OANA has received this notice from the NYC Dept of Transportation on the upcoming new rules for the NYC Outdoor Dining Program. We urge everyone, especially small businesses, to familiarize themselves with the rules, and join the public hearing on November 20th. You can either join the conversation and make public comments, or just view the livestream. Both options are provided in the following from the DOT. “NYC DOT has published proposed rules for Dining Out NYC , New York City’s permanent outdoor dining program. The proposed rules are available at rules.cityofnewyork.us and NYC DOT will hold a public hearing on November 20, 2023. If you want to provide verbal comments during the public hearing on the Dining Out NYC proposed rules, please log into Zoom or dial 1+ 646-518-9805 (Meeting ID: 941 1706 5380; Password: 384818). If you would like to provide comments at the hearing, please email your name and affiliation to rules@dot.nyc.gov prior to November 20th. However, if you only want to watch the public hearing and do not want to make any verbal comments, the livestream can be viewed on NYC DOT’s YouTube . For questions and to learn more about the New Outdoor Dining Program, visit Home | Dining Out NYC. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=of8cxTsTk9s

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Back in 2020, Revel Mopeds appeared in one of OANA’s meetings.  This was a fascinating service: One of the first examples of rental of transit equipment with having to go to a central base. You just left the moped where you last used it, and it was then picked up by the next rider. This idea revolutionized movement in the city!! However, primarily because riders often abused the privilege and ignored basic safety rules like wearing helmets , not following basic traffic rules, and abusing the equipment, REVEL is shutting down their Moped service and instead concentrating on their Electric Car Rideshare Service. Here is an article from the Brooklyn Eagle regarding the shutdown. OANA regrets that this is an example of how today’s lack of respect for regulations and minor laws can result in a few bad actors ruining a great service for all of you. To all of those who refused to wear helmets, ignored the laws, and road on prohibited street, congratulations!!!! You have successfully abused a great service, never to return.

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OANA wants to congratulate the neighborhood activists who initiated the “Take Down the Stacks” campaign at Big Allis (AKA Ravenswood Power station). Also, to Rise Light and Light Power, whose purchase of the plant with the goal of converting to a Green energy model makes the campaign possible.  Governor Hochul has approved their permit to begin the process of bringing offshore wind power to NYC through the Astoria Plant! Please see the presentation by Rise Light and Power to OANA! This will be an important step, replacing the Fossil Fuel plants that surround Astoria and Old Astoria with sustainable power!!! First: Hydropower from Canada with the CHPE , now wind power from the Atlantic to Ravenswood…. We are on our way!! Let’s keep up the momentum: The Old NRG oil driven plant next?

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXJ-vyT3afw For those who missed the live broadcast. Understanding Old Astoria, West of 21st Street… Live discussion on the past and future. A brief history into why minority neighborhoods such as the area west of 21stStreet on the Astoria Waterfront experienced discrimination and neglect. The dark side of the New Deal…..How the New Deal perpetuated economic and ethnic segregation in NYC. Also, thoughts towards the future, especially Housing (If you have any questions, please email feedback@oana-ny.org and we will do our best to respond) PRESENTED BYBraden Crooks PanelistsBishop Mitchel Taylor, Urban UpboundStacy Andreakakis, M.ScMemo Salazar, Western Queens Community Land TrustRichard Khuzami, Old Astoria Neighborhood Association

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Applause!!!!!!!! The New Stop Signs are UP!!!! We appreciate the fast action on the part of the DOT in installing the All Way Stop Signs at 18th St. and Astoria Park South. Their fast actions once the signs were approved (That took one year) shows a renewed interest in the safety of everyone in the neighborhood. No longer do you need to take a chance every time you want to enter Astoria park to the Track and Soccer Field. ATTN ALL DRIVERS: The New Signs are up: No more rolling through the intersection!!!!! Please!!!

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Old Astoria and the Astoria waterfront has long supported artistic achievement. Currently home to the Noguchi Museum, Socrates Sculpture Park, and the Welling Court Mural project, it has also encouraged local business and developers to support the arts. And in the private sector, there has been no greater proponent of the arts, be it performing or visual, than The Durst Organization and their Halletts Point development. During the pandemic, they converted part of their waterfront property to a Performing Arts venue, Radial Park, giving a great option for all those who were cooped up to enjoy performances in a safe environment. The Durst family, under the inspiration of Anita Durst, is also involved in Chashama, an Arts organization dedicated to finding cost free studio space for artists throughout NYC. For many years they also operated a performance space, water taxi beach, in Long Island City. (Where this author was privileged to perform)   And today, even during bustling construction, they have seen fit to exchange the ever-present green site construction barriers (that surround all construction sites) to a gallery of public art.  They have partnered with ArtBridge to create a 600-foot-long public mural and augmented reality experience at 20 and 30 Halletts Point in Astoria, Queens. Created by multimedia artist Zeehan Wazed, the mural named “A City in Motion” reflects life in and around the neighborhood. As an accomplished artist and dancer, Zeehan was inspired to weave the movement of the dance classes at the NYCHA Astoria Houses’ Hanac Cornerstone Community Center into the installation at Halletts Point, making it a dynamic multimedia experience. He took video of the dance classes in front of a green screen, leading to the mural’s silhouettes of dancers which come alive through a digital integration with the Artvive app. Simply download and open the app on your phone,...

