High Tide
The groundhog has spoken. Last Friday, Punxsutawney Phil came out of his den and did not see his shadow, declaring winter all but dead. Almost simultaneously, the sun decided to return from its 11-day hiatus. Well done, Phil.
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Super Bowl weekend is upon us. And just days after the big game, Valentine’s Day saunters into the picture. While preparing for your Super Bowl get-together, or to take your special someone out for Valentine’s Day, look throughout this week’s paper at what our loyal advertisers have in store. There are always great deals being offered! When you order from them or make a reservation, don’t forget to tell them … you saw their ad in the Rockaway Times!
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And if you are looking for some Valentine’s Day exercise to keep that New Year’s resolution going strong? Join the Rockaway Track Club for their Valentine’s Day Half Marathon and 5K run on Saturday, February 10 at 10 a.m. Meet first at Healey’s Pub on Beach 108th Street for a bib tag, t-shirt and check-in, which starts at 9 a.m. For more information or to register, go to www.rockawaytc.org
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In what is being touted as the largest number of federal bribery charges in a single day for the U.S. Department of Justice, 70 current and former NYCHA employees were arrested on Tuesday in a decade-long $2 million “pay-for-play” scandal. About one-third of the city’s 335 NYCHA housing complexes had employees involved in a scheme. As long as the estimate for a contract was below $10,000, a public bidding process was not required. These NYCHA employees would select contracts based on kickbacks from the contractors — usually ranging from 10% to 20%. Among the listed were NYCHA employees currently or formerly at Rockaway’s Hammel’s Houses, Carlton Manor, 40th Street Houses and Redfern Houses.
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Don’t forget, if you are going to St. Francis de Sales this weekend, the church is collecting cans of soup, once again, during its annual “Souper Bowl” Collection. They ask that folks bring a can of soup to church on the day of the big game, Sunday, February 11. Food bins will be located at the back of the church. You can also send soup through Amazon directly to one of the neighboring parishes of St. Camillus, St. Rose of Lima or St. Mary’s Star of the Sea.
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One week until the Rockaway Times 2024 Photo Contest opens next Thursday, February 15, 2024! Get your photos ready to start submitting! More information concerning the contest will be in next week’s paper. The official contest email address will not be operational until the start date so please hold on to those submissions.
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Rockaway may not have a vote but our neighbors in Queens and Long Island will be deciding this coming Tuesday on who will be replacing George Santos in the U.S. House of Representatives for New York’s 3rd Congressional District. Regardless of who wins the hotly contested seat, we are all winners … the incessant campaign commercials in the evening will finally be over.
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The Graybeards Dinner Dance was once again a huge success. This year’s winner of the Pot-A-Gold took home a whopping $300,000! Congratulations to the winner and the Graybeards, who we know will be able to do a lot of good with their share of the winnings. There’s always next year, folks, but remember, you have to be in it, to win it!
