Dec. 6, 2023 By Bill Parry The MTA announced on Dec. 4 the installation of the first-ever wide-aisle fare gates and a new customer service center at the Sutphin Boulevard-Archer Avenue-JFK Airport subway station in Jamaica. The first full replacement of traditional turnstiles in the subway system will improve accessibility for riders with wheelchairs, strollers…
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Tag: daily-newsletter
Two men sought in series of spa robberies, sexual assaults across Queens
Dec. 5, 2023 By Bill Parry
The NYPD is looking for two violent men who have targeted four spas across three Queens police precincts in the last week-and-a-half, leaving several spa workers injured in assaults and one man critically injured after he was shot, according to authorities.
Crunching the Queens crime numbers: burglaries trending down across most of borough
Dec. 5, 2023 By Ethan Marshall The number of burglaries across Queens has dropped year-to-date through Dec. 3 compared to 2022, according to the latest crime stats from the NYPD. While the degree of change varies between northern and southern Queens, both areas have experienced fewer burglaries. In northern Queens, burglary cases dropped 3.5% year-to-date, from 1,878 in 2022 to 1,813 this year. In southern Queens, the number of burglaries fell 7.8%, from 1,149 to 1,059. The decrease in burglary cases across northern Queens is also evident when comparing the 28-day period from Nov. 5 to Dec. 3 this year…
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Ozone Park school celebrates opening of new halal kitchen
Dec. 1, 2023 By Rachel Butler Council Member Joann Ariola joined students and staff to celebrate the official opening of a halal kitchen at P.S. 63 in Ozone Park school with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 29. The kitchen is opened inside P.S. 63, located on Sutter Avenue, and will provide religiously appropriate meals to…
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AM Weprin calls for new strategy to combat antisemitism in schools after listening to Hillcrest students following ‘appalling’ rampage
Dec. 1, 2023 By Bill Parry Hours before Israel resumed retaliatory strikes against Hamas in the Gaza Strip after a seven-day cease fire came to an end on Dec. 1, Assemblymember David Weprin urged Department of Education Chancellor David Banks to implement a comprehensive plan of action to address the “appalling student behavior” after hundreds…
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Buy ‘Made in Queens’ this holiday season
Dec. 1, 2023 By Tammy Scileppi Seems as if the holiday season is coming upon us quicker than ever! And if you’re running out of thoughtful ideas for gifts and stocking stuffers, here are some tempting offerings, courtesy of those innovative Made in Queens (MiQ) folks. “Our Made in Queens program is so rewarding because…
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Two Queens men sentenced for dealing fentanyl-laced heroin that caused overdose death in Ozone Park: Feds
Nov. 28, 2023 By Bill Parry Two Richmond Hill men were sentenced to lengthy prison terms in Brooklyn federal court for distributing fentanyl and cocaine that caused a 2019 fatal overdose at a pizzeria in Ozone Park. Vladimir Esguerra, 41, and Jonathan Betancur, 34, were sentenced on Nov. 21 by U.S. District Judge Eric Komitee to 128 months’ imprisonment and 110 months’ imprisonment, respectively, for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distributing the heroin and fentanyl that caused the death of Michael J. Marino. According to the government’s sentencing letters and court documents, Esguerra and Betancur were drug dealers who…
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Crunching the Queens crime stats: grand larceny incidents continue to drop across the borough
Nov. 28, 2023 By Ethan Marshall The number of grand larceny cases across Queens continues to go down year-to-date compared to the same period in 2022, according to the latest crime stats released by the NYPD. Grand larceny incidents are down 4.7% across northern Queens for the year through Nov. 26, dropping from 6,405 last…
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‘We need accountability’: Queens elected officials, Jewish leaders demand answers on city’s response to antisemitic rampage at Hillcrest High School in Jamaica
Nov. 27, 2023 By Bill Parry Queens elected officials and Jewish community leaders rallied outside the borough offices of the city Department of Education offices in Ozone Park on Monday, Nov. 27, demanding answers on the city’s lack of transparency over a two-hour antisemitic rampage in the hallways of Hillcrest High School in Jamaica on Nov. 20. Students were seen on video rioting after they discovered a teacher changed her social media profile picture to indicate that she “stand with Israel” on her own device, on her own time, according to Council Member James Gennaro. Videos of the violent rampage…
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From Astoria to Bayside, shop locally at these festive markets in Queens this holiday season
Nov. 22, 2023 By Iryna Shkurhan ‘Tis the season for holiday markets. These community oriented events are geared to support local businesses and artists instead of big box retailers. Whether you want to snag unique handmade holiday gifts for your loved ones, or bask in the holiday spirit, here are seven festive markets to visit…
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