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QUEENS WEEKLY, JANUARY 19, 2020
Bayside’s 111th Precinct has
a new commanding offi cer
BY JENNA BAGCAL
Last weekend, hundreds
of supporters showed up to
celebrate the grand opening
of Alley Pond Environmental
Center’s (APEC)
temporary headquarters
in Oakland Gardens.
In December, APEC
announced that it would
move to 224-75 76th Ave.
while NYC Parks works on
renovating and expanding
its building on Northern
Boulevard. The Oakland
Garden location will serve
as the organization’s home
for the next two years.
Approximately 400 attended
the grand opening,
which featured fruit
smoothies, vegetarian
Bengali cuisine and interactions
with APEC’s menagerie
of animals. Guests
also enjoyed an afternoon
of fun activities including
a Play-Doh station and an
aromatherapy spritzer
class.
“The fact that so many
people attended the event
shows how loved APEC
is,” said Councilman
Barry Grodenchik. “With
this wonderful new space,
APEC’s programs and
classes can continue uninterrupted
while the old
building gets an upgrade.”
APEC’s Northern Boulevard
location will receive
efficient heating,
cooling and electrical system
upgrades in addition
to other updates to its facilities.
The Parks Department
also plans to expand
the overall space so that
the environmental education
organization can host
more classes and events.
“The grand opening
was a smashing success. I
was astounded by the enormous
number of people
who attended,” said APEC
Executive Director Irene
V. Scheid.
The temporary headquarters
in Oakland
Gardens is located at the
eastern end of the parking
lot near Springfield
Boulevard in Alley Pond
Park. Elected officials and
Parks leadership attended
the ribbon cutting, including
Councilman Paul Vallone,
Assemblyman Edward
Braunstein, Queens
District Attorney Melinda
Katz, Acting Queens Borough
President Sharon Lee
and Queens Parks Commissioner
Michael H. Dockett.
APEC has operated in
its Northern Boulevard
location since 1976 and
has spent the last four decades
educating children
and adults, protecting and
preserving Alley Pond
Park and advocating for
sustainable policies and
practices.
To learn more visit alleypond.
com or APEC’s Facebook,
Twitter and Instagram
pages.
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by e-mail at jbagcal@
qns.com or by phone
at (718) 260-2583.
BY JENNA BAGCAL
The 111th Precinct in
Bayside welcomed a new
commanding officer to its
ranks.
On Sunday, Jan. 5, the
precinct announced that
Deputy Inspector John
Hall would be stepping
down from his post after
nearly two years as the
commanding officer. Assuming
the leadership
role is Captain John Portalatin,
who previously
served in the 104th, 109th
and 110th precincts, according
to Patch.
“It was an honor & privilege
serving the people
of the @NYPD111Pct and
leading the great officers
there. I will be moving on
to a new assignment next
week,” Hall said via the
111th Precinct Twitter account.
“The @NYPD111-
Pct is in good hands with
the hardworking & dedicated
Captain John Portalatin.”
Hall took to Twitter to
announce his new role in
the NYPD office that oversees
CompStat, the police’s
crime data system. Named
for the NYPD accountability
process, CompStat provides
citywide crime analysis
and data analytics.
In March 2018, Hall replaced
Deputy Inspector
William McBride as the
top cop in the 111th Precinct.
Previously, the Sunnyside
resident was assigned
to precincts in the
Bronx and neighborhoods
in Manhattan including
West Harlem and Chinatown.
The NYPD promoted
Portalatin from lieutenant
to captain in 2016. The
111th Precinct Community
Council introduced him as
the incumbent commanding
officer at the organization’s
Jan. 7 meeting.
The 111th Precinct is
based in Bayside and covers
northeast Queens including
Douglaston, Little
Neck, Auburndale, Hollis
Hills and Fresh Meadows.
Captain John Portalatin joins
the 111th Precinct as its new
commanding officer
Photo courtesy of 111th Precinct
APEC celebrates grand opening of
its new temporary headquarters
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