“We are hearing testimony about a lack of ridership on MTA buses, but I think the real problem here might be a lack of PAID ridership,” City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) said this week.
City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (ROzone Park) lambasted the Metropolitan Transportation Authority on Monday as the agency’s leader testified before the council’s Transportation and Public Safety committees.
Ariola unleashed a series of tweets responding to remarks regarding fare beating made by MTA President of Subway and Bus Systems Richard Davey.
“We are hearing testimony about a lack of ridership on MTA buses, but I
think the real problem here might be a lack of PAID ridership,” she wrote. “The MTA is talking about placing gate guards in subway stations but what about the buses? Anyone who’s ridden a bus lately can tell you that people just aren’t paying their fares. Lack of payment means the MTA thinks ridership is down—something reflected in new bus route drafts.
“MTA President Richard Davey just said during City Hall testimony that 30-percent of bus riders are not paying their fares. Even this number seems low. Clearly, more enforcement needs to be
done here,” Ariola added. “This seems like a problem to me.”
The councilwoman ended her thread with a question for the embattled agency.
“Hey MTA just so I understand correctly, we are paying 200 subway security guards a total of $1M per month - that
breaks down to $5K per guard per month. An annual salary of $60K. An MTA cop’s starting salary is $44K. Wouldn’t we be better off just hiring more police?” Ariola asked.
Davey said that the agency could lose as much as $500 million in revenue due to fare evasion this year.
Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-Howard Beach) last week emphatically announced “democracy wins!” after State Supreme Court Judge Joseph Risi ruled in her favor, ordering the City Board of Elections to count 94 absentee ballots and four affidavit ballots the board had mistakenly declared invalid.
“Due to the close margin, the race is already subject to an ongoing man -
datory hand recount,” a Pheffer Amato press release noted. Assemblymember Pheffer Amato currently leads by seven votes overall with almost 60 percent of the ballots recounted.”
Not so fast, challenger Tom Sullivan said, and appealed Risi’s decision.
“Stacey Pheffer Amato is engaged in the same hardball legal tactics and smoke screens that have led to both Democrats and Republicans being disgusted with the electoral process,” Sullivan wrote in his own press re -
lease issued Monday. “In the appellate case, Pheffer Amato is suing to admit invalid mail-in ballots because she perceives them to work in her favor. In YET ANOTHER separate case to be heard this Thursday, she is suing to readmit additional ballots that were disqualified in the bipartisan hand recount.”
All eyes will be on Queens Supreme Court in Jamaica on Thursday, Dec. 15, for the Court’s decision to determine the validity of the ballots.
City Councilwoman Joann Ariola (ROzone Park) wrote in an op-ed in the Rockaway Point News that she believes that Sullivan will emerge victorious, “and that [Sullivan] will be sworn in as the NYS Assembly Representative for the 23rd District. I have every ounce of faith that our justice system, however flawed it may be, will rectify this misstep by the Queens Supreme Court. If not, I fear we may be descending down a slippery slope of double standards and injustice that we as a nation may never return from.”
Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing) on Tuesday continued to call on the United States Postal Service (USPS) to do more to combat the theft of mail from green relay boxes in Queens.
In July, Meng wrote to the district manager who oversees postal operations in Queens calling for the Postal Service to address the problem. Although some changes were recently made, Meng said she wants to see them expanded, and in a follow-up letter to District Manager Frank Calabrese, called for additional steps be taken. They include:
• Reducing the amount of time that mail is left in relay boxes to lower the chances of thieves stealing the envelopes inside;
• Installing more locks on relay boxes including all that are located in Meng’s congressional district; and
• Notifying the public – specifically those impacted – when mail in relay boxes has been stolen.
“Unfortunately, mail theft has been a growing problem in my district over the past year,” Meng said. “Constituents need to know that their mail, property and information is safe, and that is why the security of these relay boxes is so important. I’m glad that improvements were made for Queens residents following the letter I sent earlier this year. However, these upgrades must be expanded to help stop this continued theft of mail. I look forward to working with USPS to help make sure that borough residents no longer worry about their mail’s security.”
