Queens' Best Week Ever! 4/26

Time for another installment of Queens’ Best Week Ever! Where we excavate the Queens media lansdscape, so you don’t have to.

In hard news, the Times Ledger reports the city shut down an illegal boarding house in Jamaica after a fire broke out in the basement. There were approximately 12 women living in the two story house. One resident filed a lawsuit against building owner, Yury Baumblit, then complained

Baumblit had illegally evicted her from the bunk she slept in on the building’s second floor more than two weeks ago for her participation in the lawsuit … she claimed a victory when Baumblit admitted in Queens Housing Court he had illegally evicted her and agreed to let her return.

In soft news, Rebecca Henely covers marshmallows.

Bayside state Sen. Tony Avella fought against tall things this week, according to the Times Ledger. Avella reportedly worries that there are so many cell towers on a Whitestone building that it might collapse.

Rosario DiMarco has lived in the surrounding neighborhood for nearly 12 years and said his worries went one step further. Dimarco said residents in the area also worry that the radiation emitted from the cell phone towers might contaminate produce at the Strawberry Farms supermarket across the street. “Luckily, I haven’t experienced any health issues yet,” Dimarco said.

Continuing his crusade against tall, Avella bused people to a Board of Standards and Appeals hearing to fight against a church steeple in Flushing, where Mormons dropped some knowledge:

“Because neighbors and community leaders have vigorously objected to the steeple, we include a brief discussion to highlight the steeple’s importance to the church’s programmatic needs,” Richard Hedberg wrote in the proposal.

Hedberg said the steeple, which is not subject to zoning regulations, symbolizes the Christian religion and that the chapel is a place of worship.

City creativity shines again in Flushing, where DOT can’t seem to pave the street correctly.

St. Albans is trying to learn to eat healthy, Times Ledger reports. There will be a health and wellness fair on Sept. 15 (is this really a story?). Oh, wait there is also a healthy catering group?

The catered presentations will feature grilled salmon, lamb and jerk chicken, as well as healthy side dishes such as three-bean salad, rice dishes, steamed pumpkin, steamed plantains and stewed black peas.

“The focal point will be the side dishes.”

You can’t make this stuff up, Times Ledger: Tidy Cats cleans up Jamaica house.

Larry Love, 55, whose house sits right next door to the former eyesore. “The worst part was the summer. It was a swamp, a jungle. The raccoons came out and one even attacked my niece. My mother was getting sick.”…

Owner Aaron Smith said that in his 25 years in the business, he had never seen such a mess. “Picture your worst nightmare in one yard, like Freddy Krueger, and it all attacks at one time,” he said…

Purina Tidy Cats, the kitty litter company, had recently launched its “NO PU” campaign which, as spokeswoman Meghan Lamontagne put it, helps people tackle extreme untidiness.

“Tidy Cat helps with the PU in the litter box, and the PU Patrol is going around the country helping people with their stinky situations,” she said…

Love’s mother, 81-year-old Mary Moore, joined her neighbors, Sanders and the PU Patrol for a barbecue in the backyard last week to celebrate the transformation.

“It’s beautiful,” she said. “Now I can walk out without looking to see if I step on metal.”

Queens Gazette reports cops shot “Doughboy” outside McDonalds on Linden Boulevard. Doughboy is in stable condition.

The Queens Tribune has a boring yet exciting story about how we will be electing two brand new congressional representatives. Woot.

This week in funny names, there’s a gem headline from the Queens Ledger: “Pennisi tapped to head Queens Boy Scouts”

And Tony Meloni could be your new city councilman if you live in Astoria, according to the Queens Gazette.

The Queens Chronicle, (which dignified the web with it’s appearance late today) has a great photo illustration (by Ella Jipescu) of the Addabbo vs. Ulrich battle, clearly favoring the younger Ulrich. Topless, Addabbo doesn’t seem like such a threat.

 AnnMarie Costella’s visit to the latest CB12 meeting  is summarized by the reporter thusly:

After nearly 20 minutes of nonstop shouting and arguing, [Jaqueline] Boyce abruptly called it an evening.

Boyce reportedly proposed changes to the board’s bylaws but only alerted a select few members that she was planning to do so. Uh oh.

Anna Gustafson captures Richmond Hills students in mid-boo over the proposed closure of their high school. What follows is testimony from parents and students regarding the school:

“I thought it was my worst fear, my daughter coming here,” said Anna Christina Duer, whose daughter is a freshman. “I can’t tell you the pleasant surprise we’ve gotten with the programming and support we’ve gotten here.”

“I’m openly gay, and I’ve never been ostracized for that at Richmond Hill High School,” [Chris] Bello said.

Hate crime free, always a plus!

*We can’t wait any longer for the Queens Courier to hit the virtual news stand. No disrespect.