Community Corner
🌱 Six Queens Schools Become 'Magnets' + "New New York" Plan Released
The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Queens.
Good morning, Queens! ❄️
- 🧲 Six Queens schools covering over three school districts have been chosen to receive $15 million in grant money from the federally funded Magnet Schools Assistance Program.
- 🗺 A recent report entitled the "New New York" plan was released Wednesday by Gov. Hochul and Mayor Adams in an effort to to bolster New York City's commercial districts.
- 🍂 Queens' successful curbside compost program is taking a brief winter vacation for three months.
☔️ Rain tapering off. High: 48 Low: 35.
Here are the top stories today in Queens:
1. Six Queens schools covering over three school districts — District 27 for MS 64, and District 28 and 29 for PS 182, PS 312, MS 72, MS 332, PS 135 — have been chosen to receive $15 million in grant money from the federally funded Magnet Schools Assistance Program over the course of five years. "It brings tremendous value and resources into our district and allows us to think way outside the box," said District 28 Superintendent Tammy Pate. The grant funding will be distributed proportionately to the schools based on their size but there is not much discrepancy. School budgets are expected to receive the funds soon, said Pate, and they will begin to make hiring and program development decisions.
2. A recent report entitled the "New New York" plan was released Wednesday by Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams in an effort to to bolster New York City's commercial districts for a post-pandemic world with remote work. Long Island City and Jamaica are among the 14 business districts studied in the 159-page report, which is the work of a panel that the Hochul and Adams created back in May as a way to brainstorm ideas for reinvigorating business areas. According to the study's authors, Long Island City has bounced back well from the pandemic, with retail spending and foot traffic already exceeding pre-pandemic levels. However, improvements have still been proposed which include: modernizing the local street network in the Court Square area, creating additional protected bike lanes, making pedestrian and streetscape improvements, and investing in more jobs "closer to where people live."
3. Queens' successful curbside compost program is taking a brief winter vacation for three months "when there is little to no yard waste to be collected," the city said on its website. It will resume in late March 2023. The program in Queens is the nation's largest composting program in which food scraps and yard waste are collected and turned into compost or renewable energy. The compost is picked up on the same day as recycling and the service is voluntary, with no sign-up required.
4. The union Laborers' Local 1010, located in Whitestone, and a group of lawmakers from the City Council's Committee on Parks and Recreation are calling on the Parks Department to reform its public contract bidding rules to allow unions to protest contracts awarded to private companies. The call comes after Local 1010 was told it could not contest a taxpayer-funded contract to Dragonetti Brothers Landscaping, a company whose owners recently pleaded guilty to insurance fraud in Manhattan Criminal Court. Now, the labor union and a group of City Councilmembers, led by Queens Councilmember and Parks Committee Chair Shekar Krishnan, are demanding that the city alter the way it interprets the procurement rules.
5. Governor Kathy Hochul signed legislation Thursday banning the sale of dogs, cats, and rabbits at New York's shrinking collection of about 80 or so pet stores by December 2024. The goal of the law is to stop the "puppy mill-to-pet store pipeline" — most pet store animals come from mills. "These animals are living, loving beings who should be treated with respect, and not like a can of soup to be plucked off a shelf," said State Senator Michael Gianaris, a Democrat from Queens who sponsored the bill. "This law will save countless animals from abuse at the hands of horrid puppy mills and I'm thrilled it is now enacted." Pet stores will be allowed to charge rent to animal shelters that use pet stores as a space to host adoption events for rescued animals, and people will still be able to buy animals directly from breeders.
AM New York Metro ; The New York Times
🗞 Hungry for more news? 🍽 Snack on these headlines:
- DA charges operators of unlicensed mobile cannabis dispensary in Rockaway Park (Queens Courier)
- 'Nightmare' Warehouse Fire Erases Evidence in Many Unsolved Cases (The New York Times)
- Jamaica Man Sentenced To Prison After Trafficking Homeless Woman (Patch)
- One of NYC's Biggest Co-Ops Considers Ban on E-Bikes in Response to Battery Fire Fears (The City)
- Queens County Farm Presents Gift Of The Magi And Other Holiday Festivities (The Queens Gazette)
🗓 To Do Today in Queens:
- Love & Hiking Date For Couples (Self-Guided) (7 a.m.)
- Active Parenting Workshop (8:30 a.m.)
- Moma P.S. 1 Free Admission Fridays (11 a.m.)
- The New York Hall Of Science - Free General Admission Fridays (1 p.m.)
- Exhibition - Living with The Walking Dead (2 p.m.)
- The New York Winter Lantern Festival – Illuminate the Farm (5 p.m.)
- A Christmas Carol at the Secret Theatre (7:30 p.m.)
- Mizz Softee & Golden Record: Demuja, DJ Spinna, DJ Qu, Mike Servito, LADYMONIX, Lindsey Herbert (10 p.m.)
🗣 Queens Chatter:
- 👍 The importance of civic engagement: "Civics in the Classroom is back in session! Great to be with the students of Martin Van Buren High School this morning to tell my story, hear their stories and discuss the importance of civic engagement at a young age. These kids are going to change the world, just you watch.." (Queens Borough President Donovan Richards via Facebook)
- 🏠 Confronting the housing crisis: "Today, I'm releasing a Planning Toolkit and Housing Agenda to confront the housing crisis, advance a Fair Housing Framework, deepen affordability, preserve existing affordable housing, and re-fund our housing agencies to help NYC remain home for all New Yorkers." (Speaker Adrienne Adams via Twitter)
- 🧦 Grab a skein or two for a loved one this holiday season: "Knit one, purl two... 🧶 Got a fiber artist on your gift shopping list, or need some extra-special supplies for a handmade holiday? As one friend of the farm likes to say, "If I'm sittin', I'm knittin'!" Pick up a skein of Queens Farm's wool yarn to cozy up this holiday season! https://www.queensfarm.org/farm-store/" (The Queens County Farm Museum via Facebook)
- 🍎 Mobile food pantry distribution this Saturday: "Please join us and @FoodBank4NYC for a mobile pantry food distribution of fresh produce, protein, and shelf-stable items at Rochdale Village Library (169-09 137 Avenue) on Saturday, December 17 from 12-2PM. https://queenslibrary.org/calendar/mobile-pantry-food-distribution-rochdale-village/011193-0622 utm_source=social&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=mobilepantry2022" (Queens Public Library via Twitter)
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Events:
- Santa, Coockies & Cocoa! (December 17)
- Winter Events at The Poppenhusen Institute (December 17)
- Grace Baptist Church of Forest Hills - Holiday Services 2022 (December 18)
- Party Like A Maccabee! (December 18)
- Holiday Lights At The Bronx Zoo (December 23)
- Add your event
Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow morning with 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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