Meng’s letter also highlights that mail theft has drastic consequences for
letter carriers who deliver our mail. Letter carriers are frequently targeted, sometimes violently, by mail thieves, and this wave of thefts from relay boxes threatens their physical safety as well as the crucial service they provide to the public.
“Combating this crime not only protects the public’s interests but protects the brave letter carriers who are on the frontline of this crisis, and I thank Congresswoman Meng for taking the lead on tackling this issue,” said Tony Paolillo, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers Flushing Branch 294, which represents postal workers throughout the borough. “For these men and women to have targets on their backs simply because of the mail they are trying to deliver is unacceptable. These letter carriers risked their lives in service to our communities through the COVID-19 pandemic, and they deserve to be protected. Every effort should be made to fully protect the letter carriers and the mail they deliver.”
The familiar dark green relay boxes are used to store mail and are located next to many of the blue collection boxes throughout NYC.
Meng’s missives come after the Postal Service retrofitted blue collection boxes in Queens with mail slots after she urged the agency to do so. She made the request in 2018 to combat the problem of “mail fishing” in the borough which is when criminals place string connected to a sticky material into the collection boxes and “fish” out the envelopes. The narrower slots make it more difficult for thieves to steal the mail that is inside, Meng noted.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Wednesday that Jason Bical has been sentenced to five to 15 years in prison for aggravated vehicular manslaughter after pleading guilty last month to striking and killing a 63-year-old motorist on the Belt Parkway while under the influence of cocaine, marijuana and alcohol in December 2020.
According to court records, at about 12:45 a.m. on Dec. 9, 2020, Bical, 36, was driving a white 2017 Chevrolet Malibu, registered to his family-owned business, Bical Chevrolet of Valley Stream. The defendant was speeding westbound on the Belt Parkway near 131st Street at 92 mph when he struck the victim, Taher Ali Hassan, also of Brooklyn. Hassan was rushed to a local hospital with severe head trauma and later died.
DA Katz said Bical’s blood alcohol level was .174 – twice the legal limit. Further toxicology results showed that the defendant also had signi cant amounts of both cocaine and marijuana in his system at the time of the crash. Two plastic bags containing cocaine were recovered from the center console of the defendant’s car. e Crash Data Recorder recovered from Bical’s vehicle revealed that he was driving 92 mph just ve seconds before striking the victim. e posted speed limit on the Belt Parkway is 50 mph.
Bical was the Service Department manager at Bical Auto Mall in Brooklyn at the time of the incident.
“ is defendant admi ed he was driving at almost double the speed limit while intoxicated with drugs and alcohol. He already had two prior Driving While Ability Impaired by Alcohol convictions from Brooklyn and should never have been behind the wheel. Neither his admission nor his sentence will return the life that was lost,” Katz said.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Monday that a Long Island man has been indicted by a grand jury after U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents stopped his car in Hollis last month and allegedly found two kilos of fentanyl in the trunk.
Dennis Carrol, 31, was arraigned on Monday on a three-count indictment charging him with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the first degree and two counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree.
The District Attorney’s Major Narcotics Unit of the Major Economic Crimes Bureau, in conjunction with the DEA’s New York Division, conducted an investigation utilizing court-authorized surveillance of the defendant’s activities during the month of November.
Based on the intelligence gathered, DEA agents conducted a car stop at 188th Street in Hollis as Carrol was driving along Hillside Avenue on Nov. 28 at approximately 3:30 p.m. A search of the vehicle turned up two plastic bags containing roughly two kilograms of fentanyl, with a street value of $80,000; enough to produce approximately 20,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills. A recent bulletin from the DEA indicated that in 2022, six out of ten counterfeit pills contained a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.
