Uncategorized – Page 35 – The Aqueduct Blog

August 20, 2015

Rockaway Community draws a line in the sand

Community activist groups rallied in Rockaway on Sunday to protest Port Ambrose, a proposed marine port for importing liquified natural gas (LNG) located 19 miles off the coast of New York City. Protestors drew a symbolic line in the sand, asking Governor Andrew Cuomo to veto the proposed port.

“Whether we look at the proposed LNG as an environmentally dangerous project, a safety and security risk, or a project with no benefit to my constituents or true need for a liquid natural gas offshore facility at this time, this project should be stopped in its tracks and not be approved,” State Senator Joseph Addabbo, who attended the rally, said.

Assemblyman Paul Goldfeder and 52 other state legislators sent a letter to Cuomo urging him to kill the project.

“The proposed Port Ambrose LNG project is simply not worth the risk to our families and to the beaches and waterways vital to our economic growth,” Goldfeder said. “Bringing unstable LNG to Rockaway’s shores would jeopardize the safety of thousands of families, pollute our fragile marine environment, and threaten nearby JFK Airport.”

Read the full story in the Leader-Observer

August 18, 2015August 18, 2015

Resorts World Casino adds electronic blackjack machines

Last week, Resorts World Casino revealed 60 electronic blackjack machines to its casino.

While the casino already offers electronic table games like roulette and craps, it’s the first time that a New York racetrack casino has been allowed to offer games of skill such as blackjack and poker. In an effort to boost that state’s revenue, and especially assist in state education aid, casinos such as the ones in Yonkers, Saratoga Springs and Monticello have all been given the green light to use the electronic games by Governor Cuomo.

To play, an attractive female dealer on the screen will lead the game. Those playing will choose whether to hit or stand using a touchscreen.

In addition to the 60 current tables, the casino will add 300 more blackjack machines by the fall.

August 13, 2015

Lumidee & Dean Scala

Tomorrow night, polar-opposite musical acts Dean Scala and Lumidee will be performing at Resorts World Casino.

From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., listen to Dean Scala’s brilliant guitar riffs in his return to Queens. Lumidee will follow Dean Scala at 11 p.m. The artist is most known for her hit “Never Leave You (Uh Oooh, Uh Oooh).”

Resorts World Casino is locate at 110-00 Rockaway Boulevard in South Ozone Park.

August 4, 2015

Far Rockaway Aqua 101 Youth Program is making waves

On Friday, July 31, the Rockaway Waterfront Alliance was presented with a $5,000 check from the Aviation Development Council (ADC) that will go towards their new partnership program, Aqua 101 Youth Program. The education and leadership development program for Rockaway’s youth came about through dialogue with airline board members of ADC and the community affairs office of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Throughout the program, students from local middle schools and high schools will learn how they can protect the local environment with visits from renowned environmental scientists and educators. Students will also tackle environmental conservation work by conducting shoreline clean-ups on Jamaica Bay as well as restoring a natural dune barrier.

“Rockaway Waterfront Alliance is grateful to Aviation Development Council for supporting our summer youth program this year,”said Executive Director Jeanne DuPont. “Their support allows us to serve local youth who have not had previous experience connecting to the natural environment to discover the valuable waterfront resources and the environment of the Rockaway Peninsula, while enjoying opportunities to take part in swimming, surfing and kayaking directly off the Rockaway shoreline.”

July 30, 2015

Residents to protest South Ozone Park juvenile detention center again

Residents in South Ozone Park are planning yet another protest in response to the ACS’ juvenile detention center in the area.

The state’s Close to Home program moves 18 juveniles in upstate facilities back down to the city in order to have them closer to their families.

A group of residents, named the Committee to Stop the Prison in South Ozone Park, is hosting the protest. They will rally on Saturday at the parking lot of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, located on 133-25 128 Street.

“When our government infringes into our way of life, our freedom and our prosperity, we need to stand together and honorably fight for our rights,” a flier for the protest states.

Recently, the center was audited by city comptroller Scott Stringer. The contract was rejected last month but ACS resent the contract to Stringer’s office on July 13.

July 29, 2015

Man wanted for beating up and stealing car from security guard at Resorts World

Another day, another crime at Resorts World Casino.

Around 7 p.m. on Saturday night, a man attacked a 66-year-old security guard outside of the casino. During the attack, the security guard dropped the keys to his 2008 Lexus. The attacker stole the keys and took off in the vehicle.

The guard was taken to a local hospital where he was treated for a broken eye socket and a broken nose.

The suspect is approximately 6 feet tall and bald. Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS.

July 24, 2015

Ozone Park strip mall gets new businesses

Ozone Park’s new strip mall, located on Cross Bay Boulevard between Albert Road and North Conduit Avenue, is now in business. Some stores have already opened up shop while others will be opening soon.

The site had previously sat vacant for over a decade. Permits for the strip mall were finalized in March 2014 and construction began shortly after. Currently, there are a few businesses, such as Empire J Nail Spa (formerly Nail Tek, which was further down Cross Bay Boulevard but now closed), Nadia Rima and CKO Kickboxing that are opened.

TruBurger, Dunkin Donuts, a Verizon Wireless storefront, a sushi restaurant are all coming to the mall as well, although there is no specific completion date for any of the businesses.

July 22, 2015

Few homes still reporting power loss after heat wave

After Monday’s sweltering heat, some homes in Queens are still without power.

Homes in Staten Island, Queens and Brooklyn either lost power or had to live with reduced power as temperatures rose to nearly 100 degrees. Eight percent, close to 138,000, of Con Edison’s customers within the neighborhoods of Broad Channel, Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Lindenwood, Richmond Hill, South Ozone Park, Kew Gardens and Woodhaven were affected. Most have regained full power.

On Wednesday, however, some homes near the Aqueduct Racetrack have still reported no lights in their homes. Restoration is estimated to occur within the early afternoon between 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

You can check service restoration status at www.conEd.com or by calling 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633).

July 7, 2015

Early Morning Fire in Ozone Park Injures 7

An early morning fire broke out in Ozone Park, injuring five residents and two firefighters.

Officials said the fire began around 3:17 a.m. at 103-28 105th Street. The fire erupted on a deck and proceeded to spread throughout the first floor of a two-story private home. A neighbor banged on the door to wake the residents of the home and then called 911. At about 3:25 a.m., the blaze escalated to a second alarm. Firefighters managed to control the fire around 4:27 a.m.

The five residents were taken to North Shore University Hospital for minor injuries. One of the two injured firefighters was also taken to the hospital.

The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined.

July 2, 2015

Ozone Park church lit on fire days before closing down

Someone torched a soon-to-be-closed Lutheran Church in Ozone Park this week.

Early Monday morning, around 2 a.m., an arsonist broke into Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church at 85-15 101st Avenue and lit a fire within the church’s community center. While working a double shift, Nathaniel Rodriguez, the custodian, noticed something amiss when he was across the street taking trash out. When he returned to the church, he saw that the hallway’s linoleum floors were charred and the gas burners in the kitchen had been turned on. A can of Easy-Off was on top of the stove, which shows that the arsonist wanted to create more chaos.

The arsonist used old church records to start the fire, some records going back as far as 1884. Church offices were also ransacked.

Church council president John Naudus couldn’t believe the amount of historical records, such as wedding and funeral information, that could have been destroyed.

“It’s a real kick in the teeth,” Naudus said.

The church closed its doors this week. In the future, they are planning to join with St. Luke’s Luthern Church in Woodhaven and St. Philip Evangelical Church in Brooklyn to form one mega church, All Saints Lutheran Church.

“Maybe someone didn’t like the fact we were closing,” said Rodriguez.