4 The Courier sun • july 4, 2013 for breaking news visit www.couriersun.com TALES OF SANDY WOE AT TOWN HALL BY MAGIE HAYES [email protected] Carl Teresa drained his retirement savings to pay for Sandy home damages and is tired of getting the runaround from city and state agencies, he said. Eight months after the storm, south Queens is still not whole, and Teresa said he is just one of many still struggling. Homeowners gathered at a town hall forum in Howard Beach, hosted by Assemblymember Phillip Goldfeder and Congressmember Hakeem Jeffries, to ask pressing questions that still exist months later. “You can’t get a straight answer from anybody,” Teresa said. “You talk to one person who has answer A, then another who gives you answer B. Nobody has the same answer.” Teresa had his Rockaway Park home was inspected three times by FEMA agents before he received money for his damages. The first inspector, he said, left the state without relaying information. The second did not do an accurate inspection, he said, and the third was finally able to get Teresa a $31,900 FEMA assistance grant. The basement apartment of his two-floor home was destroyed — inundated with over 30 inches of water — he said. The apartment is home to his mother-in-law, who has Alzheimer’s disease. She relocated to the first floor with Teresa and his wife until the repairs were complete. Teresa estimated the damages cost him at least $70,000. He is on Social Security disability, and cannot return to work to replace the money lost. “How do I support myself the rest of my life,” he asked. Jeffries and Goldfeder advised people in predicaments similar to Teresa’s to register for the city’s Build-it-Back program, which is geared towards assisting homeowners, landlords and tenants whose properties were damaged by Sandy. It offers several pathways to relief, including reimbursement for out-ofpocket payments. “People shouldn’t be forced to drain their bank accounts and decimate their savings in order to repair a home,” Jeffries said. The two also discussed updates to FEMA’s flood and evacuation maps. Evacuation zones will be changing from letters to numbers, Zone 1 being the highest priority. Most of Howard Beach will be located in Zone 1, Jeffries said. A rep from Neighborhood Revitalization NYC was also in attendance to speak about mold treatment. The program, which got cheers from the town hall audience, coordinates mold inspection and fixes free of charge. Members of the city’s Department of Financial Services as well as FEMA were also present to answer individualized questions. Goldfeder, a notable advocate for Sandy victims since the storm, asked the Department of Environmental Protection to clean out catch basins in the hope to better preparing the area’s sewer system for any future storm. “It has been a daily, daily struggle,” he said. “Almost every day is a new challenge.” “Now, we need to make sure we are prepared for the future,” he added. Those interested in the Build-it-Back program can visit www.nyc.gov/recovery for more information. To see the preliminary flood and evacuation maps, estimated to be released at the end of the summer, go to www.region2coastal.com. For those seeking flood insurance information and agents, visit www.floodsmart.gov. Photo Courtesy of Lisa Russo Joli Russo (right) shown here with Mayor Michael Bloomberg is a rising star in the acting world and has won multiple beauty pageants. “I love doing pageants because for me, it’s so much fun and you get to show off your personality. And I make new friends in pageants,” Russo said. “On my first pageant I was very nervous. But once I got used to it, I learned to relax and show my personality.” Aside from pageants, Russo appeared in episodes of “What Would You Do?” with ABC correspondent John Quinones. Last year, she recorded a radio advertisement for McDonalds and had a role in “Thanks Dad,” a short film by director Victor Bruno. It was featured as a finalist in the 2012 Tropfest, an international short film festival. Recognizing the importance of charity, Russo uses her current title as Miss New York Junior Preteen to do food and clothing drives and a costume drives for Halloween. Because both parents are cancer survivors, she dreams of becoming a doctor and finding a cure for the disease. For the upcoming pageant, Russo is representing Italy, because of her family and the Italian groups that sponsor her. Those include the Columbus Day Foundation. Russo has prepared an eloquent introduction speech that’s sure to grab the judges’ attention. As for the talent portion, she will tap into her acting experience and recite a scene from the Broadway play “Matilda.” “I think I really do have a good shot to win this pageant,” She said. “I have been practicing very hard and I’ve done pageants for a very long time.” Garden Center • Seasonal Decor Landscaping • Irrigation HOWARD BEACH Joli Russo to compete in upcoming pageants BY LIAM LA GUERE [email protected] The sky’s the limit for one young Howard Beach star. Joli Russo is a beauty pageant winner and an actress who has appeared in movies and television — and she is only nine-years-old. Russo recently finished working on her second short film, “Dream of Flying,” directed by actress and model Georgina Chapman. Now she is preparing 125 Crossbay Blvd. • Broad Channel PRIDE OF to compete in the upcoming International Junior Miss beauty pageant as Miss Italy in the princess division for ages 7 to ten. The competition runs from July 22 through 27. “I’m absolutely ecstatic, because she shows that she is a true leader and that she is an upcoming, rising star,” mother Lisa Russo said. The girl started doing beauty pageants when she was six years old at a family friend’s suggestion. Despite losing her first pageant, National American Miss, she enjoyed the journey and vowed to return to the spotlight the following year. “I never knew about pageants when I was little. But once I did, it the first year, I was like, ‘Mommy I want to do it again,’” Russo said. The next year, she placed fourth in the contest and the year after that, she finally captured the crown. Since then, Russo has competed in other competitions to win two more titles. Russo enjoys it so much that she has her eyes set on the ultimate prize; Miss Universe. at the root of all your garden needs. 718.855.543.NURSERY (6877)
SC07042013
To see the actual publication please follow the link above