16 THE QUEENS COURIER • JANUARY 9, 2014 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com Hercules was test for de Blasio BY MAGGIE HAYES mhayes@queenscourier.com The year’s fi rst snow storm, Hercules, dumped up to 11 inches on some parts of the borough, and city offi cials and residents alike dealt with its aftermath. “This has been and remains a dangerous storm,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio at a press conference on Friday, January 3, updating the city on the winter weather. Nearly 2,500 snow plows worked through the 6,200 miles of city roadways. New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) workers were assigned 12-hour shifts, and DSNY Commissioner John Doherty said the agency was “able to keep the city moving no matter the situation.” De Blasio continued to urge New Yorkers to stay indoors and be aware of how “deceptively cold” the weather remained through the weekend and also to help anyone vulnerable to the dangerous conditions. “The snow may have stopped, but we are not out of the woods,” he said that Friday night. Travelers at John F. Kennedy International (JFK) Airport and LaGuardia Airport felt Hercules’ wrath through the weekend, as fl ights were canceled and delayed and long lines kept people waiting for hours. “This is just crazy,” said Jeff P., a Woodside resident traveling via LaGuardia to Portland, Oregon that Friday. “I just hope I make my fl ight. I got here four hours in advance.” JFK Airport closed the night before the storm, Thursday, January 2 and reopened late the following morning. A spokesperson from the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey said runways were continually being cleared, but the wind was working against them, pushing the wintery mix back to where it started. However, early the morning of Sunday, January 5, JFK briefl y shut down again for two hours, after a plane skidded off an icy runway into snow. There were no reported injuries, and the airport reopened at about 10:30 a.m. Garbage and recycling pick-up, along with alternate side parking regulations, were suspended while the city continued to clear the snow. Public school students got a snow day after newly-appointed Schools Chancellor Carmen Farina made the call to close schools at about 4 a.m. Friday. After-school programs and PSAL games were suspended, as well. THE COURIER/Photo by Angy Altamirano Snowstorm Hercules dropped more than half a foot of snow on Queens. SNOW MUCH FUN! BY LIAM LA GUERRE lguerre@queenscourier.com The fi rst snowstorm of the new year was every child’s dream, giving youngsters an extra vacation day from school and a snowy wonderland in which to play. The Parks Department hosted free activities at Juniper Valley Park in Middle Village on Saturday, January 4, courtesy of Winter Storm Hercules. The recreation division of the city agency provided free sleds, hot chocolate, snowshoeing and music for children to enjoy the snow in the park. “It’s vital to the community to have open spaces where they can come out, play sports, relax, make friends and socialize,” said Liam Kavanagh, fi rst deputy commissioner of the Parks Department. “We want them to do it year-round. Snow days encourage people to come out, climb those hills, slide down, and come out in the winter time when they might not otherwise be in the park.” It’s an annual event that the recreation division tries to sponsor on the fi rst sighting of large snow storms. The Parks Department holds the free activities at just fi ve parks around the city, one in each borough. They chose Juniper because the hilly environment provides great bunny slopes for children, and there are also few impediments. While the snowfall shut down streets and made for hellish commutes for some, the snow provided excellent winter fun for others. “It’s absolutely wonderful, it makes the whole day wonderful for the kids,” said Jennifer Suffel, a Middle Village resident. “I think it’s a great part of our community and I would hate to see it stop. It’s good, clean fun the kids should be having.” THE COURIER/Photos by Mike DiBartolomeo FROSTY FUN - IN PHOTOS! Hercules dumped more than half a foot a snow on the borough, providing both headaches and fun for Queens residents. The storm shut down city schools, cancelled fl ights and brought freezing temperatures. It was also one of the fi rst tests for Mayor Bill de Blasio, who showed off his snow shoveling skills to the media Friday morning by clearing the sidewalk in front of his Park Slope home. His son Dante came out to help a short time later. For a photgraphic look at the storm’s aftermath, from the snowcovered roads to the digging out to the sledding down hills, visit www. queenscourier.com/galleries. The Parks Department hosted free snow activities in Juniper Valley Park.
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