4 The QUEE NS Courier • APRIL 7, 2016 for breaking news visit www.qns.com Photo courtesy of Twitter/110th Precinct Officers across four precincts in Queens conducted an illegal motorcycle enforcement operation on April 2. Motorcycle crackdown nets cops 83 summonses By Angela Matua amatua@qns.com/@AngelaMatua Officers from several Queens precincts handed out 83 summonses and confiscated six motorcycles for violations ranging from unlicensed operators to drivers going the wrong way down a one-way street. Motorcyclists are required to register their bikes with the city every year and registration expires this month, which is why the NYPD conducts the operation at this time. Led by the commanding officer of the 110th Precinct, Deputy Inspector Christopher Manson, the 110th Precinct, 115th Precinct, 109th Precinct and 111th Precinct conducted an illegal motorcycle enforcement operation on April 2. AAn NYPD official said the 110th Precinct, which covers Corona and Elmhurst, handed out 24 summonses and confiscated one motorcycle during the operation. The summonses were for moving violations such as unregistered motorcycles and unlicensed operators and traffic violations such as disobeying traffic control devices or driving the wrong way down a one-way street. If no one claims the confiscated motorcycles within 30 days they will be taken to the pound, the official said. The owner must prove ownership by showing his or her licence and that the vehicle is insured to get the motorcycle back. He or she must also pay a $40 fee. Motorcyclists who receive a summons for disobeying traffic control devices must pay a $50 fee and those who have equipment violations such as no working headlights will be charged $40, he said. The 115th Precinct patrols East Elmhurst, North Corona and Jackson Heights. The 109th Precinct patrols Flushing, College Point and Whitestone and the 111th Precinct covers Bayside, Douglaston and Fresh Meadows. This was only the first operation of the season and the NYPD will conduct more operations of this nature, he said. “This operation combats the illegal packs that kind of threaten and terrorize on the road,” Chaffer said. At a NYPD press conference yesterday, NYPD Housing Chief Carlos Gomez said officials will also place a great emphasis on confiscating illegal ATVs and dirt bikes to quell the “packs” of riders who cause a threat to others on the road. “They endanger motorists, they endanger bicyclists, they endanger pedestrians and they endanger themselves,” Gomez said. Cops will post pictures of the confiscated vehicles on social media and will use the hashtags #useitandloseit and #visionzero to publicize their work and to deter others from riding these vehicles, which are illegal in New York City. NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton encouraged the public to report “these knuckleheads” by calling 311 or 911. He also said he will invite people to watch as the NYPD crushes any illegal vehicles they confiscate later this year. FLUSHING SUPERMARKET MAKES ITS INVENTORY MORE DIVERSE By Erica Siudzinski editorial@qns.com @QueensCourier In as diverse a community as Flushing, all the ingredients were there for a cultural clash. After the loss of a beloved neighborhood market, Flushing supermarket New York Mart will be diversifying their stocks beyond their standard Asian grocery products, Councilman Peter Koo announced on Friday. The loss of the longtime Met Supermarket last July to make way for a 14-story commercial and co-op residential building left a large hole in the neighborhood’s food options. After this loss, the only supermarkets left in the neighborhood sold primarily Asian grocery products. Not only did the loss of the 30-year-old supermarket limit food options, it made grocery shopping difficult for many seniors who depended on the convenience of the former Met Food. In response to the outcry of residents and the Holly Civic Association for a convenient and viable alternative to their tried-and-true grocery store, Koo reached out to the CEO of New York Mart, Deng Long, to request accommodation for the neighborhood’s diverse palate. “Neighborhood supermarkets are indispensable to a healthy community, and it is important that their wares reflect the needs of the residents,” Koo said. Councilman Koo announces new inventory at New York Mart in Flushing with members of the Holly Civic Association. New York Mart, located at the intersection of Bowne Street and Roosevelt Avenue, bills itself as a Chinese grocery whose mission is to bridge the Chinese and American markets. The market is a mere five-minute walk from the closed Met Supermarket. Upon hearing the community’s plea and Koo’s request, Long happily assented to expanding the market to accommodate everyone. “With so many different cultures, foods and languages, it can be easy to let our differences divide us,” Koo reminded the community, “but we are here today to focus on how we can come together despite our differences, Photo courtesy of Councilman Koo’s office celebrate our diversity and work to find solutions to the problems that different cultures can sometimes face.” The expanded inventory will include assorted cheeses, deli meats, pastas and frozen foods, on top of the wide selection of Asian grocery items. The store has also opened a customer service desk where residents can make suggestions for new products. “A good business is also a good neighbor that listens to its community,” said Denise Winters, president of the Holly Civic Association, “and we are grateful to have this opportunity to open a dialogue with our local supermarket.” President Bill stumps for Hillary in Jamaica as primary nears PHOTO BY PHILIPPA KARTERON Former President Bill Clinton joined Congressman Gregory Meeks at the Robert Ross Johnson Family Center in Jamaica on March 28. The 42nd president stopped by to help his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, as part of her presidential campaign. President Clinton specifically focused on efforts to get out the vote in Queens during the April 19 presidential primary, in which Secretary Clinton is competing against Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders. During his visit, Clinton also met with Reverend Floyd Flake of the Allen AME Cathedral in St. Albans, who previously served as a member of Congress. Clinton, Meeks and Flake are pictured with Southeast Queens Elected officials, clergy and community.
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