A tipster passes along this video of these men smoking, spitting, and loudly cursing on the 7 train this past Friday. Lets give these two guys the benefit of the doubt: they could be from the future, where 50-year-olds dress like 18-year-olds waiting for their dorm’s laundry room and cigarettes are made of healthy moondust.
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This was Rosario's
A new pizzeria is holding its grand opening Tuesday at the old location of Rosario’s Pizzeria & Restaurant, which has been vacant for years.
La Bella Vita Pizzeria & Restaurant, located at 50-12 Skillman Ave., will be run by Vinny Lombardo and Sal Amato.
The pizzeria is the first establishment owned by Lombardo, 31, whose father ran a number of pizzerias. Lombardo, who was born in the US, was raised in Sicily before coming back to the US as a teenager.
The pizzeria offers a vast menu at a range of different prices. It serves items from extra-large cheese pies for $13; lasagna for $8; chicken parmesan for $6; grilled rib steak for $14; to a hamburger for $4. Lombardo was a butcher for 10 years and the pizzeria/restaurant offers a good spread of meat dishes.
Lombardo’s father told him about the Skillman Ave location since he knew the owner of Rosario’s. “I took a look, liked the neighborhood—and I don’t live too far from here,” Lombardo said, who lives in Astoria.
While the pizzeria will offer a full range of breakfast and lunch specials, its primary focus will still be on pizza. A slice will go for $2.25
The restaurant provides free delivery: 718-639-6375
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Hundreds of people lined up in Queens Saturday for a chance at one of fifty jobs as an ironworker.
Men and women, desperate to find a job in a tough economy, are vying for a position that could eventually pay up to $100,000 a year.
Some of the applicants told CBS 2′s John Schriffen that in spite of their education levels they could not find work elsewhere.
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A young red-tailed hawk was perched on top of a Skillman Ave. street light (45th and 46th streets) at about 6:30pm on Thursday.
Rumors have it that there are several more in the area.
(source: P Dorfman)
(source: P Dorfman)
Politicians, local leaders and community members met in Woodside last Saturday to co-name a street in honor of the late Alejandro Nino.
The road— which was co-named Alejandro Nino Place—is at the intersection of Queens Blvd and 49th Street. This is where Nino was raised and played ball outside his house. Years later, at the age of 36, he succumbed to cancer.
Nino was a member of the City Volunteer Corps and served as a therapy aide at Coler Memorial Hospital on Roosevelt Island. He later joined the Army National Guard and served until 2007. He left shortly due to cancer.
Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer requested the co-naming.
Nilda Cuevas, 61, of Woodside, is a two-time Powerball millionaire of sorts. The former insurance industry employee purchased two identical sets of numbers on two separate tickets for the April 7 Powerball drawing and then waited to see her numbers come in.
“I always play the same combination of birthdays, and I always buy two tickets,” explained Cuevas. “I fell asleep before the drawing that night, but woke up early Sunday morning and saw the winning numbers on TV and knew immediately I had the first five numbers.”
Cuevas said she couldn’t wait to share her news with her husband. “I made him a cup of coffee and told him to sit down. He was as excited as me.” The couple claimed Cuevas’ two $1,000,000 winners on April 9 at the Lottery’s Customer Service Center in New York City.
Cuevas bought her winning tickets at the New Stadium Gourmet Deli on East 161st Street in the Bronx. She will receive her prize as one net payment totaling $1,246,080. Cuevas said she and her husband looked forward to “taking a different cruise every month for the foreseeable future.”
A group of Rockaway residents are hoping to put a dent in crime the old-fashioned way — by keeping their eyes and ears open.
About 30 people will be trained on Thursday to take part in a new pilot program as block watchers in the 100th Precinct.
“This is the only precinct in the area that does not have any NYPD surveillance cameras,” said Danny Russiello, president of the 100th Precinct Community Council. “It’s a great tool to have. Each person is almost like a camera.”
Block watchers will receive training, an identification card and a number to use when calling information into local precincts.
“People won’t know who the block watchers are, so maybe [criminals\] will think twice before trying to do something here,” Russiello said.
City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr., who has long complained about the decrease in NYPD manpower, said block watches can help decrease crime.
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Alleged suspect
A man has been targeting Sunnyside/Woodside residents by holding them at gunpoint and forcing them to withdraw funds from an ATM.
The police said that there have been three incidents in the past two weeks and that they are seeking the public’s help in apprehending the perpetrator, who is believed to be a male Hispanic in his 20s.
The first incident occurred on Thursday, April 12, 2012 at approx. 3:30pm in front of 50-38 46 Street. The suspect approached the victim, displayed a firearm, and forced the male victim to remove an unknown amount of money from an ATM. The suspect then fled on foot.
