Sept. 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin Cyclists and pedestrians took over the south outer roadway of the Queensboro Bridge Sunday to demand that it be converted from a car lane into a pedestrian pathway. Bike advocates and several elected officials are calling on the Department of Transportation (DOT) to convert the lane into a pedestrian-only… Read more »
Sept. 28, 2020 Staff Report If $2,241 per month for a studio meets your definition of affordable—then there is a lottery for you. A new “affordable” housing lottery has opened with 14 units on offer in an Astoria development. The units, located at 29-19 Newtown Ave., include studios, one bedroom and two-bedroom apartments. Applicants have… Read more »
Sept. 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin Queens Congresswoman Grace Meng has received a barrage of racist and anti-Asian voicemails after passing a resolution in the House of Representatives earlier this month condemning such behavior. Meng introduced the resolution to denounce anti-Asian sentiment related to the coronavirus pandemic in March and the House passed it on… Read more »
Sept. 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin Coronavirus cases are continuing to surge at an alarming rate in Kew Gardens and have now begun to spread into adjacent neighborhoods such as Rego Park and Kew Garden Hills, new data shows. City health officials identified Kew Gardens, Far Rockaway as well as six Brooklyn neighborhoods as COVID-19… Read more »
By Suhail Bhat, THE CITY This story was originally published on 9/27/20 by THE CITY While some essential workers are getting a respite from intense demands posed by COVID-19, city Department of Sanitation employees are hauling record-busting volumes of garbage as more New Yorkers work and go to school from home. Residents, meanwhile, are complaining… Read more »
Sept. 25, 2020 By Allie Griffin Two Queens police precincts welcomed new commanding officers earlier this week. Both the 104th Precinct and the 114th Precinct got new leaders on Monday. The 104th Precinct, which covers Ridgewood, Middle Village, Maspeth and Glendale, welcomed Captain Louron Hall on Monday. Hall most recently served as the commanding officer… Read more »
Sept. 25, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City’s popular outdoor dining initiative will now be year-round and permanent, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. The “Open Restaurants” program, where restaurants can set up outdoor dining on sidewalks and streets, will continue into the fall and winter months, de Blasio said. The “Open Streets: Restaurants”… Read more »
Sept. 25, 2020 By Christian Murray Next June there will be hundreds of candidates across the city vying for the 51 council seats on offer. In Queens, there are 15 council seats up for grabs–with only four incumbents eligible to run again due to term limits. We plan to speak to as many candidates running… Read more »
Sept. 25, 2020 Staff Report A real estate investment group has signed a contract to buy Silvercup Studios for $500 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. The group led by Hackman Capital Partners, a Los Angeles-based real-estate investor and operator, signed a contract to buy the studios and the accompanying real estate, the outlet… Read more »
Sept. 24, 2020 By Allie Griffin Queens State Sen. Jessica Ramos and City Comptroller Scott Stringer are calling on the city to make its Open Streets program a year-round initiative. The officials penned a letter to the mayor Thursday asking him to extend the program that turns specific streets over to pedestrians and restaurants beyond… Read more »