16 MAY 4, 2017 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM Sliwa likes Holden for Council seat BY ANTHONY GIUDICE AGIUDICE@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM @A_GIUDICEREPORT The fiery founder of the Guardian Angels, Curtis Sliwa, came to Thursday’s Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA) meeting in Middle Village to boisterously endorse its president, Robert Holden, in his quest for a City Council seat. Though the story broke days earlier, Holden offi cially announced to the JPCA membership on April 27 at the meeting that he will be running against Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley in this September’s Democratic primary. The longtime Middle Village resident laid out some of the reasons for his decision to run, specifically citing last summer’s battle against the city’s efforts to transform the Holiday Inn Express into a homeless shelter. “The biggest reason was the past homeless shelter fi ght in Maspeth,” Holden told the crowd. “Elizabeth Crowley didn’t come to one protest, didn’t give one cent to the eff ort. Everybody donated money from the neighborhood, she didn’t give one penny.” Sliwa, who also chairs the New York State Reform Party, praised the JPCA for their hard work transforming the community, all under Holden’s leadership. He also made it a point to bash Crowley and her record on the Council, calling into question her leadership and concern for the community. “Even though she doesn’t come to any of your rallies or any of your important meetings, but when it comes down to running for offi ce, she will be there asking for your vote,” Sliwa said. He charged that “she’s got the most corrupt Democratic machine behind her,” apparently referring to the Queens County Democratic Party chaired by Congressman Joe Crowley, the councilwoman’s cousin. “So to get Bob Holden in there, he’s going to give a colonic to the system,” Sliwa added. “He’s going to be a voice in City Hall, not only for the district, which is more than Juniper Park, more than Middle Village, more than Glendale, Woodhaven and other parts. He’s going to be a voice for the city.” Sliwa assured Holden that he would have the Reform Party’s line in the general election, regardless of the Democratic primary’s outcome. Voters will be hitting the polls in the Democratic primary on Sept. 12. Middle Village residents warned about a construction scamme r roaming through the area BY ANTHONY GIUDICE AGIUDICE@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM @A_GIUDICEREPORT In Captain John Mastronardi’s fi rst offi cial 104th Precinct Community Council (104PCC) meeting as head of the precinct, the new commanding offi cer warned local residents of a scammer from a construction company who has been targeting the elderly in Middle Village. According to Mastronardi, an individual with an Irish brogue has been going door-to-door in the Middle Village area in a white or green construction van, possibly with the name “Johnson” emblazoned on the side, and off ering to fi x people’s roofs. This scammer has been known to forcefully ask residents — usually the elderly or retired individuals — if they would like him to fi x their roofs, claiming he can get the work done in only a few hours, but he demands the money upfront. In some instances, Mastronardi said, the individual even off ered to bring his victims to an ATM to take out the money. “Honestly, they think the person is in good standing because he’s mentioning people around the neighborhood whose houses he’s actually assisting,” Mastronardi said. “He’ll show them the names of the people he’s actually helped, so to speak. And then people are confi dent in him and allow him to fi x the roof.” Detective Thomas Bell from the precinct’s Community Aff airs team added that this individual is trying to solicit business going door-to-door; he is not being called into the area for work. Bell told attendees that if this happens, to just be aware and never give out information without vetting the company fi rst. “They’re really quick when they talk, so you’ve got to be aware of that,” Bell said. “These guys are really quick talkers and they’re professionals at what they do. It sounds legit when you’re talking to them, but when you realize you’ve been fl eeced later on in the day, because then you think about it and you go, ‘Wait a minute, that didn’t sound right,’ or what have you.” In order to prevent this individual from scamming anyone else, Mastronardi and his offi cers are spreading awareness around the communities and on social media. “What my good crime prevention offi cers have been doing is been blanketing the area with fl yers, visiting elderly people and telling them just to be careful,” Mastronardi said. Glendale trash company helps clean up Forest Park As part of Earth Day celebrations on April 22, the members of the Mr. T Carting Company in Glendale participated in a cleanup of a portion of Forest Park. Volunteers and workers spruced up the area of the park known as “Pine Grove,” which is dedicated to soldiers who died while serving the U.S. Armed Forces during World War I and World War II. The team, under the Photo courtesy of Mr. T Carting leadership of company CEO Peter Toscano Jr. and with the assistance of Forest Park outreach coordinator Nicole Gammery, the workers removed 58 bags full of refuse from the park.
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