“The strike was a surprise because it seemed that the negotiations were going well until the 11th hour and then it fell apart,” said John Quadrozzi, president of the Quadrozzi Concrete Corporation, which has 50 trucks and calls itself the city’s largest concrete company.

Published by New York Times on July 2, 2008.

"I been harassed so much, I'm selling my business," said Espinoza, owner of Delicias de Mi Tierra on 91st Place in Elmhurst.

Published by New York Daily News on July 2, 2008.

The 52-year-old victim claims Dennis Gallagher raped and assaulted her in a local bar last year. Gallagher pleaded guilty to a lesser sex-abuse charge and resigned in return for no jail time. But the victim said last night, "It's not enough. He got away with a ticket." Gallagher, a Republican from Middle Village, said he'd be vindicated.

Published by New York Post on July 1, 2008.

The three undercover cops - Henry Tavarez, Steven Anderson and Alan Figueroa - could be hit with perjury, official misconduct and filing false documents charges stemming from the Jan. 4 incident inside Club Delicioso, sources said. Video footage from the Elmhurst club exonerated the four men arrested and contradicted the officers' claims that they had purchased two bags of cocaine from the quartet.

Published by New York Post on June 29, 2008.

The latest flap to hit the Organized Crime Control Bureau - revealed in The Post today - involves a botched "buy-and-bust" operation on Jan. 4 in which undercover officers allegedly framed two brothers and their friends at Elmhurst bar and restaurant Club Delicioso.

Published by New York Post on June 28, 2008.

Time has taken its toll on the funeral market in Elmhurst, Queens, snatching up mortuaries in the community.

Published by New York Times on June 21, 2008.

Agnes Bermudez, 48, a former stock trader, remains in critical condition at Jacobi Hospital's burn unit - and hasn't been able to talk with police and fire officials investigating the inferno that ripped through a Middle Village building last Sunday.

Published by New York Post on June 21, 2008.

Investigators believe Agnes Bermudez doused her boyfriend William Salazar with carpet cleaner while he slept and set him on fire Sunday morning.Salazar, 31 died from his injuries on Thursday while Bermudez remained hospitalized Friday.Three other people -- a married couple and their son -- were killed in the blaze.

Published by WNBC on June 20, 2008.

Bermudez, a 48-year-old former stock trader, has been in critical condition at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx since running out of Salazar's Middle Village apartment engulfed in flames.

Published by New York Daily News on June 20, 2008.

Police say a girlfriend with a grudge may be behind a deadly fire in Queens that broke out in a Middle Village apartment building on Sunday.

Published by CBS News (Channel 2) on June 20, 2008.

The horrific blaze, which killed three family members living in the Middle Village building, likely began inside the second-floor apartment near the front door, said a utility inspector.

Published by New York Post on June 18, 2008.

Her husband, Heriberto Garcia-Vera, 68, was found dead of smoke inhalation in the third-floor apartment they shared on 69th St. in Middle Village.

Published by New York Daily News on June 17, 2008.

The deaths of three relatives in a horrific Queens fire were labeled homicides, a published report said. The Daily News reports that investigators have labeled the Sunday's fast-moving blaze in Middle Village arson.

Published by WNBC on June 17, 2008.

Middle Village resident Ray Zerrenner, 50, said the high price of gasoline makes even short trips to Belmont and Aqueduct a hardship.

Published by New York Post on June 16, 2008.

Three of the injured were forced to jump out of a window to save their lives.Firefighters said the blaze engulfed a building in Middle Village with a deli on the ground floor and apartments on the second and third floors.The two-alarm fire was reported at about 7:58 a.m., authorities said.

Published by WNBC on June 16, 2008.

Three people died and several others were injured when a fire ripped through a building in Middle Village, Queens, and forced people to jump from their windows.

Published by New York Times on June 16, 2008.

"I'm very happy. I'm very excited. I'm the happiest guy!'' said Brian Lassey, 31, a Con Edison worker playing the ponies in Maspeth.

Published by New York Post on June 16, 2008.

