Community Corner
🌱 Threats Made Against Cabán + Sex Offenders Stay Inside On Halloween
The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Queens.
Good morning, Queens! 🐝
- ☎️ The NYPD and City Council security officials are monitoring threats made against Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán after multiple menacing voicemails were left for her at her office.
- 🎃 State parole officers and the NYPD will participate in "Operation Halloween: Zero Tolerance" — a program that ensures sex offenders stay away from children on Halloween. Paroled sex offenders, pedophiles, and rapists will be prohibited from leaving their homes on Halloween night and are forbidden from opening their doors to children looking for candy.
- 🦷 Ouch... a crooked dentist who performed unnecessary and painful "baby root canals" on children to defraud Medicaid has agreed to pay $753,000 to settle his case.
🌬 Breezy in the afternoon. High: 74 Low: 49.
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Here are the top stories today in Queens:
1. The NYPD and City Council security officials are monitoring threats made against Queens Councilwoman Tiffany Cabán after multiple menacing voicemails were left for her at her office last month. According to a police spokesperson, the voicemails did not contain any direct threats to harm Cabán, but they "did contain vulgar and violent language." The incident is being classified as aggravated harassment. No arrests have been made and an investigation is ongoing.
2. Under the "Operation Halloween: Zero Tolerance" program, additional restrictions will be placed on paroled sex offenders throughout Queens from Oct. 30 through Nov. 1 to make sure sexual predators remain at home and away from young trick-or-treaters. As part of the program's enforcement, convicted sex offenders will be ordered to remain at home from 3 p.m. on Oct. 31 to 6 a.m. on Nov. 1, and are forbidden from opening their door to children looking for candy. Police and other law enforcement officials will visit paroled pedophiles, sex offenders, and rapists at their homes on Oct. 30 and Halloween, and will conduct surveillance to make sure they remain at home and away from children on Halloween.
3. A dentist with practices in Queens, Brooklyn, and The Bronx — who subjected children to unnecessary root canals and other invasive procedures in a scheme to defraud Medicaid — will pay $753,000 to end an investigation into his case. Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday that Dr. Barry Jacobson agreed to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to settle his case, which involved him conducting painful and unwarranted "baby root canals" on children for seven years between 2011 and 2018. "Dr. Jacobson and HQRC allegedly performed unnecessary and invasive dental procedures on children to line their own pockets," said James. "My office will not tolerate any instance of medically unnecessary procedures performed on vulnerable Medicaid beneficiaries."
4. Two more men, Tyrone "Angel" Miles, 32, and Bryant "Dollaz" Lowery, 24, have pleaded guilty and will now face prison time for sex trafficking minors out of the JFK Inn Hotel in Jamaica, Queens. Between June 5, 2020, and June 12, 2020, the men held two victims, ages 16 and 17, at the hotel, and threatened them with physical violence, or death, if they did not participate in sexual acts in exchange for money. Officials also said Lowery held another victim, 19, against her will in the same hotel on June 19, 2020. The next day, on June 20, 2020, one of the victims was able to get a police officer's help, and so bring down the defendants' atrocious criminal activities.
5. Police are searching for the group of suspects wanted in string of at least five burglaries across Queens and Brooklyn between Sept. 1 and Sept. 15. All in all, police say the thieves have made off with more than $43,000 in cash, and tens of thousands more in stolen items.
🗞 Hungry for more news? 🍴 Snack on these headlines:
- 'Shocked and outraged': Queens lawmakers condemn antisemitic graffiti found on Jewish newspapers in Kew Gardens Hills (Queens Courier)
- Halletts North mixed-use development in Queens approved by New York City Council (The Business Journals)
- Nine things to know about the New York Mets (The San Diego Union-Tribune)
- NYC says all classrooms have air conditioning, but gaps remain (Chalkbeat New York)
- Ozone Park RBA calls for change after 4 shot in London Planetree Park (Queens Ledger)
Patch deal of the day:
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🗓 To Do Today in Queens:
- Photo Lab for Kids: Fun Family Portraits (1 p.m.)
- Caan Film Festival (3 p.m.)
- KAFSC's 25th Annual Silent March Against Domestic Violence (5 p.m.)
- LIVE at Culture Lab LIC: FREE Outdoor Concerts! (7 p.m.)
- New York Greek Film Expo (8 p.m.)
- Live Band Karaoke in Astoria (10 p.m.)
🗣 Queens Chatter:
- 🏫 P.S. 48 renamed in Mayor Dinkins' honor: "Without Mayor David Dinkins, there is no Borough President Richards. Without his touch and vision, our city would not be the place it is today. Today, we renamed PS 48 in #Jamaica in Mayor Dinkins' honor, as we celebrate the continuation of his legacy of service in the students of this school." (Queens Borough President Donovan Richards via Facebook)
- 🫖 Amazing farm-grown tea: "Our farm-grown lemon verbena tea is keeping Kristen busy in the farm store! After dehydrating in the greenhouse for a couple weeks, leaves & tender stems are pulled away from the plant's main structure and pushed through a large screen, a process known as garbling. Our farm-made teas are available for purchase at the farm store. The selection rotates throughout the year! https://www.queensfarm.org/farm-store/" (The Queens County Farm Museum via Facebook)
- 🐯Consider the zoo: "The Queens Zoo is a perfect place to spend a fall day. Not only are there many amazing animals for you to discover, it's also a really beautiful spot to enjoy the best that the season has to offer!"(Queens Zoo via Twitter)
- 🥦 Food Bank NYC in Queens: "Please join us and @FoodBank4NYC for a mobile pantry food distribution of fresh produce, protein, and shelf-stable items at St. Albans Library on Saturday, Oct. 8 from 12-2 p.m. https://queenslibrary.org/calendar/mobile-pantry-food-distribution-st-albans/011191-0622?utm_source=social&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=mobilepantry2022" (Queens Public Library via Twitter)
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Events:
- JUST LISTED FOR RENT! "Whitestone's Finest Waterfront Retreat" (October 8)
- Saint Luke's Church Rummage Sale (October 8)
- EmblemHealth Healthier Futures Wellness Expo: Free Live Music & More! (October 8)
- Celebrate Free Laundry Day at 4 Clean Rite Center locations (October 10)
- "Fence Your Best" Film Screening (October 12)
- Learn how to support your health and wellness with Lifestyle Medicine! (October 13)
- City Gate Productions Presents: Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire (October 14)
- Poppenhusen's Fall Festival (October 15)
- Add your event
Other classifieds:
- Behind The Scoreboard — Mini-Pitch Soccer Arrives in Yonkers (Details)
- Add your classified
That's it for today! See you all tomorrow for your next 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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