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8 THE QUEENS COURIER • APRIL 11, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM Queens Courier wins big for spot news coverage BY THE QUEENS COURIER STAFF editorial@qns.com @QNS When it comes to breaking news in Queens, no one is more “on the spot” than Th e Queens Courier, according to the New York Press Association (NYPA). Th e Courier won fi rst place in the Spot News Coverage category (Division 3) in the 2018 Better Newspaper Contest. NYPA handed out the contest awards during its annual Spring Conference in Albany on April 5-6. Th e winning entries were Th e Courier’s coverage of two key events that occurred in December: a stabbing and subsequent lockdown at Benjamin Cardozo High School in Bayside, and a fi ve-alarm fi re that ripped through several businesses in Sunnyside. Both stories were team eff orts, put together by editors Robert Pozarycki and Zachary Gewelb and reporters Jenna Bagcal and Mark Hallum. “Outstanding reporting of unfortunate events,” the judges remarked of Th e Courier’s coverage. “Plenty of details answering reader questions. Each story had a strong lede that immediately told the reader the general happenings before diving into specifi cs. Th e pictures were a perfect companion.” Th e Courier’s Pozarycki also won second place for Best Editorials (Division 2), of which the judges said, “Nice diversity on the topics, all of which were covered well.” Th e paper also earned two third-place 16 THE QUEENS COURIER • DECEMBER 13, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM Photo: Mark Hallum/THE COURIER Heavily-armored police offi cers exit Benjamin Cardozo High School in Bayside during a lockdown on Dec. 11 CARDOZO LOCKDOWN Teen turns self in for stabbing student & causing alarm Photo: Mark Hallum/THE COURIER Students and police offi cers outside Cardozo High School awards for Best Coverage of Business, Financial and Economic News for its stories about Astoria businesses, and Best New Story (Division 5) for a report about food insecurity among local college students. In all, Schneps Media — Th e Courier’s parent company — earned 27 awards in the 2018 Better Newspaper contest. BY JENNA BAGCAL, ZACHARY GEWELB, MARK HALLUM AND ROBERT POZARYCKI editorial@qns.com @QNS A 15-year-old boy turned himself into police on Tuesday aft ernoon hours aft er he allegedly slashed a Benjamin Cardozo High School student in the head and caused a lengthy lockdown of the Bayside institution. Police withheld the boy’s identity due to his age. According to sources familiar with the investigation, the teenager was charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon. Th e suspect turned himself in to the 111th Precinct at the command’s Bayside headquarters on the aft ernoon of Dec. 11 amid reports and public alarm over the incident. Law enforcement sources said that the slashing occurred at about 8:48 a.m. on Tuesday morning, when the 15-yearold suspect confronted the 14-year-old 16 THE QUEENS COURIER • DECEMBER 20, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM Photo: Mark Hallum/THE COURIER Firefi ghters dousing hot spots at one of several Sunnyside stores that burned in a fi ve-alarm inferno on Dec. 13. BURNED TO A CRISP Cause still unknown in massive Sunnyside inferno The backdraft emanating from stores along Queens Boulevard in Sunnyside on Dec. 13. Schneps Media includes more than 70 publications across New York City, Long Island and Westchester County. “I am honored and delighted to see the recognition our media team received. Well done!” said Victoria Schneps, president of Schneps Media. “We are so proud to cover the communities with award-winning journalists.” BY ROBERT POZARYCKI rpozarycki@qns.com @robbpoz As Th e Courier went to press on Wednesday aft ernoon, FDNY marshals were still looking into the cause of the fi ve-alarm inferno that destroyed a row of Sunnyside on Dec. 13. Twelve people, including seven fi refi ghters, were injured aft er fl ames ripped through a row of stores on Queens Boulevard near 45th Street at about 2:14 a.m. last Th ursday. Fire Department sources said the fl ames ignited inside of the New York Style Eats restaurant located at 45-02 Queens Blvd., near 45th Street. Th e fi re then rapidly spread to several adjacent businesses. Firefi ghters arrived on the scene within four minutes of a 911 call about the fi re, according to Assistant Chief Anthony DeVita. Th e FDNY determined that six businesses along Queens Boulevard were aff ected by the blaze; fi refi ghters worked to prevent the fl ames from spreading to adjoining residential and commercial Screenshot via YouTube “We have the best team in the business,” added Joshua Schneps, chief executive offi cer of Schneps Media. “Our reporters and editors are connecting with the community in the most grass roots way possible -- by being out in the neighborhoods they cover. No story is too small or big, and no one covers New York City with more breadth or depth!” Deadly Jack. Hts. shooting may be drug-related: cops Photo via Shutterstock BY EMILY DAVENPORT edavenport@qns.com @QNS Police arrested a Jackson Heights man in connection to a drug-related shooting that left a man dead on Monday. Nestor Londono, 49, was charged with manslaughter, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a controlled substance. According to police, at 11:57 a.m. on April 8, police responded to a 911 call regarding a man shot in the vicinity of 88th Street and 37th Avenue. Upon their arrival, offi cers from the 115th Precinct found 31-yearold Jeff rey Arroyo with a gunshot wound to his chest. EMS rushed to the scene and took Arroyo to NYC Health and Hospitals/Elmhurst, where he was pronounced dead. Shortly afterward, police took Londono, who was inside of 37-14 88th St., in for questioning. Police believe that the shooting may have been narcotics related, however they are still investigating the motive. Londono was ultimately arrested on April 9 and is awaiting arraignment. $99 $99 $99 DESIGNER FRAMES PLUS FREE 2ND PAIR Frames & Lenses Offer ends 4/30/19 ��brand clear sphericalLenses/*Contact lens fitting additional. Not valid for Toric lenses. Not valid with Some restrictions apply, see store for details. Offer ends 4/30/19 Select frames with clear plastic, single vision lensas vision plans or packages. 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