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QC03072014

20 The Queens Courier • march 6, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com Some pols protesting St. Pat’s Parade BY MAGGIE HAYES mhayes@queenscourier.com @magghayes City officials are divided on the decision to march in this year’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. In early February, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced he would break tradition and boycott the annual Irish celebration in the city after parade officials prohibited marchers from carrying gaypride banners. Councilmember Eric Ulrich recently reacted by saying the mayor’s decision was “truly unfortunate and disappointing.” Parade planners have said gays are not banned from joining the procession on March 17, just from declaring any sexual orientation. Following de Blasio’s announcement, City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito hopped on the boycott bandwagon and pledged to not march, but said individual councilmembers can make their own decision. Ulrich plans on marching “rain or shine.” “The parade is a time to honor the Patron Saint of Ireland and the many contributions Irish Americans have made to our city, not anything else,” he said. “While I respect the mayor’s decision to not participate, I plan on marching rain or shine.” Police Commissioner Bill Bratton, who has said he supports gay rights, said he, too, will join the march through the city, which is reportedly expected to bring in about 1 million people. Former City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, a gay Irish-Catholic, did not participate in the parade during her time in office. This year, City Comptroller Scott Stringer and Majority Leader Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer are among those who are also opting out. Photo courtesy Ed Reed for the Office of Mayor Bill de Blasio BIG NAMES MARCH IN ST. PAT’S FOR ALL BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO aaltamirano@queenscourier.com @aaltamirano28 Sunnyside and Woodside got all dressed up in green this past weekend for the annual St. Pat’s for All Parade. The parade, which ran down Skillman Avenue, featured the young and old, and even some four-legged friends celebrating an early St. Patrick’s Day. After deciding to boycott the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade because of its ban on LGBTpride organizations marching with banners and signs, Mayor Bill de Blasio visited Queens on Sunday, March 2, to march in the parade. De Blasio was joined by other elected officials, including City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, Public Advocate Letitia James, City Councilmembers Jimmy Van Bramer and Daniel Dromm, Senators Michael Gianaris and Grace Meng, among others. The Grand Marshals of the parade were Terry McGovern and Tom Duane. St. Pat’s for All is known to be the city’s most diverse St. Patrick’s parade, embracing LGBT groups, community organizations, school bands, THE COURIER/Photo by Angy Altamirano Irish organizations and religious and civic groups. An annual post-parade party followed at Saints & Sinners Irish Bar and Grill. THE COURIER/Photos by Melissa Chan Willets Point business owners talked about their struggles after being displaced from the redevelopment site. Displaced Willets workers’ woes BY MELISSA CHAN mchan@queenscourier.com/@MelissaCourier Debt and woes are mounting for some Willets Point business owners left jobless after being displaced. “The city left me with nothing,” said Martha Gualotuna, who vacated her auto paint shop at the end of January. The Corona mother of three is one of dozens now scrambling to survive after closing up shop to make way for a $3 billion redevelopment that will transform Willets Point into residential, retail and commercial space. A group led by Arturo Olaya, president of the Willets Point Defense Committee of Small Businesses and Workers, shared their tales of struggle at a press conference last week in Bayside with State Senator Tony Avella. “Some of the members of my committee don’t have money to bring food to the table, to support their families right now,” Olaya said. “And the city is still not listening.” Shop owners located in the project’s first phase site were offered a pooled $3.5 million to leave the Iron Triangle by the end of January. The city said the owners would get a payout equal to one year’s rent, if they relocated by last November 30, and six months’ rent, if they left between December and the end of January. Avella and business owners said the money has been insufficient and the entire process has been unfair. “To make matters worse, the city marshal started showing up and padlocking some of these businesses,” Avella said. “This is not the American way.”


QC03072014
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