The State Cannabis Control Board on Monday approved the first Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary Licenses— including six to Queens organizations.
Those borough groups are: Gabbys Green LLC; CGG Enterpris es Inc.; Suzanne M Furboter; Anthony Crapanzano; Urban Weeds LLC - Urban Upbound; Kush & Kemet LLC - LIFE CAMPS.
The Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dis pensary (CAURD) license is a central pil lar of the New York State Seeding Opportu nity Initiative. Through the Initiative, New York’s first legal adult-use retail dispensa ries will be operated by those most impact ed by the enforcement of the prohibition of cannabis or nonprofit organizations whose services include support for the formerly incarcerated. These dispensaries will be making the first legal adult-use sales with cannabis products grown by New York Farmers.
The Office of Cannabis Management received over 900 applications for CAURD licenses. At Monday’s meeting, the board approved 36 provisional licensees, includ ing 28 qualifying individuals and eight nonprofit CAURD applicants. At least one CAURD license was granted in each avail able region of the state.
As part of the Seeding Opportunity Initiative, individuals who are awarded CAURD licenses will receive support from the Social Equity Cannabis Investment Fund. Up to 175 licenses will be granted in total: as many as 150 to individual appli cants and up to 25 to nonprofit applicants. Going forward, licenses applications will be sent to the Board for its consideration on a rolling basis. To be eligible, applicants were required to either have had a canna bis conviction themselves, or be the fam ily member of someone who has, and have owned a profitable business. Nonprofits were eligible if they had a history of serving current or formerly incarcerated individu als, including creating vocational oppor tunities for them; have at least one justice involved board member; at least five full time employees; and have operated a social enterprise that had net assets or profit for at least two years. Over the last 30 years, Black New Yorkers were 15 times more likely to be arrested for cannabis than white New Yorkers. For Latinos, it was eight times more likely. Accordingly, the majority of the license awardees announced on Mon day are people of color.
Board Also Voted to Advance AdultUse Cannabis Regulations Package to Pub lic Comment
The regulations, a comprehensive adult-use regulation package, outline the rules licensees must follow when conduct ing cannabis operations in New York State. The regulations are designed to promote public health and safety, establish an equi table, consumer-driven adult-use cannabis
market and build on the initial program regulations advanced earlier this spring. Collectively, the regulations establish a market architecture where independent, small business can thrive. The regulations create a framework grounded in canna bis public health best practices, including keeping cannabis products out of the hands of youth, establishing product quality and safety guidelines, outlining employee train ing standards, and defining business secu
on the supply side, you cannot also hold any interest in a retail business. This key principle of the law creates opportunity, opens up the market, and will help estab lish a diverse and equitable industry. To learn more about these tiers and proposed license types, view this release shared by the Office of Cannabis Management on Thursday, November 17. The regulations also outline criteria for identifying social and economic equity market participants
ing procedures to ensure products are safe for consumption. In June 2022, the Canna bis Control Board voted to issue proposed regulations for the packaging, labeling, marketing, and advertising of adult-use cannabis products as well those for labora tory permitting, oversight and testing. Pub lic comment closed on August 15, 2022. Over 700 comments were received on packaging, labeling, marketing and adver tising regulations, and the regulations were revised as a result. Revisions will: 1. Create more flexibility for licensees to build their brands while maintaining robust public health standards. 2. Allow additional use of images, branding, and graphics in cannabis product packaging and labeling, includ ing through special branding material. 3. Strengthen sustainability efforts by allow ing licensees to conduct redemption pro grams as part of an approved sustainability plan. Over 50 comments were received on the laboratory regulations, and revisions include, but are not limited to clarification of proficiency test provider, ownership and state reference laboratory requirements. Emergency laboratory regulations filed in August were extended to March 14, 2023. Without the extension they would have ex pired next month.
Board Approves an Additional 16 Adult-Use Conditional Cultivators, 8 Adult-Use Conditional Processors, and 3 Laboratory
rity requirements to protect public safety. These regulations will also incentivize sustainable craft cannabis operations that protect against harmful energy intensive or wasteful practices.
The package outlines: 1. The applica tion and license selection and renewal process, 2. The role municipalities play in regulating cannabis businesses, 3. Key so cial and economic equity program provi sions including identification and prioriti zation, 4. Environmental and sustainability standards, 5. Ownership and true party of interest prohibitions, 6. General business operating requirements including security, record keeping, and transportation.
