Snow Keeps Elderly Wife Out Of Contact With Hospitalized Husband In Ozone Park Queens - CBS New York

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One Queens neighborhood was not only still buried in knee-deep snow drifts Wednesday, but had lost phone service because of phone lines toppled by the wind, Derricke Dennis reports.

Arlene Krasowsky, 69, of Ozone Park was afraid of what could happen. Her husband’s in the hospital. “And if it wasn’t for a neighbor with a cell phone, I got no way to call for help in here,” she said. “If something happens to my husband, what’ll happen?”

On Wednesday, the area saw its first plow in three days. Con Ed arrived on the scene to fix one set of lines, and Verizon came to work on another set.

Then there’s a sewer truck, dispatched on a broken water main, that ended up stranded in the snow.

Resident Philip Russo doesn’t even want to talk about it. “Why am I gonna talk to you?” he joked with Dennis. “What are you do for me? You clean?”

Russo’s in bad health and so is his wife Frances. They said they’re like prisoners.

“I can’t go out unless its completely clear, because God forbid I slip and fall, and I’m ruined for my life,” she said.

Krasowsky, however, wants to go out, and was asking anyone she can for help. She feared she’ll be out of reach, or stranded in the snow, if anything happens to her husband. “The TV stations are a Godsend, because nobody will move without you. Nobody will move without you because they won’t listen to me.”

Hit-and-Run Critically Injures Man in Woodhaven, Queens - Eyewitness News - 7online.com

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Police in Queens are searching for a hit and run driver.

Police say a dark colored SUV hit a pedestrian at Jamaica Avenue and 85th Street.


It happened just before 2 a.m. Sunday in Woodhaven.


The SUV fled the scene going eastbound on Jamaica Avenue.


The 45-year-old man was taken to Jamaica Hospital in critical condition.


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Plan Starts Up For Jamaica Bay Clean Up by Elise Finch - wcbs-tv

Jamaica Bay is a popular boating and fishing area, but it's been plagued by pollution in recent years...Take a tour of Jamaica Bay with NYC Department of Environmental Protection and CBS2's Elise Finch...

Big Apple Buzzing After Legalization Of Beekeeping - wcbstv.com

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It's the buzz in New York City: bees are back, and it's not by accident. The benefits of bees reach far and wide.

To bee or not to bee? That is the question, and New York City answered with a resounding "yes" when it legalized beekeeping, which had previously been banned.

Now, beekeepers will be allowed to keep and nurture their own hives.

"I thought it was a great idea," Vivian Wang said.

Wang is a bee advocate with the Natural Resources Defense Council, which helped lead the push for more bees in the city in the wake of a declining bee population due to pesticide exposure, diseases and parasites, among other causes.

"Commercial beekeepers started noticing winter losses of 30 to 90 percent of their colonies, so it's a pretty substantial problem," Wang said.

With that decline came a pollination shortage, which can have an enormous effect.

Andrew Cote, who has six hives of his own, is the director of Bees Without Borders.

"The bees visit all trees, pollinate them, and help them grow and flourish, [and] help vegetables and fruits grow," Cote said. "Without them, one-third of the food we enjoy commercially would not be out on plates."

The New York City Beekeepers Association estimates there are now already 200 beekeepers in New York City since it became legal in April, with the majority in Brooklyn, and expect more soon – as the buzz spreads.

Experts say beekeepers must notify the Health Department about their hives, and that the danger of bee stings is minimal.

CBS 2's Scott Rapoport contributed to this report.

Polluted Jamaica Bay Hoped To Be Clean By 2020 Reporting Elise Finch - wcbstv.com

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wJamaica Bay in New York is considered the crowned jewel of the city's ecological resources. CBS

Jamaica Bay is a popular boating and fishing area, but it's been plagued by pollution in recent years. Now a new plan is being implemented to improve the water quality.

The bay is often referred to as the crown jewel of New York City's ecological resources. Located at the southwestern tip of Long Island, the bay encompasses more than 25,000 acres of water, marsh, meadowland, beaches, dunes, and forests in Brooklyn and Queens. But concerns over water quality overshadowed the bay's beauty until recently.

"There are four wastewater treatment plants out of our 14 that discharge into Jamaica Bay. Those plants everyday discharge about 45,000 pounds of nitrogen as part of the overall treatment process," said Caswell Holloway, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. "Nitrogen is not harmful to humans, but it is a natural byproduct of the 1.3 billion gallons of wastewater that New Yorkers produce and the DEP treats everyday.

