46 The Queens Courier • october 9, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com THE COURIER/ Salvatore Licata Hundreds of residents came out to the first Glendale/Middle Village Coalition meeting on Oct. 1. Group against proposed Glendale homeless shelter hosts first meeting BY SALVATORE LICATA [email protected]/@Sal_Licata1 Hundreds of residents came out on Oct. 1 to the first meeting of the Glendale/Middle Village Coalition, a group formed to combat a proposed homeless shelter in a former warehouse on Cooper Avenue. The meeting at Christ the King High School was held to inform locals of the group’s plans for action against the shelter and to show them the ways they can help the cause, organizers said. “We want to prevent the warehousing of the homeless,” Kathy Masi, president of the Glendale Civic Association, said. “We are asking residents for help.” The Glendale/Middle Village Coalition has raised more than $30,000, which it intends to use to challenge a declaration by the city that said a homeless shelter would have no adverse effect on the community. “The city just went through the motions,” Chris Murray, the coalition’s lawyer, said. “If we win, the city will have to go back and do an Environmental Impact Statement. This could then take them up to three years to complete and will prolong the process.” But to continue the legal action the coalition asked locals to contribute money and for at least one resident on each block to become a “block captain,” who would keep neighbors informed and collect donation pledges. By the end of the night, more than 70 people signed up to become block captains and more than 50 checks were collected, organizers said. The coalition estimated that it will need about $100,000 more to fight the proposed shelter effectively. Sal Cafasi, one of the originators of the coalition, said the group will continue to hold meetings and update residents. The coalition has asked for the community’s continuing support throughout the process. “This is a battle and we will win it,” Bob Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association, said. “The neighborhood is united against this. We need residents to spread the word.” The Department of Homeless Services did not respond to requests for comment. LATINO STARS TO COME OUT IN QUEENS FOR AWARDS EVENT BY THE QUEENS COURIER STAF [email protected] A special event honoring influential Latin New Yorkers will be held at the Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on Thursday, Oct. 16. Honorees at the event, titled Latino Stars Awards and Networking Event, include men and women who have made a difference in New York. Some of Queens’ top professionals will participate in the event. The event will begin at 6 p.m. with a business expo with networking opportunities, followed by dinner and an awards ceremony. The event will conclude with a charity raffle benefiting the nonprofit organization Hispanics Across America. Voz a Voz, one of the top pop-vocal groups in the country, will perform at the event. The band follows a style they created that mixes pop rhythms with Bachata, the music style of the Dominican Republic, their country of origin. Their music even earned them a Latin Grammys nomination. Among those expected to attend the event are Ruben Diaz Jr., the Bronx borough president; City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito; Geraldo Rivera, a prominent author, attorney and TV anchor; Ms. Republica Dominicana U.S. 2013 Thatiana Diaz; and Ines Rosales, FOX 5’s traffic reporter. Lifetime Achievement Awards will be given to Fernando Mateo, founder of the New York State Federation of Taxi Drivers, and Stella Mateo, founder of SheRides, a car service app. Premiere
QC10092014
To see the actual publication please follow the link above