8 THE QUEENS COURIER • APRIL 12, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Astoria Park cleanup volunteers fi nd trash — and gun — along shore
BY ANGELA MATUA
amatua@qns.com / @angelamatua
Laura Picallo and Laura Aguinaga were
doing their part as Queens residents by
helping to clear the Astoria shoreline of
debris this past weekend when they stumbled
upon something unexpected.
According to Astoria resident, Picallo,
the duo was scouring the “part of the
shore that everyone ignores and doesn’t
clean up” on April 7 when they discovered
a plastic bag with something heavy
inside.
Picallo used a garbage picker to lift the
bag and thought it may have been fi lled
with rocks. Aft er untying a knot, she
found another bag with a gun inside.
“We were just shocked,” she said. “Th at
or a body is probably the worst thing you
can fi nd.”
Th e volunteers kept cleaning aft er their
discovery but soon found a patrol car
from the 114th Precinct near the shoreline
and fl agged them down. Th e cops
thanked the volunteers, took the gun,
and left .
It’s not clear what happened to the
weapon or who left it there. A spokesperson
for the 114th Precinct said he had no
information on the incident.
Th e volunteers were working with the
Astoria Park Alliance (APA), a nonprofit
that works to “ensure conservation and
environmental sustainability” of the park.
According to APA Vice Chair Anthony
Liberatoscioli, there were 45 adults and
16 Girl and Boy Scouts working to clean
up the shoreline that day. Th ey were split
into two teams — shoreline cleanup and
garden revitalization. Th e cleanup group
hauled 22 bags of trash and litter from
the shore. In addition, a large mound of
debris that included lumber, a shopping
cart, a bowling ball and car parts were
also removed.
Th ere are two volunteer dates scheduled
every month and Liberatoscioli said
the volunteers have made a big diff erence
in terms of the cleanliness of the
shoreline.
“Since we have instituted the monthly
schedule for shoreline cleanups, they have
started to make a tangible diff erence in the
appearance of the banks of the East River
in Astoria Park,” he said. “We couldn’t be
more proud of all the hard work accomplished
by Laura and the rest of our volunteers.”
Th ough Picallo’s discovery was “shocking”
she said she still wants to encourage
people to help clean up the area. Th e next
shoreline cleanup day will take place on
May 12 from 2 to 4 p.m.
Jackson Heights honors MLK 50 years after he was slain
BY MADELINE NELSON
editorial@qns.com / @QNS
Residents of Jackson Heights,
Elmhurst and Corona gathered on April
4 for a candlelight vigil to commemorate
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy
on the 50th anniversary of his assassination.
Several community organizations and
civil rights attorney Catalina Cruz organized
the vigil. More than 100 community
members participated in this event,
attended by a diverse cross-section of
neighbors and local elected offi cials,
including Congressman Joe Crowley
and Councilman Daniel Dromm.
“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his
openly gay right-hand man, Bayard
Rustin, inspired my own activism
for equality and justice in America,”
Dromm said. “Near the end of his life,
Dr. King recognized the intersectionality
of many issues including ending
the Vietnam War, the need for
economic justice with the Poor
People’s Campaign, and the struggle
for union workers, which brought him
to Memphis, where he was ultimately
killed fi ghting for those rights. Today,
we recognize the tremendous contributions
Dr. King made to America.”
Th e vigil brought many residents and
City Councilman Daniel Dromm speaks during a vigil in Jackson Heights on April 4 marking 50 years
since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Congressman Joe Crowley and event organizer
Catalina Cruz are among those looking on.
elected offi cials who shared the ways Dr.
King has inspired change in their lives.
“Fift y years later we must recommit
ourselves to protecting the progress
made by Dr. King and building upon
his incredible legacy,” Cruz said. “I am
heartened to see so many neighbors and
members of our community come out
Photo via Twitter/@NYPD115Pct
to honor his memory, and stand together
ready to push back against those who
wish to divide us and thwart our eff orts
for a more just society.”
To close the community gathering,
Jackson Heights resident Maurice
Clayton led the attendees in a rendition
of “We Shall Overcome.”
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Photos courtesy of Astoria Park Alliance
Volunteers cleaning up the Astoria shoreline found a gun this past weekend.
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