'The Small Business Community has a great time to come together to put forth an agenda that is healthy for them. It would be wonderful to understand how every candidate is going to have a small business agenda at the forefront.'

As Chair of New York City Council's Committee on Small Business, Diana Reyna focuses on ways she can advocate for the over 220,000 small businesses across the five boroughs. She understands that they are crucial to New York City's economic rebound, and that the Council's efforts are not only for encouraging new small businesses, but on helping current business owners survive.

In response to a question about the impact of the coming elections, Reyna says 'The Small Business Community has a great time to come together to put forth an agenda that is healthy for them. It would be wonderful to understand how every candidate is going to have a small business agenda at the forefront.' She follows by saying "This is your time."

OurLIC met with Council Member Reyna for a Video Conversation on March 26, 2013.  This article includes the full VIDEO interview as well as her comments to the Organization or Latino Entrepreneurs (OLE) at a Trade Event at LaGuardia Community College.

Go to Full OurLIC Article, Video and Photos for OurLIC VIDEO Conversation: Diana Reyna, City Council Member and Chair of New York City Council's Committee on Small Business

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'Their message, however, ran counter to previous ones the chamber has heard, principally because, unlike those promoting the campus or accepting its presumed benefits, they are skeptical of what building the campus will mean to island residents.' writes Tom Cogan of the Queens Gazette 3/38/2013

Leaders from Roosevelt Island met with the Long Island City / Astoria Chamber of Commerce, and made a presentation about the island, on Thursday, March 21, 2013 at the Court Square Place Conference Center.

This was a first step exchange.  The Long Island City / Astoria Chamber's objective was to learn about the emerging opportunities that are part of the new campus development, and begin to understand how Roosevelt Island and Long Island City / Astoria businesses can connect and establish business and other relationships.

Guest Speakers included:

Judith Berdy

Go to Full OurLIC Article, Video and Photos for Leaders from Roosevelt Island Meet with Long Island City Business Community to Discuss Emerging Relationship Opportunities 3/26/2013

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Catsimatidis talks about his real estate developments, and creating jobs.

Press reports announcing the candidacy of John Catsimatidis for Mayor of New York City frequently mention the fact that he owns Gristides Markets. They sometimes refer to his "real estate investments". Few offer details.

Catsimatidis is a strategic real estate developer.  He falls in love with an area, and then finds the locations that are very close to public transportation. That is his strategy.  If residents in building can get from the location of their apartments/condo to all other parts of New York City by public transportation, it is a sure success and worth the development. The underlying strategy is "transportation centric locations". 

So it is with two curent properties under development. One is at Coney Island, just 30 minutes to Manhattan but facing the Atlantic Ocean plus views from Manhattan.  The other is along Myrtle Ave in Brooklyn near Flatbush Ave where Catsimatides is currently in the process of developing a cluster or residential and retail buildings.

OurLIC visited with John Catsimatidis at the headquarters of his company, Red Apple Group, to learn about Mr. Catsimatidis real estate portfolio. Some of it, we know, was established during the growth of Gristides because he knew he had to own the buildings in which his stores were located.  He needed to do that in order to protect the brand he was building in each neighborhood.

We think that understanding what John Catsimatidis does with his his various investments in New York City tell us a great deal about how he would approach the complex task of managing the City of New York.

His current real estate developments fit more of his proclaimed "visionary" profile, meaning that he is investing into the future strength of each of the neighborhoods.

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OurLIC FULL VIDEO Coverage

Go to Full OurLIC Article, Video and Photos for Veronica M. White, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation; and, Borough Commissioner, Dorothy Lewandowski Speak at Astoria Civic Association 3/5/2013

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Food, Culture, Trade, and Tourism Festival at Bucharest Restaurant co-hosted by Long Island City / Astoria Chamber of Commerce and the Romanian-American Chamber of Commerce

There is a large Romanian and Moldovan community estimated to be 400,000-500,00 people in NYC.  Many live and do business in Sunnyside, Astoria, and other areas of Queens. Our Romanian neighbors are successful businessmen, importers, executives, real estate developers, professionals, doctors, lawyers, specialists in immigration, etc.

On May 7, 2013 a Food, Culture, Trade, and Tourism Festival will be held at the Bucharest Restaurant, 43-45 40th Street, Sunnyside, New York. The event will be co-hosted by the Long Island City / Astoria Chamber of Commerce and the Romanian-American Chamber of Commerce.

