16 DECEMBER 20, 2018 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Holden eyes increase permit fees for fi lm production crews in Qns.
Cones line Metropolitan Avenue in Middle Village while fi lm production takes place, restricting parking near local businesses.
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
EDAVENPORT@QNS.COM
With an increase of fi lm and
television shoots throughout
his district, Councilman
Robert Holden is looking into
legislation that would raise the cost
for permits for production companies.
On Dec. 17, the councilman received
a call from a local business owner who
stated that a fi lm crew was taking up
parking on Metropolitan Avenue. A
notice sent to the Holden’s offi ce indicated
that parking will be restricted
on more than three blocks adjacent to
Metropolitan Avenue on Dec. 17-18.
Another fi lm crew is slated to use
up three blocks’ worth of parking on
Grand Avenue in Maspeth on Dec. 19.
“It’s already hard enough for local
businesses to deal with increased
parking meter costs and unfair fi nes
for signage before a fi lm crew takes
up several blocks of parking on top
of that,” said Holden. “It’s outrageous
Photo courtesy of Council Member Holden’s offi ce
that this fi lming is taking place during
the week before Christmas, one of the
busiest shopping periods of the year
that local companies survive on.”
The current fee for production
companies to receive a fi lm permit is
$300, plus the city gives the company
tax incentives for doing business in
the city. The production company is
also required to alert the city four
days prior to fi lming and give two
days’ notice to the local community
board.
Holden is looking into writing legislation
that would raise the permit fee
to $5,000 and increase the amount of
notice that would be given to communities
before fi lming begins.
“Businesses rely on their holiday
revenue, but instead they are losing
much more than the cost of these fi lm
permits,” said Holden. “My hope is that
raising the fee will make production
companies more responsible and
aware of the eff ects that their parking
restrictions have on nearby businesses.”
Two major honors for Glendale’s Sacred Heart Academy
BY THE RIDGEWOOD TIMES STAFF
EDITORIAL@RIDGEWOODTIMES.COM
Sacred Heart Catholic Academy in
Glendale reported two great honors
during the fall — one from the
community, and the other from a distinguished
educational organization.
The campus located at 84-05 78th
Ave. achieved fi rst prize in the Bethpage
Best of the Boro competition
for best Catholic school in Queens.
Sal Laurenzano, an active parent at
the school, spearheaded campaign
encouraging parents and other local
residents to vote in the competition
through social media posts and online
voting.
As a result, Sacred Heart won the
category and will be featured in the
Bethpage Best of the Boro winners’
guide. The Bethpage Best of the Boro
competition is sponsored by Bethpage
Federal Credit Union and operated by
Schneps Communications, a parent
company of the Ridgewood Times.
Additionally, in November, Sacred
Heart’s school community learned
that the academy had been granted a
charter for the National Junior Honors
Society. This allows Sacred Heart
to recognize the hard work of faculty
and students and push its already high
standards even further.
“These two achievements highlight
the strength of Sacred Heart’s academic
rigor and the passion of the
families and community,” according
to a release from the school.
Sacred Heart will showcase their
achievements in the new year, fi rst
with an Open House on Monday, Jan.
7, 2019 to welcome families of prospective
students. The school will also
participate in Catholic Schools Week,
Photo via Facebook/Sacred Heart Catholic Academy which runs from Jan. 27 to Feb. 2.
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