Queens Chronicle 07-30-26

Buying coverage through the ACA is going to get far pricier in 2027 Health insurers pitch 21 percent increase

by Andrew Karpan Associate Editor

If health insurers have their way, the amount Queens residents pay to purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace could go up by an average of nearly 21 percent.

The proposed rate hikes for 2027 have yet to be approved by the state’s Department of Financial Services, which indicates that it plans to release its approved rates for the marketplace later in August.

The proposed rate increases are part of a national trend. According to data put out by the Kaiser Family Foundation, insurers in the ACA marketplace around the country are proposing an overall 14 percent median increase in premiums for the next year.

“Among the key drivers, insurers cite the rising cost of health services, the expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits, and some federal regulatory changes,” says the KFF.

The advocacy group Health Care for All New York estimates that New Yorkers participating in the ACA marketplace could pay an average of $2,065 more annually, or $172 more monthly, in premiums, if the requested increases in New York are approved.

Proposed health insurance rate hikes

ment of Financial Services approves,” Wagner told the Chronicle.

However, Wagner says the ACA marketplace could be flooded in the next year after the state dropped 450,000 people from being eligible for coverage through the Essential Plan, a zero-premium and low-copayment healthcare program run by the state.

Back in April, Gov. Hochul moved to cut eligibility for the program after receiving fewer subsidies from the federal government as a consequence of the Trump administration’s Big Beautiful Bill. The move dropped health coverage for 450,000 people across New York.

“Over 70,000 of those people are in Queens,” Wagner told the Chronicle.

“Queens is being hit particularly hard. I think it’s one of the counties with the most people who are being impacted by that policy change,” Wagner said. “So I think we’ll expect a big change there, in Queens in particular.”

At least 20,000 people in Queens are enrolled in individual healthcare plans that are bought on the ACA marketplace, esti-

The state typically, however, approves an increase lower than the insurance companies request. Last year, insurers in the marketplace requested an average increase of 13 percent; the state approved an average increase of 7 percent.

mates Mia Wagner, who runs health policy for the Community Service Society of New York, which runs Health Care for All New York.

“I imagine if it were to follow the trend of previous years, that a lower approved increase would take place once the Depart-

Among the health insures seeking to raise their rates next year, the steepest proposed hike is coming from UnitedHealthcare of New York, which is seeking to raise its premiums by 52.1 percent.

“The rate filing we have submitted is seeking an increase mainly related to rising

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Con Edison in the hot seat at civic meeting

Utility reps field questions following July 4 heat wave and power outages

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Con Edison has no master plan to move Howard Beach’s overhead power lines underground and has not yet finalized a proposal to shrink the electric network that failed during the July 4 heat wave, utility officials told the Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic Association during its meeting on Zoom Tuesday.

“W

July 3, David said, triggering an outage. Con Ed isolated them to keep the failure from causing outages across the rest of the network.

e’re seeing what we feel is subpar service.”

Richard David, Con Ed’s Queens regional director, and Andres Ledesma, the utility’s Queens corporate affairs manager, walked residents through the outage that cut power to 9,800 customers in Howard Beach, Lindenwood, South Ozone Park and Richmond Hill.

“What that means is that instead of 9,800 customers, the other breakers would pick up the load, and it would cause a cascading outage for all 150,000 customers because the breakers would be picking up more load than they’re designed to handle,” David said.

The heat wave was record-breaking, bringing the first back-to-back 100-degree days since 2013.

—

Phyllis Inserillo, HBLC co-president

The neighborhood is served by the utility’s 9B network, which covers roughly 150,000 customers from Broad Channel to City Line, with 27 feeders, which David compared to breakers in a home’s electric box.

Three feeders failed in quick succession on

“Equipment, like any machinery, it’ll break, it’ll overheat — and that’s just what happened,” David said, noting that the usual nighttime cool-down never came, thus putting a further strain on the equipment.

The utility placed the grid in a radial configuration on July 2, ordered an 8 percent voltage reduction — the maximum it can impose — deployed 14 generators and distributed dry ice at Resorts World in South Ozone Park.

Representatives from Con Edison on Tuesday during a Howard Beach Lindenwood Civic Association meeting attributed the voltage reductions and power outages earlier this month in South Queens to the record-breaking heat wave causing strain on equipment. ZOOMSCREENSHOT/CONEDPRESENTATION

Civic co-President Phyllis Inserillo pressed David on long-term fixes. Undergrounding Howard Beach is not planned, he said, citing cost and topography, and noted that under-

ground repairs take longer because crews work in 150-degree conditions.

A plan to split the 9B into smaller netcontinued on page 16

The next hand for Resorts World NYC

Officials celebrate as construction begins on second phase of expansion

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Officials on July 22 broke ground on phase two of Resorts World New York City’s expansion, at 110-00 Rockaway Blvd. in South Ozone Park, just three months after the casino had its grand opening for live table gaming.

Elements of phase two include the development of: an additional 400-room hotel tower added onto the existing Hyatt Regency; the Kenny “The Jet” Smith Sports and Media Complex; a 7,000-seat multipurpose arena; 1,200 additional hotel rooms under the Crockfords brand; a central plaza; and a state-ofthe-art parking garage.

The full expansion, according to RWNYC, is projected to create 10,000 jobs, including an estimated 5,000 union construction jobs, and will add 2 million square feet of new gaming, entertainment, dining, retail and convention space to the existing property.

“In less than 3 months after opening our doors as the first casino in New York City’s history, we are already moving towards a day when the city will have a first-of-its-kind integrated resort,” said Lim Kok Thay, executive chairman of the Genting Group, RWNYC’s parent company, in a prepared statement.

“Not only are we keeping every commitment we made in our proposal to the state, but we are running well ahead of schedule in starting to build outside of our existing build-

ground on Phase Two.”

Among those in attendance were Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach) and state Sens. James Sanders Jr. (D-South Ozone Park) and Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven).

“The success of a project like this is measured by whether promises become reality,” Addabbo, chair of the Senate’s Committee on Racing, Gaming and Wagering, said. “Resorts World has built a reputation over the past 15 years as a dependable partner that invests in Queens, supports local organizations, creates union jobs, and follows through on its commitments. Today’s groundbreaking represents another important step in a long-term vision that will benefit our community, our workforce and New York City’s economy for decades to come.”

ing,” Thay said.

Since the April 28 grand opening, RWNYC has increased tax and racing support payment by over 30 percent compared with the same period last year, per a press release, paying $170 million in casino taxes and funds for racing in its first 12 weeks of full operation.

With the addition of 1,400 slot machines on July 21 and more gaming tables by the end of the year, RWNYC said it is expected to grow

PHOTOCOURTESYRESORTSWORLDNEWYORKCITY

Officials on July 22 in South Ozone Park broke ground on the second phase of Resorts World New York City’s expansion, which includes 400 hotel rooms, a multipurpose arena and a sports and media complex.

casino tax and racing support payments to a billion dollars a year, including $425 million for education, $425 million for the MTA and $150 million in support for the state’s horseracing industry.

“The excitement around this project hasn’t stopped since the day we submitted our bid,” Robert DeSalvio, president of Genting Americas East, said in a statement. “Today, that same excitement is present as we break

Pheffer Amato said one of the most exciting aspects of the groundbreaking is the continued investment in young people.

“The Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith Sports and Media Academy will provide pathways into industries that many students never imagined were within reach, while the surrounding development continues creating jobs and economic opportunity for local families,” Pheffer Amato said. “This project isn’t simply expanding a destination — it’s expanding opportunity for the next generation.” Q

Hundreds attend vigil to pay tribute to Sgt. Angel Sarah Rampersad Ozone Park remembers an American hero

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Hundreds of candles flickered down a quiet Ozone Park street Monday evening as neighbors, veterans, clergy and elected officials gathered to say the same name, over and over: Angel.

The vigil honored U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Angel Sarah Rampersad, the 28-year-old Ozone Park native killed July 17 in an Iranian missile attack on Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan.

Organized by Sam Esposito of the Ozone Park Residents Block Association, the gathering drew a crowd that filled the block — residents standing shoulder to shoulder with State Attorney General Letitia James, U.S. Reps. Greg Meeks (D-Jamaica) and Grace Meng (D-Flushing), Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., Councilmember Ty Hankerson (D-Jamaica) and Assemblymembers Alicia Hyndman (D-Springfield Gardens) and Jaime Williams (D-Brooklyn).

of the corner of 96th Street and 133rd Avenue in honor of Rampersad, said the block association also plans to file a formal request to rename the stretch of Cross Bay Boulevard from Liberty Avenue to the Belt Parkway “Sgt. Angel Sarah Rampersad Boulevard.”

The block association also intends to ask that PS 63, the Old South School, to be renamed in her honor.

David Yankana of Kingdom Life Ministries in Richmond Hill, who said he had known Rampersad since she was 3 years old and watched her grow up in his church, delivered the vigil’s spiritual remarks.

Yankana said Rampersad’s church “was her second home, where she worshiped, served and played drums” as she grew up in the congregation.

“We gather here with candles in our hands, sorrow in our hearts and tremendous pride for an extraordinary young woman whose life, service and sacrifice have brought us together,” Esposito told the crowd. “Angel was not a stranger to Ozone Park. Angel was one of us.”

It was announced that Rampersad had been posthumously promoted to staff sergeant, a moment the crowd greeted with heartfelt applause.

Esposito, who last week said he plans to petition for the co-naming

“Her passing is not unnoticed in heaven,” Yankana said. “It is honored. It is cherished. She did not measure her life in years, but in impact — not in length, but in love; not in time, but in testimony. She gave herself fully to her family, her church, her country and also to almighty God.”

One by one, elected officials stepped to the microphone. Rampersad was remembered as an American hero.

Meeks recalled speaking with Rampersad’s mother, who told him her daughter had wanted to enlist since she was a teenager but waited until she was 21 to do so without needing parental permission.

“She said to her mother, ‘I’ve got to go,’” Meeks said, adding that in seven years of service Rampersad earned the Army Commendation

Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon.

He said that last Thursday, a flag was flown in her honor atop of the United States Capitol.

“It was from all 435 members of the United States House of Representatives, bringing us all together,” Meeks said. “We stand together for her bravery and for her loyalty and her dedication.”

Meng called Rampersad “a daughter of Queens, a daughter of these United States of America, who was taken from us far too early.” James described her as a soldier whose “radiant smile brought joy to others — a smile that reminded all of us of the warm sunlight and trade winds of Trinidad,” where Ramp-

ersad was born.

