Author: Allie Griffin

Council Members Williams and Lee Elected Co-Chairs of Queens Council Delegation

Feb. 8, 2022 By Allie Griffin Council Members Nantasha Williams and Linda Lee will be leading the Queens Council Delegation. Williams and Lee were elected co-chairs of the delegation by their Queens council colleagues Friday. As co-chairs, Williams and Lee will advocate for funding for Queens during the council’s discretionary budget negotiations. They will serve… Read more »

Makina Cafe, Popular Ethiopian and Eritrean Food Truck, to Open Brick-and-Mortar Restaurant in Sunnyside

Jan. 27, 2022 By Allie Griffin The woman behind the popular Ethiopian and Eritrean food truck—Makina Cafe—will put down roots in Sunnyside this spring with the opening of her first brick-and-mortar restaurant. Eden Egziabher plans to open Makina Cafe at 46-11 Skillman Ave. in mid-April, while still operating the business’s two food trucks. The location… Read more »

Queens Legislators Split on Mayor Adams’ Plan to Combat Gun Violence

Jan. 25, 2022 By Allie Griffin Queens lawmakers are split on the mayor’s recently released plan to combat gun violence — with some applauding it while others denounce it. The 15-page plan titled “The Blueprint to End Gun Violence” was unveiled by Mayor Eric Adams Monday following a number of high-profile shootings this month, including… Read more »

Several Queens Council Members Have Been Named Committee Chairs

Jan. 20, 2022 By Allie Griffin City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams announced new council committee appointments Thursday with more than a dozen committees to be chaired by Queens representatives. All but three Queens council members were named to lead committees, which focus on a vast array of issues such as land use, parks, the environment… Read more »

NYPD Cracks Down on Moped Drivers Using Queensboro Bridge Bike/Pedestrian Lane

Jan. 18, 2022 By Allie Griffin The NYPD cracked down on moped drivers crossing the Queensboro Bridge via the bicycle/pedestrian lane Tuesday. Officers from the 108th Precinct issued numerous summonses and confiscated three gas-powered mopeds at the entrance of the 59th Street Bridge bike and pedestrian path. The drivers were illegally using the bike lane… Read more »

Hundreds at Rikers Protest Living Conditions, Stage Hunger Strike

Jan. 12, 2022 By Allie Griffin Approximately 200 men detained at the Rikers Island jail facility have organized a hunger strike —claiming that it is in response to being denied basic services and being forced to live in inhumane conditions. The men started the hunger strike to protest what they say is an unacceptable level… Read more »

Council Member Paladino Apologizes for Comparing Vaccine Mandates to Nazi Germany

Jan. 12, 2022 By Allie Griffin Queens Council Member Vickie Paladino, who came under fire Tuesday for comparing the city’s vaccine mandates to Nazi Germany, has apologized for her remarks. Paladino made the comparison during an interview with NY1 when explaining that she wouldn’t disclose whether she had been vaccinated against COVID-19. Her statement came about… Read more »

Four Borough Presidents Call on State Legislature to Extend Eviction Moratorium

Jan. 10, 2022 By Allie Griffin Queens Borough President Donovan Richards joined three other borough presidents in a joint call Friday demanding the state and state legislature extend the eviction moratorium. Richards together with Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson and Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso issued a joint statement calling… Read more »