Woodhaven’s Grapevine – Volume # 145

** Our Top Stories:

• WRBA Town Hall
• Murder in Woodhaven
• SBS at CB9
• CB9 Applications
• DSNY Christmas Tree Collections
• MulchFest 2016

** Upcoming Events in Woodhaven:

• Community Calendar
• Woodhaven History Slideshow
• Slideshow of Old Pictures Queens at Neir’s Tavern
• Radio Free Woodhaven

** News & Announcements:

• Mayor’s Office Gets Low Marks from Community Groups
  
• Adopt-A-Troop
• Assemblyman Miller’s Newsletter
• The Queens GreenWay
• Woodhaven Walkabout
• Winter Tips from Con Ed
• Mail Mishaps
• SBS Recaps – A collection of links!
• WRBA Website
• Woodhaven Resources

** Our Top Stories:

** WRBA Town Hall – The very first Woodhaven Town Hall of 2016 will be held on Saturday, January 16th 2016 @ 12:00pm at American Legion Post 118 – 89-02 91st Street – (91st St and 89th Ave). What are some of the issues you’d like to see covered in 2016? Email us at info@woodhaven-nyc.org and let us know! Better yet, come out to one of our Town Halls in 2016 and share your thoughts!

** Murder in Woodhaven – NYC’s first murder in 2016 happened right here in our community when a 19-year old woman was found dead in her bed. Her boyfriend is suspected; he is in custody and is undergoing psychiatric evaluation. The WRBA would like to express its sorrow to the friends and family of the young woman, whose life was cut so tragically short. Note: Domestic Violence can happen anywhere. If you are a victim of domestic violence, or you know someone who is experiencing it,please check out the following resources from the NYPD and this useful page from the Manhattan DA Office. Also, the National 24-Hour Hotline for Victims of Domestic Violence is 800.799.7233 (SAFE) – click here for even more info.

** SBS at CB9 – Both the DOT and MTA will make a presentation on SBS at the next Community Board 9 meeting, Tuesday, January 12, 7:45 p.m. at Queens Borough Hall, Room 213 (120-55 Queens Blvd, Kew Gardens). CB9 has yet to take a position on this proposal. Please note that if you’d like to speak at the Public Forum, you must sign up to do so when you get to the meeting (and you are limited to 3 minutes). Click here for the meeting’s agenda.

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** CB9 Applications – Queens Borough President Melinda Katz is now accepting applications to join any of the community boards here in Queens. Locally, Woodhaven is part of Community Board 9, which meets on the 2nd Tuesday of every month. Click here to fill out an application.

** DSNY Christmas Tree Collections – The NYC Department of Sanitation announced that it will begin its annual Christmas tree curbside collection program on Monday, January 4. The curbside collection of real trees will run through Friday, January 15. Residents should remove all tree stands, tinsel, lights and ornaments from the trees before being brought to the curb for collection. Clean, non-bagged Christmas trees left on the curb between January 4 and January 15 will be chipped, mixed with leaves and recycled into compost for the city’s parks, institutions and community gardens.

** MulchFest 2016 – Or you can bring your tree to a designated city park to be recycled into mulch that will nourish plantings across the city! Saturday and Sunday, January 9 and 10, 2016

10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Forest Park Drive & Woodhaven Boulevard. Click here for more info and other locations throughout the city.

** Upcoming Events in Woodhaven:

** Community Calendar – We have updated the Community Calendar with as many events as we could find. Please feel free to call (718-296-3735) or email us with information about any upcoming events you’d like to see added.  And always, when you see this button in our newsletter, click it to see what’s coming up in Woodhaven!

** Woodhaven History Presentations – Tuesday, January 5th, 7 PM at the Avenue Diner (91-06 Jamaica Avenue). There will be presentations on Life in Woodhaven in 1941 (75 years ago) and 1916 (100 years ago). Come find out what was playing at the movies and what were the popular stores and what were the controversial topics.Bonus: Everyone who attends will receive a free copy of the Woodhaven History Digest.

 

** Slideshow of Old Pictures Queens at Neir’s Tavern – Historian and Author Jason Antos will be at Neir’s Tavern on Thursday, January 21st at 7 PM to show pictures from his new book “Images of America: Corona – The Early Years.”  Jason was recently a guest on Radio Free Woodhaven, click here to hear his interview.

