FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com may 29, 2014 • The Queens Courier 3 Liu begins Senate campaign trail in Bayside BY PAULIN A TAM The people of northeast Queens deserve “effective, result-oriented representation,” said former city comptroller John Liu, as he kicked off his campaign for the state Senate on May 23. The Democrat called the community the “bedrock” of New York City and promised to be a collaborator with his fellow senators as well as a leader who will not shy away from proposing legislation and “cuttingedge programs.” “In the state Senate, I will fight tirelessly for a real minimum wage, the rights of working people, for true women’s equality and for public schools, transportation and healthcare,” said Liu in a kickoff rally at the Bayside LIRR Station. Liu will be running against incumbent state Senator Tony Avella, who represents the 11th District. In response to a question on being a minority candidate in a mostly white district and one of a handful of minority senators, Liu said he’s been a minority his entire life. “I have built bridges my whole life from when I was a little kid in public school where there were little to no Asians besides my brother and I, to entering the private sector in the corporate world, again with very few Asians,” he said. “That is something I strive to do, to build bridges so there will be greater understanding — and at the end of the day, that is what being elected to office is about.” Liu was joined with elected officials like City Councilman Paul Vallone and representatives from the Hotel Trade Council and the International Union of Operative Engineers Locals 891. THE COURIER/Photo by Paulina Tam DDC BEGINS $15M BRIARWOOD WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT PROJECT Jackson Heights to host 22nd annual Queens Pride Parade BY ANGY ALTAMIR ANO [email protected] @aaltamirano28 The streets of Jackson Heights will be filled with pride this weekend as the borough comes together to celebrate the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) community. On Sunday, June 1, elected officials as well as supporters and members of the LGBTQ community from throughout the city will gather for the 22nd Queens Pride Parade and Multicultural Festival hosted by the Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee. Celebrating the accomplishments of the global LGBTQ community, the theme for this year’s event is “A World of Pride.” The theme will also emphasize the need to continue the attention on the struggles that still have to be addressed in regards to human rights, according to organizers. Grand marshals for the parade include Queens council members Daniel Dromm, one of the founders of the parade in 1993, and Jimmy Van Bramer, who was the first elected official in the borough to get married after New York legalized samesex marriage. Manhattan council members Corey Johnson, Rosie Mendez, Brooklyn Councilman Carlos Menchaca and Bronx Councilman Ritchie Torres will also join the procession. “Our grand marshals reflect how far we have come to be integral in our government, community and our visibility,” Queens Pride co-chair Chris Calvert said. Melissa Sklarz, president of the Stonewall Democratic Club, will also be honored during the event for her leadership and as a transgender member of the community. Founded in 1986, the Stonewall Democratic Club is the first citywide LGBT Democratic organization in New York City. The parade kicks off Sunday at noon at 84th Street and 37th Avenue and ends at 75th Street. The festival also begins at noon with about 100 vendors along 37th Road from 74th to 77th Street, performances and family-friendly entertainment. For more information on the Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Committee visit www.queenspride.org. BY LIAM LA GUERE [email protected] @liamlaguerre Briarwood’s pipe dreams have been answered. The Department of Design Construction recently began construction of a $15 million water main project that will replace nearly century-old pipes in Briarwood, and officials explained the plan to residents on May 22 in a community meeting. The project stretches from 84th Road and 164th Street and will end at Hillside Avenue and Queens Boulevard. The city’s water pipes, which have been in place since the 1920s according to a DDC representative, will be replaced with larger new ones, accommodating for the population growth in the last century. “It’s very significant if you consider the fact that you have an increasing population coming into all Queens communities,” said Seymour Schwartz, president of the Briarwood Community Association. “And the fact is that our basic services cannot easily cope with the increases.” The current pipes, some which are 6 inches in diameter and others that are 8 inches, will be expanded to 8- and 12-inch pipes respectively. The expanded diameter will also allow the opportunity to increase water pressure, DDC officials said. Work on the pipes started a few weeks ago and will continue until November 2015. Workers will remove and replace pipes one block at a time during the year. While pipes are being changed on a block, the water for that block will be turned off from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and residents and business owners will be notified 24 hours in advance. Officials said it should take between one to three days to complete a block. Despite the nuisance, residents were excited for the upgrade. “It’s not that terrible,” Schwartz said. “Basically it’s shut off for one day for each person. When it’s all over, it’ll be good.”
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