June was not an especially good month for beachgoers or our local businesses, but summer heat arrives with a vengeance starting today. Remember to apply sunscreen and hydrate! Here’s to the sun actually showing up and staying for the long haul — weekend after weekend until Labor Day.
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Happy July 4 and Happy 250th birthday, America! Thank you to everyone who contributed to the RT’s America 250 Commemorative Edition. We hope you will save the special section as a keepsake. Our American history is sacred. We must pass on the truth and the lessons to future generations.
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The government observes the federal holiday on July 3. That means summer parking rules are in effect on Friday! Move your cars off the street uptown on Thursday night to avoid a ticket.
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The Rockaway Times sends its condolences to the Johnson family of Rockaway Park on the passing of Patricia A. Johnson on Saturday, June 27. Mrs. Johnson was a beloved member of the St. Francis de Sales parish. She and her husband George have four children, three of whom were members of the FDNY.
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Services for Gary Robinson (Mr. Goody) will be July 7 at Far Rockaway Community Church of the Nazarene (1414 Central Ave.) Viewing from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., followed by the service.
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The 2026 Rockaway Little League season concluded on Sunday with four T-Ball games and the Pee Wee Senior championship game. Congratulations to Jets Towing for their thrilling, last-inning victory. Check out our story in this issue with more pictures and video on our website.
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An end to that sinking feeling? Last week, the Heart of Rockaway civic hosted the Commissioners of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Transportation to address sinkholes in Arverne. A timeline for repairs is expected soon. Hopefully, this will be the first of many infrastructure repairs across the peninsula.
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Former candidate for mayor, James Walden, sued Mayor Mamdani last week, claiming Mamdani’s policy directive prohibiting the NYPD from enforcing basic e-bike violations exposes residents to greater danger and daily risk. We are not sure if Rockaway residents have noticed any change in enforcement (or lack thereof) on the boardwalk.
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We are glad people still have a sense of humor. On Facebook, the RT reposted a picture by Kevin Abernethy that showed a toy car on Newport Avenue with a parking summons. Our caption: These ticket guys are relentless! Almost everyone who replied appreciated the joke. Our favorite response was from Matt Kehoe. “They can fight that ticket in small claims court.”
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So many people stress turning 30, but in Rockaway, folks celebrate 60 with a passion. At least that was the case at the Belle Harbor Yacht Club on Saturday. The joint was packed for their Rockaway Turns 60ish party. The Knobs played hits from the ‘80s, which is what this crew would have been listening to in places like Fitzgeralds, the Blackwater, the Magnet, Kerry Hills, etc.
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The results of the June 23 Democratic primary demonstrate the importance of turnout. More than 50% of voters east of Beach 9th Street cast their vote. For the rest of the peninsula, it was less than 20%. Whose voices had the most impact? Thank you to everyone who participated in our democracy. We all have another chance in November.
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New e-edition subscribers keep rolling in. This week’s furthest-away reader lives in Kirksville, Missouri, a small city that is 150 miles northeast of Kansas City. (We had to look that up.)
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Uptick in ticks? Concern was expressed recently about an increase in ticks, especially in Rockaway parks and in overgrown beach grass. If you are seeing more ticks this year, email mail@rockawaytimes.com.
