32 The QUEE NS Courier • august 28, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com editorial Go to www.queenscourier.com and search “Identify This letters IDENTIFY THIS PLACE Place” to find out where this is CENSORSHIP AT THE QUEENS LIBRARY To Mr. Bill Herbert of Richmond Hill: NONE of the works you’re interested in listening to are CENSORED (The Courier, Aug. 21). As you very well know you can listen to them to your heart’s content in the library. Your issue is technical—not with listening to them, but with saving them. The library’s policy restricts patrons from downloading software from outside parties to protect the library computers from possible harm. The library cannot and should not change this entire system to meet the particular technical needs of every customer. Since March, you have received customer service and technical assistance/information beyond expectation by a great staff. Please feel free to read the American Library Association’s Bill of Rights, to which this library and its once independent board of trustees adheres: http://www.ala.org/ advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill As for politics, when they begin controlling the performance of any organization, well, you know what happens. George L. Stamatiades Removed independent trustee and past president of the board of trustees of the Queens Library ADDABBO SALUTES VETS WITH BARBECUE This year, my annual Veterans Barbecue was bigger and the best yet. We had an astounding 100 veterans, both men and women, from my district come out for a Saturday afternoon in Howard Beach. This number is bigger than any number of attendees in the past, and I am thrilled my office and I were able to reach that many veterans, recognize and honor them for their service. As the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Homeland Security and Military Affairs, I make it a priority to extend my own services to the veterans of our state and to, most importantly, show my appreciation for their dedication to our country. It was amazing to see such a wide range of people, from all walks of life and from some of history’s biggest military conflicts, come together for a casual afternoon outside my District Office. We had a local duo perform live music for the guests, including some old-time favorites that brought a few people out of their chairs to dance. To eat, in classic Italian, Howard Beach fashion, we were able to offer lasagna, penne à la vodka and more thanks to generous donations. The conversations that could be heard around the tables as people enjoyed their lunch were some that could not be heard in most places – guests reflected on their time serving in the Army, Navy and Military and swapped stories. My thanks also to my staff, Pat Connelly and Coleman Post 2565, Fran Scarantino, Laura Lee and Richie, Roger Gendron, Mike Sarter, Howie Kemph, Rileys Yacht Club, Howard Beach Motor Boat Club and the following food contributors – Russo’s on the Bay, Aldo’s Pizza, Prima Pasta, McDonalds, Sugar Bun, The Rail, Gino’s Pizza, Bruno’s Ristorante, Lenny’s Pizza, Ragtime, Frenasia, CrossBay Diner and Pasticceria la Torre bakery. Without their generosity, this event would not have been possible. It is my hope my staff and I will be fortunate enough to keep the tradition alive and host another barbecue next summer for our nation’s bravest. State Sen. Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. PRAISE FOR CITY’S OUTGOING VETERANS COMMISSIONER I would like to thank outgoing Commissioner Terry Holliday for all he did for veterans. He was always available and did the best he could with the budget he was given. He will be missed. One of the biggest problems for veterans in the outer boroughs is the location of the Mayor’s Office of Veterans’ Affairs (the Manhattan VA Medical Center). WWII, Korean and Vietnam veterans are also senior citizens, many of whom are also disabled and they have to travel into lower Manhattan to get to MOVA, which means having to take public transportation, walking and going up and down many stairs to get there. Even if they could drive their cars into the city, there is no place to park. What we veterans need is easier access to MOVA. Each borough should have a LOCAL office that veterans can access easily, especially those veterans who are handicapped. We served our country. Many of us still serve our community. Why are veterans the last group of citizens to get the help and respect we deserve? Paul Narson President, Vietnam Veterans of America Queens, NY Chapter #32 ROUGH PATCH Hamilton Beach gets ignored by the DOT again. No surprise there. For most of the government, out of sight is out of mind and the tiny enclave is used to getting short shrift from the city. But this is ridiculous. The main avenue of ingress and egress, 104th Street, is in a horrid state of disrepair. This paper reported earlier on potholes that were deep, plentiful and dangerous. The DOT filled them in, leaving a bumpy, ragged, rough roadway that the residents must traverse several times daily. That would be bad enough without the DOT deciding to bypass 104th Street in favor of repaving relatively smooth streets in neighboring Howard Beach. There have been plans to rebuild the street for years. Who knows when that will actually happen? But in the meantime, a little sense and a little asphalt would go a long way. A STAR IS BORN Bayside is ready for its close-up. A new motion picture, studded with top-flight talent, is set to film scenes in Bayside. That’s terrific news. This borough is often overlooked and under-appreciated in comparison to some of the others. Well, it’s time to change that. We have everything here for great location filming. The sad news is that despite the fact that “Louder Than Bombs” is filming here, the movie is set elsewhere. While we’re happy for the business and the attention, we look forward to the day Queens becomes a major destination for location shoots of feature films that are actually set in Queens. DOCUMENTING JAMAICA BAY One movie that is about Queens is an upcoming documentary on Jamaica Bay. The good news, the filmmakers say, is that Jamaica Bay appears to be recovering after years of environmental abuse and destruction. Given time nature will heal itself and that’s what we are seeing at last. Jamaica Bay has unlimited potential as an environmental wonderland as the conditions improve and species return to the once lovely spot. We wrote last week about a bill preventing the government from permitting dumping into the bay. That should help considerably in the bay’s turnaround. But we should look inward ourselves. People who have for years dumped refuse into the bay are complicit in the pollution. Time to stop ruining our own waterways and wetlands and to start nurturing our precious natural resources. THE QUEENS Victoria Schneps-Yunis Joshua A. Schneps Bob Brennan William J. Gorta Amy Amato-Sanchez Nirmal Singh Graziella Zerilli Stephen Reina Ron Torina, Jennifer Decio, Cheryl Gallagher Liam La Guerre, Cristabelle Tumola, Angy Altamirano Katrina Medoff, Eric Jankiewicz, Salvatore Licata Cliff Kasden, Samantha Sohmer, Elizabeth Aloni Cristabelle Tumola Demetra Plagakis 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 Events Manager Senior Acc ount 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 2014 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 Quens 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.
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