Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How would Queens residents be warned when ambulances are backed up?

Spotted on the Queens calendar: Audition for the Queens College Choral Society

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Hello Queens! Stay connected with the latest updates from around town. Let's dive in! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • How would Queens residents be warned when ambulances are backed up?
  • Which Queens beach is under a swimming advisory this week?
  • Which Queens high schools just ranked among the nation's best?

Also on today's calendar: Audition for the Queens College Choral Society and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: Why do fish live in salt water? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: Showers and a heavier t-storm, with a high of 82 and low of 68 degrees.
  • Friday: Partly sunny, temps: high: 82, low: 70.
  • Saturday: Humid with a few showers, with a high of 77 and low of 70 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Queens pol wants city to be more transparent about ambulance delays — Queens Daily Eagle (queenseagle.com) — A Queens councilmember is pushing a "Minutes Matter" bill that would alert New Yorkers when FDNY/EMS lacks enough ambulances to handle 911 calls, after recent major backlogs. The proposal, backed by the EMTs' union, aims to give residents real-time warnings and alternative care options while spotlighting staffing and resource shortages that especially impact Rockaway and south Queens neighborhoods.
   

2. 8 NYC-area beaches under swimming advisory due to water quality concerns (ithacajournal.com) — Queens swimmers should know that Douglaston Manor beach is currently under a water quality advisory, with officials warning against swimming or wading due to elevated bacteria levels. Several other NYC beaches, including sites in Staten Island, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, are also affected as health departments continue frequent testing throughout the summer season.
   

3. These Are The Best Public High Schools In NYC For 2026-27: U.S. News (patch.com) — Several Queens public high schools, including Baccalaureate School for Global Education, Queens High School for the Sciences at York College, and Middle College High School at LaGuardia Community College, just ranked among the best in New York City and the nation. U.S. News based its 2026–27 list on test performance, graduation rates, and college readiness, highlighting strong options for local families weighing high school choices.
   

4. Maryland man sentenced for execution-style murder of a Queens drug dealer in Bayside: Feds (qns.com) — Federal prosecutors say a Baltimore man has been sentenced to 27 years for a deadly 2024 robbery-kidnapping that targeted marijuana dealers in Queens, including a killing in a U-Haul on a Bayside street. The crew allegedly used a Queens stash house, drove victims through the borough at gunpoint, and stole about 30 pounds of marijuana before fleeing, with several co-defendants also receiving long prison terms.
   

5. Woman Turns Raw Sheep Fleece Into a Cute Striped Sweater in Four Months (laughingsquid.com) — A creative maker spent four months turning fleece from a sheep at Queens County Farm Museum into a hand‑knit striped sweater, documenting each step from shearing to dyeing. Her project highlights how much labor goes into clothing and urges people to buy fewer, better‑made garments that fairly compensate workers.
   

📸 Around Queens

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Month with its First Day of Activities on Thursday, October 8, 2026 —Phillip Andrews Read on Patch
  • Hey everyone!
    We're excited to bring you more fun, more events, more locations! Our next event is scheduled for August 29th at Atlas Park Mall for our Back to… (Nextdoor Glendale (East))
  • Could anyone point me in the direction of hiring a private home aide?
    It would be for only 24 hours, overnight, September 5-6th. This is for my 71-year old hemiplegic mom who is wheelchair bound only. (Nextdoor Kew Gdns Hills (Parsons-77thAve))

Ok Queens! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: Pepper makes them sneeze (Thank you Karla H. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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