QNE_p048

QC07252013

36 THE QUEENS COURIER • JULY 25, 2013 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com editorial letters   THE QUEENS Victoria Schneps-Yunis Joshua A. Schneps Bob Brennan Tonia N. Cimino Amy Amato-Sanchez Nirmal Singh Graziella Zerilli Stephen Reina Ron Torina, Jennifer Decio, Cheryl Gallagher Melisa Chan, Liam La Guerre, Cristabelle Tumola Maggie Hayes, Angy Altamirano Cliff Kasden, Samantha Sohmer, Elizabeth Aloni Cristabelle Tumola Bill Krese Jan DiGeronimo Maria Romero Louise Cavaliere Celeste Alamin Maria Valencia Daphne Fortunate Victoria Schneps-Yunis Joshua A. Schneps Publisher & E ditor Co-Publisher Associate Publisher Editor-In-Chief VP, Events, Web & Social Media Art Director Assistant to Publisher Assistant Art Director Artists Staff Reporters Contributing Reporters Web Editor Editorial Cartoonist Director, Business Development Events Manager Senior Acount Executive Classified Manager Controller Office Manager President & CEO Vice President Schneps Communications, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361 718-224-5863 •  Fax 718-224-5441 website: www.queenscourier.com e-mail:editorial@queenscourier.com ads@queenscourier.com queenscourier@queenscourier.com Entire Contents Copyright 2013 by The Queens Courier All letters sent to THE QUEENS COURIER should be brief and are subject to condensing. Writers should include a full address and home and office telephone numbers, where available, as well as affiliation, indicating special interest. Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, AS WELL AS OP-ED PIECES IN NO WAY REFLECT THE PAPER’S POSITION. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without prior permission of THE QUEENS COURIER. The publishers will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must be reported to THE QUEENS COURIER within five days of publication. Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication. Schneps Communications assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold THE QUEENS COURIER and its employees harmless from all cost, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to any such advertisement. Hot Hot Hot As the city swelters through its most intense heat wave of the summer so far, Con Edison should be able to meet electrical demand with minimal to no disruption in service to its millions of customers. After spending millions of dollars to upgrade its infrastructure, the utility has an obligation to maintain electrical service to its customers. Every summer, we go through the same  request  of  Con Ed asking people to reduce electrical usage during heat waves. There are many who will heed the request and cut back, and there are many who just continue to crank up their air conditioners at maximum cold settings. Stay cool, everybody John Amato Fresh Meadows McCaffrey fondly remembered Many people have expressed sadness at the loss of former New York City Councilmember Walter McCaffrey, and gratitude for his many years of exemplary public service.  I would like to add my own note of admiration.   He devoted himself to improving the quality of life for New York City residents and worked very hard on behalf of Queens, his lifelong home.  I saw firsthand the impact of his hard work.  Just one of his many professional accomplishments was enabling Sunnyside Community Services to construct a new senior center.  The $1.77 million he allocated made it possible for us to build our Center for Active Older Adults, which was completed in 2008.  This center now has a daily attendance of approximately 200 seniors, who are able to enjoy a hot meal, stay healthy and active, and apply for benefits.  I am honored to have known Walter McCaffrey and I offer my condolences to his friends and loved ones.  Judy Zangwill Executive Director Sunnyside Community Services   Better idea In reference to New York State Assemblymember David Weprin and State Senator Toby Ann Stavisky’s support of “Election Equality Long Overdue” (Op- Ed, July 18): supporting the NYC Board of Elections putting Bengali, Punjabi and Hindi on ballots and election material is disappointing.   Weprin’s grandparents or great-grand parents emigrated to America just like mine.  They quickly learned to assimilate by learning English, became American citizens and began participating in our electoral process.  This is what has previously united the various immigrant groups to make our nation great. I’m sure Weprin’s Cuban mom followed this path as well.  There are over 150 immigrant groups in the gorgeous mosaic of New York City.  Does Weprin propose that we discriminate against over 140 other ethnic groups and not provide them with ballots and election materials in their native language as well?  Can you imagine the chaos and cost to taxpayers for printing ballots,  along with hiring language interpreters, at all  polling place for every ethnic group?  Weprin’s new state assembly district, based upon the 2010 reapportionment,  includes far more new voters who don’t know him.  Many are of South Asian origin. Weprin’s proposal is nothing more than politics as usual. He is just attempting to curry favor with new potential ethnic voting block.  Why doesn’t  Weprin  promote English speaking classes to a  new generation of immigrants?  This is the best way to assist our new neighbors and help them  participate in the election process,  rather than continuing promoting tribal politics. Larry Penner VISIT queenscourier.com For more stories STAND BY YOUR MAN NOT THE CANDIDATE We give Huma Abedin credit. The former top aide to Hillary Clinton came out in support of her husband, saying that he made “some horrible mistakes” before and after he left Congress, but that they had worked through it. “I love him. I have forgiven him. I believe in him,” she said. “And, as we have said from the beginning, we are moving forward.” But not so for the voters – and not so for Weiner’s mayoral campaign. We are calling on Anthony Weiner to reconsider his run because character counts. It was one thing for him to resign from Congress in June 2011 under a cloud of ignominy. But now, The Dirty, a gossip and satire website, is claiming that the mayoral candidate’s sexting did not end when he stepped down. In a press conference after the bombshell revelations, Weiner refused to quit the race. He reiterated that he wouldn’t dispute any allegations, but wouldn’t confirm specifics. Weiner did address the timeline of events, admitting, “some of these things happened before my resignation, some of them happened after.” Two years ago we were led to believe he had learned his lesson and that he was contrite over his actions. But not so. So we wonder, how can we trust him to run our city? If Huma can forgive and forget, we don’t think the voters should. THE SYSTEM WORKS Stellar work by the NYPD. Cops were able to collar an unholy criminal the DA said is accused of being a “one-man crime wave” when they arrested 34-year-old David Spencer of Brooklyn for allegedly breaking into four Queens churches between July 10 and July 17. Spencer allegedly made off with more than $7,000 worth of items – including a movie projector, a sound-system amplifier, computer equipment and musical instruments.  An investigation by detectives assigned to the NYPD’s 105th and 113th Precincts’ Detective Squads led to Spencer’s arrest and arraignment on five criminal complaints, charging him with third-degree burglary, third-degree attempted burglary, third- and fourth degree criminal mischief and third- and fourth degree grand larceny. Spencer was ordered held on a total of $40,000 bail and is to return to court in August. This is a perfect example of the system working. Despite facing a “thin blue line,” the NYPD was out there, working for the community, keeping it safe.


QC07252013
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