Dear Mr. Holden:
Sixty-ninth Place between
Caldwell and The Expressway is
a very large street which can
be used as a two-way going to
Long Island for a better flow of
traffic. Caldwell is a smaller
street with a traffic back-up
from 69th Street which causes
much pollution and accidents
on 69th Street, where a few
deaths occurred. Also, it would
be safer for the children crossing
for the school bus on 69th
Place and Caldwell. I am a
retiree and while taking my
granddaughter to the bus from
my home on Caldwell I fear for
the children and seniors.

Thank you,
John Simone
Maspeth

Dear JPCA:
My wife’s paternal family goes
back to Middle Village in the
early to mid-1900’s. She is
seeking information to help
another family member do
genealogical research. My wife’s
family is named Wiebke. It was
a large family. Her grandparents
were Heinrich (or Henry) and
Wilhelmina Wiebke, originally
from Germany.They were
active members of a Lutheran
church in MV. My wife recalls it
as a large stone church with an
adjoining cemetery. It had a
wrought iron and fieldstone
fence around it.This church
may have been on Metropolitan
Avenue.

My wife seems to recall that
the family lived on 61st St. She
was born in Good Samaritan
Hospital, which she believes
was in Brooklyn.

Do you know of the name of
that Lutheran church in Middle
Village? If it is still in existence,
is an address, e-mail address, or
phone number available? Are
there any other leads you
might give us; perhaps someone
who is noted for genealogy in
Middle Village, or a family still
there with roots in Westphalia,
Germany?

Any thoughts you may offer
will be greatly appreciated.
We have lived in Texas since
1961, and if my wife has any
kinfolk still in that area, she is
not aware of it.

Thank you very much for your
considerations.
Lyn D. Davis and
Lois Ann Wiebke Davis
Texas
email: lynddavis@sbcglobal.net

Dear Mr. Holden and Officers:
Yes, we do enjoy the Juniper
Berry Magazine but most of all
it keeps us informed with what
is happening in our community.
We are glad we are members
of an organization that is not
allowing special interests to
invade Middle Village. Keep up
the great Job!!! God Bless the
Juniper Park Civic Association.

Sincerely,
Tracey and John Gregory
Middle Village

To Whom it May concern:
Enclosed is our check for
renewal of our memberships.
The Juniper Park Civic Association
does a terrific job, the magazine
is very informative and the
newspaper keeps us up to date.
Thank you all for your efforts.

Sincerely,
Louise Baykash

Dear Bob:
Enclosed please find my check
in the amount of $20 to renew
my membership in the Juniper
Park Civic Association. I look
forward to seeing the Juniper
Berry in the year 2005. I still
enjoy reading it and look forward
to submitting a future
article. Happy Holiday!

Matt Ciancimino
Bricktown, NJ

Dear Editor:
I want to let you know I really
look forward to receiving your
magazine. It brings back many
memories since I lived in the
Village about 40 years and have
seen many changes being made.
So with the magazine and pictures
of way back it brings back
many memories. I really enjoy it.
Happy New Year to all and
keep up the good work.

Sincerely,
Josephine Tscherne
Middle Village

Dear JPCA :
Thanks for all that you do for
the community. I am so proud
to be affiliated with such an
honest, hardworking and ethical
organization.Thanks,

Lucia Accardo
Middle Village

Dear JPCA:
Hi, I lived in Middle Village for
37 years before moving to
Staten Island. My brother, aunt
and cousins still live there and I
visit and shop there often
It has recently come to my
attention that Niederstein’s
restaurant will be closing, torn
down, and condos built in its
place and condos built in the
lot across the street from it
used as their parking lot.
This is a real tragedy.The
building was built in the 1850s
and used during the Civil War
for soldiers. Many a family function
or holiday has been spent
there by all my family and many
residents of Middle Village.
In these times where more
and more of our history is
being torn down for condos,
and banks (do you think they
put enough on Metro yet?) you
have to ask when will it stop.
Is your organization aware
of this and what can be done
to stop it? I personally have
applied for Landmark status for
the building but I have been
told if a demolition permit has
been issued it is too late.This
is really terrible and a large
part of our past will disappear
with this building. Please help
or let me know how I can.

Hopefully,
Francis Sepe
Staten Island

To the Editor:
Re: Eyesore of the Week
Enclosed please find pictures
of two business operations on
Grand Avenue Maspeth, of the
recently opened 99 cent stores.
One of these stores is on the
closer end of Grand Avenue
and 69th Street, the other is
near the closed Henry’s store.
There is also another same or
similar operation on Metropolitan
Avenue in Middle Village.
If I am not mistaken these
store fronts are illegal in the
protruding 99 cent sign and the
Kago 8 99 cent yellow canopy
is not within the standard for
signs on Grand Avenue. Please
note also, these are ALL CASH,
NO RETURN, STORE CREDIT
ONLY, operations.This policy
allows for income on a cash
level basis only, with no need
for evidence of sales and purchases.

These types of stores
along Grand Avenue compete
with the normal everyday small
business owners who do not
operate on a cash only policy.
The Lions, Chamber, Kiwanis
and other community organizations
strive to maintain a beauty
and quality of the businesses
on Grand Avenue.The evidence
shown in these pictures portrays
a change from tasteful advertising
to bizarre exploitation.

Please print these pictures and
my comments in your community
newspaper to inform the
local residents of the infringement
on their rights and the
changing atmosphere in our
town.

Very truly,
Barbara Rudzewick
Middle Village

Dear Ms. Rudzewick:
We agree.We are being overrun
with 99 Cent stores.There are
three or four on Metropolitan
Avenue, two on Grand Avenue
and one opening on Eliot Avenue
in Middle Village.

These stores have a history of
being eyesores in the neighborhood
with all their junk piled outside
with the thought that we the
people don’t know it’s junk.We
sometimes wonder if anything
they sell is worth any more than
99 cents!

As residents in a neighborhood
that prides itself on its neatness it
is incumbent on us to monitor
these stores. If you see their merchandise
strewn around or you
cringe at the sight as you go by,
say something to the manager.
Don’t tolerate any compromise in
the tidiness of your neighborhood.
You deserve better. Remember
always, your money rules in the
marketplace.

Lorraine Sciulli

Dear Editor,
Please find enclosed a photo of
Hoffmann Farm. Front of house is on
Caldwell Ave. (aka Johnson Ave.)
looking south 77th Place is just
to the left (of course 77th
Place was not in existence at
the time this photo was taken).
It was a small subsistence farm
of about 7-8 acres.The boy in
the wheelbarrow is my grandfather
Henry Hoffman who died
in 1965 at 90 years of age,
making this photo circa 1880.
Perhaps you can do a before
and after photo with the ugly
homes that have recently
replaced the above farm house.
My mom is still alive at age 92
and resides in Maspeth.

Thank you,
Charles A. Kuchner
Rego Park

COMMENTS OR OPINIONS?
Send to: Letters/Juniper Berry
PO Box 790275 Middle Village, NY 11379
or e-mail: letters@junipercivic.com