High nitrogen levels cause massive algae blooms which lower the amount of oxygen in the water and make it dangerous for aquatic life. After six months of negotiations, the city, state, and four environmental groups agreed to a 10 year plan to improve water quality. The first step is rigorous water testing.

At 20 different sites around Jamaica Bay, scientists will take samples to test the water's clarity and to test the levels of things like oxygen, chlorophyll and bacteria.

"We've increased by more than 50 percent the number of sites that we have, that we're testing here in Jamaica Bay," said Holloway.

"We're gonna measure the dissolved oxygen in the water," said DEP Engineering Technician Bernadette Boniecki. "Under three is hypoxic which means it could be detrimental to marine life, usually this time of year its pretty good."

When CBS 2 visited the facility, the oxygen level was almost nine-and-a-half. Inside the floating laboratory, ecologists prepared Petri dishes to test for bacteria.

"This is enterococcus bacteria specifically and it's usually from human waste or industrial waste," said Geneive Hall, a water ecologist.

Added marine biologist Beau Ranheim: "One simple measurement, one single measurement is not going to tell you anything besides just that day, but it's more the pattern over time and the city's been doing it for 100 years, so we have a lot of data built up."

New data is already showing improvement because interim changes at the nearby four wastewater treatment plans has reduced the amount of nitrogen being released into Jamaica Bay by nearly 10 percent. Eventually, the nitrogen release will be cut in half when upgrades are made at those facilities.

"The overall objective is to bring the bay back ecologically," said Holloway. "And this is how you get there."

The total plan to improve water quality in Jamaica Bay will cost the city $115 million by the time it's complete in 2020.

NYC Event To Identify Jamaica Bay Organisms - wcbstv.com

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Hundreds of scientists and amateur naturalists are going on a 'treasure hunt' to catalog the diversity of organisms in New York City's Jamaica Bay and surrounding areas.

The 24-hour BioBlitz begins Friday. It is sponsored by The National Park Service with Brooklyn College.

It's described as part contest, part educational event and part scientific endeavor.

Organizers say participants will learn about the richness and biological diversity "right next to the urban metropolis of New York City."

The nearby areas of Plumb Beach and Dead Horse Bay also will be explored.

The results will be announced Saturday.

During the first BioBlitz of Jamaica Bay in 2007, 650 different species of birds, bryophytes, fish, mammals, plants and terrestrial and aquatic invertebrates were identified.

Truck Fire Backs Up Traffic On Van Wyck - wcbstv.com

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A U.S. mail truck rolled over and caught fire on the Van Wyck Expressway early Tuesday morning.

The vehicle was traveling southbound just before the Jackie Robinson Parkway at around 4:30 a.m. The driver sustained minor injuries.

All northbound lanes has since reopened, but traffic remains heavy in both directions.

As an alternative, take the Grand Central Parkway or the Long Island Expressway to Queens Blvd. back to the Van Wyck.

Late Show with David Letterman - Farewell to "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches"

With George W. Bush's presidency at an end, Dave presents the final edition of "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches."

9-Year-Old Struck And Killed By RV In Queens - wcbstv.com

Accident Vehicle Used By Campaign For Man Running For Political Office In 32nd City Council District

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There was a deadly accident in Queens on Tuesday afternoon. A 9-year-old boy was struck and killed by an RV in Ozone Park.

The child was crossing at the intersection of Cross Bay Boulevard and Liberty Avenue when he was struck.

"He almost made it to the sidewalk," witness Raymond Sierra said. "He was running trying to make the light. The RV tried to make it to the light and hit the kid."

The RV involved in the crash is a campaign vehicle for Mike Ricatto, who's running in a special election in the 32nd City Council district.

The driver was not charged.

14-Year-Old Girl Sexually Assaulted In Queens - wcbstv.com

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Police say a 14-year-old girl was sexually assaulted Thursday morning on her way to school in Queens, sources tell CBS 2 HD.

A male suspect carrying a knife attacked the victim just after 6 a.m. near Beach Street and Brookhaven Avenue in Far Rockaway.

The victim was removed to a local hospital. The extent of her injuries are not yet known.

