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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Investigators believe rage over a parking spot set the stage for a Far Rockway man to be accused of killing his friend when he drove his car into a crowd of onlookers, injuring five people, police said.

The rampage took place Sunday outside the XS Hookah Lounge at 127-10 Liberty Ave. in Richmond Hill.

Adrien Harry, 22, was charged with murder, attempted assault, assault, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of a weapon, the Queens district attorney said. He is being held without bail and could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted.

After a preliminary investigation, police discovered that Harry and the 23-year-old murder victim, Richardo Chattergoon, were neighbors who arrived at XS Hookah Lounge together, according to NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce.

The young men lived three minutes apart in Far Rockaway. Harry is from Beach 67th Street and Chattergoon from Beach 68th Street.

Harry and Chattergoon went to the lounge around 4:30 a.m. when the defendant bumped the white Hyundai he was operating into a parked BMW with two people inside, authorities said.

The bump did not leave any damage on the BMW, according to the police, but the occupants of the vehicle confronted Harry and Chattergoon and the situation escalated.

A fist fight ensued among the four individuals and Harry responded by allegedly stabbing at least one of the males with a knife and fled the scene, police said. Chattergoon, however, ended up on the sidewalk at the end of the fight.

Individuals in a Nissan Rogue tried to intervene but were later allegedly mowed down by Harry, who mounted the Hyundai on a sidewalk half a block away on 128th Street and hit six people, according to police.

Chattergoon, 23, was pronounced dead at the scene, and five others were sent to an area hospital, according to the criminal complaint.

His injuries were consistent with being struck and dragged by a vehicle, according to the medical examiner.

Two victims were in intensive care. The first had a brain bleed and was in a medically induced coma. The other suffered a fractured pelvis and a frontal lobe bleed on the head, which will require surgery.

The third victim had a broken nose and contusions. The fourth victim suffered from swelling to the head and bruising and swelling to a leg. The last victim suffered bruising and swelling to both legs and arms, according to the complaint.

Harry fled the scene and his vehicle was later recovered on 95th Avenue near Richmond Hill, police said.

He was later found in Richmond Hill at Jamaica Hospital and claimed to be a stabbing victim, Boyce said.

“Detectives were quick to put him on the scene, bring him back, and he admitted to the entire event. So, right now he’s charged with murder-two,” the NYPD detective said.

The DA had a few choice words for the defendant.

“What allegedly began as a minor tapping of fenders turned into a deadly pre-dawn horror show that left a young man dead and others seriously injured,” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said. “The crimes alleged here are beyond senseless and the defendant now faces a lengthy term of incarceration if convicted.”

Harry is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 4.

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Tammy Scileppi

TimesLedger Newspapers

Since embarking on her rocky, but awesome journey to fame, a dynamic vocalist from Queens has always kept it real, never forgetting her roots.

And no matter where the head-turning Latina entertainer performs, her diverse fans like it that way.

MARi from the block – in Elmhurst – says she feels like “music and tacos are an epic combo, inspired from back in the day when you’d come out of a club late at night with nothing else open but the taco stand on the street.” Rumor has it the singer and her crew have actually cooked tacos for fans after her performances.

Taking New York City’s music scene by storm, the relative newcomer has been rocking the Latin beats with her insanely infectious dance, reggae and R&B rhythms, and a voice that’s pure pop gold spiked with soul.

“I’d say I have old school soul and style like Mariah and one of my all-time favorites Celia Cruz, with modern day Shakira and J-Lo tracks. They all stay classy, but evolve with the day we’re in,” MARi points out.

Like millions of New Yorkers, the entertainer believes that a great way to get into that holiday spirit is by listening to music, and that somehow those traditional standards never go out of style. Especially if the songs are transformed into pop and soul, with a sprinkling of EDM (electronic dance/club music) to shake things up a bit.

The glammed up, energetic diva would like to wish everyone Feliz Navidad! with her just-released five-song Spanglish EP “Have Yourself a MARi Little Christmas.” Whether you’re a Latin music lover or just feel like adding a little extra flavor to your holiday playlist, the Latin vibe will rev up your celebrations and mood — even if you’re feeling a bit down — with tunes from her treasure trove of hits.

“This album is like no other because in classic MARi style, I decided to keep the beauty of the holiday but put my sabor on top,” she says. “When we were starting as per usual, my team thought I was crazy making tunes like Feliz Navidad into EDM, but it more than worked and I am excited to have a beautiful Spanglish Christmas project that is appealing to all cultures and ages.”

Coming from a place of hope and spirituality, MARi sings from the heart. At times, she belts out songs of empowerment and religious inspiration in the Christian and Gospel music genres, as well.

