Category Archives: Rego Park
Council Member Koslowitz recently partnered with the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) to bring in the Mobile Legal Help Center Van. Free legal assistance was provided to individuals that might otherwise encounter barriers in accessing quality legal services. This may include geographic isolation, low income, lack of English proficiency, and/or fears about immigration status. Parked right outside of 66-35 108th Street in Rego Park, lawyers from NYLAG, with full support from the New York State Court, were able to … Continue reading
The woman who pushed a 46-year-old man to his death last month was found fit to stand trial by Acting Queens Supreme Court Justice Dorothy Chin-Brandt this week. According to the office of Queens DA Richard Brown, Erika Menendez, 31, of 98-01 67th Avenue in Rego Park has been indicted for murder as a hate crime for allegedly shoving Sunando Sen onto the tracks as a train approached at the 40th Street-Lowery Street station in Sunnyside. According to the charges, … Continue reading
A new Manhattan-style high-line park may be coming to Queens thanks to a $467,000 grant, secured by Governor Cuomo, to study the feasibility of building a greenway on the now-defunct 3.5 miles of railroad track on the old LIRR Rockaway Beach Branch. But, the grant, announced recently by the Trust for Public Land, was greeted with mixed reactions in the borough where the project has divided residents into three camps: those in favor, those in opposition and those who want … Continue reading
In the continuing discussion of what to do with vacant rail line in southern and central Queens, one elected official said that reviving the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) line would be a boon to both sections of the borough. At Community Board 6’s monthly meeting last week, Assemblyman Phil Goldfeder visited the board that covers Forest Hills and Rego Park to speak about why he believes the LIRR line should be revitalized. There has been much banter, from both … Continue reading
Albert J. Baldeo, a Queens District leader for Richmond Hill and Ozone Park, is facing corruption charges for mail fraud conspiracy and obstruction of justice, according to prosecutors. The Democratic district leader is accused of using false donors to add illegal campaign donations to his failed 2010 campaign for the City Council. He supposedly attempted to fraudulently increase the amount of matching funds provided by the city, according to a report in The New York Times. He turned himself in … Continue reading
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced earlier this week that it is removing full-body scanners from both of New York’s airports, John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, and moving them to smaller airports. The move comes after there was much controversy over the scanners. According to CBS News, opponents of the scanners say that it is an invasion of privacy because those scanners provide a very detailed image of the body. According to several published reports, TSA said … Continue reading
With Queens Borough President Helen Marshall stepping down next year, there are several contenders currently kicking off their campaigns for the soon to be vacated position. Candidate and State Senator Jose Peralta held a fundraiser on Monday night in Jackson Heights. Queens Democratic Party Chairman and Representative Joseph Crowley attended the fundraiser. Crowley also helped former City Councilwoman Melinda Katz get her campaign off the ground with a fundraiser in Forest Hills. In an interview with the Queens Gazette, Peralta … Continue reading
Councilmember Eric Ulrich and State Senator Joseph Addabbo Jr. in Howard Beach, plenty of residents in the audience had their own opinions on how the candidates performed. Paul Auwarter, Howard Beach, said he enjoyed that Addabbo and Ulrich took the time to address the issues more so than Obama and Romney tend to in their debates. “I understand these guys a little better,” he said. “These guys I understand because they live in the community.” Auwarter, who described himself as … Continue reading
On Thursday night, Councilman Eric Ulrich and Senator Joe Addabbo faced off at the Ave Maria Catholic Academy in a debate hosted and sponsored by The Forum, The Chronicle and good government group Citizens Union. With a series of questions composed by the three sponsors, both candidates were given approximately two minutes to answer questions centered on the issues of most concern to the 15th Senate District. Where they stand on the issues: On how you will be an … Continue reading
While Queens students may have adjusted to their new classes and teachers a month into the school year, motorists navigating through the triple parked school buses and hoards of children during dismissal continue to complain about traffic jams and congested sidewalks. In Howard Beach, the streets around PS 146 on 159th Avenue fill up quickly as students are let out around 2:30 each afternoon. The same problems exist at nearby MS 207 in Rockwood Park and MS 232 in … Continue reading
After years on the job together, two former Jamaica Hospital paramedics have found themselves on the same “team” again—this time however, it’s behind bars. The pair has been charged in the death of the ex-wife of one of the men. Paul Novak, 45, of Palm Coast, in Flagler County, Fla., and Scott Sherwood, 40, of Lindenhurst, NY were arrested last Thursday on charges of second-degree murder in the death of Novak’s wife, Catherine, in December of 2008. The twisted tale … Continue reading
The Department of Education (DOE) released their annual report card on elementary and middle schools for all five boroughs and many schools in southern and western Queens got a grade worthy of posting on their refrigerator. A total of nine schools in district 27 got an A as their overall grade for this year, including P.S 97 in Woodhaven, P.S 90 in Richmond Hill and P.S 124 in South Ozone Park. District 27 covers schools in those neighborhoods and also … Continue reading
In another discussion of an issue that has become a hot-button topic for several Queens neighborhoods, residents gathered last week to discuss the future of the abandoned tracks that used to be home to a busy transportation line. There are two sides to this debate: one view is to revitalize the LIRR train that ran from the Rockaways to Rego Park many years ago. The other side wants to turn that long stretch of elevated land into a 3.5 mile … Continue reading
Detective Gregory Bahrenburg (right) poses with 112th Precinct commanding officer Captain Thomas Conforti as he received the cop of the month award at the precinct’s community council meeting on Wednesday, September 19. Detective Bahrenburg got the award for capturing Roman Iskhakov who was was wanted for stealing artifacts from the Congregation Ahavath Sholom synagogue on 113th Street in Forest Hills back in June. Conforti said that Bahrenburg conducted an investigation, which led to Iskhakov’s arrest in late August. Because of … Continue reading
A product recall has been established for Trader Joe’s Creamy Salted Valencia Peanut Butter which has been linked to salmonella cases in 18 states. The company’s voluntary recall now includes 76 varieties of almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, tahini and toasted blanched peanut products as a precaution, according to a press release. Only the peanut butter product sold under the Trader Joe’s label, however, has been connected to salmonella. All cases of salmonella occurred between June 11 and Sept. … Continue reading