8 THE QUEENS COURIER • MARCH 23, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM THEIR ACE IN THE HOLE Rowdy LIC strip club loses liquor license, but then gets it back Photo via Twitter/SenGianaris Senator Michael Gianaris held a press conference to ask the state to revoke the liquor license of Aces strip club in LIC. Anti-gay slurs left on Astoria pols’ offi ces BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@qns.com @AngelaMatua Th e Astoria building that houses state Senator Michael Gianaris‘ and Assemblywoman Arevella Simotas‘ offi ces were vandalized with graffi ti that read “Obama f—-t” in blue this morning. Located at 31-19 Newtown Ave., the graffi ti was found in two places on the building’s facade on Monday morning. Th is isn’t the fi rst time the senator saw those words written on his headquarters. According to his spokesperson, the same phrase was written there last week, when Councilman Costa Constantinides fi led a report with the NYPD. Both Gianaris and Simotas have been vocal about their opposition to President Trump’s proposed policies. Th ey, along with Constantinides, whose offi ce is located next door, held a rally to celebrate Astoria’s diversity shortly aft er Trump was elected. Graffi ti 2 Gianaris proposed legislation that would prohibit the Port Authority, which administers New York’s airports, from utilizing any of its resources to enforce the president’s initial travel ban. He also introduced legislation that would add immigration status to the list of protected classes in the state’s Human Rights and Civil Right Laws. “It is shameful that someone is trying to divide our diverse neighborhood through hostility and bigotry,” he said of the graffi ti. “We can assure our community that these hateful actions will not silence our opposition towards policies we consider un-American, and we will continue to fi ght for those who need our help no matter the cost.” Simotas recently introduced a bill to protect undocumented victims of crimes and cited President Trump’s recent executive orders on travel and Homeland Security directives as the reason for craft - ing the bill. “Writing hateful graffi ti is a cowardly, criminal act that pollutes our neighborhood and makes people feel less safe,” Simotas said. “I am confi dent that the 114th Precinct will catch the perpetrator or perpetrators, whatever their sick motivation may be. Th ese acts of hate will neither silence nor stop Astoria’s elected offi cials from working to fi ght discrimination and intolerance and to protect the beautiful diversity of our neighborhood.” Linda Sachs, a spokesperson for Simotas, said a city graffi ti truck came to clean up the graffi ti at 12:15 p.m. Monday. Gianaris said this incident would not silence his resistance to the Trump agenda and that “this heinous act will only increase the vigor with which I stand up for those being attacked.” BY ANGELA MATUA amatua@qns.com @AngelaMatua Aces, a strip club in Long Island City that has repeatedly caused quality-of-life issues for surrounding residents, had its cabaret license revoked and later reinstated by a judge, pending an upcoming hearing. Located at 32-10 37th Ave., the club has received multiple fi nes and was the scene of a gang-related shooting last year. Th e club was temporarily shut down in May 2016 aft er receiving dozens of summonses and not complying with its cabaret or liquor license. Th e State Liquor Authority revoked the club’s liquor license last week aft er state Senator Michael Gianaris wrote a letter to the agency, detailing the issues the community faced. According to Gianaris, residents called 911 to complain about the club 252 times in 2016. Th e club’s owners visited a state court on March 9, the same day SLA moved to revoke their license, and were granted a stay to keep it. A hearing is scheduled for April 5 and the SLA will argue that the club’s liquor license should be revoked. On March 16, Gianaris, SLA representatives, the 114th Precinct, Community Board 1 and other community groups gathered in front of the establishment to call for Judge Manuel Hernandez to affi rm SLA’s decision. “Aces is notorious for its ongoing troubling activity and should be closed down,” Gianaris said. “Th e community and State Liquor Authority are in agreement that Aces’ history of criminal incidents justify revoking the license of this bad actor. I encourage the Court to do the right thing and affi rm the SLA’s decision.” Th e club failed to comply with its cabaret license in 2016, did not display its license in a visible place and employed unlicensed security guards among other violations. According to the Daily News, Aces was fi ned $11,500 by the SLA for failing to keep up with fi re and building codes and for selling alcohol past 4 a.m. In September of 2014, the club was fi ned $24,000 for again failing to keep up with codes and selling alcohol past 4 a.m. Nearby residents have complained about constantly seeing vomit, urine and condoms in the area and have argued that the constant police presence at the club keeps them up at night. As of 2015, the club was called Systems and owned by Dimitri Beylis, according to city records. Gianaris said he prefers that the building “no longer be used to support establishments detrimental to the neighborhood’s quality of life.” 4/5/17 4/5/17 4/5/17 4/5/17 SPRING INTO SAVINGS! Encore Premium VARILUX PROGRESSIVE LENSES $169 (No-Line Bifocals) w/metal frame.Select frames with clear plastic no-line lenses +/- 4 sph, 2 cyl. Not valid with any other offers, sales, vision plan packages. Must present prior to purchase. 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