May 29, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City is on track to reopen in about two weeks, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today. The city will begin reopening June 8, Cuomo said at his daily coronavirus briefing, where he was joined by the mayor via a live video feed. “We are on track to open… Read more »
May 29, 2020 By Allie Griffin The fifth annual LIC Post 5K kicks off next month with a “virtual run” supporting the Hunters Point Parks Conservancy. The 5K typically brings more than 1,500 runners to the Long Island City waterfront each year, as well as hundreds of kids who participate in children’s dashes along Center… Read more »
May 29, 2020 By Allie Griffin The City Council voted to axe the terms “alien” and “illegal immigrant” from all official city documents, laws and rules Thursday. The terms are offensive and discriminatory toward undocumented immigrants, said Elmhurst Council Member Francisco Moya, who introduced the bill in January. The term to replace the phrases will… Read more »
May 29, 2020 By Allie Griffin Council Speaker Corey Johnson introduced legislation Thursday that would require the city to open up sidewalks and street space for outdoor dining, with the aim of helping restaurants get through the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation — sponsored by several council members including Donovan Richards and Jimmy Van Bramer —… Read more »
May 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York businesses will soon be able to turn away customers who aren’t wearing a mask. Governor Andrew Cuomo said he would be signing an executive order today giving businesses the right to boot out any customer who refuses to wear a mask. The new directive, referred to as… Read more »
May 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin The city is sending more police officers to patrol the bars and restaurants in Astoria and Long Island City to enforce social distancing. The mayor said that the two neighborhoods are among nine “bar-heavy” districts across the five boroughs that will see more cops. Last week Mayor Bill de… Read more »
May 27, 2020 By Allie Griffin The city has hired more than 1,700 contact tracers and secured 1,200 hotel rooms to reduce the spread of the coronavirus as it prepares to reopen. The contact tracers will be tasked with finding family, friends and other people who have come in close contact to a person who… Read more »
May 27, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City faces a whopping $9 billion deficit due to the economic fallout of the coronavirus, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. The budget hole was originally estimated to be around $7.4 billion through to June 30, 2021 — but has widened by another $1.6 billion, the mayor… Read more »
May 27, 2020 By Allie Griffin Alternate side parking is suspended once again during the coronavirus pandemic. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday that alternate side parking rules will be suspended through June 7. “It brings out a lot of feeling and a lot of emotion in New Yorkers — that is any time that… Read more »
May 26, 2020 By Allie Griffin New Yorkers are still being hospitalized with COVID-19 in large numbers, with a significant number of them living in three hard-hit areas of Queens. Governor Andrew Cuomo released a list today of the top 10 neighborhoods/zipcodes where the newly-admitted COVID-19 patients live. Among the top 10 zip codes for… Read more »