FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM NOVEMBER 16, 2017 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
MTA fare hike may
happen sooner than later
A study by State Comptroller Th omas P. DiNapoli
found that the MTA may not have enough money
to implement subway improvements without raising
fares earlier than expected.
Th e report, titled “Financial Outlook for the
Metropolitan Transportation Authority,” was released
on Nov. 9 and analyzed the MTA’s Subway Action
Plan, performance measures, the 2015-2019 and 2020-
2024 capital programs and the agency’s current operating
budget.
Between 2007 and 2017, the MTA has raised fares
by 54 percent, almost three times faster than the infl ation
rate. Th e report points out that fares were raised
during the recession, when families found it harder to
aff ord the hikes.
Th e report estimates that the recurring costs of
maintenance could reach more than $300 million
annually, which is the equivalent of a 4 percent fare
hike.
“Without additional assistance from its traditional
funding partners, the MTA will have to raise fares and
tolls faster than already planned to maintain, modernize
and expand the system,” the report read.
Angela Matua
Seniors targeted in
Bayside home invasion
Cops are searching for a trio of armed masked men
who forced their way into a senior couple’s Bayside
home and made off with cash and jewelry.
On Nov. 14 at around 7:10 p.m., the 77-year-old
male and 74-year-old female victims were inside their
Bayside home at 214th Place and 29th Avenue when
the three perpetrators rang the doorbell, police said.
Upon opening the door, authorities said, the two
victims were pushed to the ground by the suspects,
who then forced their way inside and displayed a fi rearm.
Th e three perpetrators then removed an undetermined
amount of cash and jewelry from the home and
fl ed the scene in an unknown direction, according to
an NYPD spokesperson.
Th e male and female victim each sustained minor
injuries in the incident. Offi cers from the 111th
Precinct responded to the scene.
No arrests have been made and the investigation is
ongoing.
Suzanne Monteverdi
Extravagant holiday
house lights go dark this
year
Whitestone will be a little less jolly this holiday season.
Homeowner and decorator Kevin Lynch posted a
regretful message to his personal Facebook page this
week informing residents they will not see his spectacular
Christmas light display at 166th Street and 23rd
Avenue this time around.
Aft er 23 years, the home will go dark for the holidays
for the fi rst time. Lynch said he wanted to take a year
off and enjoy some of the neighborhood’s displays.
He also cited traffi c conditions as another concern.
At the peak of the season, dozens of cars and attendees
can be seen descending on the Whitestone property
to take in the sight. Lynch said he hopes to work
more closely with the 109th Precinct to ensure everyone’s
safety in years to come.
In a bit of good news, Lynch closes the post be saying
he’ll be back next year “bigger and better.”
Suzanne Monteverdi
Photo via Google Maps
City begins complete overhaul
at Flushing High School
BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI
smonteverdi@qns.com / @smont76
Th e city is clearing house at a
Flushing school in an eff ort to “turnaround”
conditions at the struggling
institution.
Flushing High School will be completely
re-staff ed, according to a city
Department of Education (DOE)
spokesperson. Teachers and staff
must begin re-applying for their
positions and will be interviewed by
city-designated staffi ng committees
“over the next several months.”
Th e entire process is expected to
be completed by the end of this
school calendar year. Th e DOE will
also conduct recruitment events in
the spring and summer for new
applicants. Th e number of hires will
be determined based on the number
of students attending the school.
In an initial change, Schools
Chancellor Carmen Fariña decided
to remove Flushing High School
Principal, Tyee Chin, from his position,
eff ective in late October. He
was the fi rst principal to stay on for
a second year since 2011.
Chin has since been replaced by
Ignazio Accardi: an educator who
has worked for the DOE for more
than 20 years. He serves as interim
acting principal.
Th e school at 35th Avenue and
Union Street will not close during
the process in an eff ort to create a
seamless transition for its near 2,000
students, according to the DOE.
Veritas Academy and Queens High
School for Language Studies, which
are also housed in the same building,
will not be impacted.
District 25’s Flushing High School
was designated a Renewal School by
the DOE in 2014 as part of Mayor
Bill de Blasio’s initiative to give a
$150 million boost to 86 of the city’s
struggling public education institutions.
Schools received curriculum
overhauls, leadership support
and training programs and other
resources to support their reversal,
according to the DOE.
In a 2015-2016 DOE school quality
snapshot, Flushing High School
ranked “poor” in eff ective school
leadership, strong family-community
ties and trust between community
members. It ranked “fair” in student
achievement.
“Having a strong leader and the
right team of teachers is essential to
a successful school, and this re-staff -
ing process is the necessary next
step in the work to turnaround these
schools,” Fariña said.
Bronx’s DeWitt Clinton High
School will undergo a similar process,
according to the DOE.
Upon informing attendees at
the November Community Board
7 meeting about the changes at
Flushing High School, board member
Arlene Fleishman added that the
assistant principal of the school was
also recently removed.
“Th e school has fallen far below
expectations,” Fleishman said.
Fleishman also gave an update
on JHS 336Q, which is slated to
open up at the former site of St.
Fidelis School in 2018. Th e 507-
seat school have a maritime studies
theme, allowing students in the
waterfront community to engage in
science, engineering and other studies
in the fi eld.
JHS 336 will be a lottery school,
with priority given to residents of
College Point. If seats are fi lled by
College Point children, no seats will
be off ered to children from other
neighborhoods, Fleishman said.
Renee Klager has been chosen as
the school’s interim acting principal.
She currently serves as assistant
principal at P.S. 24 in Flushing.
A committee consisting of administrators,
teachers, parents and community
members will begin meeting
in January to discuss school-related
updates and concerns. Fleishman
said she will serve on the committee.
“To me, this is a great step forward,
and an opportunity to again
be part of the schools in our district,”
the board member said. “Th e way a
school goes is the way a community
goes. We all know that.”
Flushing High School