Air Train Troubles + Queens Farm Gets An Upgrade • Daily Digest

Good morning, Queens! It's Thursday, Sept. 23.

Your Headlines: Back to the drawing board? Environmental advocates and northwest Queens residents are taking legal action to force reconsideration of the controversial LaGuardia Airport AirTrain plan.

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday that a historic farm in Queens will get a new education center as part of a multi-million dollar investment in two of the borough's museums.

And finally, Queens residents are demanding more help and money for Hurricane Ida recovery after the city's historic flooding. (WABC-TV)

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Now today's weather: Rain in the evening and overnight. High: 78, low: 69.

Here are the top stories in Queens today:

1. How will the city support clean energy for Queens homeowners? (Queens Daily Eagle)
2. For New York-raised wrestlers, the Queens Arthur Ashe show is a homecoming on a grand stage. (New York Daily News)
3. Queens residents are still waiting for help after the floods left by Ida. (NBC New York)
4. Mighty Quinn's BBQ franchise snags lease for first Queens location in Forest Hills. (New York Business Journal)

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Today in Queens:

• Spirit Week — Sporty Thursday (Jersey Day). (All Day)
• Long Island Staple Expands to Parent Company Facility in Brooklyn. (9 a.m.)
• Corporate Adopt A Garden Program — Queens Botanical Garden. (9 a.m.)
• 2021 BBA Golf Outing — Bayside Business Association. (11:30 a.m.)
• LIVE at Culture Lab LIC — Free Outdoor Concert with Miolina. (6 p.m.)
• LIVE at Culture Lab LIC — Free Outdoor Concert with Ken Butler Collaboration. (7 p.m.)

Queens Patch Notebook

• Queens Chamber of Commerce: "La Bomboniera Marylu is thriving, even in face of the pandemic and Hurricane Ida, thanks to her own ingenuity and a little help from the Queens Chamber and the NYC Small Business Resource Network. Learn how you can access grants!" (Facebook)
• Queens Botanical Garden: This Friday, celebrate the 20th anniversary of the beloved kiddie classic, 'Monsters, Inc.' by watching it on the big screen at the Garden! Join in on a monster craft activity before the screening. Get your tickets here." (Facebook)
• Queens Borough President Donovan Richards: "Tomorrow: We're kicking off our series of regional #Queens town halls at Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens in #Astoria, to hear directly from you, the families of Northwest Queens, about the issues you're facing from #Ida relief." (Facebook)
• Queens Economic Development Corporation: "Check out the story behind NARY! Co-founder Stephanie took our intensive business training course back in 2017. 'An entrepreneur’s ideas/vision/product is continually evolving. I entered into the QEDC program with one business idea.'" (Facebook)
• Queens, New York: "Burger Village Astoria offers a free shake to inside diners who buy a burger from 4 to 6 p.m. in September." (Facebook)

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• Final Nice One! Comedy Show at the Shannon Pot (September 24)
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• Thrift & Treasures This Weekend! (September 25)
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You're all caught up for today! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with your next update. If you're loving these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to read along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Kevin Phinney

About me: Kevin Phinney has lived and worked as a writer and editor in Austin, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Seattle and New York City. He was born in Brooklyn, New York and was raised in El Paso. Phinney attended college in Austin. He has done television work as a reporter and commentator, and is a former host of a weekday drive-time radio show called "Kevin & Kevin in the Morning" on KGSR-FM (now known as Austin City Limits Radio). He is also the author of "Souled American, " a book tracking race relations in America through music. It was published by BILLBOARD Books, and is often used in college classrooms across the country.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Queens Daily? You can reach me at kevin.phinney@patch.com.