16
QUEENS WEEKLY, MARCH 10, 2019
Threat
of town.
John Brown Smokehouse
owner Josh Bowen
met for two hours with
John Schoettler, the company’s
vice president for
real estate and facilities,
saying “someone had
to represent Queens”
after City Councilman
Jimmy Van Bramer and
state Sen. Michael Gianaris
had “abdicated
their duties” for opposing
the Amazon deal for
political reasons.
“If Mike and Jimmy
had just talked to these
guys, it would have been
a whole different story,”
Bowen said after he returned
from his mission
to Seattle.
Bowen created a Twitter
page called Jimmy-
VanJobKiller in recent
weeks as well as a website
calling for Van Bramer’s
resignation, but he may
have gone a text too far
when he sent this message
to his councilman.
“As much as it grosses
me out to extend this
offer, I do it for my borough.
You will call John
Schoettler and apologize.
You can be at the back
of the parade or in front
of a firing squad. If they
come back, y’all may get
elected dog catcher,” Bowen
wrote. “If they don’t,
you’re in the history
books. Call now and I can
stop the growing forces
that will end VanJobkillers
career.”
Bowen wasn’t finished
with his text. He then
warned the councilman
he would be blamed for
the loss of Amazon during
an appearance on the
Fox News Channel.
“I will be on Neal Cavuto
tonight. I can leave
you out of it and focus on
Amazon coming back or I
can add another sound bite
on to the funeral pyre of
Jimmy’s career. Make the
f—–g call. And let me know
by 4. You were used by activists.
I’m trying to keep
you, and western queens,
from the history books.”
Van Bramer was not
amused and posted a
screen shot of Bowen’s
text on Twitter, calling
it a threat. A threat that
has been reported to
the NYPD.
“Josh Bowen, who recently
went to Seattle to
meet with Amazon sent
this text today,” Van
Bramer posted on Twitter.
“Demanding an elected
official make a call
to Amazon by a certain
time — or else. This is
disgusting. Did others get
this too? I don’t respond
to threats.”
A Van Bramer spokesman
said there would be
no further comment other
than the tweet for the
time being.
Bowen had been seen
on local newscasts berating
Van Bramer as he held
news conference near his
44th Drive restaurant
when Amazon announced
it was bolting the borough
of Feb. 14. He blamed Van
Bramer and Gianaris for
the loss of 25,000 jobs and
the $28 billion in new
tax revenues the campus
would generate for the
city and state.
Meanwhile, Bowen, a
St. Louis native known
for his dry wit, laughed
off any controversy on
March 1.
“That’s just Jimmy
playing the victim. Look,
all I was trying to do was
to get him to call the man
and get Amazon back
here,” Bowen said. “The
imagery might be dark
but there were no threats
intended there. I’m just
trying to do the right
thing for the neighborhood
and the right thing
for Queens. That’s it.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@
schnepsmedia.com or by
phone at (718) 260–4538.
Continued from Page 1
Donation
In May 2018, Vigorito
and Nick Gagliano, president
of Dwarf Giraffe, announced
their commitment
to provide a $10,000 check,
which will be presented at
the Whitestone Veteran’s
Memorial Association’s
dinner on April 27.
A near-century old annual
tradition in Whitestone,
the Veterans Memorial
Day Parade was
in danger of vanishing
years ago due to a funding
shortage.
“I’m on the committee
with the American Legion
on raising funds and it’s
very hard to do,” said Vigorito.
“They do send letters
out, they have the dinner
dance … people just don’t
donate like they used to.”
According to Vigorito,
he’s unsure why there isn’t
an outpouring of funds for
the parade, which traditionally
begins at 149th Street
and 15th Drive with a memorial
service and making
its way through Whitestone
Village. World War II, Korean
War and Vietnam War
veterans march alongside a
host of community groups
and elected officials.
“It’s one of the oldest
Memorial Day Parades in
Queens. To me, it’s the only
community thing left that
we do here in Whitestone.
It’s the one parade that gets
everyone together,” said
Vigorito. “Different civic
groups, the little league, the
girl scouts, the boy scouts,
the fire department —
everyone is there.”
However, Vigorito is not
quite sure about the future
of the parade, calling for
community involvement.
“It depends on the
people of the community.
At this point, there’s not
many veterans left,” said
Vigorito. “What happens
five years, 10 years down
the road, I don’t know but
it’s something the community
has to keep doing. If
the community doesn’t step
up and keep the parade going,
I don’t know how much
longer it will last.”
Vigorito is challenging
residents and other organizations
in Whitestone to
step up to the plate and help
raise money for the parade.
To make a contribution,
all donations can be sent
directly to the Whitestone
Veterans Memorial Association
at 10-20 Clintonville
St. Whitestone, NY, 11357.
Reach reporter Carlotta
Mohamed by e-mail at cmohamed@
schnepsmedia.
com or by phone at (718)
260–4526.
Continued from Page 1
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