the partial vacate order.

At a rally this past Tuesday infront of 75th Street side of the

supermarket, outraged communitymembers voiced their concernsabout the shrinking sidewalk.

“We have a great neighbor-hood here and most everyoneworks to make it better,” saidTom Lowenhaupt, former QueensCommunity Board 3 member andresident of 75th street. “TradeFair runs a good store but theycan’t keep straight what’s theirsand what belongs to the public.They have a take, take, take policywhen it comes to the areas adja-cent to their stores. They con-stantly push the boundary andtest what they can get away with.That’s not being neighborly. Easeoff or face a boycott.”



Helping Kids At Astoria Houses

U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, BoroughPresident Helen Marshall, AssemblywomanCatherine Nolan, City Councilman PeterVallone, Jr., and Astoria Houses Tenants’Association Leader Claudia Coger todayjoined the directors of Zone 126 PromiseNeighborhood and The Elmezzi Founda-tion to announce that Zone 126 has secureda new, $500,000 Promise Neighborhoodplanning grant from the U.S. Department ofEducation. The Elmezzi Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to supportingdisadvantaged communities, created Zone126 to improve educational opportunitiesfor the children of western Queens.

Over the next year, Zone 126 will usefunding from this planning grant, along with$350,000 in seed funding from The ElmezziFoundation and $400,000 in additional pri-vate funding, to develop a plan to deliver“cradle to career” educational support forthe more than 1,600 children and youngpeople who live in Astoria Houses, as wellas kids from the surrounding neighborhood.Zone 126 will then apply for another grantfrom the Department of Education to imple-ment its plan, which could bring in millionsmore in federal funding for western Queens.Zone 126 is one of only twenty organiza-tions nationwide to receive a Promise Neigh-borhood planning grant this year.

“Zone 126’s Promise Neighborhoodgrant promises to do a world of good for thechildren of western Queens. This federalgrant will get the ball rolling on a ‘cradle tocareer’ educational support program foryoung people in Astoria Houses and thesurrounding community. The next step is toturn this planning grant into a multi-year,multi-million dollar federal funding streamto implement Zone 126’s plan to help chil-dren in our community – and I will be urgingthe Department of Education to do just that.I thank The Elmezzi Foundation, which hasfunded so many worthwhile initiatives inwestern Queens, and Zone 126 for theirdedication to our community. I can’t thinkof a more wonderful New Year’s gift for ourkids,” said Rep. Maloney.

New York State Senator MichaelGianaris said, “It is a great day when we canannounce an influx of money to improveeducational opportunities for westernQueens children. The benefits to AstoriaHouses children provided by the grant toZone 126 will help give them the kind ofsupport they deserve. I thank the U.S. De-partment of Education, CongresswomanMaloney and The Elmezzi Foundation fortheir hard work to secure this much-neededmoney and look forward to seeing our chil-dren thrive because of it.”

“This grant will go a long way in provid-ing funding for a great education program forthe students of Astoria Houses,” said Assem-

blywoman Catherine Nolan. “I want to thankCongresswoman Carolyn Maloney for herleadership on this project and the ElmezziFoundation for working to secure this moneyfor the students of Western Queens.”

Queens Borough President HelenMarshall said: “This grant is a great invest-ment in the future. It will support hundredsof children in western Queens in their questto pursue educational opportunities and helpthem to meet the challenges they face asthey place their feet on the path to success.I thank the Elmezzi Foundation, Congress-woman Maloney, and all those who playeda role in securing this grant and hope that itwill result in additional funds over the yearsto keep the dreams of these children alive.”

Many of Zone 126’s partner organiza-tions -who will work with Zone 126 todevelop a community education plan- alsoattended today’s grant announcement, in-cluding the East River Development Alli-ance, which is headed by Bishop MitchellTaylor; Jacob Riis Neighborhood Settle-ment House; NewYork-Presbyterian/WeillCornell Medical Center; Variety Boys &Girls Club of Queens; Queens CommunityBoard 1; NYCHA; City Year New York;AHRC Astoria Blue Feather; Digital DividePartnership; IS 126Q; PS 171Q; and Will-iam C. Bryant High School.

