14 OCTOBER 4, 2018 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
New life for Glendale ZIP code movement on Capitol Hill
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
RPOZARYCKI@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
@ROBBPOZ
In an age when Democrats and Republicans
in Congress rarely agree
on anything, they seem to have
found common ground on creating a
separate ZIP code for Glendale.
The Queens neighborhood is one of
fi ve communities in the United States
that would receive new ZIP codes
under a bill that the House passed by
a voice vote during its Sept. 26 meeting
on Capitol Hill.
Congresswoman Grace Meng, who
represents Glendale, co-sponsored
the legislation, H.R. 6846, which now
advances to the United States Senate.
Should the Senate pass the bill before
the end of this session, and should the
president sign it, the United States
Postal Service would be required to
create a Glendale ZIP code within 270
days of the bill’s enactment.
For nearly four decades, Glendale
and neighboring Ridgewood have
shared the same 11385 ZIP code. Over
the last 10 years, numerous lawmakers
and civic leaders called upon the
USPS to create a single ZIP code for
Glendale, as the shared ZIP code led to
numerous diffi culties in everything
from mail delivery to even emergency
responses.
“Residents of Glendale have long
advocated for a ZIP code that they
can call their own, and now we are a
major step closer towards making that
a reality,” Meng said in a statement.
“Establishing a ZIP code for Glendale
would allow for more effi cient mail delivery
and ensure that fi rst responders
and navigation devices no longer
have problems with fi nding correct
addresses. It would also ensure the
wonderful and vibrant identity of
Glendale is appropriately recognized
by the Postal Service.”
More than 90,000 people reside in
the 11385 ZIP code, nearly three times
the population of Maspeth and Middle
Village; each of those neighborhoods
has its own ZIP code and post offi ce.
Glendale has a postal station on Myrtle
Avenue near 70th Street, but to pick up
a package or open up a post offi ce box,
residents have to travel to the Ridgewood
post offi ce on Myrtle Avenue at
Decatur Street.
In 2011, the USPS agreed to provide
Glendale “preferred last line” status
and recognition in the 11385 ZIP
code. The USPS previously rebuff ed
requests for a separate ZIP code over
what were called “operational factors.”
It’s not the first time Meng has
pushed for a Glendale ZIP code. In
December 2016, the House of Representatives
passed similar legislation
in a lame duck session, but the Senate
didn’t get around to considering the
bill before the bill’s expiration at the
end of the calendar year.
Photo via Google Maps
The Glendale station of the United States Postal Service on Myrtle
Avenue in Glendale, NY, 11385
Towing company in Maspeth loses license over history of problems
BY JOSH TOWNER
EDITORIAL@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
@RIDGEWOODTIMES
Aft er years of community complaints
about illegal parking,
the city has revoked a Maspeth
auto body shop’s towing license.
City Councilman Robert Holden
announced on Oct. 2 that All American
Auto Body, Inc. of 59-01 Grand Ave. in
Maspeth had its towing license revoked
by the Department of Consumer
Aff airs as a result of inspections that
took place during the summer.
The 104th Precinct has been
towing vehicles left behind by All
American Auto Body for several
years, with crackdowns reported
in 2011, 2015 and 2017. The auto shop
had its towing license suspended
previously in 2011, but even that
didn’t seem to change activities once
the suspension was lifted.
Finally, aft er numerous police reports
and at Holden’s request, in February,
the DCA began an investigation
into American Auto Body.
“I have been fi ghting for two decades
against the crooked practices
of All American Auto Body,” said
Holden, who previously sought action
against the auto body shop while
he served as president of the Juniper
Park Civic Association. “They have
caused constant headaches for my
constituents, operated the business
under false addresses and they deserve
to be shut down.”
The DCA informed All American
Auto Body of the revocation via letter
Oct. 1. Salvatore Abate, owner of All
American Auto Body, also had his
personal towing license revoked.
The company is no longer certifi ed
to tow for the Directed Accident
Towing Program, the Rotation Tow
Program, private lots or police reported
car accidents.
The DCA also sent letters to All
American Auto Body on Aug. 24
and Aug. 28. The letters informed
the company of the DCA’s intent to
revoke the licenses, and said All
American Auto Body did not actually
work out of its business address at
59-01 Grand Ave.
The letters also detailed All American
Auto Body’s numerous violations
of the DCA’s rules and the city’s tow
laws, and noted the denial of the company’s
attempted license renewal to
tow out of a new location at 56-09
56th Terrace.
Holden has publicly confronted
All American Auto Body for leaving
neglected and damaged cars on
major roadways for days or weeks
at a time, and Maspeth citizens have
been voicing complaints to the City
Council and 311 for years.
“This bad actor’s pathetic attempts
to undermine the city’s tow laws have
not only created an imbalance in the
industry but also left damaged cars
to block curbside parking and litter
parts all over,” Holden added. “Maspeth
will be a much better place when
All American’s trucks disappear.”
Robert Pozarycki contributed
to this report.
Photo via Shutterstock
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