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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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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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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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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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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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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Nov. 22, 2023 By Bill Parry A Brooklyn man was sentenced to prison Tuesday in Queens Supreme Court for stealing the Jamaica home of an elderly widow by posing as her son, then selling the property for a $200,000 profit. The stolen deed was returned to its rightful owner under a “pioneering use” of a state statute, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Wednesday, Nov. 22. Christopher Williams, 43, of Morgan Avenue in Williamsburg, pleaded guilty in August to identity theft in the first degree and offering a false instrument for filing in the second degree. According to the…
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Nov. 21, 2023 By Bill Parry While the nation struggled to cope with a global shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors, nurses and frontline workers were dangerously ill-equipped to care for stricken patients, particularly in nursing homes across New York City. A state probe has found that during the public health emergency, $560,000 worth of PPE, purchased by the state Department of Health (DOH) for use by the NYS Veterans Home at St. Albans, was ruined as a result of being stock-piled on tarp-covered, weather exposed pallets in a parking lot outside of the facility…
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Nov. 21, 2023 By Ethan Marshall The number of vehicles being stolen, categorized by the NYPD as grand larceny auto, has increased throughout Queens year-to-date, compared to the same period in 2022, according to the latest crime stats released by the NYPD. Grand larceny auto incidents are up 39.6% in northern Queens for the year through Nov. 19, rising from 1,718 incidents last year to 2,398 this year. In southern Queens, grand larceny of automobiles rose 14.2% over the same period of time, from 1,423 to 1,625. The increase in grand larceny auto incidents across Queens can also be seen…
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Nov. 20, 2023 By Bill Parry
Springfield Gardens resident Kassun Brown pleaded guilty on Nov. 20 to manslaughter for speeding through a St. Albans stop sign and crashing into another vehicle, killing its driver, an off-duty NYPD officer in 2020.