We are now accepting applications for the NYS Trooper Entrance Exam! Please visit joinstatepolice.ny.gov to learn more members of the Troop F Community Stabilization Unit (CSU) observed a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee traveling westbound on State Route 17 in the town of Mamakating in violation of New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law Troopers initiated a traffic stop and interviewed the operator and sole occupant A subsequent exterior search of the vehicle resulted in a positive alert for narcotics Troopers then conducted a more thorough search of the vehicle Dejesus was placed under arrest and became unresponsive due to medical issues and he was transported to Garnet Health Medical Center for evaluation Dejesus was later discharged from the hospital and transported to State Police Wurtsboro for criminal processing Dejesus was arraigned in Mamakating Town Court on April 13 and remanded to the Sullivan County Jail without bail where he will await future court proceedings Resilient Neighborhoods: Old Howard Beach entered public review on October 19, 2020. View the Department of City Planning Certification presentation City Council adopted the Broad Channel and Hamilton Beach resiliency rezonings which are now in effect Among the recommendations from the Old Howard Beach local zoning actions for each of these communities were identified as priorities for near-term implementation and Old Howard Beach were studied in part because they are among the most vulnerable to flooding in the city These three neighborhoods face flood hazards from storm surges and experience periodic tidal flooding in some parts a condition likely to become more severe over time with projected sea level rise To reduce these flood risks and plan for adaptation over time the rezoning s for these three neighborhoods places limits on new development in these highly vulnerable areas The new zoning for Broad Channel and Hamilton Beach was approved by the City Council on June 21, 2017, and is now in effect. The official zoning text which established a Special Coastal Risk District, and the official zoning maps Proposed zoning for Old Howard Beach entered public review on October 19 Broad Channel was zoned R3-2 with C1 and C2 commercial overlays located in two areas along Cross Bay Boulevard Hamilton Beach was zoned R3-1 with a C1-2 commercial overlay in Coleman Square a commercial node located to the north of the neighborhood These zoning districts were unchanged since 1961 when the current Zoning Resolution was adopted and did not reflect the established building pattern in these two neighborhoods which is predominately detached residential buildings on narrow lots Old Howard Beach is currently zoned R3-1 and R3-2 within the rezoning area which reflects a low-density residential neighborhood the neighborhood’s zoning has remained unchanged since 1961 and does not consider current and future flood risk Limiting future development to detached housing in the majority of the area and semi-detached housing along one block of Huron Street will strengthen the neighborhood against future flooding by providing easier ways to elevate and retrofit existing and future homes and maintain neighborhood character The flood risk in Broad Channel and Hamilton Beach is complicated by the fact that these neighborhoods have extensive shorelines and investing in shoreline protection would be difficult and costly proposed regional investments in coastal infrastructure only address risk from storm surge and will not protect against high tides each neighborhood has limited transportation access options during a storm or flood event making evacuation and emergency access challenging Due to the exceptional flood risk in Broad Channel the adopted land use regulations are intended to limit increases in population while simultaneously allowing individuals to make property investments to safeguard their existing homes and businesses in ways that are consistent with the built context The rezoning seeks to achieve the following objectives: The rezonings for Broad Channel and Hamilton Beach in 2017 and the proposed rezoning for Old Howard Beach reflect the neighborhoods’ exceptional flood risk and its established development patterns Each of the neighborhood rezonings work in tandem with the citywide text amendment Zoning for Coastal Flood Resiliency to provide more flexibility in retrofitting existing homes and constructing new homes to resilient standards The proposed rezoning for Old Howard Beach includes: DCP worked with the communities in Broad Channel and Old Howard Beach to advance rezonings that prevents a substantial increase in population in these vulnerable neighborhoods and promote a detached housing typology that is easier to make flood resistant in order to better protect the neighborhoods against future flooding On October 19, 2020 the Department of City Planning certified the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) application for the Resiliency Rezoning in Old Howard Beach (210133 ZMQ) the public will be able to formally comment on the proposal The public review milestones for Old Howard Beach are shown on DCP’s Zoning Application Portal 2017 the Department of City Planning certified the ULURP applications for the Resiliency Rezonings in Broad Channel (N 170257 ZRQ and C 170256 ZMQ) and Hamilton Beach (N 170267 ZRQ and C 170255 ZMQ) the public had the opportunity to formally comment on the proposal and the City Council Zoning Subcommittee held hearings and issued formal recommendations prior to its adoption by City Council on June 21 For more information contact: ResilientQueens_DL@planning.nyc.gov Items accompanied by this symbol require the free Adobe Acrobat Reader NYC is a trademark and service mark of the City of New York Privacy Policy. Terms of Use.  