The Promise Neighborhoods program,which was launched by President Obama in2010, aims to address significant challengesfaced by students and families living inhigh-poverty communities by providing re-sources to plan and implement a continuumof services from early learning to collegeand career. Plans include a range of servicesfrom improving a neighborhood’s health,safety, and stability to expanding access tolearning technology and Internet connectiv-ity, and boosting family engagement in stu-dent learning.

The omnibus spending bill for FiscalYear 2012, which Congress passed in De-cember, includes another $60 million forPromise Neighborhoods.

Over the next year, Zone 126 workgroups (which are made up of more than 50members; a mixture of staff from Zone126’s partners, as well as residents of thecommunity) will be developing a detailedaction plan on what types of services andsupports are most needed by children in ourcommunity. The four work groups are:Thrive by Five – which will focus on chil-dren 0-5 years old; Students Achieve –which will focus on students in kindergar-ten through 8th grade; Young Adults Suc-ceed – which will focus on high school andcollege-aged youth; and SupportiveParenting – which will look at the needs ofparents and caregivers.

Zone 126 staff will incorporate the rec-

ommendations of the work groups, and ofthe organization’s advisory council, into afinal business plan, which will serve as thebasis for Zone 126’s application for a fed-eral implementation grant from the U.S.Department of Education. The implementa-tion grant, for which there is a competitiveapplication process, could bring in another

$4 to 6 million in federal funds to carry outZone 126’s plan – and would be matched byprivate donations.

Zone 126 also intends to set up a process,beginning in June, that allows residents withideas for events and small programs forchildren, to apply for mini-grants of up to$2,000 to make their ideas a reality.

Planning Grant is First StepToward Potential Multi-Million

Dollar Implementation Grant fromU.S. Department of Education

Don’t ForgetYour Paper!

Take Pride

In

Sunnyside



BusinessCard

ExchangeThe Sunnyside Chamber of Com-

merce and the Queens Chamber ofCommerce invite you to join them forwine, hors d’oeuvres and a great op-portunity to make new business con-tacts in Long Island City, Sunnysideand Woodside. This is also a wonder-ful chance to network with the bothChamber of Commerce’s as well ascommunity members.

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Albany’s Economic DevelopmentLeader Visits Long Island City

Anti-Graffiti Initiatives Denied!!!

On January 10th, CM Van Bramer wasinterviewed by 10th graders from the HighSchool for Applied Communications(HSAC) in Long Island City. The studentsasked Council Member Van Bramer abouthis Graffiti Clean-up initiative, which, sofar, has cleaned over 1,000 locations through-out the 26th Council District includingBroadway, Skillman Avenue, 43rd Avenue,Roosevelt Avenue, Woodside Avenue, and48th Avenue on a monthly basis.

“Our anti-graffiti work has expandedacross the 26th District over the past twoyears,” said the Council Member. “I’m gladthe students have taken notice of all the greatanti-graffiti work my office has been doingto keep the district clean.”

by Rob MacKay

One of the state’s most powerful propo-nents of entrepreneurism visited the Entre-preneur Space in Long Island City last Thurs-day. Kenneth Adams, who is president andCEO of the Empire State Development Cor-

poration and commissioner of the NYSDepartment of Economic Development,toured the 12,500-sq.-ft., city-sponsoredfood-and-business incubator, which featuresa fully equipped commercial kitchen, of-fices and classrooms. While there, he dis-cussed ways that the state government can

Seth Bornstein, Assemblywoman Nolan, QEDC Board President Gail A. Roseman from LIC’s Sholom & Zuckerbrot Realty, KenAdams, CouncilmanVan Bramer, QEDC Board Chair Andrew F. Manger from Con Edison, Entrepreneur Space DirectorKathrine Gregory and Bill Driscoll from The Driscoll Group.

help start-up businesses and partnershipopportunities involving other state agenciesand private sector companies with a groupthat included City Council Member JimmyVan Bramer, Assemblywoman Cathy Nolanand Queens Economic Development Cor-poration Executive Director Seth Bornstein.

In addition to the Graffiti Clean-up pro-gram Van Bramer has also allocated fund-ing to an anti-graffiti hotline and has sup-ported multiple community graffiti clean-up days with the Sunnyside United Neigh-borhood Network, Woodside on the Moveand the 114th Civ-Op.

