NEW YORK, NY – [Story/ photos by Catherine Tsounis]
St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox church is the largest Greek community outside of Athens, Greece. We all are not fleeing urban life in northeastern Queens, encompassing Bayside, Little Neck and Douglaston, NY. We have our festivals, religious holidays, social events at all times in peace, knowing our police are effective. Assemblyman Edward C. Braunstein (D-Bayside), who represents our church, attends our festivals with his family and friends every year. We are not fleeing our neighborhoods, in the face of political and economic upheavals.
I was in Greece this summer and heard Greek Americans from the suburbs of Chicago explain that their shopping centers were destroyed by rioters. Queens is a borough, urban area of NYC and feels like a suburb. Northeastern Queens is not being destroyed by disruptive forces in Chicago’s beautiful suburbs. Why? The reason is this: effective cooperation of the 111th Police Precinct with elected politicians and community to safeguard the quality of life of all residents.
On August 1st, 2023, the 111th Police Precinct held National Night Out. It is an annual community-building campaign. Police-community partnerships are promoted. Neighborhoods are safer. Captain Richard A. Porto, his staff, the 111th Precinct Community Council under the leadership of Jack Fried, elected politicians and average New Yorkers met and discussed ways to make the area safer. Vendors, information booths, refreshments were present.
