The city will begin issuing bus lane violations along Merrick Boulevard beginning Monday, Nov. 22.
TIMESLEDGER | Q 2 NS.COM | NOV. 26 - DEC. 2, 2021
Stop & Shop donates
$15K in gift cards to
help Ozone Park school
open a food pantry
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
Supermarket chain Stop
& Shop has donated $15,000
in gift cards to P.S. 45Q Clarence
E. Witherspoon School in
Ozone Park so that the school
can open an in-school food pantry
to meet the needs of 330 3-K
to fifth-grade students.
Devin McBarnette, coordinator
of students in temporary
housing, which is defined as
students experiencing housing
instability at any point,
for any length of time, during
the school year, said the school
community is “most appreciative
of Stop & Shop’s generosity
and support.”
“The CWS Community
Food Pantry will allow us to
provide nutritious and balanced
meals to our underserved
population, while
opening a pathway to increase
parents and family engagement,”
McBarnette said.
P.S. 45Q, located at 126-
28 150th St. in South Ozone
Park, is a Title 1 school, which
means it has a high percentage
of children from low-income
households.
According to McBarnette,
more than 50 students live in
area shelters or are in households
that are doubled up,
which means they and their
family live in the homes of extended
families or friends.
The Stop & Shop School
Food Pantry Program was established
in 2019 to help limit
barriers impacting students’
ability to succeed in the classroom
by making sure that they
have consistent access to food.
Stop & Shop supports local
schools’ existing food pantries
or helps schools establish new
pantries by providing gift card
donations to help stock their
shelves.
“This in-school pantry will
ensure that families at P.S.45Q
will have access to nutritious
meals and necessary protein
options,” said Stefani Shuman,
Stop & Shop communications
manager. “Students cannot
learn when they are hungry,
and we are proud to support
Mr. McBarnette and the school
to ensure students are fueled
for success.”
Beneficiaries of the food
pantry will be able to pick up
groceries every two weeks.
The pantry will provide proteins,
such as chicken and
ground beef with side dishes
including spaghetti, macaroni,
rice, string beans and other
vegetables. The school’s goal is
to serve 100 families a month.
Stop & Shop currently supports
more than 50 school food
pantries across its five-state
footprint.
In Queens, there is an inschool
food pantry at P.S. 105
The Bay School in Far Rockaway.
The Business Technology
Early College High School
(BTECH) in Queens Village
will be opening its food pantry
this fall.
BY BILL PARRY
The city activated its bus
lane cameras along the Merrick
Boulevard bus lane and
begin issuing violations on
Monday, Nov. 22.
After conducting a review
of the 24/7 Merrick Boulevard
bus lane hours, the Department
of Transportation in
September adjusted its regulations
to weekdays from 6 a.m.
to 7 p.m. based on feedback
from the project’s Community
Advisory Board, southeast
Queens elected officials and
local residents.
The DOT informed the
elected officials and other
stakeholders that the bus lane
cameras will be active from 6
a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through
Friday.
The Merrick Boulevard
corridor, between Hillside
Avenue and Springfield Boulevard,
now has signage indicating
that the bus lanes are camera
enforced. To ensure that
drivers were informed about
the program, DOT began issuing
warnings to motorists
for a period of 60 days before
beginning to issue violations,
per State law.
Since violations are issued
against the vehicle, not the
driver, points are not deducted
from motorists’ licenses, according
to the DOT.
A single violation will cost
$50. Under a state law passed
in 2019, fines increase for bus
lane violations incurred in a
single year to as much as $250
for a fifth offense.
“Our message is clear, if
Photo courtesy of NYC DOT
you block a bus lane, not only
are you slowing down the
commutes of 94,000 bus riders,
but you’ll be getting fined
as well,” DOT Commissioner
Hank Gutman said. “Be a
good neighbor and stay out of
the bus lanes.”
With the activation of the
bus lane cameras, Merrick
Boulevard, with its Q4, Q5,
Q84, N4 and N4X bus routes,
becomes the 30th bus lane corridor
in the city with automated
enforcement, keeping them
clear for buses and reducing
commute times for hundreds
of thousands of daily bus riders,
according to the DOT.
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718)
260–4538.
The in-school pantry at P.S. 45Q in Ozone Park will provide
balanced nutritious meals to students and their families.
Photo courtesy of Stop & Shop
DOT bus lane cameras to
begin issuing violations
along Merrick Boulevard
TIMESLEDGER is published weekly by Queens CNG LLC, 38-15 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY.11361, (718) 229-0300. The entire contents of this publication are copyright 2021. All rights reserved. The newspaper will not be
liable for errors appearing in any advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Periodicals postage paid at Flushing, N.Y. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the TimesLedger C/O News Queens
CNG LLC. 38-15 Bell Boulevard, Bayside, N.Y. 11361.
link
link
link
/NS.COM