HSAC students have worked for the pasttwo months with Magic Box Productions, amedia arts education nonprofit, TeachingArtist Laura Chipley to research, write, shootand edit their documentary, titled “WRIT-ING ON THE WALL.” The students areworking with Magic Box to create an originaldocumentary examining graffiti art in theircommunity, which will screen at HSAC andat Long Island City venues in spring 2012.

Especially one that threatens us and expects to establish itself only a stone’s throw awayfrom the residential neighborhoods of Dutch Kills, Long Island City, Ravenswood andQueensbridge.

The community is against it, and businesses are against it, that is why I’m standing hereto ensure that all our voices are heard. Not here, not now!”

“Queensbridge Houses, the largest public housing community in the nation, is home to5000 children,” said Bishop Mitchell Taylor, President & CEO of East River DevelopmentAlliance. “Granting a liquor license to a strip club in our community will ensure that thisbusiness is here to stay. This is not the message we need to be sending to our kids.”

Western Queens Community Rally’sAgainst Gentleman’s Club

(continued from front page)Celebrate Economic Development inQueens With Elizabeth Taylor’s Cake

All are invited to sample locally made food ina festive atmosphere at the Entrepreneur

Space, 36-46 37th St. in Long Island City, onWednesday, Jan. 25, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“I applaud the SLA’s decisions to onceagain deny 21 Group Inc.’s State LiquorAuthority Application for the Gentleman’sClub, Gypsy Rose, located at 42-50 21stStreet in Long Island City, Queens. I want tothank Joe Conley Chairman from Commu-nity Board 2 for leading the fight on thisissue. Last week’s community rally high-lighted the Long Island City community’sopposition to this type of establishment com-ing into our community. I am opposed toany establishment that would have a nega-tive effect on the quality of life in our neigh-borhood and that is so passionately opposedby residents and community groups. TheLIC business community is very vibrant;this would have had a negative impact bothon existing industrial areas and the emerg-ing residential area,” said AssemblywomanCatherine Nolan.

“I am proud to have joined with mycolleagues in government as well as com-munity leaders to successfully oppose thegranting of a liquor license to Gypsy Rosestrip club in Long Island City. For over twoand a half years, I have stood side by sidewith members of the business, civic, andreligious communities in opposing this es-tablishment, because it is wrong for ourneighborhood. Long Island City is a greatplace to live, work and raise a family and we

will never stop fighting to keep it growingand to keep it great. I congratulate all thosewho rallied, wrote letters and spoke beforethe SLA and I commend the SLA for itsappropriate decision, which it took today,”said Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer.

“I am thrilled the State Liquor Authoritystood with the Long Island City communitytoday when it voted against the Gypsy Roseliquor license application. This neighbor-hood is no place for a sex-based business,and today’s vote brings us one step closer toensuring the wholesome, family-friendlyenvironment in which an increasing num-ber of people live and work. It is clear theSLA takes community input to heart and Icommend the board for the decision,” saidSenator Michael Gianaris.

The Entrepreneur Space, a 12,500-sq.-ft., city-sponsored, food-and-businessincubator boasts roughly 175 clients, will celebrate its first birthday on Jan. 25, andclients will make everything from brownies to salsa dips to vegan products.



OPEN LETTER TO MYFRIENDS IN THE SUNNYSIDEAND WOODSIDE BUSINESS

COMMUNITIESDear Friends,

All good things come to an end. As of December 31, 2011 I was forced to retire froma forty- year career as an educator of young children here in Queens, just over the bridgefrom Manhattan. In this capacity, I have touched the lives of thousands of preschoolchildren and their families. I have had the privilege and pleasure of watching thechanging ethnicities and customs of our newest citizens in the amazingly diversecommunities of Sunnyside and Woodside. I have had the pleasure of watching theearliest scholars grow up and enroll their own little ones in my school. I will miss thedaily hugs and kisses and the laughter and sometimes tears and the excitement ofwatching the children and their families grow up.

