Usual suspects skip out on Jamaica garbage tour

From Clean Up Jamaica Queens:

Despite the brief downpour Friday, November 1st, the “Jamaica Quality of Life Walking Tour” with Senator Tony Avella, was a big success with others to follow.

The gathering met at the notorious abandon playground at 171st St and 109th Ave, off Merrick Blvd, known for a lot of illegal dumping, although it was cleaned up a bit from a few weeks ago when I saw it. NY1′s Agnes Chung covered this event and it will be shown tonight during the 8pm telecast. Along with Senator Tony Avella (his staff, Dawn Jung & Anna Aulova), myself and community activist Pamela Hazel, there were other concerned citizens as well as Queens Borough President candidates Tony Arcabascio and Everly Brown, District 27 City Council candidate Sondra Peeden, Queens Press reporter Natalia Kozikowski and DNAinfo New York reporter Ewa Kern-Jedrychowski.


No surprise that not one of Jamaica’s elected officials attended nor did Queens Borough President candidate Melinda Katz who was invited. Councilmen Leroy Comrie and Ruben Wills were MIA, ironic, considering that both their districts are the worst when it comes to the garbage problem and other quality of life issues. Neither have done much of anything for their community so being a no-show is just par for the course and expected.

Click the link for the garbage photos.

BP debate will finally air

From the Daily News:

Queens Public Television has finally decided to air a debate taped two weeks ago between Queens Borough President hopefuls Melinda Katz and Tony Arcabascio.
The station had pulled the sparring match after third-party candidate Everly Brown complained he was not included.

“Mr. Everly Brown was invited to take part in the debate but failed to participate thereby forfeiting his equal access or ‘equal time’ to our channel,” said Clifford Jacobs, programming and access services manager at QPTV. “Once invited, it is incumbent on the candidate to appear.”

Brown’s campaign manager, Elhadj Bah, said the station had never officially notified the candidate.

Here's the NY1 debate.

QPTV won't air borough president debate

From Arcabascio 2013 Blog:

I wanted to give everyone an update as to the current situation regarding the QPTV debate and the sudden change of plans in airing the taped debate of October 10th, 2013. Yesterday, Friday the 18th, we met with the Queens Chronicle to do an interview regarding my candidacy and the Queens Borough President race. During our discussion the topic of the debate was brought up and apparently they were informed by QPTV that there were technical problems with the taping and therefore would not be airing the debate. Ladies and gentlemen, that is a blatant lie! We were contacted by QPTV on this past Wednesday and were advised that the debates would not be aired because Candidate Everly Brown was not included and therefore they were not airing it. That's rather an amusing position to take considering that candidate Everly Brown was not present for the first 45 minutes of our previously taped and broadcast forum and they had no problem airing that one. We suggested that in all fairness, we understood and that we believed that the debate should be performed again to include Candidate Everly Brown. QPTV's response was that the candidates have busy schedules and it is very difficult to arrange. Really?? I know I can make it and Everly Brown can make it and we have full time jobs in addition to our efforts of running for Queens Borough President! Did they ask Candidate Melinda Katz? She should have time, she's the only one that quit her job to be a full time candidate. Certainly if Mr Brown and I can arrange our schedule's Ms Katz can make the necessary accommodations. Besides, I was asked to alter my schedule for the first debate from 1:30PM to 10:30 AM to accommodate Ms Katz schedule and I did in an effort to ensure that the people of Queens would have the information and insight of who the candidates truly are. It is a despicable and deplorable act that this Publicly funded television station has engaged in with the withdrawal of this scheduled airing of a debate when the outcome of this election will effect the 2.3 million people of Queens. The people have the right to know and the people PAY for this right through the tax dollars that fund QPTV.

I left a message at QPTV to discuss this matter yesterday but I have yet to receive a return call. I suggest as taxpayers and residents of Queens you too put a call in QPTV and demand to know why this debate is not being aired. They can be reached at 718-886-8160.

It's named QUEENS PUBLIC TELEVISION for a reason, it's publicly funded to provide a service to the people, not just SOME of the people but ALL of the people.

Well, I had no idea that Everly Brown was still in the race. He is running on the Jobs & Education line. His website hasn't been updated in a while.

All thanks to Everly Brown

"Residents reached out to our local leaders: Borough president/ Helen Marshall, Councilman/ Leroy Comrie and many others. Our request was to clean the abandoned property at 107-58 164 Street.

Local leaders ignored residents/voters. Thereafter,residents were forced to proceed with a protest. Residents invited: Everly Brown, Melinda Katz, and Peter Vallone, because the three are asking for our votes to be the next borough president.

Only one person marched with residents on 6/29/13 against landlords who abandoned their property. That ONE PERSON IS EVERLY BROWN. He MARCHED with us while Katz and Vallone looked the other way.

Thanks Everly Brown. As a result of Everly Brown's intervention, the site was cleaned. Queens residents, please show thanks to Everly Brown at the POLLS.

Vote for Everly Brown for borough president. Brown will continue to serve Queens residents. Send this message to your friends, family etc.

1 & 2 photos are before the protest. The last photo is after the protest." - Pamela Hazel, Jamaica

And then there were 3

From the Daily News:

The once-packed Democratic race for Queens Borough President is turning into a duel.

State Sen. Tony Avella, the maverick politician who cut his teeth as a Queens civic leader, has dropped out of the contest.

“I will never stop fighting and advocating for all residents of Queens,” Avella said in a statement released late Wednesday afternoon. “Yet, at this time, I believe I can best serve the people of Queens by remaining a state Senator.”

Avella’s departure leaves City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. and former City Councilwoman Melinda Katz in a battle for the Democratic nomination. Businessman Everly Brown will also be on the Sept. 10 primary ballot.

Despite "dropping out", Avella's name will still appear on the ballot September 10th.