Whether it’s on her own solo headlining excursions, opening for multimillion album selling Grammy winner TobyMac with fellow trendsetter Hollyn, or appearing on major TV networks such as TBN and JUCE, MARi is always authentic and humble. It’s just how she rolls, even when walking the red carpet at award ceremonies.

“I’ll never get to the point where I’m cooler than anyone,” she says. “We all just have to band together and walk in love. A platform can be used just so we can look great, but that’s not what I’m going for anymore.”

Recording in Nashville with an amazing all-star team of industry bigwigs, she just finished wrapping up a year in the studio with minor touring in between.

The singer recently took part in two big parades, Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day and Nashville Christmas, promoting her new album. Finishing up the year doing radio promotions, she says in 2018 she will be “a gypsy on the road for sure, so please keep an eye out…

MARi hopes to perform in Queens sometime in the future.

For many years, life hadn’t treated the budding singer kindly, but her music and deep faith were her salvation, and eventually, she found peace and harmony.

Not one to sugar coat any of the bad stuff she endured, she recalls suffering terrible abuse at an early age and experiencing further abuse when she was first married. And recently, she had a harrowing near death experience. Having gone through a major healing process, she and her marriage and family (she has a daughter) are whole again.

“Even though you see all the glam and gaudiness, I’m honestly the poster child for ‘if she can make it, anyone can make it,” says MARi. “I’ve overcome so many dark seasons in my life, but I didn’t let any of them overcome me.”

A Boston native, the singer grew up in Elmhurst with her adoptive Puerto Rican familia, but her birth parents were Cuban.

“Growing up between my biological family that was very secular and an adoptive family that was very Christian, I had a balance between both musical worlds,” she recalls. “I’m half Puerto Rican and half Cuban, so I’m straight up Latina and that’s played a role as well. It’s actually an awesome combination that’s really given me the motivation, passion and fire to keep on going.”

These days, the singer commutes between New York and Tennessee, where she records her music, and says it’s the best of both worlds. “Country and city mix better than I thought.”

Young MARi started singing and playing her grandfather’s piano at the age of 9, “and it has been a vital tool in my writing and creative process,” she says.

Now that her career has taken off, she explains how she got here and says, “Keep your eye on the prize and never stop hustling.”

“Take the crumbs and love it, and make a cake! There’s so many talented people that always say you gotta know someone or have money and it’s mostly true, but you have to work and do more than your part, too,” she says.

Before she started singing and writing songs, MARi had a slew of jobs.

“I have pushed carts, worked behind a bakery counter, tarred roofs and fixed toilets as a superintendent in the city… I worked and paid my own way, and prayed to meet the right people. One door led to another, that closed another, but then again opened another,” she recalls.

“I grinded in the studio, wrote constantly, made as many contacts as possible and, played as much as possible. It’s not overnight or when we think we’re ready, so always keep working and it will happen when it’s time.”

She adds: “People make it look glamorous. It sucks and it’s not fun but that’s why even though many are talented, not many make it. Don’t let go of the rope, and don’t hate the process.”

The EP is available wherever digital music is sold, including Amazon and iTunes.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Mark Hallum

TimesLedger Newspapers

State Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Flushing) joined campus administrators Monday for the dedication of the new Student One-Stop Welcome Center at Queensborough Community College.

Funds from Stavisky’s office were allocated to the facility in Bayside to complete the welcome center, which will help students work with staff for enrollment and other services the college provides.

“When you’re enrolling in college, it can be an overwhelming experience and students don’t always know where to turn,” Stavisky said. “This new center is a one-stop shop for assisting students that will hopefully be utilized by many of the 16,000 students Queensborough serves each year. I am a big supporter of our public institutions of higher education and QCC consistently provides some of the best educational and career services in the city. I was happy to help bring this welcome center to fruition.”

Stavisky’s office said the welcome center will be particularly beneficial for new students and recent immigrants who have no experience with higher education.

“Senator Stavisky has been a friend and champion of Queensborough, and the City University of New York, for decades,” said Dr. Diane Call, president of Queensborough Community College. “Her support of the college’s beautiful new Student Welcome Center is another example of her commitment to ensuring that New Yorkers have access to affordable, high-quality education.”

Stavisky serves as the a ranking member of the Senate’s Committee on Higher Education and has made contributions to the institution in the past.

Reach reporter Mark Hallum by e-mail at mhallum@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4564.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Zach Gewelb

TimesLedger Newspapers

At the beginning of the 2017 season, this column questioned whether New York City had become a Mets town. It was a logical question to ask, given the Mets success in 2015 and 2016 while the Yankees were clearly a step behind.

But, man, what a difference eight months has made. The Mets had a chance to seize New York with their homegrown pitching studs and veteran talent across the diamond. They entered the 2017 season with playoff expectations and World Series aspirations. The Yankees were breaking in a new, young and unproven core and had low expectations.

The Mets finished the season with a 70-92 record, while the Yankees were a win away from advancing to the World Series.

