Thursday, February 23, 2012
NY1: Lawmakers Address Fraud Concerns Among Queens Immigrants
From NY1 News:
Officials gathered outside Elmhurst Hospital on Wednesday to address consumer-related issues being reported by immigrants.
Thirteen Op-Ed: Fight Abuses in Private Immigration Detention Centers
On Thursday, the Center for New York City Affairs is hosting The Detention Dilemma, a lecture event on the state of privately operated prisons, which are often used to detain undocumented immigrants.City Council Member Daniel Dromm (D-25) is chair of the Committee on Immigration on the New York City Council. Last December, Dromm and New York City Public Advocate Bill de Blasio urged the federal government to probe a privately-operated detention center in Jamaica, Queens, where 175 immigrant detainees held a hunger strike in 2004 to protest what they said were unjust conditions.
As a nation we have accepted the privatization of prisons. Stories of severe prisoner abuse surface and disappear without a ripple because, shamefully, many of us are unconcerned about what happens to prisoners after imprisonment. We think even less about the 31,000 individuals imprisoned in the United States without committing a crime, people who are treated as criminals for doing little more than crossing a border without proper documentation. In the last year there have been stunning allegations that some individuals held in immigration detention centers are being abused both physically and sexually.
Residents of New York City should pay particularly close attention to the allegations of abuse, as our city is home to a detention center run by the GEO Group (formerly Wackenhut), a company in Jamaica, Queens, that the federal government pays to run criminal and immigration detention facilities across the nation. Companies like the GEO Group are rarely held accountable for abusing immigrant detainees because the victims are usually deported before having the opportunity to bring a formal complaint. Making matters worse, detention centers, like the one in Jamaica, Queens, violate both the letter and the spirit of federal law by minimizing detainee access to attorneys.
Lack of attorney access exacerbates the problems immigrant detainees face. Many are likely eligible to remain in the U.S. under existing law. Without access to attorneys, however, they are prevented from fully realizing their right to remain in the country. A large number of people held in detention came to this country seeking asylum. This means that individuals fleeing persecution often arrive in the U.S. only to find themselves locked up and abused.
As chair of the New York City Council’s Immigration Committee, I have introduced two resolutions aimed at sending a message to the federal government that New Yorkers are not happy with the alleged abuse of immigrant detainees in our city.
Resolution 1029 urges Congress to pass the Immigrant Oversight and Fairness Act(H.R. 933). If passed, the resolution would direct the Department of Homeland Security to implement changes in its detention procedures — from creating new care and custody regulations to providing secure alternatives to detention in a privately run facility.
Because many detainees fled their home country due to persecution based on their actual or perceived sexuality or their gender identity, I also introduced a resolution (905) calling on Homeland Security to investigate allegations of abuse of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals in their custody and to take action to ensure the safety of those individuals.
Recently, Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) created a public advocate position as part of an agency wide reform initiative. While I applaud this effort, it is only a first step. New York is, and always has been, an immigrant city. We should stand firm in our resolve to support those who have a legitimate right to remain in the country. To do less is unconscionable.
NY Post: Apple schools go ‘bust’
Readin’, writin’, robberies.
On the average school day last fall, five city students were arrested and nine hit with summonses, shocking new police data show.
Black and Hispanic students were most likely to leave school in handcuffs — accounting for 93 percent of the 279 arrests at city schools between Oct. 1 and the Christmas break.
More students were arrested in The Bronx than any other borough — with 78 middle- and high-schoolers busted by cops for crimes such as assault, larceny and robbery.
Brooklyn students logged 73 arrests, Manhattan had 55, Queens had 41 and Staten Island had 32.
On average, six of every 10,000 middle- and high-school students were busted last fall, the data show.
Another 19 out of every 10,000 high-school students were issued summonses last fall for minor offenses such as disorderly conduct, marijuana possession and violations of parking and motor-vehicle laws.
In all, cops and school-safety officers issued 532 summonses.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said that while arrests are up, the number of felonies has dropped from 1,577 in 2001 to 801 last year.
