samhexum Posted January 11 Author Posted January 11 NYC will add new red light cameras at 450 intersections before end of year: DOT – amNewYork WWW.AMNY.COM The city Department of Transportation (DOT) will be activating 250 new red light cameras at intersections across the Big Apple over the next... Horse racing in New York set for dramatic change in 2026 with opening of new Belmont Park, closing of Aqueduct this summer – amNewYork WWW.AMNY.COM The new year promises to be a monumental one for horse racing in New York — with the opening of a reimagined Belmont Park and the closing of... Brief lesson on the rise of a Long Island City art mecca: Our Neighborhood, The Way it Was – QNS QNS.COM Located at 22-25 Jackson Ave., P.S. 1 currently serves as an annex to the Museum of Modern Art, showcasing all kinds of contemporary exhibits...
samhexum Posted January 12 Author Posted January 12 Your guide to the newest culinary adventures in Queens QNS.COM From a bubble tea shop to a long-awaited Colombian restaurant, here are the latest places to explore for your next culinary adventure in...
samhexum Posted January 13 Author Posted January 13 After taking office this month, Council Member Phil Wong announced his office is partnering with the NYPD Transportation Bureau to address transit safety and “quality-of-life” concerns, such as illegal parking. According to 311 statistics compiled by the State Comptroller’s office, illegal parking has been one of the top three complaints within District 30 for years now, with residents reporting an uptick in the behavior following the COVID-19 pandemic. Wong stated he would address the issue throughout his time on the campaign trail and met with traffic enforcement officials Jan. 12 to begin the work of fulfilling the promise. Wong met with Transportation Bureau Chief Olufunmilola “Lola” Obe and Deputy Chief Brian O’Sullivan to discuss how best to approach the law-breaking on the majority residential streets of Maspeth, Middle Village and Glendale. The bureau plans on working with local precincts and citywide traffic units to lay the groundwork for targeted responses regarding the vehicles in District 30 and the rest of the city. In 2025, the 104th Precinct alone towed close to 1,000 cars, with plenty more in the jurisdiction of both the 110th and 112th Precincts. Wong noted that the agency and police will put emphasis on targeting RVs parked long-term on residential streets, trucks parking overnight and the many auto-body shops and tow companies that use public streets to store cars. On Jan. 11, Wong posted on Facebook showing several derelict cars, both abandoned and stored out front by the auto-body shops, being towed in coordination with the 104th Precinct.
samhexum Posted January 15 Author Posted January 15 Two lifelong friends from France saw a childhood dream come to fruition with the opening of Le Petit Paris, a bakery and café serving treats like hand-rolled croissants and freshly made pastries, including their signature “Flankie,” made with a chocolate chip cookie crust and topped with vanilla flan. The bakery, located at 81-45 Lefferts Blvd. in Kew Gardens, opened at the end of last month in the same building where the German and Polish deli, Homestead Gourmet Shop, stood for nearly 80 years. The shop has since been reimagined as an expansive space with French music playing in the background and cozy tables, perfect for grabbing a rose latte or a sandwich on a warm baguette. In the few weeks since the bakery has opened, customers have really gravitated towards some of their classic items, like their croissants, made with fresh butter from France and handrolled each morning; however, their Flankie, a fusion of a chocolate chip cookie and flan, has quickly become a fan favorite for its delicious and unique concept, blending American and French sweets. “Our signature pastry is our Flankie,” said Le Mezec. “It has a chocolate chip cookie dough crust and a vanilla pastry on the inside. We also have a pistachio flavor for a weekend special, but I would say it’s the product that really represents us-you can find this one only here.” Other pastries to explore when visiting the shop include the Kouign Amann, made with croissant-style dough and baked with butter and sugar for a caramelized finish, and the mixed berry tart, prepared on a croissant shell and filled with vanilla pastry cream and fresh fruits, such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries. Le Petit Paris opens in the former Homestead Gourmet Space QNS.COM Two lifelong friends from France saw a childhood dream come to fruition with the opening of Le Petit Paris, a bakery and café serving treats like... cany10011 1
samhexum Posted January 22 Author Posted January 22 Where to eat in Queens for NYC Restaurant Week QNS.COM Mid-winter in just got a lot less bleak with the start of NYC Restaurant Week from Jan. 20 to Feb. 12, including an array of restaurants in...
