Jan. 6, 2011

Year In Review:
2010: A Look Back At Our News

By Queens Tribune Staff

A monster tornado, a new casino and political upheaval were some of the biggest stories to dominate the Queens Tribune headlines and front pages for 2010. Join us as we take a look back at the news that touched our lives and our hearts in 2010.

Tornado Alley

Seen from atop Terrace on the Park, the tornado whips its way across Forest Hills and toward Flushing. Photo by Ira Cohen

It was a typical Thursday afternoon in Queens on Sept. 16. Rush hour had hit; the highways were filled with cars carrying people home. Most school buses had delivered their charges; kids were doing homework, playing with friends and helping get dinner ready.

The sky turned gray, then black. Wind swirled, buffeting the commuters, shaking children in their houses. An ominous sound bore down from overhead as the sky turned green, lightning dancing across the sky. To see it was disorienting; rain seemed to lift from the ground, trees that had swayed now flew across the highway, over cars and into homes. The crash of debris blended with the smashing of the rain until the sound became deafening.

And then it was gone.

For about 15 minutes this scene played out across a swath of Queens running from Ridgewood to Middle Village and Rego Park, Forest Hills, Flushing, Fresh Meadows, Auburndale and Bayside before exiting at Little Bay. Each location felt the force of the storm for no more than 2 or 3 minutes.

Nearly every tree in Forest Hills’ MacDonald Park was shredded by the tornado that touched down at the park near the intersection of Queens Boulevard and Yellowstone Boulevard. Photo by Domenick Rafter

The final verdict: an 80-mph tornado that started in Brooklyn cut into Ridgewood and flattened out to a nearly five-mile-wide “macroburst” as it slammed into Middle Village and Rego Park at 125 mph. From that burst a new tornado formed, tearing through the borough at 100 mph, but entire sections of the borough – Astoria and Jackson Heights in the Northwest, Jamaica and Floral Park in the South and East – never felt it.

In the blink of an eye thousands of trees were uprooted or ripped apart. In the first 24 hours alone the Parks Dept. reported 3,931 residential trees damaged – that number does not even bear in mind the ones inside Forest, Juniper Valley, MacDonald, Flushing Meadows, Kissena, Bowne or Crocheron parks.

St. George’s Church in Flushing lost its historic steeple to the tornado. Photo by Ira Cohen

In the days since the tornado, help was easier to come by for some. There was a limit to the number of tree specialists, insurance adjusters, contractors and city workers who could handle the load. Progress in some fringe areas that were not as hard hit – along Parsons Boulevard in Flushing and on Calamus Avenue in Maspeth – had been slow. In Forest Hills, communities came together to clean up. From the unaffected neighbors who have offered food and shelter to those displaced to the volunteers who cleared out dozens of fallen trees at a local little league, the tales of generosity are widespread.

But so, too, were the tales of woe. Poor insurance, questions over individual vs. city responsibility and the shock of the scale of the damage have been hard to swallow for some. There were very few injuries reported as a direct result of the tornado, though there was one death. A 30-year-old Pennsylvania woman was crushed by a tree that fell on her car when she pulled over on the Grand Central Parkway at the height of the storm.

Eventually, President Barack Obama declared Queens a disaster area, freeing up millions of federal dollars to help repay the city – and some home owners – for their expenses related to the clean-up.

Casino Royale

In January, after weeks of delay, Gov. David Paterson chose AEG to operate video lottery terminals at Aqueduct. Within weeks, AEG was under criminal investigation, the lottery called the company unlicensable and the whole plan was on the verge of collapse.

In May, promising a more transparent process, new bidders were sought and, though six ponied up the $1 million entry cost to vie for the prize, only one team, Genting New York, ended up in the race. In July, Genting came to Community Board 10 to pitch its merits.

There was a noticeable whiff of skepticism in the room, but local elected officials, many having been through this process before, tried to inject some optimism into the crowd.

