Nov. 18, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City public schools will close in-person classes starting Thursday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. Public schools will switch to fully remote classes beginning tomorrow — until further notice. The move comes as New York City’s COVID-19 positivity rate reached 3 percent over a seven-day rolling average,… Read more »
Nov. 17, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City health officials are expanding rapid COVID-19 testing across the city — including Queens — as new cases continue to rise in the Big Apple. A new rapid testing site that delivers coronavirus results in just 15 minutes opened today in Woodside, Executive Director of the NYC… Read more »
Nov. 16, 2020 By Allie Griffin A GoFundMe page has been set up to support the family of a delivery worker who was killed in crash with a semi-truck in Astoria last week. Alfredo Cabrera Licona, 35, died in hospital Thursday after his scooter and a Bud Light truck collided at the intersection of Astoria… Read more »
Nov. 16, 2020 By Allie Griffin Catholic schools in Queens and Brooklyn will remain open for in-person learning even if New York City public schools shutter due to a spike in COVID-19 cases, the Superintendent of Catholic Schools for Brooklyn and Queens announced Sunday. Queens and Brooklyn Catholic schools will continue to provide in-person instruction… Read more »
Nov. 15, 2020 By Allie Griffin The future of an ambitious 13-tower, mixed-use development along the Flushing Creek remains uncertain as the City Council begins to weigh in. The fate of the “Special Flushing Waterfront District” project lies in the hands of the City Council and many members have expressed misgivings about the plan over… Read more »
Nov. 12, 2020 By Allie Griffin A man on a scooter died after colliding with a semi-truck in Astoria Thursday morning. The scooter and a Bud Light semi-truck collided as the truck driver turned onto Crescent Street from Astoria Boulevard around 8:30 a.m., according to police and video footage captured at the scene. The scooter driver… Read more »
Nov. 12, 2020 By Allie Griffin An Astoria teen was honored by the Girl Scouts of Greater New York (GSGNY) for her leadership and community service work. Despina Anastasiou was named the “2020 Future Woman of Distinction” and recognized alongside eight other young women at the Girl Scouts of Greater New York’s 28th annual Women… Read more »
Nov. 11, 2020 By Allie Griffin Restaurants, bars and gyms across New York State must close by 10 p.m. beginning Friday, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today. Cuomo said the new mandates were needed since the COVID-19 infection rate continues to rise across the state. He told reporters that bars and restaurants play an outsized role… Read more »
Nov. 10, 2020 By Allie Griffin Mental health experts will be sent out next year instead of police officers in response to 911 calls involving non-violent people experiencing mental illness problems, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday. The new plan, which will be piloted in a number of neighborhoods next year, involves dispatching FDNY Emergency Medical… Read more »
Nov. 10, 2020 By Allie Griffin State Sen. Michael Gianaris introduced a bill Monday that would speed up the counting of absentee ballots in New York State to ensure elections are called quickly. The bill would require local boards of elections across the state to begin tallying absentee ballots on Election Day as opposed to… Read more »