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8 THE QUEENS COURIER • MARCH 21, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM More train debris falls in Queens as MTA touts ‘progress’ BY MARK HALLUM mhallum@schnepsmedia.com @QNS Th e MTA revealed on March 18 vast service improvements over last year’s numbers in February with subways and buses either on or near schedule due to the Subway Action Plan and another initiative to raise the speed limit of trains to meet deadlines. But while service may be improving, a diff erent kind of concern is now broadening across Queens: falling debris from the 7 train trestle in Long Island City and Woodside, and now the A train in Ozone Park. New York City Transit President Andy Byford said that trains are now meeting an average on-time performance of 75 percent compared to last year which only saw a rating of 60 percent which they attributed partly to the implementation of the Subway Action Plan draft ed by former MTA Chair Joe Lhota to remove debris from tracks and tackle other seemingly small issues that cause trains to stall. “We are now seeing numbers that show consistent and sustained improvements resulting from the Subway Action Plan and Save Safe Seconds,” Byford said. “Our ability to reduce our major daily incidents is resulting in fewer delays, faster trains, and an overall better experience for our customers.” Meanwhile, Patrick Tsang took to social media on March 15 in a Twitter post when he exhibited a chunk of metal that had fallen onto his car while passing over the Sunnyside Yard on Queens Boulevard and other incident in Richmond Hill on Monday when a woman’s car was dented by a bolt. “We obviously take any report like this seriously and sent a team to investigate. We didn’t fi nd anything abnormal at the scene – there was no debris on the ground, the track was inspected from both sides and all components were found to be secure. Our systemwide inspection of all elevated track structures continues,” an MTA spokesman said. Th e MTA said they also examined the area where Tsang’s car was struck and found nothing out of place. Th e agency claimed that workers walk all elevated track twice a week, and conducts annual inspections. Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer has called for protective netting to be hung under the tracks to keep the public safe from any future incidents. Aft er two separate incidents in late February and early March where the windshield of a car driving down Roosevelt Avenue near 61st Street – Woodside Station was speared by a wooden beam through the windshield and another where a rusted piece of metal landed near another at in the immediate area, QNS documented the level of decay at the station. Th e 2015-2019 Capital Plan lists the station as being in a state of good repair with $34.8 million committed to diff erent projects at station pertaining to electronic equipment. A study from the Citizens Budget Commission listed the Woodside Station among the 33 worst out of the 472 stations in the system citywide. Read more on QNS.com. Ocasio-Cortez called the ‘villain’ in Amazon abandoning Queens: poll BY BILL PARRY bparry@schnepsmedia.com @QNS When Amazon scuttled its plans to build an HQ2 campus in Long Island City last month, Governor Andrew Cuomo laid blame on Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and others who “put their own narrow political interests above their communities” — and apparently many New Yorkers agreed. A Siena College poll released on March 18 showed that New Yorkers see the progressive lightning rod as the biggest “villain” in the post-Amazon blame game. “Who do New Yorkers blame? Well there’s certainly blame enough to go around,” Siena College pollster Steven Greenberg said. “More people think Amazon, Governor Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio, the state Senate, and local Queens activists were villains in this sage than they were heroes. However, voters say the biggest villain was Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Only 12 percent call her hero, while 38 percent label her a villain.” Th e poll was conducted with 700 New York state registered voters, and 67 percent said Amazon’s withdrawal was “bad” for the state while only 21 percent said in was “good.” Amazon pulled the plug on the deal in which they promised to create 25,000 jobs in return for nearly $3 billion in tax incentives. Voters support the deal 2 to 1 if Amazon reconsiders. “By a wide margin, New Yorkers would support the deal coming back together if Cuomo can convince Amazon to reconsider,” Greenberg said. “Th ere is an overwhelming feeling that its cancellation was bad for the state. And there is strong support, among all demographic groups, for Amazon to reconsider and move forward. Clearly, jobs outweigh the cost of government incentives in the minds of most voters.” Th e Siena Poll also showed 67 percent of voters believe state government is moving too far to the left making it harder for businesses to succeed in New York. Savanna managing partner and founder Chris Schlank might agree. His real estate company was set to sign Amazon to lease for 1.5 million square feet in One Court Square, the iconic tower once known as the Citicorp Building before the e-commerce giant announced it was walking away. Savanna will have less than a year to fi ll the tower which is being vacated by Citigroup. Photo: Mark Hallum/THE COURIER A rusting pillar on the 7 line in Woodside Photo: Mark Hallum/THE COURIER The Anable Basin waterfront in Long Island City, where the Amazon HQ2 was to be developed. $99 $99 $99 $99 DESIGNER FRAMES PLUS FREE 2ND PAIR Frames & Lenses Offer ends 3/31/19 ��brand clear sphericalLenses/*Contact lens fitting additional. Not valid for Toric lenses. Not valid with Some restrictions apply, see store for details. Offer ends 3/31/19 Select frames with clear plastic, single vision lensas vision plans or packages. Must present prior to purchase. see store for details Offer ends 3/31/19 MARCH SPECIALS With the purchase of glasses, contact lens e l. 2 Boxes of Lenses Encore Premium Brand $100 OFF * $200 minimum purchase on first pair of designer frames. Second pair frame from select group with vision plans or packages. Offer ends 3/31/19 No-Line Bifocals Lenses with Metal Frame * $200 minimum purchase on first pair of designer frames. 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