Maspeth residents and firefighters react to the news of Osama Bin Laden's demise.

In April, WPIX reporter Greg Mocker visited the St. Saviour's site and wondered why the Bloomberg administration was dragging its feet on acquiring the site as a public park for Maspeth residents while bending over backward to accommodate out-of-town tourists in Times Square.

PO Youssef returned from vacation and I was able to get the crime stats for the 108th Precinct  Winfield/Woodside area that is adjacent to Maspeth and Elmhurst.   The two reported burglaries sparked my attention.  Rather than just taking jewelry, cash and small items that can easily be hidden in a backpack or pocket, the burglar(s) also removed large items from the residences.  Since most of us live near a precinct border you need to know what is going on a few blocks from your home.

• Items were removed from a residence on 51st Avenue/65th Place.  
• The second residence's basement apartment, located on 48th Avenue/65th Street, was burglarized and items were stolen.

I assume that the perpetrator(s) had a vehicle since he/they would look suspicious carrying large items down the street.  Although these burglaries happened in close proximity to one another, if a vehicle is involved this crook(s) could easily move to other nearby locations in Maspeth and/or Elmhurst.    If you see any person or persons removing large items or other property from a residence and it's not the homeowner, call 911.  If you see a stranger lurking near a driveway, etc. call 911.  Let the police question the individual.  You can't get into trouble if you're mistaken but you may help lower our crime stats and save someone from becoming a victim if you're right.  Most importantly, if you return home and see evidence of a break-in, do not enter and call 911. A burglar could be dangerous when confronted. Please pass this on to your neighbors and friends in the area.  Thanks.   By the way, PO Youssef said the overall crime numbers for the last 28 days in our area are 6 cimes this year compared to 9 crimes last year - a reduction of 33% year-to-date.

A Comet member reports that on Monday, 4/13, her neighbor awoke to find his 2011 Escalade perched on top of four boxes and all four wheels had been removed.  The vehicle was parked on 53rd Avenue at 66th Street.  The neighbor has replaced the tires on the Escalade and had wheel locks installed.  Hopefully this incident was reported to the 104th Precinct.  

Hi Everyone,   Last month I sent a notification to folks alerting them about an individual wanted in a series of burglaries in south west Elmhurst in the 110th Precinct near the Woodside border.  Surprisingly, folks from Maspeth responded said they saw someone matching his description.  One sighting was on 57th Avenue near PS 58, the others were in west Maspeth.  Everyone who called asked if this individual had a beard but the 110th Precinct said surveillance tape of the person was too grainy to see it.  

Update:  DI Napolitano of the 110th Precinct contacted me to say it's now believed this individual DOES have a beard.   In case you weren't notified previously or forgot the description, it's as follows:  male black, approx 6' - 6'2, thin about 190 lbs.  He was last seen wearing a black North Face jacket with work boots.  He was walking with a shopping cart.  If this man did burglaries in Elmhurst he certainly won't have a problem doing them elsewhere.    If you see someone matching this description, CALL 911.  Tell the operator that you see a male matching the description of a burglar wanted for multiple burglaries in the 110th Precinct.  The responding precinct will then refer the case to the 110th Precinct Squad to determine whether or not this is the suspect they are looking for.  Pass this on to others in the neighborhood and let's work to get this perpetrator off the street before there's more victims!