samhexum Posted January 29 Author Posted January 29 https://qns.com/2026/01/new-sopranos-exhibit-set-to-open-in-astoria/ Inside ‘The Sopranos’: New MoMI exhibit features iconic sets and rare scripts
samhexum Posted February 3 Author Posted February 3 https://qns.com/2026/02/chain-businesses-common-jackson-heights/ Chain businesses becoming increasingly common in Jackson Heights
+ Lucky Posted February 3 Posted February 3 Corrupt lawyers in Queens? Why has the OP not told us about this? I am shocked! From the nytimes.com: A luxury penthouse apartment, with polished stone countertops and stunning views of the New York City skyline, would seem like an odd expense for a public defender organization whose clients are poor defendants who cannot afford to hire a lawyer. But Lori Zeno, the founder of the public defender organization Queens Defenders, paid to rent a luxury apartment and many other things, federal prosecutors said, with stolen public money. Ms. Zeno and her romantic partner, Rashad Ruhani, used more than $300,000 of the organization’s funds on indulgences like a vacation to Bali, teeth-whitening procedures and repairs to a Mercedes-Benz, according to federal prosecutors in Brooklyn. On Tuesday, in Federal District Court in Brooklyn, Ms. Zeno, 65, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud conspiracy. Before being arrested, Ms. Zeno said, she had sought treatment for mental health issues and alcoholism. Mr. Ruhani has maintained his innocence, while a third defendant in the case, Kimberly Osorio, was charged in October with lying to federal investigators. “It’s a very sad moment,” said Steven Legon, a lawyer for Ms. Zeno, whom he called a “very accomplished attorney,” after the proceeding. Ms. Zeno is set to be sentenced on April 20. Russell Noble, an assistant U.S. attorney, said the government would seek a prison term of four to five years for Ms. Zeno. The case unearthed a disturbing level of graft, particularly for the leader of an organization that represents the city’s most vulnerable residents. The Queens Defenders, which Ms. Zeno helped found in 1996, is one of a number of nonprofits that are paid through city, state and federal contracts to represent defendants who cannot afford to hire a lawyer. Joseph Nocella Jr., the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, said in a statement that Ms. Zeno “brazenly betrayed and abused her position of trust as the director of a nonprofit.” Ms. Zeno became the organization’s executive director in 2018, earning about $400,000 a year to lead the organization. She was fired in January 2025 after the organization said it discovered “several irregularities” from an independent forensic audit. After Ms. Zeno was fired, the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice announced it would reassign the services behind the organization’s annual contract, worth $32 million, to the Brooklyn Defenders, another public defender organization in New York City. “Queens Defenders is under new leadership and focused on our work to serve the people of the borough,” Mike Scala, the president of the Queens Defenders board of directors, said in a statement. Some people who worked with Ms. Zeno at the Queens Defenders have described her as a tyrant who bullied racial minorities and women. In a separate federal lawsuit filed in 2024, Ms. Zeno and the organization were accused of racial discrimination and retaliation by three former employees. Ms. Zeno, according to the lawsuit and former employees, routinely berated and belittled staff at the organization’s office in Far Rockaway, Queens, imposing a culture of fear. She once told her staff that she would “eviscerate” and sue a lawyer who went on maternity leave and did not return to the organization, according to court papers. Beginning in 2024, prosecutors said, Ms. Zeno and Mr. Ruhani began a romantic relationship and drew on the organization’s funds to embark on a wild spending spree. They spent thousands on luxury items from Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus and Ralph Lauren. More than $39,000 was spent on rent for the penthouse, prosecutors said, along with DoorDash deliveries and an 85-inch television. “They were not, in fact, business expenses,” Ms. Zeno said in court on Tuesday. In addition to the theft of funds, prosecutors said, Ms. Zeno hired relatives and friends of Mr. Ruhani for jobs in which they did no work. One of the people Ms. Zeno hired was Mr. Ruhani’s wife, who despite living in Saudi Arabia, was paid $60,000 to lead a nonexistent health and wellness program at Queens Defenders. Santul Nerkar is a Times reporter covering federal courts in Brooklyn.