At a demonstration yesterday outside Police Headquarters in lower Manhattan, City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Queens) complained that the police presence in schools is too heavy handed.
“There are twice as many school-safety officers as guidance counselors,” said Dromm, a former teacher. “Are we preparing our students for jail or for college?”
But city schools need cops and school-safety officers to maintain a safe environment, said Councilman Peter Vallone Jr.
“When parents leave their kids in the custody of the Department of Education eight hours a day, their Number 1 concern is that their children are kept safe,” said Vallone (D-Queens).
The data contain a shocker for Staten Islanders — middle- and high-school students were arrested in public schools there at nearly twice the rate of the rest of the city.
Cops and school-safety officers made 32 arrests in Staten Island schools, or 11 busts per 10,000 students.
On the average school day last fall, five city students were arrested and nine hit with summonses, shocking new police data show.
Black and Hispanic students were most likely to leave school in handcuffs — accounting for 93 percent of the 279 arrests at city schools between Oct. 1 and the Christmas break.
More students were arrested in The Bronx than any other borough — with 78 middle- and high-schoolers busted by cops for crimes such as assault, larceny and robbery.
Brooklyn students logged 73 arrests, Manhattan had 55, Queens had 41 and Staten Island had 32.
On average, six of every 10,000 middle- and high-school students were busted last fall, the data show.
Another 19 out of every 10,000 high-school students were issued summonses last fall for minor offenses such as disorderly conduct, marijuana possession and violations of parking and motor-vehicle laws.
In all, cops and school-safety officers issued 532 summonses.
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said that while arrests are up, the number of felonies has dropped from 1,577 in 2001 to 801 last year.
At a demonstration yesterday outside Police Headquarters in lower Manhattan, City Councilman Daniel Dromm (D-Queens) complained that the police presence in schools is too heavy handed.
“There are twice as many school-safety officers as guidance counselors,” said Dromm, a former teacher. “Are we preparing our students for jail or for college?”
But city schools need cops and school-safety officers to maintain a safe environment, said Councilman Peter Vallone Jr.
“When parents leave their kids in the custody of the Department of Education eight hours a day, their Number 1 concern is that their children are kept safe,” said Vallone (D-Queens).
The data contain a shocker for Staten Islanders — middle- and high-school students were arrested in public schools there at nearly twice the rate of the rest of the city.
Cops and school-safety officers made 32 arrests in Staten Island schools, or 11 busts per 10,000 students.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
1010 WINS: Civil Liberties Groups Charge Over-Policing In NYC Schools
Numbers released by the New York Police Department show that about five public school students were arrested every school day during the last three months of 2011.
Civil liberties groups say the 279 student arrests from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 were excessive. Summonses were issued to another 532 students, largely for disorderly conduct.
Outside 1 Police Plaza, teenage demonstrators chanted slogans and carried signs that read “Dignity For All Students” and “More Books, No Cops” on Wednesday, 1010 WINS’ Stan Brooks reported.
“You have wonder what is the number going to be for the whole school year and we need to ask ourselves ‘Is this school safety? Is this the NYPD showing us that they’re keeping us safe by arresting us and giving us court summons for the most minor things?” one student asked.
Most of those cited and arrested were black and Hispanic. Councilman Daniel Dromm calls the situation shocking.
“This is unacceptable. These numbers figures are totally out of line with what the Department of Education's mission is," he said.
New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman said Wednesday that too many schoolchildren are being treated as criminals. She says many of the infractions should have been handled by the school principals.
The City Council passed a law requiring the NYPD to release the school arrest statistics every three months. This is the second time the department has released the quarterly statistics.
In response to the controversy, NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne released the following statement:
“The NYCLU talks about arrests in schools but, conveniently, not crimes. There were 801 felonies in the schools last year, compared to 1,577 in 2001 before the current administration took office.“
Brown says the reduction was made “through the good work of dedicated school safety officers and police officers.”
Civil liberties groups say the 279 student arrests from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31 were excessive. Summonses were issued to another 532 students, largely for disorderly conduct.
