Community Corner

🌱Legal Aid Society Urges Queens DA To Alter Practices + Pizza War Over

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Queens.

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Good morning, Queens! ⚡️

  • ⚖️ The Legal Aid Society is urging Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz to change her office's evidence-sharing practices with its public defenders.
  • 🍕 The pizza war occurring in Queens between two formidable foes who, like many enemies, were once the best of friends has finally come to a close thanks to a name change and a lawsuit settlement.
  • 💻 The Queens Borough Cabinet held a virtual meeting Tuesday to review the Open Streets program and also to receive updates on the Queens Tech and Innovation Challenge.

☁️ Cloudy, rain, mainly early. High: 57 Low: 47.

Here are the top stories in Queens today:

1. The Legal Aid Society is urging Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz to change her office's evidence-sharing practices with its public defenders, as their current system subverts New York's reformed criminal discovery statute and contributes to lengthy court delays. In 2019, Albany revised New York's criminal discovery laws to ensure that prosecutors disclose key evidence to the defense in a timely manner, as the previous laws were long considered outmoded, out of the mainstream, prejudicial to the defense, and counterproductive to a fair trial. Since the law's revision, New York City's district attorneys implemented electronic sharing practices to comply with the new law's disclosure requirements. However, Katz's prosecutors in Queens do not organize discovery documents in any logical way, forcing defense attorneys to weed through masses of documents to identify what they are exactly, according to The Legal Aid Society. Since 2019, this disorganized system has impacted all 41,231 homicide, felony, and misdemeanor Legal Aid cases in the borough. Though Legal Aid has met with Katz multiple times over the years to discuss these concerns, her office has not implemented any changes to its practices.

Queens Courier

2. The pizza war occurring in Queens between two formidable foes who, like many enemies, were once the best of friends has finally come to a close thanks to a name change and a lawsuit settlement. Last fall, Andrew Bellucci, an acclaimed pizza chef, quit his shop Bellucci Pizza, and left it in the hands of his former business partner, Leo Dakmak, only to open his own pizzeria a few months later dubbed Bellucci's Pizzeria, located just eight blocks away from the original store. Dakmak retaliated with a federal lawsuit, which, after nearly six months, was settled this week — as of Monday Dakmak has officially agreed to dismiss his complaint, and as of mid-November Bellucci's shop has a new name: "Andrew Bellucci's Pizzeria." Reached by phone on Tuesday, Bellucci confirmed that the new name was part of settlement, but did not divulge any other terms of the agreement. "I'm low-key flattered that the first shop decided to keep Bellucci as part of the name of its restaurant. It means my name and reputation is recognized and has value," he added in a prepared statement. "I'm rooting for them to put out a product worthy of my name. A rising tide lifts all ships."

Patch

3. The Queens Borough Cabinet held a virtual meeting Tuesday to review the Open Streets program and also to receive updates on the Queens Tech and Innovation Challenge. According to Kyle Gorman of the New York City Dept. of Transportation, who gave the presentation on the Open Streets program, the program's 2023 updates include include a streamlined application now available online, more support for partners, and operational layers like programming and short-term concessions. Despite the success of Open Streets, several cabinet members voiced concerns over its impact on nearby neighborhoods, residential buildings, and some local small businesses. Another major concern broached was the lack of communication to nearby residents about Open Streets events. Also discussed was the Queens Tech and Innovation Challenge, which was launched by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards last October. The initiative is meant to develop the best Queens-based entrepreneurs to empower small business owners and transform the borough into a center of innovation and entrepreneurship.

Queens Courier

4. Fred Thomson, 69, a man from Broad Channel, was charged on Tuesday with animal cruelty after police found 45 dachshund-like dogs and puppies covered in feces and urine, with dirty hair coats, overgrown nails, and appearing to have gum disease inside Thomson's Queens home on Nov. 16. The police were prompted to search the residence after receiving a complaint about a strong smell coming from the home, where they also discovered several white mattresses completely chewed through and stained brown from excrement. The dogs are now receiving medical care through the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and are being prepared for adoption.

