8 The Courier sun • november 26 , 2015 for breaking news visit www.qns.com 9/11 ‘Survivor Tree’ planted in Forest Park by ANTHONY GIUDICE agiudice@queenscourier.com @A_GiudiceReport A reminder of the strength and fortitude of the people of New York now grows in Forest Park. Councilman Eric Ulrich, Assemblyman Mike Miller, Assemblyman Michael Simanowitz, Parks Department officials and members of the Richmond Hill community gathered in Forest Park on Nov. 20 to plant and dedicate a 9/11 Survivor Tree. After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, a charred trunk of a Callery Pear tree was pulled from the rubble at the World Trade Center site. The severely damaged tree was then removed from the debris and placed in the care of the Parks Department. After the tree’s recovery and rehabilitation, CRIME DOWN IN 102ND PRECINCT, BUT ROBBERIES ARE STILL AN ISSUE by ANTHONY GIUDICE agiudice@queenscourier.com/@A_GiudiceReport The 102nd Precinct has seen a decrease in crimes this year, but robberies remain a problem, the precinct’s commander said during the Nov. 17 102nd Precinct Community Council meeting at the Richmond Hill library. “The precinct is actually doing well right now,” Deputy Inspector Deodat Urprasad said. “For the weekto date we are down 26 percent in crime. In the 28-day period, we are down 10 percent in crime. Crime-wise we are doing well. We had some issues. Once again, we still have the same issues with robberies.” The precinct has made a concerted effort to focus on robberies, and it has yielded results. Year-to-date, the 102nd Precinct is up almost 24 percent in robbery arrests, according to Urprasad. One recent arrest the precinct made was on a 17-year-old male who was committing strong-arm robberies in multiple locations: Jamaica Avenue, Woodhaven Boulevard and 89th Avenue. In all, the individual committed three robberies on three different days. With the holidays coming up, Urprasad advised residents to stay safe and be aware that attempted robberies could increase. “This is holiday season and throughout the city we are going to face the problem of robberies,” Urprasad warned. The 102nd Precinct also awarded its Cop of the Month at the meeting, honoring P.O. Louis Soto for recovering a firearm during a routine traffic stop. “Officer Soto made a car stop where we were able to recover a sawed-off, stolen shotgun,” Urprasad said. “These were dangerous individuals.” Soto received a plaque donated by the Times Newsweekly for his efforts. it was returned to the 9/11 Memorial in 2010 where it grows today. The tree earned the name Survivor Tree and has grown to become a living reminder of resilience, survival and rebirth. Saplings of the Survivor Tree were taken and distributed to various individuals and organizations. The tree that was planted in Forest Park grew from a sapling of the Survivor Tree that was given to a local Richmond Hill firefighter. The Survivor Tree was planted in a grassy area adjacent to the Buddy Monument and Sgt. Schaefer Oval in Forest Park. Ulrich, Miller, Simanowitz, and members of the One Stop Richmond Hill Community Center including Simcha Waisman participated in the planting ceremony. THE COURIER/Photo by Anthony Giudice Deputy Inspector Deodat Urprasad, commanding officer of the 102nd Precinct, presented the Cop of the Month award to P.O. Louis Soto for making a firearm arrest during a routine traffic stop. Retired cop from Ozone Park pleads guilty to manslaughter for shooting wife by SUZANE MONTEVERDI editorial@queenscourier.com @queenscourier A 44-year-old retired officer and Ozone Park resident pleaded guilty last week to manslaughter for fatally shooting his wife during a dispute in April of last year. Kevin Canty, a former transit officer who retired on disability, admitted that he shot his wife, Jessica Canty, multiple times inside their Ozone Park residence on April 19, 2014. Their children, age 8 and 5, were home at the time of the incident, prosecutors said. Police collared Canty, who had the gun used to kill his wife in his possession, a short time later. “This is a tragic story with no winners, only losers,” Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown said. “There is a mother who senselessly lost her life, a husband who stands convicted of her death, and their children who must grow up without the love or comfort of either parent. While the defendant will have to live with what he did for the rest of his life, the sentence to be imposed is more than warranted.” At the sentencing hearing on Nov. 17, Supreme Court Justice Kenneth C. Holder indicated that he would likely order Canty to serve 25 years in prison when he is officially sentenced on Jan. 6, 2016. Photo courtesy Councilman Eric Ulrich’s office Pictured from left to right: Assemblyman Michael Simanowitz, Simcha Waisman, Councilman Eric Ulrich and Assemblyman Mike Miller. THE COURIER/Photo by Anthony Giudice Deputy Inspector Deodat Urprasad, commanding officer of the 102nd Precinct, presented the Cop of the Month award to P.O. Louis Soto for making a firearm arrest during a routine traffic stop.
SC11262015
To see the actual publication please follow the link above