Outside 1 Police Plaza, teenage demonstrators chanted slogans and carried signs that read “Dignity For All Students” and “More Books, No Cops” on Wednesday, 1010 WINS’ Stan Brooks reported.
“You have wonder what is the number going to be for the whole school year and we need to ask ourselves ‘Is this school safety? Is this the NYPD showing us that they’re keeping us safe by arresting us and giving us court summons for the most minor things?” one student asked.
Most of those cited and arrested were black and Hispanic. Councilman Daniel Dromm calls the situation shocking.
“This is unacceptable. These numbers figures are totally out of line with what the Department of Education's mission is," he said.
New York Civil Liberties Union Executive Director Donna Lieberman said Wednesday that too many schoolchildren are being treated as criminals. She says many of the infractions should have been handled by the school principals.
The City Council passed a law requiring the NYPD to release the school arrest statistics every three months. This is the second time the department has released the quarterly statistics.
In response to the controversy, NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne released the following statement:
“The NYCLU talks about arrests in schools but, conveniently, not crimes. There were 801 felonies in the schools last year, compared to 1,577 in 2001 before the current administration took office.“
Brown says the reduction was made “through the good work of dedicated school safety officers and police officers.”
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
LIC Journal: Dromm Fights to Legalize Medical Marijuana
From LIC Journal: By Liliana Guimaraes
How do marijuana possession arrests affect taxpayers? Why do arrests seem to target minorities, blacks and Latinos? Do laws making the substance illegal really discourage people from using it?
Those were questions addressed at a forum held on Thursday, February 9, by Councilman Daniel Dromm at the Jewish Center of Jackson Heights, 37-06 77th Street, to push for passage of a resolution supporting a bill that would legalize medicinal marijuana.
Dromm hopes to add New York to the list of 17 states where the use of medicinal marijuana is legalized. His resolution passed the Council Committee on Mental Health, Mental Retardation, Alcoholism, Drug Abuse and Disability Services on Monday, February 13. It will be voted on by the rest of the City Council in late February.
Dromm identified himself as a recovered alcoholic, sober for 21 years, and said he thinks of addiction as a matter of one's choice.
“Medical marijuana, and marijuana laws in general, is something that is very important to me, even though I am a person in recovery," he said. "Marijuana arrests should be something that concerns us all.
“I wasn’t an alcoholic because liquor was available, but because I liked to drink too much," Dromm added. "You are an addict or an alcoholic because you choose to [consume], not because of its availability."
But some terminally ill patients have no choice but to rely on medical marijuana to live comfortably, speakers at the meeting said.
“I have a friend who was dying in the 80s, she literally had to stand on the street corner to get the marijuana for her disease,” said Abby Drucker, a Queens resident. “People who want to smoke it for medicinal reasons should be able to do it. Personally I think all drugs should be legalized.
The other issue discussed at the meeting was a reported hike in arrests in the city for small possessions of marijuana. Speakers said excessive arrests negatively affect people's lives and cost taxpayers money.
Marijuana possession arrests, police patrols and stop-and-frisks cost taxpayers $150 million last year, according to the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA).
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly reported recently that police make too many arrests for possession of small amounts. In addition, it is reported that police make false arrests by convincing perpetrators to remove the substance from their pocket, and then arrest them for having it in the public view.
In addition, blacks and Hispanics account for nearly 86 percent of arrests for marijuana possession, while Caucasians account for less than 11 percent, despite the fact that young whites use marijuana at higher rates than young blacks and Hispanics, according to the DPA.
Gabriel Sayegh, director of the DPA, said a bill that will decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana and help eliminate illegal searches and false charges on behalf of the state is needed.
“The problem is that the police are mischarging people," Seyegh said. "They are finding marijuana in a pocket, but they are charging people for having it in public, and what the legislation is considering is a bill that would say it would be the same [charge] in a pocket or in public view.”
Dromm's resolution supports a bill that would standardize penalties for marijuana possession in New York.