** Radio Free Woodhaven – The show returns to its normal time slot Friday at 10 – click here at that time to listen LIVE. Call in to speak with the host (646) 378-1612.

 

** News & Announcements:

** Mayor’s Office Gets Low Marks from Community Groups – The Forum was doing a piece on Mayor de Blasio’s communications with civics and they asked the WRBA – click here to read what they said. The article sparked some spirited comments on a local blog – click here to read them.

 

** Adopt-A-Troop – American Legion Post 118 wants to THANK EVERYONE who has donated so generously – they say they are very close to their goal. If you missed previous announcements, American legion Post 118 has adopted a platoon, the 10th Mountain Division, serving in Afghanistan and they have the following requests from the troops: Laundry detergent pods, Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, Deodorant, Body wash/shampoo travel size, Baby wipes, Baby powder, Razors, Floss, Chewing gum, Candies assorted. Please drop off your donations at Spirare Cleaners right next door to the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association (84-20 Jamaica Avenue). This collection will continue until February 2016. Update: They are looking for extra sugar free & regular candy to send to the troops!

** Assemblyman Miller’s Newsletter – Click here to read Assemblyman Mike Miller’s latest newsletter.

** The Queens GreenWay – Click here for a look at the Queens GreenWay, the road / walking / bicycle path through Forest Park.

** Woodhaven Walkabout – Click here for some New Year’s pics of a walk around Woodhaven, including some nice pictures of the ongoing renovations at Mary Whalen Playground.

** Winter Tips from Con Ed – Click here for some Winter tips from Con Edison, including how to stay cozy and save, what to do if you suspect a gas leak, how to stay safe during winter storms, and more!

** Mail Mishaps – Did any of your friends mail or packages go missing this Christmas? Well, maybe this guy was their mailman (if the live in Ozone Park, there’s a good chance he was!)

 

** SBS Recaps – The proposed Select Bus Service plan for Woodhaven Boulevard is sure to be a hot topic in Woodhaven in 2016. Here’s a recap of recent headlines for those who want to catch up (updated from week to week):

• Bus Rider Group Wants SBS NOW (Tribune) New
• Bad For The Boulevard: Woodhaven Residents Blast Select Bus Service Proposal (Tribune)
• Woodhaven Civic Unveils ‘Busway’ Alternative to Rapid Transit Route (Forum)
• Woodhaven residents to DOT: Make us a better Boulevard Bus Plan (Times Newsweekly)
• Miller proposes buses on defunct Rockaway line; SBSpostponed until 2017 (Times Ledger)
• ‘Short-term’ SBS coming in early ’17 (Queens Chronicle)
• DOT: Full Woodhaven Boulevard Upgrades Coming Sometime Next Decade (Streets Blog)
• QPTC Urges Queensrail, Not Woodhaven Select Bus Svc. (Queens Gazette)
• Tish James and Queens Pols to DOT: Finish Strong on Woodhaven BRT (Streets Blog)
• Coalition Announces Increased Community Support for Select Bus Service; Civic rips ‘artificial’ rally; Woodhaven ‘strongly opposes’ DOT plan, group says (Forum)
• DOT Hits The Brakes On SBS Plans (Queens Tribune)
• Where’s the proof SBS will work on Woodhaven? (Queens Chronicle)
• Still waiting for an SBS vote at CB 9 (Queens Chronicle)
• WRBA’s Alexander Blenkinsopp on SBS and the Proposed BusWay (Project Woodhaven)
• Complete Video of SBS Meeting in Woodhaven (Project Woodhaven)

** WRBA Website – If you ever want to know when our next meeting is, you can always find out by visiting our official website – woodhaven-nyc.org. There, you will find our Community Calendar, Latest News and Announcements, Membership Info, our Press Releases, and a list of our media appearances.

** Woodhaven Resources – Click here for a new page that is a useful resource of local numbers and links — you will find local clubs and organizations, emergency numbers, city agencies, elected officials, schools and churches. This is a work in progress – if you come across any incorrect information or information you think should be added, please drop a line to projectwoodhaven@gmail.com.

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Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association

woodhaven-nyc.org

718-296-3735

    

 

Tags: Grapevine