Hankerson said Rampersad’s decision to enlist at a young age reflected a rare level of courage, tenacity and selflessness.

Richards said Rampersad’s love for the country that opened its arms to her family moved him most.

“Angel Rampersad was not born in the United States of America, but Angel Rampersad was willing to die for the United States of America,” Richards said.

Hyndman, who also grew up in Ozone Park, urged residents to keep checking in on the family.

“When little kids come through this block and they say, ‘Who is Angel?’ we all know her story,” Hyndman said.

Rampersad’s mother, Carol Acevedo, spoke only briefly, thanking the crowd through tears.

“The kindness that has been shown for me and my family — I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart,” Acevedo said.

The vigil culminated with the release of doves into the night sky during a performance of taps.

Rampersad’s funeral is scheduled for Friday, July 31, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Calvary Assembly of God church in Ozone Park. As space is limited, the service will be livestreamed on the Ozone Park Residents Block Association’s Facebook page.

The funeral will be followed by a procession down Cross Bay Boulevard, where residents are asked to line the road with flags, ribbons and salutes to give Rampersad what Esposito called “the finest, most dignified, and most powerful final send-off Ozone Park has ever given to one of its own.” Q

Soccer is coming home to queens

Etihad Park opens in 2027 as New York City FC’s permanent home and the first purpose-built soccer stadium in the five boroughs. Be a part of a historic new chapter for Queens, the Club, and the city.

SECURE YOUR SEAT TODAY

They would expedite approvals for outdoor dining, bike lanes and more Charter panel OKs five ballot questions

by Stephanie G. Meditz Editor

The charter revision commission convened by Mayor Mamdani adopted five proposals for the November ballot on July 23.

The propositions set forth by the panel, known as the Commission on Government Efficiency, seek to address “outdated, unnecessary and redundant requirements in the City Charter,” according to a City Hall press release. They follow 10 public hearings, attended by more than 1,200 people citywide.

“In every borough, at every hearing, New Yorkers told us again and again that they want a government that works at the same speed and efficiency that they do each day,” COGE Chair Patrick Gaspard said in the release. “From simplifying construction permitting so we can rapidly tackle the housing crisis to making it easier to offer outdoor dining, we believe these proposals would help make our city more affordable and livable for working New Yorkers.”

The first proposal aims to speed up the process to use public space for purposes such as ramps, benches, planters and cafes. Under the amendment, the process, known as revocable consent, would no longer require a public hearing. Public advertising requirements also would be modernized, and the city Department of Transportation would be directed to gather public input in other ways.

The DOT still would have to inform the affected community board, City Council member and borough president of revocable consent petitions, but sidewalk cafe bids would no longer be subject to community board review or Council disapproval.

Per the commission’s adopted final report, the proposed “single, streamlined process” would take about two months. Approval for sidewalk cafes now can take up to eight months, and five for roadway cafes. City Hall said the change would save small businesses money in staff time and application costs.

The second ballot question looks to reduce burdens on small businesses and nonprofits by simplifying the pre-contracting questionnaire, City Hall said. It would let the mayor delegate certain contract approvals to relevant agen-

cies, permanently replace public hearings for contract awards with public comment periods and eliminate what the COGE calls “unnecessary reporting” by agencies that award client services contracts.

The third proposal would simplify the review of street safety projects, including bike and bus lanes, and reduce their timelines by at least 33 percent, according to the report.

Under it, an agency consulted about a major transportation project need not confer with smaller subgroups within that agency — the COGE said those required consultations “micromanage agencies within themselves.”

“This would mean that, while DOT can still be required to consult with agencies such as the Fire Department, the Fire Department can no longer be required to confer with certain local firehouses when DOT proposes a major transportation project,” the report reads.

The proposal also would let the DOT start work on a project before presenting to the relevant community board, if the agency finds there is “a risk of significant injury that may occur absent immediate implementation.”

The sale of certain city properties also would be fast-tracked — unlocking more than $200 million in revenue for the city, per City Hall — and the leasing of office spaces for city workers expedited.

The fourth ballot question looks to simplify construction permitting by creating a centralized access hub for applicants across city agencies. More divisions of the city Department of Buildings could approve certificates of occupancy, and the agency would get jurisdiction over the waterfront permitting process, which is now handled by the Department of Small Business Services.

The final proposition would set a contribution target for the city’s rainy day fund — 12 percent of its total tax revenues. The Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget and the city comptroller would establish a deposit formula to govern mandatory contributions to the reserve fund, per City Hall.

The city’s press release lists favorable statements from a slew of officials and leaders, including state Sens. Kristen Gonzalez (D-Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens) and Julia

ACA health insurance rates

continued from page 2

medical costs,” UnitedHealthcare said in a filing explaining its requested increase. The insurer pins at least 2.3 percent of that increase on the cost of “certain prescription drug therapies,” which include popular GLP-1 medications.

UnitedHealthcare also blames 12.7 percent of the requested increase on the expiration of subsidies from the Biden-era American Rescue Plan Act, which expired at the end of last year.

“Its request last year was for a 36 percent increase, which is still higher than average,” said Wagner.

“But, yeah, this year, it is much higher.” Since the requests came out last month,

The charter panel formed by Mayor Mamdani adopted five proposals for the November ballot that aim to make government more efficient. PHOTOBYEDREED/NYCMAYOR’SOFFICE/FLICKR

Salazar (D-Brooklyn, Queens), Assemblymember Claire Valdez (D-Sunnyside) and Ben Guttmann, executive director of the Queens Economic Development Corp.

But according to City Councilmember Phil Wong (D-Maspeth), the proposals “weaken checks and balances,” diminish lawmakers’ roles and give bigger voices to “political and special interests.”

“The City Charter belongs to the people, not any mayor, and I encourage every New Yorker to educate themselves on these ballot questions before casting their vote this November,” Wong said in a statement.

He submitted written testimony to the panel last month recommending various reforms, including to the budget, housing for the homeless and sanctuary policies.

For St. John’s University political analyst Brian Browne, the COGE’s work appears to be “a coherent attempt to address a real prob-

lem,” namely the city’s often “procedurally cumbersome” decision-making processes.

“The construction-permitting and contracting reforms strike me as the easiest to defend, as New York’s permitting and procurement systems are notorious for delays,” Browne said in an email. The rainy day fund proposal also fits an efficiency argument, he continued, saying it looks to create a more predictable framework for saving, which could make future budget management less reactive.

More controversial will likely be the street project proposal, Browne said — one could argue that if elected officials had fewer chances to intervene, communities would be excluded from decisions that affect them.

“The challenge isn’t deciding whether efficiency is desirable — it is,” Browne said. “The challenge is determining which layers of review are genuinely redundant and which are democratic safeguards worth preserving.” He says that as of now, most propositions, if not all, have a reasonable chance of passing.

Citizens Budget Commission President Andrew Rein said it is “deeply disappointing” that the panel failed to “establish a strong framework” to protect workers from service cuts and layoffs in an emergency.

“As written, City policy could allow withdrawals for practically any reason and avoid deposits even when revenues are strong,” Rein said in a statement. But, he continued, the proposal would not stop the city from adopting a strong rainy day fund policy.

COGE is set to transition to a permanent advisory board after the November election, according to City Hall. Its report lists proposals for future consideration, including open primaries, in which voters can cast ballots in a given party’s primary regardless of their own affiliation. The report says “the bulk of” testimonies supported the idea, but it also had critics.

Former Mayor Eric Adams convened a charter panel on his last day in office. It was set to examine open primaries in local elections, but Mamdani disbanded it, after legislation by state Sen. John Liu (D-Bayside) in the enacted budget package empowered him to do so. Members filed a lawsuit in response. Q

New Yorkers had until July 22 to submit their own comments about the proposed increases, and the request from UnitedHealthcare was a particular subject of derision.

“What I am struggling to understand is what consumers are receiving in return for a proposed 52.1 percent increase,” read one comment from a self-identified UnitedHealthcare customer. “When I enrolled in this plan, I did so with the understanding that it provided access to a particular network of physicians and health care systems. Since then, UnitedHealthcare’s Compass network has lost access to both NewYorkPresbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, forcing many members, including myself,

to reconsider long-standing relationships with primary care physicians and specialists.”

“I just received notice that UnitedHealthcare wants to raise my rate 52.1 percent, which means I’ll be paying over $2,200 a month for insurance that also dropped all my physicians from the plan mid-year,” read another.

Other proposed hikes were met with similar disdain in the public comments.

A self-employed and self-attested Queens resident and lifelong New Yorker, who claims to make $60,000 a year, wrote that the 28.4 percent increase sought by Fidelis Care would result in an increase over $200 monthly, which is enough to result in “not being able to be insured.”

“I understand the cost of health care is

rising, but I also do not know any other selfemployed people that are making 23.8% more every year, so it makes it harder and harder to have keep insurance and make a living,” wrote an Oscar Health customer. At least some officials in Albany are also watching the proposed hikes.

“These annual premium increases are a reminder that our health care system is not working for the people it is meant to serve,” read a statement on the proposed hikes from Assemblywoman Jessica González-Rojas (D-East Elmhurst), among the electeds supporting the New York Health Act, a longrunning effort to create a single-payer healthcare system in the state.

“I urge the Department of Financial Services to reject these proposed rate hikes,” González-Rojas added. Q

EDITORIAL AGEP

They were killed in the conflict with Iran, period

Maybe the Department of War’s removal of four names, including that of a Queens soldier, from the list of servicemembers killed in the conflict with Iran is just a mistake, as some claim.

But it’s easy to believe it was done purposely to create the impression that fewer people have been killed in the war than really have, given that President Trump:

• has made a big production of claiming that the crowd at his first inauguration was bigger than that at his predecessor’s, when it clearly was not;

• continues to claim that he actually won more votes in his second run than his opponent, when his allies have never been able to demonstrate that in court;

• once used a Sharpie to alter the projected path of a hurricane on a map to cover up an error he had made;

• continually exaggerates or downplays all kinds of statistics, especially on the economy, to claim more success for his policies than they deserve;

• generally claims that everything he does is the biggest and best ever, whether it is or not.

Yes, it’s easy to believe Trump wants to artificially lower the casualties suffered in the Iran conflict, which has now

gone on five times as long as he first said it would.

However, much as Lincoln asserted that what he said at Gettysburg was insignificant compared to the sacrifice of those who died there, whether the government made a genuine mistake or error of judgment in changing the Iran casualty stats, or did it at the behest of the secretary of war on behalf of Trump, does not change this simple fact:

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Angel Sarah Rampersad of Ozone Park died a hero, making the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of this nation, when an enemy military force attacked her base with a missile, within a recognized combat zone.

