Category Archives: Forest Hills
Chants of “save our beacon” “no more cuts” and “we won’t stop!” echoed loudly outside of Queens Borough Hall on Thursday, April 19, as several Queens schools rallied to protest the possible closure of their Beacon after-school programs. Eight schools across the five boroughs are slated to lose their Beacon programs at the end of the school year in June, which will be chosen from a list of sixteen schools. Half of those 16 schools on the list are in … Continue reading
Residents who have long been complaining about spill over from the Fresh Pond Terminal and railway running through Queens are one step closer to getting a report to back up their objections to noise and pollution. A coalition of legislators has formed a partnership between the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Civics United for Railroad Environmental Solutions (CURES) to conduct a baseline air quality study. Now, if the federal Environmental Protection Agency approves the needed funding, … Continue reading
In a shocking announcement at 10 this morning, Republican City Councilman Eric Ulrich posted a video saying he will challenge Democrat Joe Addabbo for his New York State Senate seat. Just this week, City and State reported that Ulrich, a second-term councilman, was unlikely to run for senate. He is, however, a top choice of Queens GOP officials. The 27-year-old is viewed as a rising star on the Republican horizon. Addabbo and Ulrich will battle for the 15th District, … Continue reading
Almost 70 years passed between the time Anton Dietrich Jr. was wounded during a battle in North Africa and when he received a Purple Heart for his bravery just last week. Dietrich is a 93-year-old WWII Army veteran who lives in Richmond Hill. He fought in Tunisia, landed in Sicily as well as Normandy, and spent 32 months at Walter Reed Medical Center when a mortar shell tore into his legs, arm and back. Dietrich was awarded a host of … Continue reading
As another Queens hospital closes, concern is growing on Community Board 5 that there’s an epidemic lack of beds in the borough. At CB 5’s meeting last week, the chairman of the board’s Health and Human Services Committee introduced a resolution urging local politicians to find a fix. Bob Cermeli, the committee chair, said he’s seen too many bankrupt or shuttered hospitals leading to a systemic crisis of space. “We’re always in constant threat of disasters, man-made, natural, and if … Continue reading
The Queens Public Library is introducing a pilot program that will allow people to rent e-readers from its central branch in Jamaica. The program, which started on April 12, has 50 e-readers available and allows people with a library card and a photo ID to take out the device for free. They can rent it for seven days and have the option of renewing it twice before returning it. The e-readers have books on five different themes: best sellers, romances, … Continue reading
The departure of a major airline company has left some Forest Hills store owners struggling and hoping to survive the loss of business. About two weeks ago, JetBlue Airways, a Queens-based airline company that has its main base at John F. Kennedy International Airport, opened its new headquarters in Long Island City. Its previous location had been at the Forest Hills Towers on Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills, near where Queens Borough Hall and Queens County Supreme Court are. JetBlue … Continue reading
Police responded last week to anti-semitic graffiti found in Forest Hills on Friday, April 13 at the Grand Central service road by 64th Avenue and 64th Road. Someone had spray-painted a swastika and large racial slurs across the base of the overpass there. The images were reported at around 10 a.m. on April 13, when they were investigated and removed by the 112th Precinct. “I am utterly disgusted and angered at such expressions of hate and bigotry especially during the … Continue reading
Residents who attended last week’s Community Board 6 meeting got to see a presentation about a citywide plan that will also affect the neighborhoods of Forest Hills and Rego Park. The presentation was regarding eliminating the use of heating oil numbers 4 and 6, or “heavy oils,” in order to improve the air quality in homes and in New York City overall. The use of those kinds of oils releases an air pollutant called fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), which … Continue reading
Thanks to an outpouring of donations from total strangers, this little puppy has a second chance at life. Many small donations, ranging from $2 to $200, and coming from all over the world, paid for a desperately needed surgery the poor homeless pup otherwise would not have had. And Linus so excited he can’t wait to say thank you, at a Four Paws Sake fundraiser on Sunday, April 29. Four Paws Sake, a no-kill shelter in Middle Village, thought they’d … Continue reading
Half of the grand larcenies last month in and around Forest Hills and Rego Park were crimes of opportunity that were easily preventable—a message 112th Precinct officers are trying hard to get out to the community. There were 31 grand larcenies in the last 30-day period, Captain Ralph Forgione, executive officer of the 112th, told attendees at the Forest Hills Civic Association meeting. That’s about even with last year, but 10 of those crimes were unattended property, he said. “So … Continue reading
Police are searching for three suspects who robbed a Forest Hills jewelry store in broad daylight at the end of March and made off with a dozen watches. According to the NYPD, three unidentified men targeted Kinara Jewelers at 72-03 Austin Street. At 12:40 p.m. on March 31, the three barged in, police said. One acted as if he had a weapon while holding the door. Another stood as a lookout by the door. The third suspect then came in, … Continue reading
Ascan Avenue in Forest Hills will soon be co-named for Geraldine Ferraro, Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz announced Tuesday night. Koslowitz was speaking to a room full of residents just off of Ascan Avenue at the Forest Hills Civic Association Meeting when she announced the news honoring the former congresswoman who passed away last year. “We’re naming a street after her at Ascan and Austin Street because she lived in this neighborhood,” Koslowitz said. “She lived in the gardens. And she used … Continue reading
In a move that will save tax payers millions of dollars, New York State will remove the four percent sales tax on clothing, footwear and related items that are sold for less than $110 dollars. The sales tax exemption, which started on April 1, applies to all of those goods that are bought in person, online, by telephone or by mail. It’s the second straight year for the program. The qualifying amount for this year’s program has doubled. Last year, … Continue reading
New Yorkers might not have to wait months past the deadline to see their budget this year. Governor Andrew Cuomo, along with Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, announced on Monday, April 9, the early passage of the 2012-2013 New York State Budget. The new NYS budget totals $132.6 billion, which is a reduction of $135 million from last year. According to a statement from the New York State Senate, This budget eliminates a $2 billion … Continue reading