Monday, February 13, 2012
NY1: LIRR May Return To Elmhurst
By Cefaan Kim:
For commuters in Elmhurst who may be fed up with their transit options, there's some good news: the LIRR may once again be making a stop in their neighborhood.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Telemundo 47: ¿Nueva York legalizará marihuana?
En este especial una nueva ley promete legalizar la conflictiva planta, pero no todos podrán usarla, mire por qué.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Streetsblog: Unlocking the Potential of the New Jackson Heights Plaza
Earlier this month you might have noticed a few press accounts about merchants in Jackson Heights who think a new public plaza on one short block of 37th Road is crimping their bottom line. The plaza is actually part of a much broader plan to improve street safety, speed bus trips, and reduce traffic congestion in Jackson Heights, which neighborhood groups and NYC DOT have been working on for years without receiving much media attention. Now that there’s a tinge of conflict, the press is all over it — an innovative and community-driven transportation project has turned into a story about shopkeepers upset over the removal of 20 parking spaces.
The plaza reclaimed the block of 37th Road between 73rd Street and 74th Street. Before the plaza, traffic on that block degraded the neighborhood street network. Drivers turning left onto 37th Road used to cause traffic to back up on 73rd Street and beyond, causing epic fits of horn-honking. Buses routed onto the block more than a decade ago to make way for the construction of the 74th Street transit hub had to make a series of zigzagging turns, slowing down more than 10,000 bus riders every weekday. When the proposal to re-route the buses and take traffic off the block came before the local community board, the vote in favor was unanimous.
“The objective was to get that traffic to move more smoothly and reduce that honking,” said Council Member Daniel Dromm, who has championed the changes and shepherded the project through to completion. NowQ47 and Q49 buses make one turn instead of three, and Dromm says bus drivers have told him they save seven minutes on each trip compared to the old route.
Merchants knew about the changes well in advance and most of the neighborhood’s business groups were supportive, said Dromm. After the plaza installation last fall, complaints began to surface about the loss of parking. But the parking loss — 20 spaces, according to one plaza opponent — is insignificant compared to the foot traffic that could be drawn to a well-run public space. Not only is Jackson Heights compact, walkable, and full of pedestrian traffic, but it has the least amount of park space per capita of any neighborhood in the city. The plaza is also right next to the 74th Street subway station, which sees more than 40,000 boardings on a typical weekday.
Some local merchants apparently don’t see the value of having a public plaza on their doorstep. “Our customers come to do shopping, not to sit,” said Mohammed Pier, president of the Jackson Heights Bangladeshi Business Association.
But it’s clear that the overwhelming majority of people who come to Jackson Heights don’t drive there. According to DOT’s 2010 neighborhood travel survey, 94 percent of interview subjects didn’t drive cars to get to Jackson Heights:
The plaza reclaimed the block of 37th Road between 73rd Street and 74th Street. Before the plaza, traffic on that block degraded the neighborhood street network. Drivers turning left onto 37th Road used to cause traffic to back up on 73rd Street and beyond, causing epic fits of horn-honking. Buses routed onto the block more than a decade ago to make way for the construction of the 74th Street transit hub had to make a series of zigzagging turns, slowing down more than 10,000 bus riders every weekday. When the proposal to re-route the buses and take traffic off the block came before the local community board, the vote in favor was unanimous.
“The objective was to get that traffic to move more smoothly and reduce that honking,” said Council Member Daniel Dromm, who has championed the changes and shepherded the project through to completion. NowQ47 and Q49 buses make one turn instead of three, and Dromm says bus drivers have told him they save seven minutes on each trip compared to the old route.
Merchants knew about the changes well in advance and most of the neighborhood’s business groups were supportive, said Dromm. After the plaza installation last fall, complaints began to surface about the loss of parking. But the parking loss — 20 spaces, according to one plaza opponent — is insignificant compared to the foot traffic that could be drawn to a well-run public space. Not only is Jackson Heights compact, walkable, and full of pedestrian traffic, but it has the least amount of park space per capita of any neighborhood in the city. The plaza is also right next to the 74th Street subway station, which sees more than 40,000 boardings on a typical weekday.