DEA Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division Frank Tarentino said, “Fentanyl is the most dangerous illicit drug on the street today and it presents the most serious threat to public health and safety in
the United States. In 2021, 107,622 Americans died from drug poisonings and over 66 percent are directly related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Seizures like this demonstrate DEA’s dedication and commitment to working with our law enforcement colleagues to bring to justice those who continue to flood our city streets with poison. I applaud the work of DEA New York Division Group D-41, with assistance provided by the NY/NJ Port Authority Police Department, the New York Strike Force Financial Investigation Team, along with our strong partnership with the Queens District Attorney’s Office.”
Katz said there have been 315 suspected fatal overdose cases across Queens County so far in 2022, an estimated 50-percent increase from the same time last year. An overwhelming majority of these deaths, approximately 76.3 percent, have been attributed to fentanyl.
“Overdose fatalities are up more than 50 percent in Queens this year and three of every four of those deaths are attributed to fentanyl and fentanyl derivatives. That is why this case is important and why my office will continue to work relentlessly to get this poison and its merchants off of our streets,” Katz said. “I am proud of the work of my Major Economic Crimes team in this case. And I would like to thank our partners at the DEA for their help, as well as their commitment to keeping our communities safe.”
Carrol is accused of transporting the narcotics from Suffolk County to Queens for the purpose of selling the drugs for profit. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison.
It may be easy to overlook the cautious side of going on vacation and at this time of the year when so many people are jetting o –hopefully to some tropical relaxation spot—your local pharmacist can be of great help in assuring you make the most out of your vacation time. Follow these simple tips and travel without complication—especially if you’re travelling out of the country or to a destination with a di erent climate and/or geographical changes, many things can occur and you de nitely want to be prepared for them.
First of all, ask your pharmacist what you’ll need to include in order to have a travel kit that can address the issues that arrive most commonly while on vacation. at list would surely include–sunscreen, painkillers, antiseptic, insect repellent and anti-diarrhea pills. No ma er what, these will be useful.
We’ve spoken to you about skin cancer in this column before, and when travelling, the sun exposure that we are accustomed to on a daily basis, is di erent than that of our travel destinations.
Extra care must be exercised following these general rules is strongly advised in order to protect yourself from the sun:
• Spend time in the shade between 11am & 3 pm.
• Don’t get burned.
R.Ph• Cover up with a T-shirt, hat and sunglasses.
• Use factor 15 or more sunscreen.
• See your doctor about any changes to moles or any unusual skin growths.
• When taking care of children’s skin-plain and simple-- cover them up and keep them in the shade.
When travelling for a long period of time without moving, you may have concerns about deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition that can occur in your legs and thighs when immobile for extended periods and lead to blood clots. Although instances of DVT are fairly rare, they have the potential to be fatal.
Follow these preventative measures to help alleviate concern:
To exercise your calf and foot muscles in ight
• Every 1/2 hour or so, bend and straighten your legs, feet and toes while seated.
• Avoid pu ing bags under the seat in front of you and recline when possible.
• To increase the blood ow in the legs press the balls of your feet down hard against the oor or foot rest
• Walk up and down the aisle frequently
For your family’s prescription needs, please call CROSS BAY CHEMIST at 718-659-9500 or 718-880-1644 157-02 Cross Bay Blvd. in Howard Beach: Mon-Fri 9am-9pm. Sat-Sun 9am-7pm. or 96-05 101st Ave. in Ozone Park: Mon-Sat 9am-7pm. Sunday: Closed.
National Grid has begun to notify residents of 101st Avenue between 91st and 92nd streets in Ozone Park of a long-term infrastructure project that will a ect daily life and may snarl tra c in the area.
e utility will soon start the process of installing a new gas main on the block, a project that is expected to take three months to complete.
According to National Grid, area residents should expect: temporary disruption of street parking; excavation of the street and installation of new natural gas main; upgrade or replacement of customers’ individual gas service lines; relocation of gas meters outside of the home or business per state requirements (no charge); temporary and then permanent restoration of disturbed streets and sidewalks per State Department of Transportation speci cations.
Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday released the “NYC Speaks Action Plan” — created in partnership with civic and community leaders — outlining policy goals for ve issue areas that are priorities for New Yorkers: Housing and public safety, youth mental health, community spaces, jobs in high-growth sectors, and civic engagement. NYC Speaks is a public-private partnership led by Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Sheena Wright, working alongside various philanthropic partners, community leaders, and civic institutions to inform the priorities and policies of the Adams administration.
e Action Plan is the result of a yearlong public-private partnership. Over 80 members of the Civic Policy Councils — representing a diverse cross-section of New Yorkers — collaborated on the research and outreach strategies for the initiative. Policy council members led the development of the NYC Speaks survey questions, which captured more than 62,000 responses, totaling 3 million data points, from New Yorkers across every residential ZIP code. ese e orts included outreach support from the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), the New York City Department of Education (DOE), the New York City Department of Veterans A airs, the New York City Department of Probation, the New York City Mayor’s Public Engage-
ment Unit, the New York Public Library, the Queens Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library, and the Civic Engagement Commission. Notably, the NYC Youth Speaks Survey was formulated and shared with the
help develop tangible actions. A total of 50 community-based organizations received micro-grants to bring conversations to their communities, and 30 young people also joined the initiative as youth ambassadors
and Brown residents, seniors, those impacted by the criminal justice system, people living with disabilities, women, and the LGBTQIA+ community.
e Action Plan contains ve key “North Stars” — foundational policy goals for New York City along with initial commitments from city government. e North Stars reect the collective vision of New Yorkers and of the Adams administration to create a fairer, more equitable city for all, Adams noted.
North Star #1: Formerly incarcerated New Yorkers will have the support and resources they need to succeed when they return home.
North Star #2: New York City public school students have access to culturally competent mental health resources.
North Star #3: Historically disinvested neighborhoods will be prioritized for capital investments in community and recreation spaces that support social, economic, and climate resilience.
support of the DOE to young people across New York City with more than 18,400 youth participating.
Following the results of the quantitative data, NYC Speaks launched community conversations to bring the survey data back to communities to interpret and
and led conversations in their community. In total, NYC Speaks facilitated 220+ community conversations that convened in eight languages with 4,800 residents. e events were hosted online and in-person in all ve boroughs, and served populations that have been historically marginalized, such as Black
North Star #4: Young New Yorkers and residents in environmental justice communities will have access to green career pathways created by city-led decarbonization and resilience e orts.
North Star #5: New York City’s government will be transformed into a national model of collaborative, inclusive, and accountable governance that strengthens democracy, expands civic engagement, and enhances civic trust.
Mayor Eric Adams on Tuesday took efforts to streamline the city’s civic engagement e orts by establishing the city’s rstever O ce of Engagement and appointing Betsy MacLean as its chief engagement ofcer. e chief engagement o cer will ensure that the city coordinates community engagement e orts across agencies, systematically learns from communities to inform policy and programs, builds the capacity of all city agency outreach and engagement teams, and advances community-driven solutions. In addition to leading the O ce of Engagement, MacLean will oversee the city’s primary engagement o ces: the Community A airs Unit (CAU), the Civic Engagement Commission (CEC), the Public Engagement Unit (PEU), and NYC Service.
“Community engagement is a core pillar of this administration. We are commi ed to ensuring that New Yorkers have the tools they need to be er engage with government and access its bene ts, but to also do it in a more streamlined, simple-to-use manner,” Adams said. “ e newly created O ce of Engagement will ensure that we continue to collaborate, coordinate, and prioritize engagement across all agencies and that New Yorkers have a say in our policies, priorities, and resources. ere is no be er person to lead this e ort than Betsy MacLean. Betsy
chaired our Civic Engagement Commi ee during the transition and has had a groundbreaking career in community development for over 20 years. Once again, I have an all-star team of ve women leading the charge with Betsy, Sarah, Laura, Adrienne, and Kathleen, and working alongside Fred Kreizman at CAU — all heading up our city’s engagement e orts. Together, we will continue to ‘Get Stu Done’ and engage
New Yorkers in new and creative ways.”
