Community Corner

🌱Queens Celebrates Argentina + Affordable Housing For College Students

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

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Good morning, Queens! ☃️

  • ⚽️🇦🇷 Hundreds of Argentina soccer fans in Queens decked head to hoe in blue and white helped ring in their team's breathtaking World Cup victory Sunday.
  • 🏠📚 Two privately funded pilot programs are combating housing insecurity among college students.
  • 🚢 Long Island City residents are rallying against the proposed $2.2 million, 90-foot new ferry terminal at Hunter's Point South Park.

🌞 Windy with plenty of sunshine. High: 41 Low: 29.

Here are the top stories today in Queens:

1. Hundreds of Argentina soccer fans in Queens decked head to hoe in blue and white helped ring in their team's breathtaking World Cup victory Sunday. Throughout Elmhurst and Jackson Heights, cars and trucks adorned with Argentina's flags and colors cruised the streets while honking their horns in pride — causing Q58 buses to be detoured in both directions on Corona Avenue between 92nd Street and Junction Boulevard due to the celebration.

AM New York Metro ; ABC 7 New York

2. Two privately funded pilot programs designed to combat housing insecurity among college students are covering rent for City University of New York (CUNY) and Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) students. Recently, 13 CUNY students moved into a rental building in Long Island City, Queens, where their rent will be covered and a suite of services will be provided by Trinity Church Wall Street, an Episcopal parish in Lower Manhattan with a multibillion-dollar real estate portfolio. The Queens building is expected to house up to 36 students. A second program funded by the group will provide 40 BMCC students with dorm-like housing in Harlem for three years. Housing insecurity is a major issue among college students that few outsiders recognize.

The New York Times

3. Long Island City residents are rallying against the proposed $2.2 million, 90-foot new ferry terminal at Hunter's Point South Park as they fear it will obstruct scenic views of Manhattan's picturesque skyline and increase pollution in the neighborhood. "We think it'll ruin one of the essential elements of the park," said Rob Basch, president of Hunter's Point Parks Conservancy's board of directors. "I think the ferry's a good thing. I'm not knocking the ferry. But no one wants to see a 90-foot barge right in front of the park where people sit, eat and congregate. I don't think anyone could be really gung-ho about that." Despite park lovers' and environmental advocates' concerns about the new barge, the city's Economic Development Corporation says the current Hunter's Point ferry terminal is outdated and obsolete, and must be replaced.

New York Daily News

4. The First Jamaica Community and Urban Development Corporation (FJCUDC) celebrated the completion and opening of the 174-unit affordable housing development The Tree of Life Center during a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, who alluded to a future with another large-scale project coming to the Eastern Queens area. All the units in the new development will be available for those making 90 percent of the area median income or below, half will be available for those at 50 percent or below, and 59 units will be permanently affordable. The rental process is currently underway with more than 26,000 applications submitted for the 174 units.

Queens Chronicle

5. City-Scape Landscaping, a family-run company based in Queens, has been bringing holiday cheer to the Park Avenue neighborhood since 1972. The business has landscaped the prestigious avenue's grassy medians – known as the Park Avenue Malls — that run for 50 blocks, from 49th to 97th streets, for 50 years. For most of the year, the company tends to the malls every Monday, mowing lawns and hedges, removing weeds and debris, watering plants, and repairing wood barriers. During the holiday season, a crew of six to seven City-Scape employees position and install 120 fir trees shipped from Nova Scotia, Canada.

CNBC

🗓 To Do Today in Queens:

  • Queens Botanical Garden Compost Tour: A Master Composter Field Trip (10 a.m.)
  • Tiny Tots (11 a.m.)
  • Chair Fitness (2 p.m.)
  • Spanish Class: Uno, Dos, Tres (3 p.m.)
  • Chess Class: From Beginner to Pro (3:30 p.m.)
  • Holiday Card Making & Letter to Santa at SKYVIEW (Kids Event) (4 p.m.)
  • Yuko Kyutoku Solo Exhibition True Expressionism (4 p.m.)
  • The New York Winter Lantern Festival – Illuminate the Farm (5 p.m.)
  • Holiday Baking & Pie Making - In Person Baking Class (@DidYouKhado) (6:30 p.m.)

🗣 Queens Chatter:

  • 🎉 Happy Hannukah to all who celebrate: "#Hannukah begins tonight. It's a holiday that marks freedom and hope. With all the antisemitism and other hatred going on in the world, may the miracle of light experienced by the Maccabees shine on all of us this year." (Council Member Lynn Schulman via Twitter)
  • 🕎 Annual Menorah lighting on Tuesday: "From our Queens Borough Hall family to yours, I wish everyone celebrating #Chanukah starting this evening a happy, healthy, joyous and prosperous holiday season. All are welcome to mark Chanukah with us on Tuesday at our annual Menorah Lighting Ceremony, beginning at 4:30pm." (Queens Borough President Donovan Richards via Facebook)
  • 🌹Make a tax-deductible gift to the Queens Botanical Garden: ""Last January, I nervously stepped into the Queens Botanical Garden on my first day as Executive Director. There were over 100 seniors safely practicing Tai Chi in the crisp air. Red winterberry bushes provided pops of color across the landscape...Nearly a year later, I pinch myself at how fortunate I am to be at such a special place, with such a special team, in service to our community, our city, and our ecosystem." Read more from our Executive Director, Evie Hantzopoulos and make a tax-deductible gift to support our crown jewel in Queens: https://queensbotanical.org/give2022" (Queens Botanical Garden via Facebook)
  • 🎁 Toy distribution and celebration in Southeast Queens: "The holiday season is all about spreading joy and happiness. Today, I joined @LeroyComrie, @NYPD103Pct , @NYPD113Pct , @fdnyVULCANS and community partners for a holiday float and toy distribution in #SoutheastQueens. Thank you for another successful holiday celebration! #TheGreat28" (Speaker Adrienne Adams via Twitter)
  • 😌 Thank you to the Ridgewood Kiwanis: "I enjoyed greeting my neighbors at the Ridgewood Kiwanis Club Holiday Party. Thank you to the Ridgewood Kiwanis for all your heartfelt work for children in South Queens. You are all on Santa's nice list!" (Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar via Twitter)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday! See you tomorrow morning for your next 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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