My Very Dear Queens Villagers,

        The cold and snowy days of winter are fast approaching, and we must begin to prepare our lives and our homes against wintry blasts and harsh weather. On this Thanksgiving, let us give thanks to Almighty God for all that we have, and pray to Him to take into his arms those souls that departed us on September 11.  Let us also ask God to give to the families of them the faith and courage to continue with their lives as best as they can.

        We send to our outgoing elected officials best wishes and good luck in their future endeavors. And we congratulate our newly elected representatives and look forward to working with them to help keep our communities safe, stable, and a good place in which to live and raise our families. Our Councilman-Elect David Weprin will be the Guest Speaker at this month’s meeting.

        We need volunteers to serve on our Educational Awards Committee. I will be asking for two volunteers at this month’s meeting. Your time will help a deserving student.

        Recently, some of our streets have become a parking lot for commercial vehicles, especially semi-tractor trailers. I am asking that the owners of these illegally parked trucks find commercial parking for them. The fines can reach thousands of dollars. Also, some residents are using their property to store unlicensed motor vehicles (without license plates). This is a violation of’ zoning laws and provides a place for rats, mosquitoes, and vermin to grow and prosper. You can donate these cars to a charity (and get a tax credit) or sell them to a junk car business. Please comply and avoid the possibility of being fined by the Department of Buildings. You will also be doing your part to help keep our community pristine.

        On Friday, December 14, we will have our Annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Veterans Park Plaza, Springfield Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue, beginning at 7:30 P. M. Bring your family to enjoy this festive occasion. (Look for more information in the news page.)

        Have a bountiful Thanksgiving and a Happy Holiday Season. I hope to see you on November 20 and December 14.

• Your sidewalk and gutter areas 18 inches from the curb into the street must be kept clean at all times.   Sweepings should be put in containers for sanitation pick up. The fine is $50-$250. (NYC Administrative Code 16-118(2).

• Garbage receptacles must be covered at all times with tight-fitting covers to prevent the contents from spilling into the street or sidewalk.  The fine is $50- $250. (NYC Administrative Code 16-120a.).  You can also help to eradicate blight from our community by tieing up your newspapers, magazines, books, and corrugated cardboard with cord or string and by using securely tied heavy duty plastic bags to dispose of your recyclables and garbage.

• Backyards  areaways, courts, and alleys must be kept clean at all times.   The fine is $50-$250. (NYC Administrative Code 16-118(2).

• You must remove feces left on a sidewalk, street, gutter, or other public areas by a dog under your control, and deposit the matter into a toilet or non-leaking container for sanitation pick up.    The provisions of this law do not apply to a guide dog accompanying a blind person. The fine is $50-$lOO. (State Public Law 1310.)