To maximize the opportunities for New Yorkers to work hand-in-hand with government, Mayor Adams also made these key appointments and reappointments:
• Kathleen Daniel, chief democracy
• Dr. Sarah Sayeed, chair and executive director, CEC
ese ve appointments/reappointments will work hand-in-hand with CAU Commissioner Fred Kreizman.
o cer, CEC
• Adrienne Lever, executive director, PEU
• Laura Rog, NYC chief service of-
“I believe that democracy is a team sport,” said New York City Chief Engagement O cer Betsy MacLean. “I’m grateful to the mayor for the opportunity to work together with city agencies, communitybased organizations, small businesses, and New Yorkers themselves to create the kind of civic infrastructure that will enable every New Yorker to have a say in all of the systems that shape our lives — from housing to jobs, schools to transportation, health care to parks. From my decades of experience working with residents throughout our city and beyond, I know that community engagement is not a photo op or a box to check; it is deep partnership, consensus building, power sharing, and paradigm shi ing. And when we do it right, this kind of inclusive democracy builds community power, brings us closer together, and results in be er policies and be er outcomes. What a thrill to work alongside these inspired engagement leaders to expand our de nition of civic engagement beyond elections, increase opportunities for government to work together with communities and amplify the voices of our neighbors.”
“We are commi ed to ensuring that New Yorkers have the tools they need to be er engage with government and access its bene ts, but to also do it in a more streamlined, simple-to-use manner,” Mayor Adams said.
Queens District A orney Melinda Katz announced on Monday the indictment of Jabari Burrell, 22, for the stabbing deaths of his grandmother and two other relatives in their Spring eld Gardens home last month.
Burrell, a Brooklyn resident, was arraigned on an eight-count indictment charging him with three counts of murder in the rst and second degree, grand larceny in the fourth degree and criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.
According to the indictment, on Thursday, Nov. 17, Burrell visited the residence of his grandmother and two aunts near the intersection of 182nd Street and 146th Drive in Springfield Gardens. On Nov. 18, at approximately 9 a.m., a relative and a health aide entered the residence and discovered Latoya Gordon, 47, lying dead on the floor of a bedroom with multiple stab wounds to her body. In another bedroom, 25-year-old Patrice Johnson was discovered lying dead in her medical bed, with 65-year-old Hyacinth
Brown-Johnson lying dead nearby on the floor, both of whom were also stabbed multiple times. After the brutal attacks on his aunts and grandmother, Burrell allegedly fled the scene in his grandmother’s minivan.
Investigators later recovered bloodstained knives from the bathroom, the kitchen sink and from a kitchen drawer. Knives were additionally discovered in Gordon’s bedroom and the living room.
At approximately 2 p.m. on Nov. 19, Virginia State Police arrested Burrell in Ms.
Johnson’s van on the side of Interstate 95 in Prince George County, Virginia.
“This is a heartbreaking tragedy,” Katz said. “The defendant is alleged to have turned on three family members who had opened their home to him, his grandmother and two aunts, one of whom was disabled by cerebral palsy. They were defenseless against his brutal rage. He fled but was extradited and will now face justice.”
If convicted, Burrell faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Mayor Eric Adams and City Schools
Chancellor David Banks on Tuesday announced an expansion of early childhood education special-education seats across the ve boroughs, in partnership with community-based providers, that will provide an early childhood education specialeducation seat for every child living with a disability by the spring of 2023. Previously, the early childhood education system did not have a strategic or intentional focus on serving young children living with disabilities and their families. rough a citywide contract enhancement process, New York City public schools is addressing this historic inequity by expanding the number of seats reserved for students living with disabilities across early childhood education and increasing pay for educators and providers.
“For far too long, children with disabilities and their families have been overlooked by a system that was not built with them in mind. Our vision for early childhood education sees all children,” said Banks. “My team has particularly been focused on young children living with disabilities. We are deeply commi ed to establishing early childhood education that works for all New York City families — a truly accessible, high-quality, and sustainable program that equitably serves our children living with
disabilities. Bright starts begin at birth, and I am proud that Deputy Chancellor Dr. Ahmed and the Division of Early Childhood Education are dedicated to creating a truly inclusive early childhood system that will set our children up for success for gen-
their unique needs as soon as they enter the classroom. To ensure that early childhood education programs are prepared to meet the needs of the city’s most vulnerable children, the rst set of special education contract enhancements will be implemented
will be stabilized by the contract enhancement process.
