Dec. 10, 2018 By Meghan Sackman I.S. 126 is now home to a new hydroponic lab, with educators, scientists, and Council Member Costa Constantinides unveiling the lab earlier today. The lab allows students at the school, located at 23rd Avenue and 31st Street, to grow and observe plant life with almost no water. It use,… Read more »
Dec. 7, 2018 By Meghan Sackman A local women’s empowerment group is collecting goods to give to the homeless this season in its weeks-long “Festival of Giving.” Ladies First Astoria (LFA), founded by area residents and entrepreneurs Rene Heitmann and Nicole Panettieri, kicked off their drive after Thanksgiving, and plan on distributing collected food, supplies… Read more »
Dec. 7, 2018 By Meghan Sackman A new “affordable” housing lottery has opened in Astoria, where 12 units are available starting at more than $2,200 in monthly rent. The units are being offered at 21-34 Broadway and there are six one-bedroom and six two-bedroom apartments on offer. The units will be in a six-story, 37… Read more »
Dec. 6, 2018 By Laura Hanrahan As a growing number of state and city leaders support the legalization of recreational marijuana, another New York City political figure has now released a plan to direct some of the potential tax revenue from legalization into the city’s crumbling subway infrastructure. Melissa Mark-Viverito, the former city council speaker… Read more »
Dec. 6, 2018 By Christian Murray The police are looking for two pretend utility workers who gained access to an elderly woman’s Astoria apartment and then stole her cash and jewelry. The men tricked the 77-year-old woman at around 4 p.m. on Oct. 22 after telling her they were utility workers. Once insider the victim’s… Read more »
Dec. 5, 2018 By Nathaly Pesantez A new poll has found that Queens residents approve of Amazon building new headquarters in Long Island City—in stark contrast to the backlash and anti-Amazon rhetoric expressed by many borough officials and groups over the plan. The Quinnipiac University Poll released today shows that Queens residents are not only… Read more »
Dec. 4, 2018 By Christian Murray Assemblymember Aravella Simotas is calling on Governor Andrew Cuomo to sign her Sexual Assault Survivor Bill of Rights legislation into law. Her call was prompted by the announcement last week that the New York Attorney General had entered into a settlement with seven New York City hospitals for illegal… Read more »
Dec. 4, 2018 By Christian Murray Borough President Melinda Katz is in the running for Queens District Attorney, with the life-long Queens resident launching her campaign in Forest Hills on Tuesday. Katz made the announcement at MacDonald Park this morning, and is looking to replace District Attorney Richard A. Brown, who is up for re-election… Read more »
Dec. 3, 2018 By Meghan Sackman Council Member Costa Constantinides announced new legislation recently aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from large buildings over the next decade, which would require many buildings to make adjustments. This bill will put the city on the right track toward its goal of achieving 80 percent emission reduction by… Read more »
Dec. 3, 2018 By Nathaly Pesantez Queens Borough President Melinda Katz has called on Amazon to help pay for the controversial and still-in-planning Brooklyn-Queens Connector as part of its headquarters buildout in Long Island City. Katz, who supports the tech-giant’s move to Queens, reaffirmed her position in a statement released earlier today, but said that… Read more »