RIIS SETTLEMENT BACK TO SCHOOL GIVEAWAYS:

Riis is hosting its Annual Back-to-School Giveaways during the last week of August to support families in our community and help kids head into the new school year feeling prepared and confident.

August 25, 3-5 pm. Riis Settlement (Ravenswood), 35-40 21st Street, Long Island City

August 28, 3-5 pm. Riis Settlement (Queensbridge), 10-25 41st Avenue, Long Island City

August 28, 3-5 pm. Astoria Love FEC, 31-28 31st Street, Astoria

RHBA MONTHLY MEETING SEPT. 16:

Join your neighbors for community updates, conversation, and refreshments at the Richmond Hill Block Association Monthly Community Meeting on Wednesday, September 16, at 7:00 pm, 110-08 Jamaica Avenue, Richmond Hill.

CB1 MEETING SEPT. 22:

The next regularly scheduled monthly meeting of Community Board 1 will take place on September 22 at 6:00 pm at The Marquee at Astoria, 25-22 Astoria Blvd.

CITY COUNCIL APPROVES LANDMARK LEGISLATION:

The New York City Council approved a package of landmark legislation to lower costs, strengthen neighborhood quality of life, and support small businesses across the five boroughs. The package includes legislation to make outdoor dining available year-round, create the nation’s first Office of Insurance Affordability to help protect consumers from rising insurance costs, and establish new standards to improve neighborhood cleanliness and responsible pet ownership.

Together, the initiatives demonstrate the Council’s commitment to lowering costs, supporting families, empowering small businesses, and elevating the quality of living for New Yorkers across a range of issues that impact their lives every day.

“As a former restaurant owner, I know firsthand how difficult and costly it is to own and operate a small business in New York City. At a time when families and entrepreneurs are facing rising costs, government should be making it easier to succeed,” said Speaker Julie Menin. “That’s why the Council took action today to make outdoor dining available year-round, support thousands of neighborhood restaurants, and create the nation’s first Office of Insurance Affordability to help bring greater transparency and lower insurance costs for businesses and consumers. These are the investments that strengthen our neighborhoods, support small businesses, and make New York City more affordable and more livable for everyone.”

SCHULMAN ON DISTRICT 29:

With deed theft complaints on the rise, Council Member Lynn Schulman’s office partnered with Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz’s office to host a community forum on deed theft and scam prevention. Members of her team joined homeowners and community members to share information about how to protect their property, recognize potential scams, and access resources if they believe they have been targeted. “Thank you to the Queens District Attorney’s Office for partnering with us to help keep our homeowners informed and protected.”

With the new school year just around the corner, Council Member Schulman was proud to join Forestdale, the largest social services agency in Queens, for their Back-to-School Drive to help collect backpacks, school supplies, and other essentials for youth in foster care. “Every child deserves to begin the school year with the tools they need to learn, grow, and succeed.”

Schulman joined neighbors across District 29 for National Night Out Against Crime, an opportunity to come together with our local police precincts and community members to strengthen relationships and promote safer neighborhoods. “Thank you to the officers and community members of the 102nd, 106th, and 112th Precincts for their continued partnership and commitment to protecting our neighborhoods.”

KRISHNAN TOURS ELMHURT BUSINESSES AFFECTED BY FLOODS:

Shekar Krishnan, Council Member for District 25, was joined by Commissioner Kenny Minaya of Small Business Services (SBS), SBS Emergency Response Unit, and staff members from the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) on a tour of small businesses in Elmhurst affected by extreme flooding this summer. Council Member Krishnan has been pushing for more action in Elmhurst and East Elmhurst to combat extreme flooding, including more investments in green infrastructure and advocating for the restoration and expansion of the Cloudburst program.

