(Long Island, NY) Assemblyman Michael Montesano (R,I,C-Glen Head) is pleased to announce the receipt of nearly $2 million to make crucial road improvements in Nassau County. A piece of the New York State budget, the funding is part of a $40 million statewide initiative to help local governments make much-needed repairs in the wake of this past winter.

“This past winter was devastating to our roads and bridges, leaving our local highway departments with a public safety mess on their hands and little funding to remedy it,” said Montesano. “The funding allocated in this year’s budget will help ensure these vital repairs are made, making our roads safer for residents without having to raise our property taxes.”

For a detailed breakdown of funding allocation, please visit https://www.governor.ny.gov/assets/documents/40-Million-CHIPS-Like-Budget-Run.pdf.

(New York, NY) Tomorrow is the date by which owners of military-style assault weapons must register their weapons, a requirement of the landmark NY SAFE Act, which was passed by a bipartisan legislature and signed into law by Governor Cuomo fifteen months ago.

Leah Gunn Barrett, Executive Director of NYAGV, said, “The NY SAFE Act has been ruled constitutional by both federal and state courts despite vigorous attempts by the corporate gun lobby to block it. Judge William Skretny in his December 31, 2013 ruling cited the SAFE Act’s role in furthering the state’s important interest in public safety. And the ban on military-style assault weapons, which were designed to meet specific combat needs, is an important part of the law. Individuals who owned these weapons prior to the law’s passage are allowed to keep them as long as they register them.”

Barrett added, “Experts, such as those in law enforcement who understand firearms, tell us that each of these assault weapon features serves a specific military combat function. Civilian assault weapons retain the specific design features that make these weapons so deadly. These features are not cosmetic but are what distinguish assault weapons from traditional sporting rifles. These weapons of war have no place in our communities.”

Barrett concluded, “The NY SAFE Act, through such measures as universal background checks on gun and ammunition sales, a stronger ban on assault weapons, and tougher penalties for illegal gun use, will protect communities all over the state. Our strong gun safety laws are the reason why New York has the fourth lowest gun death rate in the nation.”

New Yorkers Against Gun Violence is a statewide advocacy group working to reduce gun violence through advocacy and education designed to encourage action, influence public opinion and lead to policy change. With a primary focus on New York State, the organization also advocates at the local and national levels for sensible laws, policies and practices that protect New York State residents from gun violence. www.nyagv.org.

(New York, NY) With wedding season rapidly approaching, Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued tips to protect New Yorkers from dishonest wedding vendors looking to take advantage of couples planning their weddings.

“Planning a wedding should be an enjoyable and exciting experience,” Attorney General Schneiderman said. “Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous vendors out there eager to prey upon couples who may already be under a great deal of emotional and financial pressure. Couples planning a wedding should be armed with information that will help them recognize and avoid potential consumer scams.”

Attorney General Schneiderman issued the following tips for consumers who are hiring wedding vendors, such as photographers, videographers and caterers:

• Avoid paying cash for products and services. Credit cards offer a dispute process that may help protect consumers.
• Check a company’s record with the Better Business Bureau and review any complaint records.
• Insist that the company identify the individual who will be photographing your wedding. It is common for photographers to book more than one wedding on a date and send someone else to shoot the wedding. Make the identity of the photographer part of the contract. Check at least three references for weddings that took place within the past three months. Up-to-date references can offer critical insight into a vendor’s recent job performance.
• Always review any contract carefully before you sign it. Do not make rushed decisions.
• Get multiple quotes from different vendors before you sign a contract. Talking to multiple businesses will give you more options and a better understanding of the services available.
• Do not pre-pay in full. Hold back 25 percent of the total cost until you have the products in hand. This will create a powerful incentive for service providers like photographers and videographers to complete the contract. In some instances, a photographer who has been paid in full will shoot the wedding and take months to deliver the products.
• Make sure the contract contains due dates for each task. For example, the pre-bridal photograph should be taken by a specified date, the proof should be ready by a specified date and the photograph should be ready within seven days after the consumer makes a selection.

Those who suspect they may have been victimized by an unscrupulous wedding vendor are strongly encouraged to file a complaint with Attorney General Schneiderman’s office online here or to call 1-800-771-7755.

(Queens, NY) Creativity is the theme this week, as the world’s most diverse county hosts scientific experiments and sculpture, kite-making, egg-coloring and Earth Day-related crafts events. The chance to explore the NYS Pavilion, live music and the opening of an exhibit on Nazi, anti-Jewish street signs are also on tap. Here’s the rundown.

April 17, Sculpture Camp 2014, 10 am to 2 pm. Flushing Town Hall offers its first sculpture camp during Spring Break. Students (ages 7-15) will work with sculptor Chun-Sen Yang using recycled materials to create sculptures. A group project will be on display at FTH’s annual Earth Day Festival on April 22. $50. FTH, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, www.flushingtownhall.org.

