Woodhaven residents held a flashlight vigil to remember victims of Hurricane Sandy and to honor a neighborhood treasure lost in the storm––Woodhaven Christmas tree, so long a fixture off the corner of Jamaica Avenue and Forest Parkway, was destroyed by the winds of Sandy.
Christ the King students and their families collected food, clothing and blankets for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Three truckloads of goods were delivered to the hardest hit areas of Rockaway.
A Richmond Hill man was arrested after he filled Home Depot buckets with gasoline for sale.
One of the most innovative and appreciated assistance programs for the victims of Sandy came out of the Dorchester Apartments where the vice-president of the co-op board donated the use of the buildings laundry facilities so that storm victims could do their wash––for free!
After a hotly contested race for the 15th Senate seat, Senator Joe Addabbo defeated Eric Ulrich sending him back to Albany for another two year term.
Grace Meng made history as the first Asian American from new York to win a Congressional seat when she defeated her opponents to win the 6th Congressional seat.
Police reported several incidents of looting following the hurricane. Many residents found people sifting through their property without permission. There were also many reports of physical altercations on gas lines throughout the city.
A NY City police officer, Gilberto Valle, a Forest Hills resident, was arrested and charged with planning to kidnap, rape , torture, cook and eat women he targeted using the Federal National Crime Information Center.
Councilman Eric Ulrich and wife Yadiera welcomed their first child, baby Lily on Halloween night .
Neighbors got together and saved a Howard Beach man from drowning on the night of the storm after he was trapped in his flooded. basement. The man had to be lifted out through a hole in the floor and suffered a massive heart attack as soon as his rescuers got him through the floor boards. He is continuing with his recovery after their life saving efforts.
Phony Con Ed workers assaulted a 90-year-old Rego Park man when he let them in claiming they were coming in to check the electric. The men knocked the elderly man unconscious and fled the scene.
A burglar was caught red-handed by a nun after he broke into Our lady Queen of martyr’s convent through the basement window. The nun who spotted the thief chased him away.
A dead body was found in the parking lot of Forest Park. Thomas Dudley was identified by police as a 21-year-old-man from Brooklyn. The victim had multiple stab wounds and cuts.
Public Advocate Bill de Blasio’s office coordinated with The Forum to bring one on one case workers help to victims of Hurricane Sandy. The public advocate supplied paperwork and resources to help individuals with their FEMA and insurance claims.
NYC Redistricting Commission released their revised edition of the newly drawn district map for council districts. Changes to the maps came after hearing testimony in public hearings throughout the five boroughs and on line.
Nineteen arrests were made in a prostitution/money-laundering operation that spanned three states. Eleven members of the organization were from Queens. The defendants were charged with 18 80 counts of various crimes and face up to 25 years in prison.