She will always be remembered for her sacrifice. We only hope that the War Department flub, or whatever it is, will not affect any benefits due her family. That would be a true abomination. From what we have been told by sources within the administration and Congress, it will not.

Lincoln, of course, was wrong about the power of his words at Gettysburg. They are remembered to this day. His modesty would be better applied to this president, who, for all the good things he has done, and there are some, knows not a whit about humility. We hope he would not minimize the deaths of four servicemembers for political gain, but if

so, that would be an indignity that must be reversed.

The government’s Defense Casualty Analysis System now lists 14 deaths under Operation Epic Fury, the conflict with Iran. It had been 18 until the names of Rampersad and three other soldiers killed in the conflict were removed from the list and — days later — put in a new one, “Overseas operations casualties starting July 7th 2026.”

The supposed logic of not listing the four with the other 14 who have fallen fighting Iran is that the ceasefire Trump declared in April was in effect. Give us a break. The ceasefire has not held up, any more than most of the promises the administration has made in the poorly planned conflict.

The removal of the four names from the Iran casualty list has many military types furious. Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling called it “abhorrent” and “criminal.” Tanya Stamos, a Navy veteran and the founder of a nonprofit group, told The New York Times, “It is truly disgusting and disheartening to lower the count of our service members who gave their life for this country.”

Epic Fury is far from over, and any servicemember who is killed in it, including Staff Sgt. Angel Sarah Rampersad, should be known to history as a casualty of the conflict.

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LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

Plan Willets-Flushing

Dear Editor:

With the new soccer stadium opening next year and the casino shortly on the way, a master plan is needed for the Corona-Willets PointFlushing area. Within the next few years, this area will be a main sports and entertainment complex. Without a master plan, a great opportunity will be wasted.

Robert Hartling Flushing

Avoid scams as I did

Dear Editor:

At 9 a.m. on July 22, I answered an unsolicited telephone call from a man who claimed to represent a new mail-order pharmacy company. He recited the name of my current mail-order pharmacy, and my address. He said his company would replace my current mail-order pharmacy because my medical insurance would no longer pay for prescriptions issued by my current pharmacy.

When I demanded complete information in writing, he replied that he would comply after I told him how many mail-order prescriptions I currently had. He promised that his company would promptly refill all of them at no charge. Although suspicious, I told him seven.

Then he confirmed my suspicion by asking if I had my Medicare card handy. I replied that a

sure sign of telephone fraud is a request for someone’s Medicare ID, and hung up. But he was persistent. He made several more calls, which I ignored.

Theodore Sheskin Flushing

Electeds aid the aged

Dear Editor:

We, the Coalition of Institutionalized Aged and Disabled, write to publicly extend thanks to elected leaders in Queens who took the time to listen and support residents of Sanford Manor — an adult care facility privately owned by the W Group that is home to 180 Queens seniors — who were without hot water for bathing and washing from June 5 until July 6.

After several days without hot water, Sanford residents reached out to CIAD for support. After we were unable to get a clear answer from management on when hot water would be

restored, we worked with residents to contact local elected officials. Sanford residents were met with a quick response from the staff of several of them, including the offices of Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Assemblymember Ron Kim and Councilmember Sandra Ung. These electeds, as well as the NYS Department of Health and NYC Department of Buildings, all pushed to get repairs.

CIAD and the residents of Sanford Manor are grateful for the action of these local leaders. After nearly four weeks, a temporary, portable water heater was connected, providing hot water to resident bathrooms. The swift response from electeds not only helped effect an interim solution, but also showed residents that thei r self-advocacy can foster change.

CIAD and Sanford Manor residents will continue to monitor the boiler replacement progress until the solution is permanent. We hope that this experience will better connect elected lead-

LETTERSTO THE EDITOR

ers with their constituents as the residents face other challenges relative to significant maintenance needs of the facility. Again, we extend our sincere thanks to the staff members who navigated the city bureaucracy to help bring solutions to this serious situation.

Emma Begley-Collier Home organizer Coalition of Institutionalized Aged and Disabled Manhattan

Salute to Sgt. Rampersad

Dear Editor:

Sgt. Angel Rampersad gave her life for the country she loved, the USA.

She displayed courage, nationalistic pride and commitment by contributing to the security and strength of her adopted country. Her unselfish contribution and ultimate sacrifice as an immigrant prove that America is a country where diversity undoubtedly adds to its strength. That should make us all take pride and be emboldened.

We mourn your passing and thank you for your sacrifice, Sgt. Rampersad. Our condolences to your loved ones and friends.

Ashook Ramsaran Fresh Meadows

Lost, found, returned

Dear Editor:

Honesty and NYC mass transit can go hand in hand. On July 3, my dear girlfriend and I took the Q100 bus to Astoria Park, where we planned to observe the class B ships in anticipation of America’s 250th birthday festivities.

We stopped off in a relaxing cafe, when I realized that I was missing my 2018 Panasonic camera with a built-in Leica lens and case with an additional battery, so we thought that it must have fallen off my shoulder on our bus. I filed an online report with the MTA while we waited in the cafe, after attempting to communicate with a robot got me nowhere. Then we stepped outside, hoping to catch the same bus on its return commute, five stops each way from Rikers, the route’s final stop.

I told the bus driver that I lost my camera. He reached for the dashboard and asked, “Did you lose this camera?” I thanked him, and my girlfriend and I experienced a cheerful moment. My theory is that an honest passenger turned in my camera to the bus driver, or the driver made his rounds after his route. Either way, my camera checked out Rikers and wasn’t feeling it.

Honesty is gold. Love thy neighbor as thy self.

Michael Perlman Forest Hills

Para-gon of $chemes

Dear Editor:

The $10,000 stipend that the City Council voted to give paraprofessional teachers is an insult. First, it is not even pensionable, so it will not increase their pension when they retire. But foremost, it was done the wrong way.

Paras are grossly underpaid. Starting salary is $33,000, which grows to a “massive” $56,000 after 15 years of service. As could be expected, there is a vast shortage of people

willing to do this important work. As per the Taylor Law, The United Federation of Teachers is supposed to negotiate their salary. The City Council is legally not allowed to negotiate their pay, so the UFT President, Michael Mulgrew, found a way to skirt around this.

While the City Council cannot give them a raise, it is permitted to give them an annual bonus as long as it is not included in their salary. That is why it cannot be included in their income that would count toward their pension. This goes beyond despicable.

This manipulation of the Taylor Law proves that Mulgrew understands how it works. That makes it even more contemptible how he is lying to the City Council by telling members that retired NYC employees are covered under the Taylor Law (which they aren’t). He does not want them to pass a law that would protect retirees’ health benefits from being diminished, in order for the unions to save money on us and use it to give active members raises.

Lee Rottenberg Middle Village

Fund gov’t, fight ticks

Dear Editor:

You hear the warning all the time: Check for ticks. The big news is that in this war between human and insect, “the ticks are winning” (see tinyurl.com/5ax8tfju). They’re spreading. Their numbers are exploding. The diseases they carry are stranger. Have you heard about the tick bite that makes you dangerously, pull-out-the-Epi-pen allergic to meat?

Even more frightening than this specific uncertain battle is the analysis that underscores the need for a constantly well-funded, wellstaffed, functioning federal government to cope with the entire spectrum of modern life’s new and unexpected biological, economic and meteorologic emergencies. Earlier health challenges were defeated when the overequipped federal government came in and dug ditches and drained swamps to defeat mosquito-borne diseases. Concurrently, science developed insecticides, which then needed to be abandoned, but government-funded research developed defenses that wouldn’t create the havoc that DDT created.

Private corporation and government partnerships are necessary because private industry is risk-averse and profit motivated. Pharma won’t invest in something that might not be profitable. Enter the federal government.

The destruction of our federal government’s formidable agencies makes any future challenge of any kind a potentially, overwhelming catastrophic event. Big thinkers ask the question if our current infrastructure could pull off a project with the scale and sustained focus of a 1940s campaign that tamed malaria. Our hollowed-out government may not be able to subdue similar threats in different fields. It’s time to imagine worst-case scenarios and prepare. Shakespeare gives us good advice, “O, reason not the need!” Imagine what might be needed and essential in an unimaginable situation. We always need backup. Tick, tick, boom!

Debra Michlewitz Bayside

MASS SCHEDULE

COUPLES MASS

Group of property owners sue panel following its decision to freeze rents Rent Guidelines Board faces landlord lawsuit

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

A coalition of New York City landlords has sued the Rent Guidelines Board, seeking to overturn this year’s rent freeze for roughly one million rent-stabilized apartments, arguing the board abandoned its independence and predetermined the outcome under political pressure from Mayor Mamdani’s administration.

The Article 78 lawsuit, filed July 22 in Richmond County Supreme Court by seven property owners, asks a judge to vacate the board’s June 25 vote approving a 0 percent increase for both one- and two-year rent-stabilized lease renewals. One of the attorneys representing the landlords is Randy Mastro, who served as former Mayor Eric Adams’ deputy.

Several of the petitioners own rent-stabilized buildings in Queens.

According to the lawsuit, those petitioners negatively affected by the RGB’s decision include 43rd Street Associates LLC, which owns a 23-unit rent-stabilized building in Astoria, and 21-45 23rd St. LLC, 39-12 62nd St. LLC and 42-59 Bowne St. LLC, which together own three fully rentstabilized buildings in Queens consisting of 50 units.

Mamdani pledged during his mayoral

campaign to freeze rents. The lawsuit argues his public statements, coupled with the timing of his appointments to the RGB, demonstrate the panel was improperly influenced by City Hall. Six of the nine members on the panel were appointed by Mamdani.

“That Mayor Mamdani preordained this outcome and then took affirmative steps to stack the deck is now undeniable,” the lawsuit states.

The landlords also contend the board’s decision was “arbitrary and capricious,” alleging the outcome was effectively decided before the board completed its public hearing process and that the RGB failed to independently weigh the economic data it is required to consider.

A resignation letter from former RGB member Christina Smyth ahead of the panel’s vote was cited in the petition.

“This rebuilt board was required to deliver a rent freeze,” Smyth wrote. “Everything since has been theater. The hearings, the reports, the public comment, the data. None of it was ever going to change the result.”

The petition also argues that owners of rent-stabilized buildings continue to face rising costs for property taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance and labor while rental income has remained stagnant.

As part of the lawsuit, the landlords are seeking expedited discovery into communications between City Hall, the Rent Guidelines Board and tenant advocacy organizations before the June vote.