I shall also miss spending my days with the young teachers as they mature anddevelop and become valuable members of the education community, as they taketheir places in the greater community, and participate actively not only in theclassroom but in the ongoing lives of their students and then of their siblings andfinally of their own children.

In the four decades of my career I have become a member of the business and socialcommunities. Although my home is not in Queens, but in Nassau County, I have beenan active member of the Sunnyside Kiwanis Club, serving as its president for threeseparate terms. Through my affiliation with Kiwanis I have made many dear friendsand very special acquaintances, Joanne and Bob Billharz whose father Henri was oneof the original founders of the club, Jerry Lederman, whose father was another one ofthe original founders, and whose family was and is an integral member of the businesslife of the community, Mark Leavitt whose law practice has been an important part ofthe business community for generations, Tony Lana whose untiring work with theSunnyside Drum Corps has made him a beloved member of the community, andDr.Chris Kitson who devotes hours to the Kiwanis Annual Essay contest. And whatwould Flag Day mean without the Parade that Kiwanis has sponsored for decades? Andall of the other special events and people who do the wonderful and ongoing work thatmake this such a special community.

I will miss the Chamber of Commerce meetings and the opportunity to interact atfunctions at Father Joe’s Church and to attend the annual outdoor jazz festival.

And, my dear friends, most of all I will miss you, the ever-changing parentsand teachers and children. We think that things will never change, but they do.And now the time has come for me to retire to a new and different phase of mylife. I hope to see all of you from time to time, and I will always remember thespecial times we had together.

Sincerely,Pamella Winter

Food Collection ForLocal Pantries

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AN EYE ON GUTHRIE

A QUESTION AND ANSWER COLUMN

BY DEBRA S. GUTHRIE, M.D.

LENSES

“Celebrating 23 Years….”

Hablamos español

45-58 43rd StreetSunnyside,N.Y. 11104

Phone718-786-0024

185 MadisonAvenue2nd Floor

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N.Y., N.Y. 10016Phone

212-685-2600

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Saturday Morning, Jan. 21

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OPHTHALMOLOGY

DebraGuthrieMD.com

Q. I have been wearing bifocals and then progressive lenses for a few years.Yes, I am over 40. Why when I walk down steps does everything pop up and I feellike I am going to fall?

A. What a wonderful complaint that I hear almost every day. Nowadays morepeople are wearing progressive addition lenses(invisible bifocals) and because of thatthere are more visual issues. The magnification segment on the bottom of the lens,which is very necessary for reading, creates havoc when we are on steps or walking offcurbs. The magnification part of the lens causes blurring when we look down (wrongpower) as well as a prism effect causing the ground to appear to jump up at us. It canbe quite scary and unsettling on steps. As we age we worry about broken bones too sothere is some anxiety created as well. I recommend that when walking down steps oneshould absolutely hold on to the arm rails and slow down. The other thing that I suggestto my patients that seems to help a lot is to put your chin to your chest and then lookdown. By doing this you are peering through the top of the lens and the image will beclearer and the pop up effect is eliminated. It is not a perfect solution, but it works. Theultimate solution is to have walking glasses that are single vision, but in our very busyworld of multitasking that may not be convenient. I hope this is helpful.

Debra S. Guthrie, MD“eye care to the people”

Please send your questions to: [email protected]

by Peter A. Ross

Boy Scout Troop and Cub Scout Pack390 of the Sunnyside-Woodside area willbe holding its winter food drive on Janu-ary 29th, from 12 to 4 P.M. in front ofAssociated Supermarket, located onGreenpoint Avenue between 44th and 45th

Streets, Food Town Supermarket, locatedon Greenpoint Avenue between 41st and42nd Streets, and Key Food Supermarket,located on 46th Street and Greenpoint Av-enue both in Woodside/Sunnyside,Queens. The boys and their leaders willbe collecting for several local food pan-tries right here in the neighborhood (at St.Teresa and St. Raphaels’ Churches), whichprovide food stuffs for families in need. Ithas been acknowledged widely that localfood pantries are in desperate need ofsupplies as their stock supplies are dwin-

dling and demand is greater than everthroughout the borough and the city gen-erally. The boys will be collecting all non-perishable shelf stable items (e,g. cannedfruit, vegetables, tuna, pasta, beans, pea-nut butter et. al.). Monetary donationswill also be accepted and remitted directto the pantries for their immediate use inacquiring additional items needed for dis-tribution. For any who prefer to donate bycheck, please make these out to either the“St. Vincent De Paul Society at St. Teresa”or to “St. Raphael’s Food Pantry”. Dona-tions can also be brought to the Scoutsmeeting on January 27th between 7:30 and9:00 PM in the auditorium of St. Teresa’sRC Church located on 50th Avenue be-tween 44th and 45th Street. The boys thankyou in advance for your generosity inhelping those neighbors in need who maybe struggling at this time.



