for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com may 2, 2013 • The queens Courier 3 FILM FRACAS Residents say Bay Terrace theater offers leftover movies BY MELISA CHAN in Fresh Meadows, “The Croods,” came [email protected] out on March 22. All other films playing there were released within the past Bayside blockbuster seekers have to month. go outside their neighborhood for their “It seems like they’re designing it to die,” cinematic thrills, and they are none too Dan O’Connor of Bay Terrace said of his happy about that. hometown theater. “They don’t want it to Moviegoers in Bay Terrace say they do well. It was always shortchanged. We only get the leftovers from a recently always get the weakest movies.” renovated theater in Fresh Meadows. The new stadium-seating movie house “I wanted to see something up to date in Fresh Meadows boasts reclining plush and it’s not here,” said Colette Setton. leather seats, reserved seating, new food “They’re only playing second-, third-rate offerings and an usher. movies.” “I haven’t been to the Bay Terrace theater The cinemas, both run by in quite a while because theater chain AMC Loews, there are now so many theaters offer two different sets of that have been renovated,” films. said Warren Schreiber, New hits including “The Big Wedding” president of the Bay Terrace Community and “Pain and Gain” are playing at the Alliance. redone Fresh Meadows theater at 192-02 Mary Hughes, vice president of leasing Horace Harding Boulevard, while movies at Cord Meyer Development, said the from early March such as “Tyler Perry’s last time the theater underwent improvements Temptation” are showing in Bay Terrace. was two years ago. She added that As of April 26, the newest movie in the theater got equipment upgrades and Bay Terrace was “Disconnect.” It came 3D screens. Cord Meyer Development out on April 12. The oldest was “Oz The leases the cinema to AMC Loews. Great and Powerful,” which premiered “People shouldn’t have to go out of March 8. their neighborhoods to see the newest Meanwhile, the oldest movie showing movies,” Schreiber said. I think if people The Bay Terrace movie theater mostly shows movies left over from the recently renovated Fresh Meadows theater, residents said. are unhappy, maybe they should show their displeasure by not going to that theater or any AMC theater.” According to Hughes, sales at the Bay Terrace theater went up 22 percent from 2011 to 2012. Data for this year, when the Fresh Meadows theater reopened, were not yet available. According to an AMC spokesperson, the theaters do not play the same movies at the same time due to the establishments’ “closeness in proximity.” However, upcoming hits including “Iron Man 3” and “Star Trek Into Darkness” will play at both locations, the spokesperson said. Posters of the highly anticipated “Great THE COURIER/Photo by Melissa Chan Gatsby” and “Man of Steel” are displayed in the Bay Terrace theater’s lobby. But an employee said that does not necessarily mean the films will be played on their release dates. “I’m disappointed because it was such a convenient location,” said Sandy Shamlian, 70, of North Flushing. “They should share the movies in both neighborhoods.” When Setton, a Bay Terrace resident, walked up to her local ticket booth, she turned around immediately upon viewing the movie selection. “Bayside doesn’t offer anything, really,” she said. “If you want to see a good movie, you have to go to Manhattan.” FAMILY TIED UP IN WHITESTONE HOME INVASION BY MELISA CHAN [email protected] Four armed robbers broke into a home on a quiet Whitestone street early Thursday morning, tied up a family and stole $87,000 in cash and jewelry, a police source said. The victims, who included girls ages 7 and 10, were asleep during the 4 a.m. invasion on 163rd Street, police said. The intruders, who wore black ski masks, entered the home, bound the family and held them at gunpoint. They stole $65,000 in jewelry and about $22,000 in cash, according to a law enforcement source. The family was then moved into a closet and told to count to 100, the source said. The suspects fled in an unknown direction. Sources said the father owns an electric company in New Rochelle. No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing, police said. There were no reported injuries. It was unclear how the suspects gained access to the house. Home invasions in the 109th Precinct are “extremely rare,” police sources said. They added that the few which do occur are usually drug-related or involve homeowners who own a business and take home large amounts of cash. Residents said the invasion has shaken the peaceful neighborhood. “Everybody’s concerned,” said Alfredo Centola, president of the Malba Gardens Civic Association. “People are locking their doors, keeping their eyes open. We’re just alert.” Neighbor Dolores Oliveri said the father at the invaded home is a “hard worker and a good husband.” “They’re a nice family,” she said. “It’s a terrible thing.” All four suspects are men in their 20s, the NYPD said. One was wearing red sneakers with a black Nike swoosh. EXCLUSIVE Embattled councilmember drops his HALLO-RUN BY TERENCE M. CULLEN [email protected] With an uphill legal battle underway, Councilmember Dan Halloran will not run for reelection later this year, widening an already crowded race for his seat. “Regrettably, I must now focus my attention on clearing my name and restoring my reputation, while I continue to discharge my sworn duties as a member of the New York City Council,” Halloran said in a statement. “After much thought, I have concluded that it is impossible for me to properly do these things and take on the enormous demands of a political campaign, so I will not to pursue another term in the Council.” Halloran has maintained his innocence on federal corruption charges alleging he helped a state legislator try to buy his way onto the Republican mayoral ballot. He entered a “not guilty” plea in court last week. Several Halloran staffers, including his chief of staff and his legislative director, resigned in the days and weeks after police arrested Halloran on April 2. Federal prosecutors accuse him of taking $20,000 in bribes and arranging payouts for GOP bosses in Queens and the Bronx with the aim of getting Democratic State Senator Malcolm Smith the Republican mayoral nomination. Halloran started focusing on his reelection campaign in District 19 after losing a bid for the U.S. Congress last year. Some political insiders viewed him as a long shot to regain his council seat, and he had trouble raising funds. Democratic primary candidates John Duane, Paul Graziano, Austin Shafran and Paul Vallone announced bids for the District 19 seat prior to Halloran’s arrest last month. Chrissy Voskerichian, Halloran’s former chief of staff, has filed papers with the city’s Campaign Finance Board. Voskerichian did not return calls for comment as of press time. Fellow Republicans have also begun to eye the seat. Dennis Saffran, a Douglaston attorney, announced his candidacy last week. The move, backed by the Queens GOP, will likely force a primary. Rudy Giuliani, chief of staff for Councilmember Eric Ulrich and second cousin to former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, has been discussed as another possible candidate. However, the Auburndale resident has not made an official announcement. Since his arrest, Halloran has also come under media scrutiny for an alleged affair with a former staffer while he was still married. The New York Post subsequently reported Halloran was having an affair with a former intern. The woman was reportedly in Halloran’s home during his early morning arrest. Because Halloran has not resigned, he is still open to a City Council misconduct investigation on sexual misconduct allegations, according to Speaker Christine Quinn.
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