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OANA has received the following calendar dates for book talks for Author Richard Melnick and his new book, Long Island City in 1776: The Revolution Comes to Queens (The History Press, 2023). Richard made a presentation at our June OANA Meeting. If you are interested in checking this out, please watch the video here. Statement from Mr. Melnick: (With a tongue in cheek promise LOL) “Greetings from Astoria, Queens, New York. Since my return from collecting Sasquatch diet samples in Oregon and Washington state, I report the following: Upcoming Book Talks and Lectures by Richard Melnick, discussing and promoting his new book, Long Island City in 1776: The Revolution Comes to Queens (The History Press, 2023). I will talk about local L.I.C. history in 1776, will read some passages from the book, and will tell the entire story of the Landing at Kip’s Bay through expressive dance.**(I will not actually perform expressive and/or interpretive dance).” 1.QHS. Queens Historical Society.Thurs, Sep. 21, 2023.6:00 PM.143-35 37th AvenueFlushing, Queens, 11354. 2.QED. Sat, Sep. 30, 2023.5:00 PM.27-16 23rd Avenue,Astoria, N.Y., 11105. 3.Astoria BookshopThurs, Oct. 19, 2023.7:00 PM.36-19 30th Street,Astoria, N.Y. 4.Woodside Library, QBPL.Thurs, Nov. 9, 2023.6:00 PM. CHECK TIME.54-22 Skillman AvenueWoodside, N.Y., 11377. 5.*Book Talk in Manhattan.Fraunces Tavern MuseumThurs, Nov. 16, 2023.6:30 PM. CHECK TIME.54 Pearl StreetNew York, N.Y., 10004. 6.ARRTNYAmerican Revolution Round Table of New York.Tues, Feb. 6, 2024.7:00 PM.Lecture Site TBD. Please join me for a book talk and conversation.Read the book, review and critique it. Let me know what you think. Rich Melnick https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaZCktsyeJA

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OANA has been advised that the NYC DOT has approved their request for an all-way stop sign to be installed at 18th St and Astoria Park South. This intersection, which leads up to the Field House and Track/Tennis complex in Astoria Park, has seen a tremendous increase in vehicular traffic since the addition of the Bus Lanes on 21st Street. 18th St. and Astoria Park South intersection As this is historically very busy with pedestrians and dog walkers entering and leaving the park, it is imperative that all vehicles stop to avoid any accidents, and we applaud the DOT for approving our request. Further details will follow.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiQm3-hev3Y

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September 13, 2023 Op Ed Published version Queens Gazette Published version The National Herald The Migrant Crisis and our local schools. As everyone knows, the influx of Migrants to our city, and the cost local government must pay to ensure their guaranteed living conditions has put a strain on our city. OANA’s overriding position is that this is an Interstate, not in intrastate issue. Because both international and state borders are being crossed, the Federal Government has the indisputable authority and responsibility to deal with migrant workers and asylum seekers. They alone have the resources, both financial and diplomatic, to come up with a solution that protects everyone’s rights. And our entire federal system is based upon the Washington’s responsibility to deal with any issues that involve international relations and multiple states. If the federal government continues to shirk that responsibility and try and dump it on states and cities, then it is rejecting its entire reason for existence. Therefore, we call upon our Federal Officials to fully fund our city and state costs to ensure that our responsibilities to Migrant and Asylum seekers are fully realized. And most importantly, they come up with a holistic program to deal fairly with any immigrants, including guest worker programs and paths to citizenship, fully enforceable by the Federal Govt that meets clearly stated standards for eventual citizenship plus our needs to supplement our labor force. (The last was in 1986 under Reagan…This is completely irresponsible of our federal Government, putting politics above good government) OANA feels, however, that while the macro issues that are being thoroughly discussed, (such as the Right to Work, Federal responsibilities, and Sanctuary City status) are all very important, we also need to look at the smaller operational issues that can help in the short term. To this...

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OANA would like to share this great article on Astoria from the NY Times (because of the NY Times policy, we regret that some people may not be able to open the article). We applaud the recognition, especially as Old Astoria grows, (As represented by Astoria West mentioned in the Article) becoming the home to many New Yorkers. We also want to recognize the NYC Ferry, which has changed a transit desert on our waterfront to easily accessible to all of NYC. And we especially want to reiterate one of the themes: We are like a village in the middle of the city, with easy access to all parts off the tristate area, and home to great diversity, both economic and ethnicity, And a common theme of many who live here: Why leave Astoria?” With todays work from home culture, areas like Astoria are invaluable to all working people

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