Jun. 20, 2025 By Athena Dawson U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks hosted a town hall meeting Monday, June 16, at the Jamaica Performing Arts Center to address the impact of Trump administration policies on New Yorkers. Dozens of attendees filled the venue’s theater to hear Meeks deliver an overview of recent federal developments, followed by…
Jun. 19, 2025 By Bill Parry A Southeast Queens man was sentenced to a decade in prison for a hate crime for punching out a Sikh man following a 2023 fender bender in Kew Gardens. The victim suffered a head injury and died five days later. Gilbert Augustin, 32, of 111th Avenue in Jamaica,…
Jun. 17, 2025 By Athena Dawson Jazz lovers of all ages can celebrate the start of this year’s Queens Jazz Trail Concert Series this week. The free concert series is back in full swing, with its inaugural performance on Thursday, June 19, at 7 p.m., at Astoria Park, located at 19 St. bet. Astoria…
Mar. 28, 2025 By Athena Dawson Southeast Queens elected officials are slamming the NYC Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) for not including the area in a recently launched commercial truck parking pilot program. Council Members Selvena Brooks-Powers and Nantasha Williams held a joint press conference on Thursday off Rockaway Blvd and 144th Terrace, rallying…
Mar. 6, 2025 By Athena Dawson State Senator James Sanders Jr. hosted an immigrant rights forum on Thursday, Feb. 27, at the Greater Allen AME Cathedral in Jamaica, bringing together legal experts, faith leaders, and community advocates to discuss the impact of shifting immigration policies on Southeast Queens. Titled “Not a Sanctuary? What Should…
Feb. 28, 2025 By Colum Motherway Senator James Sanders Jr. and Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, in partnership with the World Cares Center, hosted a disaster resilience and safety training event on Thursday, Feb. 20. The training event held at Victory Fellowship Worship Center in Rosedale drew a full house of civic leaders, community organizations,…
Feb. 18, 2025 By Athena Dawson Southeast Queens City Council Member Nantasha Williams is calling on Mayor Adams’ office to support the establishment of a Downtown Jamaica Neighborhood Task Force. Williams sent a letter to the Mayor’s office last week asking for his leadership in developing the task force to address persistent quality-of-life issues…
Feb. 14, 2025 By Athena Dawson NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens celebrated Black History Month with an informative and inspiring guest speaking engagement on Thursday, Feb. 13. The event at 82-68 164th St. in Jamaica was led by Lorna Rainey, great-granddaughter of America’s first Black U.S. Rep., the Honorable Joseph H. Rainey (1870). Lorna is…
Dec. 30, 2024 By Bill Parry A beloved Southeast Queens community leader was struck and killed by the driver of a yellow cab in a chain-reaction crash in South Ozone Park during the early morning hours of Saturday, Dec. 28. Vidya Dookran-Franco, 51, of Merrick, was picking up food to bring home to her…
Dec. 5, 2024 By Colum Motherway Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and the NYPD have announced the indictment of 11 alleged members after a three-and-a-half-year investigation, entitled ‘Operation: Deadliest Catch,’ into gang violence in Southeast Queens. The alleged members are from the ‘Whole Blocc Boys’ (WBB) and ‘Score On Anything’ (SOA) – two subsets…