The proposed regulations will be filed for a 60-day public comment period. Com ments can be filed by emailing regula tions@ocm.ny.gov. New York is building the most accessible and inclusive canna bis market in the world, and these regula tions will help ensure this industry offers a chance for independent operators to suc ceed. Central to this success is New York’s consumer-focused two-tiered market structure established by the state’s cannabis law, the Marijuana Regulation and Taxa tion Act. The structure, similar to the struc ture of the alcohol industry in New York, separates supply (cultivation, processing, distribution) from retail. The regulations include prohibitions on individuals having an interest in businesses across tiers. Essen tially, if you operate or invest in a business
and detail targeted opportunities for mi nority and women-owned businesses, ser vice-disabled veteran-owned businesses, and distressed farmers as well as individu als from communities that were dispropor tionately impacted by the disproportionate enforcement of cannabis prohibition. New York’s Cannabis Law prioritizes Social & Economic Equity by support ing the following (5) Social & Economic Groups (SEE Groups): • Individuals from a community disproportionately impacted (CDI) by the enforcement of cannabis prohibition • Minority-owned businesses • Women-owned businesses • Distressed farmers • Service-disabled veterans Board Advances Revised Regulations on Packaging and Labeling & Marketing and Advertising, and Laboratories to Pub lic Comment Period
The Cannabis Control Board also voted to advance regulations for packaging, label ing, marketing, advertising, and laboratory permitting, oversight and testing of adultuse cannabis to a final public comment. The regulations will undergo a 45-day pub lic comment period anticipated to begin on December 7, 2022 and end on January 23, 2023. The regulations are designed to help protect public health and reduce waste. They include requirements for childresistant packaging and labeling that iden tifies products as containing cannabis with THC, limiting marketing to adult-only au diences, and the rules for establishing test
The Cannabis Control Board approved an additional 16 Adult-use Cannabis Conditional Cultivator Licenses, growing the total number of approved Adult-Use Cannabis Conditional Cultivator Licens es to 277. The approval of 8 Adult-Use Cannabis Conditional Processor Licens es raises the total issued by the Board to 33, and the approval of three laboratory permits brings the total to seven. To be eligible for a conditional cultivator li cense, farmers must have been authorized to grow hemp under the Department of Agriculture and Markets Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Program through legisla tion signed by Gov. Hochul in February 2022. Under the same law, to be eligible, conditional processors must hold a Can nabinoid Hemp Processor License issued by the Office of Cannabis Management and have applied for the license prior to January 1, 2022. The deadline to submit an application for a conditional cultivator license was June 30, 2022. T he applica tion deadline for a conditional processor license was August 31, 2022. The Board also approved permits for three indepen dent laboratories, which are a critical part of New York’s equity-first supply chain, helping to bring safer cannabis products onto the shelves of New York’s first adultuse cannabis retail dispensaries. The three laboratory permits approved today are for: • Biotrax Testing Laboratory Inc. (Erie County) • Kaycha NY LLC (Albany County) • Keystone State Testing, LLC (Broome County).
means
build a ‘City of Yes,’” Mayor Adams said.
By Forum StaffMayor Eric Adams recently unveiled his administration’s vision for the next phase of the transformation of the Willets Point community.
Through a new partnership with 2021 Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup champi ons New York City Football Club (NYCFC) and Queens Development Group (QDG) — a joint venture of Related Companies and Sterling Equities — Willets Point will be anchored by 2,500 new affordable homes, the largest 100-percent affordable, new construction housing project in New York City in 40 years, which will be constructed on an accelerated timeline. Developed in close partnership with City Councilman Francisco Moya, Queens Borough Presi dent Donovan Richards, and community members, Adams’ said his plan will also bring the Big Apple’s first soccer-specific stadium to Willets Point along with over 40,000 square feet of public open space, a 250-key hotel and neighborhood-serving, ground-floor retail shops that will create good-paying jobs for community residents.
The plan will bring significant longterm economic opportunity to a communi ty that has long been underserved, Adams added. The entire project is expected to generate $6.1 billion in economic impact over the next 30 years, creating 1,550 per manent jobs and 14,200 construction jobs. With the creation of a new soccer stadium, Willets Point will become the city’s pre mier sports hub, with the New York Mets’ Citi Field and U.S. Tennis Association Bil lie Jean King National Tennis Center both also within walking distance of the MTA’s Mets-Willets Point subway and LIRR sta tion.
“We have a once-in-a-generation oppor tunity to create a brand-new neighborhood, a Willets Point that offers real opportunity for working people and all New Yorkers,” said Adams. “Our plan will deliver 2,500
affordable homes — New York City’s larg est fully affordable housing project in de cades. And with a fully privately financed soccer stadium, a hotel, and local retail, we will create not only homes but also quality jobs, $6 billion in economic activity, and a true pathway to the middle class. This is what it means to build a ‘City of Yes.’”
NYCFC plans to construct the privately financed, 25,000-seat soccer stadium with union labor, aiming to open it in 2027 — following the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup™ that New York and New Jersey will help host. The new stadium will make New York City a national soccer capital, laying the groundwork for the next chapter in NYCFC and MLS’ history. This stadium represents a major opportunity to capital ize on professional soccer as a growing at traction that can bring investment and eco nomic opportunities to New York City, as well as grow love of the sport to more New Yorkers.
The 2,500, 100-percent affordable homes will cover seven buildings — includ ing one with 220 homes for low-income seniors — with construction on the first buildings set to begin in 2023, one year ahead of the original timeline. Addition ally, QDG will participate in HireNYC, a city program that connects local residents to jobs. They will seek to achieve the high est standards of environmental sustainabil ity through either LEED Gold U.S. Green Building Council certification or Enter prise Green Communities.
