What signs and portents tell you when it’s spring?  Are you a stickler for the astronomical verities and insist that spring begins post-vernal equinox?  Or do Passover and Easter signal the start of warmer weather for you?  For me, it’s opening day of the baseball season.  I went to my first Major League opening day at Shea Stadium last Monday.  The Mets accommodated my desire for a perfect day by trouncing the Bucs (buccaneers, that is – the Pittsburgh Pirates to the uninitiated) by a score of 6 to 2.  The sun was warm, the outfield immaculately groomed, and the crowd was... scatological.  Interestingly, the bulk of the abuse was reserved for the Yankees, not the Pirates.  I concurred enthusiastically.

Your Residents Association honored one of our own in March.  As you know, Joan Matula retired after 25 years of service to this community.  We had a little party in her honor, and she received letters and encomiums from her friends (and ours) in the State Senate and Assembly as well as a beautiful, framed proclamation from City Council Speaker, Gifford Miller.  Way to go, Joan!

In my last column, I invited you to attend the monthly 114th Precinct community meeting held in Astoria, Queens.  Many of you were there, and I salute you for your effort.  Our group included Council members Deirdre Breslin, Vicki Feinmel, Byron Gaspard, Steve Marcus, Ron Schuppert, Margie Smith, Patrick Stewart, Jim Whalen, and myself.  Other Island activists present included Linda Heimer, Sherie Helstien, Nurit Marcus, Joe Palermo, and Fay and Ron Vass, as well as a representative from The WIRE.  The guest speaker, a lawyer, discussed second mortgages and foreclosures, although few in attendance were homeowners.  The precinct commander, Deputy Inspector John O’Brien, noted that 24 new grads from the Police Academy have been assigned to the one-one-four, which is down 20% in serious index crime, leading northeast Queens in crime reduction.

Our group overwhelmed the concluding Q&A with Roosevelt Island issues.  Heimer noted that one C-POP officer was insufficient, and Inspector O’Brien stated that Officer George Esposito was newly assigned here with the possibility of a rookie patrol officer joining him.  Gaspard said that daytime patrols were not useful, and O’Brien responded, saying that Esposito’s beat would be 4:00 p.m. to midnight.  Ron Vass suggested using the Truancy Patrol to keep down daytime crime.  All of us stressed the increasing indications of drug crime on our streets and in our buildings and the evidence that Public Safety is not dealing with it.

I suggested that the Precinct arrange with RIOC to post permanent signage on Main Street giving the Queens Narcotics “hot-line” telephone number so that residents might report the presence of drug use and sales anonymously.  This idea was received with interest.  However, when I called the 114th Precinct Wednesday, no one could give me the hot-line phone number.  You, of course, only need to consult the organizations list printed in the last issue of The WIRE.  For your information, the number is 1-718-468-4868.

Many thanks to Julie Palermo and the Roosevelt Island Chamber of Commerce for the recognition of RIRA’s contributions to the holiday lighting on Main Street.  The certificate incorrectly cited me personally; your Common Council voted the funds from our treasury and others were the inspiration behind our efforts.  Be generous when RIRA solicits your support for our fund-raising efforts, because this is the sort of community activity your dollars pay for.

Late last October, a flowering cherry tree was planted behind the Chapel of the Good Shepherd.  And soon, it will come into glorious bloom.  This was only the first part of a RIRA effort to honor our neighbors who died on September 11.  We will unveil a plaque in their memory on Sunday, April 21 at 2:00 p.m.  Many of our elected officials will be there; the list is still incomplete.  You will read more about this memorial in The WIRE’s next issue, but I wanted to invite all of you early.  You (and I) need to be there.  We’ve endured a winter of fear and depression.  It’s time to welcome spring, with its message of hope and rejuvenation, by honoring our fallen neighbors, our Island community and our City.