Fire marshals said arson may be to blame for Sunday's fatal fire in the Middle Village section of Queens.

Published by CBS News (Channel 2) on June 16, 2008.

"I'm very happy, I'm very excited. I'm the happiest guy at O'Neil's!" said Brian Lassey, 31, a Con Edison worker playing the ponies at O'Neil's restaurant in Maspeth, which doubles as an OTB parlor.

Published by New York Post on June 16, 2008.

Middle Village resident Ray Zerrenner, 50, said the high price of gasoline makes even short trips to Belmont and Aqueduct a hardship.

Published by New York Post on June 16, 2008.

He said the family had just recently moved into the building in Middle Village from Richmond Hill.

Published by New York Daily News on June 16, 2008.

The two-alarm fire was first reported at 7:36 a.m. in a building in Middle Village with a deli on the ground floor and apartments on the second and third floors. Firefighters said some of the victims jumped from a third-story window to escape the flames.

Published by ABC News (Channel 7) on June 15, 2008.

Firefighters say the blaze happened in a building in Middle Village with a deli on the ground floor and apartments on the second and third floors.

Published by New York Daily News on June 15, 2008.

If Ridgewood, Queens, were in Brooklyn, the homes would cost double the price. Between 35 minutes and an hour from 14th St. in Manhattan, this neighborhood combines the diversity of Greenpoint with the pin-drop-quiet leafy streets of Queens.

Published by New York Daily News on June 13, 2008.

"I was really stunned; I thought, this is so racist," said a Sunnyside resident who noticed the bill in her wallet when she was out to lunch with friends last week, musing it could have come from any number of shops or a nursing home where she had made change.

Published by SI Live on June 13, 2008.

I saw that dozens of customers were without power in Maspeth, but then wondered about who was the single customer who had no electricity in Borough Hall.

Published by New York Times on June 12, 2008.

Con Edison reports that towns in Westchester Country are the hardest-hit with power problems, with similar woes in Maspeth, Queens, and the Riverdale and Laconia sections of the Bronx.

Published by New York Times on June 11, 2008.

And then there is Thomas V. Ognibene, who represented Middle Village, Queens, for 10 years before leaving office in 2001 because of term limits.

Published by New York Times on June 9, 2008.

The fourth candidate was Charles J. Ober, a financial executive and community activist, who received 10 percent of the vote. The district includes Middle Village, Ridgewood and Glendale, and its constituents are considered moderate to conservative.

Published by New York Times on June 4, 2008.

Finally, Charles Ober, who was endorsed by the New York Times, lost soundly, demonstrating, if nothing else, that Middle Village is a long way from the Upper West Side.

Published by The New York Observer on June 4, 2008.

The fourth candidate was Charles J. Ober, a financial executive and community activist, who received 10 percent of the vote. The district includes Middle Village, Ridgewood and Glendale, and its constituents are considered moderate to conservative.

Published by New York Times on June 4, 2008.

After now-disgraced, former Councilmember Dennis Gallagher stepped down as a result of a plea bargain on rape charges in April, the 30th, which comprises a swath of quasi-suburban communities from Middle Village to Ridgewood, has become center stage of council politics.

Published by Gotham Gazette on June 2, 2008.

Council Member Hiram Monserrate today joined with labor and community leaders in Jackson Heights to announce his candidacy for the 13th NYS Senate District, including Corona, East Elmhurst, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights and Woodside. His announcement included a recent endorsement by the Working Families Party, a grassroots community and labor-based political party, as well as DC 37 Local 983, Laborers Local 78 and the Mason Tenders District Council, UFCW Local l500 and the Queens Democratic Party.

Published by The New York Observer on June 2, 2008.

"As much as I wanted to save Woodhaven Lanes - and I did - my primary concern now is getting another bowling alley," said Santora, 55, of Middle Village.

Published by New York Daily News on June 2, 2008.

Residents of the district - which includes Middle Village, Glendale and Ridgewood, and parts of Richmond Hill, Woodhaven and Forest Hills - return to the polls in November to pick someone to serve out Gallagher's term for 2009, which would have been the final year of his four-year term.