Girl Hospitalized After Hit-And-Run In Queens - Reported by Deborah Garcia - wcbstv.com

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Surveillance video at a Getty gas station at the corner of Rockaway Boulevard and 98th Street captured a black Nissan Altima striking a 12-year-old girl who was crossing the street.

A 12-year-old girl is in critical condition after she was struck by a driver who never stopped in front of a gas station in the Queens on Wednesday morning.

The tragedy unfolded on Rockaway Boulevard in Ozone Park after the victim, Nisha Choudhry, was dropped off along with a friend of hers by her father, something he only does Wednesdays on his day off.

"I go 5, 10 meters when my mind says something. I come back then I saw some kids lying in the street, then I saw my daughter," said a deeply distraught Raj Choudhry.

The entire incident was captured on surveillance camera. The two girls were heading to Middle School 137.

"It's very hard. I love my daughter," Mr. Choudhry said.

Because of Nisha's head injury, she was transported from Jamaica Hospital to New York Presbyterian in Manhattan. Meanwhile, police are searching for the black Nissan believed to be a 2007 model that fled the scene. It is missing a driver's side mirror.

"She didn't see the car, but the car came and hit her and she flew up in the air. And when she came down she hit her head. She started bleeding. She was like in a coma," said an unidentified witness.

Mr. Choudhry is still having a difficult time believing the driver never stopped to help his little girl.

"Be kind to people. You should not run away. Stop and help," he said.

Nisha's friend that was also struck by the car has a minor injury to her arm. Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-877-577-TIPS.

Richmond Hill Devastated By Saturday's Storm - wcbstv.com

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Saturday night's powerful storms are making this a father's day hundreds of families won't forget because they woke up to see downed trees and damaged homes.

The Richmond Hill section of Queens was hit especially hard – where a tree snapped during the storm and landed on top of a house on Myrtle Avenue.

"It definitely was different than anything you would see normally," said Richmond Hill resident John Landsbergis. "The way the winds were swirling around - my daughter said, 'that's not a regular storm, there's something else going on there.'

Nikita Guzman saw the whole thing from her apartment window, and she's convinced that what caused this destruction was more than a rain storm.

"It looked like a tornado came through from over there. It swept and lifted up the tree and softly landed on the ground. Then we saw this tree tumble on top of the house - it was amazing," said Guzman.

Despite there being several downed trees all over the neighborhood, no one was hurt.

In Jackson Heights, neighbors had to deal with rushing waters that flooded out of basements.

"As soon as I opened up the door, all the water poured down into the basement," said Ken Young. "It took us until midnight to go ahead and wet-vac out and start disinfecting things."

The mess is all cleaned up but Young worries about water damage you can't see.

"When you get under the floor boards - then it starts rotting," said Young.

In Nutley, New Jersey, a town that's still cleaning up from last week's storm, there are scattered power outages and thanks they didn't get hit again.

But back in Queens, the cleanup is just starting.

Richmond Hill residents are convinced this was no ordinary storm - they want to know exactly what moved through their neighborhood.

On Fast Track: Slots Proposed For Aqueduct - wcbstv.com

wcbstv.com - On Fast Track: Slots Proposed For Aqueduct

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QUEENS (CBS) ― The state budget is balanced this year but next year won't be so easy. The souring economy will have lawmakers looking for new sources of revenue, and they may have found one in the form of slot machines in Queens.

CBS 2 HD has learned that the idea may be on the fast track.

The state may soon be saying giddy-up to the idea of mixing horses with slot machines in an effort to help bridge next year's expected $5 billion budget gap.

"What we've got to do is go beyond where people have gone before and start attacking debt preemptively," Gov. David Paterson said.

Paterson says he'll consider this pre-emptive strike -- installing 4,500 slot machines at the state-owned Aqueduct Racetrack, turning the place into what's called a "racino," similar to what's at the Yonkers Raceway. However, the governor is not yet convinced it's worth the gamble.

"We don't want to be enticing people to gamble and throw their resources away and become heavily dependent on our social services," Paterson said.

Currently this track is open just seven months a year. But if slot machines were to come, Aqueduct would be generating revenue year round, even when betting windows aren't open.

Aqueduct estimates each slot machine would generate $225 in daily revenue for the state. If 4,500 machines are installed, that could mean a jackpot of more than $1 million a day, turning the track into much more than a one-trick pony. Still, not everyone is sold.

