🌱 NYPD Beekeeper Removed 15K Bees + GoFundMe For Woodside Restaurant

Happy Wednesday, people of Queens! Here's everything you need to know to get this day started.

First, today's weather:

Sun mixing with clouds; nice. High: 72 Low: 57.

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Here are the top three stories today in Queens:

1. On Sunday night, an NYPD beekeeper removed 15,000 bees from a tree in Queens. The massive honey bee colony was removed from a tree on 166th Street in eastern Queens at about 10:00 p.m., according to agency officials. The bees were removed using a vacuum and were safely moved to a farm upstate. (Patch)
2. The owners of the Woodside restaurant destroyed by a fire have launched a GoFundMe to rebuild. Texas Chicken and Pizza owner Sher Ahmad Zaraei launched the fundraiser on Friday following a fire that ripped through his family’s 64-01 Broadway establishment on Apr. 24. The goal is to raise $10,000, which would help cover reopening costs. (Sunny Side Post)
3. Flushing Town Hall will host a free arts festival this weekend celebrating Queens' cultural diversity and talent. The “Celebrate Our Community!” arts festival will take place at Charles Drew Park in Jamaica this Saturday, May 21, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Attendees can expect a lineup including a Bollywood and Indian folk fusion concert by artist Anjali, Queensboro Dance Festival performances, and more. (QNS.com)

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Today in Queens:

• Wellness Wednesdays - Catholic Charities, At Far Rockaway Clinic (10:30 AM)
• The Poet In You, At Rego Park Branch Library (11:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• A report shows three Queens neighborhoods saw the biggest average rent increases in April. (QNS.com)
• Popular discount supermarket chain Aldi will be opening a new location in Jamaica. (Queens Post)
• According to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, a Corona Man has been sentenced to life in prison for the fatal shooting inside a Jackson Heights bodega in 2018. (Jackson Heights Post)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Belmont Uncorked (May 21)
• Local Musicians team up with Clean Rite Center and Subway Restaurants for Clothing Drive (May 21)
• Electronics Recycling Event, Saturday the 21st, 10 am to 2 pm (May 21)
• Accentuate the Positive (May 28)
• The Little Neck-Douglaston Memorial Day Parade (May 30)
• The Learning Experience- Summer Camp Ages 2-10 years old LIMITED Space Available (May 31)
• Add your event

Announcements:

• Tryouts @ Port Washington Soccer Club (Details)
• Behind The Scoreboard – Celebrating Buck Lai During Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (Details)
• Add your announcement

Other classifieds:

• Marble Pedestal for Sale (Details)
• Add your classified

That's it for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— 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.