samhexum Posted February 7 Author Posted February 7 Marking 100 years since ‘The Radio Burglar’ fatally shot NYC patrolman in Woodhaven https://qns.com/2026/02/100-years-radio-burglar-shot-patrolman-woodhaven/ Nearly a century later, Patrolman Kenney has not been forgotten. In 2024, at the request of the Newtown Historical Society, the corner of 80th Street and 90th Avenue was co-named in his honor, ensuring that his sacrifice would be remembered.
samhexum Posted February 11 Author Posted February 11 The Diocese of Brooklyn announced Wednesday that seven Catholic schools will be closing in June, including six in Queens, at the end of the 2025-2026 school year. Ongoing financial challenges and sustained enrollment declines were cited as the main factors leading to the decision to close these elementary schools. The schools were determined to suffer from these challenges after an extensive review process analyzing enrollment trends, operating costs, capital repair needs and long-term sustainability, considering rising costs of insurance and pension obligations. “This is an extraordinarily difficult moment for our school communities,” Diocese Superintendent of Schools Deacon Kevin McCormack said. “These schools have served generations of families with dedication and faith. The decision to close them was made only after careful consideration and with great sorrow.” The seven schools that will close at the end of the school year include six in Queens: Sacred Heart Catholic Academy in Cambria Heights, St. Bartholomew Catholic Academy in Elmhurst, St. Nicholas of Tolentine Catholic Academy in Jamaica, Incarnation Catholic Academy in Queens Village, St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Academy in Woodhaven and St. Elizabeth Catholic Academy in Ozone Park.
samhexum Posted February 12 Author Posted February 12 https://qns.com/2026/02/fairview-residents-heat-outage/ ‘I don’t feel safe in this building’: Fairview co-op residents left in the cold for 16 days amid heat outage The building where the grand central and LIE meet... I delivered the NY Post there when I was in college.
samhexum Posted Friday at 03:48 PM Author Posted Friday at 03:48 PM A cozy Filipino cafe serving creamy Ube lattes and honey-calamansi chicken poppers just opened in Elmhurst in the space where Pata Cafe, a local Thai gem, stood for a decade before permanently closing. Bukas Cafe, located at 56-14 Van Horn St., has transformed from a no-frills Thai restaurant with authentic dishes to an intimate cafe that feels like visiting family for coffee and good conversation, filled with books, lush plants, and serene jade walls. As customers walk in, they’re greeted warmly by owners Anna Javier and Angel Carreon, despite the morning rush, as they take orders, prepare drinks, and dishes inspired by Filipino recipes with a modern twist, letting everyone in on the delicious flavors they have to offer. The pair had previously lived in the Philippines and planned to move back there and open a cafe, but the opportunity to open one here came up when Pata Cafe closed, and it seemed like the right decision to open in Queens. Together, the couple have always loved creating new recipes to share with one another and finding recipes online that seem unique and fun to try. They named the cafe ‘Bukas,’ which has two meanings in Filipino, “tomorrow” and “open.” Presently, the cafe has a small food menu with selections like Poprito, chicken poppers with adobo aioli dip, or tossed with honey calamansi or Filipino-style buffalo, as well as the Adobo Jalapeno Melt, made with a choice of chicken or pork adobo flakes, mozzarella, pickled onion and jalapeno on sourdough with adobo aioli dip. The Pimiento Melt is another option: a house-made pimiento spread with a five-cheese blend on sourdough, served with a condensed milk dip on the side. Presently, the cafe is open Wednesday through Sunday until 4 or 5 p.m., but eventually, they would like to expand to late-night hours and offer a dinner menu with food and drink for a low-lit, cozy space to get dinner and meet with friends. “We want people to truly experience Bukas, not only in the morning,” said Carreon. Bukas Cafe is open Wednesdays 7 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursdays to Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. as well as Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To learn more, follow them at @bukas.cafe.
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