Author: Dan Rose

Congresswoman Grace Meng will host the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs regularly at her Flushing office, 40-13 159th Street, corner of Northern Boulevard, to provide her constituents services without having to travel.

Through the program, a representitive from the VA will be available once a month to meet with local veterans to address issues or concerns about benefits or services.

“I am very excited to partner with the VA on this important initiative,” said Meng. “Now, local veterans will not be forced to hike to a VA facility in order to receive help or information about their benefits or claims. It will be a great convenience to area veterans and I’m proud to offer it. In the wake of Veterans Day, we are once again reminded about the tremendous debt of gratitude we owe to those who served in the armed forces. We can never thank them enough for their service and sacrifice to this great nation. I urge all my constituents who are veterans to take advantage of these special VA office hours.”

Constituents must make an appointment four days in advance. Contact the office at 718-358-MENG.

 

On Monday afternoon, an 11-year-old crossing Willets Point Boulevard and 148th Street in Whitestone was hit by a car, according to authorities.

Police say that he was hit at around 3 p.m. by a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by a 60-year-old woman.

EMS responded to the scene and took the boy to Elmhurst General Hospital, where he is in critical condition.

The NYPD Collision Investigation Squad is now on scene and investigating. No arrests have been made.

Chucks fans in Queens will soon have an option right in their borough.

Converse announced that it is coming to SkyView Center in Flushing on Thursday, November 17.

At 3,850 square feet, the store will be located next to Adidas on Level D. During its grand opening next week, Converse will offer a complementary navy duffel bag to its first 50 in-store customers.

“The addition of Converse certainly compliments our outlet store offering” said Sarah Chen, marketing manager at The Shops at SkyView. “We look forward to the renowned and classic brand not only enjoying a terrific grand opening but a successful debut as we head into the holiday shopping season and beyond.”

Converse joins other retailers like Nike, Target, Forever 21, Uniqlo and Nordstrom Rack at SkyView.

Last week, Assemblywoman Nily Rozic and the Citizens Committee for New York City hosted a free reusable bag giveaway at Selfhelp Benjamin Rosenthal Senior Center in Flushing.

According to Rozic, the giveaway was done as part of efforts to encourage reusable bag usage and raise awareness about a new city law that will place a 5-cent charge on single-use plastic and paper bags.

The law is set to take effect on February 15, 2017.

“With plastic waste posting a greater risk, today’s giveaway in Flushing with the help of Citizens Committee will positively impact our community,” said Rozic, who is on the Assembly’s Committee on Environmental Conservation. “It is important that we inform Queens residents about the various green initiatives available to help our environment and our economy.”

Under the plastic bag law, the 5-cent charge will be kept by store owners. Purchases made using SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as Food Stamps) or WIC (Women, Infants and Children) are exempt. Purchases at restaurants, liquor stores and food pantries are also exempt.

It’s a scary world out there.

Police say that at noon yesterday, a man entered the Flushing Bank at 44-43 Kissena Boulevard and robbed the bank.

He approached a bank teller and passed him a note demanding money. The teller complied, and the robber left with an unknown amount of cash.

The suspect is last seen here wearing a green and pray plaid jacket, black sneakers, a gray hoodie and a black hat.

Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS or submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM.

State Senator Tony Avella was honored by Italian Charities of America as their “Man of the Year” for 2016 last Sunday.

The award was given at their 80th annual Dinner Dance celebration.

The charity gave the senator the plaque recognizing his “dedication to his constituents” and his work in the State Senate, along with “fostering unity and understanding among all nationalities and for serving the Italian American community.”

Aver said he was humbled to be named “Man of the Year.”

“Two of the things I am most proud of are my work to fight for my constituents and my Italian heritage,” Avella said. “To be honored by my fellow Italians for my dedication to my constituents makes this moment that much sweeter.”

A Flushing man is accused of depriving the state in over $200,000 in cigarette tax revenue by selling untaxed cigarettes, the Queens County District Attorney’s Office says.

“Smokers may see untaxed cigarettes as a bargain, but it cheats everyone – other taxpayers and those who use state-funded programs that depend on tax revenue,” District Attorney Richard Brown said. “Cigarette smuggling to evade sales taxes is a multimillion dollar industry. It is a highly profitable tax-free, cash business for those involved. And the victims are taxpayers who must dig deeper into their pockets and pay higher taxes because of these kinds of schemes.”

According to Brown, Baocheng Zhang, a 33-year-old Flushing man, was observed on Monday, October 17 at 9:20 a.m. loading 22 cases of cigarettes into a Toyota Sienna, parked in front of 42-06 Bell Boulevard in Bayside. A warrant was issued and the subsequent search yielded 1,047 cartons of untaxed cigarettes.

Police also executed search warrants on storage units on College Point Boulevard, ultimately recovering an additional 2,152 cartons of cigarettes.

Zhang faces charges of second- and third-degree attempted grand larceny and violation of the New York State cigarette and tobacco products tax law. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison.

A car struck a pedestrian at the intersection of Prince Street and Northern Boulevard on Sunday evening, leading to the death of the 79-year-old victim.

Police say that at approximately 6 p.m., authorities responded to a call about the collision. When they arrived, cops found an unconscious and unresponsive 79-year-old man.

EMS arrived and took him to New York Hospital Queens, where he then succumbed to his injuries.

The intersection is particularly busy and filled with cars because it leads straight to the highway.

A preliminary police investigation revealed that the pedestrian tried to cross Northern Boulevard street against the traffic light. He was hit by a 2016 Ford Explorer that was also crossing Northern.

The driver remained at the scene of the incident.

The NYPD’s Highway Patrol Collision Investigation Squad is conducting an ongoing investigation.

Authorities say they will release the victim’s name after proper notification to his next of kin.

Starting today, restaurants all across Bayside are raising money to support critically ill and injured children at St. Mary’s Hospital for Children.

The weeklong event features nine local restaurants that have agreed to donate a portion of their profits to the hospital.

“Families come to St. Mary’s in search of the best care possible, which we are proud to provide every single day,” said St. Mary’s CEO Eddie Simpser. “Every dollar raised this week will go toward critical care for children with special needs.”

Here’s the schedule of restaurants that will be donating parts of their profits this week:

• Monday, October 17: Pizzeria Uno and Fiamma 41
• Tuesday, October 18: Terrace Diner and Bourbon Street
• Wednesday, October 19: Palazzo and Kalamaki GR
• Thursday, October 20: Yogurt Couture and Monahan & Fitzgerald
• Friday, October 21: Trattoria 35

For more information about St. Mary’s Week, contact Victoria Falcone at vfalcone@stmaryskids.org.

It’s a nightmare scenario for anyone, but especially those who work early in the morning.

Police say that on Sunday, October 16, at approximately 6:22 a.m., a 51-year-old woman was walking to work along Horace Harding Expressway, near 60-07 168th Street, when an unknown man approached her from behind.

The man, pictured to the left, immediately placed her in a chokehold, which caused her to momentarily lose consciousness.

He threw her to the ground and “sexually assaulted her,” according to police.

Reports say she continued on to work and called her son, who reported the incident to authorities.

The suspect then got into his dark-colored 4-door began and fled westbound on Horace Harding.

Police say there are no arrests yet and the incident’s being investigated by the NYPD’s Queens Special Victims Squad.

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 submit their tips by logging onto the Crime stoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM.