Nov. 3, 2019 Your Neighborhood — Your News®
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Jackson Heights’ economy driven by
immigrants, small businesses: Report
BY BILL PARRY
Jackson Heights has been
known as one of the most diverse
and dynamic communities in the
city with one of the highest concentrations
of immigrants, many
running their own businesses
and making major contributions
to the booming local economy.
On Oct. 24, state Comptroller
Tom DiNapoli came to the
Lexington School for the Deaf
to release a report entitled “An
Economic Snapshot of the Greater
Jackson Heights Area” that
backs that premise.
“Jackson Heights’ diverse and
dynamic immigrant community
is the driving force behind the local
economy that has seen growth
in the number of businesses, jobs
and household income,” DiNapoli
said. “Despite the neighborhood’s
economic success, some
challenges remain. The Jackson
Heights area is living proof of the
positive economic and cultural
benefits immigration brings to
our communities.”
Immigrants represented 60
percent of the area’s population
in 2017, much higher than the
citywide (37 percent) and the national
(14 percent) shares. Immigrants
also made up more than
three-quarters of employed residents,
the second highest share
among New York City’s 55 Census
defined neighborhoods.
“Jackson Heights is thriving
because of its diversity,” City
Councilman Daniel Dromm
said. “As Comptroller DiNapoli’s
report illustrates, immigrants
have made our local economy
strong. Jackson Heights surpasses
the citywide and borough
wide business sales growth averages
thanks to our newest New
Yorkers.”
NYCFC COMES TO QUEENS
Top-seeded New York City Football Club lost 2-1 to Toronto Football Club on Oct. 23 in Major League Soccer’s
Eastern Conference semifinals at Citi Field. NYCFC usually plays its home games at Yankee Stadium, but the
home of the Yankees had to kept available during the Bronx Bombers’ postseason run. Photo by Dean Moses
New skate
park opens
in Laurelton
BY BILL PARRY
Officials cut the ribbon on the
brand new Laurelton Playground
Skate Park and City Councilman
Donovan Richards showed off
some of his skateboard skills.
“Every community deserves
quality park space that provides
residents with a diverse set of
opportunities for exercise, relaxation
and entertainment,”
Richards said. “The new Laurelton
Playground Skate Park
will awaken and energize all
of the potential skaters in our
community who unsurprisingly
come out in full force once
they have a new, high-quality
environment to enjoy skating
safely. Every resident will
also be able to enjoy the fitness
equipment and social seating
area, making this playground
an exciting improvement for the
surrounding community.”
Bounded by Laurelton Parkway,
136th Avenue, Brookville
Boulevard and 137th Avenue,
the Laurelton Playground Skate
Park was funded with $1.1 million
Continued on Page 12 Continued on Page 8
Cracks and leakage at
Hunters Point Library
BY BILL PARRY
The president of the Friends of Hunters
Point Library believes that reports of design
flaws at the newly opened waterfront have been
overblown.
The $41 million Queens Public Library branch
‘Kick-A-Thon’ raises $10K
BY JESSICA MILITELLO
On Saturday, Oct. 19, Maria’s
Love Foundation held
its sixth annual Kick-A-Thon
at New York Martial Arts
Academy in Astoria where
students and local residents
stopped by to support the
event and raise money for
the non-profit’s mission of
helping families in need to
pay medical bills.
The event included carnival
games, prizes, face painting,
and a bouncy house,
along with light refreshments.
Students from the
school’s children and adult
classes signed up to kick to
meet this year’s goal of raising
$10,000 for four children
from St. Mary’s Hospital in
Bayside to start locomotor
training.
The organization’s founder,
Antri Orfanos started
Photo courtesy of Antri Orfanos
Continued on Page 12 Continued on Page 8
Vol. 8 No. 44 UPDATED EVERY DAY AT QNS.COM
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