FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM APRIL 4, 2019 • THE QUEENS COURIER 3
Transit improvements
to come for northeast
Queens commuters
Transit improvements will be made in northeast
Queens aft er state Assembly members
Edward Braunstein and Nily Rozic reached an
agreement during this year’s 2019-2020 state
budget negotiations to off set the impact of congestion
pricing on outer-borough commuters.
Th e lawmakers announced upcoming transit
improvements including a 20 percent reduction
for a Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) monthly
pass for commuters in northeast Queens, $3
million in funding for increased express bus
service, and $6 million for fi rst-mile/last-mile
connections.
Th e agreement includes a 20 percent reduction
in the monthly pass for commuters traveling
to and from the following stations:
Auburndale, Bayside, Broadway, Douglaston,
Flushing-Main Street, Little Neck and Murray
Hill.
A commuter traveling to and from Penn
Station will save nearly $50 a month on their
monthly pass. Th e funding for this fare discount
was allocated from the Outer Borough
Transit Fund, which was created by the state
Legislature last year to assist those who live in
areas with limited transit options.
“A signifi cant number of northeast Queens
LIRR commuters pay over $200 dollars for
their monthly pass to travel to Manhattan,”
said Braunstein. “I am proud to have joined
with Assemblywoman Rozic to secure a 20 percent
reduction for these commuters, which will
result in a savings of over $500 a year.”
Carlotta Mohamed
Whitestone and
Bayside to get relief
from helicopter noise
Northeast Queens residents will get even
more relief from incessant helicopter noise this
summer.
On April 1, Congressman Tom Suozzi
and Councilman Paul Vallone announced
that the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) extended the alternative North Shore
Helicopter route for an additional 180 days.
Th e FAA began a six-month test of an alternative
helicopter route in October 2018, which
shift ed air traffi c away from Whitestone,
Bayside and other northeast Queens neighborhoods
while cutting helicopter and seaplane
traffi c by up to 50 percent. Th e lawmakers confi
rmed that the 180-day route extension will
run through Oct. 2, 2019.
“Th e communities of Whitestone, Bayside
and northeast Queens have suff ered from
incessant helicopter and aircraft noise. In
recent years, air traffi c volume has increased
dramatically, reaching a point where families
cannot enjoy their own backyards without
constant noise, making them prisoners in their
own homes,” Suozzi said. “Th is 180-day extension
of the alternative route will dramatically
improve the quality of life for aff ected residents,
particularly during the busier and noisier
summer months. I want to thank the FAA
for working with me to fi nd solutions that will
mitigate noise and provide relief for Queens
residents. My hope is that aft er this test route
is complete, this extension can be made permanent.”
Jenna Bagcal
Photo via Google Maps
Bayside residents stunned to learn fi ve
sex off enders were moved into hotel
BY CARLOTTA MOHAMED
cmohamed@schnepsmedia.com
@QNS
Some Bayside residents are sounding
the alarm aft er learning that fi ve
registered sex off enders — three who
have off enses against children — have
allegedly moved into an area motel.
Diane Colucci, a mother of two children,
said she received an email alert
from Parents for Megan’s Law on April
2 notifying her of fi ve sex off enders
residing at the Anchor Inn Motel,
located at 215-34 Northern Blvd.
Th e fi ve registered sex off enders,
according to the Parents for Megan’s
Law alert, are also listed on the New
York State Division of Criminal Justice
Services sex off ender registry. Th ey
are men who range in age from 33 to
66. Four of the individuals were said
to be level 3, sexually violent off enders.
It’s not the fi rst time Colucci has
received notifi cations of sex off enders
residing in the neighborhood. Th ough
there have been others, she could not
recall off enders with such a violent
classifi cation moving into the area, and
especially together at the same place.
“Th is is my fi rst notice from this
hotel,” said Colucci. “While this hotel
has been used as a halfway house, I am
not sure if it has been used for violent
sex off enders.”
According to Colucci, residents have
commented on the Bayside, Queens,
Facebook page saying that the hotel
has been used as a halfway house for a
very long time.
Aft er seeing the notifi cation and
assuming it was an error, Colucci said
she called the hotel for confi rmation.
“Th e hotel just hung up on me. I
assumed that it’s true,” said Colucci.
“I also called the NYPD 111th
Precinct Community Aff airs Offi ce
and left a message. Th ey’re defi nitely
registered at that address, but I wanted
to confi rm if this was true before I
sounded the alarm to families.”
QNS contacted Anchor Motel and
was told that the location is not being
used as a halfway house or homeless
shelter, nor do they have sex off enders
staying at the motel. According to
the source, the Anchor Motel provides
online service for its guests and doesn’t
conduct “that kind of business.”
Th e New York City Department of
Homeless Services has also confi rmed
to QNS that the motel is not being
used as a homeless shelter, but did not
make a statement on whether or not
the motel was being used as a halfway
house.
But a spokeswoman from the New
York State Department of Justice confi
rmed that the sex off enders were
indeed placed at the Anchor Inn: “Th e
NYPD notifi ed the Registry on 4/1/19
that these fi ve individuals reported
215-34 Northern Boulevard address as
their residence.”
“Th e Registry does not operate any
residences for sex off enders, has no
role in fi nding housing for sex off enders
and does not supervise sex off enders;
it serves an administrative function
and works in partnership with local
law enforcement to help ensure the
Registry is as up-to-date and accurate
as possible,” the spokeswoman said.
One source with knowledge of the
situation told QNS that “the supervising
agency for the individuals who we
believe are currently in the hotel is the
NYS Department of Corrections.”
Politicians and the local precinct are
investigating the matter to fi nd out
more details about the motel and the
fi ve individuals supposedly residing
there.
Since learning of the situation,
Colucci said, local residents are horrifi
ed that the men — one of whom
assaulted an 8-year-old child — have
moved into the community.
“A very large amount of shock that
this area would be chosen considering
how family-friendly it is in this
community, that they would choose to
have these people reenter society right
here across the street from a daycare
and a couple of blocks from a library,
and within a mile of multiple schools
as well. People are just very upset about
it,” said Colucci.
A friend of Colucci’s, who lives a
couple of blocks from the location,
reached out to Councilman Paul
Vallone’s offi ce and is awaiting a
response.
“I was thinking back at the parade on
Saturday and everyone is having a blast
and my kids were running around with
their friends, and I just think that without
warning to the community that
these fi ve men could’ve been standing
with us. It’s just very unnerving,” the
friend said.
Several local elected offi cials —
including state Senator John Liu,
Assemblyman Ed Braunstein and
Councilman John Liu — are said to be
investigating the matter, sources with
the lawmakers told QNS.
“Th is news is alarming and requires
immediate action. We are working
with the police and various offi ces to
get to the bottom of this and to understand
what options currently exist,”
said Liu. “One major concern is that
the location is close to children’s facilities
and the local library.”
QNS reached out to the state
Department of Corrections for further
comment and is awaiting a response.
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