Additionally, the Yankees reclaimed their “Evil Empire” reputation after trading for Giancarlo Stanton, the reigning National League MVP, from the Miami Marlins. With their 2017 success and big-time trade, the Yankees have taken back New York — did they ever truly lose it? — while the Mets return to being the “little brother” of baseball in the Big Apple.

But it’s not crazy to think that they can be as good, if not better, than the Yankees. As currently constructed, the Mets are behind the Yankees in terms of talent. But the gap isn’t all that big.

The Mets’ biggest advantage is their pitching staff, which — when healthy — stacks up with some of the best rotations in the league. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better one-two punch than Noah Syndergaard and Jacob de Grom at the top of a rotation. Steven Matz is a solid No. 3 pitcher, while the team can fill out the rotation with arms like Zack Wheeler, Matt Harvey, Robert Gsellman or Seth Lugo.

The Mets also have some good options in the outfield, including former All-Star Yoenis Cespedes and 2017 All-Star Michael Conforto. Juan Lagares and Brandon Nimmo have a lot to offer as well.

In the infield, the Mets have Asdrubal Cabrera and Wilmer Flores to support youngsters Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith with Travis d’Arnaud behind the plate.

Now, this core may not be as elite as the Yankees’, which includes Aaron Judge, Luis Severino, Gary Sanchez and Didi Gregorious. But there is more talent in Queens than the Mets’ 70-92 season indicates. And there’s reason to believe things are looking up for the Mets.

The team imported a new coaching staff — led by new manager Mickey Callaway — and more importantly, a new training staff. The new staff will be more hands-on in terms of monitoring players during the offseason. While it should be an obvious thing to do, the Mets have not done so in the past, and the disconnect between the players and trainers led to another injury-riddled campaign. There is hope the new staff will help limit the amount of injuries moving forward.

The Mets are also looking to add some talent to their team during the offseason. They’ve been connected to free agent second basemen and relievers, two areas of need.

While the team boasts a solid bullpen featuring Jeurys Fmailia, Jerry Blevins and A.J. Ramos, the Mets have been looking to add another reliever to the mix. They missed out on one of their top targets, Bryan Shaw, who signed with the Rockies. But there are other solid arms still available.

The Mets have also been connected with second basemen Ryan Goins, Josh Harrison, Ian Kinsler, Jurickson Profar and Jason Kipnis.

Adding a reliever and a second basemen to a healthy pitching staff would put the Mets on the short list of contenders heading into the 2018 season.

And if all goes right, they might be in a position to take over New York once again.

Reach reporter Zach Gewelb by e-mail at zgewelb@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4539.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Police were on the lookout for three male suspects armed with knives who may be responsible for a robbery, a slashing, and two stabbings in Jamaica, according to the NYPD.

Within the course of 21 days, from Nov. 19 to Dec. 10, the three men are suspected of robbing one man and slashing him in the face, then attempting to do the same to two others and stabbing them in the wee hours of the morning, according to authorities.

The first incident occurred Nov. 19 at 4:45 a.m. in front of an apartment complex at 90-39 148 St., where the three suspects allegedly approached a 28-year-old victim and one of them displayed a knife demanding property, said police. Afterwards they allegedly slashed him in the face, leaving a laceration. The culprits allegedly stole a cellphone, a wallet, headphones and a backpack estimated to be worth $280 all together, police said.

The second incident was near the JMW Grocery Corp. located at 148-06 90th Ave. Nov. 28 at 1:20 a.m. and the third was in the vicinity of Hillside Avenue and Sutphin Boulevard Dec. 10 at 4:30 a.m., according to police. Both attempted robberies involved three suspects approaching a man, with one person from the crew displaying a knife and demanding property from him, then the knife-wielding individual stabbed the victim only for the suspects to remove no properties, the police said.

In all three cases the suspects fled in an unknown direction, but in the second incident by the grocery police were able to get surveillance photos of the suspects.

All of the individuals are males in their 20s, the NYPD said. The first suspect, an African-American, was last seen wearing a white hoodie. The second suspect is Hispanic and was last seen wearing a red baseball cap and red shirt. The third suspect is Hispanic and was last seen wearing all black clothing.

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Police deemed the Jan. 22 death of 5-year-old Michael Guzman from Jamaica a homicide Thursday, according to the NYPD.

Almost a year ago on that Sunday afternoon within the 103rd Precinct police responded to a 911 call at 109th Avenue near Inwood Street and discovered the young boy unconscious and unresponsive on the ground, according to authorities.

EMS later arrived at the scene and took the child to Jamaica Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, said police.

There have been no arrests and the investigation was ongoing.

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Gina Martinez

TimesLedger Newspapers

Two Long Island men have been charged in the 2015 fatal shooting of rapper Chinx and wounding of his friend in Briarwood, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.