They are also asking the court to block the rent freeze from taking effect while the case proceeds.

The lawsuit now places the board’s decision before a judge, setting up what could become a closely watched legal battle over

the independence of the Rent Guidelines Board and the future of rent regulation in New York City.

“The Rent Guidelines Board is an independent body,” a City Hall spokesperson said in a statement to the Chronicle. “We are confident that the Board evaluated all of the relevant data and considered the factors facing both tenants and landlords across New York City. The Law Department is prepared to defend the RGB’s decisions. The Mamdani administration remains committed to the success of the rent stabilization system which has prevented displacement and provided stability to generations of New Yorkers.”

Tenant advocates criticized the lawsuit.

“This lawsuit is an effort to manufacture uncertainty for millions of rent-stabilized tenants after a lawful public process delivered badly needed relief,” said Darius Gordon, executive director of Met Council on Housing. “It is especially cynical that the landlords are being represented by Randy Mastro, who was also involved in the Adams administration’s effort to stack the Rent Guidelines Board against tenants. New Yorkers should not have to wonder whether a rent freeze can be stripped away simply because the real estate industry dislikes the outcome.” Q

Enjoy food, fun and freebies with police at events throughout Queens National Night Out to return on Aug. 4

by Stephanie G. Meditz Editor

Free food, live entertainment and essential safety information are just some of what one can expect from Queens’ various National Night Out Against Crime events.

On Tuesday, Aug. 4, police officers in and beyond Queens will mark the occasion by spending a fun evening with the people they serve.

National Night Out is an annual campaign that aims to promote positive relationships between cops and communities. Per natw. org, millions of people participate in the festivities, which take place on the first Tuesday of every August.

Neighborhoods host a slew of outings such as block parties and cookouts, where attendees can mingle with officers, grab a bite and access safety resources. National Night Out events often include music, performances and giveaways. They may also offer safety demonstrations and seminars, and emergency personnel may drop by.

Here’s a list of where all mainland Queens commands will celebrate next week.

The 102nd Precinct will meet on the Victory Field blacktop at Forest Park from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The 103rd Precinct’s event is from 5 to 9 p.m. at Jamaica’s Rufus King Park, on 89th

Avenue between 150th and 153rd streets.

The 104th Precinct will be on the blacktop at Juniper Valley Park in Middle Village, on 80th Street between Juniper Boulevard North and South, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The 105th Precinct will host a carnival at the Queens County Farm Museum, at 73-50 Little Neck Pkwy. in Glen Oaks, from 4 to 8 p.m.

Ozone Park’s 106th Precinct will have its event at 6 p.m. in the playground area of Tudor Park, on 133rd Avenue between 81st and 83rd streets.

Folks can find the 107th Precinct right next to its Fresh Meadows home base, at the Electchester Shopping Center at 70-63 Parsons Blvd., starting at 7 p.m.

The 108th Precinct’s event will be from 5

to 8 p.m. at Long Island City’s Torsney/Lou Lodati Playground, located at Skillman Avenue and 41st Street.

The 109th Precinct will be at Bowne Playground, at Union Street and Barclay Avenue in Flushing, from 5 to 8 p.m.

The 110th Precinct’s outing is in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, next to the Fantasy Forest Carousel on 111th Street between 54th and 55th avenues, from 4 to 8 p.m.

Officers from Bayside’s 111th Precinct will be at the Douglaston Shopping Center, at 242-02 61 Ave., from 6 to 9 p.m.

The 112th Precinct is set to congregate at MacDonald Park, at 87-20 Queens Blvd. in Forest Hills, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The 113th Precinct will have its celebration at Jamaica’s Baisley Pond Park, across from August Martin High School, from 4 to 8 p.m.

The 114th Precinct’s event is from 5 to 8 p.m. on the great lawn at Astoria Park, next to the Hell Gate Bridge.

The 115th Precinct will gather at Jackson Heights’ Travers Park from 6 to 9 p.m.

The 116th Precinct’s outing will be from 4 to 8 p.m. at Springfield Park, at 147th Avenue and Springfield Boulevard.

Residents can contact their precinct’s community affairs office to learn more about this year’s Night Out. Q

Gennaro: batteries good, Con Ed bad

by Andrew Karpan Associate Editor

A Queens politician is wading into a simmering war between Con Ed and battery developers who say that the utility is crushing the lithium ion development business.

“They are throwing a monkey wrench into statewide electricity policy that they really have no business doing,” City Councilmember James Gennaro (D-Fresh Meadows) told the Chronicle on Tuesday.

The councilman first weighed in on the issue with a lengthy missive aimed at Con Ed, a July 22 letter co-written with City Councilmember Sandy Nurse (D-Brooklyn).

“Con Edison has created an unnecessary barrier to one of the most efficient technologies available to improve grid reliability, reduce pollution and lower electricity costs for New Yorkers,” the pair wrote.

In recent years, a lucrative industry has developed involving massive battery energy storage, or BESS, systems, which use lithium ion technology to store electricity and then sell it back at a profit when demand is higher.

Last year, Con Ed complained the new batteries were “clustered in areas where land costs and zoning make building storage projects” cheaper.

Counterintuitively, Con Ed says, the BESS sites are now taking up too much energy.

The utility then decided to change the methodology it used to evaluate costs for new developments and those costs now render

COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL IMAGING

BESS developers find a new ally

“most new storage projects economically unviable across the majority of New York City,” claims the battery lobby, now involved in an esoteric war, still ongoing, in front of the Public Service Commission.

Over in Queens, Gennaro, who chairs the council’s Environmental Protection Committee, has enlisted himself in the fight, too.

“We are outraged Con Edison has effectively halted the deployment of new battery energy storage projects by imposing extraordinary new interconnection costs on developers,” he writes with Nurse.

Councilman Jim Gennaro has sharp words for Con Edison. PHOTOBY

SOPHIEKRICHEVSKY/FILE

“These battery storage units are like clean, mini power plants that can put, you know, energy into the grid as needed,” Gennaro told the Chronicle, extolling at great length the attributes of massive lithium ion batteries.

“These plants should be [Con Ed]’s best friend in terms of grid resilience and making sure their customers get what they need when they need it.”

Per their letter, the new costs “have increased by factors of 30 to 40 over previous levels.”

A Con Ed spokesperson told the Chronicle

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that the older cost framework used to access battery developments “is generally not adequate to meet transmission security needs.”

The utility is now pitching using a framework called the “Reliability Contingency Plan,” unveiled this month, which the utility hopes will settle the matter, though the battery industry does not appeared swayed.

“Con Ed is not being serious,” comments Jigar Shah, a former Biden-era U.S. Department of Energy official, since pivoted to praising the battery industry, like Gennaro.

Gennaro tells the Chronicle that a future meeting is planned with Con Ed reps, date not currently set.

He demurred, however, when directly asked if he wanted to see any of the battery sites installed in his own district in central Queens.

The closest battery project to his district is located at 91st Avenue and 138th Street, still in development, and in the neighboring district of Councilmember Ty Hankerson (D-Jamaica).

“I know the area,” said Gennaro. His spokesperson Natalia Trapani later said a visit to the proposed battery facility in Jamaica was being planned. Staffers had visited another site

in Astoria, she added.

“This is not just a 24th District issue. You know, this is an issue of people all over the city wanting to have electricity,” said Gennaro. He admitted there has been some vocal opposition to the battery projects, in the districts where they were getting built.

Last week, a couple in St. Albans told the Chronicle they were paying $25,000 in legal fees to prevent battery developer NineDot from building one in an abandoned gas station next to their home.

“If I was developing one of these battery storage units that fed into the grid, I would make sure I had a long heart-to-heart conversation with the local community to dispel the notion that they present a danger,” said Gennaro. “I don’t know of any incident that has ever happened at one of these,” he added.

In Middle Village, Gennaro’s colleague Phil Wong (D-Maspeth) has become an outspoken critic of battery developments. Recently, Wong sent a staffer to film construction of a BESS site. An altercation ensued. The developer later said the staffer was making “an active construction site unsafe.”

Gennaro said he would take a different approach.

“They didn’t like it and everyone started yelling and screaming; these are the kinds of fears that have to be abated,” he said.

“The public mind has a ‘batteries are bad,’ mentality. And I think that is something to overcome.” Q

Cases seeking back pay over 24-hour shifts are before state, federal judges Home care workers tout court victories

by Peter C. Mastrosimone Editor-in-Chief

Advocates for home care workers last week hailed two recent legal victories as key steps on the road to winning back pay they say the aides are owed by what they call “sweatshop agencies.”

The legal dispute stretches back more than a decade and involves cases in both state and federal court, launched by employees who had to work 24-hour shifts and say their wages were stolen. They are supported by the Ain’t I A Woman?! Campaign and other advocates, who rallied for their cause July 22 in Manhattan.

The first ruling came down June 25 from the state Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, and said the administration of Gov. Hochul has to reopen hundreds of unionized workers’ cases pursuing back wages. It reaffirmed a decision rendered in October 2024 by Justice Gerald Connolly and enables the workers to combine their cases into a class action.

The state had closed the cases due to arbitration, but both Connolly and the Appellate Division found it could not legally do so.

Many of the workers were employed by the Chinese-American Planning Council, which is based in Manhattan but has one of its offices in Flushing.

“I am a retired worker from CPC (Chinese-

Alleged purse thief sought

Retired home care worker Gui Zhu Chen speaks during a July 22 rally outside the offices of her former employer, the Chinese-American Planning Council.

American Planning Council) who worked 24-hour shifts for six years,” plaintiff Gui Zhu Chen said in a statement released July 22. “When we filed a complaint with the Department of Labor regarding wage theft by CPC, Governor Hochul closed our case. Today, we are overjoyed: the court ordered the Governor to reopen the cases involving unionized agencies. We demand that CPC stop colluding with Governor Hochul and

drop any further appeals.”

The case is Gui Zhu Chen et al. v. Roberta Reardon, in her capacity as commissioner of the state Department of Labor.

The CPC has previously said that it remains “committed to doing right by our home care workers,” noting that it supports legislation the advocates are pushing for that would ban the 24-hour shift.

The federal ruling was handed down July

10, and came from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. The judges overturned a lower court’s order confirming two arbitration awards between a union and multiple employers, to the extent that the workers seeking relief had left their jobs before the agreement was made.

“In plain terms,” said attorneys with Virginia & Ambinder, the law firm representing the workers, “our clients cannot be forced to arbitrate wage claims they never agreed to arbitrate, through an agreement that was entered into after they had already left their employment. After years of hard work performed as home health aides, they are now free to pursue their unpaid wages in the New York courts, individually and on behalf of others, where permitted, and to seek fair damages for their claims.”

