🌱 Mega Million Ticket Sold In Queens + iFLY Construction In LIC

Morning, friends! It's me, Miranda Fraraccio, your host of the Daily. Here's all the community news you need to know right now.

But first, today's weather:

Mostly sunny and breezy. High: 44 Low: 33.

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Here are the top 3 stories in Queens today:

1. A Queens Grocery store sold one winning Mega Millions ticket last week. The Mega Millions jackpot was the second highest it has ever been, coming in at over $1.35 billion. While a winner in Maine took home the billion-dollar grand prize, there were two million-dollar winners in New York: one was in Manhattan, and the other was sold in Long Island City, Queens at Momta Grocery, 50-12 Vernon Blvd. (AMNY)
2. Construction on NYC's first iFLY indoor skydiving is underway in Long Island City. The steel-framed, three-story commercial building sits on a nearly half-acre plot on 10-04 Borden Avenue. Photos show the structure, currently two stories high, and progress on the shell for an indoor skydiving tunnel. (New York Yimby)
3. We have an update on the case of 23-year-old Alexa Ruiz, who was found shot to death in her apartment. NYPD officers searched door-to-door this weekend in Maspeth, Queens for information about a 23-year-old woman's murder. As of Sunday, police continue to treat this as a murder and ask anyone with information to report it. (NBC New York)

Today in Queens:

• MLK Day of Service At MacNeil Park (11:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• Queens Botanical Garden is OPEN on Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 16, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Come together with your community to enjoy crafts, storytime, and a guided winter walk centered on and promoting love, hope, and unity. This event is free and for all ages. (Queens Botanical Garden via Facebook)
• Queens Borough President Donovan Richards reminds residents that the first Blood Drive of 2023 with the New York Blood Center is tomorrow! One pint of blood can save up to three lives, so consider stopping by Borough Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. You can make your appointment here. (Queens Borough President Donovan Richards via Facebook)
• Join the Queens Museum on Jan. 28 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for a screening of FROM HERE, a documentary film set in the epicenter of today’s global migration debates. The screening will be followed by a conversation with director Christina Antonakos-Wallace and Tania Mattos, a Queens-based activist who is featured in the film. The film will be in English with Spanish subtitles, while the conversation will be in English with interpretation in Spanish. Registration is required for this event. (Queens Museum via Facebook)

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Events:

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Alrighty, you're all caught up for today. I'll see you soon!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she earned degrees in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or practicing film photography.