The Greek Bettors of Astoria hope that former federal judge Barbara Jones takes their case pro bono.
What Greek in their right mind thinks that the State of New York can tell people when a religious holiday falls?
Queens
Astoria lawmaker to propose bill to make it harder for bikini bars and strip clubs to get liquor licenses
Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas also plans to rally in front of Queen of Hearts, an Astoria go-go bar, because the owners didn’t disclose it was an adult establishment
Comments (9)By Clare Trapasso / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Thursday, January 17, 2013, 6:00 AM
Courtesy of Samantha Darche
Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas (D-Astoria) is planning to rally on Thursday in front of Queen of Hearts because the owners of the Astoria establishment didn’t disclose in its liquor license renewal application that it is a go-go bar.
Clare Trapasso/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas (D-Astoria) and her daughter.
A seedy Astoria bikini bar called Queen of Hearts has failed to capture
the hearts of local leaders fed up with the number of adult
establishments seeking to open in the area.
Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas (D-Astoria) is planning to rally Thursday in front of the bar, also known as Wild Rose.
The bar, located at 26-12 Hoyt Ave. South, didn’t disclose on its liquor license renewal application that it would feature gyrating go-go dancers swinging on stripper poles. Bars are not legally required to do so.
But Simotas hopes to change that by introducing a bill this week to require the state Liquor Authority to expand its application details to help community officials know what type of establishments are seeking licenses.
The applications include a “topless entertainment” category — but many businesses skirt the issue by having dancers leave their bra tops and G-strings on.
“If the community knew that there were women performing pole dancing shows and lap dances, it would cause them great concern,” Simotas told the Daily News on Wednesday.
Liquor license applications are reviewed by local community boards, which issue recommendations to the state.
Calls and emails to the bar were not immediately returned.
But the bar’s lawyer, Peter Stern, said the owners never said the renewal was for a go-go bar.
“I can understand why the community is upset,” he said. “I’m going to be speaking to the client because now I’m a little upset.”
It sought a liquor license under the name Wild Rose — the same name on its voicemail — despite the sign out front.
The narrow bar features three poles and a roped-off area, about two feet away from the bar, where lap dances are performed.
A bartender, unaware she was speaking to a reporter for The News, said the dancers, dressed in sequined bikinis and lingerie, can’t take their tops off on stage. They may choose to remove them at their own discretion during lap dances, she said.
Community Board 1 District Manager Lucille Hartmann said the board was not aware Queens of Hearts had go-go dancers when it recommended it for a license renewal late last year.
“The applications should be more explicit,” she said.
The board promised the owners of Racks, a proposed Astoria bikini bar at 19-26 Steinway St., it would support its bid for a liquor license last year if they signed a statement that no one would go topless in the bar, Hartmann said.
The owners refused and the application is still pending.
ctrapasso@nydailynews.com
Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas (D-Astoria) is planning to rally Thursday in front of the bar, also known as Wild Rose.
The bar, located at 26-12 Hoyt Ave. South, didn’t disclose on its liquor license renewal application that it would feature gyrating go-go dancers swinging on stripper poles. Bars are not legally required to do so.
But Simotas hopes to change that by introducing a bill this week to require the state Liquor Authority to expand its application details to help community officials know what type of establishments are seeking licenses.
The applications include a “topless entertainment” category — but many businesses skirt the issue by having dancers leave their bra tops and G-strings on.
“If the community knew that there were women performing pole dancing shows and lap dances, it would cause them great concern,” Simotas told the Daily News on Wednesday.
Liquor license applications are reviewed by local community boards, which issue recommendations to the state.
Calls and emails to the bar were not immediately returned.
But the bar’s lawyer, Peter Stern, said the owners never said the renewal was for a go-go bar.
“I can understand why the community is upset,” he said. “I’m going to be speaking to the client because now I’m a little upset.”
It sought a liquor license under the name Wild Rose — the same name on its voicemail — despite the sign out front.
The narrow bar features three poles and a roped-off area, about two feet away from the bar, where lap dances are performed.
A bartender, unaware she was speaking to a reporter for The News, said the dancers, dressed in sequined bikinis and lingerie, can’t take their tops off on stage. They may choose to remove them at their own discretion during lap dances, she said.
Community Board 1 District Manager Lucille Hartmann said the board was not aware Queens of Hearts had go-go dancers when it recommended it for a license renewal late last year.
“The applications should be more explicit,” she said.
The board promised the owners of Racks, a proposed Astoria bikini bar at 19-26 Steinway St., it would support its bid for a liquor license last year if they signed a statement that no one would go topless in the bar, Hartmann said.
The owners refused and the application is still pending.
ctrapasso@nydailynews.com
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/bill-require-bikini-bars-strip-clubs-clean-liquor-licenses-article-1.1241375#ixzz2ILpg58xD
HI-
Thanks for the help. The item’s
below. I’d be happy to mail you a copy, if you give me a mailing
address.
Claude
Solnik
(631)
913-4244
Long Island Business
News
2150
Smithtown Ave.
Ronkonkoma,
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LI Confidential
> Stop scratching on holidays
Stop scratching on holidays
Published: June 1, 2012
Off Track Betting in New York State has been racing into a crisis called shrinking revenue. Some people have spitballed a solution: Don’t close on holidays.
New York State Racing Law bars racing on Christmas, Easter and Palm Sunday, and the state has ruled OTBs can’t handle action on those days, even though they could easily broadcast races from out of state.
“You should be able to bet whenever you want,” said Jackson Leeds, a Nassau OTB employee who makes an occasional bet. He added some irrefutable logic: “How is the business going to make money if you’re not open to take people’s bets?”
Elias Tsekerides, president of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Greater New York, said OTB is open on Greek Orthodox Easter and Palm Sunday.
“I don’t want discrimination,” Tsekerides said. “They close for the Catholics, but open for the Greek Orthodox? It’s either open for all or not open.”
OTB officials have said they lose millions by closing on Palm Sunday alone, with tracks such as Gulfstream, Santa Anita, Turf Paradise and Hawthorne running.
One option: OTBs could just stay open and face the consequences. New York City OTB did just that back in 2003. The handle was about $1.5 million – and OTB was fined $5,000.
Easy money.
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