26 The QUeeNS CoUrier • jaNuarY 10, 2013 for brEakiNg NEwS viSiT www.queenscourier.com editorial NOT OFF TO A IDENTIFY THIS PLACE GOOD START Over the weekend, Queens saw a spate of violence. One man was shot multiple times and killed early Sunday, January 6 outside of the Flavor Lounge on Hillside Avenue. Police said they found Kwasi Olatunji, 36, outside of the establish- ment around 3:30 a.m. with several gunshot wounds to the torso. EMS took Olatunji to Jamaica Hospital where he was pronounced dead. A second victim, 27, was taken to the hospital for a stab wound to the leg. He is in stable condition. In an unrelated incident on the same day, another man was killed and yet another wounded after a shooting at a Briarwood restaurant. Police responded to a 9-1-1 call to El Nuevo restaurant on Jamaica Avenue, where they found one victim with a gunshot wound to the stomach and a second victim, identified as Jony Gonzales, 27, shot in the chest. The first victim, 38, was transferred to Jamaica Hospital where he is being treated. Gonzales was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. So, here we are, not even 10 days into 2013 and two dead in Queens. To find out the answer to last week’s “identify this place” Doesn’t seem like an auspicious start to the new year. please visit www.QueensCourier.com . . GET GUNS OFF THE STREETS. lettersAnd though we may sound like a broken record, we must reiterate .Seriously, how many more lives must be lost before our politicians VOTE YES were elected to do: to work for the benefit of public office - do not use your current electedrunning for Borough President or otherdaily.Ifand from work like millions of New YorkersdoAs the new Congress is sworn in, let us hopeHoping new Congress will actMetroCard and use public transportation toathat these representatives will do what theydo something? Congress might have overwhelmingly passed $9.7 billion in Sandy the American people and not become so polar- position as a stepping stone to run. Resign your aid this past week, but it is only the beginning. ized that they cannot do their job correctly. Council seat today to avoid any conflicts of The money will go towards flood insurance claims for Sandy- The last Congress was an absolute disgrace interest. This will free you to run for anoth- damaged homes and businesses, and a vote on the remaining $51 bil- and abomination. It was just like a three-ring er office full time on your own time and dime. lion in storm aid will take place January 15. circus filled with clowns, and House Speaker List any campaign contributions from recip- We can’t wait until that day, and urge every politician to vote yes John Boehner was the ringmaster. Every time ients who receive annual member item fund- so that the tri-state area may continue on the long road to recovery. a piece of legislation was brought before ing. Do not accept any “Pay for Play” or other All one has to do is walk the streets of the Rockaways to see where it, nothing was done! special interest campaign contributions from the $60 billion in aid will go. Each dollar will go towards rebuilding All that seemed to happen was that there those doing business with NYC to avoid the homes, restoring dreams and making lives whole again. As Governors was so much political grandstanding and appearance of any conflicts of interest. Andrew Cuomo and Chris Chrsitie said, “We are trusting Congress to act infighting that there was absolute lack of Do not have taxpayer office funded staff accordingly on January 15 and pass the final $51 billion instrumental for long- genuine concern for the American people. drive you around or ghost write any letters to term rebuilding in order for New Jersey, New York and our people to recover Nowwe need a Congress that will get down the editor or guest op-ed articles under your after the severe devastation of Sandy.” to serious business-starting with an immediate name. Write your own material. approval of the entire $60 billion that is need- Ordinary New Yorkers can only dream of ed to help the tristate area recover and rebuild such plums. We are hard-working, especially THE QUEENS following the devastating sweep of Sandy. municipal employees. They never see such The American people want a Congress that financial rewards, work hours or other will work for them-not against them. perks of office that are readily available to John Amato Councilmembers. Fresh Meadows Larry Penner Publisher & editor Victoria SchnepS-YuniS Co-Publisher JoShua a. SchnepS editor-in-Chief tonia n. cimino A constituent’s wish list On gun control VP, eVents, Web & soCial Media amY amato-Sanchez art direCtor nirmal Singh Constituents have their own wish list for This is in response to Mr Riecks’ letter in CoPy editor WaYne robinS New York City Councilmembers “The Queens the 1/3/2013 issue decrying our calls for long assistant art direCtor Stephen reina overdue regulation of the massive amounts of asked the City Council what they wishCouriererillizraziellagublisher Ptossistanta artists ron torina, Jennifer Decio, cherYl gallagher for their constituents in 2013” (January 3). unregulated guns and bullets in this country, staff rePorters meliSSa chan, alexa altman, terence cullen The average salary for a New Yorker is holding the NRA blameless. Contributing rePorters cliff KaSDen, Samantha Sohmer, elizabeth aloni ary is $112,500 plus bonuses, for what is offi- that places with more guns have more violentScientific studies have consistently found-$41,000 per year. A Councilmember’s base salSeYahaggiem,umolaumolatttabelletabelleSSririccditoreebW editorial Cartoonist bill KreSSe cially designated as a part-time job. Virtually deaths, both homicides and suicides. Women direCtor, business deVeloPM ent Jan Digeronimo every member receives an additional lulu and children are more likely to die if there’s a senior aCCount exeCutiVe louiSe caValiere ranging from $4,000 to $28,000 for chairing gun in the house. The more guns in an area,laminateSelecanager MlassifiedC Controller maria Valencia Council committees. In exchange, all should the higher the local suicide rates. President & Ceo Victoria SchnepS-YuniS show up for work full time. Those holding “Generally, if you live in a civilized society, more ViCe President JoShua a. SchnepS down a second outside job should either give guns mean more death,” said David Hemenway, Schneps Communications, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361 up their bonus or outside work. Donate one director of the Harvard Injury Control Research 718-224-5863 • Fax 718-224-5441 day’s salary to your favorite private charity for Center. “There is no evidence that having more www.queenscourier.comwebsite: e-mail:[email protected] each day you fail to show up for work. guns reduces crime. None at all.” [email protected] Include in your district mailings personal atten- After a gruesome mass murder in 1996 pro- [email protected] dance records for all full Council and Council voked public outrage, Australia enacted stricter Entire Contents Copyright 2013 by The Queens Courier committee meetings, legislation you have spon- gun laws, including a 28-day waiting period before address and home and office telephone numbers, where available, as well as affiliation, indicating special interest. purchase and a ban on semiautomatic weapons.sored and voting record on all Council bills.Writers should include a fullshould be brief and are subject to condensing.COURIERQUEENSAll letters sent to THE Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. Stop passing frivolous legislation Before then, Australia had averaged one mass LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, AS WELL AS OP-ED PIECES IN NO WAY REFLECT THE PAPER’S POSITION. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without prior permission of THE QUEENS COURIER. The publishers that infringes on constituents’ civil and eco- shooting a year. Since enactment of the new law, will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must nomic liberties, along with naming streets rates of both homicide and suicide have dropped prior to publication. Schneps Communications assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser after dead people. 50 percent, and there have been no mass killings.within five days of publication. Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paidCOURIERQUEENS be reported to THE assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold THE QUEENS COURIER and its Leave your private car at home instead Robert Keilbach employees harmless from all cost, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to any such advertisement. of using free parking at City Hall. Buy Flushing
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