Community Corner

🚌 New School Year, Old Bus Problems + Week Two of Antisemitic Rants

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

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Good morning, Queens! ☕️

On this day of all days, what with the word 'Queen' all over the news, it feels more right than usual to be in this aptly-named borough, The World's Borough, as some call it, at a time when the whole world is thinking of the gone but never forgotten Queen of England. Here are today's top stories:

  • 📚 The new school year started yesterday and it brought along with it the same old school bus problems from years past.
  • 📢 For the second week in a row, an unidentified man has shouted hate speech through a bullhorn on the campus of Queens College.
  • Construction began yesterday on a $9.5 billion new terminal at JFK that will be 'world-class' when finished in 2026.

☀️ Brilliant sunshine. High: 80 Low: 66.

Here are the top stories in Queens today:

1. The new school year started yesterday, and with it came a disruptive old problem — school bus trouble. Heather Dailey, the Queens parent of a fifth-grader with autism, waited outside with her son for almost an hour before a call informed her that the bus would be delayed due to mechanical issues. Rather than wait, Dailey took her son to school in an Uber, and discovered upon arrival that not one of the other buses assigned to P.S. 219 in Kew Gardens arrived by the start of classes at 8 a.m. The Education Department's Office of Pupil Transportation operates roughly 7,850 bus routes, and transports roughly 150,000 students each day — primarily students who are younger, or have disabilties. This is not the first time that the sprawling transport system has gotten off to a rough start in the early days of the school year.

New York Daily News


2. An unidentified man is going on his second week in a row of spewing antisemitic and racist marks through a bullhorn outside of Queens College, despite being told multiple times to leave by police. The man, who is not affiliated with the school, first appeared on campus on Aug. 31, when he illegally parked his white car in a crosswalk, then shouted hate speech through a megaphone out of the car's sunroof. That evening, police issued the man two summons, and confiscated his bullhorn, but he returned later in the week, and was again seen this week standing outside the CUNY school on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Queens Daily Eagle


3. Ground was broken today at John F. Kennedy International Airport as elected leaders and officials gathered to celebrate the first contruction phase of the New Terminal One (NTO) Terminal. This new project will "serve as a global gateway to the New York metropolitan area and aim to set a new standard for world-class design and service, aspiring to be among the top ten airport terminals in the world." The construction of the $9.5 billion, 2.4 million square foot terminal is expected to generate over 10,000 total jobs, which includes 6,000 family-sustaining construction positions.


Carlyle


4. On Wednesday night, Mayor Eric Adams and representatives from various city agencies held a town hall in Rochdale Village to address residents' concerns about public safety and consider solutions to the issues. Among the topics discussed were: bringing resources to communities to address gun violence, improving community relations with the NYPD, and youth engagement programs. Many questions were raised throughout the meeting about education, public transportation for students, and safety in schools.

QNS


5. The newly constructed Tommie Agee Middle School opened its doors for the first time yesterday, adding 646 badly needed school seats to the area. The state-of-the-art facility, located near the former Shea Stadium, was named after the late Mets center fielder Tommie L. Agee, a legendary player who helped lead the Mets to their first World Series win in 1969. Agee, a childhood hero of Eric Adams, was also the first Black player to win a Gold Glove, an award given annually to MLB players with superior individual fielding performances. The new Elmhurst school boasts 18 standard classrooms, two special education classrooms, and a District 75 program for special needs students. It is one of 11 new school buildings scheduled to open across the five boroughs in 2022, which will add over 5,700 classroom seats for students citywide, according to City Hall.

CityLand


🗞 Hungry for more news?🍴 Snack on these headlines:

  • Sand and the subway, living in the Rockaways (New York Times)
  • 14 Things you didn't know about College Point, Queens (Untapped New York)
  • Teen drug supplier indicted for fentanyl laced pills(Patch)
  • Letter from 20 senators — including two from Queens — recommends 'diverse' candidates for chief judge of the state of New York (Queens Daily Eagle)
  • Empire BlueCross BlueShield to open community center in Flushing (Patch)

Events Today in Queens:

  • 2022 World Journal Mid-Autumn Festival (2 p.m.)
  • 39th Annual Queens County Fair (3:30 p.m.)
  • Free Music Fridays: Facebook Live by the American Folk Art Museum (6 p.m.)
  • Queensboro Dance Festival Pop-up Performance (6 p.m.)
  • Culture Lab LIC: Free Outdoor Music (7 p.m.)
  • Movie Night: In the Heights (7 p.m.)
  • Gabe Mollica: A Show About Friendship (7:30 p.m.)

🗣 Queens Chatter:

  • Business training course for new business owners: "QEDC's Entrepreneurship Assistance Center is back with its annual 60-hour business training course for fall 2022. Applications are now open and are being accepted until Friday, September 25th, 2022. The first class will start Thursday, September 29, 2022.This hands-on business planning and training course is for new business owners who are looking to test and find their business model and for existing business owners who are looking to grow, pivot, or strategize. This class is 100% interactive and applied so be prepared to stay focused and bring your A game! Location: All classes will be online Schedule: September 29, 2022- December 13, 2022 Tuesdays and Thursdays with a few holidays in between. Check our webpage for full schedule and details www.queensny.org/eac Price: $150.00 (Refundable Deposit) The class is usually $500, but this year, thanks to additional funding, this year the class will require a refundable deposit of $150. As long as you are able to complete the course requirements (complete all work assignments, submit a business plan and pitch deck with presentation, and attend 80% or 16/20 classes) you will receive the $150 back along with a graduation certificate. To apply, click here: https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSdDY8ia1uSvZf.../viewform" (Queens Economic Development Corporation via Facebook)


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You're all caught up for today! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with a new update.

— Emma Radu Fighera

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

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