One of the plaintiffs in the case, 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East v. PSC Community Services, is Sau King Chung, a Queens resident.

Spokespersons for a law firm listed as representing CPC and another company in the case did not immediately respond to a message seeking information and comment.

On July 28, workers protesting the 24-hour shift announced that they were resuming a hunger strike outside City Hall to press for legislation that would ban the practice. Q

Man wanted in alleged assault

This suspect is wanted for an alleged grand larceny. PHOTO COURTESYNYPD

A man is sought by police after he allegedly stole an elderly woman’s purse in Howard Beach on July 19. According to the NYPD, a 70-year-old woman was waiting to board a northbound A train at the Howard Beach-JFK Airport subway station at around 1:40 p.m. when an unidentified man took her purse from a bench.

The woman’s bag contained approximately $40, cops said, and several bank cards.

The perpetrator then boarded the northbound A train to parts unknown. Police said there were no injuries reported.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577TIPS (8477), or, for Spanish, 1 (888) 57-PISTA (74782). One may also submit tips at crimestoppers.nypdonline. org; or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and entering TIP577; or by going to @ nypdtips on X. All tips are strictly confidential. Q

Man stabbed during Woodhaven dispute

Authorities seek two male suspects

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Cops are searching for two suspects in connection with an assault in Woodhaven last weekend, within the confines of the NYPD’s 102nd Precinct.

According to police, two unidentified men engaged in a verbal dispute with a 25-year-old male victim on July 25 at 5 a.m. inside 96-21 Atlantic Ave.

During the dispute, cops said, one of the suspects stabbed the victim on the upper left side of his back, causing a laceration. The perpetrators then fled the location on foot to parts unknown.

about 25 to 30 years old.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577-TIPS (8477), or, for Spanish, 1 (888) 57-PISTA (74782). One may also submit tips by going to crimestoppers. nypdonline.org; or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and entering TIP577; or by going to @nypdtips on X.

A man is wanted by cops for his alleged involvement in an assault in Richmond Hill last week.

Police are seeking this man for an alleged assault.

It was reported to cops that on July 21, at around 10:50 p.m., a 22-year-old male victim was engaged in a verbal dispute with an unidentified man inside an apartment near 89th Avenue and 118th Street.

This man and an accomplice are wanted by police in connection with an assault in Woodhaven on July 25.

All tips are strictly confidential.

PHOTOCOURTESYNYPD

The victim was transported by EMS to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. His condition was not disclosed by police.

Both sought individuals are described by cops as having a dark complexion and

According to the latest NYPD CompStat data through July 19, felony assaults are up in the 102nd Precinct this year to date. At this time in 2025, the command had seen 169 incidents, while there have been 186 so far this year, an increase of 10.1 percent.

Misdemeanor assaults within the 102 are down 2.9 percent from last year, with 312 by this time in 2025, and 303 so far this year to date. Q

Police said, the individual wrapped a metal bracelet around his fist and punched the victim, causing a laceration to his head. The perpetrator fled on foot to parts unknown, and the victim was transported by EMS to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in stable condition, cops said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1 (800) 577-TIPS (8477), or, for Spanish, 1 (888) 57-PISTA (74782). One may also submit tips at crimestoppers.nypdonline.org; or by texting 274637 (CRIMES) and entering TIP577; or by going to @nypdtips on X. Tips are confidential. Q

DA pins Bronx man in fatal Jamaica crash

by Andrew Karpan Associate Editor

A man living in a shelter in the Bronx has been indicted by a Queens grand jury on charges of killing a woman in a hit-andrun this past March in Jamaica.

Darius Adams, 28, was picked up by the NYPD on July 22, and was taken a day later to Queens Supreme Court to face criminal charges of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide and reckless driving, among other crimes.

Police accuse Adams of illegally driving in a bus lane on Jamaica Avenue, swerving around a bus and fatally hitting Suzanne Schmieder, “causing her to fly into the air before slamming into the ground and sliding underneath a parked car,” per the District Attorney’s Office.

Schmieder, 57, was crossing the street to get coffee, reported the Daily News, which described her as a Rosedale native who worked for several years at Lenny’s Clam Bar in Howard Beach.

Per the News, Schmieder was at the Social Security office at Jamaica Avenue and Parsons Boulevard with her husband and daughter to apply for a rental voucher,

after getting evicted from their apartment.

Adams lives in a Holiday Inn Express in Mott Haven in the Bronx, since converted into a men’s shelter. He was arrested on a weapon possession and harassment charge back in April, the News reported.

Adams is represented by the Kew Gardens lawyer Michael Siff; court-appointed and who declined to comment. Over a decade ago, Siff had represented Mikhail Mallayev on charges of murdering a dentist in Forest Hills. Mallayev got life in prison.

If convicted, Adams faces more than 15 years in prison.

Police say they heard from Adams shortly after he allegedly ran over Schmieder.

“At approximately 11 p.m. that night, Adams called 911 to report that he was having a medical episode,” per the District Attorney’s office. “He ... directed police to his identification inside the car. The car allegedly had front end damage, a broken side mirror and scratches to the hood. During the search of the interior, officers found multiple liquor bottles.”

Adams was picked up by officers from the 103rd Precinct a little more than four months later. Q

Thieving pair off to prison

The ex-head of the Queens Defenders legal assistance organizer and her ex-husband were sentenced Tuesday to several years each in prison for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars meant to help the poor, prosecutors reported.

Lori Zeno of Garden City, LI, the former executive director, got 43 months in prison and Rashad Ruhani of Corona got 57, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York announced. They also will have to pay $656,349.57 in restitution and judgments of $187,014.24, for Zeno, and $102,534.27, for Ruhani.

The pair embezzled funds from June 2024 to January 2025 and spent it on foreign travel, expensive meals, luxury shopping and rent for a penthouse apartment, U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. said.

“Lori Zeno brazenly betrayed and abused her position of trust as the director of a nonprofit organization, while Rashad Ruhani worked hand in hand with her to steal funds intended to provide legal services and other critical resources to disadvantaged members of the community,” Nocella said in a prepared statement. Q — Peter C. Mastrosimone

Boy shoved as perp with hammer flees

by Stephanie G. Meditz Editor

An 8-year-old boy went to the hospital Tuesday after he was shoved into a fence at the Jewish Institute of Queens in Elmhurst, according to police. Per area lawmakers, it happened during an unrelated scuffle.

An assault was reported at 10:49 a.m. that morning, and upon arrival, cops were informed that the boy suffered a laceration to his head from being pushed.

He was taken to a hospital, and news reports say his injury was not serious.

Citing information from the NYPD, area City Councilmember Phil Wong (D-Maspeth) said an emotionally disturbed person with a hammer had allegedly chased a young woman from the 110th Precinct into the 112th, and she ran into the school’s front yard for help.

Security got involved, Wong said, and the boy was knocked into the fence as the suspect tried to flee.

Wong said the school, at Woodhaven Boulevard and Booth Street, does not appear to have been the target, but police are investigating all aspects of the incident, including the possibility of bias.

A person of interest has been taken into custody, police said. Multiple published news reports say the suspect is 42.

Wong, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing), Assemblymember Andrew Hevesi (D-Forest Hills) and state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) said in a joint statement that they are grateful no one appears to have been seriously hurt.

“Our thoughts are also with the student who was reportedly pushed into a fence during the incident, and we wish them a full and speedy recovery,” they said.

Sharing a New York Post article on X, which said the suspect has dozens of prior arrests and a history of mental health-related incidents, Councilmember Lynn Schulman (D-Forest Hills) said the person never should have been on the street.

“Until NYC can adequately address individuals with violent mental health histories, innocent bystanders will continue to be victims, as happened today in Queens,” Schulman wrote on Tuesday.

Gov. Hochul said on X that violence against a child is “unconscionable,” and her heart is with the victim, his loved ones and New York’s Jewish community. Q

Queens College performers planning 16 free showings of children’s symphony ‘Peter and the Wolf’ at a park near you

by Michael Gannon Senior News Editor

The Queens College School of the Arts and the city’s Parks Department are teaming up to show 16 free, daytime performances of the children’s symphony “Peter and the Wolf” at parks throughout the borough between Aug. 4 and 25.

The work was composed by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936. Families and guests of all ages are invited to bring their lawn chairs and picnic blankets to enjoy the show.

The show is about a young boy’s adventure in a meadow with animal companions. According to the school, the music was designed to introduce children to the symphonic orchestra, with individual instruments or orchestral sections used to represent the characters.

The Queens College production, directed by acting professor Elyse Price, will be presented in-the-round.

“Peter and the Wolf invites audiences to experience a familiar story through movement, imagination, and the expressive power of live theatre,” Price said in a statement.

“Performing in neighborhood parks allows us to share that experience with families in welcoming, accessible spaces that are deeply connected to the communities we serve.”

“At Queens College, we believe the arts have the greatest impact when they are shared with the community,” Simone Yearwood, dean of the School of Arts and Humanities, said. “By bringing theatre into public spaces, we are expanding access to the arts and giving students meaningful opportunities to grow as performers, collaborators, and leaders.”

“Our parks are places where communities come together, and partnerships like this make those shared spaces even more vibrant,” said Jackie Langsam, the Parks Department’s

Blood donors urgently sought

The New York Blood Center is calling on donors of all blood types to contribute as the region faces trauma season, one of the most critical times of year for maintaining the blood supply. To make an appointment, one may visit nybc.org. There are several upcoming blood drives in South Queens:

• St. Mary Gate of Heaven Roman Catholic Church, 8:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 2, in the basement at 103-12 101 Ave. in Ozone Park; blood drive coordinator Marian Skabeikis;

• Indo Caribbean Federation & American Guyanese Congress, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 9, in a busmobile at 103-33 Lefferts Blvd. in South Richmond Hill; blood drive coordinator Frank Singh;

• NYPD 102nd Precinct, 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 25, in a busmobile at 87-34 118 St. in Richmond Hill; blood drive coordinator Sgt. Navdeep Singh; and

• Queens Public Library, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 27, in a busmobile at 118-14 Hillside Ave. in Richmond Hill; blood drive coordinator Sara Nordlicht. Q — Kristen Guglielmo

• Friday, Aug. 7, at 11 a.m. in the Highland Park Performance Area in Forest Park;

• Saturday, Aug. 8, at 2 p.m. in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the Playground for All Children Amphitheatre;

• Monday, Aug. 10, at 11 a.m. at Almeda Playground in Arverne;

• Tuesday, Aug. 11, at 11 a.m. in Rochdale Park by the Vic Hanson Field House;

• Wednesday, Aug. 12, at 11 a.m. in Little Bay Park next to the hockey rink in Bay Terrace;

• Friday, Aug. 14, at 11 a.m. at the Forest Park Bandshell in Woodhaven;

• Saturday, Aug. 15, at 2 p.m. in FMCP in the Playground for All Children Amphitheatre;

• Monday, Aug. 17 at 11 a.m. at Sandpiper Park in Rockaway Beach;

• Tuesday, Aug. 18, at 11 a.m. at the stage in Roy Wilkins Park in St. Albans;

• Wednesday, Aug. 19, at 11 a.m. in John Golden Park in Bayside;

PHOTOCOURTESYQUEENSCOLLEGESCHOOLOFTHEARTS

“Peter and the Wolf” will be entertaining Queens residents with 16 free daytime shows at 14 different parks in the borough during August.