April 17, D.B. Rielly Live, 9 pm. Award-winning Roots musician D.B. Rielly performs a wide range of Americana music, including Roots, Zydeco, Blues and Alt-Country. He promises listeners an “instantaneous cure for all afflictions.” Free. Rèst Âü Ránt, 30-01 35th Ave., LIC, www.rarbarlic.com.

April 17-18, The LEGO Movie, 1 pm daily (series started on April 14). Presented in Dolby Digital 3-D, this is an eye-popping, fast-paced stop-motion animated feature about Emmet, an average LEGO mini-figure who is mistakenly identified as the key to saving the world. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria., www.movingimage.us.

April 19, Doktor Kaboom, 1 pm & 3 pm. This interactive science show returns by popular demand. Join Doktor Kaboom as he attempts science experiments with the audience’s help. $14 or purchase a Family Series Flex Pass for $100 (10 tickets to use however you want.) Queens Theatre, 14 United Nations Ave. S., Flushing Meadows Corona Park, www.queenstheatre.org.

April 19, Hands-on History: Let’s Go Fly a Kite!, noon to 3 pm. Celebrate National Kite Month by creating and decorating a kite to fly and take home. Free. King Manor Museum, 150-03 Jamaica Ave., Jamaica, www.kingmanor.org.

April 19, Egg-Stravaganza, noon to 1:30 pm or 2 pm to 3:30 pm. Enjoy games, crafts and a special scavenger hunt with egg prizes (weather permitting). Pre-register for one of two sessions. Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 St., Flushing, www.queensbotanical.org.

April 19, Anthony Mann: T-Men, 4 pm; and Raw Deal, 7 pm. Hollywood director Anthony Mann was one of the greatest directors of two genres that seem very disparate: film noir, featuring nocturnal and claustrophobic dramas; and the Western, with dramas set against wide-open landscapes. T-Men and Raw Deal open a series featuring eight of Mann’s greatest films. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, www.movingimage.us.

April 20, Anthony Man: The Great Flamarion, 2 pm; and Border Incident, 4 pm. Two more of Anthony Mann’s movies. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria, www.movingimage.us.

April 22, Open Gate Event, 11 am to 2 pm. Borough President Melinda Katz, NYC Parks and the New York State Pavilion Paint Project Crew open the gate to the NYS Pavilion so guests can view and take photos of the interior (Tent of Tomorrow only) with the classic roof and towers backdrop. The Paint Crew will answer questions and talk about the structure’s past, present and future. Hardhats are required and will be provided. Free, meet at structure’s north side.

April 22, Earth Day Festival, 1 pm. Develop your green thumb, learn about bee-keeping and the importance of clean waterways while making sculptures, jewelry and art out of recycled materials. Free. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd., Flushing, www.flushingtownhall.org.

April 22, The Tuesday Morning Music Club of Douglaston, 11 am. Gene Keyes, clarinet, and Hiroko Nakahara, violin, play Ludwig van Beethoven Duo #2 in F Major and Etienne Gebauer’s composition for clarinet and violin Opus 16 #3. A sandwich lunch and dessert follow. Douglaston Community Church, 39-15, Douglaston Pkwy., 516- 466-4034.

April 23, Unwelcomed Words: Nazi Anti-Jewish Street Signs, 7 pm. Spring exhibition curated by Harriet and Kenneth Kupferberg Holocaust Resource Center Scholar-in-Residence Rabbi Isodoro Aizenberg. In Germany, beginning in 1933, Nazis implemented anti-Jewish instructions and practices in order to segregate the Jews. This exhibition focuses on public signs that relentlessly degraded, harassed, offended, hurt, and curtailed Jewish life in Germany before the outbreak of World War II. The exhibit includes photos of Nazi-style restrictive signs posted in German occupied lands, as well as testimonies of people who were personally affected by the prohibitions that these signs proclaimed. HKKHRC, Queensborough Community College, 222-05 56th Ave., Bayside, www.qcc.cuny.edu/khrca. Center is open weekdays from 10 am to 4 pm.

The “It’s In Queens” column is produced by the Queens Tourism Council with the hope that readers will enjoy the borough’s wonderful attractions. More info at www.itsinqueens.com.

(Long Island, NY) This past Saturday, Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci (R,C,WF,I-Huntington Station) joined local poets and fans of famed essayist and poet Walt Whitman for an open house and reception in support of the Walt Whitman Birthplace Association. The Walt Whitman Birthplace Association hosts events throughout the year to promote the essayist’s legacy and local roots.

Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci joins Walt Whitman Birthplace Association Executive Director Cynthia Shor, Suffolk County Legislator and Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory, local poet, essayist and journalist Walt Whitman, portrayed by Darrel Blaine Ford, and Suffolk County Legislator Monica Martinez. Photo Credit: NYS Assembly.

“The Walt Whitman Birthplace Association really exemplifies this influential Long Islander’s spirit and passion through their outstanding preservation and promotion of Whitman’s life and legacy,” said Lupinacci. “Their efforts highlight the role Whitman’s works still play in our lives after nearly 200 years. I want to thank Cynthia Shor and everyone from the association for their kind words and especially for their effort to preserve and share Walt Whitman’s legacy with others.”

