High Tide

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Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there this Sunday! We hope you enjoy a relaxing day filled with hot dogs, cold beer, and great golf. Be sure to check out the Father’s Day photos featured on our cover and on pages 25, 26, 35 and 36.

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This Saturday, June 14, is Flag Day — the perfect time to pick up a new flag for the summer and retire your old one. Not sure what to do with your worn-out flag? Check out the story on page 5 to learn how and where to properly retire it right here in Rockaway.

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We’ve had plenty of rain lately, but one bright side? Rainbows. Our social media and inboxes have been overflowing with stunning rainbow photos submitted by our loyal readers.

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Congratulations to all the graduates across the peninsula. We wish you the very best in your next chapter.

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A special shout-out to Finn Zamm, who graduated from Xaverian High School and was accepted into the U.S. Naval Academy. An impressive achievement — congratulations, Finn!

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Our thoughts are with our friend, John Cori, a local activist and Community Board 14 member, in wake of the unexpected passing of his son, Chris, last week. May Chris Cori rest in peace.

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​​St. Francis de Sales is having a Father’s Day Beach Mass at 9 a.m. on Sunday, June 15, at Beach 129th Street beach. All are invited; bring your own beach chair.

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Congratulations to Iris Rodriguez-Rosa on her recent promotion to NYC Parks Commissioner. The former First Deputy Commissioner is a hard worker and a big champion for lifeguards, so let’s hope for some changes going forward. Best of luck to outgoing commissioner Sue Donoghue.

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Heads up: parts of the Queens Bus Network Redesign go into effect starting June 29. Rockaway’s main routes — the Q52, Q35, and Q22 — will see changes beginning August 31. For more details, visit www.mta.info/queensbus

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Thanks to Episcopal Health Services (EHS) for once again providing free sunscreen dispensers along the boardwalk! These are part of a program by IMPACT Melanoma, the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to melanoma prevention and early detection.

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Mark your calendars: Rockaway’s Pickleball & Golf will be celebrating its grand opening on June 28. Congratulations to the team — we can’t wait to check it out.

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The Rockaway Track Club will host its annual Father’s Day 5K and Half Marathon on Saturday, June 14, at the Beach 94th Street Amphitheater. To register, visit RockawayTC.org

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While you’re out and about this weekend, make sure to catch the Top 30 photos from the 2025 Rockaway Times Photo Contest, on display along the boardwalk in the Beach 90s. The Top 10 will be announced later this summer, and the grand prize winner will be revealed in August. Honorable Mentions are also on view at the Beach 108th Street ferry landing. Thanks to our partners at JBRPC for enlarging the prints, to the NYC Parks Department for displaying them, and to NYC Ferry for providing this year’s winning prize.

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Thinking of fostering a pet? The Animal Care Centers (ACC) of NYC are currently at full capacity and urgently need foster homes — especially for cats and large dogs. Anyone 18 or older can foster, and all supplies are provided. Their next virtual foster orientation is on Sunday, June 22, and it takes just 90 minutes. Sign up at www.nycacc.org/foster

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Due to rain, Councilwoman Joann Ariola’s Flag Day fireworks event scheduled for Saturday, June 14 at Beach 94th has been postponed until Saturday, June 21 at 9 p.m. and will now take place at Beach 116th Street to celebrate the beach being open there.