"All in all it's a bad idea," State Sen. Frank Padavan, R-Queens, told CBS 2 HD by phone. "There are better ways of dealing with deficits than taking money out of the back pockets of people who can't afford it."

Added Assemblywoman Earlene Hooper, D-Hempstead: "I need to know what impact it would have on the community, what impact the community feels about it."

CBS 2 HD tried to find out. The reaction to the proposal was generally mixed.

"It's going to bring a bad element to the neighborhood," Elio Filosa said.

"It doesn't matter because we have the horses and we have the traffic here already," Maria Vertucci said.

Traffic that would grow along with the millions pocketed by the state.

Right now there are three developers who have bids in with the state, each ready to pay a slot machine licensing fee of approximately $250 million.

Vito Fossella Admits Fathering Love Child - NYPolitics.com

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Republican Congressman Vito Fosella Confesses To Fathering 3-Year Old With Woman Not His Wife

Rep. Vito Fossella has admitted fathering a 3-year-old daughter with a woman outside his marriage.

The Republican congressman from New York City made the announcement Thursday amid heavy scrutiny after his arrest for drunken driving last week in suburban Washington.

Police said Fossella told officers that he was going to see his daughter in the area when he was pulled over. That prompted questions about whether he had fathered an out-of-wedlock child because his wife lives in New York and the couple has three children together.

Fossella is the lone Republican member of the New York City congressional delegation.

In a statement to the press, Fossella said:

“I have had a relationship with Laura Fay, with whom I have a three year old daughter.

“My personal failings and imperfections have caused enormous pain to the people I love and I am truly sorry.

“While I understand that there will be many questions, including those about my political future, making any political decisions right now are furthest from my mind.

“Over the coming weeks and months, I will to continue to do my job and I will work hard to heal the deep wounds I have caused.”

The news comes just days after Fossella was arrested on drunk driving charges.

New details emerged Tuesday about his night on the town that ended with the politician in jail.

Logan’s Tavern in Washington is where Rep. Fossella apparently spent a wild night before getting behind the wheel of a car.

After leaving the bar the Congressman was pulled over in Alexandria, Va., for drunk driving.

Fossella said he was on his way to visiting friends in Virginia, but speculation immediately swirled around who the friends were.

After he was arrested with a blood-alcohol level of .17 — more than twice the legal limit – he was bailed out by former Lt. Col. Laura Fay.

Questions rose as to why Fossella called Fay when he could have called his own chief of staff, who reportedly lives in Alexandria, Va.

CBS station WCBS-TV tried to contact Fay, but was unsuccessful.

Fossella’s wife, Mary Patricia, looked upset at the press conference he held on Friday. Upon entering, the two quickly separated.

“I take full responsibility and realize I’ve embarrassed my family,” Fossella said then.

Fossella could be facing even more problems. A spokesman for the House Ethics Committee tells WCBS-TV that the committee has 30 days from the date of his arrest to decide whether to open a full investigation.

Source: CBS News

WCBS-TV: Walking Tour Through The Greek And Roman Galleries at the Met...

CBS) NEW YORK As Curator In Charge Carlos Picon and CBS 2’s Dana Tyler walked, Picon explained, “What we tried to do is show you in this great room within the colonnade works of art that would have stood in places in ancient Hellenistic Italy and Greece and Roman Empire.

Works that would have stood in public places in sanctuaries, the more decorative works Tyler said, “What a beautiful setting though now look that’s the sky up there beautiful sunlight really enhances the experience, Carlos.” He answered. “It does!”

Picon and Tyler continued their tour. “Where we are standing right now is the beginning of Roman portraiture from the first century B.C. to the end of first century B.C. and the first century of our era. I want to share with you the statue, which is a long time favorite of our department and our audience. It shows an anonymous princely figure, a teenager, obviously someone given the honor of a bronze statue. Bronze was even more expensive than marble in antiquity!”

Moving on, Tyler said, “Now we are in the Greek and Roman study collection, what is that?” Picon explained, “Dana, I want you to understand, not obvious, we call it the study collection for lack of another name. This is over 3,500 objects, part of our collection of mirroring the whole breath and chronology of the department’s holding and objects that did not make it to our primary galleries. We don’t want to then show in an intimidating way, we want to show depth and diversity of our collection. It’s shown chronologically and thematically starting from earliest Greek from Neolithic period 6 B.C. ending with Roman Empire and we have works in every possible media.”

Tyler asked, “Where was all this stuff before?”

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