Crime · New York, NY
Francis Cabello, 32, was arrested and charged with murder after police responded to a 911 call at 95-24 110th St. in South Richmond Hill on Wednesday, Oct. 14, where they found her 5-year-old daughter Fabiana unconscious and bleeding in an upstairs bedroom. The child was rushed to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center but was pronounced dead; the mother was taken into custody Thursday night while undergoing a psychiatric evaluation at the same hospital. Her father told reporters she had psychological issues, had been off medication, and spent a month hospitalized before returning home about two months prior. Cabello's arraignment was pending Friday in Queens Criminal Court.
Local Politics · New York, NY
City Council Speaker Julie Menin demonstrated during a Friday hearing that xAI's chatbot Grok produced a sexualized image of her in under 30 seconds using the free version, moments after SpaceXAI senior manager Gabriela Castillo Madrid testified the platform has "strict controls" preventing such content. The hearing marked SpaceXAI's first appearance before the Council after skipping an Oct. 5 AI safety hearing despite a subpoena. Former xAI employee Devin Kim, who is suing the company for retaliation, testified that during his tenure only three employees worked on AI safety while hundreds developed models, and alleged he was fired in September 2025 after raising concerns about bio-risk safeguards. The Council is weighing bills to let elected officials bar AI systems from generating manipulated images of their likeness and to allow lawsuits over foreseeable harms from third-party misuse of AI models.
Housing & Development · Queens County
The Queens Chamber of Commerce held its 100th annual Building Awards Gala on Thursday, Oct. 15, at the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport in Jamaica, Queens. NYC Department of Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani served as keynote speaker, with Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Chamber President/CEO Tom Grech among attendees. The event recognized architects and builders for projects across Queens neighborhoods including Astoria, Long Island City, Bayside, Maspeth, and Jamaica. Honored projects included the Hillside Tower, Link Apartments QPN, Forte Preparatory Academy High School, JFK Airport Terminal 5, and the Northwell Cancer Institute Queens Radiation Center.
Social Events · New York, NY
The Center for the Women of New York (CWNY) is hosting "Witches Among Us: The Treacherous Coven," a 25-minute immersive theatrical walkthrough inspired by the Salem Witch Trials, on Oct. 16, 17, 22, 23, and 24 from 7 to 10 p.m. at CWNY Building 207 in Fort Totten Park, Bayside, Queens. Tickets are $10 on Thursdays and $15 on Fridays and Saturdays, with proceeds supporting CWNY's workforce development, education, advocacy, and wellness programs for women and families. The production follows guests through a narrative that begins with fear of accused women and shifts to themes of prejudice, false accusations, and the silencing of women's voices.
