THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
APRIL 8, 2019
JACK C. ZWERENZ, THE MAVERICK CONSERVATIVE CIVIC LEADER OF SOUTH WESTERN QUEENS DIED THIS LAST SUNDAY ON MARCH 31 AT THE AGE OF 86 DUE TO NATURAL CAUSES. HE IS KNOWN FOR THE DRAMATIC OBSTRUCTIONIST ONE YEAR BATTLE HE UNDERTOOK IN 1985 WITH CITY HALL AND THE MTA REGARDING THE CITY'S WISH TO BLAZE AN UN WELCOMED PATH THROUGH THE HEART OF GLENDALE, A SLEEPY, ALMOST BUCOLIC OASIS IN AN OTHERWISE HECTIC METROPOLIS. THE MTA WAS PUSHING ADAMANTLY TO ELECTRIFY AND MODERNIZE OUTDATED RAILS WHICH RAN THROUGH THE CENTER OF GLENDALE TO SUPPORT A MODERN GROUND LINE THAT WOULD SERVICE LONG ISLAND TO MANHATTAN. ZWERENZ WAS A NATIVE OF GLENDALE SINCE THE 1930'S AND SAW GLENDALE'S HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE SURROUNDED BY PARKS AND CEMETERIES SUDDENLY AND GRAVELY THREATENED. AFTER OVER A YEAR OF ENGAGING THE CITY'S POLITICIANS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE IN ALBANY ZWERENZ TURNED TO GERALDINE FERRARO, WALTER MONDALE'S PRESIDENTIAL RUNNING MATE AND FOUND A SYMPATHETIC SOUL IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. THROUGHOUT THE CHALLENGE ZWERENZ WORKED SIDE BY SIDE WITH NOW FORMER STATE SENATOR SERPHIN MALTESE AND EX SENATOR AL DEMATO AS WELL AS WITH EX CONGRESSWOMAN ELIZABETH CROWLEY. THE FINAL RESULT OF THE LONG AND TRIED BATTLE WAS FINALLY AND DECISIVELY WON BY ZWERENZ AND HIS COLLISION.
IT WAS A PERIOD THAT THE MTA HAS STILL NOT FORGOTTEN. ZWERENZ IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE CAROL, HIS SON JOHN, AND HIS DAUGHTER JEAN.
- AP
POSTED BY JOHN LARS ZWERENZ
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