ASTORIA LEADERS FIGHT TO PROTECT RATEPAYERS

When ShouldYou Start TakingSocial Security

If you’re of a certain age, the new year means you’re that muchcloser to a day you may have anticipated with a combination ofhumor and resignation — specifically, the day you’re eligible forSocial Security. But just because you can take Social Security, itdoesn’t mean you must take it. So, should you?

Before we get to that question, let’s review the basic rulesgoverning Social Security payments. You can typically start col-lecting benefits at age 62, but you’ll get only about 75% of whatyou’d receive if you waited until your “full” retirement age, whichvaries according to your birth year but is most likely 66. You’ll geteven bigger monthly checks if you delay collecting them untilyou’re past 66, and you’ll “max out” on your payments once youreach 70.

So, the question boils down to this: Should you start collectingSocial Security early — thereby receiving smaller, but more numer-ous, checks — or later, when your checks will be bigger but fewer?

If you really need the money once you reach 62, you’ve alreadygot your answer. But if you could potentially afford to wait, werecommend you view your decision through a LENS:

L: Your projected lifespan —You can’t see into the future, butgiven your family history and general health, you can make aneducated guess about your projected longevity. If you’re fairlyconfident that, once you reach 66, you’ve still got another two ormore decades in front of you, you may want to consider delayingtaking Social Security past age 62.

E: Your employment status — If you’re under full retirementage — between 62 and 66 — then for every two dollars you earnover $14,640 (in 2012), you’ll lose one dollar in Social Securitybenefits. In the months before you reach your full retirement age, forevery three dollars you earn over $38,880 (again, for 2012), you’lllose one dollar in benefits. But starting in the month you reach yourfull retirement age, you can earn as much as you want without losingany benefits.

N: Your need, including your other sources of retirement in-come — If you have a pension, or you’ve built substantial resourcesin your IRA, your 401(k) or other employer-sponsored retirementplan, and you can support your income needs with modest with-drawals from these accounts, you might decide it’s worthwhile todelay taking Social Security to maximize your benefits. Rememberthat regardless of your Social Security decision, you typicallywould have to pay a 10% early withdrawal penalty if you startedtaking withdrawals from these accounts before you reach age 59Ω.

S: Your spouse/marital status — If you’re single, you basicallyjust need to think of yourself when making this decision. But it’s adifferent story if you’re married. If you die first, your spouse cankeep receiving his or her own Social Security benefit or receiveyours — whichever is larger. Consequently, you and your spousewill want to coordinate when you take Social Security benefits sothat you can maximize the benefit for the spouse likeliest to livelonger.

The choice of when to start taking Social Security can affect yourlifestyle throughout your retirement years — so weigh all the factorsand make the choice that’s right for you.This article was written by Edward Jones for useby your local Edward Jones Financial AdvisorVincent Renda, located at 47-01 Queens Blvd.Suite 203. Phone him at 718-361-1306.

Continuing their efforts toprotect energy ratepayers, Sena-tor Michael Gianaris and Coun-cil Member Peter F. Vallone, Jr.are pushing a federal judge toreject the proposed settlement foran illegal price-fixing case in-volving Morgan Stanley and twowestern Queens power plants thatcaused ratepayers to lose nearly$300 million in two years.

Upon learning that MorganStanley reaped $21.6 millionfrom the illegal anti-competitive

deal, the elected officials sent aletter to Judge William Pauley,requesting a re-evaluation of the$4.8 million settlement reachedbetween the investment bank theU.S. Department of Justice(DOJ). Gianaris and Vallone be-lieve the bank should be sub-jected to a much larger fine. Theyare also asking that a provision ofreimbursement to ratepayers wholost money due to this deal beincluded in the final ruling.

