FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM NOVEMBER 21, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 21
Photos: Max Parrott/QNS
A new approach to treat vets charged with misdemeanors
BY MAX PARROTT
mparrott@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Two days aft er Veterans Day, the
Queens County Criminal Court took a
concrete step toward addressing the psychological
struggles that veterans oft en
face aft er their service.
On Wednesday, Nov. 13, the court formalized
a treatment court for veterans
charged with misdemeanors.
Aft er a year of informal existence, the
Queens Misdemeanor Veterans Treatment
Court (QMVTC) joined the borough’s
fi ve other treatment courts, which use a
therapeutic model and mentor program,
as opposed to traditional case processing.
“Th e dual goal of all problem solving
courts here in criminal and misdemeanor
land is to develop meaningful alternatives
to incarceration and treat the underlying
root of the criminal conduct,” said
Supervising Judge Michele Johnson. “Th is
court is to address the unique needs of our
veterans who have sacrifi ced for all of us
in this room and all of us in this country.”
Th e new program expands the current
Queens veteran treatment court, which
solely focuses on felonies.
“Because they’re low-level misdemeanors,
there’s really something you can do
with them. Because they’re not going to
look to serve time fi rst,” said Lori Zeno,
executive director of the Queens Law
Associates. “And the mentoring part that’s
part of the treatment program, that’s the
key.”
Veterans or active military members
who are charged with a misdemeanor can
opt into the program, which will assign
them a court case manager as well as a
peer mentor who will help them work
through treatment plan tailored for their
situation as an alternative to normal sentencing.
Several speakers at the opening ceremony
addressed the signifi cance of having a
peer who understands the unique types of
mental trauma that combat impresses on
service members.
“Veterans only really want to talk to veterans
and have to be talked to in a certain
way,” said Sherry Klein Heitler, the chief
of policy and planning for the New York
State Courts.
Th e two presiding judges over the program
Scott Dunn and Jeff rey Gershuny
are both veterans themselves. According
to Gershury, Queens has the third highest
number of veterans of any county in New
York state, and leads the fi ve boroughs in
its veteran population.
Depression, alcoholism, prescription
drug use and untreated mental illness in
the veteran community can oft en cascade
into unemployment, homelessness and
criminal activity. One intended result of a
program like QMVTC is that it educates
participants about VA benefi ts they may
not currently be using in order to create a
safety net to stop them from lapsing into
destructive behavior.
Asked why Queens County waited until
2019 to employ such a program given the
high level of need in the borough, Lori
Zeno explained that it took the initiative
of Judge Toko Serita, who created the program
on her own.
“Th e judge who actually started didn’t do
it with Offi ce of Court Administration’s
OK. She just did it. Th en aft er it had been
going on for a year, they were like, ‘Oh,
maybe we should formalize this,’” said
Zeno.
At the end of the ceremony, two veterans
spoke on their experience going
through treatment.
“Th e veterans court has given my life
back to me and I’m eternally grateful,”
said Christopher Porr, a graduate of the
QMVTC.
Howard Beach community creates ‘Holiday Lights on Cross Bay’
Photo Courtesy of Doreen DeCandia
Workers are installing holiday lights along Cross Bay Boulevard after
a group of Howard Beach women decided to bring some cheer to their
neighborhood.
BY BILL PARRY
bparry@schnepsmedia.com
Th e Howard Beach community
came together this year to create
“Holiday Lights on Cross Bay,”
a dazzling display that will illuminate
a long stretch of Cross Bay
Boulevard from 156th Avenue to
165th Avenue, infusing the neighborhood
with holiday cheer.
“Th e last time the community did
holiday lighting was back in 2005,”
Doreen DeCandia said. “Around
holiday time you see holiday lights
on Bell Boulevard, Jamaica Avenue
and Union Turnpike and you think,
why shouldn’t we have this in
Howard Beach, too?”
So DeCandia, whose husband
Joe DeCandia owns Lenny’s Clam
Bar and Roma View Catering Hall
in Howard Beach, joined Kelly
Signaselli, Mary Griffi th and and
Camille Adamo formed a team to
make the event happen. Th e four
women walked up and down Cross
Bay Boulevard eliciting support
along the commercial corridor.
“Everyone loved the idea. More
than 60 small businesses, big businesses,
families and organizations
either pledged or contributed
their support for the holiday
light display. Everyone is very excited,”
DeCandia said. “We all worked
very hard and those three ladies
really put themselves out there and
they enjoyed every minute.”
Most financial contributions
ranged from $100 to $1,100 to pay
for the decorations and the cost
of installation and electricity. Th e
names of each business that contributed
will be posted on the fence
next to the Starbucks located at 157-
41 Cross Bay Boulevard. DeCandia
noted that Starbucks was generously
donating coff ee to the workers
who were installing the lights.
“This will be ready for
Th anksgiving week but if it’s ready
before that we’ll just light it up,”
DeCandia said. “Th at could be as
soon as the weekend. We’re not
going to have a lighting ceremony,
we just want to see how it goes.”
She added that in addition to the
support from Our Lady of Grace
Academy, which has been an integral
part of the Howard Beach community
for more than 95 years,
the project also had the support
of Councilman Eric Ulrich, the
Queens Chamber of Commerce
and the Kiwanis Club. It also drew
support from businesses in nearby
Lindenwood, Ozone Park and
other neighborhoods.
“It’s a wonderful way to make
the holiday season a little brighter
and bring some cheer to the fantastic
neighborhood we call home,”
DeCandia said. “In a time where
our culture and society is marred by
criticism, skepticism, competition
and negativity, this is a wonderful
way to bring optimism, hope and
positivity to our local community.
Aft er all, that’s what the holiday
season is all about, and Our Lady of
Grace Catholic Academy is happy
and honored to assist in bringing
those spirits to Howard Beach.”
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