High Tide

*****

Is anyone out there? With schools off, Rockaway always seems to turn into a ghost town this week. Don’t tell everyone down in Florida, but we are having some pretty great weather this week. Spring appears to have sprung!

*****

This past week, Rockaway, along with many other communities, lost Monsignor Martin Geraghty. Throughout his time in Rockaway, Msgr. Geraghty left a mark on the entire peninsula that will last forever. He was a light that led this community through some of its darkest times, acting as a rock for countless people after 9/11 and Flight 587. A wake was held yesterday at St. Francis de Sales. An additional wake will be held today, Thursday, April 13 at St. Francis de Sales from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. A vigil mass will also be held today at 7:30 p.m. and the funeral mass will be Friday, April 14 at 11 a.m. at St. Francis de Sales.

*****

Congratulations to Breezy Point summer resident and Poughkeepsie native, Maddy Siegrist, who was drafted number three overall in the WNBA draft by the Dallas Wings. This is just the latest accomplishment for Maddy, who earlier this year became Villanova basketball’s highest scorer for both the men and women’s programs. Maddy is the granddaughter of Mary Ellen and Jim Barnes of Breezy Point.

*****

If you own a business or run a non-profit, you want in. You want to reach people from one end of the peninsula to the other; you want people coming off the ferry to know about you. You want in The Rockaway Times Summer & Community Guide, the easy-to-handle magazine that’s free, and is distributed from Memorial Day weekend through the 4th of July. It will be available online as well. Want in? Give us a call at 718-634-3030, or contact us through Facebook, Instagram or email.

*****

How time flies! The deadline for The Rockaway Times Photo Contest is tomorrow, Friday April 14 at noon. We receive too many photos to consider those who don’t follow the rules (4 photos limit) and miss the deadline. Or send to the wrong email. If you haven’t sent your photo to us, please send to: Contest@rockawaytimes.com. This great event is sponsored by NYC Parks, NYC Ferry, and JBRPC (Jamaica Bay – Rockaway Parks Conservancy).

*****

This week we received a report of a flying orb over Rockaway. One local described it as golden and shiny with a few jets on it. It was first spotted over Cronston Avenue in the Beach 120s and was seen moving east downtown. If you also saw something similar, drop us a line and let us know!

*****

New York’s State Budget, which was originally scheduled for a vote on April 1, has received another extension and now will be voted on on April 17. The budget, proposed by Governor Hochul, is seeing some fierce debate with bail reform and her controversial housing plan being the major sticking points. These two issues, which would normally be handled as standalone issues in the Assembly, are being included as part of the budget. “I don’t believe that we should be doing policy on budgets, I’ve been very clear on that,” said Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. While the negotiations continue, State workers will receive pay as usual. State lawmakers, however, will not be paid until after the budget is passed.

*****

Bass player John Fabry is retiring from Wine with Sue. Catch his final performance at 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 15 at Rogers.