The Phase 2 plan builds on Phase 1 of the city’s development in the community, which includes the first 1,100 of the 2,500 total affordable homes as well as a new 650-seat standalone public school, new public open space, and significant infra structure investment. QDG has undertak en significant remediation of the formerly contaminated soil on the Willets Point site, allowing construction of the first afford able homes to begin early.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Thursday that Adrian Harry, 28, has been sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for stabbing two people af ter an argument over a parking spot outside of a South Richmond Hill lounge in December 2017. Immediately following the altercation, Harry got into his vehicle and intentionally drove into a crowd of pedestrians—strik ing five people and fatally running over his friend, Katz added.
Harry, of Arverne, was convicted last month of mur der in the second degree, three counts of attempted mur der in the second degree, three counts of assault in the first degree and related charges before Queens Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant. Pandit-Durant im posed the sentence of 25 years to life in prison for the murder charge to run concurrently with sentences of 25 years in prison for each of the attempted murder charges, and 15 years in prison to be served consecutively to the attempted murder sentences with a cumulative sentence of 40 years to life in prison.
In the early morning hours of Sunday, Dec. 3, 2017, Harry was parking his white 2016 Hyundai Sonata in front of XS Hookah Café on Liberty Avenue near 127th Street when he allegedly tapped the bumper of the white BMW parked directly behind him. Although it is alleged that Harry caused no damage to the bumper, two men inside the BMW exited the vehicle and confronted Har ry. During the subsequent altercation, Harry allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed one of the men in the torso and the other in the abdomen.
“During the ensuing dispute, involving a group of people who were outside the lounge, the white Hyundai
sedan then drove from the scene and mounted the side walk approximately half a block away at 128th street. Six individuals were struck by the vehicle, resulting in one fa tality. All of the other victims are hospitalized,” said thenAsst. Chief David Barrere, former NYPD commanding officer of Patrol Borough Queens South.
Richardo Chattergoon, 23, reportedly a friend of Harry, was pronounced dead at the scene. According to then-Queens DA Richard Brown, five other victims were transported to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center. Two of them were placed in intensive care—one victim suffered bleeding on the brain and was placed in a medicallyinduced coma; the other suffered a fractured pelvis and
trauma to the frontal lobe causing a brain bleed that re quired surgery.
Despite massive damage to the vehicle, Harry fled the location in the same car that struck the victims. He was ultimately identified when one of the victims saw him at Jamaica Hospital where he sought treatment for a cut on his finger sustained during the initial altercation.
Brown noted that the incident allegedly was ignited by a petty parking dispute.
“What allegedly began as a minor tapping of fend ers turned into a deadly pre-dawn horror show that left a young man dead and others seriously injured,” Brown added. “The crimes alleged here are beyond senseless…”
The City Council on Tuesday ap proved the land use applications in Queens and Brooklyn that will collec tively produce over 5,000 new units of housing, 65 percent of which will be affordable. Over 1,900 of the hous ing units (over 37 percent) would be deeply affordable for extremely or very low-income households. The projects are Innovation QNS in Asto ria, and Innovative Urban Village in East New York, Brooklyn.
“As our city grapples with a hous ing crisis that threatens communities, the Council has advanced major proj ects that provide tens of thousands of affordable homes to New Yorkers,” said City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. “With today’s approval of In novation QNS and Innovative Urban Village, we are delivering affordable housing and unprecedented public benefits for the residents of Brook lyn, Queens, and the entire city. These projects affirm the Council’s deep commitment to confronting the city’s housing shortage by securing safe, stable, and affordable homes for New Yorkers. We will continue to in vest in solutions to the greatest chal lenges facing our communities and work together to ensure residents can thrive in our city.”
Innovation Queens: Applications by Kaufman Astoria Bedrock I LLC and Silverstein Astoria Member LLC for rezoning from M1-1 and C4-2A to a special mixed-use district (MX24) consisting of M1-4/R7-3, M1-4/ R7X, and M1-5/R9-1, zoning text amendments to designate a Manda tory Inclusionary Housing Area in Appendix F of the Zoning Resolu tion (Option 1), and special permits to modify bulk, loading, sign, and retail size regulations to facilitate
a series of mixed-use buildings and publicly accessible open spaces, with over 3,100 housing units in 13 build ings ranging in height from 8 to 27 stories between 37th St, 35th Ave, Northern Blvd, and 36th Ave in As toria, Queens in Councilwoman Julie Won’s district. As negotiated by the Council, the project will be approxi mately 55 percent market-rate and 45 percent affordable as the appli cant and administration have agreed to fund the development of three 100% affordable HPD buildings (approx. 478 units) and set-aside an additional 157 units for CityF HEPS vouchers, in addition to the requirements of MIH Option 1 (25 percent of floor area at an average of 60 AMI). The Council is modifying the proposal to facilitate the conver sion of office and community facil ity space into additional housing and reduce the density on the outparcels included within the rezoning area but not part of the Innovation QNS large-scale development.
