July 1, 2020 By Allie Griffin New Yorkers will have to wait a little longer to grab a bite to eat indoors. The reopening of indoor dining at New York City restaurants has been postponed indefinitely, both Mayor Bill de Blasio and Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today. New York City was poised to reopen indoor… Read more »
July 1, 2020 By Allie Griffin The City Council passed the mayor’s executive budget that included deep cuts to the NYPD last night, as protesters cried to “defund the NYPD” outside City Hall. The council passed the $88.1 billion budget with a 32-to-17 vote around midnight, just before the July 1, 2021 fiscal year began…. Read more »
June 30, 2020 By Allie Griffin Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a municipal budget deal that would cut NYPD funding by $1 billion and redistribute much of it to support youth services and public housing residents. The City Council will vote on the new $88.1 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2021 — which begins July… Read more »
June 30, 2020 By Allie Griffin A group of environmental activists took over a privately-owned site in Sunnyside Saturday to create a community garden. The Western Queens Guerrilla Gardeners — a group of local gardeners, environmental activists and community composters — transformed the vacant lot with new plantings, compost piles and a “Resistance is fertile”… Read more »
June 24, 2020 By Allie Griffin More Queens streets will be shuttered to traffic as the city introduces another wave of the Open Streets initiative first announced in April. Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled an additional 23 miles today that will be open to pedestrians and cyclists through the course of the pandemic. The shuttered… Read more »
June 24, 2020 By Allie Griffin The Department of Transportation will install a nearly 4-mile-long temporary bike lane along Northern Boulevard for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic. The Department will created a protected bike lane along Northern Boulevard from Queens Plaza North to Broadway, where it turns down to 34th Avenue, Mayor Bill de… Read more »
June 24, 2020 By Allie Griffin Travelers from states with a high rate of COVID-19 infection must quarantine for 14 days upon entering New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today. Cuomo made the announcement with the governors of New Jersey and Connecticut via video in a joint press conference Wednesday. “We are announcing today a… Read more »
June 23, 2020 By Allie Griffin Incumbent Michael Gianaris is cruising to victory in the primary race for his current state senate seat representing Western Queens. Gianaris has a significant lead over competitor and retired sanitation worker Ignazio “Iggy” Terranova. He had garnered nearly 74 percent of votes for the 12th Senate District, according to… Read more »
June 23, 2020 By Allie Griffin Council Member Donovan Richards has clinched an early lead in the race to be the next Queens Borough President — though the official winner won’t be announced for at least a week. Richards, the Queens Democratic party pick, had nearly 38 percent of the votes in the Democratic primary… Read more »
June 23, 2020 By Allie Griffin Macy’s famous Fourth of July fireworks show will be spread over multiple days this year with quick surprise displays across the five boroughs. Fireworks will illuminate the sky for short five-minute displays from June 29 through July 1 and again in a televised July 4 finale, Mayor Bill de… Read more »