16 DECEMBER 27, 2018 RIDGEWOOD TIMES WWW.QNS.COM
2018 Year in Review
JULY – AUGUST
July
COMPILED BY JENNA BAGCAL
Last K-Mart in Queens
closes for good
Photo by Melanie Pozarycki
In mid-July, the Sears Holdings Corporation announced that it would
be closing the last Kmart location in Queens. The Middle Village store
above the Metro Mall shut its doors for good back in October. Following
years of sales decline, Sears Holdings also closed a Sears in Rego
Park and a Kmart in Rosedale as part of a “nationwide purge” of stores.
Glendale shelter Facebook
rumor sets off frenzy
File photo/RIDGEWOOD TIMES
In January, the Department of Homeless Services withdrew plans for
a proposed homeless shelter in Glendale following years of concern
and protest from the community. But over six months later in July,
the president of the Glendale Civic Association confi rmed that a shelter
would in fact be coming to their neighborhood.
August
COMPILED BY JENNA BAGCAL
Outback in Queens
Place mall abruptly closes
Visitors were surprised to discover that an Elmhurst Outback
Steakhouse mysteriously closed on Aug.27. Representatives
from Cushman & Wakefi eld said that the decision to close the
Australian-inspired steakhouse “was based solely on business circumstances.”
The location had been in the mall since 2001 but had been in
decline according to negative customer reviews on the website Yelp.
Three struck by lightning
after severe thunderstorm
Three individuals were struck by lightning on Aug. 7 aft er a severe
thunderstorm ripped through the area. Two of the victims were
playing soccer in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Flushing
when the lightning struck. They were reportedly taken to Elmhurst
Hospital where one was in critical condition and the other sustain
non-life-threatening injuries. The third individual was struck near
155th Street and Baisley Boulevard in Jamaica and was transported to
Jamaica Hospital Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
Ridgewood church kicks
out independent parish
serving the homeless
Photo by Ryan Kelley/RIDGEWOOD TIMES
All Saints American Old Catholic Community, an independent
parish, was kicked out of Ridgewood Presbyterian Church where
priests held mass and off ered services to their mostly poor and
homeless population. Parishioners were heartbroken at the news and
shared these sentiments with church leaders Father Mike Lopez and
Father Angel Lugo. The church held its fi nal liturgy on Sept. 2.
/WWW.QNS.COM
