Holiday Issue Changes For Times With Christmas and New Year’s Day falling on Thursdays, the Times Newsweekly/Ridgewood Times will shift its production deadline and publication dates the last two weeks in December. The high-profile release of this information at a time when we are engaged in war with various terrorist groups demonstrates a profound lack of wisdom because this information will undoubtedly be used as an effective recruitment tool by our enemies. Some of the people responsible for the release of this report have publicly acknowledged that it could put members of the military and other Americans at significant risk because they could now become prized targets for revenge. It seems likely that the unwise timing of this information release was politically motivated, seeing The Christmas issue will hit newsstands this Wednesday, Dec. 24. As such, the deadline for all copy, classifieds and advertisements will be noon on Monday, Dec. 22. The Times Newsweekly’s office will close at 1 p.m. on Dec. 24 and be closed on Christmas Day, Dec. 25. Additionally, the New Year’s issue will come out on newsstands on Wednesday, Dec. 31. The deadline for all copy, classifieds and advertisements will be noon on Monday, Dec. 29. The Times Newsweekly’s office will close at 1 p.m. on My Say by Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan There is a proposal to move the Javits Center to Queens, but it should not go forward without input from the thousands of residents who live in the neighborhoods nearby. The recent release of a Senate report commissioned by Democrats regarding torture of terrorism suspects in order to obtain vital information was a waste of $40 million of taxpayer money. It already had been documented extensively that three suspects were waterboarded and that sleep deprivation and other such techniques were used to extract vital information from terrorists. Though the report says otherwise, that information played a part in the apprehension or annihilation of many upperechelon terrorist leaders, including Osama bin Laden. MMAAUURREEEENN EE. WWAALLTTHHEERRSS..........................................PPuubblisshheerr && EEdditoorr JJOOHHNN TT.. WWAALLTTHHEERRSS................................................................................................PPuubblliisshheerr EEmmeerriittuuss RROOBBEERRT POOZZAARRYYCCKI.................................................MMaanaaging EEdditorr JJOOSEE VVAARRGAAS.............................................Prrodducction//Saaleess MMaanaageerr DDEEBBOORRAAHH CCUUSSICCKK..............................................CClaassssiffieedd MMaannaaggeerr MMAARRLLEENNEE RRUUIZZ............................................AAssssisst. CClaassssifieedd MMaanaageerr TTIIMMEESS NNEEWWSSWWEEEEKKLLYY IIss LLiisstteedd WWiitthh TThhee SSttaannddaarrdd RRaattee && DDaattaa AAnndd IIss AA MMeemmbbeerr OOff TThhee NNeeww YYoorrkk PPrreessss AAssssoocciiaattiioonn TIMES, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2014 • 4 BEN CARSON News & Opinion Times Newsweekly EEDDIITTOORRIIAALL Tampering With City History Times Newsweekly Established In 1908 As Ridgewood Times PPhhootoo SSuubbmmissssioonnss AAnndd RReeqquueesstss Photographs submitted to the Times Newsweekly/Ridgewood Times should be in electronic high resolution (300dpi) JPEG (.jpg) or TIFF (.tif) formats. Sharp and clear non-Polaroid photo prints in color or black and white are also acceptable. Photographs submitted will become the property of this newspaper, with the exception of photos or other materials sent for use by The Old Timer and photos which are part of paid announcements. We welcome the submission of unsolicited photos or related materials for consideration of publication, but we cannot guarantee their use. The return of such photos or materials, except in cases as noted above, is not possible. We regret that we are unable to accommodate requests for photos taken by photographers working on assignment for the Times Newsweekly/Ridgewood Times. Reaching The Queens Homes Of Ridgewood, Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Woodside, Sunnyside, Astoria, Long Island City, Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Howard Beach, Richmond Hill, Rego Park, Forest Hills, Woodhaven, Elmhurst & Kew Gardens. Reaching The Brooklyn Homes Of Ridgewood, Bushwick, Cypress Hills, East Williamsburg & Williamsburg. COMPOSITION RESPONSIBILITY: Accuracy in receiving ads over the telephone cannot be guaranteed. This newspaper is responsible for only one incorrect insertion and only for that portion of the ad in which the error appears. It is the responsibility of the advertiser to make sure copy does not contravene the Consumer Protection Law or any other requirement. CCOOPPYYRRIIGGHHTT 22001144 RRIIDDGGEEWWOOOODD TTIIMMEESS PPRRIINNTTIINNGG && PPUUBBLLIISSHHIINNGG CCOO., IINNCC. 