🌱 Jeffries Endorses Hochul For Gov + Snow Removal Scam Arrest

Good day, people of Queens! It's me again, Miranda Fraraccio, your host of the Queens Daily.

First, today's weather:

Windy and very cold. High: 31 Low: 23.

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Here are the top three stories today in Queens:

1. Brooklyn and Queens Congressman Hakeem Jeffries has publicly endorsed Kathy Hochul in the race for governor of New York. In a statement on Sunday, Jeffries called Hochul a "tireless advocate for all New Yorkers." Buffalo native Hochul took over as governor when Andrew Cuomo stepped down in August 2022 and has emerged as a frontrunner in the Democratic primary race, which will be decided on Jun. 28. (AMNY)
2. On Saturday night, an unidentified man in his 20s was fatally shot twice in the head behind a Queens apartment building, according to officials. The victim was reportedly walking with his shooter on Grassmere Terrace in Far Rockaway when the suspect pulled out a gun and opened fire. The NYPD says the shooting was captured on security footage and the suspect fled from the scene on foot. This investigation is currently ongoing. (New York Post)
3. A Queens man was arrested Friday by Nassau County Police for fraud after he collected money for winter snow removal services and never showed up. Christopher Picone, 32 of Middle Village, reportedly contacted people on social media and by phone in December offering his services as a snow remover. He allegedly collected advanced payments from at least 15 of those individuals, but then disconnected his phone and never delivered on the promised services. Picone was arrested in Queens on two counts of scheme to defraud and grand larceny. (1010 WINS)

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Today in Queens:

• Compost Build Volunteer Days At Queens Botanical Garden (9:30 AM)
• DIY: Green Roofs And Rooftop Gardening At Queensboro Hill Branch Library (10:00 AM)
• Virtual Guided Meditation At Queensboro Hill Branch Library (11:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Check out these photos from Saturday’s Bell Boulevard St. Patrick’s Day Parade posted by Queens Borough President Donovan Richards. “Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit!” (Facebook)
• Queens Night Market is returning for its seventh season on May 7! Sneak previews are happening on Apr. 16 and 23. Learn more here. (Facebook)
• Only two weeks left to see Chemin Hsiao's exhibit "Shapes of the Garden” at Queens Botanical Garden, running through Apr. 10. Remember, admission to the Garden is free during the month of March, Tuesdays through Sundays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Facebook)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you soon!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a born and raised Rhode Islander, now living in New York. She works as a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and is a graduate of The University of Rhode Island, where she earned a degree in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or photographing her neighborhood as a street photographer.