“To tackle our City’s affordable housing crisis systemically, we must implement comprehensive, citywide planning which prioritizes the very New Yorkers we have exclud ed from these processes for far too long,” said City Councilwoman Ju lie Won (D-Long Island City). “We as a Council, along with the Mayor and the Speaker, must make solving the affordable housing crisis our top priority and put real investment into repairing and preserving NYCHA, developing and operating more so cial housing, expanding community land trusts, and pushing the state to grow successful limited equity co-op programs such as the Mitchell-Lama Co-op. In District 26, we will always prioritize community needs over profit.”
Local pediatric offices have seen a rise recently in the number of cases of bronchi¬olitis (no, we didn't spell that incorrectly) and many parents, may be unfamiliar with the condition, and might confuse the ill¬ness with the like sound ing bronchitis.
Although this condition that af¬fects mainly young children and infants, sounds like the bronchitis, they are very different illnesses.
Bronchiolitis can have different ori¬gins; most of them stem from a virus. It's actually a common lung infection that causes swelling in the bronchioles, the smallest of the lungs airways. When they swell, the amount of air able to enter the lungs is restricted, making it difficult for the baby to breathe.
Bronchitis, on the other hand, affects When they swell, the amount of air able to enter the lungs is restricted, making it difficult for the baby to breathe.
Bronchitis, on the other hand, affects both adults and children. It affects the larger airways in the lungs and causes ex¬cessive mucous production. Your body tries to get used to the mucous by cough¬ing.
Bronchiolitis is most common in in¬fants between 3 and 6 months of age but can occur in children as old 2 years.
Treatments vary and while antibiot ics are not the usual method nebulizer treat¬ments or steroids can be. These
meds help kids breathe easily during re covery.
For most babies, it's no more serious than a cold but some may need hospital care, and it is a common reason for babies to be admitted to the hospital.
Some babies are at greater risk to de¬velop the condition, including prema ture babies or those with certain heart and lung conditions.
Bronchiolitis occurs most often in the months between October and March, and it is possible for a baby to develop it more than once in the same winter.
Most cases, around 75%, are caused by Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Other causal viruses are Adenovirus and Rhino¬virus. These spread through tiny droplets of liquid sent into the air when someone who is infected coughs or sneez es. A child can become infected if they touch a toy or a surface where a droplet has landed.
There are simple steps to reduce the risk of your child contracting bronchi¬olitis. Make sure everyone who touches your child washes their hands and covers their mouth when they cough or sneeze. Keep them away from other sick kids, wash toys down regularly and most im¬portant keep your baby away from any forms of smokes and calls your local pharma¬cist with any questions.
Until next week...
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.
Showrunners and writers of “Law & Order: SVU” immediately need to update their antiquated idea of Howard Beach and apologize to its residents, City Coun cilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) said on Friday.
“I am deeply disappointed in your decision to paint the neighborhood of Howard Beach in such a negative light during an episode of ‘Law & Order: SVU’ titled ‘A Better Person’ (Season 24; Episode 8),” Ariola fumed to NBC. “Your writers opting to label the 26,000+ residents of this diverse neighborhood as ‘racist, sexist, and phobic about just about everything’ is highly offensive, and reflects a lack of forethought and compassion for the people who live here.
“It has been decades since the specter of hatred unfairly labeled our community—ha tred for which the individual perpetrators have been punished—and yet people such as yourselves continue to pass judgment on a community at large because of past incidents. We as a community are by no means anything like the words spoken, and to continue to label us as such is unfair and, in fact, defamatory.
“The people of Howard Beach are a resilient, hardworking, industrious group of in dividuals who deserve better from NBC and from the ‘Law & Order’ franchise,” Ariola concluded her letter to the network. “This community deserves an apology, and we ea gerly await your response.”
By Forum Staff
State Attorney General Tish James re cently announced a $3.1 billion multistate settlement with Walmart, resolving allega tions that the company contributed to the nationwide opioid crisis by failing to regu late opioid prescriptions at its stores.
James co-led a coalition of attorneys general in negotiating the settlement, which will provide $3.1 billion to commu nities nationwide and will require signifi cant improvements in how Walmart’s phar macies handle opioids. The state attorneys general on the executive committee, attor neys representing local governments, and Walmart have agreed to this settlement, which is now being sent to other states for review and approval.
New York will receive up to $116 mil lion as part of the settlement, bringing the total amount secured by James’s office to combat the opioid crisis in New York to more than $2.1 billion, she noted
In addition to providing $3.1 billion to be divided by sign-on states, local gov ernments, and tribes to be used for opi oid treatment, recovery, and abatement, the settlement announced today will in clude broad, court-ordered requirements Walmart must comply with, such as robust oversight to prevent fraudulent prescrip tions and flag suspicious prescriptions.
Attorney General James and her col leagues are optimistic that the settle ment will gain support of the required 43 states by the end of 2022, allowing local governments to join the deal dur ing the first quarter of 2023. Further details about how the money will be distributed among localities is forth coming. Last month, states confirmed that promising negotiations were also underway with Walgreens and CVS.
