Sept. 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin Queens Congresswoman Grace Meng has received a barrage of racist and anti-Asian voicemails after passing a resolution in the House of Representatives earlier this month condemning such behavior. Meng introduced the resolution to denounce anti-Asian sentiment related to the coronavirus pandemic in March and the House passed it on… Read more »
Sept. 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin A man was struck and killed in a hit-and-run collision early Monday morning as he walked along the Long Island Expressway near Lefrak City. The man, who has yet to be identified, was walking within the westbound lanes of the busy expressway near the Queens Boulevard/Woodhaven Boulevard exit (Exit… Read more »
Sept. 25, 2020 By Allie Griffin New York City’s popular outdoor dining initiative will now be year-round and permanent, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. The “Open Restaurants” program, where restaurants can set up outdoor dining on sidewalks and streets, will continue into the fall and winter months, de Blasio said. The “Open Streets: Restaurants”… Read more »
Sept. 24, 2020 By Allie Griffin Queens State Sen. Jessica Ramos and City Comptroller Scott Stringer are calling on the city to make its Open Streets program a year-round initiative. The officials penned a letter to the mayor Thursday asking him to extend the program that turns specific streets over to pedestrians and restaurants beyond… Read more »
Sept. 24, 2020 By Allie Griffin A 27-year-old Woodside deliveryman died after he crashed his Yamaha scooter into a minivan in Astoria Wednesday night. Mariano Canales, who lived on 58th Street, was driving a blue Yamaha Chappy Scooter east down 24th Avenue when he ran into a white Chrysler Town & Country which was crossing… Read more »
Sept. 24, 2020 By Allie Griffin The Queens Memory Project, an ongoing community archiving program supported by the Queens Public Library and Queens College Library, will celebrate its 10-year anniversary next week with a Facebook Live event. The project, in which volunteers record interviews with Queens residents, has collected more than 600 oral histories of… Read more »
Sept. 23, 2020 By Allie Griffin More than 9,000 city employees will be furloughed as the city faces a major budget deficit spurred by the coronavirus shutdown, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced today. Thousands of managerial and non-union city employees must take five days of furlough between October and March, which will save the city… Read more »
Sept. 23, 2020 By Allie Griffin Parents with children in western Queens public schools are less likely to keep their kids at home to learn remotely than the rest of the city. The percentage of students in western Queens school districts learning remotely is significantly lower than the rest of the city, according to… Read more »
Sept. 21, 2020 By Allie Griffin A LGBTQ-run food pantry is raising funds to continue feeding the 500 to 600 Queens residents who line the block near its Jackson Heights site each week. Love Wins Food Pantry aims to raise $10,000 to feed hundreds of neighborhoods who have come to rely on the pantry since… Read more »
Sept. 21, 2020 By Allie Griffin A Jackson Heights State Assembly Member introduced legislation earlier this month that would create a system to track New Yorkers’ absentee ballots ahead of the November election. Assemblywoman Catalina Cruz, whose district includes Jackson Heights, Corona and Elmhurst, introduced the bill Sept. 10 to increase voting transparency and security… Read more »