16 THE QUEENS COURIER • AUGUST 24, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Photo via Shutterstock
Homeless hotel
notice bill gets
a companion
in state capitol
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
rpozarycki@qns.com / @robbpoz
A week aft er Councilman Eric
Ulrich introduced a bill that would
require hotels to tell guests if they’re
housing homeless people, two state
lawmakers who cover areas of his
Queens district have draft ed a similar
bill that they plan to bring to the
State Capitol.
State Senator Joe Addabbo, based
in Howard Beach, and Woodhavenbased
Assemblyman Mike Miller said
on Aug. 17 they would bring to Albany
their own version of Ulrich’s city-level
legislation that would mandate hotel
management to post signs indicating
to customers that they have homeless
people staying there. Employees
would also need to verbally inform
them of the same during check-in.
Ulrich said that his legislation would
compel hotels and the Department of
Homeless Services (DHS) to be more
transparent with the public about
where homeless people are being sheltered.
In recent years, the city and
other agencies have turned to Queens
hotels to provide temporary shelter
for homeless individuals, sometimes
with little or delayed notice.
Th e bill that Addabbo and Miller
plan to introduce mirrors that goal by
requiring hotel management to inform
their guests if they have entered into a
contract with a city or state entity to
house homeless people. Th ey stressed
that the legislation, like Ulrich’s, isn’t
an attack on homeless people — but
merely a way to better inform the public
while also potentially discouraging
the use of hotels as homeless shelters.
“Paying customers have the right
to know what an establishment they
intend to lodge at is doing,” Miller
said. “We have an obligation to be
transparent about where homeless
families and individuals are being
housed.”
“Th is legislation is not in any way
intended to hurt homeless individuals
and families living in hotels in Queens
or throughout the fi ve boroughs, but
it is an eff ort to ensure that the city
hears loud and clear that this type of
housing to address the homeless crisis
is not working, and is almost always
completely inappropriate for those in
need,” Addabbo added.
Photo courtesy of NYC Parks
Local politicians and community members gathered to offi cially unveil renovations to St. Albans Park that were completed back in May.
South Queens residents help cut the
ribbon on a freshly renovated park
BY JUSTIN BERGLUND
editorial@qns.com / @QNS
In the waning days of summer, the St.
Albans community celebrated the completed
renovations of a local park.
On Aug. 21, City Parks Commissioner
Mitchell J. Silver, Queens Borough
President Melinda Katz, state Senator
Leroy Comrie and Councilman I. Daneek
Miller joined together for a ribbon-cutting
ceremony at St. Albans Park to
unveil various improvements including
new play equipment and safety surfacing
reconstruction, site furniture, lighting,
drinking fountain, fences, pavements
and a garden area.
Th e swings were also relocated to create
more open play space. Custom games and
game tables were also added.
“Th ese enhancements will ensure residents
throughout the district will be able
to use the park to exercise and play with
their neighbors,” Miller said. “I look forward
to seeing families use the new furniture
and games, and of course my offi ce
will continue to host our annual Skate
Day at the park. I would like to thank
Commissioner Mitchell Silver and his
team at the Parks Department for completing
this project.”
Th e $1.2 million project was funded
with $400,000 each from Katz and the
City Council, as well as $217,000 from the
Mayor’s Offi ce.
Construction on the park began in
August 2016 and was completed in May
2017.
“Th e playground is treasured by the
growing families around St. Albans Park,
and the million-dollar renovations will
enhance even more space for play and recreation,”
Katz said. “NYC Parks deserves
to be commended for completing this
upgrade on budget and ahead of schedule.”
Woodhaven sandwich shop shooter nabbed in gang bust
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
rpozarycki@qns.com / @robbpoz
An alleged gang-banger who shot two
people at a Woodhaven sandwich shop
more than a year ago was among nine
individuals arrested in a street gang takedown
in Brooklyn on Tuesday, prosecutors
announced.
Law enforcement sources said Dylan
Cruz (aka Banga), 25, of Queens is a
member of the “Loot Gang,” a street
gang based in the Brownsville section of
Brooklyn. Gang members were named
in a 69-count indictment on charges of
conspiracy to commit murder, murder,
attempted murder, weapons possession
and other charges, according to
acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric
Gonzalez.
Prosecutors said Cruz allegedly walked
into the Rico Chimi restaurant at 80-01
Atlantic Ave. in Woodhaven at 12:25
a.m. on the morning of Feb. 20, 2016, and
took aim at an alleged rival gang member.
Cruz allegedly was carrying out a
plot that he and his associates concocted
in Brooklyn.
Once inside the restaurant, authorities
said, Cruz — who was dressed in all black
clothing and wore a red bandana across
his face — shot the alleged gang rival, who
then grabbed a 33-year-old female patron
and used her as a human shield. Cruz
shot the rival fi ve times, hitting him in
the legs and groin, while the woman suffered
three gunshot wounds to her left leg.
Cruz then entered a vehicle operated by
an associate — Quincy Vital, 19, also of
Queens — that fl ed the scene.
Offi cers from the 102nd Precinct
responded to the incident; both the gang
rival and the female shooting victim survived
their injuries.
Gonzalez noted that Vital was additionally
charged in the indictment for the fatal
shooting of Terrell Henry, 22, at a Bushwick
intersection on the morning of Aug. 12,
2016. Henry, who had no gang affi liation,
was shot twice outside a bodega aft er leaving
a nearby house party to get an iced tea.
In all, Gonzalez and Police
Commissioner James O’Neill said, the
Loot Gang were charged in connection
with 10 incidents, including the
Woohdaven shooting, that occurred
between November 2015 and August
2016. Fourteen people were shot during
the spate of violence; most of the victims
turned out to be rival gang members
operating in Brooklyn.
Cruz, Vital and the other seven indicted
gang members face up to 25 years behind
bars if convicted.
Photo courtesy of NYPD
This man, identifi ed by prosecutors as Dylan
Cruz, is shown on security camera footage
shooting at two people inside Rico Chimi restaurant
in Woodhaven on Feb. 20, 2016.
