20 The Courier sun • march 27, 2014 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com editorial IDENTIFY THIS PLACE Go to www.queenscourier.com and search “Identify This Place” to find out where this is letters Turn over a new leaf After several months of crippling snowstorms and flooding, I really look forward to spring weather, green grass, and flowers in bloom. The advent of spring is also a great opportunity to turn over a new leaf on our dietary and exercise habits. In fact, I’ve been told that hundreds of communities celebrate the advent of spring with something called the Great American Meatout. Local health advocates host educational events where they ask visitors to get a fresh start this spring with a healthy diet of vegetables, fresh fruits, legumes and whole grains. For those who need a little encouragement, their website provides useful information and a chance to pledge a healthy diet for one day or more. Felix Britt Fresh Meadows Increase security I find it quite disturbing to read that a 16-year-old climbed all the way to the top of the World Trade Center and was not stopped. Where was security? If this daredevil could do this, then any terrorist could do the same and plant a bomb that could hurt many and do much destruction. This, I believe, is a wake-up call for addition security and security measures to be imposed to lessen the risks. Many lives are at stake if nothing is done. Frederick R. Bedell Jr. Glen Oaks Village Need a united front The most recent fight for control of the Queens County Republican organization between factions led by current county chair Phil Rugusa and challenger former Congressmember Bob Turner (supported by Councilmember Eric Ulrich and his insurgents) reminds me of two hyenas fighting over the carcass of a dead animal, in this case remnants of the once-relevant Queens Republican Party. Without a united political organization under current Queens County Chair Phil Regusa and the ability to raise real dollars, the ever-dwindling number of Queens Republicans will continue on the path to political extinction. In turn, this will impact the ability of any Republican to successfully run for and win city or statewide office. Any victorious city or statewide Republican candidate must come out of Queens with a decent showing to offset overwhelming Democratic votes from the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan. Larry Penner Chancellor’s challenge For years, Department of Education’s Office of Special Investigations was often used like a state secret police service in a totalitarian nation. Under the three Bloomberg chancellors it was deployed as a security force for a despotic rogue agency. Chancellor Fariña is nobody’s fool and is no softie when it comes to high expectations of ethics among all DOE employees. She is tough but fair and that is how it should be. And it is no contradiction that she has also expressed views on a host of issues that suggest a keener commitment to humanity than was the calling card of the three chancellors that immediately preceded her. She has a lot on her plate. Due diligence about OSI should be among her priorities. She must set a tone that will serve notice to OSI that she fully supports its original mission (to investigate allegations of improper and unlawful behavior, including corporal punishment and verbal abuse against students), but will not tolerate the abuses, excesses and caprices that have scarred it. By accomplishing this, she will help re-cast the OSI in the honorable role for which it was conceived. Ron Isaac Fresh Meadows sun WWW.COURIERSUN.COM Victoria Schneps-Yunis Joshua A. Schneps Bob Brennan William J. Gorta Amy Amato-Sanchez Nirmal Singh Graziella Zerilli Stephen Reina Ron Torina, Jennifer Decio, Cheryl Gallagher Melisa Chan, Liam La Guerre, Cristabelle Tumola Angy Altamirano Cliff Kasden, Samantha Sohmer, Elizabeth Aloni Cristabelle Tumola Maria Romero Warren Susman Celeste Alamin Maria Valencia Daphne Fortunate Victoria Schneps-Yunis Joshua A. Schneps Publisher & E ditor Co-Publisher Associate Publisher Editor-In-Chief VP, Events, Web & Social Media Art Director Assistant to Publisher Assistant Art Director Artists Staff Reporters Contributing Reporters Web Editor Events Manager Senior Acc ount Executive Classified Manager Controller Office Manager President & CEO Vice President Schneps Communications, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361 718-224-5863 • Fax 718-224-5441 Sales fax: 718-631-3498 website: www.couriersun.com e-mail:editorial@queenscourier.com ads@queenscourier.com queenscourier@queenscourier.com Entire Contents Copyright 2014 by The Courier Sun All letters sent to THE C OURIER SUN should be brief and are subject to condensing. Writers should include a full address and home and office telephone numbers, where available, as well as affiliation, indicating special interest. Anonymous letters are not printed. Name withheld on request. No such ad or any part thereof may be reproduced without prior permission of THE C OURIER SUN. The publishers will not be responsible for any error in advertising beyond the cost of the space occupied by the error. Errors must be reported to THE C OURIER SUN within five days of publication. Ad position cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication. VIctoria Media Services assumes no liability for the content or reply to any ads. The advertiser assumes all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold The Courier SUN and its employees harmless from all cost, expenses, liabilities, and damages resulting from or caused by the publication or recording placed by the advertiser or any reply to any such advertisement. REMEMBER THE WORLD’S FAIR? Did you or someone you know attend the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair at Flushing Meadows-Corona Park? If yes, The Courier is asking you to share your memorabilia and/or memories with us to commemorate the event’s 50th anniversary this April. You could win a dinner for two. Please email your entries to editorial@ queenscourier.com with the subject line “World’s Fair Anniversary” or to Editorial, 38-15, Bell Boulevard, Bayside, NY 11361. Note: All photos/items become property of The Queens Courier OFF THE RAILS It’s irresponsible and unproductive for the MTA to spend so much time disrupting the lives and livelihoods of people and business along the 7 train with constant disruptions and suspensions. The upheaval on the line has left Long Island City stranded at times, with no way out for residents and no way in for the many people who want to visit LIC to spend their time and money there. The area has undergone a renaissance but its continued growth and health are threatened by the upheaval of the train schedule. Businesses big and small have suffered as a result of the suspensions despite the overwhelming evidence that a community’s strength is most easily observed by the health of its business community. The service on the 7 train was spotty enough before the long horror began. But bad service beats no service, so we look forward to the restoration of weekend 7 train service to LIC. Wouldn’t it be great to get back to normal? Well, how could the MTA allow that? As they give with one hand, they take away with another. LIC must suffer another transit horror as the MTA plans to close down G train service to Queens for five weeks this summer. Such disruptions are injurious to the health of our communities, which rely on the subway for work and leisure. Surely there must be a way to conduct needed repairs without the wholesale sequester of Long Island City. The Courier agrees with LIC resident and business owner Sheila Lewandowski, who said of the MTA, “It should not just be a top-down decision. There has to be communication. They need to be listening to their communities more.” THREE CHEERS FOR THE COAST GUARD The brave men and women of the Coast Guard do a marvelous job of protecting our shores, but they went above and beyond the call of duty in Queens on March 24. Members of the Coast Guard undertook a special mission to cheer up Colin Flood, who suffers from leukemia. They swooped down into Juniper Valley Park to give the 8-year-old “Coast Guard Alaska” fan a tour of their helicopter and to shower the child with gifts. God bless the U.S. Coast Guard. We wish them and Colin all the best. FAREWELL, TONI The Courier bids a fond farewell to our Editor-in-Chief, Toni Cimino. Toni has been with the paper for more than a decade working her way up from intern to the top job. She has attacked her job with vigor and style and has proven to be a loyal friend of the paper. The Courier is deeply grateful to Toni for her years of hard work and we wish her well in her next endeavor.
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