FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM NOVEMBER 28, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 35
LIU MAKES SENSE
AS A VOTING REP. ON
MTA REVIEW BOARD
Why hasn’t Gov. Andrew Cuomo
approved NYS Senate Democrat
Majority Leader Andrea Steward
Cousin’s selection of John Liu as her
voting representative to the four-member
MTA Albany-based Capital
Program Review Board?
Th is is a critical time as they have to
review and approve the MTA $51 billion
2020 - 2024 Five Year Capital Plan
before Dec. 31.
Some believe that commuters from
Long Island would have been better
represented if the voting representative
came from either Nassau or
Suff olk County. Th ey overlook that
state Senator Liu represents thousands
of constituents who use the LIRR Port
Washington branch from various stations
in his northeast Queens district
bordering Nassau County.
Th ere are thousands of reverse commuters
from New York City. Th eir
numbers are growing and will increase
more when $2.6 billion Main Line
Th ird Track and $11.2 billion East Side
Access to Grand Central Terminal
come on line in December 2022. Th ey
ride the LIRR to jobs, colleges, hospitals,
shopping and entertainment venues
in Nassau and Suff olk Counties.
Let us not build walls between New
York City and our suburban counties,
when it comes to public transportation
and LIRR. NYC, Nassau and
Suff olk County LIRR commuters all
desire more frequent, safe and reliable
service. We all want LIRR capital
improvement, maintenance projects
and programs completed on time
and within budget.
I live in Great Neck and board at the
LIRR Little Neck Station. I’ve gotten to
know Senator Liu over the years and
believe he will represent the interests of
all LIRR commuters, regardless of city
or suburban residency.
Larry Penner
Great Neck
THE HOLIDAY SEASON
IS FINALLY UPON US
Thanksgiving, Christmas and
Hanukkah is upon us.
It is a time of good friends, family,
co-workers, and a time of giving and
sharing. But it is also a time to show
kindness to those less fortunate than
ourselves living in our communities.
My hope is that everyone who is able
will think of donating and even volunteering
to the faith-based groups
and civic organizations that help those
in need. Th ere are also food kitchens
and food pantries that need help year
round.
Here’s another thought: In your travels
this holiday season, try smiling and
saying hello to those who you meet on
the street and in stores, as well.
Also try saying, “Have a nice day”
to others. Th is could go a long way in
spreading waves of kindness and making
our communities wonderful places
to live.
I have another idea: When you get on
a bus or train, try giving your seat to a
senior citizen or a handicapped person.
By doing all of this, maybe you might
understand what the holiday season is
all about.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
Glen Oaks Village
REMEMBER TO BE
THANKFUL FOR
WHAT YOU HAVE
As our nation prepares to celebrate
Th anksgiving Day, all Americans
should be grateful for the blessings that
they have.
While many people are experiencing
hardships in their lives, it is important
to know that we should never lose
faith or hope. Life is not always so perfect,
and everyone faces situations that
may be diffi cult at one time or another.
As we gather with family and friends
for the Th anksgiving holiday, let us
remember to give thanks to God for the
many blessings that he has bestowed
upon us during this past year, and pray
for continued blessings for all of us.
We also should remember all of
our servicemen and women who are
serving our nation both at home and
abroad — they are risking their lives
each and every day to protect us and
our nation. Also remember all of our
fi rst responders and medical personnel
across this wonderful country of ours
who serve to protect us and keep us
safe each and every day.
We should also remember those who
are less fortunate than us, and keep
them in our thoughts and prayers.
May God Bless America on this
Th anksgiving Day, and may all of us
share in the joys of spending this holiday
with family and friends.
John Amato
Fresh Meadows
oped letters & comments
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Shop small, not at
the online mall
BY GREGG BISHOP
Th e holiday season is
upon us and we all know
the temptation of online
shopping. Th e ease of getting
the things we want at
the click of a button might
seem harmless, but it has
major consequences for local small businesses.
Shopping online takes away from the livelihood
of local residents and strips the community
of its extraordinary businesses. E-commerce
also means you don’t have the ability to inspect
your purchases before receipt; you have to go
through the hassle of repackaging and returning
your item; and you’re depriving yourself of getting
to know the business owners on your block.
Shopping small means you’re supporting your
community. Small businesses are the backbone
of New York’s local economy, with more
than 230,000 businesses employing 3.69 million
people.
Besides contributing to the workforce, small
businesses connect communities and help create
unique, energetic neighborhoods throughout
our city. As the holiday shopping season
approaches, I’m encouraging all New Yorkers to
show some love to our small businesses. Here
are some ways you can help your local small
businesses that extends beyond your purchasing
power:
Participate in Small
Business Saturday
Avoid the Black Friday mayhem and shop
small on Saturday, Nov. 30.
Pledge your shopping list
to your community
Th is holiday season make a commitment to
buy half of your shopping list from local small
businesses. Jewelry, clothing, pottery and books
are all great gift s that can be found in your
neighborhood. Consider gift ing a “made in New
York” basket with your favorite local items.
Share small business content
on social media
A great way to support your local business is
to share their content on social media. It can be
as simple as posting a picture on Instagram or
checking in on Facebook.
Leave positive reviews
While word-of-mouth recommendations are
always good for small businesses, it doesn’t hurt
to leave positive reviews on Yelp and Google.
Leave an online review for small businesses to
get more traction and visibility.
Join the fun!
Participate in seasonal fun on your block and
in your neighborhood. From tree lighting events
to local gift guides, get involved and shop small.
While you’re preparing for this busy season,
remember to continue supporting the diverse,
independent, small businesses that enrich
neighborhoods across New York City. As we
enter this busy holiday season, don’t forget to
shop small!
Gregg Bishop is the commissioner of the New
York City Department of Small Business Services
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