TIMES, THURSDAY, MAY 22, 2014 • 30 Ridgewood Development Plan Blasted By Opponents At Board 5 Meeting “should be withdrawn.” Renz, however, suggested “it may be time to think outside the box” and consider MX experimental zoning to allow for light industry on the ground floor and residential units above. Two area residents charged they were concerned the proposed residential development would drive up housing costs throughout the neighborhood and price existing residents out of the area. “We need development that takes into account the needs of all residents,” said Raquel Namuche. “If you’re considering rezoning, talk to us about what we really need. ... Do we really need a residential building with a penthouse?” Manny Jalonschi echoed those sentiments but also expressed concern about the potential loss of manufacturing space, noting that industrial jobs in Ridgewood “are some of the best jobs” residents could get. He also cautioned that the Decatur Street site is located “300 feet” from the radioactive Superfund site, the former Wolff-Alport factory located at the corner of Irving Avenue and Cooper Street. “Nobody should live around that,” Jalonschi said. Walter Sanchez, Board 5’s first vice chairperson and chair of its Zoning and Land Use Committee, said the panel would examine the plan and make a recommendation at its next meeting. The recommendation for or against the project would come before the full board for a vote in June. Changing R’wood intersection Two Department of Transportation (DOT) representatives provided an overview of proposed changes to the intersection of Myrtle Avenue, Wyckoff Avenue and Palmetto Street designed to make the Ridgewood intersection safer for pedestrians and drivers alike. Queens DOT Commissioner executive branch remains in the hands of those with “secular progressive” ideas in 2016, and two or three more Supreme Court justices with similar leanings are appointed, conservative social ideas will become anathema to the prevailing powers, who will use every tool available to them to silence such opposition. The extreme intolerance of the left for opinions that vary from their own has been amply demonstrated on university campuses, in the mainstream media and in the public square in recent years. Boycotting those with whom they disagree is insufficient for them, as demonstrated by their attempts to put their political adversaries out of business or assassinate their character. Sometimes it is not possible to go from a position of extreme weakness to one of great power in one fell swoop. We must realize that getting people into office who agree with us 90 percent of the time is far superior to ending up with someone who opposes you at every opportunity at the behest of their party leaders. With patience and good leadership, the 90 percenters could be moved in the right direction and would be great allies in redirecting our country toward common-sense solutions for our multitude of problems. The soul of America is at stake, and the future of our children and their children is threatened by unsustainable growing debt. Those who just listen to propaganda and refuse to read history or familiarize themselves with basic financial knowledge are easily fooled by those claiming that we are safe because our debt is rising more slowly. Those who go off the financial cliff die whether they fall one mile or 10 miles. The point is this: If the country is destroyed, many other issues become irrelevant. We need to stabilize the country first and then address the other serious problems. Although several variations now exist on the best way to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), in the past there was much confusion. In the early 1960s, a mnemonic device called the ABCs of CPR was popularized and eliminated much of the confusion. The proper order of the procedure was easy to recall by remembering what each letter stood for. “A” was for “airway,” which can be quickly optimized. “B” was for “breathing” to remind the rescuer of the importance of oxygenation, and “C” was for “circulation,” which could be reestablished by chest compression. For example, if chest compression is started in someone with an obstructed airway, it might prove less effective. By prioritizing the steps, many lives were saved. If a ship is about to suffer massive destruction by sailing over Niagara Falls, why devote energy to scraping the barnacles off the bottom? There will be plenty of time for that once the ship is saved. Worrying about the barnacles before reversing course detracts from critical action. Enough said.T his rationale will anger some who feel that their important issue, be it homosexual marriage, abortion, illegal immigration or Second Amendment rights, should never be anywhere except front and center. I sympathize with those sentiments, but as a pragmatist, I realize that if conservatives continue to be fragmented over issues on which there will never be unanimous agreement, they will never get the chance to address these issues down the road. Principles are important — but so are wisdom and savvy when building consensus with people with different principles. Ben S. Carson is professor emeritus of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University. Ben Carson News & Opinion -CONTINUED FROM PG. 4- Dalila Hall and Nicole Altmix, project manager, stated the changes—which include curb extensions, new or repainted crosswalks and retimed traffic signals—aim to reduce accidents at the intersection, which had two fatalities and 29 injuries between 2008 