Dec. 28, 2021 By Allie Griffin Two men were shot — one fatally — in Jackson Heights Monday evening in a possible gang-related incident. Police received a 911 call about an apparent assault on 37th Avenue near 94th Street at around 8 p.m. and upon arrival found two men on the ground with gunshot wounds…. Read more »
Author: Allie Griffin
Gov. Hochul Signs Sen. Gianaris’ Voting Reform Bills Into Law
Dec. 27, 2021 By Allie Griffin Governor Kathy Hochul signed two bills into law last week that were sponsored by state Senator Michael Gianaris that aim to improve the voting system. One bill requires absentee ballots to be counted by election night, while the other requires the state to increase the number of early voting… Read more »
Federal Government Opens COVID-19 Testing Sites in Queens as Officials Race to Raise Testing Capacity
Dec. 23, 2021 By Allie Griffin The federal government has opened three COVID-19 testing sites in Queens as officials from all levels of government rush to raise testing capacity amid a surge of cases. The first site run by the CDC opened in Travers Park in Jackson Heights Wednesday. Two more mobile test sites —… Read more »
CityMD Temporarily Closes 13 Locations in NYC, Including Three in Queens
Dec. 22, 2021 By Allie Griffin CityMD, a popular chain of urgent care clinics, has temporarily closed 13 locations across the city — including three in Queens. The chain, which has been a go-to spot for many to get both rapid and PCR tests for COVID-19 during the pandemic, has temporarily closed select locations in… Read more »
Queens Officials Call on de Blasio to Add More COVID Testing Sites in Western Queens
Dec. 21, 2021 By Allie Griffin Queens officials are calling on the mayor to add more COVID-19 testing sites in western Queens — especially sites capable of testing children too young to receive the vaccine. Nine elected officials from Queens held various press conferences Tuesday to demand the city open more COVID-19 testing sites in… Read more »
Pod of Dolphins Spotted Swimming in Flushing Bay
Dec. 21, 2021 By Allie Griffin Dolphins were spotted off the coast of Queens Sunday. A pod of at least six dolphins was seen swimming in the Flushing Bay by the NYPD Harbor Unit. The department posted a video of the pod on Twitter and joked that the marine mammals are holiday tourists visiting the… Read more »
Queens Community Board 2 Calls on City to Add More COVID-19 Test Sites in LIC, Sunnyside
Dec. 20, 2021 By Allie Griffin Queens Community Board 2 is calling on the city to add more COVID-19 test sites in Long Island City, Sunnyside and Woodside. Community Board 2 leaders penned a letter to Mayor Bill de Blasio and Mayor-elect Eric Adams Monday urging them to add more city-run sites in the western… Read more »
Participatory Budgeting Returns, Astoria Residents Get to Pitch Ideas on How to Spend Over $1 Million in the Neighborhood
Dec. 20, 2021 By Allie Griffin Astoria residents will once again have a direct say on how $1 million in city funds will be spent in the district. Council Member Tiffany Cabán, who was sworn into office last month, is asking residents of the 22nd Council district how they want to spend more than one… Read more »
Queens Council Member Adrienne Adams Set to be the City’s First Black Council Speaker
Dec. 17, 2021 By Allie Griffin Southeast Queens Council Member Adrienne Adams has — once again — declared victory in the council speaker race. Adams announced Friday that she expects to have a majority of votes when the new council casts its ballots for speaker early next month. She has secured at least 33 members’… Read more »
City to Distribute 500,000 At-Home Rapid Tests and One Million Masks as COVID Cases Rise
Dec. 17, 2021 By Allie Griffin The city will distribute 500,000 at-home rapid tests and one million masks to residents across the five boroughs as COVID-19 cases climb rapidly, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday. The announcement came at the same time that health officials released data showing that the seven-day average for new cases… Read more »