Patch

5. Juan M. Merchan, 60, who oversaw the criminal tax fraud trial of Donald J. Trump's family real estate business, was an especially equipped presiding judge, having had experience digesting the dry details of endless rows of spreadsheets and tax documents bristling with indecipherable numbers. During the five-week trial, Judge Merchan maintained courtroom order in a way that is often lacking in what can be the rough-and-tumble practice of criminal law. Judge Merchan was born in Bogotá, Colombia, and came to the U.S. with his family when he was 6 years old — he grew up poor in Jackson Heights, Queens. The youngest of six, Merchan began working at age 9, and held jobs from that point on. The first in his family to go to college, Merchan earned a business degree from Baruch College, but dropped out for a few years to work as an internal auditor at the real estate firm, the United Nations Development Corporation. This auditing experience no doubt came in handy when dealing with Trump's high-profile tax fraud trial.

The New York Times

🗞 Hankering for more headlines? 👀 Look no further:

  • Man Pleads Guilty To Promising Union Memberships For Cash (Patch)
  • Queens Man Sentenced After Aiming Rifle At NYPD Detective: Prosecutors (Patch)
  • Outcome of two Assembly races in New York City still up in the air (Spectrum News NY1)

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🗓 To Do Today in Queens:

  • Volunteer at 9 Million Reasons / Evangel Food Pantry (8:45 a.m.)
  • YWCA of Queens Food Pantry (10 a.m.)
  • Vic Hanson Afterschool Program (3 p.m.)
  • Ninja Training (Ages 5 - 10 Years) (4 p.m.)
  • Art Skills: Getting Started with ProCreate (4:30 p.m.)
  • The New York Winter Lantern Festival – Illuminate the Farm (5 p.m.)
  • Magazine Mandala Collage Class (5 p.m.)
  • Free* Open Mic at QED - Perform or Watch! (5:30 p.m.)
  • Family Craft Night (6 p.m.)

🗣 Queens Chatter:

  • 🧧 Planning the Lunar New Year Parade: "If you haven't been to annual the Lunar New Year Parade in #Flushing, do you even live in Queens? Great to be with the Flushing Chinese Business Association and all our community partners today to talk about how we can make the 2023 parade the best one yet." (Queens Borough President Donovan Richards via Facebook)
  • ⭐️ Holiday Tree Lighting events for all of Queens to enjoy: "We at QBPO are happy to help spread holiday cheer with several events for the whole family to enjoy — beginning with our Holiday Tree Lighting this Thursday, Dec. 8 at 6pm. We'll light the Borough Hall holiday tree, distribute toys and more. RSVP at queensbp.org/rsvp. We're also hosting our annual Chanukah Menorah Lighting Ceremony on the front lawn of Borough Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 4:30pm. We'll have a night filled with potato latkes, dreidels, chocolate gelt, menorahs, music and more! No RSVP required. Finally, join us at our annual Kwanzaa Celebration on Wednesday, Dec. 28! We'll have cultural performances, words of wisdom, refreshments & more, in partnership with Greater Jamaica Development Corporation and Emuhealth Queens. Doors open at 4:30pm, & events start at 5pm. RSVP at queensbp.org/rsvp." (Queens Borough President Donovan Richards via Facebook)
  • 🌱 FREE admission to the Queens Botanical Garden: "🍂 Queens Botanical Garden is open Tuesdays through Sundays, 8am-4:30pm. From November through March, general Garden admission is FREE! #QueensBotanicalGarden #PeoplePlantsCultures #Flushing #FlushingNYC #FlushingFantastic #NYCGardens" (Queens Botanical Garden via Facebook)
  • 🏙 Adopt a building: "In New York, buildings have stories. Set in neighborhoods of communities from all over the world, a building connects our stories to the city, and on The Panorama of the City of New York, you can see how your building is a piece of the ever-changing puzzle of this amazing city. As part of the many opportunities to support the Museum, we're refreshing our Adopt-A Building Program! Your favorite breakfast shop, your old apartment, your parents house and more, if it's on the Panorama, then you can lease that building or property for a year with the option to renew at the end of the year. Adopt-A-Building supporters near and far will be able to adopt an apartment, office, building complex, or iconic structure on the Panorama of the City of New York that holds a special meaning to them. Supporters will receive an exclusive title deed for their property. Sign up and support the care of this iconic piece of NYC history today! Learn more about the Adopt-A-Building program below, and on our website: https://qnsmu.se/adoptabuilding" (Queens Museum via Facebook)

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You're all caught up for today! See you all tomorrow for another update.

— Emma Radu Fighera

About me: Emma Radu Fighera is a reporter born and raised in Queens, New York. She studied Literature and Studio Art at Hamilton College, where she helped run the only daily publication on campus, The Daily Bull newsletter. This past spring she earned her M.S. from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Queens Daily? Contact me at queens@patch.com

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