(Long Island, NY) Today’s report from the Tax Foundation detailing positive changes to the state’s overall tax climate, especially when it comes to reducing the tax burden for businesses, shows we’re making real progress in making New York a more attractive place to create jobs and grow for the future.

I’m particularly pleased that many of the reforms that were included in this year’s enacted budget, which form the basis for our improved ranking, were ideas Senate Republicans have been advocating for years. By reducing costs for businesses and making New York more competitive, we can create new jobs and keep our young people here to settle and raise their families.

Despite the progress we’re making, more remains to be done to improve New York’s overall tax climate. We should strongly consider accelerating a number of the tax relief initiatives that have already been enacted into law to provide even more help for businesses and taxpayers. Working with the Governor and our partners in government, we must redouble our efforts to control spending, cut taxes and create an environment where everyone who wants to secure a good job can get one.

(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Crime Stoppers and Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the woman who fraudulently returned video games at a Centereach store last month.

A woman received a cash refund after returning three video game packages that had the discs removed and had been resealed at Target, located at 265 Pond Path, on March 24 at approximately 3 p.m. The video games have a value of more than $160.

Suffolk County Police Sixth Precinct Crime Section officers are seeking the public’s help to identify and locate the woman who fraudulently returned video games at a Centereach store last month. Photo Credit: SCPD.

The woman left the parking lot in a black Chevrolet Tahoe.

Suffolk County Crime Stoppers offers a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. All calls will be kept confidential.

(Huntington, NY) Councilwoman Susan A. Berland was on hand to present an official proclamation from the Town of Huntington to The ThunderColts, a robotics team from the Half Hollow Hills Central School District, who recently won the Xerox Engineering Design “Creativity Award” at the Virginia FIRST Robotics Competition.

The ThunderColts participated in a contest, titled “Ultimate Ascent” which included 65 teams that built robots able to climb up a three-tier tower and shoot disks into a target. The ThunderColts are comprised of students from both Half Hollow Hills East and Half Hollow Hills West high schools. Their robot was the only one to successfully climb a three–tier tower to the amazement of competitors from Virginia, New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, South Carolina and New York.

Councilwoman Susan A. Berland presented an official proclamation from the Town of Huntington to The ThunderColts, a robotics team from the Half Hollow Hills Central School District, who recently won the Xerox Engineering Design “Creativity Award.”. Photo Credit: Town of Huntington.

“It was a pleasure to present The ThunderColts with this proclamation,” commented Councilwoman Berland. “The team’s hard work and determination is commendable and I congratulate them on climbing the tower that has set a standard for excellence for many years to come.”

(Long Island, NY) Nassau County Robbery Squad detectives are investigating a Robbery that occurred in East Meadow on Tuesday, April 15, 2015 at 4:42 a.m.

According to detectives, a male subject, armed with a black handgun entered the 7-11 located at 2138 Hempstead Turnpike and demanded money from clerk. The employee complied and the subject fled with an undisclosed amount of US currency in an unknown direction of travel. No injuries were reported.

Nassau County Robbery Squad detectives are investigating a Robbery that occurred in East Meadow on Tuesday, April 15, 2015 at 4:42 a.m. Photo Credit: Chris Boyle.

Subject is described a male, white 5’9” tall, thin build wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black pants wearing a mask that partial covered his face.

Detectives request anyone with information regarding the above crime to contact Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS.

(Hauppauge, NY) County Executive Steven Bellone and the Suffolk County Downtown Revitalization Citizens Advisory Panel today announced that applications for “Round 12” Suffolk County Downtown Revitalization Grants are available. A pool of $500,000 is available for partial funding of capital projects located in or adjacent to downtown areas on municipally-owned property.

Applicants must be organizations that represent a downtown area and who partner with their local municipality. Organizations that represent downtown areas including business improvement districts, chambers of commerce, civic associations, historical societies, beautification societies, and local development corporations. Towns or villages who partner with a community organization are required to pass resolutions supporting the project on which the two entities partner. Projects must be capital in nature and have a significant and sustainable impact that enhances economic activity.

“Providing grant funding through this program encourages local organizations to partner with their municipality and find ways to enhance public lands, improve the vitality of business districts, and contribute to walkable communities and bustling downtowns,” said Bellone.

Among the kinds of projects that are eligible for grants are:

• Public Parking Facilities
• Curb and sidewalk construction
• Pedestrian walkways
• Street lighting
• Public Restrooms
• Disabled accessibility
• Renovations to existing structures
• Cultural and Recreational facilities

The Downtown Revitalization Citizens Advisory Panel utilizes a point system to evaluate each application to ensure projects that receive funding will make the greatest contribution to the long-term improvement of local downtown business districts and have a positive economic impact on Suffolk County as a whole.

The application and instructions can be found at:
www.suffolkcountyny.gov/Departments/EconomicDevelopmentandPlanning/DowntownRevitalizationCitizensAdvisoryPanel.aspx.