🌱 NYS Rejects Astoria Power Plant + Night Market Costume Contest

Welcome to the debut edition of the Queens Daily! I'm Miranda Fraraccio, a Rhode Island transplant who now resides in Queens, and I'm excited to be your new source for all the events, news, and general happenings in town. Now, let's get on to today's news!

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny. High: 60 Low: 49.

Here are the top stories in Queens today:

1. New York State has rejected a controversial proposal that would have put a new fossil fuel power plant in Astoria, Queens. Houston-based NRG had submitted an application to construct a natural gas-powered turbine generator near the Astoria waterfront, which would have replaced an oil-burning turbine generator that is exiting service in 2023. The Department of Environmental Conservation announced Wednesday morning that it had denied NRG’s permit application after reviewing more than 6,600 public comments, many of which saw the proposal as "a threat to New York’s long-term clean-energy goals." (New York Daily News)
2. A Queens man has been charged with murdering a woman in a life insurance scheme. Cory Martin was charged by a Brooklyn federal court with murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire. Martin had already been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud for obtaining fraudulent life insurance policies in the name of Brandy Odom, 26. Martin allegedly murdered Odom to claim the benefits under the life insurance policies, then scattered her dismembered remains in a Brooklyn park. (Department of Justice)
3. The Queens Night Market, located at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, will close its sixth annual Halloween-themed season with "spooktacular" costume contests for kids and adults on Saturday, Oct. 30. The children’s costume contest will begin at 8:30 p.m. and the adults’ contest will immediately follow around 9:15 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for each event, and guests will enjoy a lineup of musical entertainment throughout the evening. (QNS.com)
4. A park near the Queens Center Mall will be getting an upgrade under Mayor de Blasio's Community Parks Initiative. On Tuesday, de Blasio announced that the city would invest $425 million in the program over the next 10 years to revamp parks across the boroughs, including one in Elmhurst, Queens. The upgraded Hoffman Park, which is located on Woodhaven Boulevard, will be designed by the Parks Department in collaboration with the local community. (Forest Hills Post)
5. Queens is continuing its lucky streak for winning lottery ticket sales with two recent $50,000Powerball tickets. The winning tickets were purchased within the last week, one at Full Stop Deli and Grocery on Horace Harding Expy. in Fresh Meadows, and the other at the BP gas station at 144-31 Farmers Blvd. in Jamaica. For the next big lottery, players can securely check their tickets for the winning prize on the New York Lottery app. (QNS.com)

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Today in Queens:

• LIVE at Culture Lab LIC - Free Outdoor Concert with John Yao and His 17-piece Instrument (9:00 AM)
• Halloween Harvest Food Pop-Up - Catholic Charities - Far Rockaway Clinic (9:30 AM)
• All About your Accounts - Queens Business Outreach Center (10:00 AM)
• Cafe des Artistes: A Focus on Modern Art (11:00 AM)
• Job Search Strategies for the Mature Worker Webinar (12:00 PM)

Queens Patch Notebook

• Queens Botanical Garden: "We're excited to see all the super awesome costumes at this year's Halloween at the Garden! 👻🎃🧙‍♀️🦸🏽‍♀️ Here are some of our favorites from years past." (Facebook)
• Queens Chamber of Commerce: "Queens native and stand-up comedian Ricky Velez is breaking out on his own this month with his own stand-up special that was released on HBO and HBO Max on October 23." (Facebook)
• Queens Borough President Donovan Richards: "Although summer is over, our #QueensLive Summer Concert series isn't! Join us for our final free performance at Fort Totten Park on October 30th at 3 pm for an evening of live music by no other than the Queens-based rock group Hollis Brown." (Facebook)
• Queens Chamber of Commerce: "K. Y. Chow, a Queens Chamber member and owner of the printing company GM Printing which has worked with everyone from Queensborough Community College / CUNY to the American Museum of Natural History, demonstrates how ambition is ageless." (Facebook)
• Queens Chamber of Commerce: "Get best practices for creating a YouTube Channel and compelling video content that promotes your products and services and drives engagement with your brand." (Facebook)
• Queens Chamber of Commerce: "LIGHT FOR LIFE, an installation illuminating photos of over 600 Elmhurst staff and COVID-19 and breast cancer patients, is almost complete. You can still be involved by buying a light bulb in TRIBUTE for a loved one or by purchasing a t-shirt." (Facebook)
• Queens Chamber of Commerce: "We love family-owned businesses, but business can be tough on families. That's why we're hosting a webinar on how to improve your business, strengthen your familial relationships, and build a great reputation and legacy that will stand the test of time." (Facebook)

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Events:

• “The Play That Goes Wrong” — Get $43.21 Tickets This Friday Only! (October 29)
• Level Up To Success! (October 30)
• Open House, A Brightly, Sunlit Studio Co-op in Mint Condition with Lakeviews! (October 30)
• 🎃 OPEN HOUSE!! Peace & Tranquility Perfectly Restored In Douglas Manor, NYC (October 30)
• 🎃 OPEN HOUSE! Move Right In..Just Listed Forest Hills Gardens TurnKey Tudor (October 31)
• 🎃 OPEN HOUSE!! Beautiful Condo With 4 Balconies And Sweeping Views (October 31)
• Save 15 Percent On Boo-tiful Flowers This Halloween! (October 31)
• HSS Yoga Flow Class - New Session Starting Nov. 2! (November 2)
• PAWS NY Virtual Volunteer Orientation (November 3)
• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (November 4)
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You're all caught up for today! See you all tomorrow for your next update. If you're into these newsletters, consider bringing some of your friends and neighbors along for the ride. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a born and raised Rhode Islander. She works as a freelance copywriter for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and as an assistant producer for a live-lit storytelling show in Chicago. She holds a degree in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies from The University of Rhode Island. In her free time, you can find her traveling, hiking, or photographing her neighborhood as a street photographer.