FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com JUNE 9, 2016 • THE COURIER SUN 3 SOUTHEAST QUEENS BURGLARS ARE ON THE HUNT FO R TOOLS By Suzanne Monte ver di [email protected]/@QueensCourier The neighborhoods of Howard Beach, Ozone Park and Richmond Hill saw a 33 percent increase in burglaries in the last 28 days. The commanding officer of the 106th Precinct reported about this growing burglary trend during last week’s Community Board 10 meeting in South Ozone Park. According to Fey, perpetrators mainly target detached garages and sheds, and have arranged the burglaries during both the day and nighttime hours. “What they’re looking for, primarily, are tools,” Fey warned. “Be mindful of your sheds and your garages,” Fey suggested. “Make sure that they’re locked.” To combat the growing trend, Fey mentioned that the precinct was currently in the process of organizing an etching program, where officers would engrave and log the community’s power and hand tools so that they could more easily be traced back to the owner should they be stolen. The precinct will also continue to investigate where and to whom these perpetrators are selling the stolen tools. “We realized there are more people doing it than we first understood,” Fey said. Fey did make note of recent significant arrests in connection to the burglaries, including two that occurred on June 1. “These are things in the coming weeks that we’re gonna be aggressively pursuing,” he said. Fey also reported that the precinct was down 16.8 percent in overall crime during the same 28-day cycle. “We are down in several categories, but we’re up in a few categories, as well,” said Fey, noting that auto thefts and robberies dropped while grand larcenies and fraud cases rose. “It is a bit of a mixed bag.” THE NEW MOVENY TRANSIT PLAN WOULD AFFECT QUEENS BRIDGE TOLLS AND MORE By Anthon y Giu dice [email protected] @A_GiudiceReport Not everyone’s in favor of adding tolls to all the East River crossings, but according to transit advocates, it could help make it much easier to get around the city. The MoveNY plan, created by leading transportation engineer “Gridlock” Sam Schwartz, is an overarching transportation plan that aims to create more than $1.3 billion per year to make transit improvements across New York City, which will have a major impact on Queens. “It is a wide-sweeping plan for creating funding to help preserve our bridges, tunnels, improve our mass transit, and improve the roads in the local area,” said John Maier, co-chair of the Community instituting tolls and fees to travel Board 5 (CB 5) Public Transit on the free East River bridges and Services Committee and member below 60th Street in Manhattan. It of the Riders Alliance. would also reduce tolls on certain Maier and Masha Burina, bridges and tunnels operated by organizer with Riders Alliance, the MTA. This means five out of introduced the MoveNY plan to the six bridges in Queens would the members of the Ridgewood see a reduction of tolls by up to 48 Property Owners and Civic percent, with only the Queensboro Association (RPOCA) during their Bridge, which is currently free, monthly meeting on Thursday, seeing a toll installed. June 2, to explain how this plan “MoveNY offers us the much would benefit those traveling in, needed chance to reorganize the around and through Queens. incentive systems on our roadways,” MoveNY seeks to fairly toll the said Macartney Morris, bridges and roads across the city by Riders Alliance member and Astoria resident, in a statement. “I look forward to the day when motorists do not unnecessarily divert their routes through Astoria and Long Island City — bringing congestion, pollution and often unsafe speeding — on their way to the ‘free bridge.’” Under MoveNY, Queens could see $15-20 million in discretionary funds which could be used to enhance transportation stations with elevators, and creating bike lanes and bus shelters. There would be an investment in G train capital improvements, including an extension of the line to Queensboro Plaza. There would also be potential for a brand-new rail line, the “Triboro RX,” which would connect Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx; new ferries between Queens, the Bronx and Manhattan; new Select Bus Service and express bus routes; new Newtown Creek bike and pedestrian lanes; and a Long Island Rail Road conversion between Jamaica and Barclays Center. This plan is more than just a pipe dream. MoveNY has legislation introduced in the Assembly and currently has 28 sponsors, including Assemblyman Andrew Hevesi, who has co-sponsored the bill. “Assembly Bill A.9633, the new Move NY plan, represents an essential step in revamping public transportation in New York City,” Hevesi said in a statement to Riders Alliance. “This bill will provide a much-needed consistent revenue stream for our mass transit system, which is in decline despite the continued fare increases of the past few years. Through statutorily dedicated funds for Queens County, this bill goes beyond the vague promises that came with the last congestion pricing plan from a few years ago, offering a tangible path to change for this system.” To learn more about MoveNY check out their website, and the MoveNY legislation. The MoveNY plan hopes to generate billions in funds for improving transportation outlets throughout New York City.
SC06092016
To see the actual publication please follow the link above