Additionally, special education contract enhancements will:
• Earmark $130 million for early childhood education special education providers over two years;
• Align early childhood education special education programs with the city’s 3-K and pre-K general education programs by extending the school day from ve hours to six hours and 20 minutes and providing extended care and learning for children and support for working families;
• Extend general early childhood education site supports such as professional development opportunities to early childhood education special education providers;
• Increase access to services in the least restrictive environment by enabling providers to o er special class in an Integrated Se ing (SCIS) classrooms;
• Establish funding to help programs recruit, train, and retain sta to support special education seats across the early childhood education landscape;
erations to come.”
As part of Banks' long-term vision to reimagine early childhood education and special-education programming in City public schools, it is vital that all children have access to educators and resources that meet
across 65 provider contracts. As part of this process, approximately 3,000 seats across the sector will bene t, including 400 new seats to meet needs. By this spring, an additional 400 new seats will be added for a total of 800 new seats, and additional seats
• Allocate funds for teacher and sta salaries in accordance with new services and lengthened school days; and
• Bring increased pay and pay parity to teaching sta in special education programs to match that of their peers in general education in 3-K and pre-K.
e Mayor’s O ce of Public Engagement (PEU), Department of Finance (DOF), and Department for the Aging (NYC Aging) have launched a week of action as part of an ongoing outreach strategy to connect city residents to NYC rent freeze and homeowner tax exemption programs. New Yorkers who are 62 years or older or have a disability may qualify to freeze their rent. Homeowner tax exemption season is also here. New Yorkers who are 65 years or older or have a disability may qualify for a tax exemption if they own a home.
ere are currently thousands of New Yorkers who qualify for these money-saving programs but are not enrolled. Largely due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 saw a decrease in rent freeze program enrollments. Additionally, the deadline to apply or renew for many homeowner tax exemptions is coming up on March 15, including the Senior Citizen Homeowners’ Exemption (SCHE), the Disabled Homeowners’ Exemption (DHE), and several others found at nyc.gov/site/ nance/bene ts/landlords. page. As part of this e ort to increase enrollments, sta from PEU and DOF will be in older adult centers located in underserved communities providing one-on-one support,
as well as conducting targeted phone outreach to alert New Yorkers of these bene ts. e earlier New Yorkers enroll in these programs, the more money they can save.
• Call 929-252-7242 to connect with the NYC Public Engagement Unit’s Hotline.
• Call 311 and say “Rent Freeze” to connect with the Department of Finance.
and homeowner tax exemptions. PEU’s Rent Freeze team will screen New Yorkers for eligibility, provide information about the programs and schedule follow-ups for inperson and phone assistance for submission of applications and documents at older adult centers.
PEU and DOF sta will also be in-person at adult centers to continue to support residents following the week of action to provide support to older New Yorkers in applying for the rent freeze and property tax break programs, including Jan. 5 and Jan. 19, 10:303:30 at JASA Brookdale Village Older Adult Center, 131 Beach 19th St., Far Rockaway.
e City has many resources available to help New York’s renters and owners with this process, including helplines and in-person opportunities.
Eligible New Yorkers can get free, oneon-one support to enroll in NYC’s rent freeze and homeowner tax exemption programs in the following ways:
• Call NYC Aging Connect at 212-AGING-NY (212-244-6469) or go to one of the 300+ NYC Aging a liated older adult centers.
