SHB_p017

SC03142013

16 The Courier sun • MARCH 14, 2013 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com SENIORS STAND UP BY MAGIE HAYES mhayes@queenscourier.com Senior citizens refuse to slow down. A new civic group, Seniors United for an Equitable America, is planting its roots in Middle Village, looking to advocate for their generation and to create a better future for those following them. “Seniors are one of the most powerful and largest groups in America,” said Shirley Singer, activist, and the group’s founder and chair. “If we’re successful, then our children and our grandchildren will be.” Currently, Singer is trying to acquire a nonprofit title and funds to assist in the group’s mission. A handful of seniors have joined the fight as well, but Singer is hoping for many more. She hopes that people who hold Social Security as their only income will sign on and fight the looming cuts that the sector perpetually faces. State Senator Joseph Addabbo, one of Singer’s supporters, said the seniors that he represents are concerned about the future funding for Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and continued support for senior programs, among other things. “Seniors are reliable voters, they’ve paid their taxes, many have served in the military, they’ve raised their families here in Queens,” he said. “In their retirement, they keep up with all the local and national issues and they impress me with how they want to ensure the safety and stability of their neighborhoods. He also said that when Singer approached him with the idea of an advocacy group, he encouraged her to reach out to vocal Queens seniors. “I want to get seniors more interested in participating in fixing the problems they’re facing,” she said. “The idea is action, and to be heard and to be considered a first-class citizen.” “We always complain to one another, and that doesn’t mean anything,” she added. So, Singer hopes the group will write letters, call Congress and visit Albany, or even Washington. She wants to bring senior issues to the forefront, and unite with others to make a difference. She also hopes to connect with other organizations and come together on common ground – fighting for their community, in order to make a difference. Seniors United for an Equitable America will meet the second and fourth Thursday of every month at the Middle Village Adult Center at 69-10 75th Street. The first meeting will be held this Thursday, March 14, at 1 p.m. “I want to know what’s bothering everyone,” said Singer, who wants to first conquer Queens, and then expand as far as she can go. St. Pancras School Celebrates heritage BY ADJANI SHAH editorial@queencourier.com It was a sea of green as St. Pancras School held its annual dinner to kick off St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The dinner’s purpose is to raise money for the school, and also serves as a holiday party for the Glendale neighborhood. The auditorium was painted the colors of Ireland, green and orange, and guests ranged from teenagers to seniors. Attendees spent the night catching up with friends over a traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner with pitchers of beer to wash it down, and danced the night away to the musical stylings of the Boston Burglars, an Irish American band. Francis Cahill and Daniel Costa, students from Iona College, entertained guests with traditional drum and bagpipes tunes, which stirred a sense of pride throughout the auditorium. Cahill said the event reminded him of his family heritage, a time when everyone joins together. Guests also took part in the 50/50 raffle; half of the money earned went to the winner and the other half to the school. Celebrations even appealed to non-Irish folks, like Erma Berz. “I’m not Irish, but it’s very nice; I always enjoy St. Patrick’s Day,” she said. The dinner was organized by Ann- Marie Dolphin and Susan Dolphin Ross, THE COURIER/Photo by Adjani Shah sisters, both part of the Irish and St. Pancras school community. For the pair, the dinner was more than just a party, but also a way to honor and remember their deceased parents. “It’s our heritage, and we are glad to share it with other people,” Ross said. The dinner was just a kick off to St. Patrick’s celebrations that will continue with the parade on Saturday, March 16 and the holiday on Sunday, March 17. KIDS EXPO IS FUN FOR ALL A fun-filled event for moms-to-be, parents and children, the Queens Kids Expo will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 6, at the New York Hall of Science. Admission will include entry to the museum and the first 200 registrants will receive a goody bag. At the expo, attendees can interact with other Queens parents and experts while learning about the latest information on local classes, camps, schools, financial planning, health and home improvement. But the parents won’t be the only ones having fun. The expo will have activities for kids, such as face painting and entertainment from the Big Apple Circus. There will also be free dental screenings, giveaways and raffle prizes, including a Cancun trip raffle, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to Life’s WORC School of Autism. Sponsored by The Queens Courier, North Shore Animal Hospital, Rapid Realty NYC, Party City, EmblemHealth Neighborhood Care, Frankie’s Carnival Time, Big Apple Circus, Frost Valley YMCA, American Style Baby and PM Pediatrics. Register at queenscourier.com/kidsexpo. Legally Speaking By: Scott Baron, Attorney at Law THE FALLING SLAB Advertorial Q: I was employed on a bridge. Our project involved the removal of its deck, a steel grid filled with concrete. First, we divided the deck into sections, using saws. Then we attached each segment to cables and chokers; the hook of a crane would then hoist it vertically, and away from the bridge. As the crane tried to raise a one-ton slab from the surface, one corner rose four feet in the air, while the opposite corner remained stuck to the roadbed. Our foreman directed that the slab be lifted until the cables were taut. “You wedge a piece of four-by-four lumber into the spot where the slab is stuck.” I did so and stood on the other end to keep it in place. The idea was for the crane slowly to lower the slab to place pressure on the fourby four in order to pry loose the attached portion of the slab. The crane operator was supposed to lower the slab slowly. Instead, the slab descended quickly, causing the four-by-four upon which I was perched to shatter. I was thrown to the ground. A: Section 240(1) of the Labor Law requires contractors and commercial owners to furnish or erect scaffolding, hoists, stays, ladders, slings, hangers, blocks, pulleys, braces, irons, ropes, and other devices so as to give proper protection to a person so employed. Liability under the statute is not limited to instances in which the worker is actually struck by a falling object. The relevant inquiry is whether the harm flows directly from the application of the force of gravity. Your accident as direct a consequence of the descent of the slab as would have been an injury to a worker positioned in the descending slab’s path, and so you ought to be able to recover. The law responds to changed conditions; exceptions and variations abound. Here, the information is general; always seek out competent counsel. This article shall not be construed as legal advice Copyright © 2013 Scott Baron & Associates, P.C. All rights reserved. 159-49 Cross Bay Boulevard, Howard Beach, New York 11414 1750 Central Park Avenue, Yonkers, NY 10710 718-738-9800, 914-337-9800, 1-866-927-4878 Queens Expo 2013 kids VOLUNTEERS WANTED TO HELP OUT AT THE EXPO WHEN: Saturday, April 6, 2013 TIME: 11am-4pm WHERE: New York Hall of Science PLE ASE C ALL Amy at 718.224.5863 EXT. 201


SC03142013
To see the actual publication please follow the link above