Hi Everyone,

I'll try to give this to you in a nutshell:
* Brooklyn wants a park in what is now being used as an Access-a-Ride parking lot for 150 vehicles.
* They looked around for city-owned properties to find another site for these Access-a-Ride vehicles and found one on 49th Street in west Maspeth - a block away from the huge MTA bus depot that currently houses 200 buses and a few blocks away from 59th/Maurice Avenue that has a parking lot for a bunch of paratransit vans.  Are you beginning to see the problem here?
* The Brooklyn councilman who is pushing for this site did not speak with our Queens elected officials including Council Members Jimmy Van Bramer and Elizabeth Crowley. 
* Brooklyn is trying to "sneak" this new depot into Maspeth behind our elected officials backs and our backs and one Brooklyn elected official said they're supporting this because Greenpoint is organized and has a loud voice.  Do you get the picture??
* Council Member Van Bramer is fighting back with support from other electeds from our community but Comet needs your help to back up their efforts.
* We don't need more traffic, we don't need more pollution and most of all we don't want Brooklyn's Access-a-ride vehicles driving through OUR neighborhoods.  We are not a dumping ground for other boroughs!  Why should Brooklyn get a park
at our expense?  Remember, we're trying to get a park at the St. Saviour's site.  The City doesn't have $$ to get us a park, but they have the funds to move the Access-a-ride over to Queens and clean up the contaminated site!  Brooklyn needs to find a site in Brooklyn.
* All I ask is that you pick up the phone and call the Brooklyn elected officials and tell them you are outraged by their sneaky tactics and we are prepared to fight back.  Let's show them who's united!  Their names/numbers are below:  Pass this on to your friends, neighbors, family.

Councilman Stephen Levin @ 718-875-5200
Assemblyman Joseph Lentol @ 718-383-7474
Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez @ 718-599-3658

COMET Vice President Richard Gundlach, Assembly Member Marge Markey, COMET President Roe Daraio, Council Member James Van Bramer, Maspeth Chamber of Commerce member Tony Nunziato, Juniper Park Civic Association President Robert Holden, Council Member Elizabeth Crowley at March 4th press conference about proposed MTA depot in Maspeth.

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK
OFFICE OF COUNCIL MEMBER JIMMY VAN BRAMER
47-01 QUEENS BLVD, SUITE 205
SUNNYSIDE, NY 11104
(718) 383-9566

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – MARCH 4th 2011**

CITY & MTA IN A RUSH TO DUMP DEPOT IN MASPETH

Council Members Van Bramer, Crowley, Assemblywoman Marge Markey and Local Elected Officials unite with Concerned Residents to speak out against the Proposed Location

On Friday, March 4thCouncil Member Jimmy Van Bramer, Council Member Elizabeth Crowley and Assemblywoman Marge Markey united with local elected officials and concerned residents to speak out against the city and MTA’s proposed Bus Depot site in Maspeth. The proposed site on 49th Street and Galasso Place would be the third MTA depot in an area that is already saturated with commercial traffic. The rush job in selecting Maspeth as a potential site has raised concerns about the secretive process that gave no notice to the community or to local elected officials.

The selection process by the city and the MTA for potential locations fails to include notice to local elected officials and community members – a key element for any development decision that greatly impacts the quality of life in the area. There has been no environmental impact study to determine the impact that the bus depot will have on the community and there are no estimates as to how much remediation cleanup will cost taxpayers. The lack of community input, paired with the lack of such essential decision making information has caused great concerns by Council Members Van Bramer, Crowley and Assemblywoman Markey who united with local elected officials and residents to protest against the proposed location.

“Maspeth cannot and will not be a dumping ground for MTA Depots,” said Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer. “The attempt by the city and the MTA to consider this location without taking into consideration the environmental impact to the area or the community’s input is troubling. There are five other boroughs and the MTA and the city need to dump this depot somewhere else. Maspeth needs more green space – not additional traffic and pollution.”

"Maspeth residents have been burdened with the City’s truck traffic for over a decade—we need to be greening these streets, not polluting them,” said Council Member Elizabeth Crowley. “As the community looks forward to finally implementing the Maspeth Bypass Plan that will reduce truck traffic on our local streets, the MTA’s plan for a Maspeth Bus Depot will sets us back to ground zero.  I stand with my colleagues in government and the residents of Maspeth when I tell the MTA to do right by Queens and keep the Bus Depot out of Maspeth."

“Maspeth is already doing its share for the MTA as the home of two transit facilities,” said Assemblywoman Margaret Markey. “This third depot does not belong here. Just as we are seeing progress in our decade-long fight to reduce the commercial traffic that clogs the streets and pollutes the air in Maspeth, this project is a set-back that we cannot accept. Less congestion, safer streets and better air quality is what we need, not a third MTA transit depot.”

