COMET: Communities of Maspeth & Elmhurst Together
  • About Us
  • Next Meeting
  • Issues
  • Newsletter
  • Useful Links
  • Local News
  • Join/Contact Us

Budget cuts threaten St. Saviour’s project

2/25/2010

 
Picture
By Christina Wilkinson

This past November, every elected official that represents Maspeth signed onto a letter from Council Member Elizabeth Crowley to State Department of Parks Commissioner Carol Ash requesting that money from the Environmental Protection Fund be put toward the acquisition of the St. Saviour’s site.

While the electeds were waiting to hear back from the state, the residents in the vicinity of the site listed amenities that they would like to see at the proposed park site.  A rendering was created based on their input and is pictured above.  Their goal is to have a passive park with a playground for children up to 10 years old.

Ms. Ash responded to the letter from Crowley in February.  She said that the project would be eligible for monies from the part of the fund that applies to creation of parkland in underserved urban areas, but that Governor David Paterson removed those funds from his budget proposal for the upcoming year.  Cuts to the Environmental Protection Fund also threaten zoos, botanical gardens and aquaria.  Some state parks are threatened with closure.

The State Assembly circulated a letter asking that Governor Paterson reinstate all of the $222M to the Environmental Protection Fund.  Assembly Members Markey and Hevesi were among the many assemblypersons who signed it.

During the Great Depression, many new parks were created.  But back then, there was a lot more open space than there is now.  It would be a shame to lose the opportunity to create new parkland in Maspeth, especially since there is hardly any open land left upon which to do so.

As budget negotiations continue, we urge all our elected officials to fight to restore these funds.  Present and future generations of Maspeth are counting on you.

Talk one-on-one with Joe Addabbo this Saturday

2/24/2010

 
Picture
When: Saturday, February 27th, 2010, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Where: Maspeth library 69-70 Grand Ave

What: S
enator Joe Addabbo will be at Maspeth library to meet with local residents to discuss any issues they have. No appointment is necessary.

NY1 story on Grand Avenue Truck Bypass Plan

2/17/2010

 
Picture
NY1 VIDEO: City officials said Tuesday they hope to have a plan in place by fall to eliminate truck traffic along a heavily congested section of Grand Avenue in Maspeth.

Click here to watch story.

COP104 scheduled for Wednesday night at Town Hall

2/14/2010

 
Picture
COMET will be hosting COP104 at Maspeth Town Hall on Wednesday, February 17th, 2010 at 7:30pm.  Please come out to hear from police representatives and voice your concerns.

Deacon Arthur Griffin of Transfiguration Church is NY1's "Person of the Week"

2/14/2010

 
Picture
NY1 VIDEO: The latest Queens Person of the Week is a Catholic deacon in Maspeth who survived nasal cancer and then decided to devote his life to the church and to serve the homeless and needy.

Click here to watch video.

Newtown Pippin lecture at the First Presbyterian Church of Newtown Sun, Feb 21st

2/12/2010

 
Picture
The Newtown Historical Society will be presenting a free lecture and slideshow about the historic Newtown Pippin apple at the First Presbyterian Church of Newtown located at Queens Blvd & 54th Avenue in Elmhurst, on Sunday, February 21st, 2010 at 12:30pm.  The venue was the site of a planting in 2002 which brought the apple back to its area of origin for the first time since the early 19th century.  The presentation will explain the history of the apple in Queens and the new replanting project that has been underway for the past year.  Speakers will include Bob Singleton, Vice President of the Greater Astoria Historical Society, Erik Baard, Co-founder of the Newtown Pippin Project, and Marjorie Melikian, Historian for the First Presbyterian Church of Newtown.  Council Member James Gennaro’s 2009 resolution calling for recognition of the Newtown Pippin as the official apple of the City of New York will also be discussed and samples of the apples will be available for tasting.  For more information, please call the Newtown Historical Society at 718-366-3715 or e-mail newtownhistory@gmail.com.

State Senator Joe Addabbo to meet with Maspeth residents

2/10/2010

 
Picture
Senator Addabbo will host a community discussion in Maspeth tomorrow evening, February 11, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Maspeth Town Hall, 53-37 72nd St. Addabbo says the visit is “for residents in the northern portion of my district” who can’t easily meet with him at his Howard Beach district office. Topics of discussion will be “whatever issues that concerns people the most”. He expects those will include jobs, transportation, education, public safety, sanitation, the new voting machines, the 2010-2011 budget, the 2010 census and seniors and veterans matters.

CURES comes to COMET

2/7/2010

 
Mary Arnold and Mary Parisen from CURES - Civics United for Railroad and Environmental Solutions - attended a recent COMET meeting and discussed pollution problems in our area caused by freight trains. The presentation included an informative slide show, Particulate pollution is a serious health problem in all of western Queens and one goal is to get the railroads to use cleaner technology.
Picture

    Welcome to COMET's blog!

    Here you will find stories from our latest newsletter as well as interim posts about topics of interest.

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009

    RSS Feed

Photos by Steve Garza