Feb. 16, 2022 By Christian Murray Community leaders and environmental advocates held a press conference outside the Queensbridge Houses NYCHA complex Tuesday to call on the Public Service Commission to approve two renewable energy projects that would lead to a reduction of fossil fuel burning plants in Western Queens. The NYS Public Service Commission—which oversees… Read more »
Feb. 16, 2022 By Christian Murray When the state legislature voted to pass the new district maps earlier this month there was only one representative from Queens who voted against them—Assembly Member Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist who represents the 36th Assembly District in Astoria, was the only elected official in either the state… Read more »
Feb. 15, 2022 By Max Parrott After losing a nail-biter of a race against incumbent Borough President Donovan Richards last summer, former Queens Councilmember Elizabeth Crowley appears to be reentering the Queens political world once again — this time for state Senate. Crowley has officially filed to run for the newly created state Senate District… Read more »
Feb. 14, 2022 By Christian Murray Suraj Patel, who unsuccessfully ran against Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney in 2018 and again in 2020, announced today that he is mounting yet another challenge. Patel, an attorney who lost to Maloney by 3,200 votes in 2020, is back for the third time in his quest to represent the 12th… Read more »
Feb. 11, 2022 By Christian Murray Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan is expected to step down from office at the end of this year—leaving the race to represent the 37th Assembly District wide open. Nolan, 63, who has represented the district since 1985, is not expected to seek reelection, according to several sources close to the Queens… Read more »
Feb. 9, 2022 By Christian Murray Several large sites in western Queens are slated for redevelopment and Council Member Julie Won wants the chair of the City Council’s Land Use Committee to become familiar with these properties. Won took Council Member Rafael Salamanca, the chair of the Land Use Committee, on a tour of two… Read more »
Feb. 9, 2022 By Christian Murray New York State’s indoor mask mandate will come to an end Thursday, although it will remain in effect for schools until at least early March. The mandate for businesses is being dropped statewide Thursday, although local governments and businesses have the option to continue to keep the mask rules… Read more »
Feb. 9, 2022 By Christian Murray A body was found on the G train platform at the 21st Street-Van Alst Station in Long Island City this morning, police said. The body, believed to be that of a middle-aged woman, was discovered on a bench at around 8 a.m., police said. A subway rider found her… Read more »
Feb. 7, 2022 By Christian Murray The operators of the Ravenswood Generating Station—home to the infamous red-and-white “Big Allis” smokestack in Long Island City—came under fire yet again last week. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney held a press conference outside the Ravenswood power plant on Vernon Boulevard Jan. 31, as part of her quest to have the… Read more »
Feb. 5, 2022 By Christian Murray A high-profile Astoria resident who announced in December that he was running to represent the 37th Assembly District in Albany is no longer running for office. Huge Ma, who founded the TurboVax website last year that helped connect New Yorkers to COVID-19 vaccine sites, announced Friday that he is… Read more »