April 1998 Juniper Berry Magazine

April 1998 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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Coming to Your Living Room Soon?

The Long Island Expressway, the longest parking lot in the world, will become wider if the State Department of Transportation has its way. State DOT's present plan is to create a fourth lane in each direction between exits 64 in Suffolk County and 30 in Queens (the section between exits 57 and 49 has already been built) for high occupancy vehicles.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Up until now, the City Council was the legislative body- together with the mayor – that makes laws for the City of New York. But maybe the Council should step aside and let a Mayoral appointee take a shot at it. NYC Parks Commissioner Henry "Hug a Tree " Stern, aka King Henry, aka Starquest, has apparently done just that.

Community Spotlight: Karl Steininger

Our community spotlight shines on Police Officer Karl Steininger of the l04th Pct. Karl is a familiar face in our neighborhood because he walks the beat approximately five miles every day. He sometimes uses the scooter but usually he is walking.

�Two-Way Sharks

Just when we thought it was safe to walk, drive and live on 74th Street, Caldwell to Eliot Avenues, the two-way sharks are on the attack again. Any day I expect to be informed that the ill effects of the El Nino Current would be reversed if 74th Street were made a two-way street.

FIGHTING FOR A QUIETER FUTURE

It should never have happened. An elderly woman was recently forced to leave her home in the Juniper Valley Park section of Middle Village, Queens, because she could no longer hear the constant roar of jets overhead. Tragically, this woman had moved to Juniper Valley from Staten Island to escape jet noise.

In Memory of Butchie DiLorenzo

We all know Butchie DiLorenzo. He is the beloved auto mechanic who operated the Gulf Gas Station and auto repair service on Eliot Avenue and 72nd Street in Middle Village who passed away recently at the very young age of 50. Butch's death stunned and saddened the entire community. I spoke to his wife, Rosemary, recently.

Juniper Valley Park Mourns the Loss of a Super Volunteer: Lucille Churi

She volunteered up in Juniper Valley Park many times 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. The untimely death of Lucille Churi has shocked the community. A regular fixture at Juniper Park Civic Association meetings, Lucille was also the eyes and ears of the JPCA on park conditions and problems.

Killing Field$

The upper ballfields, constructed in the 1960's, were configured for multiple use. That means for baseball, football, soccer, cricket, concerts, dog walks, picnics...you name it, it 's on it. Unfortunately all of these activities quickly takes its toll on fields. Especially those that are not properly maintained.

Letters to the Editor – April 1998

Just a note to congratulate you on your election as President of the premier civic association in Queens. Our long history of working together and your past leadership role at the Juniper Park Civic Association leads me to conclude that your members have made a very wise decision.

Millie Moves to Middle Village

Lake believes that the cure for loneliness entails a process which leads toward acceptance of the changes which have taken place both within and outside the individual. Millie struggled valiantly to deal with her loneliness, with the help of family, old and new friends, and a tremendous faith in a Higher Power.

Protecting children from sexual predators

How do we stop these heinous crimes? Lock the children in the homes? Not allow them to play in the park? No, children need to play with friends outside the home, ride their bicycles, play ball, etc. The answer is stop the individuals that are hurting our children.

Music for the Masses

Come to Resurrection-Ascension Church for Mass some weekend. We have a marvelous musical team in Emanuel Bologna, our organist, and in, Leslie Swanson, our Cantor (leader of song) whose solo work, whether with her beautiful singing voice or with her equally beautiful oboe playing, creates golden moments for the congregation.

My Maspeth Memories

We came from Clinton Avenue (56th Rd.) and went from Rey's Hardware up a little ways and watched the blacksmith next to Griff's Hardware shoeing a horse or making horseshoes. Then we window shopped in Griff's for a new tool to save for. At the time there were two entrances and they had a lot of window display space.

New Law Stiffens Fines on Illegal Conversions

It is not surprising to pick up a newspaper and see the many articles on illegal rentals. Every neighborhood has them and the complaints have grown tremendously. The chilling effects of these rentals resounds throughout our communities.

Parting Shots

JPCA leaders gathered at recent party at Durow's honoring Councilman Tom Ognibene: Ed Nubel, Amy Holden, State Senator Serf Maltese, Bob Holden, Lorraine Sciulli, Councilman Tom Ognibene, Margaret Magnus & Rudy Masi.

Queens Effort Proves More Fire Safety Programs Mean Fewer Fire Deaths

The number of fire-related deaths in Queens Community Board 12 fell from 14 in 1996 to six in 1997. This sharp drop in fire deaths shows that fire safety education programs are effective.

The History of the Newtown Creek

The first map of Long Island on record was made by Adrian Block 1614. Because it is relatively flat, Long Island had no great rivers or falls that could be harnessed to provide power to drive machinery. So the first 150 years, its largest industry was farming. L. I. supplied the food to the growing population of Manhattan.

The Rey Family

The first of the Rey family came to Middle Village in l847. Jean Baptiste de Rey was born in l80l in Toulon, France. He attended the University of Toulon and earned a degree in chemistry. With his wife, Elizabeth Lorraine, he immigrated to America in l830.

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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Press Releases

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Juniper Civic honors FDNY Captain Brian Gill

During the Juniper Park Civic Association's meeting held on Thursday, September 19 at Our Lady of Hope School, FDNY Captain Brian Gill, a Middle Village resident, was presented with the organization's Hero Award, bestowed upon local residents who commit admirable, heroic acts.

Juniper Civic bids fond farewell to Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski

The Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA) honored Queens Parks Commissioner Dorothy Lewandowski with the organization's 2018 Community Service Award during its Town Meeting on December 13th at Our Lady of Hope School. Lewandowski, a lifelong Queens resident who lives in Middle Village, enters retirement on December 31st after a 40-year career with the New York City Parks Department.