Brown was joined by NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill Thursday to announce that a Queens County grand jury returned a five-count indictment charging 26-year-old Jamar Hill and 32-year-old Quincy Homere with the May 2015 shooting of rapper Lionel Pickens, 31, aka Chinx and the wounding of Antar Alziadi, 27, as they sat in Pickens’ car.

Brown said the two defendants are currently awaiting arraignment in Queens Supreme Court on a five-count indictment charging them with one count each of second-degree murder, attempted murder, assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

According to the charges, on May 17, 2015 Hill and Homere followed Pickens from a nightclub performance in Brooklyn into Queens before shooting at Pickens’ Porsche near Main Street and Queens Boulevard. Pickens and his passenger, Alziadi, were both struck multiple times, and taken to a local hospital where Pickens was pronounced dead and Alziadi was treated for his injuries, the DA said.

Brown said that such violence has no place in a civilized society.

“In another example of the mindless gun violence plaguing our country, a young, up-and-coming musician had his life and career dramatically cut short by a burst of senseless shooting that also wounded an acquaintance.” he said.

O’Neill thanked detectives for their hard work in indicting Hill and Homere.

“This indictment shows that the two defendants essentially stalked their victims before shooting them and making a getaway,” he said. “But through the talent and tenacity of the Queens South detectives, working closely with the office of the Queens District Attorney, they have now been brought back to answer for this violent act.”

The two men face up to 25 years to life in prison if convicted.

Reach Gina Martinez by e-mail at gmartinez@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4566.

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Source: Times Ledger

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By Naeisha Rose

TimesLedger Newspapers

Terrorism, education and mental patients were some of the issues on the agenda for the last Community Board 13 meeting of 2017 Monday night in Bellerose.

The meeting took place at the Assembly of God Church, located at 240-15 Hillside Ave., just over 12 hours after Bengali terror suspect Akayed Ullah, 27, failed to detonate a pipe bomb strapped to him while he was in a pedestrian walkway under the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Capt. Kevin Chan of the 105th Precinct gave board members, civic leaders, residents and Assemblywoman Alicia Hyndman (D-Springfield Gardens) a rundown on what happened in Manhattan that morning.

“He exploded pretty much,” Chan said. “He was taken to the hospital and this happened around 7:20 a.m.”

Later Chan listed the items Ullah allegedly used to make the bomb.

“It was made out of Christmas tree light bulbs, small batteries, zip ties, sugar and Velcro,” Chan said.

The captain said there were only three injured, including the accused bomber, but he reminded everyone at the meeting how to respond to suspicious activity when they are on the subway.

“If you see something, say something because we have to work together, hand-to-hand,” Chan said.

During the meeting, Hyndman expressed her worries for about a backlash against the Muslim, South Asian and Bengali communities because of Ullah’s actions.

“I think it is important to reach out to our South Asian and especially our Bengali communities and let them know we stand strong with them,” Hyndman said. “Queens is the most diverse place on the planet, so we have to make sure our Muslim brothers and sisters aren’t subjected to any form of hate crime.”

Throughout the evening education was also brought up.

Many civic leaders who have visited the schools in southeast Queens and are a part of the school boards and parent-teacher associations meetings were happy with the progress those institutions were making.

Learning that Martin Van Buren High School was off the struggling schools’ list as of Dec. 1 brought smiles to the civic leaders in the room.

Hyndman, who is an IS 109 alum, announced the middle school in Queens Village would be one of the first intermediary institutions in School District 29 to have classes for exceptional students.

“I am proud to announce IS 109 would have the first districtwide gifted and talented program for sixth to eighth graders starting fall of 2018,” she said.

The mood changed in the church, however, as civic leader after civic leader mentioned the quality-of-life issues that have become more pressing because of outpatients from Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Queens Village roaming throughout southeast and eastern Queens and disturbing residents.

“In the past year and a half there have been problems with the patients of Creedmoor,” said Bobby Sher, the board president of Bell Park Manor Terrace Civic Association.

According to Sher and the other civic leaders, the patients have been walking onto residents’ property and sometimes leaving it in disarray, panhandling, harassing the elderly and defecating near dining establishments and homes.

Many of the civic leaders blamed Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s policies to deinstitutionalize mental patients by calling them outpatients, which means they can come and go from Creedmoor and other hospitals as they please, according to the civic leaders.

“It’s very sad, because technically they were inpatients, but because of a whole political thing with Gov. Cuomo they are now outpatients,” Sher said. “They are sent out in the street after breakfast…what are they supposed to do and where are they supposed to go?”

Sher hopes that a stronger police presence at the hospital could ameliorate the situation until a better and permanent solution to handling the patients is found..

Reach reporter Naeisha Rose by e-mail at nrose@cnglocal.com or by phone at (718) 260–4573.

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Source: Times Ledger