Efforts to reach those agreements are ongoing.
In 2021, James championed legislation to create an opioid settlement fund to en sure these monetary settlements are invest ed in helping New Yorkers impacted by the opioid crisis. The bill, now codified as New York Mental Hygiene Law 25.18, passed unanimously through the State Legislature, and requires all funds secured in opioid settlements by Attorney General James —
totaling more than $2.1 billion — be used for opioid abatement, treatment, and pre vention efforts in communities devastated by this epidemic.
Joining Attorney General James in lead ing the executive committee that negotiat ed this agreement are the attorneys general of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Del aware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas.
Earlier this month, Attorney General James secured up to $523 million from Teva Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., its American subsidiary Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, and its affiliates (Teva) for their role in fueling the opioid crisis, resolving the remedies phase of New York’s opioid trial after she achieved a historic liability verdict follow ing a seven-month jury trial against Teva in 2021.
“For decades, the opioid epidemic has ravaged communities here in New York and across the country,” said James. “Pharma cies such as Walmart played an undeniable role in perpetuating opioids’ destruction, and my fellow attorneys general and I are holding them accountable. You cannot put a price on lives lost and communities de stroyed, but with the $2.1 billion we have delivered to New York, we will continue to recover, rebuild, and strengthen our de fenses against future devastation.”
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz on Thursday filed motions with de fense attorneys to vacate a wrongful con viction due to new evidence coming to light in the case.
In People v. Capers, the physical evi dence indicated one gun was fired and eyewitness testimony singles out Kevin McClinton as the lone shooter. McClinton, who is solely culpable for the crime, is cur rently serving 25 years to life in prison. The prosecution’s only eyewitness at Capers’s trial recanted his identification of Capers as the shooter. The recantation is corrobo rated by contemporaneous recorded phone calls in which the eyewitness admits he lied.
D’Aja Robinson, a 14-year-old honor student at the Campus Magnet School, was killed May 18, 2013, when 10 .40-caliber pistol rounds were fired into a crowded city bus in a gangrelated dispute. An innocent bystander, Robinson was on the bus heading home from a friend’s birthday party. Her sense less murder devastated her close-knit fam ily and touched the community deeply. The corner of Sutphin Boulevard and 150th Street is now named for her.
Gang member Kevin McClinton was ar
rested for Robinson’s murder after an eye witness, Terrence Payne, told police and prosecutors that he witnessed McClinton fire “all 10 shots” into the bus.
A year later, Capers was arrested based on a new eyewitness account, from a sec ond gang member, Lael Jappa. In exchange for a significant sentence reduction on unrelated felony charges, Jappa testified at Capers’s trial that he saw Capers fire
first into the bus and that McClinton then took the gun from Capers and continued firing.
Capers was convicted largely based on Jappa’s eyewitness account and was sen tenced to a prison term of 15 years to life.
The Queens District Attorney’s Convic tion Integrity Unit (CIU) reinvestigated the case, prompted by information from counsel at Debovoise and Plimpton citing, among other evidence, a recantation made by Jappa to a defense investigator. Over
the course of a year, the CIU interviewed dozens of witnesses, including Jappa, who again recanted his testimony implicating Capers.
While such recantations are rightly viewed with skepticism, Jappa’s claim that he testified falsely is corroborated by recorded phone calls uncovered during CIU’s investigation. Specifically, recorded phone conversations Jappa had from jail in 2014 with his mother, whom he repeatedly told that the information he was providing to police and prosecutors about Capers was false. There is no evidence that anyone oth er than Jappa and his mother were aware of what was said until recordings of the calls were reviewed eight years later.
Capers, who was 15 years old at the time of the shooting, was released Thurs day after being incarcerated for more than eight years on the murder charge. The in dictment will be dismissed.
McClinton will continue serving a sen tence of 25-years-to-life in prison for Rob inson’s murder.
“My thoughts today are with D’aja Rob inson’s family,” Katz said. “This motion might not be easy for them to accept, but they can take comfort in knowing that the solely culpable individual, Kevin McClin ton, will be spending a very long time in jail, perhaps the rest of his life.”
Mayor Eric Adams on Friday signed four pieces of legislation to fight rats and build a cleaner city.
The laws, Adams noted, will create rat mitigation zones to build on successful mitigation efforts, codify Adams’ recent an nouncement to drastically reduce the time that trash sits on city curbs, and reduce rats in construction areas and other buildings with large rodent infestations.
Adams signed the following bills into law on Friday:
• Intro 414-A requires the City De partment of Health and Mental Hygiene to issue an annual report on the success of rat mitigation measures in rat mitigation zones. Additionally, DOHMH will report on current and planned rat mitigation mea sures in each zone, including public out reach measures that are conducted.
• Intro 442-A ensures that before a permit authorizing certain construction work that is subject to rodent extermina tion is issued, the applicant certify that a licensed exterminator was retained to effec tively treat the premises for rodent extermi nation.