Published by New York Daily News on June 2, 2008.

After now-disgraced, former Councilmember Dennis Gallagher stepped down as a result of a plea bargain on rape charges in April, the 30th, which comprises a swath of quasi-suburban communities from Middle Village to Ridgewood, has become center stage of council politics.

Published by Gotham Gazette on June 2, 2008.

The district, which includes Middle Village, Ridgewood and Glendale, is a moderate to conservative voting district. It is hard to say who might haven an obvious advantage.

Published by New York Times on June 2, 2008.

Residents of the district - which includes Middle Village, Glendale and Ridgewood, and parts of Richmond Hill, Woodhaven and Forest Hills - return to the polls in November to pick someone to serve out Gallagher's term for 2009, which would have been the final year of his four-year term.

Published by New York Daily News on June 2, 2008.

The 30th district has not been immune to the criticism that has plagued the City Council of late. In addition to the slush fund scandal, residents in Ridgewood, Middle Village, Maspeth and Glendale also were hit hard by the circumstances of Gallagher's resignation.

Published by Gotham Gazette on June 2, 2008.

Mr. Gallagher was one of three Republicans in the Council. He resigned on April 18 after pleading guilty to two misdemeanors, admitting that he sexually abused a woman in his district office in Middle Village last summer while he was intoxicated.

Published by New York Times on June 2, 2008.

In Glen Oaks, Democratic City Councilman Jim Gennaro is challenging Republican State Senator Frank Padavan. And in Middle Village, Democratic City Councilman Joe Addabbo is running against Republican State Senator Serf Maltese.

Published by The New York Observer on June 1, 2008.

“If you want to own a restaurant, you need a great deal of wine knowledge,” said Ms. Makowski, who lives in Elmhurst, Queens. She was the youngest of the students, who ranged in age from the early 20s to late 50s and paid $945 for the course. “I’m used to tasting lots of wines at work, but classes like these educate me on the backgrounds of those wines.”

Published by New York Times on May 31, 2008.

Edison Lopez of Sunnyside, Queens, was spending weeknights poring over his wine notes, and weekends sniffing and sipping merlots and cabernets, Burgundies and Bordeaux in preparation for the final exam on July 22.

Published by New York Times on May 31, 2008.

Crowley recently waffled on whether she supports gay marriage, but that hasn't stopped a gay Democratic club from backing her in Tuesday's special election for the 30th Council District seat in Middle Village.

Published by New York Daily News on May 30, 2008.

The first choice is a four-room condo at The Crest in Park Slope along burgeoning Fourth Avenue, quick walking distance from transportation and two of the borough's best retail and restaurant strips. This sprawling duplex in Bushwick (er, East Williamsburg) has two floors, a private garden and a working fireplace.

Published by Brownstoner on May 30, 2008.

The monthly sales information also found that the average prices for condos in North Williamsburg and East Williamsburg were each up 12 percent to an average price of $798,000 and $510,000 respectively. Overall, Williamsburg had 35 sales compared to 31 last April.

Published by Brownstoner on May 28, 2008.

Behind a Makkos grill, though, longtime hot dog lady Iona Dumitru, 60, of Sunnyside, Queens, said the vets may soon cost her a job.

Published by New York Daily News on May 22, 2008.

Tom Ognibene's ad in the latest Queens Courier asks residents to “re-elect” him to the City Council in the June 3 special election. Ognibene, a Republican, is the former councilman of that Middle Village district, but was term-limited from office in 2001.

Published by The New York Observer on May 20, 2008.

Ognibene, a Republican, is the former councilman of that Middle Village district, but was term-limited from office in 2001. His successor, Dennis Gallagher, resigned after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a woman who was also a constituent. Next month's election is for the remainder of Gallagher's term, then the winner will have to run again later this year.

Published by The New York Observer on May 20, 2008.

Sunnyside Connector to the Queensboro Bridge, Woodside, Sunnyside, Sunnyside Gardens (5.2 miles)

Published by New York Times on May 15, 2008.