The second robbery took place on Wednesday, April 18, 2012 at approx. 7:30pm opposite 50-12 44 Street. In this case, the suspect approached the male victim, produced a firearm, removed the victim’s ATM card and withdrew an unknown amount of money with the card. The perpetrator then fled.
The third incident occurred on Monday, April 23, 2012 at approx. 7:35 pm at the intersection of 44 Street and 50 Avenue. The suspect approached the victim, displayed a firearm, removed the victim’s iPhone and forced him to remove an unknown amount of money from two ATMs, before fleeing on foot.
The suspect has a mustache, and was wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt, dark-colored hat, and glasses.
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto Crime Stoppers’ website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to CRIMES (274637), then enter TIP577.
Transportable classrooms
Parents, teachers and politicians held a press conference at PS11 on Friday calling on the School Construction Authority to build an annex to ease school overcrowding.
PS 11, a Woodside elementary primary school located at 54-25 Skillman Ave., is projected to surpass 117 percent capacity in the 2012-2013 school year.
In the past 20 years, city officials have been combating PS11’s overcrowding problem by adding transportable classroom units (TCUs) behind the school.
“After two decades of struggling with temporary units and the increased demand for schools seats, we need a permanent solution at PS 11 to develop the proper learning environment for our children,” said councilman Jimmy Van Bramer.
Many of the TCUs at PS11 are in need of repair. They were installed about 15 years ago and have become hazardous, according PS 11 Principal Anna Efkarpides.
Efkarpides said recently that in one TSU, ceiling tiles had fallen on children. In another TSU, she said, one staff member fell through the floor.
The School Construction Authority announced earlier this year that it is building a 440-seat elementary school near PS11 to help combat Woodside’s overcrowding problem. The school, which will be located on 39th Ave (between 57th and 58th street), is scheduled to open in the fall of 2015.
At the time of the announcement, Van Bramer said he would push the School Construction Authority to expand PS11 as well—given the growing need for seats.
Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan said that there are too many TCUs in Queens schools. “I urge the Department of Education to start planning for permanent structures to be used for overcrowding in Queens schools and by doing so reduce the amount of TCUs that are used.”
Meanwhile, Assemblywoman Marge Markey said: “Too many years have gone by since ‘temporary’ portable classrooms were installed to relieve overcrowding at PS 11…it is long past time to build a permanent annex to bring our children inside.”
Registering at the Kettle ©2012 Julio Martinez.
The second Skillman Ave. pub crawl took place on Saturday and it attracted a big crowd.
“We had 160 registered attendees, up from 98 when the first event took place in January,” said Kevin Burke, a barman at the Kettle. The Kettle, located at 50-24 Skillman Ave., was the place where the “bar/restaurant hop” kicked off.
The event started at 3:30pm and lines quickly formed outside the Kettle during the registration phase. Attendees who registered were provided with bracelets that allowed them to get their first drink at half price at each of the participating location.
The bars/restaurants that participated were: the Kettle, Aubergine Café, The Brogue, Murphy’s Bar, Quaint, Flynn’s Garden Inn, Claret and The Dog and Duck.
These establishments held their first pub/restaurant crawl on Jan. 26.
Politicians and many well known residents participated (click for photos). Furthermore, many pub crawlers turned out who did not formally register.
“The event was a big success,” Burke said, adding that “every bar was busy.”
Mike Murphy, owner of Murphy’s Bar, said he was pleased by the big turnout. He added that it is very likely that another “pub crawl” will take place down the road.
Attendees were required to provide $5 worth of canned food when they registered.
“We got boxes and boxes of cans,” said Burke, who added that they will be going to local food pantries. “We got way more than the first event.”
Thanks to Julio Martinez for the photos
Sunnyside Gardens district
The Sunnyside Gardens crime wave continued Friday with a burglary on 39th Ave (49th Street)
The police said that the perpetrator(s) broke into the house and made off with electronic items. A police report was filed on Friday, April 20, at noon.
This burglary is just one of a series of incidents that has plagued the Gardens in recent times. In early March, there were two break-ins on 47th Street (between Skillman Ave. and 39th Ave) in one evening. In one case, the burglar opened a ground-floor back window, while the family slept upstairs and fled with property. The other incident took place a few doors down the street around the same time.
Kim Brown, a Sunnyside Gardens resident, said Sunday that some residents have recently bought home alarms or are in the process of buying them. She said that she spoke to an ADT alarm salesman who was canvassing the neighborhood.
The burglaries come at a time when Gardens residents are already on the look out for a groper who attacked a woman on 46th Street two weeks ago, and for criminals who have been stealing car tires.
Sunnyside residents are up in arms over fumes from auto body shops and a local refinery on 39th Street, which is already a concern to the 108th Precinct because of problems posed by double-parked cars queuing up for vehicle maintenance services.
The businesses, all structurally connected on the same street, share a common wall with residential backyards on a parallel block.