60-71 Woodbine St., Ridgewood, N.Y. 11385 General Pub. Office: P.O. Box 863299 Ridgewood, N.Y. 11386-0299 Periodicals Postage Paid At Flushing, N.Y. (USPS 465-940) TTEELEEPHHOONEE: 11--771188--882211--77550000/77550011/77550022/77550033 FFAAXX: 11--771188--445566--00112200 EE-MMAAIILL: iinnffoo@@ttiimmeessnneewwsswweeeekkllyy..ccoomm WWEEBB SSITTEE: www.timessnnewssweekklyy.ccoom OON TTWWITTTTEER @@timessnnewssweekklyy PPUUBBLLIISSHHEEDD EEVVEERRYY TTHHUURRSSDDAAYY FFOORR OOVVEERR 110066 YYEEAARRSS -SEE CARSON ON PG. 59- In a world with too many problems to count, artwork and public access at two city landmarks may seem, on the surface, unimportant. However, they tell a broader tale about the city’s leadership and an apparent apathy toward New York’s history. Recently, the de Blasio administration announced it would swap out some of the portraits on display at City Hall, which has a vast art collection featuring many important figures in this city’s foundation. A mayoral spokesperson, cited in one publication, stated the administration wants to replace the portraits with artwork that “should reflect the vibrant diversity of New York City, and discussions on how to update the building’s collection to celebrate that diversity.” The City Hall collection consists of a vast roster of people who helped shape New York City into the grand metropolis it is today. No less than five presidents are included (George Washington, the only president inaugurated in New York; Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren), as are a slew of former mayors; first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Jay; former Gov. DeWitt Clinton, who led the developments of the Manhattan street grid and the Erie Canal; and Henry Hudson, the English explorer who discovered what would become New York in 1609. These portraits honor individuals who made tremendous contributions to the city’s greatness, but because they do not “reflect” the city’s current diversity, some of these portraits will be taken off of City Hall’s walls and locked away in a vault somewhere. If the de Blasio administration finds the collection lacking in diversity, it should correct the disparity by adding works of art, not subtracting what is already there. We can’t change the profiles of historical figures, nor deny their importance, to reflect the changing landscape. Every one of these individuals, however minor, made an impact here that should be celebrated, not shunned. Over at Gracie Mansion, New York City’s equivalent of the White House, something just as discouraging is happening. Tours of the historic Upper East Side mansion, previously held on Wednesdays and Saturdays, have been scrapped since the de Blasio family moved there in June. During the 1940s, Gracie Mansion—owned by New York City since 1896—became the official residence of the mayor, with Fiorello LaGuardia as its first tenant. Over the decades that followed, the city and the Gracie Mansion Conservancy funded regular renovations to the landmark, which became a center gathering place for the mayor and power brokers alike. After Mayor Michael Bloomberg took office in 2002, he declined to reside at Gracie Mansion and instead transformed it into the “People’s House,” offering greater access to the public and city agencies. When the de Blasios moved there this year—as is their prerogative—the city paid in excess of $145,000 to relocate the family from Brooklyn and convert much of the mansion back to residential use. We have no problem with Mayor de Blasio and his family living in Gracie Mansion for the duration of his tenure, nor do we have a problem with the city installing additional measures for the family’s security. But Gracie Mansion is public property, and while the living quarters should be off-limits, the rest of the landmark should be kept open to the public for tours and events, however limited they may be. Mayors come and go, but City Hall and Gracie Mansion belong to the people of New York, not one person or one administration. Neither their construction nor public access should be constrained by any mayor’s personal politics or sense of privilege. They are an integral part of our city’s history, and woe to us if that history is ever revised. Dems’ Wasteful Torture Report Dec. 31 and be closed on both New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 2015; and the following Friday, Jan. 2. On behalf of the staff and management, we wish all our readers a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, a Joyous Kwanzaa and a happy, healthy and prosperous new year. Residents have a right to see density and scale addressed. Lots of open space must be part of any plan in a neighborhood of few existing parks. Any plans to develop Sunnyside Yards need strong, local review. I would propose LaGuardia Community College play a lead role in a communitybased needs assessment, shared and developed by local residents, students, businesses, community boards and elected officials. • Any plan must include the effects of remediation. The Yards have been subjected to industrial runoff for so long, they probably warrant Superfund status. What will be the effect of a major clean-up on our community? • Transportation is critical. The There have been proposals to develop this historic industrial space almost since their opening, in 1910. They have attracted attention by impractical dreamers, unscrupulous speculators and even some visionary city planners. Still, any serious plan must address the concerns of local residents and businesses before it can be supported by government. Affordable housing is an important citywide goal, but the plan as pictured in the Daily News looks grossly overbuilt. -SEE MY SAY ON PG. 60- Any Sunnyside Yards Plan Should Involve Community
RT12182014
To see the actual publication please follow the link above