The Queens Gazette: Dromm Secures $107,000 For Re-Entry Program

From the Queens Gazette: 

For more than 40 years, the Fortune Society has been developing model programs that help formerly incarcerated men and women successfully re-enter their communities.

This year, Councilmembers Daniel Dromm and Robert Jackson proved to be the Fortune Society’s strongest supporters in the City Council. Dromm sponsored $7,000 in discretionary funding for Fortune Society’s operations and he and Jackson were the primary sponsors of a $100,000 capital funding request.

“The work of the Fortune Society is vitally important because they offer individuals the opportunity to rehabilitate themselves and make positive contributions once they re-enter our society.” Dromm said. “I am proud to continue to support Fortune in their mission to ensure successful re-entry from prison and promote alternative incarceration programs.”

Dromm made the announcement on January 12 after touring the Fortune Society’s Castle Gardens Residence in West Harlem, a building complex that promotes safe and sober socialization for clients who strive to successfully reintegrate into society and for hard-working families with limited income.

The $100,000 in capital funding will make possible the purchase of two vans, a much-needed service enhancement for the building’s residents beyond Fortune’s existing but insufficient transportation options. The vans they currently operate are either overused, in need of repair, or in the shop. Having two additional vehicles, including one specifically designed for wheelchair bound residents, will be extremely helpful for years to come.

“I am always happy to support an organization that gives true meaning to the term second chances,” Jackson said. “Fortune Society continues to serve as a model for helping individuals turn their lives around. They know how to build partnerships, how to inspire others to embrace one another and they have the best track record of promoting hope in their communities.”

The $7,000 in discretionary funds will be used to support the work of the Associate Vice President of Programs in planning, development and oversight of the Fortune Society’s Education and Employment Services programs.

The Fortune Society offers a holistic and integrated “one-stop-shopping” model of service provision. Among the services offered are supportive housing, career development, job retention, substance abuse treatment, alternatives to incarceration, HIV/AIDS services, education, family services and drop-in services as well as ongoing access to aftercare. For more information, visit www.fortunesociety.org.

El Diario: Supermercado es declarado mal vecino en Queens

From El Diario: By Carolina Ledezma

La expansión del área de depósito y carga de un popular supermercado de Jackson Heights, Queens, enfrenta a vecinos y concejales con los propietarios de la cadena Trade Fair. Hoy el concejal de la zona, Daniel Dromm, y un grupo de residentes del área se concentraron a las puertas del local de la avenida 37 y calle 75 para reclamar que Trade Fair cumpla los lineamientos de la Ciudad para este tipo de ampliaciones.

De acuerdo con los manifestantes, el supermercado anexó ilegalmente a su estructura una parte de la acera de unos seis pies, para lo cual cubrió con cemento el área verde que circundaba un árbol cercano. De igual manera, aseguran que la empresa mantiene contenedores de botella de vidrio rotas a la vista de todos y no cumple con las reglas de seguridad que rigen en Nueva York.

Según declaró el concejal Dromm en un comunicado, estas son "violaciones al comercio justo que han creado un ambiente inseguro para la comunidad de Jackson Heights y han arruinado la apariencia del vecindario, en detrimento de los residentes y propietarios de otros negocios".

La cadena de supermercados recibió en agosto pasado una orden para desalojar la extensión ilegal en su depósito de la calle 75. Poco después, nuevamente fue alertada por la Junta de Control Ambiental por el incumplimiento parcial del desalojo.

Mark Jacobson, vocero de Trade Fair, dijo al teléfono que han hecho los cambios indicados en la orden de violación. "Nos hemos encargado de hacer lo que se nos pedían: la activacion de los sistemas de rociadores y asegurarnos de que el área de depósito y carga funcione correctamente", aseguró.

"En febrero habrá una nueva audiencia sobre este caso, pero nuestra posición es que hemos cumplido con lo que se nos exigió". 

Destacó que su empresa es una gran fuente de trabajo en la zona y que nunca ha tenido problemas. "Empleamos a más de 75 personas, de todas las edades, especialmente jóvenes que hoy tienen muchos problemas para conseguir un trabajo".

Trade Fair podría mantener la expansión de su local, si se comprueba que cumple con lo que establece la ley y se compromete al pago anual que requiere la ciudad.

NY1 Noticias: Protestan contra accionar de supermercado de Jackson Heights

From NY1 Noticias: By Luz Plasencia

El supermercado Trade Fair ubicado en la 37 avenida, en Queens, podrá tener precios asequibles y un inventario culturalmente diverso, pero algunos residentes del área acusan al establecimiento de no tener en mente el bienestar de sus vecinos.

"(Antes) teníamos la acera para caminar, era un espacio público. Se toman casi toda la calle cuando están descargando sus camiones", dijo el residente Tom Lowenhaupt.

Según el Departamento de Edificios, de agosto a la fecha han recibido numerosas quejas por una extensión usada para almacenar productos. La agencia emitió una orden de remover la estructura por ser ilegal. Y es por esto que el concejal Daniel Dromm realizó una protesta frente al Trade Fair.

"No pueden simplemente construir algo en la propiedad de la ciudad sin permiso de la ciudad", dijo Dromm. "Esta persona ha construido esto ilegalmente y por eso estamos aquí hoy."

Pero un representante del supermercado, Martin Jacobson, asegura que han cumplido con los requisitos de un inspector del departamento de edificios.

"Un inspector de la ciudad vino y dijo que debíamos tener un sistema de rociadores y una puerta de emergencia. Hemos cumplido con ambos pedidos", aseguró.

