This edition celebrates the beginning of the Queens Tribune’s 30th year. This milestone is a tribute to the enduring attraction this newspaper has for tens of thousands of readers who look forward to its publication each week.

In 1970, when walking on the moon was still big news on Earth, the Queens Tribune made its debut in Flushing. It reported on the ground-breaking for a new school and editorialized about the new and unpopular 30-cent bus and subway fare.

Obviously, both the paper and the Borough of Queens have changed greatly over the years. The Queens Tribune went from being an eight-page publication to one that has many editions that cover virtually every corner of New York City’s largest borough. At the same time, Queens, like the Tribune, grew by leaps and bounds. Cultural institutions blossomed, some in buildings that were prudently preserved from the wrecking ball. Our infrastructure was vastly improved, parks were restored and retail development, coupled with quality housing, made our borough a great place to live and work.

Now, as our borough begins its 101st year as part of New York City, we look forward to the completion of a new Queens Hospital Center, a new FDA regional laboratory, and trans-portation and infra-structure improvements that will prepare us well for entry into the next century.

Meanwhile, the Queens Tribune will continue to write our borough’s history, serving as a unique reflection of all that happens in this borough of more than two million people. There is no question that the "Trib" is up to the task.

On behalf of the City of New York, I congratulate all those associated with the Queens Tribune as they celebrate their 30th year. For 30 years, the Queens Tribune has been dedicated to excellence in reporting on the many diverse communities of Queens.

This milestone occasion provides the opportunity to look back at the many ways in which the borough of Queens has changed and grown. The Queens Tribune has been there to chronicle changes in population, healthcare, crime, economy and general quality of life. It is a fitting time, as we near the beginning of a new millennium, to reflect on the past and prepare for future challenges.

Queens is home to Shea Stadium, and some of the great institutions of culture and learning, such as the Theatre in the Park and the Hall of Science in Flushing Meadows. I also enjoy visiting the landmark Flushing Town Hall, an old meeting place and stationhouse dating back to Teddy Roosevelt, a former New York City police commissioner.

Once farmlands in the east and factories in the west, Queens County is now a thriving city unto itself, with a unique blend of vibrant commercial strips and tight-knit residential communities. Virtually every nation in the world is represented in Queens, and Kennedy Airport has become the new Ellis Island for millions of new Americans, with the Unisphere often the first site they see on American soil.

Readers of this issue will come to appreciate the pivotal role of this community paper in addressing the issues that matter to them and their neighbors. I thank everyone associated with the Queens Tribune for their commitment to maintaining its legacy of journalistic excellence.