This past sum mer, the New York City Council passed legislation to co-name over 120 streets and public places across the five boroughs after departed community members or beloved institutions.

As a result of the enacted legislation, Council District 32 and Council District 31, which cover the western and eastern halves of the Rockaway peninsula, respectively, will each see at least one street co-naming in 2026.

 

Sandee & Jate Doremus

Sandee and Jate Doremus. Photo courtesy of Glenn DiResto

In Council District 32, the intersection of Rockaway Beach Boulevard and Beach 96th Street is set to be co-named as “Sandee & Jate Doremus Way,” paying tribute to two “tireless advocates” for the Rockaway community.

Jate, also known as “Howie,” previously served as the president of the 100th Precinct Community Council, and his wife, Sandee, served as the group’s corresponding secretary. Beyond the council, Jate and Sandee were regulars at civic meetings, often using their voices to make sure Rockaway got the resources it needed.

And this remained true up until the end for both Jate, who passed away in late 2010, and Sandee, who passed away in late 2024.

“Long before I was an elected official, I knew Sandee and Jate from their dedication to their community and their regular appearances at civic meetings,” NYC Councilwoman Joann Ariola, the representative for Council District 32, told The Wave. “Through this street renaming, we can ensure that these two tireless champions of the peninsula will never be forgotten, and future generations will remember this couple that did so much to make Rockaway and its surrounding communities a better place.”

Prior to her passing, Sandee was also known for her work as a staff member for NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr., who represented parts of Rockaway until redistricting removed his district from the peninsula entirely in 2022.

“Sandee and Jate were together in life and community service, as they dedicated much of their lives to helping others,” Addabbo told The Wave. “Not only were they guests at my wedding, but Sandee was an integral part of my office team for over 20 years. Aiding individuals was not merely a job for Sandee, but it was who she was, a caring and compassionate person. I will always fondly remember Sandee and Jate for their love for each other, the Rockaway peninsula, and desire to assist those in need. I appreciate the efforts of Councilmember Ariola in providing the means to allow Sandee and Jate’s legacy to live on in. They will be deeply missed and always remembered.”

 

Lionel “Chinx” Pickens.
Photo via The Wave Archives

Lionel “Chinx” Pickens

In Council District 31, the intersection of Ocean Crest Boulevard and Beach 25th Street is set to be co-named as “Lionel ‘Chinx’ Pickens Blvd.” in honor of the hip-hop leader and rapper who grew up in Far Rockaway.

Pickens grew up with a passion for music and decided to pursue that love by the time he was 15. He began rapping and recording at local studios and formed the group G-N-C with his cousin Vernon Hunt and later, TRMG, with Rayquan “Stack Bundles” Elliot.

On May 17, 2015, Pickens was killed in a drive-by shooting in Jamaica, Queens, leaving behind his wife, Janelli Caceres-Pickens, and three children. He was 31 years old.

Since then, Pickens’ extended family and friends have made it a goal to memorialize the slain rapper in his hometown, starting with a campaign to co-name a street in his honor.

“This request came forward with the support of his family and was approved by the local community board, and I was glad to work with all involved to help move it forward,” NYC Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers, the representative for Council District 31, told The Wave. “Recognizing Chinx in this way reflects the importance of honoring individuals who have left a meaningful imprint on their neighborhood and on Far Rockaway’s cultural history.”

Once the street co-naming takes place, Doug Ellison, a friend of Pickens, says they hope to host family events at the location.

“Things like toy drives, bouncy houses, and fun things for the kids that commemorate the memory of Lionel – because he was a great inspiration and an asset to the community,” Ellison told The Wave last year. “We are still mourning his loss.”

 

Oswaldo “Ms. Colombia” Gómez. Photo by Paul Stein via Wikimedia Commons

Oswaldo “Ms. Colombia” Gómez

Outside of Rockaway, Oswaldo “Ms. Colombia” Gómez is set to be honored with a street co-naming at the intersection of Elmhurst Avenue and Broadway in Elmhurst, Queens, which is located in Council District 21.

While not located on the peninsula, this future street co-naming is still of great significance to the Rockaway community as Ms. Colombia was a frequent presence at Jacob Riis Park’s Bay 1 for decades, earning the nickname “Queen of Riis Park.”

Known for her colorful outfits, dyed beard, her poodle Cariño, and her parrot Rosita, Ms. Colombia lived in Elmhurst, Queens, after immigrating to the United States from Colombia in 1975.

In October 2018, after retiring from public life, Ms. Colombia’s body was recovered in the Atlantic Ocean at Bay 1, where it is suspected that she drowned. Since then, a public memorial to Ms. Colombia has existed at Jacob Riis Park, and the forthcoming street co-naming in Elmhurst will serve as yet another reminder of her lasting legacy in LGBTQ-friendly circles and across New York City.

“I asked Ms. Colombia, girl to girl, how she’d like to be remembered,” Victoria Cruz, a longtime friend of Ms. Colombia, told THE CITY in 2022. “And she told me, ‘As an artist who paints smiles on people’s faces.’”