12 DECEMBER 26, 2019 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
Rosa’s Pizza was shut down in July after failing a health inspection. Photo via Google Maps
BY JENNA BAGCAL
JBAGCAL@SCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
@QNS
Here are the top stories from July
2019.
Health Department shuts down
Maspeth pizzeria following failed
inspection
In July, the NYC Health Department
ordered the closure of Rosa’s Pizza at
55-36 69th St., aft er the restaurant failed
a health inspection. According to the
agency, the pizzeria racked up a total of
58 points spanning a range of off ences.
During the July inspection, the DOH
found evidence of mice, food items being
held at inadequate temperatures and
failure to keep up proper standards of
cleanliness.
Just months earlier in November 2018,
Rosa’s earned 25 points, which equals a
B rating. DOH gives A grades to restaurants
that score between 0 and 13 points,
B ratings to restaurants with 14 to 27
points and Cs to establishments with 28
points or more.
The DOH found the pizzeria guilty
of four critical off enses, including not
keeping hot food items at 140 degrees
fahrenheit or above, evidence of mice
in food and non-food areas, inadequate
personal hygiene and failure to protect
food from potential contamination during
storage, preparation, transportation,
display or service.
In June, Dave Portnoy of the popular
One Bite Pizza Reviews YouTube channel
reviewed Rosa’s Pizzeria for a video.
Portnoy makes videos fi ve days a week
reviewing local pizza joints.
Head of Ridgewood youth program
refutes report alleging nepotism and
‘shortchanging’ local youth
Over the summer, state Comptroller
Tom DiNapoli released an audit claiming
the Greater Ridgewood Youth Council
(GRYC) had given summer employees
twice the compensation, took prohibited
enrollment fees from parents and hiring
executives’ children.
DiNapoli’s audit was meant to evaluate
the oversight that the city Department
of Youth and Community Development
(DYCD) has over local organizations
that run youth and community summer
programs.
According to records, GRYC, one of
the largest nonprofi t youth programs
in Queens, received 27 contracts with
DYCD from July 1, 2015 through Oct. 10,
2017. The contracts totaled approximately
$13.9 million.
The report showed at least $87,733
in “inappropriate expenses,” but GRYC
President Bob Monahan denied these
claims. DYCD echoed Monahan’s sentiments
and refuted most of the comptroller’s
fi ndings.
The GRYC summer youth employment
program allows individuals ages 14 to 24
to work up to 25 hours a week. According
to DiNapoli’s report, the nonprofi t paid
their employees at least 1,344.5 overlapping
hours. This meant those who worked
the same hours on the same dates earned
at least $19,239 in duplicate costs.
YEAR IN REVIEW
The top stories from July 2019
The Greater Ridgewood Youth Council. Photo via Google Maps
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