June 2002 Juniper Berry Magazine

June 2002 Juniper Berry

The Juniper Berry magazine has a rich tradition in the communities of Middle Village, Maspeth and Elmhurst. It was first published in 1938. The quarterly magazine is an all-volunteer effort and contains articles on crime prevention, neighborhood issues, meeting reports and notices, neighborhood history and photographs, guest articles, editorials and more.

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Letters to the Editor – June 2002

I am writing you this letter to give you an insight on what the police are really used for at Shea Stadium. Being an Employee of the stadium I must hide my identity due to retaliation from my employer.

Ceremony a Fitting Tribute to Recovery Efforts

On May 30th, New York City reached a turning point in its physical and emotional rebuilding following the tragedy of September 11th. The ceremony that was held marked the end of the recovery process at the World Trade Center site.

Is your favorite restaurant a pig sty?

As everyone knows the internet is a world of information. One of the most informative and valuable websites you can visit is nyc.gov and clicking on to "View a Restaurant Health Inspection." This will enable you to check the cleanliness or lack thereof of your favorite restaurants.

Welcome to Middle Village!

Congressman Joseph Crowley recently announced that the U.S. Postal Service has approved the Juniper Park Civic Association's request to change designate a portion of Elmhurst‒Middle Village. The area located south of the Long Island Expressway and north of Eliot Avenue from 74th Street to 86th Street will officially be named Middle Village, 11379.

New Children's Playground Opens... Quickly & Quietly

Without much fanfare the new playground at upper Juniper Valley Park quietly opened recently. There were no announcements or ribbon cutting and one would have to conclude that the park was opened prematurely since the slides still had sharp edges, according to workers inspecting the installation.

Remembrance: Gen. Slocum Steamboat Tragedy! A German-American Tragedy!

The Gen. Slocum Memorial Association announces that the Annual Ecumenical Memorial Service will be held on Saturday June 15, 2002 at 11:00 A.M. in the Trinity Lutheran Church on Dry Harbor Road, Middle Village, NY.

Pre-K Gets Fired Up

On behalf of the JPCA, Firefighter Chris Paolicelli (from Ladder Co#136 in Elmhurst) was kind enough to stop by and visit with the Pre-K students at the YAI/NYL Forest Hills West School in Middle Village.

The First 6 months: The Juniper Berry Critiques

The Juniper Park Civic Association has been keeping a watchful eye on the progress of our new Councilman, Dennis Gallagher. We in our community have been fortunate to have great political leadership in government. Our local elected officials have traditionally advocated an agenda, which protected our needs as a middle class community.

LaFres & Gander Keep Midville Dodgers Rolling

"Both LaFres Ford and Gander Service Centers (Eliot Ave. & 69 St.) have supported the community in so many ways and we are grateful to have their support for the youth of our community," said Holden.

"Survival of the Fittest" Juniper Valley Park

Now I get it. Please bear with me as I was too slow to figure out that the NYC Parks Department had a good reason for unilaterally taking it upon themselves to relax enforcement of the leash laws during the hours of 9PM and 9AM in the morning. Apparently the Parks Department has developed an exercise program.

The NYC Parks Department: Putting Juniper Valley Park Users in Harms Way

The JPCA continues its ongoing battle with NYC Park Dept.'s dangerous "relaxed" leash laws at Juniper Valley Park. In the last several months, there have been many photographs taken of dangerous unleashed "attack-type" dogs ‒ demonstrating the lack of police action.

Tips for Kids around Dogs

Since children make up more than 60 percent of all dog bite victims, we should teach our children the following basic rules of safety around dogs.

Welcome to the Capital City of Garbage

The city's garbage problem has three faces. It is an economic problem, an environmental challenge, and a potential public relations nightmare. When the Fresh Kills landfill, the local destination for New York's garbage, was permanently closed in March 2001, the city found itself hauling garbage to distant landfill sites in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia--some of the sites 300 miles away.

Community Spotlight: Gus Antzoulis – Maspeth Dry Cleaners

I had the opportunity recently to meet with Gus Antzoulis, owner of Maspeth Dry Cleaners. When I set up my meeting with Gus I asked him when I could reach him at his store and his response was "usually from 7:30AM to 7:30PM." I knew immediately that I was going to be talking to one of the busiest guys in town.

Don't take cops out to the ballgame!

Since September 11th, the City of New York has been forced to increase security at large events, including Shea Stadium. To the dismay of COMET, the Juniper Park Civic Association and many other civic groups, much-needed police manpower was being pulled out of the local precincts in Queens North, including officers from the 104th Precinct.

Bermel Monuments Middle Village

Joseph Bermel was born on April 8, 1860 and was a native of Brooklyn. He went to the public schools of Brooklyn until he was 16 then he apprenticed himself to a stone cutter with whom he served four years. He was a journeyman cutter for two years and then in 1883 he went into business for himself.

Upper Ballfields Reconstruction Underway... to Open this Fall

Construction began last month on long anticipated upper ballfields. The $1.7 million plan calls for three baseball fields including two 90' diamonds and one 60' infield. The complex will feature such amenities as outfield fences, bullpens, batting cages, warning tracks, drainage system, sprinkler system and beam clay‒the kind used on Major League stadiums.

DO YOU REALLY KNOW THE UNITED STATES ONE DOLLAR BILL?

