Nov. 2, 2020 Staff Report The entries are in and the voting is taking place. Nearly a dozen people entered their homes for the inaugural #bewitchinQueens Halloween house contest. The residents with the spookiest house–with the most “likes” — will win a $500 VISA gift card; with second prize being $250 VISA card; and third… Read more »
Oct. 30, 2020 By Allie Griffin State Sen. Michael Gianaris, who represents western Queens, introduced legislation today to almost double the number of early voting sites in the state. The bill comes after an analysis of early voting sites in New York City found the number of registered voters assigned to an early voting site… Read more »
Oct. 30, 2020 By Allie Griffin Queens food pantries are seeing food supplies dwindle at the same time that the number of families in need of food is increasing. Pantry organizers are calling on elected officials to act on the urgency of the situation as the city heads into its ninth month of the pandemic… Read more »
Oct. 30, 2020 By Allie Griffin The owner of the historic Neir’s Tavern signed a five-year lease Thursday, securing its place for years to come after the 191-year-old bar nearly shuttered in January. Owner Loycent Gordon signed the five-year lease agreement for the establishment at 87-48 78th St. with landlords Ken and Henry Shi. The… Read more »
Oct. 29, 2020 By Allie Griffin The New York City Police Department appointed its first female Chief of Patrol Thursday — Juanita Holmes, who has a long history of policing in Queens. Holmes, the highest-ranking African American woman in NYPD history, has more than 30 years of experience with the department, including several stints in… Read more »
Oct. 29. 2020 By Christian Murray If the gas line is down–the rent needs to come down with it, according to Astoria elected officials. State Sen. Mike Gianaris announced today that he is introducing legislation that provides rent relief for NYCHA tenants should they experience utility outages. The bill, which will be co-sponsored in the… Read more »
Oct. 29, 2020 By Allie Griffin Police have cuffed a 56-year-old man who allegedly tagged more than 20 cars with “AOC” and “BLM” graffiti in Jackson Heights two nights in a row. Officers arrested Heriberto Torres, of 95th Street, for allegedly spray-painting 26 cars parked along 77th Street with the acronyms for U.S. Rep. Alexandria… Read more »
Oct. 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin Council Member Robert Holden is calling on the city to make good on its promise to offer free daycare to working parents on days their children attend school remotely. Holden penned a letter to Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza last week, calling on the Department of Education (DOE) to expand… Read more »
Oct. 28, 2020 By Allie Griffin Small business owners will soon be able to expand their storefront onto the sidewalk as part of a new Open Storefronts initiative the City will launch on Friday. Retail shops will be able to sell their wares on sidewalks in front of their storefronts from Oct. 30 through Dec…. Read more »
Oct. 28, 2020 By Michael Dorgan An Astoria resident and Sunnyside community leader has received a national award – and a $50,000 grant – for her work in helping needy residents through the COVID-19 shutdown. Jaime-Faye Bean, who is the director of Sunnyside Shines and co-founder of Queens Together, was named a recipient of the… Read more »