Jan. 9, 2020 By Kristen Torres Council Member Costa Constantinides is calling for major reform to the MTA board that would give each borough president a voting appointee on the decision-making body that oversees city transit. The current MTA board structure consists of 16 voting members, eight of which are nominated by the governor. New… Read more »
Jan. 9, 2020 By Kristen Torres City Council Members Costa Constantinides (District 22) and I. Daneek Miller (District 27) introduced a bill Wednesday that would require the Department of Transportation to develop transit plans for each of the five boroughs. Under the bill, the DOT would be tasked with assessing conditions for transit in every… Read more »
Jan. 9, 2019 By Allie Griffin Two women allegedly robbed an elderly woman inside an apartment building elevator in Astoria yesterday. The suspects went inside a building near 31st Drive and 21st Street at around 5:30 p.m. and then followed an 89-year-old woman onto an elevator, police said. Inside the elevator, the women took the… Read more »
Jan. 6, 2020 By Kristen Torres Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer today received a new celebrity endorsement for his run to be the next Queens Borough President. Actor Kal Penn—who recently starred in NBC’s “Sunnyside”—endorsed Van Bramer on Monday. Penn played Garrett Modi in the show—a disgraced former council member who is hired by immigrants… Read more »
Jan. 3, 2020 By Allie Griffin Council Member Costa Constantinides is calling on the NYPD to halt issuing summonses and confiscating illegal e-bikes and e-scooters from delivery workers. Constantinides, who is also running for Queens Borough president, penned a letter to Police Commissioner Dermot Shea asking him to stop his officers from confiscating the bikes… Read more »
Jan. 3, 2019 By Christian Murray The special election for Queens borough president has been set for March 24, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last night. Five candidates are vying for the spot that was exited by Melinda Katz when she became Queens District Attorney Jan. 1. Council Members Jimmy Van Bramer, Donovan Richards and… Read more »
Jan. 2, 2020 Kristen Torres Police are investigating an apparent drive-by shooting that took place in Astoria last week. Multiple shots were fired at two men who were sitting in a car in the vicinity of Steinway Street and 36th Avenue on Dec. 26 at around 4:30 a.m., police said. One of the victims, 35,… Read more »
Dec. 31, 2019 By Christian Murray The MTA has released a draft plan that revamps the entire Queens bus network in an effort to improve service. The new plan aims to increase bus speeds, provide a better connection between Queens and the other boroughs, provide a better link to subways, and reduce commute times. The… Read more »
Dec. 30, 2019 By Allie Griffin The Queens County Democratic Party endorsed Council Member Donovan Richards for Queens Borough President Monday, but not without controversy — the party faced heated backlash from other BP candidates and local Democratic groups who said the endorsement process lacked transparency. Assembly Member Alicia Hyndman stepped down from the race… Read more »
Dec. 30, 2019 By Kristen Torres City officials held a ceremonial ribbon cutting Friday to celebrate the completion of the track and soccer field at Astoria Park and to announce that construction had begun on a children’s playground inside the 60-acre park. The revamp is part of the city’s $150 million Anchor Parks Initiative, which… Read more »