A group of homeowners are crying foul. They said their quality of life is being infringed upon as fumes from car spray paint guns escape into the air when not painted inside regulated spray booths, which properly filter the emissions.
The residents are also concerned by visible black smoke emitting from the refinery, which creates jewelry, on the corner of the block.
“All I can say is from my end, my side of the fence, there have been days that I can’t even be out in my backyard,” said Allegra Bien-Ruiz, a Sunnyside property owner, who has been living in her house for six years with her family.
“I can’t even open my windows. [The fumes] come in sometimes and you’re like ‘woah,’’ Bien-Ruiz added.
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The Dog and Duck is a participant in Queens Taste 2012
Several Sunnyside and Woodside restaurants will be participating next month in Queens Taste 2012, an annual food and beverage event.
The event will take place at Citi Field’s Caesars Club on May 1 (details below) and will include roughly 20 Queens restaurants, several local bakers, as well as wine & beer producers. Attendees will be able to sample each participant’s food or liquor.
One of Woodside’s popular new establishments, F. Ottomanelli Burger & Belgian Fries, will be on hand to give out samples of its chipotle, jalapeño-and-cheddar, roasted garlic and caramelized onion hamburgers. Meanwhile, The Dog and Duck, the relatively new Sunnyside bar/restaurant, will serve (what else?) duck confit, and Dazies will be offering its regular Italian fare.
Notable restaurants from outside Sunnyside/Woodside include Uncle Peter’s of Jackson Heights; Austin Steak and Ale House in Kew Gardens; and Riverview in Long Island City.
Attendees will also be able to sample cookies, ice pops, cupcakes and brownies. These items will be served by 20 budding bakers/chefs who rent the commercial kitchen space at the Entrepreneur Space in Long Island City. The Entrepreneur Space is sponsored by the Queens Economic Development Corp.– and helps nurture the growth of start-up chefs/bakers.
The Turkish Cultural Center of Sunnyside will provide coffee, while the Queens Farm Museum and Castello di Borghese Vineyard will give away wine. Brooklyn Brewery and Manhattan Beer Distributors will serve beer.
As part of the fun, Steve Hofstetter, a comedian and co-owner of Long Island City’s Laughing Devil, the boroughs only comedy club, will serve as MC. A huge baseball fan, Hofstetter has already expressed his enthusiasm for working a room where Mr. Met, a confirmed attendee, is standing.
“If every gig came with awesome food and was at Citi Field, I’d be a happy man,” Hofstetter noted. “My landlord would be pissed, but I’d be happy.”
Queens Taste 2012: Cost $100 per person or $185 per couple.
Place: Citi Field’s Ceasars Club
Time: May 1, 6pm to 9 pm.
To buy tickets go to www.queenstaste.eventbrite.com or call: 718-263-0546
Vincent Renda, club chairman, with fiancée Elaina Sainato, one of the organizers of the event.
The Sunnyside Woodside Boys and Girls Club will hold its 2nd Annual Recognizing Leaders Fundraiser on Saturday, May 19 to help raise funds for its youth programs, as well as pay tribute to local leaders who continue to give their time to improve the district.
“Leaders span several generations in Woodside and Sunnyside, and we must recognize them,” said Vincent Renda, the chairman of the Sunnyside Woodside Girls and Boys Club, who will emcee. “We will be honoring four women who have been great role models for our youth, and our task is to pass the torch from them to create the next generation of heroes and leaders.”
The leaders the club will be honoring are:
Gert McDonald. McDonald, 95, who went to school in Sunnyside, was the first woman in Queens County to run for elective office as a Democrat. While she lost the 1968 race, she opened the door for other women to run and, ultimately win.
Frances Schmidt. Schmidt is a member of the Sunnyside Woodside Lions Club, board member of both Sunnyside Chamber of Commerce and SunnysideArtists.org. She is also a member of the Republican Party in District 37. She is an active member of Queen of Angels Church, where she is a Eucharistic Minister.
Sister Maureen Ahlemeyer. Sister Ahlemeyer has taught local children at St. Raphael’s School since September 1977. She was appointed school principal in 1987, and has served in that role ever since. She also started the school’s children’s choir.
Carol Masiello. Masiello has worked as a substance abuse counselor at IS 125 in Woodside since 1977. She is currently president of the Kiwanis Club of Sunnyside, where she has established the first community-based Key club, which provides local high school students with the ability to fulfill their high-school community service hours. She is a board member of the Sunnyside Boys and Girls Club.
The event will be held from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at St. Raphael’s School gymnasium, 48-25 37th St., Long Island City. Admission is $60 for one, $100 per couple and includes food from Dazies, in Sunnyside. The deejay will be Dr. DJ.
For ticket information, call Mark Wilensky at (917) 670-5666.
Disclosure: Christian Murray, of the Sunnysidepost, is a board member of the Sunnyside Woodside Boys & Girls Club.
