July 17, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York bars and restaurants can no longer serve customers alcohol if they don’t purchase food, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced Thursday. The new rule was one of multiple Cuomo introduced yesterday that aim to crack down on bars and restaurants where social distancing violations have been common. Another new… Read more »
July 16, 2020 By Allie Griffin Throngs of candidates are already coming forward for next year’s primaries, as nearly all the city council seats in Queens will be “open” at the end of next year. Most city council members will be forced to vacate their seats at the end of 2021 due to term limits… Read more »
July 16, 2020 By Michael Dorgan A one-way street in Astoria has been modified in an effort to combat speeding and protect lives. A section of 14th Street–between Broadway and 30th Avenue–was converted from a one-way street to a two-way street by the Department of Transportation Tuesday after safety concerns were raised by residents and… Read more »
July 18, 2020 By Allie Griffin The annual Greenpoint Film Festival will be taking place next month and the organizers will be holding it outdoors for the first time at venues in Brooklyn and Long Island City. The festival, which is in its ninth year, is adopting a drive-in concept. The first screenings will be… Read more »
July 16, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City will offer free childcare services to the parents of more than 100,000 kids when school reopens in September, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. The city will provide daycare for the children on days that they attend class remotely — which will be two to three… Read more »
July 16, 2020 By Michael Dorgan The mayor signed a package of police reform bills into law Wednesday that aim to combat police brutality and encourage greater police accountability. The legislation takes aim at police misconduct by banning cops from using chokeholds in all situations as well as making police records more accessible to the… Read more »
July 15, 2020 By Allie Griffin An Astoria teen has launched a gofundme campaign to raise money for his college education after losing both his parents to the coronavirus. Roberto Tobias Jr., a rising senior at Frank McCourt High School in Manhattan, launched the fundraiser two days ago and has already received more than $37,000… Read more »
July 15, 2020 By Allie Griffin New Yorkers who are struggling to pay their rent as a result of coronavirus-related layoffs or pay cuts can apply for a rental relief grant starting tomorrow. The state has launched a “COVID Rent Relief Program” that provides a one-time payment of rental assistance directly to people’s landlord. The… Read more »
July 15, 2020 By Michael Dorgan The fight to stop a local supermarket from shutting during the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have failed. The owners of the Key Food store, located at 22-15 31st St., informed the state last week that they will shutter the store in October and lay off all of its 151… Read more »
July 15, 2020 by Allie Griffin The city planning process that determines whether a piece of land can be rezoned will restart in August, after months of inaction due to the coronavirus. The Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) is a months-long city review process that determines whether a building is allowed to be constructed… Read more »