Durante una audiencia en febrero un juez deberá determinar si se le permitirá al establecimiento mantener la extensión. Los residentes aseguran que les deja poco espacio para caminar y por eso los dueños vertieron cemento cerca de un árbol.

Pero esta no es la unica queja de los residentes. También acusan al local de no mantener limpia el área de reciclaje y dicen que en muchas ocasiones hay botellas de vidrio rotas en el piso.

"¿Lo limpiamos? Obviamente. ¿Tenemos a alguien parado allí las 24 horas del día? No, no es posible", dijo Jacobson.

Los residentes dicen que si la gerencia del supermercado no toma en cuenta sus quejas, su último recurso será boicotear el establecimiento e ir a hacer sus compras en otro lugar.

NY1: Residents Protest Jackson Heights Supermarket

From NY1: By Lisa McDivitt

Some Jackson Heights residents and elected officials have declared the Trade Fair store on 37th Avenue a blight on the neighborhood and are rallying for it to clean up its act.

Times Ledger: Boro electeds form ‘Unity Team’ to foster communication

From Times Ledger: By Rebecca Henely

It is common in Queens for elected officials to hold events together, but when the representatives of Jackson Heights, Elmhurst, Corona and East Elmhurst held their holiday party this year, they listed their involvement under the name “Unity Team.”

“We realized that we’re younger, we’re a new group of people — at least in new offices — and we feel that government officers should work together for the benefit of the community,” state Assemblyman Michael DenDekker (D-Jackson Heights) said.

The Unity Team is an informal partnership formed between the state and city officials for the four neighborhoods around early 2010.

It includes state. Sen. Jose Peralta (D-East Elmhurst); Assemblymen DenDekker, Jeffrion Aubry (D-Corona) and Francisco Moya (D-Jackson Heights); and City Council members Julissa Ferreras (D-East Elmhurst) and Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights), as well as the area’s district leaders and state committee members.

The members meet every month and constantly e-mail each other about constituent issues and legislation they are working on.

“I think that’s where the community actually wins, when the community is working together,” Moya said.

The team was formed to fix what the members call the divisive political landscape in the neighborhoods left when Hiram Monserrate was senator. Peralta said that when he ran for senator, he met with the district leaders of the three Assembly districts and found that Monserrate did not communicate with them.

Dromm also said Monserrate’s administration was marked by a lack of transparency and the senator would often promise to support an issue, such as same-sex marriage, then change his mind.

“It was tumultuous,” he said. “And you never knew what you were going to get and what to expect.”

Aubry, who was elected to the Assembly in 1992, said he worked with former Assemblyman Ivan LaFayette, former Councilwoman Helen Sears and Borough President Helen Marshall when she was a councilwoman, but it was not done with this level of coordination.

“We try to approach issues in a united fashion, issues of quality of life as well as legislative issues,” Aubry said.

While the team may represent the officials’ common goals, it also reflects the community’s differences.

Peralta and Ferreras are Dominican Americans, Moya is Ecuadorian American, Aubry is black, Dromm is openly gay and DenDekker is of Dutch origin.

“Having elected officials that look like parts of different parts of the community in the community is important and sometimes hard to achieve,” Dromm said.

NY Daily News: Greenmarket proposes closing Jackson Heights street

From NY Daily News: By Clare Trapasso

The only year-round farmers market in Queens is asking Jackson Heights residents to back a plan to shut down a quiet neighborhood street on Sundays to accommodate the popular market.

A Greenmarket official is to present a proposal on Thursday to Community Board 3’s Transportation Committee to close a portion of 78th St., between 34th Ave. and Northern Blvd.

The board is slated to vote on the plan on Jan. 19.

During the summer, the block is transformed into a car-free community play street next to Travers Park.

“If the street is closed off on Sundays, it creates more space, which allows for a safer market and a much more enjoyable market,” said Michael Hurwitz, director of GrowNYC’s Greenmarket program.

“It just provides more space for kids’ activities, cooking demonstrations,” he said.

The market has no plans at this time to expand, Hurwitz said.

“I’m supportive of their efforts to close down 78th St. on Sundays,” City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) said. “It makes more sense that the Greenmarket be on that street.”

Len Maniace, vice president of the Jackson Heights Beautification Group, said the closure would make the market safer.

“When you’ve got pedestrians crossing the street and people shopping right near traffic, it’s a potential problem,” he said. “When people are shopping, they’re not necessarily thinking about traffic.”

Dudley Stewart, president of Jackson Heights Green Alliance, said the shutdown could also benefit local children.

“If it’s closed the kids could definitely play on it,” he said.

The neighborhood has one of the smallest amounts of park land in the five boroughs.

Community leaders have been pushing the city to turn 78th St. into a permanent pedestrian plaza to connect Travers Park to an open field at the Garden School, an adjacent private school.

The city is in talks to purchase the roughly 29,000-square-foot field from the cash-strapped nursery-through-12th-grade school. The property would be used as park land on evenings and weekends when school is over.

But the discussions have been dragging on for more than a year.

“I’m confident the parties are working out the details,” Dromm said. “Hopefully we’ll have good news in the near future.”

NY1: Queens Library Construction Wins Over Many, Irks Others

From NY1: By Lisa McDivitt 

Elmhurst is set to get a brand new library in 2013, though some residents are still not fully onboard with the changes.

Univision 41: Interrogan a sospechoso

Interrogan a sospechoso de ataques contra la comunidad musulmana.