Database Research

Jeff Vandam. "Sensory Overload as a Way of Life. " New York Times [New York, N.Y.] 10 Dec. 2006, Late Edition (East Coast): 11.9. National Newspapers (27). ProQuest.

The contours of downtown Flushing are somewhat vague. The area includes such a large variety of residential and commercial buildings that it is difficult to tell where the downtown ends and the rest of Flushing begins. But the central bazaar -- where people pick up groceries, mei fun noodles, clothing, Vietnamese pho soup, plastic wind-up toys and shabu-shabu -- is without question the intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue. There, one can find the No. 7 subway and the Long Island Rail Road stations, in addition to chain stores like Old Navy.

Downtown Flushing is part of School District 25, which is well regarded by parents; test scores seem in part to bear this out. At Public School 20, on Barclay Avenue, 81.5 percent of students meet city and state standards on math tests, versus 65.1 percent citywide; in English, 76.4 percent meet standards, versus 60.9 percent citywide. At the nearest middle school, Junior High School 189, 60.7 percent meet standards on math tests versus 40.8 percent citywide; 49.3 percent do so on English tests, versus 43.3 percent citywide. At Flushing High School on Union Street, average SAT scores were 396 on the verbal portion and 464 in math, versus state averages of 493 and 510, respectively.The intersection of Main Street and Roosevelt Avenue typifies a neighborhood made for ''experience junkies,'' as one fan put it.

Jonathan P. Hicks. "In Primary Upset for Queens Assembly Seat, Signs of a Changing District. " New York Times [New York, N.Y.] 18 Sep. 2004, Late Edition (East Coast): B.2. National Newspapers (27). ProQuest.

Mr. Meng's victory has been portrayed as a watershed event in Queens in that it signaled the rise of Asian-American voting strength in the borough. While an Asian-American city councilman was elected three years ago, Mr. Meng's defeat of an incumbent -- a rarity for state lawmakers -- highlights the demographic shift in Flushing and the way Asian-Americans are beginning to wield their political clout.

Supporters of Mr.Grodenchik have painted Mr. Meng as divisive politician, criticizing him for being a former registered Republican and, more stinging, for anti-Semitic comments posted on the Internet by his daughter, Caroline Meng, a paid campaign worker, after her father's primary defeat in his first bid for an Assembly seat in 2001. Ms. Meng has apologized for the remarks.

In the meantime, Mr. Meng, a partner in a lumber company, said he was preparing to campaign for the general election. While the district is a heavily Democratic-voting district, Mr. Meng has an opponent on the Republican line and faces Mr. Grodenchik on the Working Families line (Mr. Meng is also running on the Conservative Party line).