8 The Queens Courier • juLY 30, 2015 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com Flushing street to be co-named after 3-year-old crash victim BY ALINA SURIEL [email protected]/@alinangelica The memory of a young Flushing girl tragically killed on a local street two years ago will live on with the co-naming of a neighborhood street. The northeast corner of Main Street and Cherry Avenue in Flushing will be known as Allison Hope Liao Way after Allison Liao, a 3-year-old girl who was fatally hit by a car on Oct. 13, 2013, while crossing the street with her grandmother. “Allison Liao was a bright and boisterous young girl with limitless potential who had her whole life ahead of her,” said Councilman Peter Koo, who sponsored the co-naming request. “While her senseless death was devastating to our community, it has also spurred impassioned awareness campaigns on driver safety across the city.” After her death, Liao’s parents helped to form “Families for Safe Streets,” an advocacy group of people affected by traffic violence. The Liao family was instrumental in lowering the NYC default speed limit, and the tragedy of their daughter’s death was one of the catalysts for the foundation of the Vision Zero set of traffic and street safety initiatives. “We are deeply grateful for Councilman Koo’s assistance in the street co-naming, and more importantly, for his continued support of Vision Zero and other street safety initiatives,” the Liao family said in a statement. Koo said that he hoped drivers who may be distracted or impatient behind the wheel will realize the potential consequences of their carelessness. “As drivers pass Allison Hope Liao Way, it is our hope that they recall her parents’ poignant question, ‘Is it worth it?’” Koo said. The bill also creates Ptl. Phillip Cardillo Way on 28th Avenue between College Point Boulevard and Ulmer Street in College Point. The street is outside a new NYPD academy that opened in January. “Soon, generations of new officers will be able to look to the sign and know his story and legacy to the department,” said bill sponsor Councilman Paul Vallone of District 19. Cardillo had been on the force for five years when he and his partner received a false call about an officer in distress at the Nation of Islam mosque on 116th Street on April 14, 1974. The two responding officers were attacked upon their arrival, and Cardillo, 31, was fatally shot. He has been honored with an NYPD patrol boat named after him, and a book published in 2007 by author Randy Jurgenson tells the story of his death and the case against his killer. “May this sign forever remind us of the sacrifices that the men and women of the NYPD are too often asked to selflessly make, as well as serve as a symbol that these sacrifices are never forgotten,” Vallone said. “This recognition has been long overdue and I couldn’t be more proud to right the wrongs from 43 years ago.” The bill also names the northeast corner of Northern Boulevard and Marathon Parkway in Little Neck as Matinecock Way. The Matinecock Native Americans once lived in communities spanning the area of northeast Queens, but the last of the tribe was driven out of Douglaston and Little Neck in 1656 in the battle of Madnan’s Neck. Matinecock graves were discovered in the 1930s at Northern Boulevard and were re-buried in the cemetery of the Zion Episcopal Photo courtesy of His-Pei Liao and Amy Tam-Liao The intersection at the northeast corner of Main Street and Cherry Avenue is set to be co-named after Allison Liao, a victim of a traffic accident. Church. The Bayside Historical Society and the Udalls Cove Preservation Committee were the first to bring the issue up to the Community Board. “I am proud to finally pay the long overdue recognition to the Matinecock descendants and their ancestors who hold an important place in our neighborhood’s history,” Vallone said. North Shore Towers to host Queens Courier District 23 debate BY ALINA SURIEL [email protected] @alinangelica The Queens Courier will be holding a debate on Aug. 5 for the candidates of the 23rd City Council District election at the North Shore Towers to increase public awareness of relevant issues and platforms. “We’re delighted to partner with the North Shore Towers to bring the candidates to our readers and residents of the communities that Mark Weprin had so masterfully represented,” said Courier Publisher Victoria Schneps-Yunis. Mark Weprin vacated the 23rd District seat in June to become Governor Andrew Cuomo’s deputy secretary of legislative affairs. The district contains all or parts of Bayside Hills, Bellerose, Douglaston, Floral Park, Fresh Meadows, Glen Oaks, Hollis, Little Neck, New Hyde Park, Oakland Gardens and Queens Village. North Shore Towers Political Action Committee chair Felice Hannah is the debate’s organizer and will be hosting that night as well. She has been working with campaign managers and Courier staff to ensure that the candidates will be comfortable at the forum. “It’s important for residents to meet the candidates in order to get the best person to represent our district,” Hannah said. “We lost a great person in Mark Weprin, and we can’t say we’ll be able to replace Mark Weprin but we at least want to get the best person.” The debate will be held at the North Shore Towers movie theater to ensure enough space for attendees from both within and outside the North Shore Towers community, and Hannah expects at least 200 people to attend. The debate will also be captured by videographers from the North Shore Towers’ inhouse television station for residents unable to attend in person. Hannah said that North Shore Towers was an ideal place to hold a campaign event because residents of the co-op are very politically involved, and the community even has its own polling site. “While working the polling site here, I’m able to see how people come out to vote with such vigor and interest,” Hannah said. “We have a sophisticated voting block of people living here, judges, attorneys and others who just want to make sure they’re being represented by the best person possible.” Hannah is also in the process of planning three-hour meet-andgreet events for each candidate after the debate that will see them walk around the North Shore Towers to field questions and comments from community members. According to Hannah, property assessment is a big political issue in the North Shore community, which boasts an attached country club and its own restaurant in addition to the movie theater. Residents have been fighting to change the property assessment method from the current model which has lead to a high tax rate, and many North Shore residents are also interested in choosing a candidate who will be supportive of their campaign to get a left-turn signal installed in a nearby traffic intersection. The Queens Courier Debate for the District 23 race will be held on Aug. 5 at the North Shore Towers Cinema at 272-40 Grand Central Pkwy. The event will begin promptly at 7:30 p.m. Photo courtesy of candidate campaign offices Clockwise from top left: City Council candidates Ali Najmi, Celia Dosamantes, Satmar Singh Patmar, Bob Friedrich, Joe Concannon, Barry Grodenchik and Rebecca Lynch
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