The Taste of Romania Festival will serve as a way for business leaders;  hotel general managers and concierge; economic development leaders; United Nations Trade councils; elected officials; and community leaders to come together to meet and open relationships that can define and promote trade and tourism opportunities between Greater Long Island City and Romania / Moldova.  The object is to open a dialog and identify initiatives that can be productive for the communities, and serve as paths for follow through by decision makers. 

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Full Video Coverage of Community Symposium made available by Sponsors: Alma Bank, 30th Avenue Business Association, and OurLIC NEWS.

In his Keynote comments, John Catsimatidis, CEO of Red Apple Group and candidate for Mayor of the City of New York, echoed the perspective of Peter F. Vallone, Sr. in his FIRST WORDS at the previous night's reception. Vallone had described a period in the history of Long Island City and Astoria when there was high crime.  He attributed the safer, more desirable neighborhoods to actions taken such as the formation of the Astoria Civic Association and the Boys and Girls Club.  Families appreciated that the community offered productive solutions for their children; and that the streets were made safe.  Catsimatidis made similar points with his views that education is the foundation for job qualification, especially in the trades. He talked about his own life. He said that "NYC is failing its children" by not preparing them properly. 

Go to Full OurLIC Article, Video and Photos for SYMPOSIUM VIDEOS: Long Island City “Place-Making Economic Development & Corporate / Real Estate / Social Value Creation Strategies” for February 27 / 28, 2013

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Council Member Peter Vallone Jr. will address the Long Island City / Astoria Chamber of Commerce on 4/18 at 2:00 pm at the Steinway & Sons manufacturing headquarters, followed by a tour of the plant.

New York City Council Member Peter Vallone, Jr., candidate for President of the Borough of Queens, will address the Chamber on the attractiveness of Queens as a location for manufacturing, industry, and companies seeking worldwide success.
Whether it is old world craftmanship, fabrication, or high tech engineering, the NEW Long Island City, Astoria, Dutch Kills, and Queens offer manufacturing and process companies definite advantage.

The meeting will continue as a TOUR of Steinway and Sons until 4:00 pm, followed by a networking event and an opportunity to meet other advocates of Queens development, business leaders, government official, as well as Steinway executives.

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Naima Garvin Speaks Out along with City Council Member Peter Vallone, Jr.

On March 14th, the PTA of P.S. 122 and Council Member Peter F. Vallone Jr. held a rally on the steps of the Tweed Courthouse to voice their opposition to the Department of Education’s proposed changes to the school’s Gifted and Talented program – which will in turn affect schools throughout the district. Over 100 parents attended the rally, after which the PTA presented the DOE with a petition against the changes signed by 2,200 people.

The DOE’s plan, which is opposed by the large majority of the community, would restructure P.S. 122 into a Kindergarten through 8th grade school and make drastic cuts to its Gifted and Talented Program. It would eventually result in the number of Gifted and Talented classes at the school decreasing from 11 to three, as well as cause significant overcrowding.

Furthermore, Gifted and Talented students from P.S. 150, who currently matriculate into P.S. 122’s Gifted and Talented Program, will no longer be eligible to apply for enrollment.

Vallone, who has introduced legislation calling upon the Department of Education to provide enough seats in middle school Gifted and Talented programs for each eligible student, expressed his opposition for the plan and said he doesn’t believe it will happen. 

“Our school system has enough problems, so it defies logic for the DOE to want to dismantle a highly successful program which is a model for the entire city,” said Council Member Vallone. “Bureaucrats are trying to blame the Chancellor’s regulation, as if it was one of the Ten Commandments, but those regulations are changed constantly. That excuse doesn’t hold water, and the Astoria community demands to know the real reason behind this.”

Vallone also stated that although he only has one year left on his term as Council Member, he hopes to still be in public service in order to continue to fight to ensure this proposal doesn’t happen.

Also attending the rally were P.S.122 PTA Co-Presidents Claudia Lieto-McKenna and Clara Oza; a representative from the UFT; CDEC 30 Co-President Isaac Carmignani; and representatives from the PTAs of P.S.141, P.S. 85, P.S.150 and P.S.166.

