🌱 Queens Hits Vaccination Milestone + Jamaica House Fire

Rise and shine, Queens! Let's get this Wednesday started. Here's everything you need to know around town today.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and not as cold. High: 38 Low: 27.

Here are the top three stories today in Queens:

1. Four firefighters were hurt battling a fire in a vacant Queens home late on Monday night. At least 60 firefighters from 12 units responded to the all-hands blaze at the two-story residential building at 87-82 172nd Street, between Hillside Avenue and 89th Avenue, in the Jamaica area. At this time, the cause of the fire is unknown. (WPIX 11 New York)
2. On Monday night, a man was gunned down outside of a Queens massage parlor. Just before 5:00 pm, the 44-year-old victim was shot in his neck during a fight in front of Shangrong Spa, located on 41st Avenue near College Point Boulevard in Flushing. The victim, who has not been named publicly, was taken by EMS to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens Hospital and pronounced dead. (New York Post)
3. Two million Queens residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Queens is the first borough in the city to reach the milestone for one shot being administered, and the borough also leads the way in terms of residents who are considered to be fully vaccinated, with Manhattan in second. As of Monday, about 89 percent of Queens residents have at least one shot. (Astoria Post)

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Today in Queens:

• Formulas in Excel, At Queens Public Library Virtual (2:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• On Jan. 16, join Year of Uncertainty Community Partner Malikah via Jamboard for an online conversation about resolutions, capitalism, and what more sustainable goals might look like. (Facebook)
• The Visitor & Administration Building at the Queens Botanical Garden, including the Gallery and Gift Store, will be closed to the public for scheduled maintenance through Friday, 1/14. (Facebook)
• This weekend, our Bronx community suffered from a tragedy that took the lives of more than a dozen people, many of them children, and injured more than 60 others. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards is sending love and support to the families who were impacted by this as well as the community. (Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• DOT Public Hearing: 21st st Bus Lanes (January 12)
• AAECF’S Dr MLK Realizing the Dream Exhibit (January 15)
• "The Philadelphia SPHAs, The Life & Times of Basketball's Greatest Team" Book & Author (January 16)
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• Whitmore's End-Year Media Blitz Features LI's Hospitality Clients (Details)
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You're officially in the loop for today. I'll see you soon!

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a born and raised Rhode Islander. 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, hiking, or photographing her neighborhood as a street photographer.