June 7, 2020 By Christian Murray Two people were stabbed—one fatally—outside the Astoria Houses NYCHA complex this morning. Police received a 911 call at 6:36 a.m. Sunday of an assault in front of 28-02 8th St. Upon arrival, the responding officers discovered a 37-year-old man with stab wounds to the chest and a 34-year-old woman… Read more »
June 5, 2020 By Christian Murray If the community was looking for answers as to what led to the firing of the Chair of Community Board 2 this week, it didn’t get them at last night’s monthly board meeting. Acting Queens Borough President Sharon Lee, who earlier this week decided not to reappoint chair Denise… Read more »
June 4, 2020, Letter to the Editor from Judy Zangwill, Executive Director of Sunnyside Community Services Letter to the Editor, We as a nation, community, organization, and individuals are deeply hurting and, once again, deeply enraged. Emotions are raw right now, and most of us are in pain. For some, that pain is very personal… Read more »
June 3, 2020 By Christian Murray Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz has established a new bureau tasked with investigating and prosecuting predatory lenders, housing scammers and contractors who fail to pay their employees prevailing wage. The new unit, called the Housing and Worker Protection Bureau, will work with other agencies to prosecute con artists and… Read more »
June 2, 2020 By Christian Murray Denise Keehan-Smith was unceremoniously dumped as Community Board 2 chair late Sunday. Keehan-Smith was in Pennsylvania when she received a phone call at 10:16 p.m. from Acting Queens Borough President Sharon Lee. Lee called her to tell her she was out—that she would no longer be on the community… Read more »
June 2, 2020 By Christian Murray Denise Keehan-Smith, who has been the chair of Community Board 2 since 2016, was dropped from the board last week without a vote being cast. Keehan-Smith was tossed out of the position when Acting Queens Borough President Sharon Lee decided not to reappoint her to Community Board 2. Lee… Read more »
June 1, 2020 By Asha MacKay Midday during the work week, Sunnyside’s “open streets” are filled with runners, parents with young children and a delivery driver carefully navigating around the barricades. As of late May, more than 40 miles of open streets are on the map for New Yorkers to enjoy some socially-distant outside time…. Read more »
June 1, 2020 Staff Report Council Member Costa Constantinides, who represents Astoria and East Elmhurst, is running to be the next Queens Borough President. We spoke to Constantinides early last week, before the national outrage following the death of George Floyd took hold. The focus of the discussion was largely about the looming budget problems… Read more »
June 1, 2020 By Christian Murray Demonstrators came out in Queens over the weekend to voice their anger over the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. Hundreds took to the streets of Jackson Heights Saturday in a protest that formed in Diversity Plaza. Protesters in Jackson Heights chanted “black… Read more »
This story was originally published by Chalkbeat, a nonprofit news organization covering public education. Sign up for their newsletters here: ckbe.at/newsletters By Christina Veiga, Chalkbeat Every public school student in New York City will soon receive more than $400 to help pay for food while school buildings are shut down, regardless of family income. Through a federal… Read more »