[ SEE OurLIC FULL VIDEO COVERAGE:  Parent-Teacher Association Rallies Over Department of Education Plans to Modify Gifted & Talented Children Program in District 30 and Specifically PS 122 in Astoria ]

Naima Garvin Speals Out

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Long Island City / Astoria Chamber of Commerce Community Symposium on "Place Making Economic Development"

John Catsimatidis, CEO of Red Apple Group and Candidate for Mayor of the City of New York, was the KEYNOTE speaker at a Community Symposium organized by the Long Island City / Astoria Chamber of Commerce.

A number of high level panelists from the community as well as from professional and academic organizations that specialize in various aspects of real estate strategic marketing, national valuation insights and community value creation spoke at the event and answered questions.  Arthur Rosenfield, President of the Long Island City / Astoria Chamber of Commerce said "This SYMPOSIUM was designed to take a fresh look at the Greater Long Island City area by very highly qualified people with a fresh set of eyes."   He said "Things are changing quickly; and, we need to step back and take a new look to understand where we are, where we are going, and what impact these changes have on value of all types.  We need to understand how to manage the 'value' being created in the community. We can learn from professionals and the academic community that have studied and helped similar communities, business owners, and developers elsewhere during their high growth periods."

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Statement from NYC City Council Member Peter Vallone, Jr. / Candidate for Queens Borough President

The school auditorium at PS 122 - Mary Fay School, was packed with parents, teachers, and students angry about proposed changes to their Gifted and Talented Academy by the Department of Education.

The evening promised to host an important discussion with policy makers, elected officials, and the parents.  Parents expected to have an opportunity to carefully listen and respond to the Department of Educations plan to change PS 122, a school that has been dedicated to Gifted and Talented students, the areas only school of its type.

The DOE also wants to add a general education middle school to this already crowded elementary school. In order to accompish this, the school would need to convert its library, art room, and tech and science lab into classrooms.  They also plan to start LUNCH at 9:30 am.

Go to Full OurLIC Article, Video and Photos for OurLIC FULL VIDEO COVERAGE:  Parent-Teacher Association Rallies Over Department of Education Plans to Modify Gifted & Talented Children Program in District 30 and Specifically PS 122 in Astoria

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Shareing & Careing provides a full range of support services to all whose lives are impacted by breast and other cancers.

Joseph Pistilli, Chairman and CEO First Central Savings Bank (FCSB) and owner of Pistilli Realty Group, has been chosen to be the Master of Ceremonies of the 86th Annual Semi Finals Golden Gloves benefitting Sharing and Caring on April 4th, 2013 at CHIAN FEDERATION in Astoria.

In an email letter to busines friends, Pistilli has reached out to propose a "perfect business opportunity" to get their businesses on nation Cable T.V and the Daily News by becoming a sponsor for that evenings event.

A contribution of $1500 dollars makes a company a sponsor supporting Shareing & Careing, providing  much needed support from the the organization that helps women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer.  Pistili appeals by saying "I know that we all know someone that has become a victim and we will know others in the future that will fall to some type of cancer."

He adds "When you become a sponsor I will personally mention your company name and your relationship to the organization as well as it will viewed by thousands on cable T.V. on banners that will be displayed behind me."

From the Shareing & Careing website:

Our Mission

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Development and Construction in NYC

Video Coverage of American Metropolis: The Future

Panel featuring

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Candidate for Queens Borough President

Melinda Katz, candidate for Queens Borough President, was the guest speaker at the February 21st monthly breakfast meeting of the Long Island City / Astoria Chamber of Commerce held at the Court Square Place Conference Center.

Melinda Katz was formerly a New York State Assembly Member, a NYC City Council Member, and Director of Community Boards for the Burough of Queens. During her terms of elected office, she served as Chair of the Land Use Committee for the City Council at a time when Long Island City was under its early phases of development. She is candidate for Queens Borough President.

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OurLIC for Business provides companies, business people, and professionals in Long Island City with a platform offering the newest tools, technology, and space to communicate, share, publish, distribute video, exchange ideas, collaborate, seek solutions, and to reach out to accelerate their success.

BizWiz, The Internet's Largest Business Network and Resource Marketplace, has been providing business-to-business services to help companies get connected to their markets and customers since 1995. It is a self contained system of services that can help any size company improve its business.

BizWiz is owned and operated by Rainbow Pages Inc., the owner of OurLIC.com. Join BizWiz

An important part of the OurLIC platform, the OurLIC Networking service provides a way for residents, merchants, artists, business people and others to meet, social network, and get to know each other. It also provides a place to blog and publish for yourself and your organization. Please sign-up. It is a FREE service.

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