Catch “Lend me a Tenor” in Middle Village

LMATGroup

There’s still time to catch Ken Ludwig’s “Lend me a Tenor” at Maggie’s Little Theater.

The lively, comedic play takes place in Cleveland.  The play follows the funny mishaps of Tito Merelli, Il Stupendo, the greatest tenor of his generation, which leads a hotel manager and his assistant believing the man in dead. In an attempt to keep the show going, the assistant fools the audience but then there are two Il Stupendos running around and causing havoc, once the real Il Stupendo comes back to consciousness. The performance is filled with laughs.

There will be shows on the following dates:

Friday, March 4 at 8:00 pm
Sunday, March 6 at 2:30 pm
Saturday, March 12 at 8:00 pm
Sunday, March 13 at 2:30 pm

For tickets, visit MaggiesLittleTheater.org.

The theater is located at St. Margaret Parish Hall, 66-05 79th Place in Middle Village.

 

Toys for Tots Middle Village this weekend

Toy-Drive

From now until Sunday, December 20th, you can give back to your community by bringing an unwrapped toy for a child of any age.

And while supplies last, you could receive a free cloth tote bag for your efforts.

The toy drive will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday at the U.S. Columbarium at Fresh Pond Crematory, located at 61-40 Mount Olivet Crescent, Middle Village.

Elderly woman killed in Middle Village

An unidentified 76-year-old woman was killed while trying to cross the street in Middle Village this afternoon, according to police.  At about 1:55 p.m., in front of 74-06 Metropolitan Avenue, the woman was allegedly struck by a vehicle.

She was transported from the scene to Elmhurst Hospital where she died a short time later.

The driver remained at the scene to speak with authorities and there’s an accident investigation ongoing at this time.

UPDATE:

Last night, DCPI identified the victim as Giovanna Livolsi, 76, of Middle Village. According to police, the 25-year-old driver stopped his Ford Explorer three or four car lengths from the light and did not see that Livolsi had fallen in the intersection. When the light changed, he proceeded through the light and ran over Livolsi, not knowing she was on the ground. He continued down Metropolitan until he was alerted that he had struck the pedestrian, at which time, he returned to the scene and called 9-1-1.

Police rescued kitten from storm drain

kittenMiddle Village’s Vahan Avagyan posted on Twitter that he could hear meowing from a storm drain on the corner of 72nd Street and Penelope Avenue and neither 3-1-1 or another organization would do anything. That was until he tweeted at the NYPD 104th precinct.

Around 8 p.m. on Monday night, the police department’s twitter account sent Avagyan a direct message. A short while later, they were there for the rescue mission, which can be seen below in a video, courtesy Avagyan and the NYPD 104th precinct:

 

Middle Village to be next hip neighborhood?

Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons

Have you noticed young professionals moving into your area? If so, it might be due to the fact that young professionals are starting to make their way to a number of Queens neighborhoods, Middle Village included.

In fact, the New York Post is suggesting that Middle Village is getting quite a lot of interest generated. While the median price for homes in the area is at $658,000, there are still 269 average listing views per month – 2.1 times more than the market average. Properties also have a quick turnover rate, with the number of days listed on the market being nearly a month shorter than the market average.

Another Queens hot spot is Astoria. These communities might be desirable due to diversity, a more suburban atmosphere and reasonable prices in addition to space to grow a family. And let’s not forget the beautiful Juniper Valley Park!

Sen. Addabbo views neglected pedestrian underpass

Senator Joseph Addabbo meets with constituents to discuss the conditions of a dirty Middle Village underpass.
Senator Joseph Addabbo meets with constituents to discuss the conditions of a dirty Middle Village underpass.

Senator Joseph Addabbo, after receiving numerous complaints from constituents, met with Middle Village residents to discuss a pedestrian underpass infamous for its unsanitary conditions.

The underpass – pedestrian underpass at 80th Street and 57th Avenue, beneath the Long Island Expressway – has become even worse in recent months, due to the infestation of pigeons. This has led to a collection of deceased eggs, broken spikes and feathers strewn about the sidewalk. The hazardous environment created by the birds joins the litter left by foot traffic.

After meeting with constituents to get a first-hand look at the conditions, Addabbo called the New York City Department of Transportation, who has previously made efforts to clean the area.

“The Department of Transportation listened to our concerns the first time around, and my constituents and I need them to hear us again now,” said Addabbo. “While we appreciate their efforts to tidy up this area, more needs to be done to prevent this situation from continuing to occur, worsening each time around. These pigeons and the mess they leave behind are making this walkway unbearable, and the people of Middle Village and the surrounding communities deserve better. Nobody wants to walk down a sidewalk covered in bird droppings and dirty feathers, and nobody should have to.”

 

Serial bank robber strikes in Middle Village

A man robbed the Cross County Bank at 80-10 Eliot Avenue yesterday at 3:30 p.m., and investigators believe it is the same man who has robbed Amalgamated Bank at 69-73 Grand Avenue in Maspeth three times over the last three years.

The first time he robbed the bank in 2012, he was reportedly armed. The next two times – as in the most recent Cross County incident – he merely demanded money and the tellers complied. In the last robbery at Amalgamated Bank, he left with only $873.

He is also wanted in connection with the July 19, 2013, armed robbery of a Sovereign Bank at 4823 13th Avenue in Borough Park.

The heavyset suspect is between the ages of 38 and 48, 5’8″ tall and close to 300 pounds.

104_robbery2152-14 104 Pct MCS Bank Rob