Some local merchants apparently don’t see the value of having a public plaza on their doorstep. “Our customers come to do shopping, not to sit,” said Mohammed Pier, president of the Jackson Heights Bangladeshi Business Association.
But it’s clear that the overwhelming majority of people who come to Jackson Heights don’t drive there. According to DOT’s 2010 neighborhood travel survey, 94 percent of interview subjects didn’t drive cars to get to Jackson Heights:
Other merchants believe that the benefits of the plaza outweigh the effects of having less parking. “Right now the business is slow because of the economy,” said Vasantrai Gandhi, who owns a shop called the New York Gold Company and used to chair Community Board 3. “Nobody can judge how much this affects business. One thing is sure. Now there is no accidents, no horn honking, no pollution, no fumes. Some areas benefit and some areas are at a disadvantage, but what’s important is safety.”
I spoke to some residents familiar with the project who think any loss in foot traffic is probably due to the re-routing of buses, not the plaza. They also speculated that the plaza would have received a better welcome if it had opened during the warmer months and started drawing crowds immediately. (Although even in the fall and winter, the space attracts people.)
The missing ingredient, more than great sunny weather, is vision and leadership from the businesses around the plaza, said Afzal Hussein, who opened Espresso77 on nearby 77th Street in 2007. “77th Street never used to have foot traffic,” he said. “Since I opened it people walk here.”
Hussein sees the potential of the plaza to become a destination, and he says he’d be glad to help make it work. “In the summer you can have art exhibits or performance,” he said. “You need a community working together, it’s no one person’s job. They need a leader. It’s a lot of potential there but nobody’s thinking that way.”
Without a merchant group taking ownership of the plaza, Dromm’s office has been coordinating events and maintenance. So far, he said, several community organizations have asked to use the plaza for events, including the Bangladeshi Youth Congress, Queens Community House, and Sindhu USA.
“We’re really working hard to make this successful and I’m calling on the business community to do the same thing,” said Dromm. “We want to help them, but it may require a little different thinking than they’ve had in the past.”
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
CBS2: Church And State Battle Brewing As NYC Mulls Kicking Worship Services Out Of Schools
From CBS2: By Mark Morgan
Since 2002, churches in New York City have been holding worship services in public school buildings.
But that’s about to come to an end and, as CBS 2’s Mark Morgan reports, religious leaders are upset.
The Department of Education has stated that all churches holding services in public schools must vacate those schools after Sunday, Feb. 12. On Thursday, the NYC Council Committee on Education held a hearing on Resolution 1155, which would allow churches access to public schools.
“These houses of worship are paying rent just like every other non-profit group. The fact that they’re paying substantiates the fact that the government is not supporting,” Councilman Fernando Cabrera said.
“This, to me, is about whether or not we’re going to subsidize churches in our public schools. We’re not talking about a bible study class. We’re talking about regular worship each and every week in our public schools,” responded Councilwoman Jessica Lappin.
Opposition to Resolution 1155 comes mainly from the belief that church and state should remain separate.
“It appears to be a house of worship and that creates confusion, and that’s what our constitution was designed to prevent, that confusion of a state supporting any religion,” Councilman Daniel Dromm said.
Since 2002, about 60 religious organizations have been holding worship services in NYC public school buildings. These religious groups feel they need these public facilities to continue to benefit their surrounding communities.
“We’re taxpayers. We’re equal participants in our society. We just want to have the same access to the same public institutions that other groups have access to,” said Rev. Kirsten John Foy of Abiding Love Ministries in Brooklyn.
The City Council will discuss the resolution in another hearing before deciding whether to hold a vote.
Advocates are calling on the state Legislature to pass the resolution and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to then sign the legislation.
But that’s about to come to an end and, as CBS 2’s Mark Morgan reports, religious leaders are upset.
The Department of Education has stated that all churches holding services in public schools must vacate those schools after Sunday, Feb. 12. On Thursday, the NYC Council Committee on Education held a hearing on Resolution 1155, which would allow churches access to public schools.