Queens borough commissioner. “We are proud to partner with the Queens College School of Arts to bring free, high-quality performances to neighborhoods across Queens and make the arts more accessible for residents of all ages.”

The scheduled performances are:

• Tuesday, Aug. 4, at 11 a.m. on the Great Lawn at Archie Spigner Park in Jamaica;

• Wednesday, Aug. 5, at 11 a.m. at Horatio Playground in Alley Pond Park in Bayside;

• Friday, Aug. 21, at 11 a.m. at The Overlook in Forest Park in Richmond Hill;

• Saturday, Aug. 22, at 2 p.m. in FMCP in the Playground for All Children Amphitheatre;

• Monday, Aug. 24, at 3 p.m. in Francis Lewis Park at Third Avenue and 147th Street in Whitestone; and

• Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 11 a.m. in Springfield Park in Springfield Gardens.

More information is available from both Queens College at tinyurl.com/4xn34aa2 and the Parks Department at nycgovparks.org. Q

BP taps Constantinides for DOE education panel

by Kristen Guglielmo Editor

Costa Constantinides has been selected as Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr.’s appointee on the Panel for Educational Policy, the BP’s office announced Monday.

Constantinides, a lifelong Astoria resident, has decades of experience advocating for students and investing in public schools. He has been CEO of the Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens since 2021, and prior to that served as the city councilmember for the 22nd District from 2014 to 2021.

just appointed to the Panel for Educational Policy. FILEPHOTO

As a member of the PEP, Constantinides will help make significant decisions regarding the city’s public school system, including on the chancellor’s proposed education policies, contracts over $1 million, the budget and general matters affecting the system and its students.

Constantinides’ PEP term will last for one year and begins this month, the BP’s office said. He succeeds Shirley Aubin, whose term concluded last month.

Richards in a statement said there has been no greater advocate for children and families in Western Queens than Constantinides.

“As he joins the PEP at such a critical time for our city’s education system, I look forward to Costa’s steadfast dedication in fighting for stronger schools across The World’s Borough,” Richards said. “I am deeply grateful not only for Costa’s clear-eyed leadership, but his years of friendship as well.”

Constantinides said he is honored to be appointed to the panel.

“The foundation of our future lies in how we educate our youth and build for the generations to come,” Constantinides said.

“As a student of New York City public schools myself and the son of a former head of the District 30 PTAs President Council in the 1980s, I share the Borough President’s strong commitment to a good education for every student. I am excited to get to work alongside so many other great leaders on this panel as part of the PEP.” Q

Con Ed update

continued from page 4

works — as Con Ed is doing in Jamaica, where a new substation is due in 2028 — has not yet been finalized. The earliest the company could seek approval for that investment would be in 2027.

“We’d like to put that as a priority,” Inserillo said.

Attendees took advantage of the opportunity to air their grievances to the utility.

One said her claim was denied because her outage fell 30 minutes short of the 12-hour threshold. Another resident said he paid repairmen to diagnose a problem that turned out to be the voltage reduction because no one at Con Edison would confirm his home was affected.

David said customers have 30 days to file claims for spoiled food and prescription medication, that most have been approved, and that a system error wrongly tying some denials to a snowstorm has been corrected. Residents may send their claim denials to the office of Councilmember Joann Ariola (R-Howard Beach) office so Con Ed can take another look.

Inserillo also expressed disappointment that no state legislator representing the district joined the meeting, though they were asked to attend.

“We want to make sure that they are holding the commission accountable, the utility companies accountable, and honestly, not allowing these increases to happen when we’re seeing what we feel is subpar service from the utility companies,” Inserillo said. Q

July 30, 2026

ARTS, CULTURE & LIVING

by Stephanie G. Meditz

William Shakespeare’s brightest comedy and darkest tragedy are both taking the stage in and beyond Queens this summer, against the backdrop of the setting sun.

Hip to Hip Theatre Co. is bringing free productions of “As You Like It” and “Macbeth” to various outdoor spaces through the end of August, marking its 20th anniversary season.

Jason Marr, the company’s artistic director, said it feels like the years snuck up on him — the work of casting and selecting plays is an “in the moment experience” that makes it easy to lose track, he said.

The two plays in Hip to Hip’s milestone season aim to capture its celebratory spirit.

“By pairing Shakespeare’s, I would say, his most joyous comedy with his darkest tragedy, we’re really giving our audiences a complete emotional journey with these two plays,” Marr told the Chronicle.

Free outdoor Shakespeare is back in Queens parks

“As You Like It” in particular has special meaning for him and his wife, Joy, Hip to Hip’s co-founder.

The pair has done the play five times, including for Hip to Hip’s first and 10th seasons, and passages from it were read at their wedding.

In it, the heroine Rosalind and other persecuted characters escape the cruel court of her uncle, Duke Frederick, and find solace, joy and love in the Forest of Arden.

Marr said they go there in search of healing and find it in a mythic place where they live off the land and become one with nature. It works well with Hip to Hip’s tradition of outdoor performances, he added.

“The forest becomes sort of this magical place where the characters can discover their true selves,” he said. “It has that sort of theme, that idea of escaping the confines of societal life to really be free of not just the responsibilities of day-to-day life, but to be free from expectations of how to behave and who you can love and all of that.”

“Macbeth” follows the titular general who, after learning he is prophesied to become king of Scotland, turns to violence to make it true and tumbles down a rabbit hole of death and destruction.

King Crossword Puzzle

I HAVE OFTEN WALKED

Neil Diamond knew his song sung blue in Briarwood

by Ron Marzlock

Chronicle Contributor

Akeeba “Kieve” Diamond married Rose Rapoport in New York in 1938. His family was originally from Poland under the name Damenstein and her roots were in the Ukraine. A son, Neil, was born Jan. 24, 1941 followed by another son Harvey, on Jan. 19, 1943. They were a poor family in Brooklyn just getting by. But at 16 Neil discovered that, without training, he could write songs.

The home of of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer-songwriter Neil Diamond during his first marriage was at 140-21 Burden Crescent in Briarwood, seen here as it looks today.

He married Jayelinda aka “Jaye” in 1963. They created their home at 140-21 Burden Crescent in Briawood, a six-story 65-unit apartment building built in 1953. They had two daughters.

Diamond wrote songs for The Monkees, Elvis and Jay and the Americans, to name just a few. Another marriage followed, with two sons. He bounced around on different record labels. It wasn’t until he relocated to Los Angeles that he found he could sing and perform in concerts. His career clicked big

Botanical Garden events

The Queens Botanical Garden has an eclectic calendar of activity in August.

Aug. 8 features Infinity Day, part of the Math In Bloom series, from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Later that evening, Movie Night will show the 1999 sci-fi thriller “The Matrix” on the front lawn. Activities begin at 6:30. The movie starts at 8 p.m. Both events are free with regular garden admission.

A Farm Workshop on the proper way to prune homegrown tomatoes takes place on Aug. 9 at 1:30 p.m. The cost is $4 for QBG members and $10 for nonmembers.

Movie Night returns on Aug. 15 with a

showing of the 2018 film “Crazy Rich Asians.” It is free with regular admission.

“Taiwan: A World of Orchids” returns for a 13th year beginning at 10 a.m. on Aug. 22 and 23 with a new display and rare species from the Taiwan Orchid Growers Association. Members are free. Other tickets range from $8 for adults to $2 for kids 4 to 12.

QBG tickets are $6 for adults; $4 for students and seniors 62 and up; and $2 for ages 4 to 12. The main QBG entrance is at 43-50 Main St. in Flushing.

Information and tickets are available at queensbotanical.org Q

Hot town, sweatin’ in the city! Time to enter the Queens Chronicle’s 18th annual Summer in the Borough Photo Contest. We look forward to your entries!

Go out and take your best shots of families gathering, children playing, workers working, lovely landscapes, birds on the bay — whatever says “summertime in Queens.” If you need some inspiration, take a look at this recent winner, from 2023, taken by Betsy Becker at the Queens Zoo. As to the rules, there are a few, so please go to tinyurl.com/yafmtxv3 to see them. Send your high-resolution digital photos to peterm@qchron.com, or mail prints to Queens Chronicle Photo Contest, 71-19 80 St., suite 8-201, Glendale, NY 11385. The winner gets a $50 gift card. The deadline is Wednesday, Sept. 23, the day after summer ends. Good luck! — Peter

time on the West Coast with his Brooklyn roots. He had huge hits such as “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “Song Sung Blue” and “America.” Diamond was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011. He got married a third time, to his manager Katie McNeil, in 2012. He has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists in history. Q

B SPORTS EAT

Carlos to Cooperstown

by Lloyd Carroll Chronicle Contributor

Carlos Beltran became the third player inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame to have a Mets cap on his plaque this past Sunday. The previous two were Tom Seaver and Mike Piazza.

Despite the paucity of players who chose to place a Mets insignia on their ultimate baseball honor, there was little fanfare in the runup to his induction in Cooperstown, NY. To paraphrase the Kew Gardens comedy legend Rodney Dangerfield, “Carlos Beltran gets no respect.”

Beltran had a 20-year career, beginning with the Kansas City Royals. His most fruitful period came from 2005 to 2011 in Flushing as the Mets centefielder. He was a multiple Gold Glove winner as well as one of the best hitters of his time.

It is mystifying as to why Mets fans have treated his honor in such a blase manner. Yes, he was part of the 2017 Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal, but that did not directly affect the Mets’ fortunes.

