High Tide

It’s another quiet week around town here on the peninsula with schools off. If you’re traveling this week, enjoy your time away. And if you’re already gone in search of the sun, we hope you found it!

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Here’s a reminder to our valued advertisers! If you haven’t reserved space for your ad in The Rockaway Times Summer & Community Guide—the one-can’t-miss publication of the year—now is the time to secure your spot. You can reach Mary at Mary@RockawayTimes.com. The summer magazine comes out the Thursday before Memorial Day, and advertising deadlines are in early May. That means there are only a few more weeks left to reserve your ad space. What are you waiting for? Thank you for your continued support and participation!

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We were very sorry to hear that Annette Farina of Belle Harbor Realty, one of our loyal and beloved advertisers, passed away last Saturday, April 4. Our thoughts and prayers are with her sons, Richard and Anthony, who worked alongside her and will now carry on the business. Annette will certainly be missed.

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Councilwoman Joann Ariola is teaming up with GrowNYC to bring free fresh produce to residents of District 32. You can pick up produce on April 22 at 1 p.m. at her Rockaway office (114-12 Beach Channel Drive), while supplies last. Boxes are heavy, so if you’re traveling by public transportation, be sure to bring a cart. The Councilwoman’s office is also hosting a diaper drive in support of the Glendale Kiwanis Wyckoff Hospital Expectant Moms Baby Shower. Diapers (sizes 1–8) and baby wipes can be dropped off at her Rockaway office through May 11.

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Edgar the egret is back in Jamaica Bay—his nesting territory—for the fourteenth year. Don Riepe shared on social media that Edgar arrived on March 30 and was quite hungry after his long journey. Since Edgar has a taste for salmon, Don, through the American Littoral Society, is requesting donations to help feed him during his stay.

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The First Congregational Church (320 Beach 94th Street) is hosting its Spring Thrift Sale on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Shoppers can find new and gently used spring and summer items, clothing, shoes, seasonal décor, kids’ items, electronics, craft supplies, and more. Parking is available on-site, and all proceeds support the church.

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There are less than two weeks left to submit your photos for the 2026 Rockaway Times Photo Contest! Submissions have been rolling in, and the photos have been fantastic so far. The deadline is Monday, April 20—so don’t wait! To be eligible, photos must be emailed to Contest@RockawayTimes.com. We will continue to run our regular Local Color pages, but those photos should be sent to Mail@RockawayTimes.com. For more details, see page 30.

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NYC Public Schools has announced that beginning April 21, families who submitted Summer Rising applications can log into MySchools.nyc to view their results. If accepted, the deadline to accept or decline offers is May 8.

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If you want to make sure you receive The Rockaway Times, we email the entire paper every Thursday to more than 4,300 subscribers. It’s fast (8:30 a.m. Thursday mornings) and free. Are you receiving it online? If not, drop us a note at Mail@RockawayTimes.com and we’ll add you to our list. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook, too!