Feb. 10, 2019 Your Neighborhood — Your News®
LOCAL
CL ASSIFIEDS
PA GE 15
BY MARK HALLUM
Members of Forest Hills’
Bukharian community stood
together Feb. 3 to condemn anti-
Semitic violence and called on
the NYPD to stand with them
by charging hate crimes where
they claim it is evident after
a November attack on a local
Yeshiva student.
David Paltielov, 16, made
an appearance at the Bukharian
Jewish Community Center
rally, but stood quietly on the
sidelines as elected officials
and community leaders spoke
regarding the rise of race
hate across the borough and
praised the woman who leapt
to his defense during the attack
wielding nothing but a broom.
Paltielov was in Elmhurst Hospital
for up to a week following
the attack.
Although there were
two arrests, the NYPD did
not charge the two with a
hate crime.
City Councilman Rory Lancman
referred back to an incident
from 2016 in which the police
did not charge a man with
hate crimes after storming into
the Jamaica Muslim Center and
began assaulting congregants.
“We’re confronting a very,
very serious problem in this
city — in this country. An explosion
in hate crimes against
Jews, African Americans and
Muslims,” Lancman said.
“Speaking truthfully, we are
having a very, very difficult
time getting law enforcement
to focus on hate crimes. In my
own district two years ago, we
had a man enter a mosque during
Friday services, shouting
‘Allah, Allah,’ attacking people.
We could not get law enforce-
David Paltielov and Waleska Mendez pose as she accepts a proclamation from state Assemblyman David Weprin
(c.) for intervening in the November attack. Photo by Mark Hallum
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
In honor of the Lunar New Year
and with baseball season right
around the corner, the Crystal
Foundation and world-renowned
Taiwanese artist Lin Shih-Pao unveiled
the latest art exhibit on Monday
— The Tree of Hope, paying
homage to the sport of baseball.
Sponsored by the Crystal Foundation,
supporters gathered Feb.
4 for the Tree of Hope lighting ceremony
at Crystal Windows Headquarters
and factory at 31-10 Whitestone
Expwy. The Tree of Hope is a
25-foot-tall structure with an 8-foot
diameter base made entirely of
25,000 new and recycled baseballs
from around the world.
“As a longtime supporter of the
arts, I am very pleased to sponsor
The Tree of Hope and its creator
and artist, Lin Shih-Pao,” said
Crystal Foundation Chairman
Thomas Chen, who is also chairman
and founder of Crystal Windows.
“I feel the true hidden value
of this contemporary work is the
incredible international response
to Lin’s invitation to donate base-
LIC man faces animal
cruelty charges: DA
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
A Long Island City man was charged with allegedly
hitting a small dog with a metal rod, leaving
her blind in one eye, prosecutors announced
Feb. 6.
Luis Jimenez, 26, was arraigned Feb. 5 on
A green future for Rikers Island?
VAo A CNG Cl.N 8G. Publication PNuob. l6ication Vol. 87 No. 56 UPDATED EVERY DAY AT TIMESLEDGER.COM
BY BILL PARRY
With an eye on enhanced
resiliency and sustainability,
City Councilman
Costa Constantinides, the
chair of the Environmental
Protection Committee, put
forth his bold vision for the
future of Rikers Island, and
eventually the north end
of Astoria.
During his “State of the
District” address at PS 2 in
East Elmhurst last week,
Constantinides shared his
plan for a greener Queens
— and it had nothing to do
with developers or an extra
runway for LaGuardia
Airport.
“With the prison on Rikers
Island closing in the
next 5 to 10 years, the city
will soon have 400 acres of
space open for redevelopment,”
Constantinides said.
City Councilman Costa Constantinides
suggests Rikers Island could become
home to a green energy
complex once the jails are gone.
Courtesy of Constantinides’ office
Tree of Hope
exhibit unveiled
in Flushing
Cracking down on hate crimes
Forest Hills’ Jewish community calls on police to toughen stance on anti-Semitism
Continued on Page 14 Continued on Page 14
Continued on Page 14 Continued on Page 14
/TIMESLEDGER.COM