Take out a one-dollar bill, and look at it. The one-dollar bill you are looking at first came off the presses in 1957, in its present design. This so-called paper money is in fact a cotton and linen blend, with red and blue minute silk fibers running through it.

Flogging the Dead Horse Harder: Council Committee Passes Draconian Penalties Against Sidewalk Cycling While Sidewalk Motorists Face Few Sanctions

In an average year in NYC, bicycles kill no pedestrians and injure fewer than 200 pedestrians. In the same average year, motor vehicles kill 200 pedestrians and injure 11,000. But, in the last five months, this City Council has had zero hearings on street safety, zero hearings on cars on sidewalks and two hearings on bicycles on sidewalks.

Berry Book Review – June 2002

Everyone knows the name Bernie Kerik, Police Commissioner under former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. You may have seen his name mentioned in newspaper articles, seen him on the evening news, heard about how he ran his Department, the things he did to stop crime. But to get to know Bernie Kerik almost as an intimate friend, you have to read this book.

GABRIELLA M. ARTH: OLH's Youthful Prodigy

About half way through the service, there was a solo rendition of the Ave Maria sung by nine-year-old Gabriella Arth. I listened in awe, as did most of the congregation, as this child sang the Ave Maria in Latin, without hesitation, in a crystal clear angelic voice. After she finished, the entire congregation erupted in spontaneous applause.

Do You Remember?

How is good is your memory for trivia, meaningless moments, fads, or TV shows of yesteryear? Here is a test. If you score high it may mean that you are a very smart aging baby boomer. Or it means you have nothing on your mind but meaningless dribble. In any event test your memory.

Technology-driven Dental Practice

The future of dentistry is here in Middle Village. This young Dentist took over Dr. Kornfeld's practice in June of 2001 and completely computerized the office. While getting your teeth worked on you can watch a video of your choice, thanks to the new DVD and computer monitor above the chair.

What a Difference a Century Makes

The Juniper Park Civic Association's #1 member, Mr. Carl Berner, was born in 1902. Here is a look at the world in 1902 when he entered it on January 27th. The Juniper Berry thought it would be interesting to revisit 1902 to see what it was like...

Reporter receives community service award

Channel 2 news correspondent, Rose Walia, will receive the Juniper Park Civic Assoc. Community Service Award on Janue 13th for her work on exposing dangerous drag racing in Maspeth.

Bloomberg greets Holden at Gracie Mansion

Mayor Michael Bloomberg greets Juniper Park Civic president, Robert Holden, to Gracie Mansion as part of Community Board reception. Holden also serves as Vice Chair of Community Board 5 which covers Middle Village, Maspeth, Ridgewood & Glendale.

80th Street Picnic – 1941

It is 1941 and America is about to enter World War II. This neighborhood that we call Elmhurst and Middle Village has just changed from farm lands to a community of affordable one family homes. The people of 80th Street became a solid front for the American way of life.

Middle Village Volunteer Fire Dept. World War II

Middle Village had a volunteer fire department in the late 1800's. I wonder how many people knew that Middle Village also had a volunteer fire department during World War II. Most of the men were older than draft age or men with families but they still wanted to help when war was declared.

Professional & Knowledgeable Brian Thomson gets the Job done... with class.

The Juniper Park Civic Association recently met with Brian Thomson, our new Parks & Recreation Manager (NYC Department of Parks & Recreation) for Queens, I had the chance to ask him some questions.

THE JUNIPER BERRY

The Juniper Berry magazine, first published in 1938 is an all-volunteer effort containing articles on crime prevention, neighborhood issues, meeting reports and notices, neighborhood history and photographs, guest articles, editorials and more.

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In The News

Mr. Mayor, Let's Not Have Another Maspeth

CB 2 says no to Qns. Blvd. rezoning pitch

The immigrant behind the once-huge Bohack chain

Search underway for suspect in two Middle Village bank robbery attempts this morning

Burglary suspect stole thousands in cash and merchandise from a Maspeth nail salon

Diner in Maspeth where 'Goodfellas' was filmed catches fire after closing for the day

Convicted bank robber out on parole is wanted for failed Ridgewood bank heist and other jobs: cops

Remembering the Slocum disaster and its link to Middle Village: Our Neighborhood, The Way it Was

Thieves steal safe containing $60K from Queens home: Police

Press Releases

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Maspeth-Middle Village Task Force's coalition strategy pays off

Mayor de Blasio announced a major policy shift on February 28th which will eventually end the City's use of hotels and cluster sites as homeless shelters. The City now plans to build shelters in individual communities sized to accommodate the number of homeless that originate from them. This means homeless families and individuals will be able to remain in their own familiar neighborhoods while they rebuild their lives.

MARKEY BILL DENIES JUSTICE FOR THE MAJORITY OF SEX ABUSE VICTIMS

(June 7, 2016) Assemblywoman Margaret Markey is pushing a bill in the State Assembly that would extend the statute of limitations for civil claims brought by sexual abuse victims. (Interestingly, it does not attempt to toughen criminal penalties for sexual abuse.) The bill has been promoted non-stop by media such as the Daily News, which has vilified anyone who has questions about it or opposes it outright. However, what is not being discussed by the media is that Markey's bill has fine print with major implications: it targets religious and private institutions while granting exemptions to public entities, such as the Department of Education, which runs the majority of schools in our city.