4 THE QUEENS COURIER • SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Convicted pet
hoarder cuff ed
for cruelty to
probation agent
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
rpozarycki@qns.com
@robbpoz
Previously convicted of animal cruelty
and hoarding, a Jackson Heights
woman now fi nds herself in jail once
again, this time for assaulting a probation
offi cer visiting her home — and
again keeping numerous pets in squalor.
Elizabeth Grant, 50, was convicted in
March of this year on 108 counts of animal
cruelty and ordered to serve three
years’ probation; she was also prohibited
from owning any pets for 10 years.
Law enforcement offi cials had found
dozens of neglected cats and dogs in
her 82nd Street home back in 2016.
On Aug. 29 of this year, according to
Queens District Attorney Richard A.
Brown, a probation offi cer made a routine
visit to Grant’s home for an inspection.
Grant’s mother opened the door
for the agent, who immediately noticed
a foul odor emanating from inside.
Prosecutors said that Grant immediately
confronted the offi cer and berated
the agent, claiming that the offi -
cer didn’t have a warrant and that the
case was on appeal. She allegedly used
derogatory and racially-charged slurs
at the offi cer.
Th e probation offi cer then spotted
numerous cats on the ground fl oor,
several of which appeared to be underweight,
authorities said. When the
agent took out her cellphone to take
pictures of the animals, Grant allegedly
tried to grab the offi cer’s phone, then
stood extremely close to her and challenged
the offi cer by saying, “Go ahead,
punch me, push me, slap me.”
Eventually, the offi cer was able to
make her way to the second fl oor of the
home, and found inside of a bedroom
numerous dogs that appeared to be
underweight. As the offi cer turned to
walk back down the stairs, authorities
said, Grant allegedly shoved the offi cer
from behind, causing the agent to trip
and twist her back while barely hanging
on to the railing.
Th e probation offi cer wound up seeking
treatment at a local hospital for substantial
pain.
Soon thereaft er, the NYPD and
ASPCA offi cers executed a court-authorized
search of Grant’s home and
found fi lthy conditions — including a
strong odor of ammonia; an indicator
of animal waste; a lack of air circulation
amid a summer heatwave; and excessive
number of fl ies.
Police also found numerous dogs
kept in a cramped kitchen area along
with two turtles found in a dirty aquarium
kept in a bathtub; one cat; two rabbits;
two guinea pigs; and two beta fi sh.
If convicted of all charges, she faces
up to seven years behind bars.
Get ready for another lovely ‘Sunday
Stroll’ in Bayside this month
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
rpozarycki@qns.com
@robbpoz
A four-block stretch of Bell Boulevard
in Bayside will close on Sunday, Sept.
23, for the neighborhood’s biggest block
party of the year.
The Bayside Village Business
Improvement District will once again
hold a “Sunday Stroll” along Bell
Boulevard between 38th and 41st avenues,
giving residents the chance to enjoy
games, music and food from the area’s
best restaurants.
Th e family-friendly event aims to promote
businesses along the strip while also
bringing residents together. According to
Christine Silletti, executive director of the
Bayside Village BID, guests can also expect
to fi nd a few surprises during the event.
Children can enjoy an array of free
games as well as arts and craft s and performances
from a bubble-blower and a
magician. Employees at the Turn the
Page Again bookstore will hold special
a special storytime event for young children
outside the shop, located at 39-15
Bell Blvd. Most of the many restaurants
along Bell Boulevard will also set up tables
and chairs on the boulevard, and provide
samples from their menus to guests.
Additionally, a large stage will be set up
at the corner of Bell Boulevard and 40th
Avenue for various music and dance acts,
including local bands and students from
the nearby Robert Mann Dance Centre.
File photo/THE COURIER
Th e Bayside Village Sunday Stroll takes
place from noon to 5 p.m. on Sept. 23.
For more information, visit baysidevillagebid.
com.
First Sonic Drive-In in Queens opens in Flushing
BY EMILY DAVENPORT
edavenport@qns.com / @QNS
A new Sonic location opened its doors
in downtown Flushing, marking the
franchise’s fi rst-ever location to open in
Queens.
Th e new Sonic is located at 136-51
Roosevelt Ave., less than one block away
from the Flushing—Main St. 7 train station,
and will be open from 6 a.m. to 12
a.m. Due to its location, the Sonic will
not have the franchise’s iconic drive-in
features.
Sonic serves breakfast, lunch and dinner,
off ering a variety of options including
hamburgers, hot dogs, sandwiches,
fries and tater tots as well as their unique
frozen drinks, milkshakes and soda
options. Known for its 1950s drive-in
style, other locations of the chain allows
customers to order from their cars and
have their food delivered to them by servers
in roller skates.
In February 2017, another Sonic location
opened its doors just over the Queens
border in Valley Stream. Located within
the Green Acres Mall, the Sonic is open
Sundays through Th ursdays from 9 a.m.
to midnight, and Fridays and Saturdays
from 9 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Th ose interested in opportunities to
work for the new Flushing Drive-In can
apply online at www.sonicdrivein.com/
Jobs. Photo via Facebook/Bayside, Queens
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