Dear Neighbors,

We are in the final weeks of Winter and hopefully we are also moving towards the end of this pandemic. As we move forward I will continue to focus on bringing more vaccines to our area and working to ensure a robust recovery for our community.

As we continue our work to stop the spread of COVID-19, please remember: by wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, looking after our seniors and most vulnerable neighbors, and getting tested, we can continue to stay well.

Please find below the latest news and resources to stay informed.

Thank you and stay well,

Council Member Paul Vallone
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Council Member Vallone Chairs a Hearing on Three Bills to Rein in the Helicopter Industry

This week Council Member Vallone chaired a hearing on 3 pieces of legislation regarding helicopter noise and safety, one bill to require that all helicopters that operate from city owned helipads be of the highest possible standard of noise reduction, one to require that the city look into transitioning its own helicopter fleet to electric helicopters, and one requiring more robust safety reporting for all helicopters using the city’s helipads.

“Helicopter noise is a persistent, aggravating issue for so many residents in our city,” said Vallone. “311 complaints surged more than 130 percent over the past year and we must do more to get it under control using the tools we have at our disposal. We must lower noise emissions in our sky’s and these bills take appropriate steps towards helping New York City residents.”

Read More Here

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Pop Up Douglaston Food Share Available for Neighbors in Need through June

Please spread the word about our pop up food pantries! All relevant information can be found on the infographic below.

Great work from the Douglaston LDC, Zion Episcopal Church, and The Community Church of Douglaston!

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ICYMI: Council Member Vallone Calls for Indoor Dining Expansion

Photo Credit: Dean Moses

This week, Council Member Vallone allong with 17 of his colleagues signed onto a letter urging the Governor to expand indoor dining capacity as the city is beset by frequent snowfall and outdoor dining is becoming less feisable. The letter, written by Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, reads as follows:

"The fact of the matter is 25% capacity for indoor dining is simply not enough for restaurants to survive and we are facing a different reality than we were in September when outdoor dining was thriving. As we send this letter today, temperatures in the city are falling below freezing levels
with severe winter weather forecasted over the next several days. How can the restaurants in our district survive on outdoor dining alone during these treacherous winter conditions? Aside from the declining winter weather, many of the restaurants in our districts throughout the five boroughs have reported an approximate 60-80 percent decline in outdoor dining over the past few weeks."

Council Member Vallone will continue to fight for ways for small businesses in our community to do business and survive during this pandemic.

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ICYMI: Senior Medical Transport Program Returns to District 19

Photo taken in 2019

Council Member Paul A. Vallone is proud to announce that the Free Senior Transportation Program is back up and running as of last week thanks to a $90,000 funding allocation. An additional $50,000 was allocated in partnership with Speaker Corey Johnson and Council Member Robert Holden, bringing the total allotment to $140,000. Queens seniors living in Council Member Vallone’s district are eligible for the program, as well as seniors in Council Member Holden’s section of Queens. Rides are offered to areas within the five boroughs and western Nassau County. The program will continue until all funding runs out.

In order to schedule a ride to an essential medical or vaccination appointment, eligible Queens seniors should call the Selfhelp Clearview Senior Center at 718-224-7888 between the hours of 9 a.m. and noon and leave their name and phone number in a voicemail to schedule their next-day rides. The Selfhelp team will return their call and arrange the ride. If their appointment is on a Saturday, Sunday or Monday, seniors will need to call the prior Friday. All those who use the service will need to complete a basic application with demographic information and an emergency contact and provide their destination.