The Birth of a Newspaper

Tuesday, September 4, 2007 11:15 AM EDT

The Queens Couriers are a labor of love and and when we began in my living room in 1985 I found my passion - the news business.

As a former grade school reading teacher my career took a very sharp turn with the birth of my first-born child. Before her second birthday she was diagnosed with severe brain damage from a birth injury. In 1970 we brought her to a "school" on Staten Island in hopes that their Infant Rehabilitation Center might help her with their physical and occupational therapies.

Shortly after, I founded Life's WORC, the Working Organization for Retarded Children, a group of wonderful, caring people who had healthy children but wanted to help me. We raised thousands of dollars and organized busloads of volunteers to donate their time to help the children at Willowbrook.

But state budget cuts at the school caused dramatic service and staffing cutbacks.

It was a cold rainy day in 1971 when I picketed with WORC members, fighting for the rights of my daughter Lara and the 5,400 other residents at the Willowbrook State School for the Mentally Retarded.No one heard our cries until the news media (Geraldo Rivera, most notably) filmed and reported on the abominable conditions at the "school."

It left a lasting impression on me how the power of the press helped focus on the needs of people with mental retardation and ultimately brought change forever. I had a dream to one day be in the news business myself.

As a young mother of four children, I was searching for a career that would allow me to work but be available to my children. I had met John Toscano, the former political editor of The Daily News, and he gave me the opportunity of working for him on his new weekly newspaper. I was John's inquiring photographer, news reporter, and finally salesperson. He taught me everything I know about the news business.

A few years later, in 1985, I saw how all the apartment buildings in northeast Queens were going co-op. It seemed to me that if people owned their apartments, there is a greater interest in the schools, the political and civic scenes. In fact, we decided to start a weekly as partners and called it The Queens Courier.

It's hard to believe, but in 1985, John and I each invested $250 to start the business. I worked out of my living room and he worked out of his basement. His son delivered the newspapers to major outlets in our communities, and subscribers got the paper for $5 per year. John and I wrote the articles and sold the ads with the aid of five other people.

» Share This Article

E-mail

Today, The Queens Courier family includes a staff of 50 and John has gone on to other projects.

It wasn't an easy path.

When the very first edition in 1985 came off the presses at 2 a.m., I saw the first page photo was unclear. I yelled "stop the presses." the printer had to take the plates off the presses, reshoot the photos, make new plates, put them back on the presses and then begin the run again. By 4 a.m. we had a product and could proudly send it out onto the street the next morning.

It wasn't my last late night, but it comes with the territory.

Nevertheless, the intensity, pressures and problems pale in comparison to my love of what I do.

The Queens Couriers, as expressed in our first editorial in 1985, urged our readers "to participate with us to keep us informed about what your social, fraternal, business, and athletic organizations are doing; to apprise us when there is a wrong to be righted; to help us heap praise upon a friend or relative or co-worker for an exceptional accomplishment; and to condemn any acts that violate the community's trust."

Now we are a group of 11 publications, serving all of Queens. We publish the only Queens community newspaper in Spanish El Correo de Queens, Queens Business Today, Queensborough magazine (the official newspaper of the Queens Chamber of Commerce), HealthWise magazine, North Shore Towers Courier and a tourist magazine Key to Queens. We were selected as one of the top ten community newspapers in New York State by our peers, and we have restated our mission in fewer words, "We're All About You."

Our passion for bringing the finest quality newspaper to you is stronger than ever.

We thank you, readers and advertisers, for all your support in making it possible.

» Reader comments

The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of queenscourier.com.

Rex Curry wrote on Sep 24, 2008 6:16 PM:

" I'm starting a new business in Queens. It is called Lightwheels. Known to most as the old Bike and Boat Rental on Meadow Lake. We'll still do that, but we have big plans to introduce new forms of healthy, safe, transporation. We might even help save our planet in the bargin.

I cannot imagine being successful as we plan this grand enterprise without the Queens Courier. May you have continued success, because if you don't we won't. "

Wanda Sue Parrott wrote on Mar 17, 2009 11:33 PM:

" Thank you for sharing such love for the news-sharing sort of work we both love. As a former journalist, and one who is sorry to see the demise of the print newspaper, I must look for the positive to balance the negative. The positive is: trees are saved if paper is not wasted.

If your community papers become e-news vehicles, may the same love and commitment still be your motivating light, and may that light keep the love flowing.

Wanda Sue Parrott
Visitor to your site
Springfield, Missouri "

Blair Sorrel wrote on Jul 6, 2010 5:18 PM:

" Greetings! I am truly sorry to read of the Corona blaze. Unfortunately, some pedestrians discover a danger, only sadly, when victimized. And so I wanted to inform you of StreetZaps.com. I confer with Con Edison's Stray Voltage and Public Affairs Units and contribute to Wet Nose Guide and New York Dog Chat. Further, our electrical collaborators anticipate more summer than winter shockings in the years ahead.

Many thanks and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Best,

Blair Sorrel

WHY URBAN METAL ISN'T PRECIOUS- Blair Sorrel, Founder, www.StreetZaps.com, 212-877-2104

Of course, you want a worry-free run year-round, so adopt this simple strategy:

EYEBALL THE BLOCK, AVOID A SHOCK.

Take just a few seconds to survey the immediate surroundings and make your trajectory toward a non-conductive surface, ie., plastic, wood, cardboard, rather than risking any metal or electrical fixture. The lowly, free-standing garbage bag, is you and your dog's best friend, most of the time, unless it's snowed and salted. Then you might contemplate indoor products. Consider the safer, hardware-free RopeNGo leash and harness to help shield against a possible zapping and for greater peace of mind.

CONTACT VOLTAGE DOESN'T DISCRIMINATE BY GENDER.

Your pooch's sex is irrelevant. True, the most gruesome scenario is that of a male dog electrocuted by its own urine. Our poster girl sidled a hydrant and limped for five days.Intuit your dog's cues, if resistant to an area, choose an alternative route. Elude potentially live work areas or carry your canine, if necessary. Opt for indoor products such as The Pet Loo, Hammacher Schlemmer's Indoor Restroom, or Wee-Wee Pads, if external conditions are ominous. Dog booties can leak and make your pooch even more vulnerable.

ARE YOU PLAYING RUSSIAN ROULETTE WITH YOUR DOG?

Any of these fixtures might be dangerous, so again, choose non-conductive where and when possible. (link to home page fixtures listed below and/or the visuals page):

View All StreetZaps' Home Page & Safety Images

– Street & Traffic Lights can leak if damaged internally, even if the compartment is fully closed and the light is not illuminated

– While wooden blocks anchor Scaffolding or Sidewalk Sheds, be aware that sloppy wiring by a contractor and/or the use of lighting equipment which is NOT WATER-PROOFED or even suitable for outdoor usage, may still shock a passerby.

– ATM Vestibules

– Decorative Lighting

– Dog Booties may increase
the risk of a shock

- Electrical Boxes

– Fire Hydrants

– Fire Police Call Boxes

– Manhole Covers

– Muni Meters

– Phone Booths

– Service Boxes

– Street Light Boxes

– Traffic Boxes

– Work Areas

After all, why chance it when there's a choice?

BETWEEN YOU, ME, AND THE LAMPPOST.

Tampered equipment can become pernicious so please map (Report Form) damaged fixtures and known hot spots. "