Jan. 13, 2020 By Allie Griffin The New York Attorney General announced today that she has launched an investigation to see whether the NYPD has been targeting communities of color when it comes to fare evasion. Attorney General Letitia James has sent a letter to NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea requesting that he provide data and… Read more »
Jan. 13, 2020 By Allie Griffin Two babies died Friday after they were found unconscious at an East Elmhurst homeless shelter. Police officers, responding to a 911 call, found the babies, a twin boy and girl around 2 months old, unconscious and unresponsive inside the lobby of The Landing family shelter, located at 94-00 Ditmars… Read more »
Jan. 10, 2020 By Kristen Torres Queens Borough Hall is now accepting applications from residents interested in serving on one of the borough’s 14 community boards. Community boards play an advisory role in considering land use and zoning matters in their district. The boards also hold hearings and issue recommendations about the city budget and… Read more »
Jan. 12, 2020 By Allie Griffin A former Assistant District Attorney has entered the Queens Borough President race, running as the tough-on-crime candidate among a group of left-leaning opponents. Jim Quinn kicked off his campaign at a reception at Villa Erasmo in Middle Village Wednesday night, with a special election for the position to be… Read more »
Jan. 12, 2020 By Kristen Torres Mayor Bill de Blasio is moving forward with plans to construct the Brooklyn Queens Connector—a $2.7 billion, zero-emission street car that will run 11 miles along the waterfront from Astoria to Red Hook. The city launched an official BQX website Thursday that provides details of the plan as well… Read more »
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 »