After flooding a few weeks ago in Elmhurst that devastated small businesses along Queens Boulevard and Broadway, Council Member Krishnan, a member of the Council’s Small Business Committee, organized this walkthrough to continue his advocacy and allow the small business community in Elmhurst a chance to express their concerns directly to SBS and DEP. “Our Elmhurst and East Elmhurst small businesses and neighbors have suffered too long whenever there’s heavy rain,” said Council Member Shekar Krishnan. “After years of advocacy and conversations with business owners and the community, we welcomed DEP and SBS back to Elmhurst to hear from businesses affected by the major flooding in July. I’ve been steadfast in pushing government agencies and the federal government to do more to address extreme flooding, including more frequent catch basin maintenance, increasing investment in green infrastructure, and advocating for the restoration and expansion of the Cloudburst program.”

ADDABBO DISTRIBUTES BACKPACKS:

Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. joined Shmulie Hartstein, founder of Kol Yisroel Inc., and volunteer Yosef Knobel outside his District Office in Woodhaven on August 14, 2026, to distribute backpacks to local students. Kol Yisroel Inc. generously donated 200 backpacks filled with school supplies to help young people in the community prepare for the upcoming school year. Kol Yisroel Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit civic engagement and advocacy organization that encourages the Jewish community to engage on local and state government issues, with a focus on public safety, voter education, and the protection of houses of worship. “Thank you to Kol Yisroel Inc. for its generosity and commitment to our community,” said Senator Addabbo. “These backpacks will make a meaningful difference for students and families as they get ready for the school year, and I appreciate Shmulie Hartstein, Yosef Knobel, and everyone involved for helping make this event a success.”

GIANARIS GRANT TO QUEENS COLLEGE:

The Center for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies (CBMGS) at Queens College has secured a $300,000 New York State grant in renewed funding through the support of New York State Senator Michael Gianaris, the CBMGS advisory board, and the Queens College administration. The grant will support scholarships for undergraduate students choosing to major or minor in Byzantine and Modern Greek studies, travel grants for City University of New York (CUNY) students applying to the Study Abroad in Greece program for the winter and summer 2027 sessions, travel grants for CUNY graduate students engaged in Byzantine and Modern Greek studies, program conferences and lectures, books, publications, and CBMGS administrative functions.

LATINO LAWYERS ASSN ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS:

The Latino Lawyers Association of Queens County is now accepting nominations and applications for leadership positions for the 2027-2028 term. The following positions will be filled at the Annual Meeting and Election on Tuesday, September 29, 2026: President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Third Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Board of Directors (Five Positions). All terms are two years, beginning January 1, 2027.

To be considered, contact info@latinolawyers.org with:

A current resume; and
A brief statement of interest identifying the position sought.

Submissions are due by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 28, 2026.

“Serving in leadership is an opportunity to shape the future of the Association and advance our mission of serving the Latino community and promoting the professional development of Latino legal professionals.”

ADDABBO ANNOUNCES MOBILE OFFICE HOURS:

State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. is bringing his Mobile Office to library locations throughout his district in September, October and November. There will be plenty of opportunities for constituents to meet with Senator Addabbo and discuss any community-related issues that they may be facing.

“I know that not everyone can come to my district offices during normal business hours, which is why I continuously host mobile office events at a library near you,” Addabbo said. “I believe that one of the most important parts of my job as an elected official is to hear from my constituents and engage with them on an individual level.”

Senator Addabbo’s Mobile Office hours and locations are as follows:

Thursday, Sept 3, 5:30-7:00 pm, Woodhaven Library, 85-41 Forest Parkway, Woodhaven

Thursday, Sept 17, 5:30-7:00 pm, Ozone Park Library, 92-24 Rockaway Blvd., Ozone Park

Thursday, Sept 24, 5:30-7:00 pm, Lefferts Library, 103-34 Lefferts Blvd., Richmond Hill

Thursday, Oct 1, 5:30-7:00 pm, Middle Village Library, 72-31 Metropolitan Ave., Middle Village

Thursday, Oct 8, 5:30-7:00 pm, North Forest Park Library, 98-27 Metropolitan Ave., Forest Hills

Thursday, Oct 22, 5:30-7:00 pm, Richmond Hill Library, 118-14 Hillside Ave., Richmond Hill

Thursday, Oct 29, 5:30-7:00 pm, Glendale Library, 78-60 73rd Place, Glendale

For more information, contact Senator Addabbo’s Office at 718-738-1111.

