Queens residents complain of sex workers soliciting on busy avenue

Plus: Lawmakers respond to sexual abuse allegations at Rikers [View this email in a browser.]( Gothamist relies on your support to make local news available to all. Not yet a member? [Consider donating and join today.]( [Some Queens residents call for policing as sex work gets more visible on Roosevelt Avenue]( [first image]( [Today's newsletter is curated by James Ramsay]( Weather: 🌧️ Cloudy, with rain possible this afternoon and highs in the mid 50s. It's Wednesday in New York City, where some residents of Corona, Queens say they're growing frustrated that sex workers are soliciting passersby on Roosevelt Avenue — despite a recent police crackdown. In the last five years, the NYPD has shifted from arresting sex workers to targeting the establishments that employ them. [Here's why that hasn't brought about significant change](. And here's what else is happening: - New York state lawmakers said they'll push to reopen a window that [allows sexual abuse victims more time to file civil claims]( after a new Gothamist investigation revealed a pattern of alleged misconduct and sexual assault at Rikers Island. - The [719 lawsuits analyzed by Gothamist]( describe a system where Rikers employees groped detainees, forcibly kissed them, ordered them to perform oral sex and engaged in violent rape. - Mayor Eric Adams yesterday defended his top adviser and longtime friend Timothy Pearson after a retired NYPD sergeant [accused him of repeatedly sexually harassing her]( and thwarting her promotion. - "I wish I could turn back time": The mother of 34-year-old Guy Rivera, who's in police custody after [allegedly shooting and killing an NYPD officer]( during a stop in Far Rockaway on Monday, said her son had a difficult past with law enforcement. - A federal watchdog said the $1.5 billion effort to rid the Gowanus Canal of toxic sludge is so behind schedule and over budget due to government mismanagement that [the canal may have to be re-dredged](. - Patients of Mount Sinai Beth Israel hospital in Lower Manhattan have [faced delays in receiving lifesaving care]( because of unapproved service cuts, according to a new report from the state health department. - Who should get priority on New York City sidewalks? [Vote in our definitive poll on the sidewalk hierarchy]( — and [share your thoughts on pedestrian etiquette]( for an upcoming Gothamist story. - The Port Authority said more cargo ships are expected to come through New York and New Jersey after [a major bridge in Baltimore collapsed]( this week. - Police said [a 16-year-old girl was fatally struck by a subway]( in Park Slope yesterday after walking on the tracks at the 4th Avenue-9th Street G train stop. - Someone who bought a Mega Millions jackpot ticket in New Jersey [won the $1.13 billion prize last night](. - In an advisory vote that won't necessarily change anything, Lower Manhattan's Community Board 1 rejected a plan for a federally funded e-bike charging hub by City Hall, arguing that [the proposed design looks too modern]( for the area's existing aesthetic. - Speaking of modern downtown architecture, "Tilted Arc" sculptor Richard Serra has [died at the age of 85](. - What on earth are we going to do with the Times Square Sbarro that's been [sitting empty for nearly five years]( - Another Japanese diaper company is [shifting production from baby to adult nappies]( as the country's population continues to age. - Everyone's talking about the Quad God skating to [the "Succession" theme song](. - Have some time for a game? [Play]( our mini local news crossword. - Sign up for reminders when we publish new games [here](. [“If we spent less money on the NYPD and more on helping people be able to eat and have a safe place to live, there probably would be less sex work happening.”]( - Leigh Latimer, an attorney with the Legal Aid Society’s Exploitation Intervention Project, on the stubborn presence of [SEX WORK IN CORONA, QUEENS]( More from Gothamist [second image]( [In Brooklyn, a place where the prom dresses are free]( With American prom attendees spending an average of $700, according to a recent survey, the Brooklyn Prom Project aims to address those costs by giving away racks of formal attire to teenagers across the city. 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