May 6, 2020 By Allie Griffin A stretch of 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights will close to traffic–starting tomorrow–as part of the city’s open streets initiative spurred on by the coronavirus pandemic. Nearly half a mile of 34th Avenue from 69th Street to 77th Street will close to traffic from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m…. Read more »
May 6, 2020 By Allie Griffin City workers convinced 139 homeless New Yorkers sleeping in subway cars and stations last night to take refuge at city shelters. NYPD and MTA officers, along with outreach workers, found 242 homeless people in the subways and stations when trains were closed early this morning from 1 a.m. to… Read more »
May 6, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Queens Taste, the popular annual food-and-networking festival, has been canceled for 2020 due to issues pertaining to COVID-19. The event had already been postponed from May 5 to Oct. 6 but organizers have decided to terminate the gathering for this year. Safety concerns surrounding COVID-19 along with ongoing economic… Read more »
May 6, 2020 By Christian Murray Mayor Bill de Blasio said that he may be forced to cut frontline workers and other municipal employees if the federal government does not provide funding. He said that New York City is in a big financial hole and may lack the funds to pay people such as health… Read more »
May 6, 2020 By Allie Griffin Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today that his office is forming several advisory councils to aid New York City’s reopening when the coronavirus pandemic recedes. The City is rolling out six councils on specific sectors of city life today with four more on the way in the coming days,… Read more »
May 6, 2020, By Michael Dorgan Three people were arrested at a crowded vigil for a dead rapper in Queensbridge yesterday after violating social distancing rules, police said. Police said that they tried to break up a crowd of about 75 people just before 2 p.m. in the vicinity of 40th Avenue and 10th Street…. Read more »
May 6, 2020 By Allie Griffin The Queens District Attorney’s office, which opened a unit to investigate potential wrongful convictions in January, announced yesterday that it has reopened 10 such cases. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz established the Conviction Integrity Unit when she took office on January 1 — making good on one of her… Read more »
May 5, 2020 By Christian Murray Gov. Andrew Cuomo took aim at Washington today, particularly Republican leaders who are reluctant to fund state governments hard hit by the coronavirus. Cuomo, speaking at his daily press briefing, called on federal lawmakers to put partisan politics aside and include aid for state and local governments in its… Read more »
May 5, 2020 By Michael Dorgan Several Queens Congress Members have demanded the national cancellation of all rent and mortgage payments for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic – and for six months afterward. Lawmakers Grace Meng, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Carolyn Maloney, Nydia Velázquez and Hakeem Jeffries wrote to House and Senate leaders Tuesday urging them… Read more »
May 5, 2020 By Allie Griffin Two Bangladeshi women are back on the ballot in an upcoming Queens primary after a judge ruled against the Board of Elections’ (BOE) decision to remove them for technicalities last week. On Monday, Queens Supreme Court Judge Leonard Livote ordered Mary Jobaida, who hopes to unseat Cathy Nolan in… Read more »