FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com DECEMBER 31, 2015 • THE COURIER SUN 3 JAMAICA MAN ABUSED AND IMPRISONED PIT BULL PUPPY FOR WEEKS: DA By Robert Pozarycki rpozarycki@queenscourier.com/@robbpoz A pit bull puppy who endured weeks of abuse and neglect is no longer suffering at the hands of its alleged owner. Authorities said Eric Y. Ranger, 26, of 179th Place in Jamaica was arrested on Dec. 23 after police determined he repeatedly beat the animal in public over a six-week period. Detectives found the puppy in Ranger’s home imprisoned in an upside-down milk crate weighed down by cases of soda, according to Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown. “The puppy’s rescue is the nicest Christmas gift he could have received this year,” Brown said in a statement on Dec. 24. Members of the 103rd Precinct Detective Squad began investigating Ranger after individuals reported seeing a man known as “E-Bone” — later determined to be Ranger’s nickname — punching, choking and kicking the puppy while walking it off-leash near Ranger’s home on Nov. 17. Later that afternoon, prosecutors said, a witness claimed to have heard a crying, yelping dog inside Ranger’s residence. Police obtained security camera footage inside a third-floor hallway of the residence that showed a man later identified as Ranger punching and kicking the dog. Police confirmed Ranger as the dog’s owner during a visit to his apartment on Dec. 2. Another video made in the third-floor hallway on Dec. 17 showed Ranger allegedly carrying the dog by his collar up three flights of stairs between 7:30 and 8 a.m. In an earlier incident, according to the criminal complaint, a police officer spotted Ranger punching the dog to the ground; when questioned, prosecutors said, he allegedly told police he was trying to discipline the puppy. Ranger surrendered ownership of the puppy during the Dec. 23 court-authorized search, Brown said, and the dog was taken to an ASPCA facility for treatment and evaluation. Detectives also found inside the apartment three loose marijuana joints and two plastic bags containing marijuana. Ranger was charged with aggravated cruelty to animals, overdriving, torturing and injuring animals, failure to provide sustenance and unlawful possession of marijuana. He faces Photo via Twitter/Flo Vlau Detectives rescued a pit bull puppy, similar to the one pictured, from the apartment of Jamaica man who allegedly abused the animal. File photo A tree is chipped during the 2015 Mulchfest at Jackson Heights’ Travers Park. ‘Tree-cycle’ your Christmas tree during Mulchfest 2016 By Anthon y Giu dice agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com/@A_GiudiceReport With holiday season drawing to a close, the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) and the city’s Parks Department are giving residents the chance to “tree-cycle” their Christmas trees with curbside collections, drop-offs and the 20th annual Mulchfest taking place at 14 parks throughout Queens. DSNY will begin its annual Christmas tree curbside collection program on Monday, Jan. 4, 2016, and will run through Friday, Jan. 15. Residents should remove all tree stands, lights, ornaments and decorations from trees before putting them out for collection. Clean, non-bagged Christmas trees left curbside during the program will be chipped, mixed with leaves and recycled into rich compost for the city’s parks, institutions and community gardens. “Recycling gives Christmas trees new life,” said DSNY Commissioner Kathryn Garcia. “The tree in our homes now will be chipped and reused as mulch in parks and community gardens throughout the city and enjoyed for the months to come.” The Parks Department, meanwhile, is offering residents two options for “tree-cycling”: the Mulchfest event and open drop-off locations. Mulchfest 2016 will take place on Saturday, Jan. 9, and Sunday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The NYC Parks drop-off sites will be accepting trees starting Saturday, Jan. 2, through Sunday, Jan. 10. These options allow Queens residents to drop off their Christmas trees at designated parks for mulching, and to even bring home a free bag of mulch at selected locations. There are 14 locations throughout Queens that will host Mulchfest and drop-off sites including Astoria Park, Forest Park and Juniper Valley Park. “There are countless ways we can care for our parks, and Mulchfest is one of the simplest and most fun,” said Mitchell J. Silver, NYC Parks Commissioner. “With nearly 80 locations to drop off your tree this holiday season, we hope to create more mulch in 2016 than ever before. Thanks to the Department of Sanitation, GreenNYC, our sponsors, and of course, our generous community members who we count on to help keep our trees and plants healthy and nutrient-rich.” For more information on Christmas tree collection and recycling or Mulchfest locations, visit the DSNY website, NYC Parks website or call 311.
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