Aug. 13, 2025 By Shane O’Brien State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez and Council Member Tiffany Cabán have released a joint statement criticizing the NYPD for fatally shooting a knife-wielding man during an April encounter in Astoria, arguing that officers should have used more de-escalation tactics before firing 19 shots at a suspect experiencing a mental…
Aug. 13, 2025 By Shane O’Brien Porto Bello, an Astoria institution serving traditional Italian dishes for the past 26 years, will close its doors for good this Sunday, Aug. 17. The restaurant, which opened its doors at 43-18 Ditmars Blvd. in 1999, has been a community gathering place for the past two-and-a-half decades, with…
Aug. 13, 2025 By Ethan Marshall Rental properties across all of New York City experienced a slight jump in median asking rent from last year during the second quarter of 2025, which spans from April to June, according to a report by Realtor.com. There was a 3.7% year-over-year increase in asking rent for all…
Aug. 12, 2025 By Bill Parry Three men were killed in a horrific multi-vehicle chain-reaction collision in Astoria on Tuesday morning, according to authorities. A preliminary investigation by the NYPD’s Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad determined that an 84-year-old man was behind the wheel of a 2010 Toyota Corolla traveling northbound on 42nd Street…
Aug. 12, 2025 By Jessica Militello Award-winning chefs are getting ready to practice their serve right onto customers’ plates at the US Open, with a list of delicious cuisine slated for the star-studded annual tennis event. The diverse and delicious food and drink menu was created by the United States Tennis Association and its…
Aug. 11, 2025 By Ethan Marshall After the average cost of rent in Queens exceeded $3,000 in June 2025, the number continued to rise in July, with average rents increasing across the board among studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units in the borough, according to a report by M.N.S Real Estate. The average rent in…
Aug. 11, 2025 By Bill Parry An East Elmhurst man was shot to death in Puerto Rico early Sunday morning while visiting for a Bad Bunny concert, according to authorities. Kevin Mares, 25, was an innocent bystander outside a popular nightclub in the coastal town of La Perla near Old San Juan when he…
Aug. 8, 2025 By Bill Parry The dawn of a new era is underway at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, and U.S. Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Tom Suozzi are encouraging their constituents and all New Yorkers to sign up for the new expanded air traffic controller training program at the East Elmhurst campus.…
Aug. 7, 2025 By Ethan Marshall The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene announced it will be spraying pesticides in an effort to eliminate more mosquitoes and reduce the risk of people catching the West Nile virus on Monday, Aug. 11, across several parts of Queens. Trucks will be spraying the…
Aug. 6, 2025 By Bill Parry An Astoria man was sentenced in Brooklyn federal court to nearly 16 years in prison last month for running a Mexican sex trafficking crew for years. Hugo Hernandez-Velazquez, 48, was extradited from Mexico, where he had a second home, back to the United States in February 2021, for…