Author: Allie Griffin

Popular Manhattan BBQ Restaurant to Open First Queens Location in Forest Hills

Sept. 29, 2021 By Allie Griffin A Long Island resident is bringing a popular Manhattan barbeque restaurant to several locations In Queens with the first opening in Forest Hills this year. Michael Dolan, who left his corporate job in 2019 after working 14 years in finance to break into the restaurant industry, is opening a… Read more »

Public School Teachers and Staff Must Get Vaccinated by End of Friday: Mayor

Sept. 28, 2021 By Allie Griffin New York City public school teachers and staff must get at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by the end of Friday, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Tuesday. De Blasio moved the deadline to 5 p.m. Friday after a federal appeals court lifted an injunction that had temporarily… Read more »

City Invests $26 Million to Finish Queens Museum Expansion Project

Sept. 23, 2021 By Allie Griffin The city has allocated $26.4 million for the Queens Museum to complete its expansion project which includes a children’s museum space, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday. The investment enables the Queens Museum to create a dedicated children’s museum space, secure artwork storage and additional classrooms — all features… Read more »

Final Phase of Queens Boulevard Redesign to be Completed Next Month

Sept. 22, 2021 By Allie Griffin The final phase of the Queens Boulevard redesign project will be completed next month, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced at a press conference on Queens Boulevard in Forest Hills Wednesday. The fourth and final phase — from Yellowstone Boulevard to Union Turnpike — will be finished by Oct. 29,… Read more »

Eric Adams Outlines Plan to Convert Hotels Located in The Outer Boroughs Into Affordable Housing

Sept. 21, 2021 By Allie Griffin Democratic mayoral nominee Eric Adams wants to convert 25,000 outer-borough hotel rooms into permanent affordable housing. Adams outlined a plan — during a press conference in Sunset Park Monday — for the city to acquire economically distressed hotels in the outer boroughs and convert them into supportive housing. The… Read more »

City to Require Weekly COVID Testing at Public Schools Beginning Next Week

Sept. 21, 2021 By Allie Griffin The city will require weekly COVID-19 testing of students and staff at public schools beginning next week, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday. The Department of Education will increase testing from biweekly to weekly at all public schools beginning Sept. 27. As such, 10 percent of unvaccinated students will… Read more »

New Housing Lottery Opens for 267 Apartments in Forest Hills Mixed-Income Development

Sept. 20, 2021 By Allie Griffin A housing lottery has opened for 267 apartments in a new affordable development in Forest Hills. The units, which are located in two of a three-building development, are open to residents who fit low-, moderate- and middle-income categories. The apartments are part of a development operated by Phipps Houses,… Read more »

Queens World Film Festival to Donate $8,000 to Elmhurst Hospital Monday

Sept. 17, 2021 By Allie Griffin The organizers of a Queens-based film festival will present an $8,000 check to Elmhurst Hospital Monday. The organizers of the annual Queens World Film Festival will donate the money — proceeds from the sale of “hero tickets” to its 11th annual festival held in June — during a ceremony… Read more »