The streets and homes in Old Howard Beach and Hamilton Beach in Queens flood as much as twice a month during full and new moons An eerie moon often serves as a harbinger of horror in fictional tales but for residents of Old Howard Beach and Hamilton Beach the threat of the moon’s phases is all too real water from the basins that surround the neighborhoods overflow into the streets and the homes of the residential area in South Queens which now can arrive on residents’ doorsteps at least twice a month has gone from an occasional inconvenience to a recurring nightmare lasting days and upending daily life in the waterfront communities on the shores of Jamaica Bay it's become a regular occurrence," Felicia Castaldo According to residents of the neighboring areas in Howard Beach government action to address climate change in the frontline communities has come slow they’ve decided to turn toward one another and have formed a network of flood watchers and responders designed to protect themselves and their neighbors But while their vigilance has staved off major disasters in recent years they worry it may not be enough to keep the flooding which has only gotten more and more frequent Old Howard Beach and Hamilton Beach occupy a unique geographical position established the neighboring communities in 1897 on meadowlands close to the Aqueduct Racetrack The creeks that lead into the bay used to be useful for transportation to Manhattan they channel water into the streets during high tides and natural events like supermoons all increase the threat of floods Following Sandy, the city's Department of City Planning launched a place-based planning initiative to develop tailored solutions with multiple lines of defense against coastal flooding It recommended creating breakwaters and wetlands to reduce wave force as well as seawalls and bulkheads to prevent floodwaters from spreading inland very little work on the recommendations has been completed In addition to the place-based planning initiative the DCP launched an effort to rezone much of the flood-prone neighborhoods in 2020 home and business owners are now able to use flood insurance to help pay for flood-resistant infrastructure projects sealed entrances in a way that prevents water from getting in and causing further damage Residents in Howard Beach have elevated their homes in an effort to prevent damage from frequent flooding in the neighborhood The fixes have only given temporary relief According to a 2016 report Hamilton Beach has been classified as a Special Flood Hazard Area since 2007 – the designation means that the area has a 1 percent or higher chance of flooding in any given year Old Howard Beach was also classified as such residents say that 1 percent chance has become a given Flooding now occurs at least two dozen times per year with each flooding event lasting around four days following the moon’s cycle It’s become a permanent source of suffering residents in the area have devised a number of informal systems to deal with the flooding Many Old Howard Beach and Hamilton Beach residents now prominently display lunar calendars in their homes as a reminder to stay vigilant someone in the neighborhood left their apartment door slightly open the building’s boiler room filled up with tidewater forcing the entire building to be evacuated for two days "Making mistakes these days is not an option,” said Jean Marie a school teacher who lives near the Howard Beach subway station Flooding along 159th Drive in Old Howard Beach Others turn to social media to inform their neighbors in the tightly-knit community about what sort of flooding may be lurking just around the corner Roger Gendron and his wife, Holly Dreiss Gendron, founded a Facebook group called “Hamilton Beach/Howard Beach High Tide Pictures” in 2018 so that residents could post photos of “high tides with times and locations to alert neighbors to the water," Gendron said They begin by collecting meteorological data and residents help each other to decode it if the forecast says the water in Jamaica Bay has risen around 6 feet it might not cause the flood to rise more than 6 inches so there is no need to rush to move the car If the water in the bay is 8 feet or higher Residents say that when the water reaches such heights they stock up on food at home and make sure that their car is parked on an elevated street “The forecast is never certain,” said Castaldo “Sometimes the amount of water rises dangerously due to rain “We constantly find ways to stay safe," she added residents of 159 and 160th Streets had already parked their cars from 102nd Street to the Rambersvill Hawtree Memorial Bridge where the roads are much higher than the water level rusty sedans are still parked on the less-elevated Rambersvill Broadway a reminder of what may happen if someone doesn’t move their car “It is still not very safe,” said Jean Marie whose car was once stolen after parking it on an elevated street in a relatively empty area “I made an arrangement with my neighbors – we not only keep one another informed about the flood but we also keep our eyes on one another's belongings in case they are in danger,” she added The collaborative effort may have made flood adaptation more bearable but residents’ lives still revolve around the tide Efforts made by residents to stay on top of flooding events has mostly prevented any large scale damage from taking place But residents say they’re still waiting for a permanent solution that doesn’t send them scrambling into preparation mode every two weeks “Our neighborhood is in a waiting game while projects that would protect the most vulnerable portion of my community are nowhere in sight,” Roger Gendron said “The ongoing need for comprehensive resilience measures to safeguard the entire Howard Beach community is our biggest concern.” Home / Law / Crime / Politics / Communities / Voices / All Stories / Who We Are / Terms and Conditions These are just a few of the horrific things being found on the beaches near the Joseph P with similar