As part of the week of action, the Mayor’s O ce of Public Engagement will do targeted text outreach to thousands of older New Yorkers to let them know about rent freeze
“A ordable housing is critical in helping older adults age in their communities, amongst friends and family. Rent Freeze programs like SCRIE and DRIE help eligible New Yorkers stay in their homes and avoid being displaced by rent increases they can’t a ord. Lamentably, many people who qualify for these programs don’t enroll,” said Department for the Aging Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez. “ e city is here to help ensure everyone who is eligible applies. ere are over 300 older adult centers across the city, where older New Yorkers can get guidance and support in the Rent Freeze application process. Visit your local center and enroll today.”
first degree, attempted rape in the first degree, assault in the second degree, strangulation in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree, attempted sexual abuse in the first degree, grand larceny in the fourth degree, criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree and two counts of menacing in the second degree.
By Forum StaffQueens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Wednesday that an East Elmhurst man has been indicted by a grand jury on charges stemming from an armed home invasion in July in Jamaica.
Michael Rispers, 36, was arraigned Tuesday on a 13-count indictment charging him with two counts of burglary in the first degree, two counts of robbery in the
According to the charges, on July 25, at approximately 8:20 am, Rispers, a convicted sex offender, allegedly unlawfully entered a home on 144th Place in Jamaica, walked into the bedroom of a 58-year-old female resident, and proceeded to punch and strangle her while demanding money. The criminal complaint stipulates that the defendant brandished a sharp metal object and, during the struggle that ensued, inflicted lacerations to the victim’s arms.
Rispers then allegedly threw the woman down, unzipped his pants, and attempted to forcibly remove items of her clothing.
Katz said a male family member heard the victim’s screams and kicked in the door, interrupting the attack. Court records show that the defendant threatened the man with a sharp metal object and
demanded money. Rispers then allegedly proceeded to grab a wallet from the bedroom of a third family member before fleeing.
The defendant was apprehended by police near the home shortly after the incident. A wallet containing the third victim’s identification, cash and credit cards was recovered from Rispers at the time of arrest.
There is no indication that the defen -
dant knew any of the victims prior to the attack.
“The reign of terror allegedly perpetrated by this defendant will not go unanswered. We fully expect to be safe in our own homes. That sense of security was violated for the three occupants of the home allegedly assaulted by the defendant, who faces a lengthy prison term if convicted.”
If convicted, Rispers faces up to 25 years in prison.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Tuesday that two men have been indicted and arraigned on murder and attempted murder charges for their roles in a shootout this summer in Brookville that killed a 19-year-old Springfield Gardens man.
Dariel Herrera, 30, of Brooklyn, was arraigned Monday on an indictment charging him with murder in the second degree, attempted murder in the second degree, two counts of criminal
possession of a weapon in the second degree and assault in the second degree.
Zandrae Ennis, 22, of St. Albans, was arraigned last Thursday on an indictment charging him with attempted murder in the second degree, two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and reckless endangerment in the first degree.
According to the charges, on Aug. 7, at approximately 6 p.m., Herrera was driving a BMW he had rented two days earlier when he encountered four in -
dividuals, including Tysheem McDonald, 19, near the intersection of 148th Avenue and 231st Street in Brookville. The defendant allegedly pointed a pistol and fired several shots at the men, striking two of them, including McDonald, who was struck in the chest and later died at a nearby hospital. Another victim was struck in the leg. The other two men, including Ennis, drove away on 231st Street in a Honda. From inside the car, Ennis pointed a pistol and fired several shots at Herrera, according to the indictment.
“The only way to describe this incident is to say that it was as mindless and reckless as it was tragic,” Katz said. “These arrests and indictments send the message that law enforcement will not put up with this kind of dangerous lawlessness.”
If convicted, Herrera faces 25 years to life in prison. If convicted, Ennis could be sentenced to 25 years in prison.
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Middle Village Enterprises, LLC, Arts of Org. led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 10/13/2022. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Eric Faulkner, 6430 69th Pl., Middle Village, NY 11379. General Purpose
49 NORTHERN BLVD. LLC. Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 09/30/22. O ce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it maybe served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 91-10Metropolitan Avenue, Rego Park,NY 11374. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
AHAA Management LLC, Arts of Org. led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 8/24/2022. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Aaron Ivatorov, 211 Beach 148th St., Neponsit, NY 11694. General Purpose
e Kidz Campus LLC, Arts of Org. led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 10/27/2022. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 134-01 89th Ave., 2nd Fl., Richmond Hill, NY 11418. General Purpose
W & C PLAZA LLC led Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 09/27/2022. O ce located in Queens County. SSNY has been designated for service of process and shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC to 10867 Roosevelt Ave Corona, NY 11368. Purpose: any lawful act.
