Raisa Ostapenko
Age: 13
Home: Forest Hills
Height: 5’4'’
Weight: 85 pounds
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown  

Raisa Ostapenko’s native language isn’t English, but you would never know it from talking to her. At 13-years-old, the eighth grade Russian immigrant is as well spoken as many adults.

And she doesn’t just speak her native Russian and English. She speaks French, too. But the tri-lingual Raisa can also communicate with her smile.

Her interest in modeling comes from her love of fashion. In her earliest memories, she was designing her own clothing in a sketchbook. She sees modeling as an art, much like acting or dancing.

“My parents have always showed me the life of the arts, music, acting and I just love doing this,” she said, “I love having the capability of expressing myself in this way.”

Raisa recently attended a modeling expo, at which she drew the attention of Disney and is being considered for a Disney contract. That could mean anything from modeling to acting to singing.

Raisa said she expects to wow more people next time she attends an expo. She learned from her past experience, she said.

“I saw that my competitors were at such high levels. It just amazed me that people of young ages were so wonderful.”

She doesn’t see sitting in front of the camera as a passive act.

“Basically, when somebody is taking a photograph of me, I try to place my soul into my work. Everything I do, I place my concentration into it. When one is placing their heart and soul into what they do, they actually feel it.”

Raisa’s major career role model is Julia Roberts, who she said embodies a combination of great looks and acting talent.

But Raisa’s real role models are her parents.

“I’d like to become like them. I believe that they’re extremely wise and intelligent people. They’ve led me on the correct path,” she concluded.

Road Rage

Parking in New York City can turn perfect strangers into mortal enemies. But one street-side parker in Fresh Meadows recently converted her parking rage into a love-filled solicitation.

A QConf reporter, just back from an assignment and in a hurry to meet the afternoon’s deadline, parked in haste and nearly touched the bumper of the Honda in front of him.

Soon after, a group of advertising execs staring out the window of the office during a mid-afternoon daydream spied a woman writing a note and placing it on the windshield of the reporter’s car.

“Do you mind not parking on my ass – if you like me that much ask for my phone #!” the note read.

By the time the reporter hustled out into the street to read the note, the woman had sped off, never to be seen again. She left no phone number, no way of contacting her – just her handwriting, and a reporter with a broken heart at: Conf@Queenstribune.com.

Shooting Payback

A Jamaica doctor has filed a lawsuit against Queens rapper 50 Cent for treatment for gunshot wounds he suffered in 2000.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed in State Supreme Court in Manhattan this week, the rapper owes over $32,000 to Jamaica Hospital surgeon Nader Paksima, who treated 50 Cent for “gunshot wounds” before he became the currently biggest-selling rap star in the country.

According to the lawsuit, 50 Cent — whose real name is Curtis Jackson — showed up at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center on May 24, 2000 — in his days as a struggling rapper — “with multiple gun shot wounds” and was treated by Paksima.

The suit does not specify how many times 50 Cent was shot, but according to the hip hop legend he was shot nine times before he got his big break.

In the past six months, 50 Cent has sold over four million copies  of his debut album "Get Rich or Die Trying."

Old Things Are New Again

Someone should tell former City Councilman Tom White that he no longer holds public office.

The man who preceded the one and only Allan Jennings as representative of Southeast Queens City Council District 28 seems to be in denial that he was term limited out of office in 2001 – at least according to his cell phone message.

A quick call to his voicemail makes it clear that White is either unaware of his new role as a private citizen, or hasn’t gotten around to changing his voicemail over the past two years.

White’s voicemail begins with a message in his voice saying, “This is City Councilman Tom White.” The message continues with the usual voicemail commentary until the moment when it’s time to leave a message. Then, an automated voice says, “If you’d like to leave a message for . . . “ before an unidentified woman says, “Councilman Tom White.” Then the automated voice continues its instructions by telling callers to stay on the line.

Twice in a minute-long message, White is referred to as a City Councilman.

Strange . . . or maybe not so strange.

The term limits tweak that had prevented White from running against Council-oddball Allan Jennings has been overturned in court, but the appeal process continues. So White may actually have a shot at being "Councilman" again.

In that case, it’s a good thing he hasn’t changed his message. It sure would be a lot of work for him to change it back.

Touring Totten?

For all those who click to Yahoo’s Get Local City Guides to plan their travel time in a new city or just an evening of fun close to home: check it out!

There’s a new destination on the information hot line . . . Queens’ own Fort Totten.

All the land isn’t transferred to the City yet – the federal Fort is being turned over for City parkland, a Fire Department training facility, a historic museum and even a catering facility – but obviously the internet travels faster than the paperwork and the several-years transfer process.

While officials at the U.S. Army expressed their frustration to QConf  that the City is taking their time with the forms, Yahoo! is up and running . . . well, almost.

If you check out the Fort Totten link, you’ll find the cyber-plans are currently just one click deep. Though the map on the opening page clearly shows the Queens Fort, tap a “restaurant” or “attractions” link and you’ll be wisked away to a Manhattan listing . . . coincidentally also the site of the stalled Parks Department paperwork.

But never fear, Queens travelers, if Yahoo! has found our Fort, the City bureaucracy can’t be that far behind . . . can they?