TISCH ANNOUNCES REMOVAL OF OVER 3000 GUNS:

Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch today announced that the NYPD has removed more than 3,000 guns off New York City streets since January. In total, the NYPD has seized 3,259 guns so far this year, with 915 seized in Brooklyn, 782 seized in the Bronx, 764 seized in Manhattan, 605 seized in Queens, and 193 seized on Staten Island. A total of 199 of these guns were ghost guns – unserialized and untraceable firearms that only exist to evade law enforcement and gun laws, often ending up in the hands of criminals. The NYPD’s work to remove guns off city streets and dismantle the most dangerous gangs has contributed to historic lows in shooting incidents, shooting victims, and murders in New York City for the first seven

Today’s announcement comes on the fifth anniversary of the Gun Violence Strategies Partnership (GVSP), a collaborative, multi-agency operation that brings together more than 30 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to combat gun violence. The partnership is yet another tool used by the NYPD and its partners to keep guns off city streets by collaborating to hold the perpetrators of gun violence accountable.

“The NYPD has taken more than 3,000 guns off New York City streets so far this year, contributing to the fewest murders, shooting incidents, and shooting victims in recorded history,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This milestone is a direct result of our precision-policing strategy: putting officers where and when they are needed most, identifying the drivers of violence, and taking guns off our streets. I thank the brave NYPD officers who execute this work and our law enforcement partners, including the Gun Violence Strategies Partnership, who help us build strong cases, hold criminals accountable, and keep our city safe.”

“Since the inception of the Gun Violence Strategies Partnership, Queens has seen a dramatic decrease in shooting activity across the borough,” said Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. “Shootings in Queens are now at their lowest level in 30 years. It is thanks to collaborations such as this one with the NYPD, gun buybacks, and long-term investigations, that we can enhance public safety and celebrate the achievement of removing over 3,000 guns from our streets this year.”

MAMDANI ANNOUNCES GRANTS:

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS) Commissioner Kenny Minaya today announced more than $8.4 million in grants to community-based organizations across all five boroughs. The grants will bolster efforts to uplift small businesses, increase foot traffic and create cleaner, more vibrant neighborhoods.

The investments — one of the single largest releases of small business grants in SBS history — will support public art, street cleaning, lighting and wayfinding infrastructure, commercial district marketing campaigns, relationship-building among small businesses, and other neighborhood improvements. Altogether, the grants will support community-based organizations serving more than 20,000 small businesses.

“From colorful murals in Port Richmond to brighter street lamps in Harlem, these investments will bring new energy to neighborhoods across our city and new customers to the tens of thousands of small businesses that call them home. This $8.4 million investment will keep our sidewalks clean, our public spaces bright, and give more small business owners the resources they need to grow,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Our administration knows it’s not enough to make it easier to open a small business, you have to make it easier to visit one too. That’s why our commitment to small businesses means not only cutting red tape and reducing fines, but investing in the neighborhoods surrounding bodegas, bookshops and restaurants so that New York City is lined with ‘OPEN’ signs year-round.”

There will be 19 grants to organizations in Queens, totaling $1,514,800.

AG JAMES ANNOUNCES GRANTS FOR POLLINATOR PROJECTS:

New York Attorney General Letitia James and The New York Community Trust (The Trust) today announced $505,000 in grant funding for 28 community organizations to support pollinator conservation projects in historically underserved communities across New York. The grants are the second and final round of awards from the New York Pollinator Conservation Fund, a $3.45 million initiative created by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) using proceeds from a 2023 settlement with Bayer CropScience and Monsanto over misleading claims about the safety of certain Roundup consumer weedkillers, which can be toxic to pollinator species. Of the total award, $419,000 was funded by OAG’s settlement and $86,000 was contributed by the Trust, a community foundation that supports charitable work across New York and the fund’s administrator. This final round targets communities identified as disadvantaged under New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, ensuring that the fund’s benefits reach communities historically underrepresented in government funding programs.

