22 THE QUEENS COURIER • NOVEMBER 9, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
City should cover curb repair costs to
speed up the process: Queens pols
BY SUZANNE MONTEVERDI
smonteverdi@qns.com / @smont76
With homeowners getting “kicked
to the curb” with expensive sidewalk
replacements, local lawmakers are calling
for a change to the way the city handles
mandated repairs.
Councilman Barry Grodenchik and
Assemblyman David Weprin are proposing
the city provides a tax credit to
homeowners for curb correction costs.
Th is would allow the homeowner —
should the city not begin work within 90
days of fi ling the complaint — to have
repairs completed by a licensed contractor.
Repairs would be expedited, and the
city would reimburse homeowners for
work done at a “reasonable cost,” the lawmakers
said.
Owners of one-, two- and three-family
homes are responsible for sidewalk
maintenance and repairs in front of and
adjacent to their properties. Th e city’s
Department of Transportation, however,
is in charge of curb and road repairs.
Weprin has introduced a bill to the New
York State Assembly and Grodenchik
has introduced a resolution to the City
Council to eff ect the change.
“City homeowners are getting kicked
to the curb with sidewalk repair costs,”
Weprin said. “It is time that we provide
homeowners with a path for responsible
curb repair and sidewalk maintenance.”
Despite curbs being city property,
Grodenchik said, homeowners oft en wait
“seemingly forever” for repairs, with the
DOT acknowledging that repair requests
“outpace available resources.”
“Th is legislation — a simple fi x to a
longstanding problem — would allow
homeowners to fi x their curbs quickly
in exchange for a property tax credit,”
he said. “Many thanks to Assemblyman
David Weprin for working in concert
with me on this important issue.”
Th e lawmakers spoke in favor of the
legislation alongside Jerry Wind of the
Bellerose Hillside Civic Association and
homeowner Paul Krasanoff at a press
conference in Hollis Hills on Oct. 27.
Photo via Shutterstock
Th e full bill can be viewed at nysenate.
gov.
Cops investigating death of
2-week-old infant in Woodhaven
BY ANTHONY GIUDICE
agiudice@ridgewoodtimes.com
@A_GiudiceReport
Offi cers are continuing to investigate the
death of a 2-week-old baby found inside a
Woodhaven home over the weekend.
Members of the 102nd Precinct
responded to a 911 call of an unconscious
infant inside a residence on 91st
Street in Woodhaven at approximately
4:48 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5.
Upon arrival, law enforcement agents
found 2-week-old Abigale Parra unconscious
and unresponsive on the second
fl oor of the home, cops said.
EMS responded to the location, police
said, and transported Parra to Jamaica
Hospital, where she was pronounced
dead. Th e Medical Examiner will determine
the cause of death.
Th e investigation is ongoing.
Car burglar steals park
ranger’s gun in Howard Beach
BY ROBERT POZARYCKI
rpozarycki@qns.com / @robbpoz
Th e 106th Precinct needs your help in
fi nding the man who recently broke into
a park ranger’s car in Howard Beach and
stole his handgun.
According to police, the incident
occurred at 4:49 p.m. on Oct. 26 inside the
LA Fitness parking lot at 133-40 79th St. in
the neighborhood’s Lindenwood section.
Law enforcement sources said the victim,
an off -duty member of the National
Parks Service, was in the gym working out
when the unidentifi ed suspect broke into
his personal vehicle, a 2016 Ford.
Authorities noted that the crook
removed a lime green and black Nike gym
bag which contained a Sig Sauer DAK-
229 .40-caliber handgun; several .40-caliber
magazines; a pair of handcuff s; and
the victim’s Department of Interior and
Wildlife Service ID and badge. He then
fl ed the scene in an unknown direction.
Th e 106th Precinct posted fl iers about
the incident on its Twitter account.
Anyone with information about the
theft is urged to call Detective Yisel
Cabrera of the 106th Precinct Detective
Squad at 718-845-2261, or Detective
Borough Queens South at 718-969-5005.
All calls are kept confi dential.
Photo courtesy of Robert Stridiron
Police are investigating the death of a 2-week-old baby in Woodhaven.
Images courtesy of NYPD