Primarying Juan Anon

Queens Eagle 

 Assemblymember Juan Ardila will face off against a familiar face in next year’s primary after a third candidate has officially filed to challenge the scandal-plagued lawmaker for his Western Queens seat.

Sunnyside attorney Johanna Carmona, who ran against Ardila in 2022, has officially filed to be a candidate in the 2024 primary for the 37th Assembly District, state election filings show. Carmona is now the third candidate in the race for the district, alongside Ardila and Democratic Socialists of America-backed labor organizer Claire Valdez.

Carmona, who formerly worked with the seat’s previous holder, Cathy Nolan, is likely to receive the backing of the Queens County Democratic Party. Carmona received the support of the party during her first bid for the seat last year.

In 2022, Carmona placed third in voting for AD37, receiving just shy of 20 percent of the vote behind Aridla and Hunters Point civic leader Brent O’Leary.

Carmona was working as a court attorney in Queens Civil Court until last month, when she began working as legislative administrative manager at City Hall.

The Eagle reported in November from multiple sources that Carmona had been discussing a run in recent weeks at political events, including the SOMOS conference in Puerto Rico. Carmona declined to confirm the reports at the time.

Carmona did not comment on the filling Monday night.

Representatives for the Queens County Democratic did not respond to request for comment.

The field against Ardila has grown since sexual assault allegations first surfaced against him in March.

Long Island Fear City

 

Queens Post 

 The recent surge in assaults, burglaries and other violent crimes is spurring the Long Island City community into action.

Residents will take part in a public meeting with members of the 108th Precinct this week to discuss soaring crime rates in the area while a local group is planning to bring back private security to the Hunters Point waterfront when the weather heats up.

The public meeting will take place Thursday at Renew Queens, a community center located at 10-15 46^th Rd., and Deputy Inspector Lavonda Wise – along with the 108th Precinct’s Neighborhood Coordination Officers and Crime Prevention Unit – will be in attendance. The gathering is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. and finish at 7:30 p.m.

The event is being organized by Johanna Carmona, a former prosecutor running for the Assembly District 37 seat, and aims to provide residents with an opportunity to have their say about the uptick in lawlessness plaguing the area. She expects up to 40 people to attend.

“There is a lot of concern about an increase in crime in the area, it’s pretty bad and very alarming,” Carmona said.

In the 108th precinct—which serves Long Island City, Sunnyside and Woodside—crime is up 42 percent for the year through April 3, compared to the same period a year ago, according to NYPD data. Robberies are up 108 percent, grand larceny is up 71 percent, while burglaries are up 16 percent.