4 The Courier sun • AUGUST 4, 2016 for breaking news visit www.qns.com SUTPHIN BOULEVARD SHOPS RECEIVE GRANT FOR A MAKEOVER By Charlie Perry cperry@qns.com/@QNS A new look is coming to Sutphin Boulevard in Jamaica, with many storefronts receiving a makeover. Councilmen Rory Lancman and I. Daneek Miller joined the Sutphin Boulevard Business Improvement District and Commissioner Greg Bishop of Small Business Services (SBS) on July 27, to unveil the new facades at F&S Discount and Variety and several other stores. “It’s crucial for New York City to do everything possible to support our small businesses, and I’m pleased the partnership between Small Business Services and the Sutphin BID has resulted in storefront improvements for so many in Queens,” Councilman Rory Lancman said in a statement on Thursday. “Our area is lucky to have unique stores filled with hardworking business owners, and I look forward to continuing to work with our local leaders to see how to best serve our small businesses.” The Sutphin Boulevard BID received a $95,000 Neighborhood Challenge Grant from SBS in 2015 as the only organization in Queens to get this funding. Through the grant, local small businesses were able to revitalize their facades to provide a more attractive and welcoming environment for the community they serve. Small businesses are the economic building blocks of our neighborhoods, and SBS is committed to helping them start, operate and grow throughout the city,” Bishop said in his statement. “We are empowering communities to improve commercial corridors through our grant programs, which provide direct financial support to local organizations that, in turn, are improving storefronts and stimulating more commercial investment.” The Sutphin Boulevard BID is working with council members and SBS to completely rejuvenate the storefronts along Sutphin Boulevard. The BID recommends storefront guidelines to interested business owners that include improving awnings, security gates, signage, lighting and storefront windows. Photo courtesy of Councilman Rory Lancman Councilman Lancman and members of the community gather for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate Sutphin Boulevard’s new look. ELMHURST DAIRY IN JAMAICA GOING OUT OF BUSINESS By Candace Higgins editorial@qns.com/@QNS For the first time in history, New York City will be without a local dairy supplier. Elmhurst Dairy, located on 155-25 Styler Rd. in Jamaica, Queens, announced on Aug. 2 that it will be closing its doors for good after more than 80 years of business. For nearly the last 20 years, Elmhurst Dairy was the last of its kind in New York City. About 20 milk processing plants have closed due to the difficult up-keep of operating a dairy business in a rapidly changing market. In this day and age, the popularity of other calcium-rich products such as almond and soy milk have taken a toll on the business. CEO Henry Schwartz said the decision to close the family business was a last resort. “My family was dedicated to trying to keep the plant open long past the years that it was economically viable because it was the wishes of its founder, Max Schwartz, that future generations of the family continue the business. The family did so at a very high cost but is unable to continue to do so without ongoing losses,” Schwartz explained. The closing of the factory will affect 273 employees but Elmhurst Dairy is committed to re-using the site in a way that will benefit the community economically. Elmhurst Dairy opened in the mid 1930s by brothers Max and Arthur Schwartz. It started in the milk house of their father’s dairy farm on Caldwell Avenue in Elmhurst and blossomed into a high-demand business after it moved to Jamaica. At its peak, Elmhurst Dairy produced more than 5 million quarts a week and catered to a market of 11 million people. Construction seminar held to help Baisley Houses residents get jobs By Alec Posner editorial@qns.com/@QNS Senator James Sanders hosted a General Construction Outreach Safety and Training course at the Baisley Houses Community Center on Monday, July 25, and Tuesday, July 26. The course, led by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), is usually $200 but was free to those who participated. OSHA, whose mission is to ensure safe, healthy working conditions for both men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance, gave an OSHA 10 card to the approximately 40 people who completed the two-day, 10-hour course. The card shows employers that you’re serious about working in the field. This course can be a life-changing opportunity to Baisley House residents such as Rahshom Leach, who said that once he receives his OSHA card he will begin visiting construction sites in search of available jobs. “I refuse to be in the same position, not making any progress,” Leach said. “I am looking for a stepping stone.” Obtaining an OHSA 10 card may help improve someone’s chances of obtaining entry-level jobs in the construction field such as general cleanup positions and providing temporary traffic control known as flagging. “I am proud to support the residents of the Baisley Houses in their pursuit of an opportunity that doesn’t come every day,” Senator Sanders said. “Whether you’re acquiring your first OSHA card or already have experience as a safety professional, this is a diligent step that sends a clear message to employers that you are sincere.” Photos courtesy of Elmhurst Dairy
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