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 Christian Murray The Queens Public Library announced today that seven additional branches are slated to reopen for “to-go” service Monday. The library system currently has 15 branches open for to-got service and after Monday it will have 22 up and running. The latest branches to be added include the Arverne Library,… 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. 22, 2022 By Christian Murray Drag racing is a problem throughout Queens—from Sunnyside to Fresh Meadows–and a Flushing legislator is looking to clamp down on the problem. Assemblywoman Nily Rozic is introducing legislation that would authorize the city to extend the hours that existing speed cameras are in operation in areas known for drag… Read more »
Sept 22, 2020 By Allie Griffin A Bronx man was indicted on murder charges in Queens Supreme Court Monday for a hit-and-run box truck crash that killed a new father in Middle Village this summer. Ramon Pena, 37, was indicted by a Queens grand jury on a slew of charges stemming from the July 30… Read more »
Sept. 17, 2020 By Michael Dorgan A new online guide listing Downtown Flushing’s best food and historical attractions is being launched to support restaurants that have been struggling due to the pandemic. The guide, called “Flushing’s Finest,” is available for advance online purchase now with a release date of September 25 and will showcase the… Read more »
Sept. 18, 2020 By Allie Griffin Community compost and food scraps drop-off sites are back up and running in Queens after the sites were shuttered for months due to pandemic-related budget cuts. The sites were reopened after the city’s executive budget restored $2.8 million to community composting for Fiscal Year 2021 last minute, the Department… Read more »
Sept. 17, 2020 By Allie Griffin A Bronx man was indicted for attempted murder by a Queens jury Thursday after nearly beating his girlfriend to death on a Jamaica street in May. James Fitzgerald, 53, allegedly beat his girlfriend with a nail-studded plank as she lay defenseless on the sidewalk in front of a fish… Read more »
Sept. 17, 2020 By Allie Griffin The City Council passed a bill Wednesday that will require the city to explore the use of drones for building facade inspections. The bill, co-sponsored by Northeast Queens Council Member Paul Vallone, will require the Department of Buildings (DOB) to study the safety and feasibility of using drones to… Read more »