Genting took the opportunity to introduce to the community the Malaysia-based company and the principals involved in the bid, including JCJ Construction and Tutor-Perini contractors, who worked on the AirTrain and the recent JFK runway rehabilitation project. Genting’s management team, including Michael Speller, who is a former CEO of Foxwoods and helped develop the Seneca Niagara Casino in Niagara Falls, also introduced themselves to the community members.

“We’re always sensitive to community issues,” Speller said. “I can assure you that’s what we’ll do here.”

In August, the New York Lottery made Genting’s win official, and ground was broken in October for Resorts World New York, the casino at Aqueduct Racetrack that will have 4,500 video lottery terminals.

Political Change

One long-time public servant was ousted by the voters in 2010, and another passed on, as Sen. Frank Padavan, the 38-year veteran was defeated and Councilman Tom White Jr. died.

Councilman Thomas White Jr. died of cancer in August. He was replaced in a special election by Ruben Wills. Photo by Ira Cohen

After two consecutive close races for the seat held by Sen. Frank Padavan (R-Bellerose) for the last 38 years, former Councilman Tony Avella threw the knock-out punch, defeating the borough’s last GOP state legislator 54-46 percent. Celebrating at Sullivan’s in Bayside on election night, Avella was joined by Sen.-elect Mike Gianaris, who gave up his Assembly seat to run for the post vacated by retiring George Onorato (D-Astoria). They were joined by Sens. Toby Stavisky (D-Flushing) and Jose Peralta (D-Corona), as well as Assemblywoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing).

The rhetoric of the “Queens Coalition” was focused on bringing true reform and transparency to the most dysfunctional state legislature in the country. Later in the evening, Avella spoke of bringing “democracy with a lower-case ‘d” back to New York.

Councilman Tom White Jr. (D-South Ozone Park) died Aug. 27 at North Shore LIJ Hospital at the age of 71, after a long battle with lung cancer.

“He did very well representing his community,” said Adjoa Gzifa, Community Board 12’s chairwoman. “He was very much a person who cared about his constituents.”

White served a combined 15-year tenure in the City Council, beginning with a 10-year stint in the 1990s. After being term limited out in 2001, he regained the 28th District’s Councilmanic seat in 2005.

“Today, Southeast Queens lost an iconic advocate, and I lost a dear friend,” said State Sen. Malcolm Smith (D-St. Albans). “City Councilman Thomas White Jr. served his community with great pride and distinction for over three decades, fighting to keep our streets safe and drug free, and improve the quality of life for seniors, children and small business owners.”

Councilman James Sanders (D-Laurelton) said that White was an “inspiration” to both his colleagues and constituents.

“Tom served his community, his constituency and his City with pride and distinction, and his voice will be sorely missed in City Hall,” Sanders said. “New York City has lost a great public servant; working people have lost a tireless champion and fearless advocate; and I have lost a dear friend.”

White is survived by his mother, two children and two grandchildren.

Former Councilman Tony Avella, shown here with his wife at his victory party, knocked 38-year Sen. Frank Padavan out of his seat. Photo by Ira Cohen

As chair of the Council’s Economic Development Committee, White was praised for his prowess in bringing home funds to Queens and his district. Smith said White’s support of women and minority-owned businesses, along with the revitalization of economically distressed areas, have created “countless jobs and helped families struggling to get by put food on their tables and pay their bills.”

“He searched for ways to break the cycle of poverty and violence,” said Council Speaker Christine Quinn (D-Manhattan). “He fought for job training and placement programs, and investments in long-term economic growth. He had a particular soft spot for women and minority business owners, pushing for additional resources to help them stay afloat and create good jobs for their neighbors.”

Councilman Leroy Comrie (D-St. Albans) said White championed and secured funds for seniors, educational, social services, youth programs and economic development projects, all while encouraging beneficial zoning changes.

“His tenure as chair of the Council’s Economic Development Committee was marked by his unrelenting pressure on the City to ensure that minority and women- owned businesses received their fair share of contracts,” he said. “Council Member Thomas White was a quiet leader and community servant who will be missed tremendously. I mourn his passing and will miss my friend.”