The scandal, which became known in late 2019, forced Beltran to resign his position as Mets manager before he even got a chance to fill out his first lineup card. He was replaced by Luis Rojas in January 2020. Strangely, that may have been a blessing for him because he avoided the 2020 Covid season in which the awful Mets’ record was 26-44.

Things were not much better the following year, when the team had just been sold by the Wilpon family to Steve Cohen. Rojas was fired after the 2021 season, with Cohen coldly saying, “I don’t want anyone learning the job on my dime.” Ironically, Beltran, who has yet to manage a team, is considered one of the favorites to helm the team in 2027.

The questions remain as to why his joining the Hall of Fame generated shrugs at best from the Flushing faithful.

One factor could be the horrendous performance of this year’s team, which has dampened enthusiasm for all things related to the Amazin’s. That may also affect Saturday’s turnout when the 1986 World Series champion team will be honored before the game with the Miami Marlins.

I believe the key reason for Mets fans’ tepid reaction to Beltran’s honor goes back 20 years. He struck out with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the 2006 National League Championship Series. St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright threw him a wicked curveball, which Beltran could only watch helplessly.

Too many unfairly hold him responsible for the Mets not advancing to the World Series that year. It is high time for those who hold that grudge to grow up.

See the extended version of

at

Half a century later, APEC continues to bloom

by Kristen Guglielmo editor

Fifty years ago, the Alley Pond Environmental Center’s entire operation fit inside a small room in the lower part of Alley Pond Park. Today, it’s a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-certified building, overlooking the wetlands of Alley Creek, and the nonprofit has been spending this year proving just how far it’s come.

APEC, at 229-10 Northern Blvd. in Douglaston, was started in 1976 by a group of Northern Queens community members and teachers, according to Katie Bryson, the center’s executive assistant and grant writer.

Those founders, she said, “really loved nature, and they just wanted to have a place where kids from all over the city can come and engage with nature up close and learn from experts in ecology and biology.”

Bryson has watched the center evolve over the past decade herself.

“It’s pretty crazy,” she said. “For 50 years we’ve been educating children and adults in the metropolitan area, protecting Alley Pond Park and other open spaces, and advocating for sustainability and environmentally friendly policies.”

The milestone year has brought plenty of high points.

The New York State Assembly recently

The Alley Pond Environmental Center is marking its 50th year with a plethora of events that promise educational fun for the whole family. Above, event attendees enjoy a nature walk.

honored APEC with a special proclamation at the center’s largest gala on record, citing “profound and lasting impact on the community,” Bryson said.

Volunteers, staff and children from the center’s early-childhood, elementary and middle-school programs also helped replant 5 million native wildflower seeds in the park, finishing the effort this summer.

The center is offering more fun events

year-round. A free Summer Sing-Along for young children runs Aug. 2, from 10 a.m. to noon, with kids decorating their own recycled music shakers. A Clothing & Toy Swap, also free, follows on Oct. 3, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is an opportunity to do good for the planet and those who inhabit it, while letting go of what you may no longer need at home.

“Whether you show up empty-handed or

you show up with a trunk filled with donations, you’re welcome to join,” Bryson said of the swap. “There’s enough for us all if we can just get together and show each other what we’ve got.”

The center’s biggest annual fundraiser outside the gala, its Folk & Fun Concert, is set for Nov. 15 at 3 p.m., featuring the female-led group Mountain Maidens performing folk, country and traditional Irish music. Tickets are $10.

Weekend programming continues throughout the summer, including a guided bird walk with area birder Wing Kong on Aug. 15, from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

“She’s a very passionate birder and educator,” Bryson said.

More information on APEC, including its event calendar, is available at alleypond.org.

Beyond ticketed programs, Bryson said the center welcomes visitors year-round at no cost.

“It’s always free to visit, and our door is open,” she said. APEC is open seven days a week, and its wheelchair- and stroller-friendly boardwalk trails stay open even when the building is closed.

Residents looking to support the center can attend programs, volunteer, sponsor the November concert or drop a donation in the jar by the front door, Bryson said. Q

Shakespearean redemption and regicide, in parks

continued from page 17

Marr said the play is rife with parallels to the present day, such as questions of what it means to be a good leader.

The two plays starkly contrast each other, but Marr said they have key themes in common, including power and identity. They both feature a rightful ruler who is overthrown by a close relative, he explained, but “As You Like It” evolves into a romantic, comic journey of redemption,

Crossword Answers

while “Macbeth” devolves into tragedy and bloodshed.

He added that they both also include iconic speeches — Jaques’ “all the world’s a stage” monologue in “As You Like It” and Macbeth’s “tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow” soliloquy — that touch on what it means to be human.

“The plays have such incredible depth of exploring human experience, and then having the comedy-tragedy perspective, I think, is very valuable,” Marr said.

The shows also feature strong women in Rosalind and Lady Macbeth, he said — Shakespeare gave those female characters power and agency in ways that his contemporaries did not in their own works.

Jason and Joy Marr are taking on the respective roles of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, under the direction of Broadway veteran Joel Leffert. The two play smaller roles in “As You Like It,” which they co-directed.

Hip to Hip’s 2026 season runs through Aug. 22. One may visit hiptohip.org for a full list of dates and locations.

Interactive workshops for children also are offered 30 minutes before each show.

Rain dates are built into the schedule, as

performances may be canceled for inclement weather — audiences can check Hip to Hip’s social media or call (718) 729-8567 for the latest info. The July 28 performance of “As You Like It” at Queens College has been postponed to Aug. 4.

“Yes, we hope to entertain everybody,

but at the end of the day, hope that they will also contemplate how these plays can help them live fuller lives, make better choices,” Marr said. “At the end of the day, I think theater serves that civic function, to bring people together and to have them sort of assess their decisions.” Q

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Notice of Qualification of 39 WICH LLC Appl. for Auth. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 07/06/26. Office location: Queens County. LLC formed in Delaware (DE) on 06/22/26. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall

Notice of Formation of 42-25 9th Street LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State (SSNY) on 7/1/26. Office location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: Cogency Global Inc., 122 E 42nd St, 18th Fl, NY, NY 10168. Purpose: any lawful activity.

64-45 CENTRAL AVE LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 06/15/2026. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 70-14 Eliot Avenue, Middle Village, NY 11379. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

Notice of Formation of DIRECTIONNY, LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 07/24/2026. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: ERNEST GASPARYAN, 35-35 75TH STREET, APT. 308, JACKSON HEIGHTS, NY 11372. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of FRONTIER SUMMIT LOGISTICS LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 06/22/2026. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: FEI DONG, 58-01 215TH STREET, BAYSIDE HILLS, NY 11364. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

GILSID, LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 05/21/26. Office: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 164-34 89th Street, Howard Beach, NY 11414. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.

NY Tour Planner LLC filed 7/13/26. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. for process & shall mail to: 2341 204th St., Bayside, NY 11360. Reg Agent of LLC: Yonsei Accounting, Inc., 213-33 39th Ave., #320, Bayside, NY 11361. Purp: any lawful.

Supplemental Summons and Notice of Object of Action SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK COUNTY OF QUEENS ACTION TO FORECLOSE A MORTGAGE INDEX #: 710960/2024 PHH

MORTGAGE CORPORATION Plaintiff, vs JOSHUA L. CLAY AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, STEPHON L. CLAY, SR. AKA STEPHON L. CLAY AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, RODNEY L. WILLIAMS AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, ROBIN A. WILLIAMS AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, ROBERT LEE WILLIAMS AKA ROBERT L. WILLIAMS, AKA ROBERT WILLIAMS, JR. AS HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF ELIZABETH WILLIAMS, UNKNOWN HEIRS OF ELIZABETH WILLIAMS IF LIVING, AND IF HE/SHE BE DEAD, ANY AND ALL PERSONS UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF, CLAIMING, OR WHO MAY CLAIM TO HAVE AN INTEREST IN, OR GENERAL OR SPECIFIC LIEN UPON THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THIS ACTION; SUCH UNKNOWN PERSONS BEING HEREIN GENERALLY DESCRIBED AND INTENDED TO BE INCLUDED IN WIFE, WIDOW, HUSBAND, WIDOWER, HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DESCENDANTS, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, COMMITTEES, LIENORS, AND ASSIGNEES OF SUCH DECEASED, ANY AND ALL PERSONS DERIVING INTEREST IN OR LIEN UPON, OR TITLE TO SAID REAL PROPERTY BY, THROUGH OR UNDER THEM, OR EITHER OF THEM, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE WIVES, WIDOWS, HUSBANDS, WIDOWERS, HEIRS AT LAW, NEXT OF KIN, DESCENDANTS, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, CREDITORS, TRUSTEES, COMMITTEES, LIENORS, AND ASSIGNS, ALL OF WHOM AND WHOSE NAMES, EXCEPT AS STATED, ARE UNKNOWN TO PLAINTIFF, PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON BEHALF OF THE IRS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ON BEHALF OF THE SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION AND FINANCE, CITY REGISTER OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, COUNTY OF QUEENS “JOHN DOE #1” through “JOHN DOE #12,” the last twelve names being fictitious and unknown to plaintiff, the persons or parties intended being the tenants, occupants, persons or corporations, if any, having or claiming an interest in or lien upon the Subject Property described in the Complaint, Defendant(s). MORTGAGED PREMISES: 11825 179th Street St. Albans, NY 11434 To the Above named Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Queens. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Unknown Heirs of Elizabeth Williams Defendant In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Denise Johnson of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Sixth day of March, 2025 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens, in the City of Jamaica. The object of this action is to foreclosure a mortgage upon the premises described below, executed by Elizabeth Williams (who died on May 20, 2023, a resident of the county of Queens, State of New York) dated the February 13, 2018, to secure the sum of $787,500.00 and recorded at Instrument No. CRFN 2018000069070 in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County on February 27, 2018. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed July 28, 2023 and recorded on August 2, 2023, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2023000194256. The property in question is described as follows: 11825 179th Street, St. Albans, NY 11434 NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this Foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: June 24, 2026 Gross Polowy LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221 The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 90656

NOTICE OF SALE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK (ISLIP)

Allison Lending, LLC.; Plaintiff v. NLL Properties Incorporated et al; Defendants Attorneys for Plaintiff: Hasbani & Light, P.C., 450 7th Ave, Suite 1901, NY, NY 10123; (212) 6436677 Pursuant to judgment of foreclosure and sale granted herein on 12/30/25, I will sell at Public Auction to the highest bidder in EDNYIslip, 100 Federal Plaza, Central Islip, NY 11722. On August 17, 2026 at 10:00 AM Premises known as 109-09 211th Street, Queens Village, NY 11429 and identified on the Queens County Tax Map as Block: 11 Lots: 7-9 All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, situate, lying and being in the County of Queens, City and State of New York. As more particularly described in the judgment of foreclosure and sale. Sold subject to all the terms and conditions contained in said judgment and terms of sale. Approximate amount of judgment: $297,011.18 plus interest and costs. Docket Number: 23-cv-9385 Janine T. Lynam, Esq., Referee

Notice of Formation of BASH NYC LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 06/27/2026. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: RIFAT AHMED, 148-05 87TH ROAD, JAMAICA, NY 11435. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of BLINN WV LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 06/08/2026. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: PHILIP LEE, 28-07 JACKSON AVE, FL 5, LONG ISLAND CITY, NY 11101. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Apts.For Rent

EQUAL HOUSING. Federal, New York State and local laws prohibit discrimination because of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, marital status, familial status or disability in connection with the sale or rental of residential real estate. Queens Chronicle does not knowingly accept advertising in violation of these laws. When you suspect housing discrimination call the Open Housing Center (the Fair Housing Agency for the five boroughs of New York) at 212941-6101, or the New York City Commission of Human Rights Hotline at 718-722-3131.

