Brooklyn Cherry Blossoms; 'Spitting Lady' Arrested; 'Sprawling' Drug Ring Bust: PM Digest

NEW YORK, NY — Here are the top local news stories for Thursday, March 30. They come from our 28 neighborhood Patch sites across NYC.

Cherry Blossoms Start To Bloom At Brooklyn Botanic Garden

The unofficial start of spring has arrived.

Upper East Side 'Spitting Lady' Arrested

The reign of terror of the Upper East Side's "spitting lady" may be coming to an end. The woman and her son, who often acted as her bodyguard, were arrested Thursday morning, an NYPD spokesman told Patch.

Senate Committee To Grill Jared Kushner On Midtown Tower Financing

The Senate Intelligence Committee will question Jared Kushner on meetings with Russian diplomats and the head of a state-controlled bank.

Port Authority Police Target Gay Men In Bathroom Arrests, Lawsuit Says

A lawsuit filed on Monday accuses Port Authority police officers of arresting men on bogus public lewdness charges.

Key Food Sale Closes; Apartments, Grocery Store Planned

The Brooklyn grocery store is slated to be demolished and replaced with an apartment complex and a replacement store.

Prospect Park Dog Run Plans Revealed

Here's what a new dog run in Brooklyn’s biggest park could look like.

Man Arrested With Untaxed Cigarettes and $18K, Investigators Say

More than $18,000 and 183 cartons of contraband cigarettes were seized during an investigation.

Brooklyn DA: 'Sprawling' Drug Ring Brought Kilos Of Coke, Heroin, Fentanyl Into NYC

The drug distribution network allegedly spanned New York and Arizona.

Two Queens High Schools Ranked Among Top 10 In State For STEM Education, Report Says

Four other Queens high schools were included in the list of 100 best schools for STEM education in New York state.

Woman Yelling That She Hates Asians Beats Bus Passenger With Umbrella, Police Say

The woman pushed the victim, said she hated Asians and hit him in the head with her umbrella, the NYPD said.