reports in Sunset Cove in Broad Channel Religious animal sacrifices and offerings around Jamaica Bay have been an issue for decades around these areas but as Councilwoman Joann Ariola said at a recent rally after a heavy increase in such activities over the summer “It’s never been worse than it is right now After seeing posts about the horrors shared on Howard Beach and Broad Channel social media pages from residents and rescue groups working hard to combat it Howard Beach resident Angelica Katz and Broad Channel resident Jeanette Tuffy decided to organize a Coalition Against Animal Cruelty Rally on Sunday Broad Channel and Howard Beach residents turned out for the last-minute rally to express their disgust over the recent activities Howard Beach residents started to spot a malnourished live pig around the beaches by the bridge and called in reinforcements to conduct a rescue With combined efforts of animal loving volunteers local rescues Zion’s Mission and Sasha’s Mission the Broad Channel Volunteer Fire Department & Ambulance Corp and rescuer Brucie’s Angels stepped up to care for them tails sliced off and slashes on the pigs’ faces along with respiratory and skin infections Two more pigs were spotted on the beach and rescue efforts were underway But they wound up rescuing three additional pigs These live animal discoveries have been found alongside burn sites religious statues and paraphernalia and more Zion’s Mission attributes what they’re now calling “sacrifice shores” to acts carried out by a “rogue Hindu sect and black magic Santeria.” The right to sacrifice animals for religious reasons was upheld by the U.S Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato and others came together to speak out on the practices and to call for its end “This has been happening in our backyard for too long and we cannot wait around any longer expecting it to stop without taking action,” Katz said “We need to join together and ensure our parks remain safe.”  Tuffy added “Zion’s Mission is dedicated to ending the animal cruelty and animal sacrifices that have plagued our community for too long have been rescuing animals under the Joseph P Addabbo Memorial Bridge and vigilantly monitoring the area for weeks and we do not plan to stop anytime soon,” said Maribel Cosme-Vitagliani Director of Marketing and Community Outreach for Zion’s Mission Animal Rescue Upon getting word about the cruel activities Councilwoman Ariola started working on getting things done Gregory Meeks’ office as he oversees federal issues and these activities have been taking place on federal land these heinous evil crimes are taking place against these vulnerable animals,” Ariola said at the rally This is something I’m committed to.” She called for more police presence from the National Park Service’s U.S more lighting for the areas where this has been happening and cameras in the areas to deter this activity “I’m so disgusted at the behavior of anyone that would take advantage of an animal,” Pheffer Amato said at the rally “This behavior has got to stop.” She also called for more enforcement in the area Park Police being based in Staten Island and covering a large area from Brooklyn to Queens Pheffer Amato also called for more fencing to be added to the areas to deter trespassing “The National Park Service has pledged to deploy mobile lighting units in the area which will potentially deter those seeking to use the cover of darkness for their actions we have also secured a promise of increased Parks Police patrols in the trouble zones We have also spoken with our partners at the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and have gotten a commitment from them to deploy additional Parks Enforcement Patrols to the Sunset Cove area to deter activity there we are also working with the NYPD 100th Precinct to boost patrols to the parking lots on the south side of the Addabbo Bridge where some of these sacrifices have been known to take place.” If anyone sees any animal cruelty activity in federal areas advise Zion’s Mission by sending an email to sloane@zionsmission.org Sunday’s rally was just the start as the coalition hopes to get all interested parties together for a roundtable discussion and more email coalitionagainstanimalcruelty@gmail.com To help the animal rescues aiding in these efforts with vet bills and other costs, donations can be made to Zion’s Mission on their website: www.zionsmission.org and Brucie’s Angels through Venmo: brucies_angels or PayPal: BruciesAngelsInc 7th Inning Stretch To Host ‘Queens Culture Clash’… and website in this browser for the next time I comment independent news source that provides the Rockaways with a unique voice The paper is distributed for free throughout the peninsula and is available online at rockawaytimes.com As a way to help their constituents clear out files and properly dispose of personal papers and Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato are bringing a free paper shredding event to Howard Beach next month paper and documents will be professionally and securely shredded at St located at the corner of 157th Avenue and 84th Street between 12 noon and 2 p.m Attendees can even watch the process through a small window on the shredding truck “With the great success of my previous shredding and recycling events I wanted to give constituents another chance to come and have their personal documents shredded safely and securely,” Addabbo said “It is important to know that your documents with sensitive personal information like social security numbers and account numbers have been properly shredded and recycled.” Items that cannot be shredded during this event include any cardboard There will be a (3) copy box limit on how much can be shredded per person to ensure that all participants have the opportunity to shred their materials "This event is important to the community and continues to provide a safe and free service to dispose