Senator Gianaris said, “Allow-

ing a deep-pocketed investmentbank to get away with just a slap onthe wrist would be treated as thecost of doing business and wouldcontinue to permit the bank to reapthe benefits of its illicit profits.The settlement proposal is an in-sult to ratepayers during a difficulteconomic time, and I encourageJudge Pauley to protect the publicby rejecting this proposal.”

Council Member Vallonesaid, “Who came up with thisdeal – Bernie Madoff? How could

the Justice Department and thecourt allow Morgan Stanley toconspire with Astoria GeneratingCompany and KeySpan to artifi-cially raise rates and make mil-lions of dollars without returningone cent to the ratepayers?”

In 2005 and 2006, MorganStanley acted as an intermediaryin a price-fixing deal betweenKeySpan Energy Corporationand Astoria Generating Com-pany, enabling the power com-panies to rig wholesale energy

prices through complicated de-rivative-swapping.

The $4.8 million settlementbetween the bank and DOJ wouldallow Morgan Stanley to pocket$16.8 million of the total it re-ceived through the price-fixingdeal. Gianaris and Vallone be-lieve the nominal settlement sumcombined with the lack of anyrequirement that affectedratepayers be reimbursed disen-franchises consumers, who havebeen hurt the most by the deal.



DIVORCE WITH CARE

THE LAW OFFICE OF

Jocelyn Ciechanov4141 41st Street - Suite 3E

or at a location convenient to you

Call: 917 995 5228 for an appointment

Get Your Questions Answered AboutRetirement and Social Security

You’re Invited …After years of work, you now have the opportunity to

experience the retirement you’ve always wanted. By takingsome time now to prepare for life in retirement, you’ll be morelikely to enjoy everything you’ve dreamed about.

To get started, join us for our free Smart Choices inRetirement seminar. You’ll learn 10 principles to help makeyour money last with the goal of providing a stable, steadyretirement income. That’s one of the best ways we know to helpyou prepare for the future.

Seating is limited, so reserve your place today.Date: Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

RSVP: by Jan. 27th at 718-361-1306

Location: St. Sebastian39-60 57th St. Woodside, NY 11377

Stores NeededDear Editor,

I’ve lived in Sunnyside/Woodside area for 12 yearsand have been very happy hereso far. My question is… whydon’t we have a Walgreen’spharmacy store at this area?Also, it would be nice to havean Olive Garden Restaurant,too. Thanks for listening tomy advice. I hope one day Iwill see it in this area.

Thank You,Rosemary Berg,

Sunnyside/ Woodside

$107,000 Funds Secured

This year, NYC CouncilMember Daniel Dromm (D-Queens) along with NYC Coun-cil Member Robert Jackson (D-Manhattan) proved to be the For-tune Society’s strongest support-ers in the NYC Council. Drommsponsored $7,000 in discretion-ary funding for Fortune’s opera-tions and he and Jackson were theprimary sponsors of a $100,000capital funding request. For overforty years, The Fortune Society

has been developing model pro-grams that help formerly incar-cerated men and women success-fully re-enter their communities.

“The work of The Fortune So-ciety is vitally important becausethey offer individuals the oppor-tunity to rehabilitate themselvesand make positive contributionsonce they reenter our society.”said Dromm. “I am proud to con-tinue to support Fortune in theirmission to ensure successful reen-

try from prison and promote alter-native incarceration programs.”

Dromm made the announce-ment after touring The FortuneSociety’s Castle Gardens resi-dence in West Harlem - a build-ing complex that promotes safeand sober socialization for cli-ents who strive to successfullyreintegrate into society and forhard working families with lim-ited income.

The $100,000 in capital fund-ing will make possible the pur-chase of two vans - a much neededservice enhancement to thebuilding’s residents beyondFortune’s existing but insufficienttransportation options. The vansthey currently operate are eitheroverused, in need of repair, or inthe shop. Having two additionalvehicles, including one specifi-cally designed for wheelchair-bound residents, will be extremelyhelpful for years to come.