• Intro 459-A requires DOHMH designate rat mitigation zones no later than April 1, 2023. This bill will also provide that the City Department of Sanitation may determine, by rule, the times during
which buildings must set out their garbage and recycling for collection.
• Intro 460-A requires buildings that receive two or more rodent-specific
year for the ‘Get Stuff Clean’ initiative to clean more than 1,000 “No Man’s Land” neglected areas around the city, increase lit ter basket service, expand camera enforce
city for New Yorkers,” said Adams. Last month, I announced a once-in-a-genera tion change to reduce the amount of time black bags sit on the curb and just last week we announced our ‘Get Stuff Clean’ initia tive. This legislation doubles down on our efforts and is another important step to put a dent in our rodent population. Rat-free streets are vital to vibrant neighborhoods and our city’s economic recovery, and I thank the City Council for their partner ship in keeping our city squeaky clean.”
“Everywhere I go, people say thank you for prioritizing the cleanliness of our neigh borhoods and I always tell them the same thing – I couldn’t do it without our sanita tion workers, without our mayor, and with out our partners on the City Council, many of whom have made this a priority after too many years of letting cleanliness fall by the wayside,” said City Department of Sanita tion Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “The bills signed into law today will make a meaning ful difference in the appearance of our city and in its recovery.”
housing maintenance code or two or more rodent-specific health code violations to use approved rodent-resistant containers for at least two years.
Two weeks ago, Adams announced $14.5 million in new funding this fiscal
ment against illegal dumping, and bring on additional rat exterminators — resulting in faster and more reliable cleaning of every corner of the city.
“Today I’m proud to sign four bills to help create a cleaner and more welcoming
City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan added, “Every New Yorker has the power to promote a rat-free New York City and these bills will support residents and make our neighborhoods cleaner. Rat mitiga tion zones give rats no safe quarter, and the tools in these bills empower all of us send rats packing!”
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Monday that Shaquan But ler has been arraigned on murder charges in the death of his 3-year-old son earlier this month.
Butler, 26, of Elmhurst, was arraigned Sunday before Queens Criminal Court Judge Michael Yavinsky on a six-count complaint
charging him with two counts of mur der in the second degree, two counts of manslaughter in the first degree, man slaughter in the second degree and en dangering the welfare of a child. If con victed, Butler faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
According to the charges, on Sunday, Nov. 13, at approximately 7:40 p.m., the de fendant allegedly struck his son in the torso inside of the family’s apartment in the Pan
American Hotel in Elmhurst. The child’s mother and his two young siblings were in the apartment at the time as well.
Responding to a 911 call, City Fire De partment personnel arrived at the Queens Boulevard hotel and found the 3-year-old victim on the floor unconscious with bruis ing to the child’s head, torso and extremi ties. The child was rushed to a nearby hos pital where he was pronounced dead.
The medical examiner determined that
the child had significant internal bleeding and died from blunt force trauma to his torso.
District Attorney Katz said, “A defense less young child’s life was brutally snatched from him before it even began in most ways; a case that is equal parts heartbreak ing and disturbing. As alleged, the defen dant is responsible for this brutal death and my Office will be sure to secure justice in this innocent child’s memory.”
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced on Monday that Jaquan Adams has been sentenced to a decade in prison after using a gun to threaten a mo torist to surrender an open street parking spot in Bayside that he wanted for himself.
Adams, 29, was convicted in Septem ber of three counts of criminal possession of a weapon and menacing in the seconddegree following a two-week long trial.
Queens Supreme Court Justice Gia Mor ris sentenced Adams to 10 years in prison to be followed by 5 years’ post-release su
pervision.
According to trial testimony, on May 26, 2019, at approximately 11:48 p.m., in front of 39-20 Bell Blvd., the defendant approached the victim, who was sitting inside a parked ve hicle, and engaged him in a verbal dispute. During the argument, the defendant dis played a firearm and threatened to shoot the victim if he did not move his vehicle from that particular spot.
DA Katz said that when the victim left the parking space, the defendant got into a Honda Civic and pulled into the spot the victim had just vacated. The victim called
911 to report the incident and pointed ou tthe Honda Civic to the responding of ficers. At the time, Adams was no longer inside or near his vehicle and an investiga tion was launched into the incident.
A subsequent search warrant was ex ecuted on the defendant’s vehicle and police recovered a .38-caliber Smith and Wesson revolver loaded with six rounds from inside of a black reusable canvas bag under the hood of the vehicle. A New York State benefit card bearing the defendant's name and photo was also recovered from the center console. Laboratory testing confirmed Adams’ DNA to be present on
the gun in question.
The defendant was arrested on unre lated charges on June 12, 2019, and later confessed to possessing the firearm and arguing with the victim over the parking spot.
“An argument over nothing more than a parking spot escalated into a life-ordeath confrontation because the defen dant chose to resolve the dispute with an illegal handgun,” Katz said. “He has now been held to full account for his criminal actions. My office will continue to fight the plague of gun violence with all re sources at our disposal.”
