Aug. 31, 2020 By Allie Griffin Two council members are pushing the Department of Transportation (DOT) to add a dedicated pedestrian pathway to the Queensboro Bridge as soon as possible. Council Members Ben Kallos and Jimmy Van Bramer want the DOT to open a pedestrian pathway on the bridge’s south outer roadway. Currently, pedestrians and… Read more »
Aug. 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin Tiffany Cabàn, the progressive insurgent who narrowly lost the Democratic primary for Queens District Attorney last year, is expected to run for the Astoria City Council seat, according to a new report. Cabàn is looking to run for City Council District 22, currently represented by Costa Constantinides, who is… Read more »
Aug. 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin An Astoria bar owner will host a “Give a Pint, Get a Pint” blood drive at his Ditmars Boulevard eatery Monday. Restaurateur Martin Whelan is partnering with the New York Blood Center to host a drive at Rivercrest Restaurant and Bar, located at 33-15 Ditmars Blvd. Monday from 9… Read more »
Aug. 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin A section of Ditmars Boulevard in Astoria is the latest Queens street to turn into an outdoor dining corridor on weekends. The boulevard, from 33rd Street to 36th Street, will close to traffic on weekends and open for outdoor restaurant seating, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. The road… Read more »
Aug. 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin MoMA PS1 will officially reopen to the public next month after being closed for months due to the ongoing pandemic. The museum will reopen Sept. 17 and feature a new outdoor commission by artist Rashid Johnson in its courtyard as well as a major exhibition on art and mass… Read more »
Aug. 27, 2020 By Allie Griffin State Sen. Jessica Ramos penned a letter to the State Liquor Authority (SLA) Wednesday calling on the agency to stop hitting small restaurant owners with hefty fines. The lawmaker claims that the agency’s fines and “harassment tactics” are unfair, and come at a time when many business owners are… Read more »
Aug. 27, 2020 By Allie Griffin Two Queens lawmakers have introduced legislation that aims to block the de Blasio administration from holding its up-coming lien sale to help struggling homeowners at risk of losing their homes. The administration’s annual lien sale is set for Sept. 4, after being postponed from its original May date due… Read more »
Aug. 29, 2020 By Allie Griffin The MTA warned of huge service reductions, fare hikes and mass layoffs if the federal government doesn’t step in and provide aid to the cash-strapped agency. The MTA needs $12 billion in federal funding immediately to avoid “draconian” and “unthinkable” measures to alleviate its massive deficit caused by the… Read more »
Aug. 26, 2020 By Allie Griffin The city began inspecting air ventilation systems at classrooms Tuesday, with less than three weeks before public schools reopen, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced yesterday. Every classroom and space inside a school building will be inspected by a team of independent engineers, joined by the Department of Buildings and… Read more »
Aug. 25, 2020 By Allie Griffin Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney penned a letter to the City University of New York (CUNY) urging the administration to reverse its decision to layoff nearly 3,000 employees. CUNY decided to not renew the contracts of about 2,800 employees — mostly adjunct professors and part time staff members — across its… Read more »