“These houses of worship are paying rent just like every other non-profit group. The fact that they’re paying substantiates the fact that the government is not supporting,” Councilman Fernando Cabrera said.
“This, to me, is about whether or not we’re going to subsidize churches in our public schools. We’re not talking about a bible study class. We’re talking about regular worship each and every week in our public schools,” responded Councilwoman Jessica Lappin.
Opposition to Resolution 1155 comes mainly from the belief that church and state should remain separate.
“It appears to be a house of worship and that creates confusion, and that’s what our constitution was designed to prevent, that confusion of a state supporting any religion,” Councilman Daniel Dromm said.
Since 2002, about 60 religious organizations have been holding worship services in NYC public school buildings. These religious groups feel they need these public facilities to continue to benefit their surrounding communities.
“We’re taxpayers. We’re equal participants in our society. We just want to have the same access to the same public institutions that other groups have access to,” said Rev. Kirsten John Foy of Abiding Love Ministries in Brooklyn.
The City Council will discuss the resolution in another hearing before deciding whether to hold a vote.
Advocates are calling on the state Legislature to pass the resolution and Gov. Andrew Cuomo to then sign the legislation.
Queens Chronicle: Bangladeshi fest in Jackson Heights
Bangladeshi groups in Jackson Heights are seeking the city’s permission to observe International Mother Language Day on Feb. 21
The fest, recognized by the United Nations, commemorates the day in 1952 when Bangladeshis took to the streets to protest against then-ruling Pakistan’s efforts to quash Bengali, the native language, and impose Urdu, Pakistan’s mother tongue.
At least four people were killed when Pakistani police fired into the crowd. But Bangladeshis’ efforts to preserve their language, and gain independence from Pakistan, were ultimately successful. A monument in Dhaka, Bangladesh called the Shaheed Minar was eventually built to honor the protesters who died.
The recent applications by Jackson Heights Bangladeshi groups to obtain the city’s permission for an International Mother Language Day event represent the first effort to formalize celebrations that have already occurred for several years on private property, according to the Jackson Heights Bangladeshi Business Association and the Youth Congress of Bangladeshi Americans.
Both groups have said they would work together, along with others, to temporarily erect a shaheed minar —resembling the one in Dhaka — at a small triangle on Broadway and 73rd Street, where people would lay flowers after a procession along the plaza at 37th Road. The procession would begin at around 6 p.m., according to Mohammad Pier, president of the JBBA, and involve singing a traditional hymn.
“From every corner, people would come,” Pier said. He estimated that if properly organized, the event could draw over a thousand.
Councilman Danny Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) and Community Board 3 support the fest, which would require the closing of one to two blocks, as long as the several groups who have shown interest in organizing it work together.
In addition, Dromm supports the groups’ greater goal: to erect a permanent monument at the Broadway and 73rd Street triangle. His office has put in a request with the Department of Transportation to consider the proposal.
It would be, Dromm said, a “monument to all people who have ever had to go through the possibility of losing their mother tongue.” He added that the monument’s message would have special meaning for the children of Latino immigrants in the area, who he said are often at risk of losing the ability to speak Spanish. Being able to speak both English and a second language should be valued, he noted.
He was also pleased that the Bangladeshi groups’ plans for International Mother Language Day involve the use of the 37th Road plaza, which the JBBA has protested since it was created, when a block of 37th Road was closed to traffic by the DOT last September. JBBA members say the closure has hurt businesses in the area.
“Now that the plaza is there, ironically, everybody wants to use the plaza,” Dromm said.
Both Pier and Rasel Kaber, president of the YCBA, believe that a permanent monument would attract more Bangladeshis to the area.
“Our community is big,” Kaber said. “People are coming from Brooklyn ... from everywhere.”
“It will be an attraction,” Pier said.
The fest, recognized by the United Nations, commemorates the day in 1952 when Bangladeshis took to the streets to protest against then-ruling Pakistan’s efforts to quash Bengali, the native language, and impose Urdu, Pakistan’s mother tongue.