The $7,000 in discretionaryfunds will be used to support thework of the Associate Vice Presi-dent of Programs in planning, de-velopment, and oversight of theFortune Society’s Education andEmployment Services programs.

JoAnne Page, president andCEO of The Fortune Society said,“Approximately 3,000 formerlyincarcerated men, women andyoung people seek The FortuneSociety’s help each year as theywork to build constructive livesin the community. When they suc-ceed, everyone benefits. This sup-port from Councilman Drommwill help us conduct more in-depth assessments of clients asthey enter our educational andvocational programs, so we canprovide them with needed ser-vices including pre-GED andGED classes, job readiness prepa-ration and job placement, andtraining in such areas as foodpreparation and green jobs. Wegreatly appreciate CouncilmanDromm’s support!”

The Fortune Society offers aholistic and integrated “one-stop-shopping” model of service provi-sion. Among the services offeredare supportive housing, career de-velopment, job retention, sub-stance abuse treatment, alterna-tives to incarceration, HIV/AIDSservices, education, family ser-vices, and drop in services as wellas ongoing access to aftercare.

Letters To The EditorThe following letters are the opinions of its authorand not necessarily those of the Woodside Herald.

Are Schools Functioning Properly?Dear Editor,

Our schools are facing many issues. Classrooms do nothave enough seats and desks, students wait for admittance to aschool, buildings need repairs, services to students and homesare reduced and school staff is cut.

And now we hear that our Mayor wants to shrink 1,500teachers from the system, this among other changes to our schools.A school system cannot be run like a business. Our assets are thechildren.

This is an important time for all of us to speak out. We all(students, staff and community) need to work together so thatschools provide a real opportunity for learning. How will cutting1,500 teachers improve things for children? Children come first.

Sincerely,Betty Cassaro,

Woodside Resident and CB2 Member

Letters To

The Editor

Be Heard! Please send your Letters to the Editor to P.O. Box 7097

Long Island City, N.Y. 11101 or simply email them [email protected]

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Photo Credit: Daniel Finger

THALIA SPANISH THEATREPresents: Tango 5 Senses/Sentidos

Explore the five senses as experienced by loversin the close embrace of Tango. It’s TANGO likeyou’ve never heard, seen, felt or tasted before!

January 27th – March 18th

Fridays & Saturdays @ 8PM, Sunday @ 4PM

SPECIAL EVENT!!TANGO 5 senses WORKSHOP, our first-everTango dance workshop taught by CarlosParedes and Carolina Jaurena. SaturdaysFeb. 4th – March 10th from 5pm - 6pm. SPACEIS LIMITED – SIGN UP TODAY!THALIA SPANISH THEATRE41-17 Greenpoint Avenue, Sunnyside (Queens)Information & Tickets (718) 729-3880Pictured in Photo: Carlos Acuña and MarianaParma. Photo Credit: Benjamin Briu

Free WorkshopsFor minority-and women-owned business

owners and “financial boot camp”The Queens Economic Development Corporation in the upcoming weeks will offer

free certification opportunities to minority and women business owners who want to getmore clients. The QEDC will also facilitate a “Boot Camp” on financing and marketing.

Minority and Women Owner CertificationQEDC’s M/WBE (Minority/Women Business Enterprise) Certification Workshop

will help participants register with New York City and New York State as minority- orwoman-owned businesses. Open to those who have been in business for at least oneyear, this certification is a great way to attract public agencies as clients, and EmpireState Development Corporation representatives will be on hand to provide informationon the certification and procurement process.

Colombia native Amparo Connors, president of Allied Personnel Services in ForestHills, obtained the M/WBE classification in 2007. Soon thereafter, she got her second-biggest contract with the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, which had found her on afederal M/WBE database.

The workshops will take place from 10 a.m. to noon as follows: Jan. 26, QueensChamber of Commerce, Bulova Center, 75-20 Astoria Blvd., Ste. 140, Jackson Heights;Feb. 11, Assemblywoman Grace Meng’s Office, 136-20 38th Ave., Ste. 10A, Flushing;and Feb. 23, Queens Chamber of Commerce, Bulova Center, 75-20 Astoria Blvd., Ste.140, Jackson Heights.

