What are the chances?

From Eyewitness News:

A woman accidentally threw away thousands of dollars meant to pay for her daughter's college tuition.

The Queens mom has her money back, thanks to some New York City sanitation workers.

Harried working mother of two Melissa Gallagher was rushing from home to her double parked car when she stopped at the garbage can on her corner to throw out a water bottle.

"And it must've just slipped off my wrist," Gallagher said.

Her little Coach wristlet pocketbook, had slipped off into the trash, but this one carried treasure!

"$4,000," Gallagher said.

She was carrying the cash to make a bank deposit to cover her daughter Clarissa's tuition, a basketball player and Junior at SUNY Old Westbury.

The corner can had been emptied along with all the others on Myrtle Avenue, so she frantically called the Department of Sanitation.

The city collects roughly 10,500 tons of refuse a day, rolling 2,230 collection trucks continuously, but DSNY welcomed her to go through the garbage of that truck on her route the next day.

A supervisor had the haul laid out at the Waste Management facility in Maspeth, and the determined mom started digging.

Several helpful sanitation workers assisted in the search, but it was Melissa herself, who spotted the designer pouch.

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Homeless shelter sends Dizzy Lizzy into a tizzy

From the Daily News:

Glendale leaders are livid over a proposal to convert a vacant factory into a homeless shelter.

Samaritan Village submitted a proposal with the city Department of Homeless Services to create “transitional housing” for 125 families at 78-16 Cooper Ave., officials confirmed.

“We received a proposal to serve families with children in Queens, and as with all proposals that we receive, we will carefully review and consider this one,” said agency spokeswoman Heather Janik.

Local leaders said they are gearing up for a protracted fight against the deal between property owner Michael Wilner and Samaritan Village.

Rumors swirled about a shelter sprouting up at the site last year, sparking community outrage. Their fears last year became reality this week.

“With every fabric of my being, I’m going to fight this,” said City Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village).

Just as she was going to fight for a park at the St. Saviour's site and against a high school that wouldn't assure admission to local students.

I guess Glendale better get ready for a homeless shelter.

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Will third time be a charm for Atlas Park?

From the Daily News:

A struggling Glendale shopping mall is shooting for a comeback, and nothing would make nearby residents happier.

The Shops at Atlas Park is being re-energized. Its owner has added a grassy 10,000-square-foot courtyard, and has been reaching out to the community, offering free outdoor movies, concerts and even a fireworks show.

But skeptical Glendale residents — who watched the airy, upscale mall go bankrupt several years ago — say the only thing that counts is filling the vast empty storefronts.

On Tuesday morning, contractors were putting the finishing touches on the outdoor parking lot, reconfigured to get shoppers closer to stores including the soon-to-open Forever 21.

“That will help enormously,” said Peter DeLucia Jr., marketing manager for the center, which was snapped up by mall giant Macerich in 2011 for $54 million.

DeLucia refused to divulge the names of new shops poised to move in, but rumors have included a Modell’s sporting goods site and cosmetics giant Sephora.

“We’re trying to get the community back,” said DeLucia, who noted hundreds of people have already responded to an email campaign that asks them to compile a wish list of stores for the site.

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No one can seem to shut illegal site down

From the Queens Courier:

Neighbors on one Glendale block say the nearby garage is a chronic nuisance.

“These people are lawless all day, every day,” said one woman who wished to remain anonymous.

The garage, nestled on a quiet block in Glendale, sees dozens of cars every day. Neighbors complain the owners’ cars stay parked on the sidewalks and down the street for days, inconveniencing residents.

However, owners Elsie Serrano and Oscar Ortega claimed they are running a completely legal operation.

“I have receipts for everything I have done here,” Serrano said.

The shop’s license to sell cars is up to date, and both Serrano and Ortega are licensed to run their business.

However, neighbors allege they do not sell vehicles, but illegally repair them.

Ortega said his store brings cars to a nearby Getty station for service and if the station is too busy, he will do an oil change or fix brakes himself. He added that the store also legally washes cars. However, neighbors said they have seen workers do larger-scale repairs.

“They’re fixing collision and mechanical problems,” said Danny, a resident who withheld his last name. “You can smell chemicals along our block. These are people that have no morals, no respect.”

The owners frequently have their large family visit the site, and several neighbors said they blast music and intimidate residents at all hours of the day.

The 104th Precinct has paid many visits to the site, handing out numerous tickets and summonses. Neighbors said police officers have told workers to shut down the operation, though the 104th did not return calls for comment.

The Fire Department has allegedly shut the site down four times, but the shop continues to reopen. The woman said she has not seen any police or fire presence at the site since April.

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