Dec. 16, 2021 By Allie Griffin A number of so-called “moderate” City Council members have officially created their own caucus just weeks before a new set of members are to be sworn in. The City Council officially recognized the formation of the “Common Sense” caucus, which consists of a number of moderate Democrats and Republican… Read more »
Dec. 16, 2021 By Allie Griffin The MTA is redesigning the entire bus network in Queens and will release its latest plan early next year, agency officials said Wednesday. The new plan will replace an initial bus redesign plan that the MTA put out two years ago. The agency has scrapped that original, pre-pandemic plan… Read more »
Dec. 15, 2021 By Allie Griffin Mayor-elect Eric Adams has named a Queens native as the city’s first female NYPD Commissioner. Adams announced Wednesday that Keechant Sewell, the Nassau County chief of detectives, will become the top cop of the country’s largest police force next month. “I’m proud to tell you personally that the 45th… Read more »
Dec. 15, 2021 By Allie Griffin The next City Council speaker will apparently be from Queens, but the question as to who it will be remains a mystery as two Queens members declared victory Tuesday in a confusing kerfuffle played out over social media. Both Council Member Francisco Moya and Council Member Adrienne Adams said… Read more »
Dec. 14, 2021 By Allie Griffin and Christian Murray A street corner in Woodside is going to be co-named “Little Manila Avenue” as an ode to the Filipino community in the neighborhood. The NYC Council Parks and Recreation committee voted 15-0 Tuesday in favor of co-naming the southwest corner of Roosevelt Avenue and 70th Street… Read more »
Dec. 13, 2021 By Allie Griffin A former NYPD officer who once served as a bodyguard for El Chapo’s wife was indicted Friday for allegedly transporting cocaine throughout Queens in 2019. Ishmael Bailey, of Staten Island, was arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on charges of selling and possessing a controlled substance, receiving bribes, conspiracy and… Read more »
Dec. 10, 2021 By Allie Griffin The City Council passed a bill Thursday aimed at protecting city trees across the five boroughs. The Council voted unanimously in favor of a bill sponsored by Flushing Council Member Peter Koo that requires the Parks Department to more regularly inspect trees and to publish its findings for the… Read more »
Dec. 13, 2021 By Allie Griffin The New York City Sanitation Department has installed more than a dozen specialty “smart bins” for food scraps throughout Astoria. The department placed 16 bins — which only open with a specific key card — around the neighborhood last week in order to redirect compostable waste from landfills. The… Read more »
Dec. 10, 2021 By Allie Griffin A woman died in a fire Thursday inside an apartment at the NYCHA Queensbridge Houses complex. The fire broke out inside a second-floor unit in Queensbridge North Houses, located at 40-11 12th St., at around 6:15 p.m., police said. Firefighters extinguished the flames and officers found a woman with… Read more »
Dec. 9, 2021 By Allie Griffin A comedian who was born and raised in Queens — and at one time owned a comedy club in Long Island City — is returning to the elementary school he attended as a kid to perform and film a comedy special. Comedian Steve Hofstetter will make a return to… Read more »