and 2012. Board 5 and neighboring Brooklyn Community Board 4 first received and reviewed the proposal in April, as previously reported in the Times Newsweekly. According to Altmix, 15 of the 29 injuries were pedestrians struck by vehicles as they crossed the streets. Poor visibility played roles in many of the accidents, as the elevated M line runs directly above the intersection. Nonetheless, pedestrian traffic is high in the area since it is a transit hub near the Myrtle-Wyckoff Avenues subway station and the Ridgewood Intermodal Terminal, where six bus lines stop. The DOT proposal includes banning six turning movements considered to be the most conflicting and dangerous to pedestrians, Altmix added. The proposed turns to be eliminated include right turns from northbound Palmetto Street to eastbound Myrtle Avenue; right turns from northbound Wyckoff Avenue onto eastbound Myrtle Avenue; right turns from eastbound Myrtle Avenue to southbound Wyckoff Avenue; left turns from westbound Myrtle Avenue to southbound Wyckoff Avenue; and right turns from southbound Wyckoff Avenue onto westbound Myrtle Avenue. Board 5 Chairperson Vincent Arcuri stated the board’s Transportation and Public Transit committees would examine the plan at its next meeting, which took place on Tuesday, May 20. The committees were expected to form a recommendation for or against the project that the full board would vote on in June. Other news Several individuals—including Board 5 member Richard Huber and Glendale resident Dawn Scala— spoke out against the proposed homeless shelter in Glendale and urged residents to voice their opposition at a Board 5 public hearing on the project, scheduled for tonight (Thursday, May 22), at 7:30 p.m. at Christ the King Regional High School’s auditorium. Joann Berger, president of the District 24 Presidents’ Council, voiced opposition to the plan in advance of the hearing, charging that the shelter—which will house up to 125 families, mostly single mothers with children—could put further strain on an already overcrowded public school system. Melissa Alke, a volunteer for the American Cancer Society’s Middle Village Relay for Life, appealed for volunteers to help set up and cleanup at the fund-raising event scheduled for the weekend of June 21-22 at Juniper Valley Park. For further information, visit www.relayforlife.org/middlevillage. Board members observed a moment of silence for Ann Griffin, a 15-year member of the advisory body who died last week. District Manager Gary Giordano remembered her for her years of volunteer work at Maspeth Town Hall and advocacy for the Maspeth community. Nominations The board opened nominations for its Executive Committee positions. All of the incumbents were re-nominated for another term in office. They are Chairperson Arcuri, First Vice Chairperson Sanchez, Second Vice Chairperson Dmytro Fedkowskyj, Treasurer Kathy Masi, Secretary Margaret O’Kane and At- Large Members Patricia Grayson, Fred Haller, John Maier and Ted Renz. A second nominating round will be held immediately prior to the Executive Committee elections, -CONTINUED FROM PG. 6- Queens Department of Transportation Commissioner Dalila Hall (at right) and the DOT’s Nicole Altmix (at left) presented proposed changes to the Ridgewood intersection of Myrtle Avenue, Wyckoff Avenue and Palmetto Street during last Wednesday’s Community Board 5 meeting. Shown seated at center are (from left to right) District Manager Gary Giordano and Chairperson Vincent Arcuri. (photo: Robert Pozarycki) scheduled for the board’s June meeting. Demolition notices Arcuri announced that the board received demolition notices for three Glendale properties: 78-15 68th Ave., 89-02 Metropolitan Ave. and 89-30 Cooper Ave. It also received a notice for the demolition of 57-39 82nd St. in Middle Village. Board members were advised to keep a careful eye on activities at each location and to report any questionable practices. Liquor licenses The board also received the following liquor license applications: • New liquor licenses for Minderbender Enterprises LLC, d.b.a. Milo’s Yard, located at 564 Seneca Ave. in Ridgewood; and AJC Pub and BBQ Inc. for a business to be determined, located at 64-56 Dry Harbor Rd. in Middle Village (formerly Danny Boy’s restaurant). • A liquor license renewal for JT(NY) Restaurant Corp., d.b.a. Johnny’s Café II, located at 60-39 Fresh Pond Rd. in Maspeth. • New wine and/or beer licenses for Julia’s Beer and Wine Bar LLC, located at 818 Woodward Ave. in Ridgewood; and Sal’s Pizza Inc., located at 52-20 Flushing Ave. in Maspeth. • Wine and/or beer license renewals for St. Mark Deli & Grocery Inc., located at 60-79 Fresh Pond Rd. in Maspeth; and Bonavita Deli Corp., located at 465 Fairview Ave. in Ridgewood. It was also announced that KRG Pub Inc., d.b.a. Bridie’s Bar & Grill, located at 63-28 Woodhaven Blvd. in Rego Park, intends to include an outdoor patio deck within its liquor license parameters. Those wishing to comment on any of the applications may do so by calling Board 5’s office at the number listed at the end of this article. The next monthly Community Board 5 meeting is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 11, at 7:30 p.m. at Christ the King Regional High School, located at 68-02 Metropolitan Ave. in Middle Village. For more information, call Board 5’s Glendale office at 1-718-366-1834. If You See Breaking News On Your Block... Contact The Times Newsweekly Call 1-718-821-7500 • Email info@timesnewsweekly.com
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