of their documents," said Senator Persaud " This prevents instances of fraud and contributes to the reduction of waste in the long term." “Paper shredding events are one of the most sought-after events our constituents ask for,” said Assemblywoman Pheffer Amato “We all accumulate so much paper and documents over the years; and by providing this invaluable resource to our community we are working to make sure that we all have a proper and protected way to dispose of our information.” Former President Donald Trump saw major gains in Queens on Tuesday (map on right) when compared to his 2022 performance (map on left) in his home borough. Maps via Center for Urban Research/CUNY Graduate Center Just as he did across the entirety of the U.S on Tuesday night during his decisive comeback victory former President Donald Trump made major gains in Queens Though Vice President Kamala Harris ultimately won around 68 percent of the vote in Queens Trump gained votes in nearly every election district in the borough Trump performed around 10.5 percentage points better in Queens than he did in 2020 Only the Bronx saw a greater shift in support of the former president in New York City Though Trump’s gains in Queens were not exactly out of step with his performance nationally on Tuesday they are particularly shocking given the borough’s attempts to distance itself over the past eight years from its former resident Trump not only beat out his 2020 totals in areas of Queens he won four years ago but he flipped districts in Queens that voted solidly for President Joe Biden Trump did not win a single election district in Corona all of which are home to large populations of Latino and immigrant voters he won six election districts in the area and made double digit percentage point gains in dozens of others He also made double-digit gains in dozens of districts in Woodhaven where he spent the earliest years of his life Trump additionally saw boosts in areas of Queens he won in 2020 winning them again even more decisively this week He received double-digit increases in Jewish communities in Kew Gardens Hills In Queens’ most consistently conservative areas Howard Beach and the western portion of the Rockaway Peninsula Trump gained anywhere from five to 15 percentage points in most election districts who did not campaign in New York City during the 16 weeks she was officially running for president performed better than Biden’s 2020 campaign in only a handful of districts in Queens Harris won 89 percent of the vote after Biden won around 84 percent of the vote there in 2020 Harris also outperformed Biden’s 2020 results in several election districts in Long Island City all of which saw significant increases in the total number of votes cast there this week when compared to the last presidential race It all amounted to what could be an alarming trend for elected officials in the overwhelmingly Democratic borough or if I were a local official running for office next year I'd be very careful in portions of Queens,” Hank Sheinkopf Whether or not Trump’s gains in Queens grow over the next four years remains unclear The vote totals in even the most conservative parts of Queens – a borough where Democrats outnumber Republicans seven to one – were not enough to push Republicans running for local office over the edge on Tuesday And while Sheinkopf said the shift could play a role in next year’s mayoral contest – which will likely feature a handful of progressive candidates running against an embattled and somewhat conservative Mayor Eric Adams – it’s hard to say whether or not it holds until the presidential election in 2028 “It all depends on the conditions of the four years,” Sheinkopf said “Five minutes in politics is 20 years in anything else.” it’s in Howard Beach but after 50 years in business it’s hard to find someone in Rockaway who hasn’t been to the streets around the iconic seafood and Italian restaurant on Cross Bay Blvd were shut down for a big 50th anniversary bash and a street co-naming made possible by Councilwoman Joann Ariola Councilwoman Ariola joined with a crowd of Howard Beach residents and community leaders on August 10 to celebrate the co-naming of the corner of Cross Bay Boulevard and 161st Avenue as “Lenny’s Clam Bar Way,” recognizing the restaurant’s half-century of service to the area and forever cementing their legacy in the neighborhood “Lenny’s is a place where families have gathered to celebrate their most important milestones for generations,” Councilwoman Ariola said I hope my grandchildren will have their parties there as well It is truly a community landmark for so many people here in the Howard Beach community and it was really an honor to put this street co-naming through City Hall and make it a reality.” The day included the street co-naming ceremony “The event was wonderful,” Lenny’s Clam Bar owner Joe DeCandia said and I believe they were all there with us that day and it was an honor and a privilege to have our legacy here recognized like this My family is looking forward to the next 50 years and my children carrying on the legacy into the future!” Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato also attended the celebration “For 50 years Lenny’s Clam Bar Inc has been a place of fun From seeing friends and neighbors work as waiters and bartenders at Lenny’s to coming to holiday parties and celebrations Lenny’s Clam Bar is an amazing go-to restaurant and staple of the neighborhood Congratulations to the DeCandia family on this historic milestone Lenny’s Clam Bar Way has a nice ring to it!” “Congratulations to Joe and the entire DeCandia Family I am wishing you another 50 years of success!” Lenny’s Clam Bar is located at 161-02 Cross Bay Blvd See Lennysclambar.com for a menu and more info We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at mailbox@qchron.com or call us at 718-205-8000 Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page.