Nov. 2, 2021 By Christian Murray Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer, who will be out of office at the end of the year due to term limits, is trying to pass a bill before he leaves that aims to reduce the amount of plastic food utensils in New York City. The legislation, which he introduced… Read more »
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Election Day: The Queens Races to Watch and Where to Vote
Nov. 2, 2021 By Allie Griffin Voters will head to the polls one last day to decide who will be running the city government next year. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. today, Election Day, following nine days of early voting from Oct. 23 through Oct. 31. In total, 36,546 Queens residents… Read more »
Gov. Hochul Signs Gianaris Bill That Prevents Insurance Companies From Hiking Premiums Based On Dog Breeds
Nov. 1, 2021 By Christian Murray People who own pit bulls, Rottweilers and other dogs deemed aggressive have often struggled to buy homeowners’ insurance or have faced higher premiums. That is about to change. A bill, sponsored by State Sen. Mike Gianaris, was signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul last week, which bans insurance… Read more »
Queens Assemblywoman Introduces Legislation That Would Score Segregation In Schools
Nov. 1, 2021 By Christian Murray A Queens state assembly woman has introduced legislation that would require school administrators to report statistics pertaining to the race and socioeconomics of their student body as part of their annual report cards. Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas—who represents Corona, East Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Woodside—introduced a bill Oct. 20 that… Read more »
With 1.9 Percent Enrollment Drop, NYC Schools Have Lost 64,000 Students Since Pandemic Started
Oct 29, 2021, By Alex Zimmerman, Chalkbeat New York Enrollment in the nation’s largest school system has dropped roughly 1.9 percent this school year, according to preliminary figures released Friday by the education department. Roughly 938,000 students are enrolled in New York City’s public schools, down from about 955,000 last school year, when the system… Read more »
City Council Approves Two Rezoning Applications, Paves Way for Two Large Scale Developments in Western Queens
Nov. 1, 2021 By Christian Murray The City Council approved two rezoning applications last month paving the way for two large-scale developments in western Queens. The developments are in Woodside and Astoria and each consists of about 200 rental units with ground floor retail and space for cultural groups. The rezonings are both within the… Read more »
2,300 Firefighters Out ‘Sick’ as COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate Takes Effect
Nov. 1, 2021 By Allie Griffin More than 2,000 firefighters have called in ‘sick’ as the city’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate took effect Monday. More than half of the 2,300 who didn’t show up for work are believed to be unvaccinated, NBC News reported, and are apparently protesting the city’s vaccine mandate for its public workers…. Read more »
Police Looking for Creep Who Allegedly Took Photos Up Straphanger’s Skirt on E Train
Oct. 29, 2021 By Allie Griffin Police are looking for a pervert who allegedly took photos up a woman’s skirt on board a Queens E train earlier this month. The man allegedly stuck his phone up the skirt — and snapped photos — of a 26-year-old woman, who was standing beside him on a northbound… Read more »
Queens Tech Night Returns To Long Island City Nov. 3
Oct. 29, 2021 By Michael Dorgan Queens Tech Night, a free networking and community-building event for techies, will return for a meet-up in Long Island City next month – with a slightly different twist. The event will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 3 at a new advanced manufacturing facility inside… Read more »
Several Renewable Energy Projects Coming Online, Reduces Need for NRG’s Rejected Power Plant: Pols
Oct. 28, 2021 By Allie Griffin A number of renewable energy projects will be soon be coming online — negating the need for NRG’s proposed peaker plant that the state rejected earlier this week, according to several Queens leaders. Local politicians said the state has no need for NRG’s proposal, which sought to overhaul the… Read more »