At least four people were killed when Pakistani police fired into the crowd. But Bangladeshis’ efforts to preserve their language, and gain independence from Pakistan, were ultimately successful. A monument in Dhaka, Bangladesh called the Shaheed Minar was eventually built to honor the protesters who died.
The recent applications by Jackson Heights Bangladeshi groups to obtain the city’s permission for an International Mother Language Day event represent the first effort to formalize celebrations that have already occurred for several years on private property, according to the Jackson Heights Bangladeshi Business Association and the Youth Congress of Bangladeshi Americans.
Both groups have said they would work together, along with others, to temporarily erect a shaheed minar —resembling the one in Dhaka — at a small triangle on Broadway and 73rd Street, where people would lay flowers after a procession along the plaza at 37th Road. The procession would begin at around 6 p.m., according to Mohammad Pier, president of the JBBA, and involve singing a traditional hymn.
“From every corner, people would come,” Pier said. He estimated that if properly organized, the event could draw over a thousand.
Councilman Danny Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) and Community Board 3 support the fest, which would require the closing of one to two blocks, as long as the several groups who have shown interest in organizing it work together.
In addition, Dromm supports the groups’ greater goal: to erect a permanent monument at the Broadway and 73rd Street triangle. His office has put in a request with the Department of Transportation to consider the proposal.
It would be, Dromm said, a “monument to all people who have ever had to go through the possibility of losing their mother tongue.” He added that the monument’s message would have special meaning for the children of Latino immigrants in the area, who he said are often at risk of losing the ability to speak Spanish. Being able to speak both English and a second language should be valued, he noted.
He was also pleased that the Bangladeshi groups’ plans for International Mother Language Day involve the use of the 37th Road plaza, which the JBBA has protested since it was created, when a block of 37th Road was closed to traffic by the DOT last September. JBBA members say the closure has hurt businesses in the area.
“Now that the plaza is there, ironically, everybody wants to use the plaza,” Dromm said.
Both Pier and Rasel Kaber, president of the YCBA, believe that a permanent monument would attract more Bangladeshis to the area.
“Our community is big,” Kaber said. “People are coming from Brooklyn ... from everywhere.”
“It will be an attraction,” Pier said.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
The Queens Gazette: Crowley, Dromm Call On LIRR To Reopen Elmhurst Station
Congressmember Joe Crowley and Councilmember Daniel Dromm called on the MTA Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) to reopen the Elmhurst Station, a move that will help to further revitalize Elmhurst and the surrounding area. The station, which was closed in 1985, is located on Broadway between Cornish and Whitney Avenues.
“Reopening the Elmhurst Station will go a long way toward revitalizing the Elmhurst community and growing Queens’ economy,” said Crowley. “This is more than an investment in improving residents’ commutes; it’s about making Elmhurst a destination for all New Yorkers and visitors. Councilman Dromm and I are joining forces in calling on the LIRR to join us in making this idea a reality. The truth is Elmhurst residents already endure the noise and inconvenience of a train running through their neighborhood, why shouldn’t they enjoy the benefits of it becoming an integral part of the neighborhood?”
The Elmhurst Station, which sits on the Port Washington Branch commuter rail line, helped the communities of Elmhurst and East Elmhurst grow and thrive by opening up access to Midtown Manhattan. The station was closed due to a reported decrease in ridership following significant changes to train schedules that made the station unattractive to commuters. Since the station’s closure, Elmhurst’s growing population has suffered from a lack of efficient public transit into Manhattan. Reopening the Elmhurst Station will increase residents’ access to Midtown, help create jobs in the community, and provide an economic boost to the many small businesses in the area.
“Restoring service to Elmhurst on the Long Island Railroad is vitally important for the development of Elmhurst and the surrounding areas here in Queens,” said Dromm. “By linking its residents to Manhattan, we are effectively spurring the job creation and economic growth necessary for communities like Elmhurst to flourish. The reopening of this station is something that will be a boon to all New Yorkers as it would burst open the doors to one of the world’s most diverse and vibrant neighborhoods.”
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