Community Corner

Hatzolah is an organization like no other. Day or night, Shabbos, or Yom Tov – when a call comes in, Hatzolah is there for us. A Hatzolah volunteer could be in the middle of doing homework with his child, helping around the house, or participating in an intense business meeting, but when the Hatzolah radio goes off, he is out the door.

This past Sunday, lifelong Kew Gardens resident Avi Cyperstein, 35, stood in front of Queens Borough Hall to declare his candidacy for the 29^th City Council District, covering Forest Hills, Rego Park, Kew Gardens, Richmond Hill, and Forest Park. The district is presently represented by Karen Koslowitz, who is term-limited. “We stand here today amid a pandemic of unprecedented proportions. I am a first responder and healthcare professional for over ten years,” he said. “I felt that I could and should do more for the people that I care about and the community around us.”

New office is the only site in Queens to offer general pediatrics, pediatric cardiology, gastroenterology, neurology, and surgery services

NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Queens has announced today the grand opening of a new, state-of-the-art medical group pediatric multispecialty office. At this centrally located facility, at 198-15 Horace Harding Expressway in Fresh Meadows, families can receive high-quality patient care and consultation in general pediatrics and multiple specialties. Currently, this location is the only site in Queens with general pediatrics and a wide range of pediatric specialties all under one roof. Specialties include pediatric cardiology, pediatric gastroenterology, pediatric neurology, and pediatric surgery, which are delivered in collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine.

With an open seat race, a crowd of 12 candidates are seeking to succeed Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz. In the past, the support of Queens party leaders for a primary candidate usually ensured that person winning the race, but in recent years, the “County” endorsement has not been as effective, as leftist candidates successfully ran with grassroots campaigns that used social media for funding, volunteers, and votes.

The National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) Tuesday denounced the Lincoln Project, a political action committee dedicated to defeating President Trump, calling billboard ads they posted in Times Square in New York City targeting Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump anti-Semitic and urging that they be taken down.

Joann Ariola is a longtime Queens civic leader, wife, mother, and grandmother, whose career has always been focused on forging positive relationships between her neighbors and government agencies to promote peace and public safety. There is no quality of life without safe streets. To that end, she has actively supported the NYPD for decades as a civic activist, member of Community Board 10, and President of the Howard Beach/Lindenwood Civic Association, as well as serving on the 106^th Precinct Council. Previously, Joann worked under Mayors Giuliani and Bloomberg, and now is the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for MediSys Health Network in Queens, working closely with Flushing and Jamaica Hospitals. Other former career paths included work at the Queens District Attorney’s Office, Queens Criminal Court, and the NYC Council, serving as the Chief of Staff and Press Secretary to Council Members in both Queens and Brooklyn. Joann also serves as the Chair of the Queens County Republican Party since 2017, and Republican State Committee Member for the 23^rd Assembly District.