🌱 Sex Traffickers Charged + Concrete Barriers On Vernon Blvd.

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

First, today's weather:

Intervals of clouds and sun. High: 65 Low: 57.

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Here are the top three stories today in Queens:

1. Nine people were charged Tuesday in a multi-state sex trafficking operation. New York prosecutors say the participants communicated via WeChat to organize the operation, and targeted primarily immigrant women. The Queens-based trafficking organization caused violence against women as far away as Overland Park, Kansas. (The Daily Beast)
2. Concrete barriers are being installed along the Vernon Blvd. protected bike lane in Queens this week. Installation for the barriers, which are being placed between 6th Avenue and Queens Plaza South, began on Tuesday. The barriers come as part of a DOT initiative to increase safety for cyclists. (Queens Post)
3. Feeling lucky? Resorts World New York City is bidding for one of three full casino licenses approved by the New York general assembly in this year's budget. Resorts World says that the license would allow their Queens casino to add nearly 1,000 new union jobs through new table games and hospitality options. (QNS.com)

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Today in Queens:

• Sift & Bag Your Own Compost Event, At Queens Botanical Garden (12:30 PM)
• American History Series, At Far Rockaway Branch Library (1:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Queens Borough President Donovan Richards chaired the Borough Board meeting yesterday. The board heard from NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez and NYC City Planning Commissioner Dan Garodnick. Click the link to watch the video. (Facebook)
• Queens Botanical Garden shared heartwarming photos taken by Eryn Hatzithomas at the garden. The Botanical Garden celebrated the return of bee and herb gardeners for the season. (Facebook)
• A national restaurant chain has opened its first Queens location. Sweetgreen, which specializes in healthy salads and warm bowls, opened on Tuesday on the corner of 44th Drive and Jackson Avenue. (Queens Post)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• God's Way, a play by Dahlia Harris April 14 - April 24 (April 24)

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• African American & 60yrs +? Paid study for your opinions! (Details)

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That's it for today. I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow with a new 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.