Author: Dan Rose

Hold on tight comic book fans, because these guest will blow the spandex right off of you. BoroughCon is happy to announce a quartet of comic book writers. Mark Mckenna, Tony Beddard, Mike Grell and our Grandmaster Marv Wolfman will be attending BoroughCon at St. John’s University throughout the May 26-29th weekend!

Police arrested a 41-year-old man from Bayside last Thursday night on charges of attempted rape and sex abuse.

Authorities say that on Thursday, March 9, at approximately 4 a.m., Charlie J. Yu entered a beauty salon on 164th Street.

He got into a dispute with a 29-year-old employee and punched her in the face and the body.

Police say Yu then sexually assaulted her and fled the scene. The victim was taken to a local hospital and is in stable condition.

After an preliminary investigation, Yu was arrested and charged on last Thursday at noon with the following:

• Attempted Rape
• Strangulation
• Criminal Sexual Act
• Forcible Touching
• Assault
• Sex Abuse

Voting for participatory budgeting for Council District 19, represented by Councilman Paul Vallone, will begin on Saturday, March 25th and run through Sunday, April 2nd.

In last year’s PB cycle, Vallone allocated nearly $2 million in funding to projects created and developed by community members.

This is the third year Vallone and the communities of Auburndale, Bayside, Bay Terrace, Beechhurst, College Point, Douglaston, Little Neck, Malba, North Flushing and Whitestone will participate.

Residents will be able to vote for up to five projects from a rage of 19 different projects.

“Excitement is building as we prepare to kick off our third Participatory Budgeting voting cycle,” Vallone said. “Participatory budgeting is a great way to get the pulse of the community and see what everyone believes city dollars and resources should be spent on.”

“Last year’s incredibly successful cycle, which garnered the most votes of any Council district in Queens, shows the power and importance of this grassroots fueled process,” he added. “I look forward to announcing this year’s winners.”

Take a look at the full list of voting locations, times and projects in the images above and below.

Authorities have an update on the fatal collision that led to the death of 81-year-old Ping Xie last week.

Police say that the crash, which occurred last Thursday afternoon, happened at the busy intersection of Holly Avenue and Kissena Boulevard.

When EMS arrived, they took Xie, found unconscious and unresponsive, to New York Presbyterian Queens. She later died of her injuries.

A preliminary investigation found that Xie was hit in the crosswalk on Kissena Boulevard by a tow truck. The truck hit her as it made a left turn, authorities say.

Police arrested 81-year-old Frederick J. Alsterberg from 75-14 Woodhaven Boulevard in Glendale. He was charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian, an equipment violation for a windshield tint, and a failure to exercise due care.

An all-way stop is coming to the intersection of 29th Avenue and 146th Street in Flushing.

According to State Senator Tony Avella, that will mean safer crossings for pedestrians and motorists alike.

“I am glad to report that, after asking multiple times, 29th Avenue is getting the additional traffic control that residents have been asking for,” Avella said.

Avella said he first contacted the Department of Transportation (DOT) in November 2014, and asked again in May 2015. Last week, Avella said DOT approved the all-way stop.

It will be installed by the end of March.

“The installation of additional traffic controls goes a long way in improving the safety of our streets,” Avella said. “I am glad I was able to help the residents of 29th Avenue secure this extra safety measure.”

Ru-fi-o, Ru-fi-o, Ru-fi-OOOOOO

Joining what will be the main event of New York’s Memorial Day Weekend 2017 is Dante Basco, one of the most prolific Asian-American actors of our time.

You can buy tickets here.

With a career spanning two-and-a-half decades, Basco is a Hollywood actor who has become a cult favorite as well as a pioneering figure in Asian-American cinema. He was first introduced as Rufio, the Leader of the Lost Boys, in Steven Spielberg’s Hook. He quickly jumped to leading roles in such movies as Take the Lead with Antonio Banderas and The Debut, which became the voice of a Filipino-American generation. Ever versatile, he is the voice of Jake Long in Disney’s animated series American Dragon: Jake Long, as well as Prince Zuko in Nickelodeon’s phenomenal hit Avatar: The Last Airbender.

A San Francisco native, Dante started out breakdancing with his three brothers at the age of 8, calling themselves The Street Freaks. Quickly they became one of the top Bay Area groups, opening for acts like Ice-T and Vanity and performing during half-time for the 49ers and between innings for the A’s.

He moved with his family to Los Angeles in the mid-1980s and, by 16, Basco was fencing against Dustin Hoffman and flying with Robin Williams in Hook. He found success on the small screen as well, appearing on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and recurring roles on Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper and Moesha in the ’90s, then prominent spots on Nash Bridges, Touched by an Angel, and Providence in the early 2000s. More current work includes hit shows such as CSI: Miami, Entourage and Hawaii Five-0.

Basco founded one of the largest weekly poetry venues in the country, “Da Poetry Lounge,” in Los Angeles and his spoken-word art has been shared on Russell Simmons’ Def Poetry Jam. He also writes and produces his own features with his production company Kinetic Films, including Hang Loose, a buddy comedy with YouTube sensation KevJumba, winning the 2012 Los Angeles Asian-Pacific Film Festival Special Jury Prizes for Best Actor and Best Newcomer respectively.

BoroughCon will be held Memorial Day Weekend 2017 at St. John’s University in Queens, New York, from Friday, May 26 through Monday, May 29. A host of top-shelf voice actors, live-action stars, influential comic book artists, professional cosplayers and highly-ranked e-sports athletes will be on hand for the debut of this pop culture expo.

What a scary scenario.

Authorities say that on Monday, February 27, at approximately 3:10 a.m., the man pictured above walked into JD’s Saloon at 208-11 35th Avenue in Bayside.

Once he sat down on the stool, the bartender approaches the would-be customer. But the suspect took out his gun and pointed it at the bartender instead.

The suspect then demanded money from the 35-year-old victim.

The bartender complied, giving him approximately $700 in cash. The scene was caught on surveillance video.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.

The Queens County Young Democrats (QCYD) are hosting a talk on the future of American healthcare on Thursday, March 9th at 7:30 p.m.

The event will be hosted at Clearview Golf Course Clubhouse, located at 202-12 Willets Point Blvd in Bayside.

The keynote speaker is Elizabeth Adams, director of government relations for Planned Parenthood New York City. She will discuss changes to the Affordable Care Act, the future of choice and resisting the Trump administration.

Food and refreshments will be provided.

A 6-year-old boy arrived at school and unpacked his schoolbag to find his mother’s heroin, police sources reported on Monday.

Whitestone mom, Leah Pagano, mistakenly put a box filled with glassine envelopes, pills and straws into her son’s bookbag early Monday morning.

He then arrived at P.S. 209 on Utopia Parkway, Friday at around 8:30 a.m., took the white box out of his bookbag, and showed it to a teacher’s aide, Grace Molina, said the Queens DA.

The authorities were called and Pagano was summoned to the school, where she was arrested.

“I am the only one who prepares my son’s school bag and lunch. I use heroin. I do not shoot it, but I snort it. I could not find my box with heroin inside,” Pagano told police.