Mayor Eric Adams on Friday an nounced that First Deputy Mayor Lorraine Grillo will depart his administration at the beginning of January. A native of Astoria and public servant for nearly three decades, Grillo’s appointment was part of a historic first when Adams announced five incom ing deputy mayor roles would be filled by women.
In her time as first deputy mayor, Grillo played a critical role in creating and unveil ing plans for the CUNY Brookdale Cam pus that will create career pipelines for students in the life sciences, health, and public health industries; overhauling the capital project process and ensuring faster and cheaper project delivery; leading the city’s COVID-19 recovery; representing the Adams administration in responding to the scene of a mass shooting in Sunset Park, Brooklyn; and championing minor ity-and-women-owned business efforts (M/WBEs), creating a model program that has been replicated across the country. New York City has awarded $6.5 billion in contracts for M/WBEs in Fiscal Year 2022 from city agencies and authorities — an in crease of more than 65 percent from Fiscal Year 2021.
“New York City, as a whole, is better off
Lorraine Grillotoday because Lorraine Grillo brought her invaluable expertise and inimitable work ethic to this administration and served the people of this great city,” said Adams. “She’s a living example of what ‘Getting Stuff Done’ truly means, and I, and all New York ers, will always be in her debt for her dedi cated service to New York City. We wish
her all the best and will miss her deeply.” Before being appointed first deputy mayor, Grillo was appointed as the firstever pandemic “Recovery Czar,” leading strategy and planning efforts while coordi nating across the public and private sector to ensure a strong comeback for the Big Ap ple. Grillo began her career as community
relations specialist for the New York City School Construction Authority (SCA) in 1994. She then served in several senior roles and was appointed SCA’s president and CEO, in 2010, by former Mayor Mi chael Bloomberg after successfully opening 26 new schools — the single most success ful year in SCA history at that time. Grillo was reappointed by former Mayor Bill de Blasio, making her one of only two re-ap pointments from the prior administration and the longest-serving SCA president.
In another historic first, in 2018 Grillo was appointed commissioner of the City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) — serving as lead for both DDC and SCA simultaneously.
“Public service has been my life’s work and it has been the honor of a lifetime to serve in the Adams administration in this capacity,” Grillo said. “Mayor Adams leads from the front with a very steady hand, and his historic team of amazing majorityfemale deputy mayors have made profound contributions in this first year alone. From spearheading our recovery, to helping those seeking asylum, to ensuring equity is at the center of the work being done — I look forward to seeing how this administra tion will build on the progress we’ve made to continue bettering the lives of every New Yorker.”
The Queens Public Library's Queens Memory project will hold two author talks next month at the North Forest Park branch for Queens Name Explorer, a com munity archiving/crowdsourcing effort to reveal the history behind the borough’s named streets, schools, buildings, parks, and monuments, QPL announced Tues day.
The first, on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 2 p.m., entitled Place Names of Queens, will be presented by Joshua Jelly-Schapiro,
geographer and scholar at New York Uni versity’s Institute for Public Knowledge. He’ll discuss the named places featured in his book, Names of New York: Discover ing the City’s Past and Present Through Its Place Names.
The second, scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m., will feature Jason Antos, executive director of the Queens Historical Society, and author of numerous books on the history of The World’s Borough. Antos’s talk is entitled A History and How-to of Street-Naming in Queens.
The North Forest Park branch of
Queens Public Library is located at 98-27 Metropolitan Ave., Forest Hills.
The Queens Name Explorer project of ficially launched in October. The initiative seeks information about places in the bor ough named after well-known individuals, those who contributed to their communi ties, public servants, historic figures and many more.
The project relies on crowdsourcing, with the public's input adding to the wealth and diversity of information. The Name Explorer team will display the informa tion gathered on the project’s website,
queenslib.org/explore, powered by Urban Archive.org, with an interactive map featur ing each named place in Queens and icons denoting the various location categories.
Funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Queens Name Explorer project will also include analyz ing the demographics of Queens neighbor hoods to identify gaps in representation between named places and the people of these communities.
To contribute information, image, or video, visit https://nameexplorer.urbanar chive.me/.
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HEDWIG PUBLISHING LLC
Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 03/08/2022. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: LE GALINC CORPORATE SERVICES INC.1967 WEHRLE DRIVE, SUITE 1 #086, BUFFALO, NY, 14221, USA. Pur pose: Any Lawful Purpose.
