Hochul examines safety precautions at Corona school
Richards endorses Singh in southern Queens City Council race
TIMESLEDGER | QNS.COM | AUG. 27 - SEPT. 2, 2021 15
BY BILL PARRY
Queens Borough President
Donovan Richards is putting
his thumb on the scale in
the three-way race to replace
Councilman Eric Ulrich representing
the 32nd Council
District, which is currently
the only Republican-held seat
in the borough.
Richards endorsed Felicia
Singh, the Democratic nominee
in what is widely considered
to be the most competitive
race in New York City.
Her opponents are Republican
nominee Joann Ariola, the
chair of the Queens County
GOP, and Community Board
9 Chairman Kenichi Wilson,
who is running on the Community
First third-party line
this November.
“We need a leader in the
City Council that will be
ready on day one to fight to
ensure the voters of the 32nd
Council District are getting
their fair share of educational
resources, getting infrastructure
upgrades and getting a
just COVID recovery,” Richards
said. “I am supporting
Felicia because I know she’ll
put the needs of people over
politics.”
In the 2020 Queens borough
president race, Richards
defeated Ariola, who ran unopposed
as a Republican. She
conceded after Richards captured
more than two-thirds of
the vote.
“I’m proud to have the endorsement
of Queens Borough
President Donovan Richards.
We share the priorities of supporting
our working-class
neighbors, and addressing
root and systemic causes of
struggle and suffering in our
communities,” Singh said.
“I’m proud of the coalition
we’ve built during the primary,
and I’m excited about how
it continues to grow.”
Singh is an Ozone Park educator
and daughter of working
class immigrants, and a
lifelong resident of District 32.
In addition to leading the
Queens County GOP, Ariola
is a longtime civic leader in
Howard Beach and Wilson
is running as an Independent
in the race to represent
the neighborhoods of Belle
Harbor, Breezy Point, Broad
Channel, Hamilton Beach,
Howard Beach, Lindenwood,
Neponsit, Ozone Park,
Rockaway Beach, Rockaway
Park, South Ozone Park and
Woodhaven.
“The latest census data
confirms continued growth
and change in Queens, especially
in Indo-Caribbean, Latino,
Punjabi and Bangladeshi
communities,” Singh said.
“If I’m elected, I would be the
first woman to represent the
district, the first Punjabi and
Guyanese person, as well as
my identities as a Sikh and
Muslim person. It’s time for
District 32 to have a Council
member who shares and truly
understands the struggles of
working-class and immigrant
New Yorkers. This community
raised me, and I will fight
for us in City Hall.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry
by e-mail at bparry@
schnepsmedia.com or by phone
at (718) 260–4538.
BY JULIA MORO
Incoming Governor Kathy
Hochul visited P.S. 143, the
Louis Armstrong School, in
Corona on Wednesday, Aug.
18, to speak with administrators
about a safe transition
for all students returning to
school amid the COVID-19
pandemic.
Hochul, who’ll replace departing
Governor Andrew
Cuomo on Aug. 24, stressed the
importance of vigilance in the
schools as New York continues
to battle the highly contagious
delta variant of COVID-19.
“There is a tremendous
amount of anxiety among
parents, teachers, administrators,
who thought what we
went through last year would
be it,” Hochul said. “The delta
variant has changed the dynamic
considerably; we have
to continue being vigilant.”
School administrators
shared that many safety precautions
have been put in
place ahead of the upcoming
academic year. On top of
standard personal protective
equipment, the school has a
carbon dioxide reader that
measures the carbon dioxide
levels in a room, ensuring
proper ventilation is present.
Every custodian in the
school has one to check for air
flow in any given space.
The current lieutenant
governor said that there is no
doubt that children need to be
back in school.
“This time away from
school, away from the life
they used to know, has been
debilitating to our children,
and we’re going to have to help
them recover,” Hochul said.
Hochul recommended mental
health services for children
and promised to continue
conversations with superintendents
and other school representatives
about how best to
help students safely get back
into their routines.
“I need the time to continue
interviews, listen to people,
get people’s opinions and put
together the dream team to
run the state of NY into the future,”
Hochul said.
Hochul mentioned her
strong work relationship with
Mayor Bill de Blasio will be
immense in their efforts to
protect children as they head
back to school.
Kathy Hochul tours the Louis Armstrong New York City Public School 143 in Corona days before being
sworn in as governor. Photo by David Dee Delgado/REUTERS
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards (l.) endorses Felicia Singh for City Council.
Photos courtesy of campaigns
NYC’s #1 Source for Political & Election News
PoliticsNYnews PoliticsNYnews PoliticsNY.com PoliticsNYnews
/QNS.COM
/schnepsmedia.com
/PoliticsNY.com