“Every New Yorker deserves to live in a community with clean air and green space, no matter their zip code,” said Attorney General James. “These grants will bring pollinator gardens, workforce development, environmental education, and other benefits directly to communities that have too often been left out of conservation efforts. I am proud to close out this fund by investing in the New Yorkers and neighborhoods that need it most.”

In Queens, the 34th Avenue Open Streets Coalition in Jackson Heights will receive $10,000 to create a network of pollinator habitats across public spaces in Queens while engaging residents and youth.

Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement in Long Island City will receive $5,000 to expand the Queensbridge Pollinator Project through resident stewardship and intergenerational education.

GILLIBRAND LEGISLATION FOR EXPANDED ACCESS TO HOME CARE:

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) joined her Senate colleagues to introduce the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Access Act, legislation to ensure older adults and people with disabilities have a real choice between receiving long-term care at home or in institutional settings. The legislation would make home and community-based care a mandatory Medicaid benefit, gradually eliminate waiting lists for services, strengthen the home and community-based care workforce, and provide greater support for family caregivers.

Under current Medicaid policy, many older adults and people with disabilities have access to nursing homes and other institutional care, but if they want to remain in their home and community, access to home and community-based services often depends on state waiver programs that can leave people waiting years — or even decades — for the care they need. The HCBS Access Act would expand access to home and community-based care and ensure that people who want to stay in their home and receive care can.

“A safe, accessible place to live should be a right, not a privilege, for our seniors,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The Home and Community-Based Services Access Act would help ensure that New York seniors and people with disabilities can access the care that best meets their needs, allowing them to live comfortably in the communities of their choice. As the top Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, I’ll keep fighting to remove barriers to HCBS and expand access to quality, affordable care for our seniors.”

 

*** CRIME BLOTTER ***

 

FLUSHING MAN CONVICTED OF MURDER FOR 2022 SHOOTING:

Victim was Left Paralyzed for Three Months Before Succumbing to Injuries; Defendant Damion Howell Faces Up to 25 Years to Life in Prison at Sentencing

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Damion Howell was convicted of murder and other crimes for the August 2022 shooting death of Julian Askew, 29, on Waltham Street in Jamaica. The defendant fled the United States after the victim died and was apprehended nine months later.

District Attorney Katz said: “Damion Howell propositioned a woman at a local bodega and got into an argument with her boyfriend. Thirty minutes later, he returned to the scene with an illegal weapon and shot the man. Victim Julian Askew was left paralyzed in the shooting and suffered for three months before ultimately losing his life to the injuries he sustained in this shooting incident. I thank my prosecutors for getting justice for Askew’s family and for our law enforcement partners who never relented in their search for the defendant and apprehended him nine months after the shooting.”

Howell, 42, of Flushing, Queens, was convicted yesterday of murder in the second degree, and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. Trial openings took place on August 4, 2026, and closings occurred on August 11, 2026. The jury deliberated for approximately two hours before reaching a verdict.

Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant set a sentencing date of September 9, 2026, at which time the defendant faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

According to the charges and trial testimony, on August 5, 2022, at approximately 1:11 a.m., the defendant was inside a bodega located at 106-32 Sutphin Boulevard, Queens, when he approached the girlfriend of victim Julian Askew. Howell propositioned the woman for sex, and she told Askew that the defendant made her feel uncomfortable. Askew then approached defendant Howell and the two engaged in an oral argument. Howell left the location, returned approximately 30 minutes later wearing different clothing and immediately approached Askew. The two men then walked to the end of the block and as they arrived at the corner, Howell produced a gun and shot Askew in the torso. The girlfriend, who was following behind the two men, observed the shooting and called 911. The defendant fled the location immediately after shooting.

The victim was transported to a local Queens hospital and was initially paralyzed from the waist down. He died on November 14, 2022, as a result of injuries sustained in the shooting.

Howell left the country and traveled to the United Kingdom 11 days after Askew succumbed to his injuries, and was apprehended on May 10, 2023, when he returned to JFK airport.

—With contributions by Augusta Luger

This column was originated by John A. Toscano.