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Legal Notices

Notice of Formation of SHERPA BROKERAGE LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 04/25/2023. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: SHERPA BROKERAGE LLC, 7409 37TH AVENUE SUITE 306-A, JACKSON HEIGHTS, NY 11372. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of SULFUROUS LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 07/20/2026. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: JONATHAN WRIGHT, 139 GUERNSEY ST, APT 4R, BROOKLYN, NY 11222. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Legal Notices

Notice of Formation of THE ROCKAWAY SHOPS LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 07/06/2026. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE LLC, 157 Rockaway Beach Blvd., Rockaway Park, NY 11694 Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of TRIPLE C MGT LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 03/10/2026. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE LLC, 8938 43TH AVE., ELMHURST, NY 11373. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE

OF SALE

SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, BLUE CASTLE (CAYMAN) LTD, Plaintiff, vs. VANESSA HOLMESBENJAMIN, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on March 17, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, on the second floor in Courtroom 25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on August 7, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., premises known as 130-65 227th Street, Springfield Gardens, NY 11413. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 12905 and Lot 5. Approximate amount of judgment is $787,660.31 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #711867/2017. Sally Attia, Esq., Referee Vallely Mitola Ryan PLLC, 6851 Jericho Turnpike, Suite 165, Syosset, New York 11791, Attorneys for Plaintiff

Notice of Formation of CHINTEL COUNTRY LIVING LLC

Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 05/09/2026.

Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: THE LLC, 3512 190TH ST., FLUSHING, NY 11358. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

Notice of Formation of JUSTIN LIU VENTURES LLC

Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 06/30/2026.

Office location: Queens County.

SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: JUSTIN LIU, 48-10 202ND STREET, BAYSIDE, NY 11364. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

NOTICE OF SALE SUPREME COURT COUNTY OF QUEENS, BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A. AS TRUSTEE FOR MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT SERIES I TRUST, Plaintiff, vs. CHARLES WALDEN AS HEIR AND DISTRIBUTEE OF THE ESTATE OF ALBERTA NEWBOLD, ET AL., Defendant(s). Pursuant to a Resettled Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale duly entered on December 4, 2025, I, the undersigned Referee will sell at public auction at the Queens County Supreme Courthouse, on the second floor in Courtroom 25, 88-11 Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica, NY 11435 on August 7, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., premises known as 120-04 146th Street, Jamaica, NY 11436. All that certain plot, piece or parcel of land, with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, situate, lying and being in the Borough and County of Queens, City and State of New York, Block 12043 and Lot 14. Approximate amount of judgment is $414,322.92 plus interest and costs. Premises will be sold subject to provisions of filed Judgment Index #706825/2014.

Stephanie S. Goldstone, Esq., Referee Friedman Vartolo LLP, 85 Broad Street, Suite 501, New York, New York 10004, Attorneys for Plaintiff. Firm File No.: 260695-1

PRINCE RESTAURANT LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 06/16/2026. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 33-33 Prince Street, 4th FL, Flushing, NY 11354. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.

Supplemental Summons and Notice of Object of Action Supreme Court Of The State Of New York County Of Queens Action To Foreclose A Mortgage Index #: 721489/2025 Rocket Mortgage, LLC F/K/A Quicken Loans, LLC Plaintiff, vs Monique Lewis If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, Any And All Persons Unknown To Plaintiff, Claiming, Or Who May Claim To Have An Interest In, Or General Or Specific Lien Upon The Real Property Described In This Action; Such Unknown Persons Being Herein Generally Described And Intended To Be Included In Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Real Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Widows, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, Shally Shawn Lewis If Living, And If He/She Be Dead, Any And All Persons Unknown To Plaintiff, Claiming, Or Who May Claim To Have An Interest In, Or General Or Specific Lien Upon The Real Property Described In This Action; Such Unknown Persons Being Herein Generally Described And Intended To Be Included In Wife, Widow, Husband, Widower, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assignees Of Such Deceased, Any And All Persons Deriving Interest In Or Lien Upon, Or Title To Said Real Property By, Through Or Under Them, Or Either Of Them, And Their Respective Wives, Widows, Husbands, Widowers, Heirs At Law, Next Of Kin, Descendants, Executors, Administrators, Devisees, Legatees, Creditors, Trustees, Committees, Lienors, And Assigns, All Of Whom And Whose Names, Except As Stated, Are Unknown To Plaintiff, New York State Department Of Taxation And Finance, New York City Parking Violations Bureau, People Of The State Of New York, United States Of America On Behalf Of The IRS John Doe (Those unknown tenants, occupants, persons or corporations or their heirs, distributees, executors, administrators, trustees, guardians, assignees, creditors or successors claiming an interest in the mortgaged premises.) Defendant(s). Mortgaged Premises: 8458 Homelawn Street Jamaica, NY 11432

For

&

Notice of Formation of WINTERS ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT LLC Articles of Organization were filed with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 02/28/2026. Office location: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail a copy of process to: WINTERS ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT LLC, 244 FIFTH AVENUE, SUITE W273, NEW YORK, NY 10001. Purpose: For any lawful purpose.

To the Above named Defendant: You are hereby summoned to answer the Complaint in this action, and to serve a copy of your answer, or, if the Complaint is not served with this Supplemental Summons, to serve a notice of appearance, on the Plaintiff(s) attorney(s) within twenty days after the service of this Supplemental Summons, exclusive of the day of service (or within 30 days after the service is complete if this Supplemental Summons is not personally delivered to you within the State of New York). In case of your failure to appear or answer, judgment will be taken against you by default for the relief demanded in the Complaint. The Attorney for Plaintiff has an office for business in the County of Erie. Trial to be held in the County of Queens. The basis of the venue designated above is the location of the Mortgaged Premises. TO Monique Lewis, Shally Shawn Lewis Defendants In this Action. The foregoing Supplemental Summons is served upon you by publication, pursuant to an order of HON. Anna Culley of the Supreme Court Of The State Of New York, dated the Thirtieth day of June, 2026 and filed with the Complaint in the Office of the Clerk of the County of Queens, in the City of Jamaica. The object of this action is to foreclosure a mortgage upon the premises described below dated May 20, 2022, executed by Monique Lewis and Shally Shawn Lewis to secure the sum of $215,000.00. The Mortgage was recorded at CRFN 2022000224261 in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County on June 6, 2022. The mortgage was subsequently assigned by an assignment executed July 9, 2024 and recorded on July 12, 2024, in the City Register of the City of New York, Queens County at CRFN 2024000178870. The property in question is described as follows: 8458 Homelawn Street, Jamaica, NY 11432 HELP FOR HOMEOWNERS IN FORECLOSURE NEW YORK STATE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE SEND YOU THIS NOTICE ABOUT THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME. IF YOU FAIL TO RESPOND TO THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT IN THIS FORECLOSURE ACTION, YOU MAY LOSE YOUR HOME. PLEASE READ THE SUMMONS AND COMPLAINT CAREFULLY. YOU SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONTACT AN ATTORNEY OR YOUR LOCAL LEGAL AID OFFICE TO OBTAIN ADVICE ON HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF. SOURCES OF INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE The state encourages you to become informed about your options in foreclosure. In addition to seeking assistance from an attorney or legal aid office, there are government agencies and non-profit organizations that you may contact for information about possible options, including trying to work with your lender during this process. To locate an entity near you, you may call the toll-free helpline maintained by the New York State Department of Financial Services at 1-800-3423736 or the Foreclosure Relief Hotline 1-800-269-0990 or visit the department’s website at WWW.DFS.NY.GOV. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME AT THIS TIME. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO STAY IN YOUR HOME DURING THE FORECLOSURE PROCESS. YOU ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME UNLESS AND UNTIL YOUR PROPERTY IS SOLD AT AUCTION PURSUANT TO A JUDGMENT OF FORECLOSURE AND SALE. REGARDLESS OF WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO REMAIN IN YOUR HOME, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR PROPERTY AND PAY PROPERTY TAXES IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE AND LOCAL LAW. FORECLOSURE RESCUE SCAMS Be careful of people who approach you with offers to “save” your home. There are individuals who watch for notices of foreclosure actions in order to unfairly profit from a homeowner’s distress. You should be extremely careful about any such promises and any suggestions that you pay them a fee or sign over your deed. State law requires anyone offering such services for profit to enter into a contract which fully describes the services they will perform and fees they will charge, and which prohibits them from taking any money from you until they have completed all such promised services. § 1303 NOTICE NOTICE YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME If you do not respond to this summons and complaint by serving a copy of the answer on the attorney for the mortgage company who filed this Foreclosure proceeding against you and filing the answer with the court, a default judgment may be entered and you can lose your home. Speak to an attorney or go to the court where your case is pending for further information on how to answer the summons and protect your property. Sending a payment to your mortgage company will not stop this foreclosure action. YOU MUST RESPOND BY SERVING A COPY OF THE ANSWER ON THE ATTORNEY FOR THE PLAINTIFF (MORTGAGE COMPANY) AND FILING THE ANSWER WITH THE COURT. DATED: July 2, 2026 Gross Polowy LLC Attorney(s) For Plaintiff(s) 1775 Wehrle Drive, Suite 100 Williamsville, NY 14221 The law firm of Gross Polowy LLC and the attorneys whom it employs are debt collectors who are attempting to collect a debt. Any information obtained by them will be used for that purpose. 90794