AMIR 115TH STREET LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/04/2022. Office loc: Queens Coun ty. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The LLC, 86-30 108th Street, Rich mond Hill, NY 11418. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
111-10 Owners LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 6/17/2022. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Mohammed Hossain, 143-05 85th Dr. Briarwood, NY 11435. General Purpose
Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 09/23/2022. City: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom pro cess against may be served & shall mail process to MATTHEW DURKIN, P.O BOX 2399, AASTORIA, NY, 11102, USA. General Purpose
RHYTHM AND KDNNS, LLC
Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 8/17/2022. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom pro cess against may be served & shall mail process to KIERAN DENNIS, 2735 21ST STREET, 7C, ASTORIA, NY, 11102- 4227, USA. GeneralPurpose
RAMBLE & ROAM CO LLC Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 09/06/2022. City: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom pro cess against may be served & shall mail process to THE LIMITED LIABILITY COMAPNY, 61W16TH RD, BROAD CHANNEL, NY, 11693, USA. General Purpose
76-05 113th St. LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 9/15/2022. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Lonnie G. Tishman, Esq., 980 Broadway, #532, Thornwood, NY 10954. General Pur pose
A Notice of Formation of Jin Xin Realty LLC, Art. of Org. filed Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 8/1/2022. Of fice location: Queens County. SSNY Designated as agent of LLC upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to: The LLC, 27-13 Utopia Pkwy, Flush ing, NY 11358. Purpose: any lawful activity.
The Kidz Campus LLC, Arts of Org. filed 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
CAVALIERE 6617 LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/20/22. Office: Queens County. SSNY designat ed as agent of the LLC upon whom pro cess against it may be served. SSNY shall mail copy of process to the LLC, 6906 Grand Avenue, Maspeth, NY 11378. Purpose: Any lawful purpose.
104-14 118 STREET LLC, Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/25/2022. Office loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served.
SSNY shall mail process to: Kevin Kaly an, 86-30 108th Street, Richmond Hill, NY 11418. Purpose: Any Lawful Pur pose.
W & C PLAZA LLC filed Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 09/27/2022. Office located in Queens County. SSNY has been designated for service of pro cess and shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC to 10867 Roos evelt Ave Corona, NY 11368. Purpose: any lawful act.
B HARRIS CONSULTING LLC Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 10/26/2022. Office loc: Queens Coun ty. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against the LLC may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: BRYAN HARRIS, 6861 YELLOW STONE BLVD, APT 615, FOREST HILLS, NY 11375, USA.. Purpose: Any Lawful Purpose.
WALLFLOWER MURAL COMPA NY LLC filed Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State of New York (SSNY) on 11/06/2022. Office located in Queens County. SSNY has been des ignated for service of process and shall mail copy of any process served against the LLC to WALLFLOWER MURAL COMPANY, 83-35 139TH STREET, #3N, BRIARWOOD, NY, 11435, USA. Purpose: any lawful act.
Flushing 162 LLC filed w/ SSNY on 9/29/22. Office: Queens Co. SSNY des ignated as agent for process & shall mail to: P.O. Box 610026, Bayside, NY 11361. Purpose: any lawful..
HOSSEN MEDICAL CARE OF NY PLLC, a Prof. LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 11/17/2022. Of fice loc: Queens County. SSNY has been designated as agent upon whom process against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to: The PLLC, 132-12 85th St., Ozone Park, NY 11417. Purpose: To Practice The Profession Of Medicine.
Middle Village Enterprises, LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 10/13/2022. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom pro cess against may be served & shall mail process to Eric Faulkner, 6430 69th Pl., Middle Village, NY 11379. General Pur pose
49 NORTHERN BLVD. LLC. Arts. of Org. filed with the SSNY on 09/30/22. Office: 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 law ful purpose.
Notice of formation of CONNEX ION 8 LLC. Arts of Org filed with Secy of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/3/22. Of fice location: Queens County. SSNY designated as agent upon whom process may be served and shall mail copy of pro cess against LLC to: 77 Bowery, 6th Fl., NY, NY 10002. Purpose: any lawful act..
MATERNAL HEALTH COACH ING LLC filed w/ SSNY on 10/10/22. Office: Queens Co. SSNY designated as agent for process & shall mail to: THE LLC, 118-35 QUEENS BLVD, SUITE 400, FOREST HILLS, NY,11375 USA Purpose: any lawful.
Disco Herbatory LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 9/20/2022. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom process against may be served & shall mail process to Cohen Ip Law Group, PC, 9025 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 301, Beverly Hills, CA 90211. General Purpose
Area 8 LLC filed w/ SSNY 9/26/22 Off. 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. The reg. agt. is United States Corpora tion Agents, Inc., 7014 13th Ave, Ste. 202, Brooklyn, NY 11228. Any lawful purpose.
Notice of Formation of 6801 NORTHERN LLC Arts. of Org. filed with Secy. of State of NY (SSNY) on 11/02/22. Office location: Queens County. Princ. office of LLC: c/o Citi zens Development Co., 111-15 Queens Blvd., Forest Hills, NY 11375. SSNY des ignated as agent of LLC upon whom pro cess against it may be served. SSNY shall mail process to the LLC at the addr. of its princ. office. Purpose: Any lawful activity.
135 MCCZ LLC, Arts of Org. filed SSNY 09/22/22. Office: 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..
AHAA Management LLC, Arts of Org. filed with Sec. of State of NY (SSNY) 8/24/2022. Cty: Queens. SSNY desig. as agent upon whom pro cess against may be served & shall mail process to Aaron Ivatorov, 211 Beach 148th St., Neponsit, NY 11694. General Purpose
