28 The Queens Courier • AUGUST 29, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com
28 THE QUEENS COURIER • AUGUST 22, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
editorial
The mayor who just won’t listen
He’s fl own to Iowa, South Carolina and
New Hampshire in recent months as part
of his quixotic presidential bid, opening
his ears to anyone who will consider giving
STORY: Flushing store owner prepares to fi ght back against
possible opening of liquor store chain
SUMMARY: Employers at Marpat Wines and Liquors store in
Flushing are fearing the worst — the possible shutdown of their
business and jobs if Total Wine & More, a fast-growing chain of
nearly 200 stores, sets up shop across the street.
REACH: 8,822 people reached (as of 8/26/19)
him their vote.
But Mayor Bill de Blasio seems to have
a problem listening to Queens, where
residents are in rebellion over his plans
for their communities. To describe his
administration’s response to them as
being tone deaf to the “World’s Borough”
would be a profound understatement.
Glendale residents have been fi ghting a
proposed homeless shelter for up to 200
men in their community for years now.
Last week, the de Blasio administration,
through the Department of Homeless
Services, announced it would move forward
Kew Gardens residents have rallied for
months against a proposed community
jail at the former Queens Detention
Complex. Next month, the City Planning
Commission — led by a de Blasio appointee
— will likely vote to approve the plan
as part of the de Blasio administration’s
eff orts to shutter Rikers Island for good.
Even on smaller matters, de Blasio’s City
Hall doesn’t seem to give a damn.
Bayside activists have been complaining
for months about the confi guration
of bike lanes on Northern Boulevard and
made suggestions to fi x them. What has
the mayor’s administration done about
it? Nothing.
When Ridgewood residents told de
THE QUEENS
with the plan anyway.
sun
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PUBLISHER & EDITOR
CO-PUBLISHER
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ART DIRECTOR
SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
STAFF REPORTERS
CONTRIBUTING REPORTERS
PRODUCTION MANAGER
INSIDE SALES MANAGER
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
PRESIDENT & CEO
VICE PRESIDENT
VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS
JOSHUA A. SCHNEPS
BOB BRENNAN
ROBERT POZARYCKI
NIRMAL SINGH
EMILY DAVENPORT
JENNA BAGCAL, MARK HALLUM, KATRINA MEDOFF,
CARLOTTA MOHAMED, MAX PARROTT, BILL PARRY
CLIFF KASDEN, SAMANTHA SOHMER, ELIZABETH ALONI
DEBORAH CUSICK
CELESTE ALAMIN
MARIA VALENCIA
VICTORIA SCHNEPS-YUNIS
JOSHUA A. SCHNEPS
Schneps Media, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361
718-224-5863 • Fax 718-224-5441
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editorial e-mail: editorial@qns.com
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Entire Contents Copyright 2017 by The Queens Courier
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Blasio’s Department of Transportation
that it didn’t want a bus lane on Fresh
Pond Road (and off ered their own alternatives
for their consideration), the agency
acknowledged them in a letter to the
local councilman — but also indicated in
that very same letter they were moving
forward with the plan anyway.
You can, if you will, boil down the
opposition to homeless shelters, community
jails, bike lanes and bus lanes to
NIMBYism. Th ere’s certainly grains of
truth to support that. But each of these
plans have genuine concerns about public
safety and community conditions that
are being generally dismissed because of
that perception.
And, in the end, even the NIMBYists
have a valid point: de Blasio and his representatives
do not seem willing to listen to
anything that their opponents have to say.
Much like another headstrong leader
in our country, de Blasio seems to think
that he’s only the mayor of those who
elected him — not the mayor of all New
York City.
All of this has resulted in a deep sense of
angry skepticism among Queens residents
who have also lost faith in the city government
to do the right thing. It’s on de Blasio
to step up and direct his administration to
hear Queens residents out on these issues.
De Blasio should stop ignoring Queens
while embracing Iowa. Either he’s the
mayor, or he’s a campaigner. He can’t be
both.
Photo via Twitter/@BilldeBlasio
Mayor Bill de Blasio having fun on the presidential campaign trail in Iowa. Queens residents simply
want the mayor to come home and listen to them.
Publisher & E ditor Victoria Schneps-Yunis
Co-Publisher Joshua A. Schneps
Chief Operating Officer Bob Brennan
E ditor-In-Chief Robert Pozarycki
Art Director Nirmal Singh
S ocial Media Manager Emily Davenport
S taff Reporters Jenna Bagcal, Mark Hallum, Katrina Medoff
Carlotta Mohamed, Bill Parry
Contributing Reporters Cliff Kasden, Samantha Sohmer, Elizabeth Aloni
Production Manager Deborah Cusick
I nside Sales Manager Celeste Alamin
Chief Financial Officer Maria Valencia
President & CEO Victoria Schneps-Yunis
Vice President Joshua A. Schneps
Schneps Media, 38-15 Bell Blvd., Bayside, NY 11361
718-224-5863 • Fax 718-224-5441
www.qns.com
editorial e-mail: editorial@qns.com
for advertising e-mail: ads@qns.com
Entire Contents Copyright 2017 by The Courier Sun
All letters sent to THE COURIER 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 COURIER 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 COURIER SUN within five days of publication. Ad position
cannot be guaranteed unless paid prior to publication.
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all liability for the content of and all replies. The advertiser agrees to hold The Courier SUN and its
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