“Apparently the MTA doesn’t think it is bad enough that Maspeth residents already have to deal with a barrage of truck traffic. If they did, they wouldn’t be discussing the possibility of relocating a bus depot into the community – a move that would bring even more pollution, noise and disruption to Maspeth,” said Rep. Crowley. “Maspeth residents have been plagued by excessive traffic for far too long, and it is time for that to end. I urge the City to reconsider the plans to transplant the bus depot to Maspeth and to take into account both the concerns of the community and the impact on the environment. Maspeth residents must not only be heard, but listened to.”

 “I am concerned with the plan to relocate the MTA bus depot to Maspeth,” said Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan. “The lack of notification and community input is alarming.”

“What Maspeth needs is more green space, not another bus depot,” said Queens Borough President Helen Marshall. “When it comes to traffic, Maspeth is already receiving more than its fair share. And, when it comes to the number of MTA depots in one community, Maspeth already has two.”

"The MTA is outrageously favoring one neighborhood over another without the courtesy of even notifying the affected community," stated State Senator Michael Gianaris. "Maspeth already has two other bus depots and a plethora of truck traffic on its local streets. It is time to stop dumping on Maspeth and give the residents of Queens the respect we deserve."

“I strongly oppose burdening Maspeth with a third bus depot,” said Assembly Member Michael Miller. “The local residents should not be forced to cope with the additional environmental strain. Maspeth’s transit infrastructure is already overstressed. Also, there is no reason to reach this decision in secrecy, with no public input. This is unhealthy, unsafe, and unfair."

Although no final decision has been made by the MTA and the city as to where the bus depot will be placed, it is clear that elected officials and Maspeth residents will fight to protect their community.

DOT truck proposal riles Maspeth residents, Ridgewood Ledger
It's a positive project & doesn't cost a lot so 'it's a win-win,' says pol, Daily News
DOT presents Maspeth Bypass Proposal, Forum West
DOT Maspeth Bypass plan called 'good start', Queens Chronicle

Greg Mocker visited the site of the proposed Maspeth depot and talked to a local resident and to Council Member Van Bramer about it.

The 44-year old con man, who was arrested by the 108th Precinct, had his day in court.  We have been told he took a "plea" deal and the little creep only received a sentence of 60 days.  Oh, don't assume he'll spend the entire 60 days in jail - knowing how the system works he'll probably be released early for "good behavior".  If we find out when he's released we'll notify you.   It is very upsetting to know that this individual received so little time after he conned dozens of kind-hearted residents in Maspeth, Elmhurst and other communities for money by telling them he needed it to pick up a prescription for his sick mother.   Rest assured this creep will soon be back on the street pulling his scam on other unsuspecting people.  Hopefully people will call 911 not if, but when he comes back to our neighborhood.   We want to thank everyone for getting the word out.  We especially want to thank and commend  those of you who were victimized and stepped forward.  COMET plans to give the officer who arrested this creep an award at our February 7th meeting.  We do not meet in January.

Hi Everyone,   Here's something else you can be thankful for this Thanksgiving - the con man has been arrested!   Thanks to word getting out alerting residents to the scam involving a male white ringing the doorbells of homes in Maspeth, Elmhurst and other communities asking for money to fill a prescription for his mother, a Sunnyside resident called 911.  The 108th Precinct responded to 39th Avenue/49th Street in Sunnyside Gardens and arrested him.   The 44-year old male had three outstanding bench warrants out on him for "cons" just like he was doing to us.  He was charged with criminal trespass, fraudulent accosting and possession of burglar tools.  I spoke with Captain Powers and told him, if necessary, we would be willing to do a "Court Watch" to make sure the judge gives him the maximum sentence.   We commend the 108th Precinct for a job well done and plan to give an award to the arresting officer, PO Jamie Damico at our February meeting.  I'll send out a reminder to everyone just in case you'd like to attend and applaud him.   I want to thank everyone for passing the word to folks in our community and hope you have a great Thanksgiving!  I'm sure we'll hear more about this arrest at our next meeting.   Don't forget our meeting on December 6th.  We have no meeting in January.  Our February meeting will be on Monday, February 7th.