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ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE Civic Focuses On R’wood Improvements by Kelly Marie Mancuso The Ridgewood Property Owners and Civic Association (RPOCA) celebrated their 83rd Anniversary while discussing positive changes in the community during its meeting last Thursday, Nov. 6, at the Ridgewood Older Adult Center. RPOCA President Charles Ober introduced guest speaker Ted Renz, executive director of the Ridgewood Local Development Corporation (RLDC) and the Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District (BID). Renz helped co-found the RLDC back in 1978 in response to the rapid deterioration of neighboring communities. “Bushwick was burning and there was great fear in Ridgewood that the same would happen here,” Renz explained. “So we banded together with stakeholders and businesses to make Ridgewood better.” Early RLDC achievements include a massive 1984 capital improvements project that repaired the streets and sidewalks of Myrtle Avenue. The RLDC also implemented storefront improvement programs, planted trees along Myrtle Avenue and helped create summer youth employment programs. Another major focus of the RLDC is the promotion of growth in Ridgewood’s industrial zones. Renz cited Ridgewood’s industrial past, when knitting mills and other manufacturing flourished. “Manufacturing jobs are very important to this community,” Renz stated. “They were an important economic engine for Myrtle Avenue, and we hope to bring it back.” The Myrtle Avenue BID was formed by the RLDC in 1988 in an effort to unite the commercial or business sector with the community. It is one of only 69 Business Improvement Districts in the city. The BID currently encompasses over 345 retail and service establishments along Myrtle Avenue spanning from Wyckoff Avenue to Fresh Pond Road. According to Renz, the BID receives a budget of $406,000 in city funds for programs and services, including supplemental sanitation services, graffiti removal, beautification, marketing and special events such as the upcoming Myrtle Avenue holiday light displays. The BID was recently awarded a business attraction grant from the NYC Department of Small -SEE RPOCA ON PG. 28- TIMES, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2014 • 6 Butchered Man’s Identity Unknown Seek Info, Leads In Woodside Killing Composite sketches of a man whose body parts were found along the CSX rail tracks in Woodside back in April. by Robert Pozarycki Hoping someone will come forward with a case-cracking tip, police released last Friday, Nov. 7, composite sketches of a 30-year-old man whose body parts were found strewn near railroad tracks in Woodside back in April. The gruesome discovery was reportedly made at about 2:40 p.m. on Apr. 12 along the CSX freight rail line in the vicinity of 43rd Avenue and 74th Street. According to law enforcement sources, a 36-year-old can collector was scouring the location for items when he discovered the victim’s skull inside a torn bag. Police were notified, and members of the 110th Precinct Detective Squad—along with additional NYPD personnel— responded to the location. The officers began canvassing the nearby location for further clues and evidence. In doing so, authorities said, they found additional body parts inside of bags scattered around the railroad right-of-way. The parts were collected and transferred to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, which eventually determined they were of a 30-year-old man. Information that the office provided to the NYPD were the basis of composite sketches that an artist made of what the man may have looked like. Anyone with information regarding the victim’s identity or the homicide itself that could prove helpful is urged to call the 110th Precinct Detective Squad at 1-718-476-9303 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. Information may also be sent to Crime Stoppers via text message to 274637 (enter information, then the code TIP577) or online at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com. All calls and messages will be kept confidential. Winter Night Shifts Begin As DSNY Preps For Storms Keeps Staff Available For Plowing by Robert Pozarycki Preparing for winter’s fury, the Sanitation Department began evening and overnight garbage collection on Monday, Nov. 10, in order to have staff ready to salt and plow city streets if and when winter storms strike. Through mid-April, the Sanitation Department will have shifts of workers on duty from 4 p.m. to midnight and midnight to 8 a.m. daily. According to Sanitation Commissioner Kathryn Garcia, this will ensure that the department will have enough drivers on hand to man 2,300 salt spreaders and plows dispatched across the five boroughs during winter weather. When they’re not battling snow and ice, the workers will be out conducting regular household trash and recyclable pickups; Garcia stated the crews are advised to “work as quietly as possible.” The Sanitation Department continues to have day shift crews that begin their work at 6 a.m. Garcia indicated the Sanitation Department is ready for whatever Mother Nature may bring to the city in the winter months. The agency has a storage capacity -SEE PLOW ON PG. 52-


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