Financial Boot CampQEDC’s other training sessions, entitled “Financial Projections Boot Camp 101,”

will consist of three classes. The first one deals with the theoretical principles offinancial projections, and participants will learn about such issues as best businesspractices and common pitfalls. The second class will revolve around the case study ofa business that sells products and services, looking at projections for annual, quarterlyand monthly periods. During the third class, participants will develop and work on theirown business projections, using the case study as a model.

Open to individuals who are in the business world, Boot Camp 101 will also helpattendees become more familiar and comfortable with Microsoft Excel through the useof financial statement templates. There is a $75 fee for Boot Camp 101, which will takeplace from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on three Wednesdays — Feb. 1, 8 and 15 — at theEntrepreneur Space, 36-46 37th St. in Long Island City.For more information or to register, call 718-263-0546

Auditions For The Musical GypsyTuesday, Feb 7th & Wednesday Feb 8th.

Callbacks Tuesday Feb 14th 7:30 – 10:00 PMPerformances: May 12, 13, 19 ~ 2012

FSF Community Theatre Group, 41-60 Kissena Blvd FlushingDirected by: Mark Lord ~ Musical Direction by: Paul L. Johnson

We Need: Dancers and Singers –Ages 10 thru adult; Stage Crew 16+For Info call: (516) 354-5210

MAMMOGRAMS

Night Of ChanceThe Mary Louis Academy Parents Club will be holding its

annual Night of Chance on Friday, March 23, 2012 at 7 PM. inthe school cafeteria (176-21 Wexford Terrace, Jamaica Es-tates, NY, 11432). This year’s theme is Casino Royale. The costis $25 per person, which includes food, drink and dessert. Theevent will feature live auctions, silent auctions and raffles.For more information, please phone (718) 297-2120.

LPAC BOX OFFICE Now Presents…

A Look at Career Options at LGA

Tea for 3January 27th @ 8pm

Cherry OrchardFebruary 2nd @ 7:30PM, February 3rd @ 2PM & 7:30PM, February 4th

@ 7:30PM, February 8th @ 2PM & 7:30PM (Marathon night),February 9th @ 7:30PM (Marathon night)

The Cherry Orchard ProjectFebruary 8th @ 6PM (Marathon night), February 9th @ 6PM(Marathon night), February 10th & February 11th @ 7:30pm

On Feb 8 and 9 you will be able to see both of these performances back to back.FOR MARATHON TICKETS ON FEB 8 & 9, CODE WORD CHERRY

AT THE BOX OFFICE AND WHEN YOU PURCHASE ONLINE. $5 for one performance and $8 for two performances held on

marathon days, February 8 and 9.LPAC Box Office: 718 482-5151 (Monday - Friday, 10AM – 4PM)

LaGuardia Community College’s Divi-sion of Adult and Continuing Education isoffering a college prep workshop on Febru-ary 1 that will look at how educationalachievements can lead to a satisfying career.

Participants will explore career in-terests and how educational achieve-ments can help them find the job theywant. The presenter will link partici-pants’ current or future major with acareer using the Student Directed Sur-vey (major/career assessment tool). Alsodiscussed will be the Career Zone web

site, which explores salary information,job prospects and educational creden-tials needed for a specific career.

The fee is $25.The workshop, which runs from 6 p.m.

to 8 p.m., will take place on the Long IslandCity campus at 31-10 Thomson Avenue,Long Island City.

Register by phone at (718) 482-7244 orin person in room B-114, located at 30-20Thomson Avenue. A room number will begiven upon registration. For more informa-tion call (718) 482-5966.

Early detection of breast cancer can save lives!No Cost, Digital Mammograms & Clinical Breast ExamsLook for the Mobile van at:35-24 83rd Street, Jackson Heights, NY 11372Thursday, February 2nd, 2012APPOINTMENTS ARE NECESSARYCall 1-877-628-9090 for an appointment and more information

Medical services provided by: Multi-Diagnostic ServicesEligibility Criteria: Woman age 40 and older, NYC mailingaddress, No mammogram in the past 12 months.

friday, january 20, 2012 the woodside … advertise e-mail [email protected] or call...

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