RWD_p013

RT10222015

for breaking news visit www.timesnewsweekly.com OCTOBER 22, 2015 • times 13 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com OCTOBER 22, 2015 • THE COURIER SUN 25 oped  A LOOK BACK A Look Back Before the Q55 bus line arrived on the scene, shoppers and residents traveling between Ridgewood and Richmond Hill relied upon the trolley along Myrtle Avenue to get around. This picture, taken in about 1947, shows one such trolley traveling east along Myrtle Avenue at Central Avenue in Glendale. Note the overpass carrying the Long Island Rail Road’s Bay Ridge branch in the background. Have a historic picture of Queens that you’d like to share with us? Email it to editorial@queenscourier.com, or send it by mail to A Look Back, c/o Queens Courier, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361. All mailed pictures will be carefully returned to you! letters STILL IRATE OVER HIGH SCHOOL PLAN IN BAYSIDE I’m very frustrated, as are many, over the proposed high school at the former Bayside Jewish Center. There are still options on the table that do not include a new school. For example, the SCA can’t sell the property. The SCA can leave the property dormant. The SCA can lease the property to another company, as it is. Fact: The property is only 1 acre. Fact: The SCA and Paul Vallone purposely circumvented our Community Board 11 from the beginning of the SCA’s interest in this property near the beginning of the year to avoid confl icts and opposition from us. Therefore, the SCA has been able to get to this point as a result of their clandestine operations. This is strikingly different than their approach was to the Whitestone 6.5-acre property, when they were halted by public opposition lead by Paul Vallone and local Whitestoners, because the public somehow got wind of the SCA’s interest in the Whitestone property much earlier, far before the chance of signing a contract with the seller. Now, here we, the Bayside neighbors surrounding the Bayside Jewish Center property, are alarmed at the SCA’s “process” performed in haste, putting the cart before the horse with regards to their signing the real estate contract prior to the required-by-law existing traffi c studies vs. anticipated future traffi c, environmental studies, soil samples, sewage analysis, water table impact (which is a major problem of residents’ homes here), current parking analysis vs. anticipated parking in the surrounding neighborhood, vandalism/crimes, etc. All of these are being done after the SCA’s hasty contract sale. We are tired of being the band-aid for areas with failing schools that were shutdown because the parents in those areas failed their own children fi rst. Is this the reward we get for being great parents here in Bayside? The SCA sliding & dumping schools under our rug, transforming our Bayside neighborhoods into high school education corridors to service those families that failed their own kids? Is this the reward? Chadney Spencer, Bayside SALUTE TO A ‘CONSUMMATE’ QUEENS LIBRARIAN Accolades are in order for Linda Czerwinski, one of the Queens Borough Public Library’s most valued, knowledgeable and indefatigable employees. She’s moved from the system’s Maspeth branch to its Woodhaven location. Ms. Czerwinski is the consummate modern day librarian. Linda’s ability to interact comfortably with the public, remarkable computer skills and overall sense of humor are her most endearing and outstanding assets. Her achievements are evident in her accomplished learners of all ages. This affable, patient and gifted educator exceeds her fi eld’s standards of professional excellence. ALL QBPL, New York Public Library (NYPL) and school librarians should emulate this vibrant and talented woman. Stan Parchin, Middle Village Child sex abuse bill doesn’t seek justice for everyone BY AUXILIARY BISHOP PAUL R. SANCHEZ In reference to her Oct. 1 op-ed in The Queens Courier and Ridgewood Times, I agree with Assemblywoman Margaret Markey that our state and nation must do everything we can to eliminate child sex abuse and bring those accountable for such crimes to justice. Where Markey and the Catholic Church part ways is in her methodology. To be clear, Assemblywoman Markey is not proposing changes to the criminal statute to allow offenders to be brought to trail and imprisoned. Indeed, the church has supported changes that would extend the period of statute of limitations for just such a purpose. Moreover, the church has supported extending the statute of limitations in a reasonable way so that both individuals and institutions might be civilly liable. What we do not support is a half measure that fails to protect all our children and only seeks “justice” for some. Due to the extra protections given to public institutions in existing law, Assemblywoman Markey’s bill would not offer the same opportunities to bring time-barred lawsuits against public schools and municipalities as it would for the Catholic Church and other private institutions. In the last decade, the Catholic Church, not unlike other institutions both public and private, has become painfully aware of our past failures to protect children. Today, no institution private or public is more diligent in the protection of young people and transparent when crimes and misconduct occur. In Catholic schools and programs, each and every adult, whether an employee or volunteer, must submit to a criminal background check, sign a code of conduct and receive ongoing training. Each child is instructed in an age appropriate manner to be vigilant about telling adults when a boundary is violated. We also voluntarily submit to an ongoing independent audit to prove we are in compliance with the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People, established in June 2002 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Child sex abuse is a crime. We support every effort to bring criminals to justice. The fact is that the Markey bill is tragically fl awed, in that it neither protects children nor delivers justice for all for those who are survivors of abuse. Bishop Sanchez is pastor of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Church in Forest Hills. VISIT QueensCourier.com FOR MORE STORIES QNS.COM READER COMMENT ATM skimming victims in the 109th Precinct “The majority of the population doesn’t pay attention to what’s going on around them and are easy targets for thieves.” QNS.com user Tillman www.ridgewoodtimes.com If you have news in your neighborhood to share or want to comment on what you’ve read, send a letter to 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside NY 11361 or email us at editorial@ridgewoodtimes.com


RT10222015
To see the actual publication please follow the link above