B HARRIS CONSULTING LLC Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 10/26/2022. O ce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: BRYAN HARRIS, 6861 YELLOWSTONE BLVD, APT 615, FOREST HILLS, NY 11375, USA.. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
Notice of formation of CONNEXION 8 LLC. Arts of Org led with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/3/22. Ofce location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of process against LLC to: 77 Bowery, 6th Fl., NY, NY 10002. Purpose: any lawful act..
MATERNAL HEALTH COACHING LLC led w/ SSNY on 10/10/22. O ce: Queens Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: THE LLC, 118-35 QUEENS BLVD, SUITE 400, FOREST HILLS, NY,11375 USAPurpose: any lawful..
SOLO BUDIN LLC Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 11/21/22. Ofce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the SOLO BUDIN, 3505 28TH ST. Basement, Astoria, NY 11106, USA. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
GLAZED BY A. MARIE, LLC Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 01/17/2020. O ce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: ANN COATES, 135-35 243RD STREET, ROSEDALE, NY 11422 Purpose: ANY
WALLFLOWER MU L COMPANY LLC led Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 11/06/2022. O ce located in Queens County. SSNY has been designated for service of process and shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC to WALLFLOWER MU L COMPANY, 83-35 139TH STREET, #3N, BRIARWOOD, NY, 11435, USA. Purpose: any lawful act.
Flushing 162 LLC filed w/ SSNY on 9/29/22. O ce: Queens Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: P.O. Box 610026, Bayside, NY 11361. Purpose: any lawful..
CLARUS HOLDINGS LLC. Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 10/03/22. O ce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, c/o S & E Azriliant P.C., 501 Fi h Avenue, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10017. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
135 MCCZ LLC, Arts of Org. led SSNY 09/22/22. O ce: Queens Co. SSNY designated agent of LLC upon whom process may be served & mail to c/o Michael A. Capasso, 54-08 Vernon Blvd., Queens, NY 11101. General purpose..
Seeds Mental Health Counseling PLLC, Arts of Org. led with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 11/30/2022. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to 67-04 Myrtle Ave., PMB 1564, Glendale, NY 11385. Purpose: Mental Health Counseling
Linden Villa Group LLC led w/ SSNY on 8/25/22. O ce: Queens Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: 33-35 Farrington St., #3A, Flushing, NY 11354. Purpose: any lawful.
Notice of Formation of 6801 NORTHERN LLC Arts. of Org. led with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/02/22. O ce location: Queens County. Princ. o ce of LLC: c/o Citizens Development Co., 111-15 Queens Blvd., Forest Hills, NY 11375. SSNY designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. o ce. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
HOSSEN MEDICAL CARE OF NY PLLC, a Prof. LLC. Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 11/17/2022. Ofce loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: e PLLC, 132-12 85th St., Ozone Park, NY 11417. Purpose: To Practice e Profession Of Medicine.
31-46 35TH STREET LLC. Arts. of Org. led with the SSNY on 11/16/22. O ce: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent of the LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 61-22 231st Street, Bayside, NY 11364. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
DREAMSWORL RENTAL LLC led w/ SSNY on 11/30/22. O ce: Queens Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: THE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, 414 BEACH 30TH STREET, FAR ROCWAY, NY, 11691, USA. Purpose: any lawful.
Area 8 LLC filed w/ SSNY 9/26/22 O . in Queens Co. SSNY desig. as agt. of LLC whom process may be served & shall mail process to the LLC, 239-60 Oak Park Dr, Douglaston, NY 11362. e reg. agt. is United States Corporation Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Ave, Ste. 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Any lawful purpose.
