FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com MARCH 28, 2013 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3 ART SPACE Museum gets a makeover Photos Courtesy of Grimshaw and the Queens Museum of Art The Queens Museum of Art will be called the Queens Museum following its expansion. NATIONAL GUARDSMAN GUILTY IN MURDER OF GIRLFRIEND BY MAGGIE HAYES [email protected] He went from hero to felon. A National Guardsman and Iraq war veteran has been convicted of second-degree murder for punching, drowning and ultimately killing his girlfriend on the beaches of Far Rockaway. David Lynch, 33, served two tours in Iraq and was a reservist in the New York National Guard at the time of the November 2010 killing. He was convicted on Thursday, March 21. “The defendant was trained to defend the weak and protect the innocent,” said District Attorney Richard A. Brown. “In this case, he went against everything he was taught.” According to trial testimony, Lynch brutally beat and drowned Althea Lewis, 45, of Springfi eld Gardens. In the early morning, Lynch and Lewis were on the beach having an argument. Lynch punched and bit Lewis on her head and face, threw her in the water and dragged her out by her feet, causing her head to be submerged. Police discovered her clothed body on the beach with four puncture wounds on her face, later revealed to be from Lynch’s Army ring. The cuts were so deep that cops initially thought Lewis was shot. Ultimately, she died as a result of blunt force injury to her head and submersion in water. “Lynch’s actions have irreparably shattered a family by robbing them of a loved one,” said Brown. “Conviction warrants imposition of a maximum prison sentence to punish him and protect society.” The Supreme Court set sentencing for Monday, April 29. Lynch faces up to 25 years to life in prison. BY MAGGIE HAYES [email protected] The Queens Museum of Art (QMA) is getting a major makeover. This fall, the international art space will double in size and shorten its name. “This is a time of tremendous change for the Queens Museum,” said executive director Tom Finkelpearl. Come October, the institution will total 105,000-square-feet. It will have new galleries, artist studios, fl exible public and special event spaces, classrooms, a new café, back-of-house facilities and improved visitor amenities. Instead of QMA, it will be known simply as the Queens Museum. Additionally, the west façade facing Grand Central Parkway has been completely redesigned with a new entrance and drop-off plaza, as well as a tremendous glass wall easily visible from the roadway. This entrance also features a multicolored lighting system and will present commissioned art projects. The $68 million project also includes another new entrance and expanded outdoor space on the side of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, which will include a skylight atrium. “All of this will allow people to still be in the museum, while outside in the park,” said David Strauss, director of external affairs. Finkelpearl noted that despite the signifi cant changes coming to the museum, what will remain constant is their dedication to “openness and engagement.” “We designed a dynamic space that refl ects our overall philosophy and allows us to broaden our current slate of public programs, introduce innovative initiatives, and create wonderful opportunities for new participants and longtime visitors to enjoy our unique brand of museum experience,” he said. At a legislative breakfast on Friday, March 22, members of the museum hosted dozens of elected offi cials and community leaders from around the borough, hoping to galvanize their participation and support for the new project. The expansion thus far is supported by Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s offi ce, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Borough President Helen Marshall’s offi ce, the state, City Council and donations from private individuals and corporations. “It’s up to the business community to step up and help support these institutions,” said Strauss. “We want them to understand that a true public private partnership makes progress like ours possible and successful.” Congressmember Joseph Crowley recalled growing up in the borough, always enjoying the surrounding park and all that it has to offer. “This museum is a jewel of many jewels here,” he said. City Councilmember Julissa Ferreras, longtime supporter of the museum, acknowledged the institution’s attempts to think outside the box, bringing new and innovative programs with its expansion. “You can’t have community without culture,” she said, getting teary-eyed. “We’ve been able to strike up new walls, and put in embracing walls for all of Queens.” Following the completion of Phase 1, work for Phase 2 will begin, projected to be done within 12 to 18 months. “The Metropolitan Museum of Art better watch out,” said Marshall. MARATHON MAN Bayside marathoner runs for a cause BY MELISSA CHAN [email protected] With every stride, for nearly 30 miles, William Lee will be thinking of all he lost to cancer. The Bayside runner will be running the 117th Boston Marathon in April in memory of his two uncles and several cousins who succumbed to the disease. “They will defi nitely be on my mind,” Lee said. “I’m not sure how I’ll be emotionally during the marathon.” The 26.2 mile trek will be his 28th and last marathon after surgery to remove a benign spinal tumor changed his life fi ve years ago. “I became a different runner after that,” said Lee, 44, an insurance company analyst. “There’s some nerve damage. My legs don’t work as well as they used to.” But Lee said he plans to tough it out on April 15 to conquer cancer as a member of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team. He will be side by side with 550 other Dana-Farber teammates as they run from Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to Boston. Their goal is to raise $4.6 million for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which supports early stage research. Lee has already collected $4,730 in sponsorship with hopes of gathering thousands more before he reaches the starting line. “I was looking for a cause I really believed in. I feel good that the money is going directly to a research center,” Lee said. “I’m excited about it.” This is the fi rst time Lee, who has been running for 20 years, will race Boston’s historic marathon route. To donate to Lee’s c a u s e , visit www. RunDFMC. org and search his name. cor- William Lee of Bayside will run his 28th and fi nal marathon for cancer research. THE COURIER/Photo by Melissa Chan
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